No, this has nothing to do with this video. Lost in the general, blind excitement over the NFL’s season starting on time, more or less as it would have without the dispute between the players and owners, was the approach taken by the Oakland Raiders’ management during the final, critical vote to approve the new deal with the players that would allow the league to resume operations.

Rather than vote to approve the plan, or even to vote against it, the Raiders decided to abstain. As covered in the exclusive report by Comcast SportsNet, Amy Trask, CEO of the Raiders, “explained the abstention thusly”:

We have profound philosophical differences on a number of issues — both of a football and economic nature. We have consistently expressed our views on these matters to the league.

Even though I am disappointed that it was Trask, and not owner Al Davis, who provided the explanation of the team’s position, I like the Raiders taking a principled stance here for no other reason that they’re the Raiders. (It also reminded me of two-time Oakland head coach Art Shell’s principled stance against any form of clock management.) Along with the rest of the league, and whether they want it or not, or if they even know what they want anymore, Da Raidas are back.