Theres a reason there hasnt been a meaningful work stoppage in pro football for almost 27 years, and its not because this is a sport where the players have nothing to complain about. The very nature of the sport makes it difficult - some might say near impossible - to keep players united during a work stoppage because work stoppages are always about making sacrifices in the short term to benefit in the long. And for a great number of players in a sport with short careers and non-guaranteed contracts, there is no long term. But perhaps even more difficult to overcome is the fact that in football a small number of players on every team are paid far more than the rest, especially the large number of players on every team who will earn at or near the league minimum. And it is those star players, who already enjoy the biggest paydays and the most job security, wholl gain the most as the result of a successful work action. Look at any roster in either the CFL or NFL and youll probably be surprised to earn how many players are earning at or near the league minimum, which this NFL season will ranges between $420,000 and $645,00 for players from zero to three years of service in the league. In the CFL, that figure will go from $45,000 to $50,000 for this season based on what the parties have agreed to so far during current CBA negotiations. Since payrolls for CFL teams arent public, lets use an NFL team as an example to illustrate the payroll dynamics in pro football, which are similar in both leagues, albeit on a different scale. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers enters this season with an average salary of $22 million, nearly double that of anyone else on the team. Among Packers currently under contract, there are only four with an average salary of more than $7 million season, and another four at more than $4 million. There are eight players listed at between $2 million and $4 million, and 67 whose average salary is less than $1 million, 49 of whom are due to earn less than $600,000. The numbers in the CFL are obviously smaller but the manner in which they compare to one another is similar, with star quarterbacks earning roughly $500,000 per season while a large portion of each roster earns less than $60,000 per season. The truth is that whatever gains are made for the players in either league usually mean the rich will get richer. For example, the NFL will operate this season with a salary cap of $133 million dollars. But if that figure was suddenly increased to $200 million, the primary beneficiaries would be the Peyton Mannings, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Bradys and Richard Shermans of the world, while the leagues rank and file would essentially remain un affected. Same thing in the Canadian Football League - where if the CFLPA were to get its wish and have the salary cap jump immediately from $4.4 million to $5.8, the benefits would go to players such Ricky Ray, Darian Durant and the rest of the players whom fans pay to see. Of course theres another dynamic in the CFL game that doesnt exist south of the border. And thats that starting Canadian players - the ones mandated by the leagues quota system - also stand to benefit handsomely from any increase because of the laws of supply and demand. But the question becomes how do you convince the great number of players earning at or near the league minimum - young American players or backup Canadians - to commit to a work stoppage when theres little or no chance many of them will benefit from it? Standing up for a much higher minimum salary might help boost support among the rank and file, but that never seems to be the priority in either league. And therein lies the challenge of trying to keep a union full of professional football players all on the same page during a negotiating process. Consider that, despite having the leverage of being able to shut down the most profitable sport in North America, NFL players werent much interested in testing the resolve of their membership by missing paycheques when the league locked out its players during the off-season three years ago. They settled before that could happen. In Canada, the CFLPA has made a lot of noise about being disappointed in the leagues various offers this spring. But it hasnt said anything about having all of its membership on side, or being unbreakable, or being willing to miss game cheques in order to reach their goals in negotiation. The truth is that if the CFLPA were to strike a portion of the season, a great number of players will never get that money back - even if the owners were to capitulate completely. Many would simply be out of the league before they could benefit or would be left to watch the windfalls go to star players while they continue to earn similar amounts. All of these dynamics play to the owners advantage. And in the CFL, where were talking about players needing money to simply pay for the cost of living, the advantage is even greater. Will we see a CFL players strike later this month? Perhaps while its just training camp being missed, when no one has to make a true financial sacrifice to benefit the group for the long term. But in a sport where the rewards of such an action are likely to wind up in the hands of a select few, expecting anything more may be asking too much. Cheap Shoes . The Marlies surrendered two power-play goals and failed to score on six man-advantage opportunities en route to a 4-1 defeat in American Hockey League action on Saturday. Cheap Shoes Website . Mesoraco hurt his hamstring while scoring from second in Friday nights 5-4 loss at Atlanta. 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The well-travelled 36-year-old right-hander earned his second NL victory since 2007, and his first since he joined the Atlanta Braves last month, pitching six innings to help beat Miami 6-1 Thursday.LONDON -- Jose Mourinho accepted Chelseas Premier League faint title hopes had been extinguished by a 0-0 draw against Norwich on Sunday, with the manager bemoaning the teams laziness and misfiring strikers as his first season back in charge ends with a whimper. Neither striker Demba Ba nor Fernando Torres came close to scoring as Chelsea was left unsuccessfully appealing for penalties in this drab penultimate game of the season. "Our strikers are good strikers, no doubt about that, but players with some specific qualities," Mourinho said. "They are not the kind of players in five square meters with three or four players around who can get the ball, can dribble around and make the shot. "So when the team is in a difficult situation they are not able to normally resolve that situation for us." It likely means Mourinhos first season back at Chelsea will end without a trophy. Chelsea, with one game left, is a point behind Manchester City and Liverpool, who both have two matches remaining and a superior goal difference. "We tried everything but at the end of the day we knew we had no chance of being champions," he added. Chelsea is three points ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal, which also has one game left, but the Blues have a much better goal difference. A draw at Stamford Bridge would usually be something to celebrate for Norwich -- giving Neil Adams his first point in his fourth game as interim manager -- but it leaves the club closer to the drop. Norwich needs Sunderland to lose to West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday and Swansea on Sunday, when the Canaries must beat Arsenal. Realistically, the season seems to be over for both Norwich and Chelsea, which still seemed to be affected by Wednesdays Champions League semifinal loss to Atletico Madrid. "The first half was typical of the consequence of that state of mind," Mourinho said. "It was a lazy first half," he added. "Slow, no pressure, the midfield werent arriving to press the opponent." Chelsea was forttunate that referee Neil Swarbrick dismissed Norwichs penalty claims after 11 minutes when Martin Olsson was fouled in the area by John Terry.dddddddddddd Chelsea didnt make the most of its reprieve, with the hosts unable to trouble goalkeeper John Ruddy, who easily saved Terrys header. Andre Schuerrle did manage to hit the inside of the post but his follow-up was easily collected by Ruddy, and Willian completely miscued a shot just before half time. Defender David Luiz made a quick impact at the start of the second half after replacing Frank Lampard, but the crossbar denied Chelsea this time. Then came Chelseas penalty claims, with Schuerrle first brought down by Alexander Tettey and Ryan Bennett making slight contact with second-half substitute Eden Hazard. "Hazard, I saw," Mourinho said. "I saw in the game, but to confirm I had a quick run to my office which is just there, and I arrived in time to watch and then go back to the dug-out laughing ... because I cant cry." With one of his assistants, Rui Faria, starting a six-game stadium ban for misconduct toward match officials, Mourinho imposed a vow of silence toward Sundays referee. "My assistant is in jail and I dont want to comment," Mourinho said. The Portuguese was happier discussing another unsatisfactory performance from his strikers, summed up by Torres failing to make a clean connection late on after Hazards shot was parried. For Mourinho, the summer mission is to overhaul his strike force with Atletico striker Diego Costa primed for a move to west London. "Its a long summer for us ... to sit and to discuss and analyze options, the market," Mourinho said. Veteran players could be leaving, with 33-year-old defender Ashley Cole out of contract at the end of the season and tearful on the pitch after Chelseas final home game. Terry, who embraced the emotional Cole, and Lampard are also yet to secure new contracts. "They are with the club on their future," said Mourinho, who wants the trio to stay. ' ' '