Headlines of the times:

• NFL, Fans May Face 2-Game Season
• Strike Date: Sept. 23

Player gripes include the lack of a true "baseball free agency" -- and my, that's worked well lately, hasn't it? -- an improved pension plan, and guaranteed contracts, which seems contradictory to the first of these demands anyway.

No matter. The proposed strike, while a threat to the owners' pocketbooks, is moreso an attempt to scare addicted fans into supporting the players at all costs in order to preserve their Sunday habit.

I stand forth as one of those lifelong football addicts, and Ifor one say to hell with the NFL.

I resent reading about grown men getting paid exorbitant amounts to play a child's game, claiming to belong to a labor union.

I resent the fact that a hotshot kid named Bosworth, less than eight months my elder, will make more this year to play linebacker than both of my parents have made working at their jobs in the 21 years since I was born.

Don't misunderstand me -- I don't side with the owners either. Multi-millionaire businessmen who need to raise ticket prices every year in order to pay off the Brian Bosworths of the world, owners who make millions in TV revenue alone but rarely stop to consider the fans when making decisions about their extravagant athletic "toys" -- these men are hardly deserving of sympathy either.

Neither side is right. Neither side can win, and though we've heard this countless times before, only the fans will lose.

We missed our baseball heroes during their 1981 strike, and welcomed them back with open arms. The football strike of 1982 seemed a bit redundant, but the American sports fan is ever-forgiving.

For me, though this strike game has gone into one too many overtimes.

To hell with overpaid unionizing quarterbacks like Boomer Esiason. For my money -- and rest assured, it's nowhere near the kind he makes -- I'll equally enjoy trekking down to Doyt Perry Field for an afternoon of watching Rich Dackin.

For that matter, there's a kid named Matt Dzierwa throwing passes for my old high school, Toledo St. John's, who I may go catch in action. And when I do, I'll be secure in knowing that he is unconcerned with so-called labor strikes -- unless he happens to be learning about them in Modern American History.

NFL Players Association rep Gene Upshaw claims that management has left the players with "no choice" but to strike.

Well, Gene, you go ahead and authorize that Sept. 22 strike date. On Friday the 25th, I have plans to go catch the St. John's game, then on Saturday, it's Homecoming right here for the Falcons with Western Michigan.

The NFL? Thanks, but unlike Boomer, Bernie and friends are likely to be doing for most of this fall ... I'll pass.