The NFLPA is Fumbling the Ball (1 Viewer)

[JbizzleMan]

From Rotoworld:

Former Titans center Kevin Mawae now admits that he had a chance to sign with the 49ers last August when Eric Heitman suffered a fractured fibula.

Interesting. The NFLPA president complained of a league-wide blackballing leading up to his retirement in September. He cited a combination of "personal and monetary" reasons for declining the Niners' offer, though it didn't change his stance that he'd been blackballed. The 49ers offered him a one-year, $860,000 deal -- the league minimum for a player of 16 years experience

How long have the players had to prepare for this? Yet they keep talking out of their #####.

Also: Goodell wrote a letter to the players which gives some insight to what they were offering the NFLPA

In an attempt to get jumpstart negotiations, commissioner Roger Goodell has sent a letter to all players explaining the owners' most recent proposal.

Goodell conceded that the last offer was intended as a "strong and fair basis" for another extension as opposed to an agreement. Key points of the offer include a $141M salary cap in 2011 ($161M in 2014), free agency after four years, reduced draft-pick compensation for RFAs, fewer offseason workouts, a 16-game season through 2012, a new rookie wage scale, and medical coverage for life. "I hope you will encourage your Union to return to the bargaining table and conclude a new collective bargaining agreement," Goodell wrote in closing. We're not holding out hope that the letter will appeal to NFLPA* boss De Smith.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.

Hint: PR <> Reality

 

[JbizzleMan]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are they a heavy favorite to win big? The players are the desperate ones as you can see by their tweets and interviews. The owners can wait this out until the players fold.

 

[Chadstroma]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are the players heavy favorite to win big? Their only hope is a court ruling in their favor. From my understanding, precedent is against them and they no longer have a judge who is sympathetic to them. Outside of court, the owners can go the distance while more and more players are going to miss their paychecks. Do you have any links on them being the 'heavy favorite'?

 

[Rockchild]

From Rotoworld:

Former Titans center Kevin Mawae now admits that he had a chance to sign with the 49ers last August when Eric Heitman suffered a fractured fibula.

Interesting. The NFLPA president complained of a league-wide blackballing leading up to his retirement in September. He cited a combination of "personal and monetary" reasons for declining the Niners' offer, though it didn't change his stance that he'd been blackballed. The 49ers offered him a one-year, $860,000 deal -- the league minimum for a player of 16 years experience

How long have the players had to prepare for this? Yet they keep talking out of their #####.

Also: Goodell wrote a letter to the players which gives some insight to what they were offering the NFLPA

In an attempt to get jumpstart negotiations, commissioner Roger Goodell has sent a letter to all players explaining the owners' most recent proposal.

Goodell conceded that the last offer was intended as a "strong and fair basis" for another extension as opposed to an agreement. Key points of the offer include a $141M salary cap in 2011 ($161M in 2014), free agency after four years, reduced draft-pick compensation for RFAs, fewer offseason workouts, a 16-game season through 2012, a new rookie wage scale, and medical coverage for life. "I hope you will encourage your Union to return to the bargaining table and conclude a new collective bargaining agreement," Goodell wrote in closing. We're not holding out hope that the letter will appeal to NFLPA* boss De Smith.

I'm sure fair is in the eye of the beholder. What's always interesting about these figures being offered as 'key points' is the lack of details. And in what way is the former NFLPA fumbling the ball? If anything, they've put the owners on the defensive. And in the overall scheme of things this is still early.

 

[Heatman]

I wouldn't say so much fumbling the ball but proving they are as full of it as they say the owners are.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are they a heavy favorite to win big? The players are the desperate ones as you can see by their tweets and interviews. The owners can wait this out until the players fold.

The players will "win" in court. But the court is a very long and drawn out process. Many players cannot afford to wait out the owners

 

[Mello]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are they a heavy favorite to win big? The players are the desperate ones as you can see by their tweets and interviews. The owners can wait this out until the players fold.

The players will "win" in court. But the court is a very long and drawn out process. Many players cannot afford to wait out the owners

They aren't going to have much of a choice if the owners lock them out. Unless you think these players have the real power to force a deal though.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are they a heavy favorite to win big? The players are the desperate ones as you can see by their tweets and interviews. The owners can wait this out until the players fold.

The players will "win" in court. But the court is a very long and drawn out process. Many players cannot afford to wait out the owners

They aren't going to have much of a choice if the owners lock them out. Unless you think these players have the real power to force a deal though.

I expect the lockout to get overturned just like last time. then FA starts and they go back to the bargaining table. Anything the players challenge in court they should win based on anti-trust laws. I also think that the owners dont want anything decided in the courts, but they have been playing a risky game of chicken

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

The worst thing that can happen to the league is die hard football addicts realizing that there is more to life than football and start pouring their money into other interests and family activities.

Unless this gets settled soon, as time goes on that $9 billion will start becoming $8.5 billion, $8 billion, and so on.

So there will be no winners here.

 

[Carolina Hustler]

Weird how a group that's making mistake after mistake is still a heavy favorite to win big.Hint: PR <> Reality

How are they a heavy favorite to win big? The players are the desperate ones as you can see by their tweets and interviews. The owners can wait this out until the players fold.

The players will "win" in court. But the court is a very long and drawn out process. Many players cannot afford to wait out the owners

They aren't going to have much of a choice if the owners lock them out. Unless you think these players have the real power to force a deal though.

I expect the lockout to get overturned just like last time. then FA starts and they go back to the bargaining table. Anything the players challenge in court they should win based on anti-trust laws. I also think that the owners dont want anything decided in the courts, but they have been playing a risky game of chicken

Agreed, The owners know this, and I think the Players with any common sense know this.The problem for the average football fan, and onlooker is that the owners association is a better run, more educated, better informed, and more prepared group. The players, for the most part are a group of unruly, self centered, immature children in comparison. This is showing well in the PR battle..Regardless of how bad they do in the PR battle, or how little organization and focus they have, they would for the most part win in court. Whether or not they can keep this misfit bunch informed and in rank will be the issue. If a large portion of the players start believing the PR hype, or lose faith in the overall agenda, this thing will fall apart for them.The owners have the discipline to pull this off, but the players have the leverage.

 

[mr roboto]

The worst thing that can happen to the league is die hard football addicts realizing that there is more to life than football and start pouring their money into other interests and family activities.

Unless this gets settled soon, as time goes on that $9 billion will start becoming $8.5 billion, $8 billion, and so on.

So there will be no winners here.

The die-hard football addict's family, 401k, and cardiologist would beg to differ.

 

[belljr]

Add one more to the players score

Kevin Burnett(notes) isn't shy about his feelings toward Roger Goodell.The San Diego Chargers linebacker went off on the NFL commissioner during an interview Thursday with XX Sports Radio in San Diego. Burnett was asked a question about Goodell's letter to the players, which outlined the league's final offer to the NFLPA. He responded with a blistering diatribe against the commissioner:"[He's] full of it. He's a liar. You're a blatant liar. 'It's our league, it's we, we love the players, we want the league,' but what have you done for the players? What have you done, in all honesty, to improve the game, besides fine guys, besides take money away from guys, besides change a game that you've never played? ... He's done nothing to improve the game."Though no Goodell apologist myself, to say that he's done nothing for the game is a ridiculous statement that negates all the arguments that come after it. You can disagree with Goodell while still acknowledging that he's helped increase television revenues and ratings. Burnett goes on to make some good points in the interview but his anger clouds everything he says. Nobody listens to the guy ranting on the street corner.The linebacker goes with the tried and true "you've never played the game, so you don't know how it is" card in his first attack on Goodell. Come on. That's been run into the ground more than LaDanian Tomlinson. What's his next point, "takes one to know one"? If Burnett subscribes to the theory that Goodell doesn't know what the players need because the commish has never played football, then the linebacker has to accept that he doesn't have the first clue how to run a league because he's never put on a suit and walked into a skyscraper on Park Avenue.Burnett continued to blast Goodell when asked about the league's drug policy:"If a guy has a drug problem, give him an alternative, don't just say, 'Hey, stop doing drugs. Stamp. Six games.' ... You put them in a drug program. OK, anybody can stick somebody in a nuthouse, but what else are you doing? What programs are you putting in place?"Couldn't the same question be asked of DeMaurice Smith? What's the role of the player's union if not to protect the players. Why is it Goodell's problem if a player takes drugs? There's a rule in place and if a player breaks it that's nobody's fault but the individual's. If you get caught taking drugs at your place of business, what's your boss going to do: put you in rehab or fire you on the spot?One player's anger makes not a trend. Still, it's disconcerting that the rhetoric between players and management has turned negative so quickly. Eight days ago there appeared to be realistic hope of a resolution before a lockout. Now, such a prospect seems a long way away.

 

[Shutout]

After listening to Sirius and talkshows and ESPN and tweets, etc, I think there really are some very good representatives in the player's corner. They have spoken very inteligently and addressed the issues in a direct and plain language that I think most of us can relate to.

The problems, however, are:

1) The owners will likely look held together longer because they won't panic as much about the money as the players will. The players will need money faster than the owners.

2) There are so many MORE players, especially players with twitter accounts and such,that its easy to get lost in the noise. You can listen to five great stances by players and its completely undone by one Adrian Peterson statement or one Kevin Burnett rant. But the owners will sit back and be quiet and avoid handing over ammunition. The most you will likely hear fromt he owners is Al Davis (which everyone would just gloss over and say "that's Al...) or Jerry Jones.

 

[treat88]

After listening to Sirius and talkshows and ESPN and tweets, etc, I think there really are some very good representatives in the player's corner. They have spoken very inteligently and addressed the issues in a direct and plain language that I think most of us can relate to.

The problems, however, are:

1) The owners will likely look held together longer because they won't panic as much about the money as the players will. The players will need money faster than the owners.

2) There are so many MORE players, especially players with twitter accounts and such,that its easy to get lost in the noise. You can listen to five great stances by players and its completely undone by one Adrian Peterson statement or one Kevin Burnett rant. But the owners will sit back and be quiet and avoid handing over ammunition. The most you will likely hear fromt he owners is Al Davis (which everyone would just gloss over and say "that's Al...) or Jerry Jones.

Peterson's comment was immature hyperbole that has been blown WAY out of proportion.Burnett just told the truth.

 

[delusional]

I like how some players are calling out Goodell.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

The players will need money faster than the owners.

I'm not at all sure about that. The players have to pay for food, clothing, and housing, but they should be able to get personal loans to cover those things. Many of the owners have to make huge payments on stadium debt. It's hard to get a big loan to pay down already-existing debt.

 

[Carolina Hustler]

The players will need money faster than the owners.

I'm not at all sure about that. The players have to pay for food, clothing, and housing, but they should be able to get personal loans to cover those things. Many of the owners have to make huge payments on stadium debt. It's hard to get a big loan to pay down already-existing debt.

The banks who own this owner debt know they will eventually be paid though. It's not had to imagine the banks giving leniency. They have no other option really. If they repossess a stadium or a 20,000 sq ft video screen, who would they sell to?

 

[Cripster]

The players will need money faster than the owners.

I'm not at all sure about that. The players have to pay for food, clothing, and housing, but they should be able to get personal loans to cover those things. Many of the owners have to make huge payments on stadium debt. It's hard to get a big loan to pay down already-existing debt.

The banks who own this owner debt know they will eventually be paid though. It's not had to imagine the banks giving leniency. They have no other option really. If they repossess a stadium or a 20,000 sq ft video screen, who would they sell to?

I wonder it the teams have some sort of insurance for work stopages. I have not heard that, but I just wonder.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The players will need money faster than the owners.

I'm not at all sure about that. The players have to pay for food, clothing, and housing, but they should be able to get personal loans to cover those things. Many of the owners have to make huge payments on stadium debt. It's hard to get a big loan to pay down already-existing debt.

The banks who own this owner debt know they will eventually be paid though. It's not had to imagine the banks giving leniency. They have no other option really. If they repossess a stadium or a 20,000 sq ft video screen, who would they sell to?

Along these lines, it's been said that if you owe the bank $100,000 and can't pay you have a big problem. But if you owe the bank $100,000,000 and can't pay the bank has a big problem.