During a time where countrymen are shouting “USA, USA, USA,” with patriotism flowing through the vein of the nation and most are rejoicing at the killing of Osama bin Laden, I started thinking of an American institution that has its own turmoil going on right now.

The National Football League and its Players Association or the decertified version of what’s left of it, has its share of problems.

The lockout was over. Everyone rejoiced.

Or so we thought. Until the U.S. government got involved. Sure, it was because the players asked for mediation, but you and I both know that the government was just waiting for a chance to stick its nose in someone else’s business.

Players went in to workout and were sent back home, and before we could even finish the first round of the draft, the lockout wasn’t over.

Then the players were told it was OK to go back, so they did and again, the lockout was over.

But after an Eighth District Court makes a decision on upholding or repealing the ruling made by U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson, the season could be on hold again and again.

Now I won’t side with the players or the league, but the most normal of American things makes me think, what really is American about a business not being able to operate under its own merit?

The most successful American sport is being told how to run its own business. That, to me, makes no sense.

Obviously, they’ve been doing it right for several years now. American government, they don’t need your help.

Whether or not the players chose to decertify just to take their fight to the court is irrelevant.

As fans, we want to see week one through the Super Bowl, but as an American, it just seems a bit ridiculous that a business lockout will be determined by the court system.

The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the team owners have some ridiculous demands without a lot of gain for the players, and I understand their gripes.

For starters, the league wants to add two games to the schedule while taking an extra $2 billion away from the amount that would be revenue shared.

They also want to pay incoming rookies on a much cheaper scale, and also take away retired players benefits.

I get all of that, I really do. But what the players and court systems aren’t understanding is the fact that they make enough money to save for their own benefit packages, rookies shouldn’t be paid as much as experienced veterans, and if I were an owner, I would want the extra money to cover my butt just in case they didn’t earn as much in revenue as they usually do.

Who are they to tell me how to run a business?

If Anheuser-Busch decided it wanted to lockout employees until they came to an agreement about a pay scale and retirement benefits, would the government step in and force the company to allow employees back to work?

No, the government wouldn’t tell them to keep making beer.

Besides, it would just be un-American to try to control an alcoholic beverage company, just like it’s un-American to try to control the NFL.