DMD Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I still stand by my July 12th agreement prediction and a start FA on Friday, July 15th http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8209...le=HP_headlines MINNEAPOLIS -- At 4 p.m. Thursday, the NFLPA conducted a conference call with its player reps and executive committee members that painted a grim picture as the labor situation made a turn for the worse. Then everything changed. As it turned out, the call, made after seven hours of negotiations at a downtown Minneapolis law firm, came less than halfway through the day's talks. And after those talks finished just before 1 a.m. CT and another set was staged on Friday morning, a different story was emerging. The owners and players still have much work to do, but major progress was made to fix the revenue split, the overriding issue in the labor battle, on Thursday night and Friday morning. One source said that if smaller pieces connected to it don't shift the numbers too much, it "might not even be a stumbling block going forward." In addition, the parties took strides to work out disagreements over how to define "all revenue" in the model they plan to use, and they also discarded some terms in the deal the other side found unacceptable. The Top 100: Players of 2011 The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after. So one set of critical talks now gives way to another. The legal teams for each side will meet in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, with players and owners returning to the table Thursday and Friday. The format for the week follows the one set for this week's Minneapolis talks. "We'll continue to meet next week, and our goal is to get a deal done," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said on his way out. NFL general counsel Jeff Pash, again citing the gag order, simply said: "We'll be back at it again next week." U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan proved a pivotal figure when things were at their darkest Thursday. Boylan was able to rein the parties in, narrow their focus to what was important on the revenue split, and forge a very productive evening. This was after issues that arose last week in Massachusetts (over the rookie salary system) and Monday (over what the players perceived as a deception play by owners on the revenue system) resurfaced and again proved explosive, with players and owners re-entering the room after legal teams handled the earlier part of the week. Things went so well Thursday that Boylan implored the sides to keep going past 1 a.m. The players and owners convinced the judge -- who ran court-ordered mediation in April and May, but has no binding power in these talks -- that they were spent, but the positive momentum continued into Friday morning. And realistic hope remains that the league will be able to stage the preseason in its natural form, without the cancellation of any games, which would save hundreds of millions of dollars. Internal deadlines to have a deal done in order to save the preseason sit around July 15, and part of the ratcheted-up sense of urgency is the acknowledgement by both sides that a settlement will be exponentially tougher to reach if significant revenue is subtracted from the equation. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell led a group that included Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Giants owner John Mara, and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, with Kraft and Mara the two constants for the owners in the five sets of clandestine meetings. Smith's team included NFLPA managing director Ira Fishman, outside counsel Jim Quinn, general counsel Richard Berthelsen, Colts center Jeff Saturday, Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, Chiefs guard Brian Waters, and former player Sean Morey. Foxworth, like Kraft and Mara, has been a constant presence at these meetings, which started May 31, over the last five weeks. The four previous "secret" sessions over the past month took place in suburban Chicago, New York's Long Island, Maryland's Eastern Shore and Massachusetts' South Shore. The Chicago talks, the first in the series, started May 31 and lasted three days, with the Long Island, Eastern Shore and South Shore negotiations going for two days apiece. The St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears, this year's Hall of Fame Game participants, are scheduled to open training camp in 21 days, so time is beginning to run short. The parties have spent the past four weeks largely discussing the revenue split. And it's not just the revenue now, but also how to account for the league's future growth, particularly when the 2014 television deals are done, in the players' take. The idea of an "all revenue" model, which would largely eliminate cost credits to the owners and limit revenue projections, has bridged differences over the course of the discussions. As for the rookie salary system, the numbers aren't the only issue. Finding a way to replace the market effect those contracts have on veterans as well as getting high draft picks to free agency quicker are among the players' concerns. As it stands, six-year contracts are allowed for high first-round picks making big money. Goodell was invited to the symposium by Smith, who said he was "thrilled" the commissioner accepted and participated. The men stood side by side after the visit Wednesday morning to Florida. Goodell and Smith, who arrived in Minneapolis on Monday, took a break from talks Tuesday night to fly together to Sarasota, Fla., and speak to assembled players at the NFLPA's rookie symposium the next morning. They returned to Minneapolis on the same plane. Goodell was invited to the symposium by Smith, who said he was "thrilled" the commissioner accepted and participated. The men stood side by side after the event Wednesday morning and vowed to continue working on a deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverines Fan Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 It sounds like Judge Boylan saved this whole thing from falling apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I think alot of us here have had the suspicion all along that they were going to go down to the last possible moment before the preseason schedule would have to be shortened. It's going to be close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennykravitz2004 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Pride can make people do stupid things. Pride between billionaires and millionaires increases that stupidity exponentially. "I'll believe it when I see it." I still stand by my July 12th agreement prediction and a start FA on Friday, July 15th And I really hope you're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Pride can make people do stupid things. Pride between billionaires and millionaires increases that stupidity exponentially. "I'll believe it when I see it." And I really hope you're right. this week will be the home stretch to get a deal done....it'll linger into the 2nd week of July, but no later....I think they are serious this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 .....and the roller coaster continues. Come on boys...just get this thing done already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 It will be a complete and utter disaster for the NFL if they lose week1 of preseason. Not only do they stand to lose roughly $200 million dollars, but the prospect of having a pre-season game in London this year may have gone out the window. The NFL may have shot themselves in the foot this year concerning Europe, where tv ratings for the SB this year was estimated at 3.5 million. Thats 1 million m ore than last year and its going up. I believe Wimbley Stadium requires 2 months advance notice for scheduling purposes anyways...so it might not even be an option at this point. Thats some major lost revenue owners...way to go!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 It will be a complete and utter disaster for the NFL if they lose week1 of preseason. Not only do they stand to lose roughly $200 million dollars, but the prospect of having a pre-season game in London this year may have gone out the window. The NFL may have shot themselves in the foot this year concerning Europe, where tv ratings for the SB this year was estimated at 3.5 million. Thats 1 million m ore than last year and its going up. I believe Wimbley Stadium requires 2 months advance notice for scheduling purposes anyways...so it might not even be an option at this point. Thats some major lost revenue owners...way to go!!! It's pretty funny how Goodell was wanting to squeeze the players for more money to expand the league around the world, but he actually hurt his chances this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 ProFootballTalk ProFootballTalk Drew Brees says on XX 1090 that a deal is "very close," and that a "few details" remain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Yup, the news looks pretty good, but the bolded is the only part that has me a little unsettled about how close they are: Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning released a statement Wednesday, saying "it is time" for players and owners to finalize a deal to end the lockout. "We believe the overall proposal made by the players is fair for both sides and it is time to get this deal done," the statements reads. Most of the leaks on the progress of the deal have come from the owners' side. This looks like a direct response from the players to put the pressure back on the owners as training camps loom. The good news is that the players are more interested in a new CBA than carrying through their anti-trust suit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKIDKOKID Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Today would be the ideal day for the NFL/players to reach an agreement as it has to be without a doubt the worst sports day in the US. No basketball, hockey, baseball...nothing expect a USA womens soccer game in Germany....yawn. At least we'd have something for our local sportscasters to talk about tonight KO'd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flemingd Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 At least we'd have something for our local sportscasters to talk about tonight James Harrison to the rescue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratesownninjas Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 ...nothing expect a USA womens soccer game in Germany....yawn. That match was absolutely not a yawnfest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 That match was absolutely not a yawnfest. Agreed...fun game. Megan Rapinoe was the sparkplug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratesownninjas Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Agreed...fun game. Megan Rapinoe was the sparkplug. Alex Morgan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 I started a post about the NFL lockout and it degenerates into women's soccer? I need a bottle of tequila... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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