Bronco Billy Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Picking up some interesting bits & pieces from today in the past 5 hours: From Schefter link FWIW: League sent memo to teams last night, advising them to be prepared to stay overnight during next Tuesday's NFL meetings in Chicago. June 21 emerges as a potentially key date in labor talks Some GM's believe a new CBA will be voted on June 21/22nd. Doesn't mean it gets approval, but teams could vote on CBA next week. From Mortensen link Filed to ESPN: NFL owners and players' negotiating teams are meeting today in Wash DC area. Both sides in deal-making mode. This is big week for more progress Ultimately, a deal can't get done without the lawyers so, yes, it may be a good sign that they are involved this time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Come on, fellas...let's get this thing done!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Mike Freeman, CBS These are the new owners and player meetings that are now apparently moving at faster than light speed with a great sense of politeness towards a collective bargaining agreement. The usual cautious caveats apply but it's crystal clear now: the bullet train is headed towards a deal and the only thing that can stop it is last-minute, rampant stupidity. That likely won't happen. One source with intimate knowledge of the discussions tells me negotiations are 80-85 percent complete. They've made such fast progress, I'm told, it's catching many of the principals by surprise. Some are now canceling vacations, believing an agreement will be reached within a matter of days. .... In addition to the previously reported dinner involving trade association head DeMaurice Smith and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, several owners and players have had private lunches together. These smaller, informal meetings also have helped. I've confirmed that lawyers for both sides have returned to the negotiating table after being kicked out of the room for weeks. Their return is another sign of good news since the talks are now getting more specific. Hopefully, the lawyers won't torpedo progress. One person tells the story of how he saw more smiles in one recent negotiation than he had in almost all of the mediation sessions in Washington combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutOne Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hopefully its coming to an end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Muto Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Hip Hip Horray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) Both sides had better be prepared to make a few more concessions and finalize this thing. Something that has arisen out of this news is that fans have become hopeful to the point where they may well be overly enthuastic and optimistic about a deal getting done. If negotiations were to break down, essentially pulling the rug out from under the fans' new hope, the NFL and the players could damage their product beyond fixing. People were angry before, but with the start of the season so far removed I think a lot of the anger was latent - people were pissed but were still somewhat removed. If either sides walks away, I think that latent anger rises to the top and manifests itself in some very real business loses for the league. Both sides need to recognize the current mood of the fans with this news and understand the consequences of screwing it up this time. Edited June 15, 2011 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rattsass Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I've been feeling it for the last few days, the end is near. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackass Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I've been feeling it for the last few days, the end is near. Last guy who said that had a heart attack... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAUgrad Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I've been feeling it for the last few days, the end is near. What did he say? He said the sheriff is near! Sorry, couldn't help myself with the movie quote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackass Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Or not... At a time when many are waiting for and anticipating a news deal between owners and the NFL Players Association, there was a time Tuesday when talks clearly regressed. Tucker's Plan to End Lockout Even though the sides are reportedly making progress, the lockout remains in effect. Ross Tucker has a four-point plan to make sure the NFL opens for business again. Story One person close to the talks even went so far as to say, "This almost blew up yesterday." How close it did is a matter of opinion. Fact is, the moment came shortly after lawyers from both sides were brought back into the process at an undisclosed location in the Washington, D.C., area. As tensions rose and anger grew, two sources said NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith instructed his lawyers to "stand down." With the lawyers removed from the direct negotiations, the process was said to get back on track and to a good spot. The scenario is an example of just how tenuous these talks can be and how quickly they can be derailed. But it also is the ultimate proof that Smith and his players, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners have taken the process out of the hands of the attorneys and demanded that they control it as the two sides try to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement. During negotiations in the winter, many around the league worried that the lawyers were controlling the process. But Tuesday's events are the strongest evidence to date that they are not. ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen says the NFL and the NFL players are trying to get a new CBA before all of the court rulings. Plus, Mortensen says Terrelle Pryor won't get taken before the fourth round of the supplemental draft. Lawyers still will have to be involved in the final resolution, drawing up any agreement and signing off on what each side can and can't do. Any agreement would have to be presented to the judge in the case to be ratified. Multiple sources familiar with the talks said progress is being made, but they cautioned that there's "a lot of drama and a lot of room for mistakes left." To say this is going to be done in two weeks, one source said, "is borderline insane." The sides are meeting again Wednesday in Maryland, in larger groups, and more meetings are expected next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) I wonder if both sides see that the only people in the room who benefit from extending the negotiations and preventing the league from functioning again are the lawyers for both sides. Edited June 15, 2011 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskey Pimp Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I wonder if both sides see that the only people in the room who benefit from extending the negotiations and preventing the league from functioning again are the lawyers for both sides. I'm thinking that the fact that DeSmith asked their lawyers to stand down (if true, the only smart thing he's done during any of this process) shows that maybe both sides are now understanding that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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