Years from now, when I look back on the 2011 NFL draft, I’m guessing that Cam Newton’s(notes) broad smile, Thomas Dimitroff’s bold gamble and Larry Fitzgerald’s(notes) plush open-air living room will likely be among the enduring images.
Most of all, however, I’ll remember the continuous and cacophonous beatings Roger Goodell took atop the Radio City Music Hall stage.
It’s no fun being the NFL commissioner during a work stoppage, and I’m not surprised that many fans embraced the opportunity to take out their frustrations on the easiest and most available target during last Thursday night’s first round. Far more striking were the reactions of numerous players with whom I’ve communicated in recent days and who derived a sadistic pleasure in seeing Goodell squirm.
More From Michael SilverDimitroff takes Falcons on wild ride to Jones May 1, 2011 Sources: Players expect stay of Nelson's ruling Apr 29, 2011 Thanks to the magic of text-messaging technology, I got a real-time sense of that sentiment during the first round. Said one Pro Bowl player in response to Goodell being booed: “As he should. He’s trying to [expletive] us.”
“Will any one of these [draft picks] nut up and ignore the handshake?” asked a veteran player for an AFC North team. “How about him taking a moment of silence in order to stop the boos? I’m all for paying respect to tornado victims, but what do you think his intent was there?”
When Goodell later appeared onstage with a group of U.S. soldiers, a player for an AFC West team said, “So that’s the only way he can get them to stop booing? Shameless.”
While Goodell-bashing may be cathartic for players and fans, I don’t think it’s good for football. For all my criticism of the owners during this labor stare down, I’ve remained relatively positive about Goodell’s role – partly because I’m convinced he’s not driving the bus, and partly because I’ve spoken to the man and looked him in the eye and believe he sincerely wants a deal.
Yet I’ve had a very, very hard time finding a player who shares those views, and however this lockout and the accompanying legal maneuverings are resolved, I’m convinced that the commissioner will have a very real problem with the vast majority of the men who wear “The Shield” of which he speaks so reverently.
“A lot of the players hated him even before this went down, and now they really hate him,” one prominent player for an NFC East team told me last Friday. “He’s not smooth, charming or witty. He never seems honest when he talks to you. And he’s a dope. They should change his name to Roger Goon-dell.”
That’s one nickname you won’t see mentioned on a future NFL Network “Top 10” production.
I’d dismiss this player as an outlier – if I hadn’t heard similar opinions from so many others. Over the past few weeks, Goodell has been called a “joke” and a “fraud” by the Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Mason(notes) and the Seattle Seahawks’ Chester Pitts(notes), respectively, and I’ve heard plenty of unprintable insults from other players, too.
And while until a week or so ago I would have thought it crazy, I’m not going to throw something out there that might be worth pondering: Is it possible that, either by his choice or the will of his employers, the fallout from this labor nightmare will cost Goodell his job?
“Zero chance,” one owner insisted Wednesday.
The owner said there is near-unanimous support for the commissioner among the people running the 32 franchises and that Goodell has been “absolutely great” before and during the labor crisis.
“He’s showing the level of comportment and intelligent discourse that you’d expect of someone in his position, and his responses have been specific and thoughtful,” the owner said. “I can’t say that for [NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith]. We feel like Roger is representing our interests and trying hard to get a deal for the good of the game.”
Even if Goodell survives the current labor crisis, however, his standing among the rank and file has clearly taken a massive hit. From glad-handing in locker rooms to meting out discipline, Goodell’s post-settlement interactions with players figure to be awkward at best, and perhaps downright incendiary, for the foreseeable future.
“You think any vet will shake his hand when he’s at a game next year?” asked the AFC North player. “I hope he’s gone.”
While personally fond of Goodell, Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita(notes), a member of the decertified NFLPA’s executive committee, agrees that Goodell’s reputation with players has been compromised.
“Does he have a problem with getting the players’ respect? Absolutely,” Fujita says. “No matter what happens, it might be tough for him to ever get that back. However this is resolved, I can’t say every player, but the overwhelming majority will continue to have a problem with him. And that’s too bad.”
Like me, Fujita believes that much of the players’ anger toward Goodell is misplaced and that the commissioner, as the “face of the lockout,” is a natural and convenient foil. Yet while Fujita may believe that the Goodell-bashing is a tad over-the-top, he doesn’t view it as unjustified, either.
“He’s just in a really unenviable position of having to build consensus among the owners,” Fujita says. “I don’t know that anybody can do that right now. He’s the mouthpiece of the owners, and that’s why he’s getting that type of reaction. I do feel bad for him.
“Ideally, he’s someone who can build consensus among the owners and convince them to do what’s best for the game. I expected him to be that guy who can push those buttons and get them to move, but I’m afraid he might not be. I don’t know that he’ll be able to do that, and that’s disappointing.”
One thing that’s not helping Goodell is his image as a tough, no-nonsense executive, which began with his strengthening of the personal-conduct policy shortly after he succeeded Paul Tagliabue in 2006 and continued with his high-profile suspensions of players like Michael Vick(notes), Pacman Jones and Ben Roethlisberger(notes). In those contexts, Goodell was clearly The Sheriff. In this one, he’s a hired gun doing the bidding of the very wealthy people who technically employ him, and it’s hard for players and fans to appreciate the distinction.
Unlike the robotic, careful Taglibaue, Goodell has been refreshingly candid and edgy from the start of his reign, and his efforts to be inclusive of players and fans have been rightfully well received. However, on the big issues like labor, Tagliabue had a gift for appearing as though he were firmly in charge of the league, even when he nominally wasn’t. Goodell, as Fujita suggests, hasn’t yet come close to mastering that trick.
Goodell has also caused plenty of players to regard him as a hypocrite. Many, like Fujita, have questioned what they perceive to be a double standard when it comes to the application of the personal-conduct policy. For example, then-Raiders coach Tom Cable received no discipline from the league after a 2009 training-camp argument with defensive assistant Randy Hanson during which Hanson sustained a broken jaw (Hanson was never interviewed by Goodell or anyone from his office).
“People believe he’s been disingenuous when it comes to certain things,” Fujita says. “Every issue’s handled differently. He’s talking tough when it comes to player conduct and cracking down on big hits, but then you have things like the Tom Cable situation …”
Last summer, Goodell went on a training-camp tour and met with players to discuss the impending expiration of the collective bargaining agreement and labor issues in general. Grilled by Fujita and others, Goodell provided few satisfactory answers and, said witnesses, experienced a measure of hostility and humiliation.
In March, after negotiations broke down – and, upon the expiration of the CBA, the NFLPA decertified, the players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league and the owners locked out the players – Goodell became the owners’ most visible public advocate. He wrote a letter to each player summarizing the league’s most recent offer and urging players to “encourage your union to return to the bargaining table.”
Pitts, the Seahawks’ NFLPA player rep, said in response, “I’ve told my guys to take the letter and set it on fire. We’re not that stupid.”
Players have bristled at subsequent comments by Goodell, including his assertion to San Diego Chargers season-ticket holders that the average-career-length of NFL players is longer than 3.5 years, as is commonly believed.
“He’s lost all credibility with us,” the AFC North player said last Thursday. “Especially with those comments about how the average career really isn’t three years. And telling us the last deal on the table had ” lifetime health insurance. Really? It had lifetime COBRA. He’s basically saying he’s betting we’ll never be employed again after football.”
It’s not particularly noteworthy that a high-stakes labor dispute would trigger heated rhetoric on both sides, and it’s fair to say that many or all of the 32 owners are as embittered toward Smith as some of the 1,800-plus NFL players are toward Goodell. The owner to whom I spoke insisted that Goodell’s efforts to establish a better working relationship with Smith – and to keep the lines of communication going even as the matter plays out in the courts – have not been reciprocated.
“Roger is trying to do business, and De is like a psycho girlfriend who doesn’t know what he wants, doesn’t understand what he’s involved in and [who] you can’t reason with,” the owner said. “With psycho girlfriends, at least you can move on eventually. But Roger is stuck with him right now.”
Two observations: 1. The next time I need to come up with a biting analogy, instead of going for a bike ride to clear my head or consulting with one of my journalistic peers, I should probably call this owner and ask for assistance; 2. plenty of seemingly reasonable people with erratically behaving romantic partners get sullied by association, and right now this appears to be a scenario in which there are no winners.
Labor peace would obviously go a long way toward restoring Goodell’s positive aura. If the lawsuit is settled and a new CBA is achieved before the scheduled start of the regular season – or, at the very least, if the owners lose their appeal of U.S. District Court Judge Susan Nelson’s decision ending the lockout and football continues while the antitrust lawsuit drags on, without any games being missed – I believe Goodell can and will recover.
“I think if everything gets resolved and the games are played on time, fans will be forgiving and will forget very quickly,” Fujita says. “As for his job security with the people who employ him – that depends on the deal that is reached and their opinion of it.”
The owner to whom I spoke conceded that if the lockout continues into September or October, it’s possible some owners will begin to turn on Goodell. For now, he has their unequivocal support – and the privilege of being the most glaring symbol of player and fan discontent.
“He’s the face of this whole problem, the face of the league that locked out the players,” Fujita says. “He is just the face who’s trying to shut down the game and take away our livelihood – and that pisses guys off. It’s as simple as that.”
Once there’s a deal, will the Goodell-bashing simply go away?
Or, more dramatically, will he? (source Mike Silver – Yahoo Sports)
jueves, 5 de mayo de 2011
NFL is in a league of its own - Ingles
Watching the National Football League's labor problems unfold reminds people in the business world what an alternative universe the two sides of this contractual battle operate in.
This "upside down is right-side up" may be why it seems so hard to pull for either the owners or the players. It's just so hard to relate to when it comes to the normal working world.
· Owners want their employees in a union: Can you imagine Wisconsin Republican lawmakers filing a federal lawsuit to keep the state's teachers union in collective bargaining? NFL owners have countersued the players who voted to decertify their union and to eliminate collective bargaining in order to prevent a lockout and challenge the league's antitrust standing.
· Employees organized to decertify the union: In maybe one of the fastest union decertifications in the history of large, organized labor, the NFL players union orchestrated a team-by-team vote to disband, something most business owners and corporations pray for. This clears the way for class-action lawsuits against the NFL. The lawsuits will target the league's policies on the draft, salary cap and free agent restrictions such as franchise-player tags as being in violation of antitrust, according to ESPN.
· New workers get paid more than valuable veterans: Last season the St. Louis Rams made Oklahoma
· University quarterback Sam Bradford the No. 1 draft pick and signed him to a $50 million guaranteed contract before he ever took a single snap. Bradford instantly became the highest paid player on the team and one of the highest in the league. For more on this, google "JaMarcus Russell."
· The average player makes $1.8 million a year: When you see what rookies are paid, especially first round draft picks, and discover that the average player salary is $1.8 million to play a children's game, you wonder how the union can claim it is getting the short end of the yardstick.
· Half the NFL owners are billionaires: Led by Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen of Microsoft fame with $13 billion or so, 16 of the 31 NFL individual owners are worth $1 billion or more. The Green Bay Packers are publicly owned. So if you are looking to take a side, ask yourself: "Do I root for millionaires or billionaires?"
· Owners would have to work very hard to lose money: The NFL's 2010 TV contract paid each owner roughly $125 million, which adequately covers the league's salary cap of $123 million per team, imposed to maintain competition. Owners also keep revenue from tickets, luxury boxes, concessions and parking ($30 for a Raider game).
· Employees care more about safety than owners: If you want to clear out the cafeteria at work, loudly announce that the room will host a company safety awareness meeting in 10 minutes. NFL players are fighting a longer regular season on health and safety grounds, which has only recently been a serious topic of discussion for the league.
· Labor strife comes amid wild success: Most businesses encounter their worst labor problems during poor economic and/or industry times. The NFL is coming off its most successful season ever. February's Super Bowl between the Packers and Steelers was the most watched television program in the history of America. The league will have incredible leverage during the next TV contract negotiations. This article was written by Drew Voros and appeared in The Oakland Tribune.
This "upside down is right-side up" may be why it seems so hard to pull for either the owners or the players. It's just so hard to relate to when it comes to the normal working world.
· Owners want their employees in a union: Can you imagine Wisconsin Republican lawmakers filing a federal lawsuit to keep the state's teachers union in collective bargaining? NFL owners have countersued the players who voted to decertify their union and to eliminate collective bargaining in order to prevent a lockout and challenge the league's antitrust standing.
· Employees organized to decertify the union: In maybe one of the fastest union decertifications in the history of large, organized labor, the NFL players union orchestrated a team-by-team vote to disband, something most business owners and corporations pray for. This clears the way for class-action lawsuits against the NFL. The lawsuits will target the league's policies on the draft, salary cap and free agent restrictions such as franchise-player tags as being in violation of antitrust, according to ESPN.
· New workers get paid more than valuable veterans: Last season the St. Louis Rams made Oklahoma
· University quarterback Sam Bradford the No. 1 draft pick and signed him to a $50 million guaranteed contract before he ever took a single snap. Bradford instantly became the highest paid player on the team and one of the highest in the league. For more on this, google "JaMarcus Russell."
· The average player makes $1.8 million a year: When you see what rookies are paid, especially first round draft picks, and discover that the average player salary is $1.8 million to play a children's game, you wonder how the union can claim it is getting the short end of the yardstick.
· Half the NFL owners are billionaires: Led by Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen of Microsoft fame with $13 billion or so, 16 of the 31 NFL individual owners are worth $1 billion or more. The Green Bay Packers are publicly owned. So if you are looking to take a side, ask yourself: "Do I root for millionaires or billionaires?"
· Owners would have to work very hard to lose money: The NFL's 2010 TV contract paid each owner roughly $125 million, which adequately covers the league's salary cap of $123 million per team, imposed to maintain competition. Owners also keep revenue from tickets, luxury boxes, concessions and parking ($30 for a Raider game).
· Employees care more about safety than owners: If you want to clear out the cafeteria at work, loudly announce that the room will host a company safety awareness meeting in 10 minutes. NFL players are fighting a longer regular season on health and safety grounds, which has only recently been a serious topic of discussion for the league.
· Labor strife comes amid wild success: Most businesses encounter their worst labor problems during poor economic and/or industry times. The NFL is coming off its most successful season ever. February's Super Bowl between the Packers and Steelers was the most watched television program in the history of America. The league will have incredible leverage during the next TV contract negotiations. This article was written by Drew Voros and appeared in The Oakland Tribune.
miércoles, 4 de mayo de 2011
Arguments in NFL appeal scheduled for June 3 in St. Louis - Ingles
The NFL's motion for an expedited appeal was granted by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, with the date for oral arguments set for June 3 at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis.
The NFL's opening brief is due May 9, with the players' response brief due on May 20, and the league's response to that due May 26.
The case will be heard by Judges Kermit Bye, Steven Colloton and William Duane Benton. Bye, a President Clinton appointee, was the dissenting judge of the three when the NFL was granted a temporary stay of the injunction Judge Susan Nelson granted to lift the NFL lockout. Colloton and Benton are President George W. Bush appointees.
The judges still have yet to rule on the full stay of the injunction, which would allow the owners to maintain the lockout -- keeping players from working out at team complexes, free agents from being signed or trades from happening -- until the judges rule on the appeal.
The order said that on June 3 each side will have 30 minutes to present their oral argument.
This hearing schedule is extremely swift for the 8th Circuit, and the date for oral arguments is one that’s not on the normal hearing schedule -- a concession made to move things along. Clerk Michael Gans said that a case taken now “normally wouldn’t be heard until October or November and, for a Court of Appeals, that’s pretty quick.”
Expediting the hearing is all-encompassing, meaning the ruling will be made as quickly as possible -- maybe as early as mid-June. Gans said that when the ruling actually comes is “anyone’s guess,” but “my understanding is we’re giving every aspect of this priority.” (source NFL.com)
The NFL's opening brief is due May 9, with the players' response brief due on May 20, and the league's response to that due May 26.
The case will be heard by Judges Kermit Bye, Steven Colloton and William Duane Benton. Bye, a President Clinton appointee, was the dissenting judge of the three when the NFL was granted a temporary stay of the injunction Judge Susan Nelson granted to lift the NFL lockout. Colloton and Benton are President George W. Bush appointees.
The judges still have yet to rule on the full stay of the injunction, which would allow the owners to maintain the lockout -- keeping players from working out at team complexes, free agents from being signed or trades from happening -- until the judges rule on the appeal.
The order said that on June 3 each side will have 30 minutes to present their oral argument.
This hearing schedule is extremely swift for the 8th Circuit, and the date for oral arguments is one that’s not on the normal hearing schedule -- a concession made to move things along. Clerk Michael Gans said that a case taken now “normally wouldn’t be heard until October or November and, for a Court of Appeals, that’s pretty quick.”
Expediting the hearing is all-encompassing, meaning the ruling will be made as quickly as possible -- maybe as early as mid-June. Gans said that when the ruling actually comes is “anyone’s guess,” but “my understanding is we’re giving every aspect of this priority.” (source NFL.com)
lunes, 2 de mayo de 2011
Draftees are on their own - Ingles
Now what?
After a few days chock-full of legal decisions and labor maneuvers, the NFL managed to squeeze in a draft, which ended Saturday and put everyone back in a holding pattern when it was over.
The league officially shuttered its doors after the final player was picked. Now everyone has to wait for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rule on the NFL's appeal of a lower-court ruling that lifted the lockout last week.
"I think everyone's frustrated across the board," Lions linebackers coach Matt Burke said.
During the three days of the draft, teams were permitted to have contact with draft-eligible players. But now everyone goes back into super-secret, double-hush-hush silent mode.
And silence isn't a good thing for the Lions' newest draft picks. They are young players concerned about missing valuable time and falling behind at the beginning of their careers.
"Right now we would have came in and probably started getting ready for the rookie minicamp," said defensive tackle Nick Fairley, the Lions' 13th overall pick. "So now that we probably won't have that -- it means a lot. Basically, like I said, I've just got to stay in shape so when camp rolls around I won't have to worry about getting in shape."
Fairley plans to work out at an athletic performance center in Houston. Running back Mikel Leshoure, a second-round pick from Illinois, plans to work out his alma mater or in Chicago.
"As a running back, fortunately for us I feel like that's one of the positions that you can get thrown in and be productive," Leshoure said. "I mean, you definitely need to know your plays and your blocking scheme and how to pick up protection. But as far as being able to step up and play on the next level, I feel like running back is probably one of the more easier positions. It's definitely going to be a setback for all rookies, especially."
Lions coach Jim Schwartz expressed more patience than panic about losing contact with his players.
"It's a concern for everybody, but we have to deal with it," he said.
Schwartz almost exuded a Zen-like calmness about the situation. He said playbooks haven't even been printed, and he didn't feel pressure to cram his draftees full of game film and notes without any follow-up.
"Our blood pressure's pretty low on that," Schwartz said. "We don't want to rush things. You can give somebody a set of instructions without being able to communicate with them. It really might not do a whole lot of good. We haven't done a whole lot."
Schwartz said the best thing draftees could do would be to stay in shape so that they can concentrate on football when they return. As for coaches, Schwartz's staff will begin their normal early season preparation.
"We have a schedule," he said. "We open with Tampa Bay. We have Kansas City right after that. We're a little bit familiar with Tampa Bay from playing them late in the season. But Kansas City's a new opponent for us.
"We'll work on some teams from early in the year. You generally do that this time of year anyway. That'll be something that we can put our focus on." This article was written by Carlos Monarrez and appeared in The Detroit Free Press.
After a few days chock-full of legal decisions and labor maneuvers, the NFL managed to squeeze in a draft, which ended Saturday and put everyone back in a holding pattern when it was over.
The league officially shuttered its doors after the final player was picked. Now everyone has to wait for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rule on the NFL's appeal of a lower-court ruling that lifted the lockout last week.
"I think everyone's frustrated across the board," Lions linebackers coach Matt Burke said.
During the three days of the draft, teams were permitted to have contact with draft-eligible players. But now everyone goes back into super-secret, double-hush-hush silent mode.
And silence isn't a good thing for the Lions' newest draft picks. They are young players concerned about missing valuable time and falling behind at the beginning of their careers.
"Right now we would have came in and probably started getting ready for the rookie minicamp," said defensive tackle Nick Fairley, the Lions' 13th overall pick. "So now that we probably won't have that -- it means a lot. Basically, like I said, I've just got to stay in shape so when camp rolls around I won't have to worry about getting in shape."
Fairley plans to work out at an athletic performance center in Houston. Running back Mikel Leshoure, a second-round pick from Illinois, plans to work out his alma mater or in Chicago.
"As a running back, fortunately for us I feel like that's one of the positions that you can get thrown in and be productive," Leshoure said. "I mean, you definitely need to know your plays and your blocking scheme and how to pick up protection. But as far as being able to step up and play on the next level, I feel like running back is probably one of the more easier positions. It's definitely going to be a setback for all rookies, especially."
Lions coach Jim Schwartz expressed more patience than panic about losing contact with his players.
"It's a concern for everybody, but we have to deal with it," he said.
Schwartz almost exuded a Zen-like calmness about the situation. He said playbooks haven't even been printed, and he didn't feel pressure to cram his draftees full of game film and notes without any follow-up.
"Our blood pressure's pretty low on that," Schwartz said. "We don't want to rush things. You can give somebody a set of instructions without being able to communicate with them. It really might not do a whole lot of good. We haven't done a whole lot."
Schwartz said the best thing draftees could do would be to stay in shape so that they can concentrate on football when they return. As for coaches, Schwartz's staff will begin their normal early season preparation.
"We have a schedule," he said. "We open with Tampa Bay. We have Kansas City right after that. We're a little bit familiar with Tampa Bay from playing them late in the season. But Kansas City's a new opponent for us.
"We'll work on some teams from early in the year. You generally do that this time of year anyway. That'll be something that we can put our focus on." This article was written by Carlos Monarrez and appeared in The Detroit Free Press.
Lockout status updated today - Ingles
If these are not fun times for football fans, they are captivating days for lawyers.
The NFL lockout is back in force after a short hiatus last week. A St. Louis appeals court could determine as early as Monday whether the league deserves a permanent stay of an injunction granted to the players in Minnesota to block the lockout.
"We are in uncharted but fascinating legal territory," agent and attorney Ralph Cindrich said as he examined the short-term reinstatement of the lockout by three judges from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "The owners' lockout is temporary now; it can become permanent after the same three judges do a detailed review. If the lockout is reinstated, it puts the players down on points big."
If it's not, something Cindrich predicts, league business could resume almost immediately, even as more NFL appeals are filed. Cindrich believes that even though those judges voted 2-1 Friday to review the matter, they won't overturn Judge Susan Richard Nelson's original determination that the lockout was preventing the players from earning a living.
With the draft behind them, the 32 teams can't have contact with any players. That includes veterans along with rookies just selected. It also means undrafted free agents, who usually sign contracts hours after the seventh round concludes or the next day.
"You just do what you do and abide by the guidelines the league puts out as we go along," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "Everybody's in the same boat; we're not stressing out or anything. It'll eventually get settled and you just go with it."
Going with it for the players means training on their own. For first-round picks, it means devouring the playbooks they were able to get from their teams during Friday's short break in the lockout.
"The quarterbacks and offensive linemen and wide receivers, these young guys, can you imagine? With no mini-camps and no OTAs, if they show up Aug. 1 to training camp, they're going to be so lost," Montana-based agent Ken Staninger said. "It may be a lost draft, other than the elite-elite."
For coaches, it means evaluating how they addressed their needs in the draft, and which undrafted players they might approach when allowed to do so.
Dallas coach Jason Garrett has all his plans organized for offseason workouts and minicamps.
"What we did is we laid out the entire calendar for the offseason assuming there was no lockout," Garrett said. "So all of those dates were in place soon after the season ended. But obviously we had to be responsive to the lockout and when the players came back, and we'll continue to do that based on what the new rules are."
Those rules are uncertain even if the players win the next round in the appeals court. Among the league's options is reinstating the 2010 guidelines, which featured more limited free agency and no salary cap. And no minimum for spending, which could come into play more than ever with some owners who fear profits will continue to decline.
"It's a chaotic time," said Ben Dogra, agent for Sam Bradford and Patrick Willis, among many other players. "There are a lot of moving points, and it means daily uncertainty."
Amid the uncertainty, one message rang clear at Radio City Music Hall during the draft. It was delivered by the fans, who repeatedly booed Commissioner Roger Goodell and also chanted "we want football."
Goodell responded, "So do I."
For now, getting football back is in the hands of the judges. This article was written by Barry Wilner and appeared in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The NFL lockout is back in force after a short hiatus last week. A St. Louis appeals court could determine as early as Monday whether the league deserves a permanent stay of an injunction granted to the players in Minnesota to block the lockout.
"We are in uncharted but fascinating legal territory," agent and attorney Ralph Cindrich said as he examined the short-term reinstatement of the lockout by three judges from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "The owners' lockout is temporary now; it can become permanent after the same three judges do a detailed review. If the lockout is reinstated, it puts the players down on points big."
If it's not, something Cindrich predicts, league business could resume almost immediately, even as more NFL appeals are filed. Cindrich believes that even though those judges voted 2-1 Friday to review the matter, they won't overturn Judge Susan Richard Nelson's original determination that the lockout was preventing the players from earning a living.
With the draft behind them, the 32 teams can't have contact with any players. That includes veterans along with rookies just selected. It also means undrafted free agents, who usually sign contracts hours after the seventh round concludes or the next day.
"You just do what you do and abide by the guidelines the league puts out as we go along," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "Everybody's in the same boat; we're not stressing out or anything. It'll eventually get settled and you just go with it."
Going with it for the players means training on their own. For first-round picks, it means devouring the playbooks they were able to get from their teams during Friday's short break in the lockout.
"The quarterbacks and offensive linemen and wide receivers, these young guys, can you imagine? With no mini-camps and no OTAs, if they show up Aug. 1 to training camp, they're going to be so lost," Montana-based agent Ken Staninger said. "It may be a lost draft, other than the elite-elite."
For coaches, it means evaluating how they addressed their needs in the draft, and which undrafted players they might approach when allowed to do so.
Dallas coach Jason Garrett has all his plans organized for offseason workouts and minicamps.
"What we did is we laid out the entire calendar for the offseason assuming there was no lockout," Garrett said. "So all of those dates were in place soon after the season ended. But obviously we had to be responsive to the lockout and when the players came back, and we'll continue to do that based on what the new rules are."
Those rules are uncertain even if the players win the next round in the appeals court. Among the league's options is reinstating the 2010 guidelines, which featured more limited free agency and no salary cap. And no minimum for spending, which could come into play more than ever with some owners who fear profits will continue to decline.
"It's a chaotic time," said Ben Dogra, agent for Sam Bradford and Patrick Willis, among many other players. "There are a lot of moving points, and it means daily uncertainty."
Amid the uncertainty, one message rang clear at Radio City Music Hall during the draft. It was delivered by the fans, who repeatedly booed Commissioner Roger Goodell and also chanted "we want football."
Goodell responded, "So do I."
For now, getting football back is in the hands of the judges. This article was written by Barry Wilner and appeared in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Send in the clowns - Ingles
They held the NFL draft in New York City this week, the whole sport trying to run behind or hide behind the old players reading off the picks. Afterward we heard about how great the television ratings were. They were tremendous for the Royal Wedding, too. But when the wedding was over, Prince William and his bride didn't go back to Buckingham Palace and find the doors padlocked.
They booed Commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft, because that was a way of booing the whole sport. To do more damage to the NFL brand than this lockout and un-lockout and re-lockout have done you'd have to be Donald Trump giving a speech in Vegas, now that Donald apparently thinks that being a candidate for President is the same as an f-bomb Comedy Central roast.
The boos weren't about the real courts where the NFL finds itself these days, just the court of public opinion.
And as long as there is a game between the Packers and Saints on Thursday night, Sept. 8, as long as the doors are back open on the night the NFL is supposed to officially open back up for business, they don't care. Neither side.
Oh, nobody wants to have a league this rich and this popular look like clown school in front of the world. Nobody would want that. But the owners care a lot more about Sept. 8, and how much more money they get to keep, than they do about getting banged around by fans at Radio City.
The NFL once looked like the league that runs the best. Now it looks like the opposite of that. It starts with the same lack of trust between owners and players that there used to be in baseball. Baseball has its own problems, you bet, from the Dodgers to the Mets to attendance that has taken a dip over the past few years. It still runs so much better than pro football, and in pro basketball right now there is nothing to discuss.
In February, we got that wonderful old-school Super Bowl between the Packers and the Steelers. Now, less than three months later, the only game that matters in the NFL, at least in the current ridiculous state of the NFL, is this one:
Minnesota vs. St. Louis.
Not the Vikings against the Rams. No, the Minnesota judges against the St. Louis judges. That was the whole ballgame this week, for now, anyway. Because making lasting judgments about this fight between football owners and players makes about as much sense as deciding who is going to win an NBA playoff game after watching the first two minutes.
So the real action, despite those big TV ratings, in the NFL this week wasn't all the quarterbacks drafted, starting with Cam (Where's Mine?) Newton, a No. 1 pick who sometimes makes Tim Tebow look like a more accurate thrower in comparison. The real action started with a judge in Minnesota lifting the 45-day NFL lockout last Monday and then the owners running to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis to get a stay on that.
I never like to talk about gambling in this column, but I have to tell you, I took St. Louis and gave the judge-and-a-half.
In between, of course, there was an embarrassment to the league as big as the money both sides are fighting about: The pictures of NFL players, some of them NFL stars, being told to leave their own practice facilities.
The league lost one to Susan Richard Nelson, District Judge for the United States District Court in Minnesota, appointed to that position by President Obama himself.
Then the league won one in St. Louis by a 2-to-1 vote, two judges appointed by George W. Bush supporting the temporary stay and one judge Kermit Bye (he didn't invent the bye week in professional football, though the way things are going anything is possible) appointed by Bill Clinton, being the lone dissenter.
Bye wrote that he didn't consider the NFL to be in a state of emergency, and immediately sounded like the smartest guy in the room and maybe the whole sport because Alabama is an actual state of emergency, and the NFL is just a state of clowns these days, which is a little bit insulting to the circus, but there you have it.
The state of emergency, NFL version, will come in the summer if the doors to training camps are closed the way the doors to the training facilities were closed this week. For now, Goodell and the owners, especially the ones who have accumulated more debt than they dreamed possible when the economy was still flush, will let you keep hitting them with pies to the face as they try desperately to get out of court and back to the negotiating table.
Boo all you want about the doors being closed right now. You don't matter. All that matters is the doors being opened the night of Sept. 8. The day the start of the season is in actual jeopardy is the day they all get out of District Courts and Appeals Courts and make a deal. (source Mike Luipica – New York Daily News)
They booed Commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft, because that was a way of booing the whole sport. To do more damage to the NFL brand than this lockout and un-lockout and re-lockout have done you'd have to be Donald Trump giving a speech in Vegas, now that Donald apparently thinks that being a candidate for President is the same as an f-bomb Comedy Central roast.
The boos weren't about the real courts where the NFL finds itself these days, just the court of public opinion.
And as long as there is a game between the Packers and Saints on Thursday night, Sept. 8, as long as the doors are back open on the night the NFL is supposed to officially open back up for business, they don't care. Neither side.
Oh, nobody wants to have a league this rich and this popular look like clown school in front of the world. Nobody would want that. But the owners care a lot more about Sept. 8, and how much more money they get to keep, than they do about getting banged around by fans at Radio City.
The NFL once looked like the league that runs the best. Now it looks like the opposite of that. It starts with the same lack of trust between owners and players that there used to be in baseball. Baseball has its own problems, you bet, from the Dodgers to the Mets to attendance that has taken a dip over the past few years. It still runs so much better than pro football, and in pro basketball right now there is nothing to discuss.
In February, we got that wonderful old-school Super Bowl between the Packers and the Steelers. Now, less than three months later, the only game that matters in the NFL, at least in the current ridiculous state of the NFL, is this one:
Minnesota vs. St. Louis.
Not the Vikings against the Rams. No, the Minnesota judges against the St. Louis judges. That was the whole ballgame this week, for now, anyway. Because making lasting judgments about this fight between football owners and players makes about as much sense as deciding who is going to win an NBA playoff game after watching the first two minutes.
So the real action, despite those big TV ratings, in the NFL this week wasn't all the quarterbacks drafted, starting with Cam (Where's Mine?) Newton, a No. 1 pick who sometimes makes Tim Tebow look like a more accurate thrower in comparison. The real action started with a judge in Minnesota lifting the 45-day NFL lockout last Monday and then the owners running to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis to get a stay on that.
I never like to talk about gambling in this column, but I have to tell you, I took St. Louis and gave the judge-and-a-half.
In between, of course, there was an embarrassment to the league as big as the money both sides are fighting about: The pictures of NFL players, some of them NFL stars, being told to leave their own practice facilities.
The league lost one to Susan Richard Nelson, District Judge for the United States District Court in Minnesota, appointed to that position by President Obama himself.
Then the league won one in St. Louis by a 2-to-1 vote, two judges appointed by George W. Bush supporting the temporary stay and one judge Kermit Bye (he didn't invent the bye week in professional football, though the way things are going anything is possible) appointed by Bill Clinton, being the lone dissenter.
Bye wrote that he didn't consider the NFL to be in a state of emergency, and immediately sounded like the smartest guy in the room and maybe the whole sport because Alabama is an actual state of emergency, and the NFL is just a state of clowns these days, which is a little bit insulting to the circus, but there you have it.
The state of emergency, NFL version, will come in the summer if the doors to training camps are closed the way the doors to the training facilities were closed this week. For now, Goodell and the owners, especially the ones who have accumulated more debt than they dreamed possible when the economy was still flush, will let you keep hitting them with pies to the face as they try desperately to get out of court and back to the negotiating table.
Boo all you want about the doors being closed right now. You don't matter. All that matters is the doors being opened the night of Sept. 8. The day the start of the season is in actual jeopardy is the day they all get out of District Courts and Appeals Courts and make a deal. (source Mike Luipica – New York Daily News)
Days of destiny - Ingles
If these are not fun times for football fans, they are captivating days for lawyers.
The NFL lockout is back in force after a short hiatus last week.
A St. Louis
appeals court could determine as early as Monday whether the league deserves a permanent stay of an injunction granted to the players in Minnesota to block the lockout.
"We are in uncharted but fascinating legal territory," agent and attorney Ralph Cindrich said as he examined the short-term reinstatement of the lockout by three judges from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "The owners' lockout is temporary now; it can become permanent after the same three judges do a detailed review. If the lockout is reinstated, it puts the players down on points big."
If it's not, something Cindrich predicts, league business could resume almost immediately, even as more NFL appeals are filed. Cindrich believes that even though those judges voted 2-1 Friday to review the matter, they won't overturn Judge Susan Richard Nelson's original determination that the lockout was preventing the players from earning a living.
With the draft behind them, the 32 teams can't have contact with any players. That includes veterans along with rookies just selected. It also means undrafted free agents, who usually sign contracts hours after the seventh round concludes or the next day.
"You just do what you do and abide by the guidelines the league puts out as we go along," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "Everybody's in the same boat; we're not stressing out or anything. It'll eventually get settled and you just go with it."
Going with it for the players means training on their own. For first-round picks, it means devouring the playbooks they were able to get from their teams during Friday's short break in the lockout.
"The quarterbacks and offensive linemen and wide receivers, these young guys, can you imagine? With no mini-camps and no OTAs, if they show up Aug. 1 to training camp, they're going to be so lost," Montana-based agent Ken Staninger said. "It may be a lost draft, other than the elite-elite."
For coaches, it means evaluating how they addressed their needs in the draft, and which undrafted players they might approach when allowed to do so.
Dallas coach Jason Garrett has all his plans organized for offseason workouts and minicamps.
"What we did is we laid out the entire calendar for the offseason assuming there was no lockout," Garrett said. "So all of those dates were in place soon after the season ended. But obviously we had to be responsive to the lockout and when the players came back, and we'll continue to do that based on what the new rules are."
Those rules are uncertain even if the players win the next round in the appeals court. Among the league's options is reinstating the 2010 guidelines, which featured more limited free agency and no salary cap. And no minimum for spending, which could come into play more than ever with some owners who fear profits will continue to decline.
"It's a chaotic time," said Ben Dogra, agent for Sam Bradford and Patrick Willis, among many other players. "There are a lot of moving points, and it means daily uncertainty."
Amid the uncertainty, one message rang clear at Radio City Music Hall during the draft. It was delivered by the fans, who repeatedly booed Commissioner Roger Goodell and also chanted "we want football."
Goodell responded, "So do I."
For now, getting football back is in the hands of the judges. (source CBS Sports)
The NFL lockout is back in force after a short hiatus last week.
A St. Louis
appeals court could determine as early as Monday whether the league deserves a permanent stay of an injunction granted to the players in Minnesota to block the lockout.
"We are in uncharted but fascinating legal territory," agent and attorney Ralph Cindrich said as he examined the short-term reinstatement of the lockout by three judges from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "The owners' lockout is temporary now; it can become permanent after the same three judges do a detailed review. If the lockout is reinstated, it puts the players down on points big."
If it's not, something Cindrich predicts, league business could resume almost immediately, even as more NFL appeals are filed. Cindrich believes that even though those judges voted 2-1 Friday to review the matter, they won't overturn Judge Susan Richard Nelson's original determination that the lockout was preventing the players from earning a living.
With the draft behind them, the 32 teams can't have contact with any players. That includes veterans along with rookies just selected. It also means undrafted free agents, who usually sign contracts hours after the seventh round concludes or the next day.
"You just do what you do and abide by the guidelines the league puts out as we go along," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "Everybody's in the same boat; we're not stressing out or anything. It'll eventually get settled and you just go with it."
Going with it for the players means training on their own. For first-round picks, it means devouring the playbooks they were able to get from their teams during Friday's short break in the lockout.
"The quarterbacks and offensive linemen and wide receivers, these young guys, can you imagine? With no mini-camps and no OTAs, if they show up Aug. 1 to training camp, they're going to be so lost," Montana-based agent Ken Staninger said. "It may be a lost draft, other than the elite-elite."
For coaches, it means evaluating how they addressed their needs in the draft, and which undrafted players they might approach when allowed to do so.
Dallas coach Jason Garrett has all his plans organized for offseason workouts and minicamps.
"What we did is we laid out the entire calendar for the offseason assuming there was no lockout," Garrett said. "So all of those dates were in place soon after the season ended. But obviously we had to be responsive to the lockout and when the players came back, and we'll continue to do that based on what the new rules are."
Those rules are uncertain even if the players win the next round in the appeals court. Among the league's options is reinstating the 2010 guidelines, which featured more limited free agency and no salary cap. And no minimum for spending, which could come into play more than ever with some owners who fear profits will continue to decline.
"It's a chaotic time," said Ben Dogra, agent for Sam Bradford and Patrick Willis, among many other players. "There are a lot of moving points, and it means daily uncertainty."
Amid the uncertainty, one message rang clear at Radio City Music Hall during the draft. It was delivered by the fans, who repeatedly booed Commissioner Roger Goodell and also chanted "we want football."
Goodell responded, "So do I."
For now, getting football back is in the hands of the judges. (source CBS Sports)
Goodell at the Draft - Ingles
Roger Goodell, as he has done every draft, was in the mezzanine of Radio City, signing autographs and kissing babies. Literally, he was kissing a baby, when a fan, standing nearby, expressed his belief that Goodell shouldn't kiss the baby. Instead, the fan muttered, Goodell should kiss his ass.
Goodell kept signing, seeming like he didn't hear the Jets fan's blunt remark, the fan that smelled like he had been drinking since the lockout began. On and on the signing went. In the 30-minute span I watched, Goodell must have signed 50-75 autographs. My guess is he signed hundreds in all.
When Goodell first walked into the mezzanine he was greeted by some raw anger. The "We want football!" chants erupted immediately. Goodell smiled. "So do I," he said back to some. "Why are you killing our sport?" yelled one fan wearing a Giants jersey. "Roger, we want [expletive] football!"
Then something strange happened. Goodell signed and signed and took picture after picture. Fan anger subsided and the same people who were expressing their rage began to whip out pens, paper and hats for Goodell to sign. After only a few minutes, a situation that could have been truly nasty turned downright pleasant.
It was, in many ways, a remarkable scene. Is it Goodell spinning, is it Goodell reaching for good PR knowing the media is watching? Of course part of this is for public-relations purposes. The league never has missed an opportunity for that, but Goodell still deserves credit for going into the lion's den -- and I don't mean the Detroit Lions' den.
It took some guts for Goodell to make that trek with so many fans infuriated by the lockout. Infuriated, specifically, with him.
This was an interesting moment for what has been a tough draft week -- and nasty few months -- for Goodell. If there's one thing this lockout has exposed it's that the commissioner's office simultaneously possesses both great influence and great impotence.
Goodell is the spokesman for the owners. In this role, he has attempted to sway fan sentiment toward his side and, frankly, that mission has failed. His horrid editorial in the Wall Street Journal, meant to frighten fans to the owners' side, completely backfired.
Yet in moments like the one here at Radio City he has the ability to win fans over.
The reason I've always said Paul Tagliabue is a Hall of Famer is because Tagliabue was able to avoid many of these labor landmines. Tagliabue also saved the owners from themselves. The media hated Tagliabue because he didn't kiss their butts (or any babies) but he was one of the best commissioners in history at keeping the league -- not only the owners -- unified and peaceful.
Now, according to a number of team officials with knowledge of the situation, a smaller group of hawkish owners pushed Goodell to take a hard line with the players for the latest collective bargaining talks and that is why the league started off asking the players to give up billions.
These owners, in effect, want the players to solve the NFL's revenue-sharing problems by giving back more money.
Goodell is the front man and in a brutally tough position. He has to do what the owners want even if he disagrees and has to publicly defend a position with which he might not personally agree.
Back on the mezzanine, Goodell smiled and signed. The earlier hostility had disappeared. People were lined up 10 to 15 deep to get Goodell's autograph. They liked him.
For the moment. They liked him. (source CBS Sports Mike Freeman)
Goodell kept signing, seeming like he didn't hear the Jets fan's blunt remark, the fan that smelled like he had been drinking since the lockout began. On and on the signing went. In the 30-minute span I watched, Goodell must have signed 50-75 autographs. My guess is he signed hundreds in all.
When Goodell first walked into the mezzanine he was greeted by some raw anger. The "We want football!" chants erupted immediately. Goodell smiled. "So do I," he said back to some. "Why are you killing our sport?" yelled one fan wearing a Giants jersey. "Roger, we want [expletive] football!"
Then something strange happened. Goodell signed and signed and took picture after picture. Fan anger subsided and the same people who were expressing their rage began to whip out pens, paper and hats for Goodell to sign. After only a few minutes, a situation that could have been truly nasty turned downright pleasant.
It was, in many ways, a remarkable scene. Is it Goodell spinning, is it Goodell reaching for good PR knowing the media is watching? Of course part of this is for public-relations purposes. The league never has missed an opportunity for that, but Goodell still deserves credit for going into the lion's den -- and I don't mean the Detroit Lions' den.
It took some guts for Goodell to make that trek with so many fans infuriated by the lockout. Infuriated, specifically, with him.
This was an interesting moment for what has been a tough draft week -- and nasty few months -- for Goodell. If there's one thing this lockout has exposed it's that the commissioner's office simultaneously possesses both great influence and great impotence.
Goodell is the spokesman for the owners. In this role, he has attempted to sway fan sentiment toward his side and, frankly, that mission has failed. His horrid editorial in the Wall Street Journal, meant to frighten fans to the owners' side, completely backfired.
Yet in moments like the one here at Radio City he has the ability to win fans over.
The reason I've always said Paul Tagliabue is a Hall of Famer is because Tagliabue was able to avoid many of these labor landmines. Tagliabue also saved the owners from themselves. The media hated Tagliabue because he didn't kiss their butts (or any babies) but he was one of the best commissioners in history at keeping the league -- not only the owners -- unified and peaceful.
Now, according to a number of team officials with knowledge of the situation, a smaller group of hawkish owners pushed Goodell to take a hard line with the players for the latest collective bargaining talks and that is why the league started off asking the players to give up billions.
These owners, in effect, want the players to solve the NFL's revenue-sharing problems by giving back more money.
Goodell is the front man and in a brutally tough position. He has to do what the owners want even if he disagrees and has to publicly defend a position with which he might not personally agree.
Back on the mezzanine, Goodell smiled and signed. The earlier hostility had disappeared. People were lined up 10 to 15 deep to get Goodell's autograph. They liked him.
For the moment. They liked him. (source CBS Sports Mike Freeman)
Owners should treat players as partners, not enemies - Ingles
No matter what happens in the courtroom, NFL owners need to make a fundamental collective shift in their attitude. If they would treat the players like their partners instead of like underlings, or burdens, or prodigal sons, it would do a lot to dissolve the current tension and forestall future labor strife.
Clearly, the owners aren’t there yet. They continue to resist the idea that players are entitled to much say in business affairs. And they resent the size of player paychecks, especially to rookies who are potential busts.
Which led to a strangely half-joyful, half-cynical rite in Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft at Radio City Music Hall. Publicly, Commissioner Roger Goodell welcomed the expensive young stars of the future with hugs. Meanwhile, the owners were trying to kneecap them economically and on Friday won the right to lock them out again temporarily, in the hopes of convincing an appellate court to support the shutdown longer-term.
You had to respect Goodell’s aplomb and good nature in dealing with the social awkwardness, as well as the jeering displeasure of frustrated fans. Goodell clearly understood the power of the moment for young men who worked their whole lives to be chosen in the first round, and he translated it with exuberant, rib-cracking embraces, throwing out his arms to induct them into the brotherhood. It was obviously the nicest part of his job, and he did it with deep feeling.
How could he not? There was Von Miller of Texas A&M, possibly the game’s next great linebacker, so overwhelmed to be chosen No.2 overall by the Denver Broncos that he buried his face in a handful of tissues, his shoulders shaking. “I had an immediate flashback to Little League football, and to all the people who told me no, who told me I can’t,” he said.
There was Julio Jones of Alabama, a devastatingly talented wide receiver, wearing a demure bow tie and so thrilled to go No.6 to Atlanta that he stammered with excitement. “If I have to block the whole game, that’s what I’ll do,” he said, earnestly. There was Patrick Peterson, the defensive back from Louisiana State chosen at No.5 by the Arizona Cardinals, answering proudly when asked to describe himself: “I’m a young man in a profession.”
If only the goodwill of the draft could have carried over, and created some conciliation in the labor dispute.
But by lunchtime on Friday, the joy was gone, replaced by more wrangling, as both sides filed arguments to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals over whether the lockout should remain suspended or be restored.
The language was both disheartening and paralyzing: the NFL sought a temporary stay in order to obtain a longer stay, pending an appeal of an enjoinment of the lockout. What did all the legalese mean? Who cared. The better question was, why can’t both sides meet in the middle? The draft begged the question of why they are battling as adversaries through lawyers, instead of talking as allies in a tough but mutually enriching business?
Both sides are at fault for using legal threats like nuclear options. But ultimately, the main responsibility for the impasse rests with the owners. They’re the ones who declared the status quo unacceptable, demanded $1 billion in concessions from the players, refused to fully open their books to demonstrate why, and then locked their teams out.
This is not meant to paint all owners as villains simply for being rich. Each has different outlooks and concerns. Some are highly leveraged; some are in distressed markets; some are rolling in cash. Some are genuine entrepreneurs; some got lucky; some inherited their teams. You have to admire the impresario Jerry Jones, even if you disagree with his philosophy in building the $1 billion Cowboys Stadium, the largest sports bar in the world. You have to respect the acumen of Bob Kraft, the basic decency of the Tisch family, the self-effacement of Steve Bisciotti.
But if there has been a consistent group tone emanating from ownership, it’s the faint sound of contempt. The message from the owners to players whether intentional or not is, “You are our inferiors.” According to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who closely watched the mediation in Washington in March, the owners made the players feel “ignored, belittled, or both,” and were oblivious to their mounting anger.
According to former player Sean Morey, who sat in on mediations, when the players demanded full financial disclosure, the owners replied that “even if we provided that information, you wouldn’t be able to understand it.”
In addition to the message that the players are stupid, the owners have sent the message that they are not entirely worthy of their money. Just the other day Goodell pointed out in a Wall Street Journal editorial that players’ salaries have doubled in the past decade. He failed to mention that the NFL’s income from 1993 to 2011 more than quadrupled, from $2 billion to more than $9 billion, and so did the value of franchises. Rookie Peterson got the message loud and clear. Asked on draft night if he understood the labor dispute, he replied that the owners didn’t want to “put money into guys who aren’t producing enough.”
The owners seem convinced that they are in the right, and that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals will vindicate them legally. But regardless, their lock out strategy is high risk and of questionable wisdom. It seems driven less by genuine cost-control concerns than by a perception that the players are simply undeserving of such a large cut of the pie.
There is no question the owners invest huge sums and deserve some help with escalating costs. But the players make large investments too, with their bodies, and their long-term well-being. They will have briefer careers, more injuries and less job security than arguably any other professional athletes. As long as owners seem insensitive to these risks, and skeptical of the players’ value, there won’t be any enduring labor peace.
The hope here is that the draft created a little thaw. Maybe the owners saw that parade of professional young men and were struck by how intelligent they seemed, how piercingly grateful to be chosen, and how determined to be credits to their organizations. Like some owners, they are entirely self-made. If the owners are the promoters of the game, the players are the performers. The two would seem to be mutually reliant. They should negotiate like it. (source Sally Jenkins -- Washington Post)
Clearly, the owners aren’t there yet. They continue to resist the idea that players are entitled to much say in business affairs. And they resent the size of player paychecks, especially to rookies who are potential busts.
Which led to a strangely half-joyful, half-cynical rite in Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft at Radio City Music Hall. Publicly, Commissioner Roger Goodell welcomed the expensive young stars of the future with hugs. Meanwhile, the owners were trying to kneecap them economically and on Friday won the right to lock them out again temporarily, in the hopes of convincing an appellate court to support the shutdown longer-term.
You had to respect Goodell’s aplomb and good nature in dealing with the social awkwardness, as well as the jeering displeasure of frustrated fans. Goodell clearly understood the power of the moment for young men who worked their whole lives to be chosen in the first round, and he translated it with exuberant, rib-cracking embraces, throwing out his arms to induct them into the brotherhood. It was obviously the nicest part of his job, and he did it with deep feeling.
How could he not? There was Von Miller of Texas A&M, possibly the game’s next great linebacker, so overwhelmed to be chosen No.2 overall by the Denver Broncos that he buried his face in a handful of tissues, his shoulders shaking. “I had an immediate flashback to Little League football, and to all the people who told me no, who told me I can’t,” he said.
There was Julio Jones of Alabama, a devastatingly talented wide receiver, wearing a demure bow tie and so thrilled to go No.6 to Atlanta that he stammered with excitement. “If I have to block the whole game, that’s what I’ll do,” he said, earnestly. There was Patrick Peterson, the defensive back from Louisiana State chosen at No.5 by the Arizona Cardinals, answering proudly when asked to describe himself: “I’m a young man in a profession.”
If only the goodwill of the draft could have carried over, and created some conciliation in the labor dispute.
But by lunchtime on Friday, the joy was gone, replaced by more wrangling, as both sides filed arguments to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals over whether the lockout should remain suspended or be restored.
The language was both disheartening and paralyzing: the NFL sought a temporary stay in order to obtain a longer stay, pending an appeal of an enjoinment of the lockout. What did all the legalese mean? Who cared. The better question was, why can’t both sides meet in the middle? The draft begged the question of why they are battling as adversaries through lawyers, instead of talking as allies in a tough but mutually enriching business?
Both sides are at fault for using legal threats like nuclear options. But ultimately, the main responsibility for the impasse rests with the owners. They’re the ones who declared the status quo unacceptable, demanded $1 billion in concessions from the players, refused to fully open their books to demonstrate why, and then locked their teams out.
This is not meant to paint all owners as villains simply for being rich. Each has different outlooks and concerns. Some are highly leveraged; some are in distressed markets; some are rolling in cash. Some are genuine entrepreneurs; some got lucky; some inherited their teams. You have to admire the impresario Jerry Jones, even if you disagree with his philosophy in building the $1 billion Cowboys Stadium, the largest sports bar in the world. You have to respect the acumen of Bob Kraft, the basic decency of the Tisch family, the self-effacement of Steve Bisciotti.
But if there has been a consistent group tone emanating from ownership, it’s the faint sound of contempt. The message from the owners to players whether intentional or not is, “You are our inferiors.” According to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who closely watched the mediation in Washington in March, the owners made the players feel “ignored, belittled, or both,” and were oblivious to their mounting anger.
According to former player Sean Morey, who sat in on mediations, when the players demanded full financial disclosure, the owners replied that “even if we provided that information, you wouldn’t be able to understand it.”
In addition to the message that the players are stupid, the owners have sent the message that they are not entirely worthy of their money. Just the other day Goodell pointed out in a Wall Street Journal editorial that players’ salaries have doubled in the past decade. He failed to mention that the NFL’s income from 1993 to 2011 more than quadrupled, from $2 billion to more than $9 billion, and so did the value of franchises. Rookie Peterson got the message loud and clear. Asked on draft night if he understood the labor dispute, he replied that the owners didn’t want to “put money into guys who aren’t producing enough.”
The owners seem convinced that they are in the right, and that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals will vindicate them legally. But regardless, their lock out strategy is high risk and of questionable wisdom. It seems driven less by genuine cost-control concerns than by a perception that the players are simply undeserving of such a large cut of the pie.
There is no question the owners invest huge sums and deserve some help with escalating costs. But the players make large investments too, with their bodies, and their long-term well-being. They will have briefer careers, more injuries and less job security than arguably any other professional athletes. As long as owners seem insensitive to these risks, and skeptical of the players’ value, there won’t be any enduring labor peace.
The hope here is that the draft created a little thaw. Maybe the owners saw that parade of professional young men and were struck by how intelligent they seemed, how piercingly grateful to be chosen, and how determined to be credits to their organizations. Like some owners, they are entirely self-made. If the owners are the promoters of the game, the players are the performers. The two would seem to be mutually reliant. They should negotiate like it. (source Sally Jenkins -- Washington Post)
As lockout returns, so do frustrations - Ingles
The wildest week in NFL history had one more twist at the end and it means football is off limits again.
The NFL locked out its players Friday night after its first legal victory in the long, bruising fight with the players over the future of the $9 billion business.
The players who showed up smiling and relieved to be back at work Friday morning are now cooling their heels during perhaps the most chaotic offseason ever. The ups and downs of the day — and the weeks and months of this labor dispute — may be taking their toll with the first preseason game little more than three months away.
"It's crazy and it's really, really making it difficult to plan," Bengals quarterback Jordan Palmer said. "It's just really hectic. Everybody I've talked to is very thrown off by the situation."
Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski vented on Twitter: "Gosh I just wanna get back to work and play! I feel bad for our fans having to put up with this."
The day began with dozens, if not hundreds, of players reporting to team facilities all over the league. They met with coaches, picked up playbooks and went through workouts for the first time since they were locked out after talks for a new collective bargaining agreement broke down March 11.
"From the players' standpoint I think everybody is pleased we're not locked out anymore, especially the rookies," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said on CNBC in his first public comments about the dispute since he became a plaintiff in the still-pending federal antitrust lawsuit filed against the owners.
Not so fast, Tom.
U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson's order lifting the 45-day lockout on Monday was temporarily stayed by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. The NFL made its decision a few hours later.
Teams "have been told that the prior lockout rules are reinstated effective immediately," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press.
Agent Peter Schaffer said he has advised his clients to abide by the court's ruling.
"You can't have convenient justice," Schaffer said. "Whatever the ruling of the day is, it must be followed. So I have told my players to stay away from the facilities."
The appeals court is expected to rule next week on the NFL's request for a more permanent stay that would last through its appeal of Nelson's injunction, a process expected to take 6-8 weeks.
"Nobody's happy about any of this," Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "But it is what it is. The lockout is back into effect."
Teams had announced plans for organized practices and camps as early as next week, but those have again been put on hold.
"Chaotic," Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian wrote on Twitter. "I dunno where to go."
Coaches and general managers scrambled to bring their first-round picks in on Friday during what proved to be a brief window of time. They started to give the youngsters crash courses in what they wanted them to work on in the event that the lockout does drag on into the summer.
Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said teams had no choice but to "go with the flow."
"It was good to see the players today, great to see some of those guys, and wish it would have lasted a little longer," Ireland said.
The NFL's victory came in a venue considered more favorable to businesses than the federal courts in Minnesota, tough it was a narrow one. The 2-1 decision from a panel of the 8th Circuit included a lengthy dissent from Judge Kermit Bye, who suggested temporary stays should be issued only in emergencies.
"The NFL has not persuaded me this is the type of emergency situation which justifies the grant of a temporary stay," Bye wrote.
Jim Quinn, the lead attorney for the players, downplayed Friday's order and was heartened by the dissent.
"Routine grant of stay and totally expected," he said. "The only surprise is that Judge Bye is so strongly against giving them even a tiny stay because the league obviously can't show it is necessary."
Agents were concerned with how undrafted rookies will find work with teams unable to sign free agents after the draft concludes on Saturday.
"The owners will create a huge injustice to their own GMs and personnel departments if they don't allow the signing of undrafted free agents," said agent Joe Linta, whose clients include Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. "They may not care about the players, but they should at least help their own scouts, coaches and personnel people who have worked so hard in the scouting process."
The volatile atmosphere is rocking a league that thrives on routine and stability, and it doesn't figure to settle down soon.
"It seems like you hear something different almost hourly," Lions defensive end and player rep Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "This is a difficult situation for everybody involved."
Attorneys for the players had argued against a stay of Nelson's order, suggesting that the public and the players, with their short careers, are at far more risk when the business is stalled.
"Professional football is part of the fabric of American life," the attorneys wrote. "Because the uncontroverted record of evidence shows that the 2011 season could be canceled or significantly curtailed without an injunction in place, a stay may deprive the public of professional football altogether."
Said Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver: "It'd be great to have everybody back in the building, but the real thing is we've got to get back to the negotiating table and get a CBA." This article was written by Jon Krawczynski and appeared in The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The NFL locked out its players Friday night after its first legal victory in the long, bruising fight with the players over the future of the $9 billion business.
The players who showed up smiling and relieved to be back at work Friday morning are now cooling their heels during perhaps the most chaotic offseason ever. The ups and downs of the day — and the weeks and months of this labor dispute — may be taking their toll with the first preseason game little more than three months away.
"It's crazy and it's really, really making it difficult to plan," Bengals quarterback Jordan Palmer said. "It's just really hectic. Everybody I've talked to is very thrown off by the situation."
Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski vented on Twitter: "Gosh I just wanna get back to work and play! I feel bad for our fans having to put up with this."
The day began with dozens, if not hundreds, of players reporting to team facilities all over the league. They met with coaches, picked up playbooks and went through workouts for the first time since they were locked out after talks for a new collective bargaining agreement broke down March 11.
"From the players' standpoint I think everybody is pleased we're not locked out anymore, especially the rookies," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said on CNBC in his first public comments about the dispute since he became a plaintiff in the still-pending federal antitrust lawsuit filed against the owners.
Not so fast, Tom.
U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson's order lifting the 45-day lockout on Monday was temporarily stayed by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. The NFL made its decision a few hours later.
Teams "have been told that the prior lockout rules are reinstated effective immediately," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press.
Agent Peter Schaffer said he has advised his clients to abide by the court's ruling.
"You can't have convenient justice," Schaffer said. "Whatever the ruling of the day is, it must be followed. So I have told my players to stay away from the facilities."
The appeals court is expected to rule next week on the NFL's request for a more permanent stay that would last through its appeal of Nelson's injunction, a process expected to take 6-8 weeks.
"Nobody's happy about any of this," Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "But it is what it is. The lockout is back into effect."
Teams had announced plans for organized practices and camps as early as next week, but those have again been put on hold.
"Chaotic," Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian wrote on Twitter. "I dunno where to go."
Coaches and general managers scrambled to bring their first-round picks in on Friday during what proved to be a brief window of time. They started to give the youngsters crash courses in what they wanted them to work on in the event that the lockout does drag on into the summer.
Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said teams had no choice but to "go with the flow."
"It was good to see the players today, great to see some of those guys, and wish it would have lasted a little longer," Ireland said.
The NFL's victory came in a venue considered more favorable to businesses than the federal courts in Minnesota, tough it was a narrow one. The 2-1 decision from a panel of the 8th Circuit included a lengthy dissent from Judge Kermit Bye, who suggested temporary stays should be issued only in emergencies.
"The NFL has not persuaded me this is the type of emergency situation which justifies the grant of a temporary stay," Bye wrote.
Jim Quinn, the lead attorney for the players, downplayed Friday's order and was heartened by the dissent.
"Routine grant of stay and totally expected," he said. "The only surprise is that Judge Bye is so strongly against giving them even a tiny stay because the league obviously can't show it is necessary."
Agents were concerned with how undrafted rookies will find work with teams unable to sign free agents after the draft concludes on Saturday.
"The owners will create a huge injustice to their own GMs and personnel departments if they don't allow the signing of undrafted free agents," said agent Joe Linta, whose clients include Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. "They may not care about the players, but they should at least help their own scouts, coaches and personnel people who have worked so hard in the scouting process."
The volatile atmosphere is rocking a league that thrives on routine and stability, and it doesn't figure to settle down soon.
"It seems like you hear something different almost hourly," Lions defensive end and player rep Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "This is a difficult situation for everybody involved."
Attorneys for the players had argued against a stay of Nelson's order, suggesting that the public and the players, with their short careers, are at far more risk when the business is stalled.
"Professional football is part of the fabric of American life," the attorneys wrote. "Because the uncontroverted record of evidence shows that the 2011 season could be canceled or significantly curtailed without an injunction in place, a stay may deprive the public of professional football altogether."
Said Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver: "It'd be great to have everybody back in the building, but the real thing is we've got to get back to the negotiating table and get a CBA." This article was written by Jon Krawczynski and appeared in The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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