NFL lockout update

[tazinib1]

For those that are still following

 

 

Talks to end the NFL lockout will resume with the court-appointed mediator in New York on Monday and could continue through Thursday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

 

The person spoke to the AP today on condition of anonymity, because the discussions are supposed to remain confidential.

 

The mediator, U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, originally had ordered representatives of the league's owners and players to meet with him Tuesday in Minneapolis. Now Boylan is expected to arrive in New York on Monday to oversee talks aimed at ending the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.

 

The owners have a special meeting set for Thursday in Atlanta, where they potentially could ratify a new deal — if one is reached by then. Any agreement also must be voted on by groups of players, including the named plaintiffs in a federal antitrust suit against the league, and the NFL Players Association's 32 team representatives.

 

More than four months into the lockout, owners and players have made significant progress on the framework of an agreement. But re-establishing the union and figuring out what it will take for nine NFL players — including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees — to settle that antitrust suit are among key issues blocking a deal to end the lockout, people familiar with the negotiations told the AP on condition of anonymity.

 

The unresolved matters also include how the TV networks case, in which the players accused the owners of setting up "lockout insurance," will be settled.

 

Among the parts mostly squared away following significant progress last week:

 

— how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues will be divided;

 

— a rookie salary system;

 

— free agency rules;

 

— a cap of about $120 million for player salaries in 2011, with about another $20 million in benefits.

 

The lockout began March 12, when negotiations broke down and the old collective bargaining agreement expired. The NFLPA announced it was dissolving itself and would no longer be a union that could bargain for all players under labor law, instead saying it was now a trade association. That allowed players to take their chances against the NFL in federal court under antitrust law.

 

There is a possibility that the sides will be able to put together a tentative agreement in principle in time to keep the preseason completely intact. The exhibition opener is scheduled to be the Hall of Fame game between the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears on Aug. 7, and as today, no preseason games had been canceled.

 

Members of the legal and financial teams for the two groups met in New York on Saturday, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith spoke with each other. The larger negotiating teams that gathered for more than 30 hours of intensive face-to-face talks spread across Wednesday through Friday — including owners and current or former players — did not meet Saturday.

 

Among the parts of the deal that people familiar with the negotiations told the AP are largely in place:

 

— The players' portion of the league's full annual revenues will be on a sliding scale with a floor of 46.5 percent and a ceiling of 48.5 percent. There no longer will be the old formula, under which owners got a cut off the top for various operating expenses before revenues were divided.

 

The new percentages represent a decrease for players, because they were winding up with a higher percentage under the old contract, which is among the main reasons spurring owners to opt out of that deal. According to NFLPA figures, the players got 52.7 percent of all league revenues in 2006, 51.8 percent in 2007, 51 percent in 2008, and 50.6 percent in 2009. There was no salary cap in 2010. As far back as 2000, meanwhile, the players' take was 56.5 percent of all revenue.

 

The players are still hoping, though, to get a commitment from owners that each team will spend a minimum amount of the cap.

 

— Most players will be able to become unrestricted free agents after four years in the league, and the owners' hope for being able to get a right of first refusal on three players per team in 2011 was dropped. Denver fans, say hello to D-Will. Stewart fans rejoice!!!!

 

— First-round draft picks will sign four-year deals, with a club option for the fifth year. The new rookie salary system will help curtail first-year players' soaring salaries, with much of that money going to veterans.

Edited July 18, 2011 by tazinib1

[Ditkaless Wonders]

which is funny, considering that the players literally purchased insurance in case of no season.

 

 

At first blush I agree. But when one realizes the players did so with their own money and the league arguably did so with money that should have been divided between the ownership and the players, I see a difference.

[detlef]

At first blush I agree. But when one realizes the players did so with their own money and the league arguably did so with money that should have been divided between the ownership and the players, I see a difference.

This

[irish]

I've said it before and I'll say it again (as have many of you), there will be a season as they'll hammer out a deal and the focus should be on getting ready for FF.

[The Wolf]

Tweet from Adam Schefter (take as you will):

 

NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams today, instructing key executives to attend Thursday's owners meetings in Atlanta. More on ESPN.

 

We're getting close...I know no celebrating till signed, sealed, delivered, but football is right around the corner!!

[Grimm74]

Ive actually purchased two fantasy football magazines this year. They have been relevant this whole time and continue to be.

[Hugh B Tool]

Have never let the lockout effect me either way. There will be an agreement and a full season. Only thing that has been missed is OTA's which until not so long ago never happened anyway. No big fuzzy duck at all

[montster]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AibC...lug=ap-nfllabor

 

Hall of Fame defensive end I'M A TOOL Eller says he thinks a deal to end the NFL lockout will be reached this week—and that retired players won’t stand in the way of an agreement.

 

Eller and lawyers for retired NFL players joined labor talks for about seven hours Tuesday in New York as signs mounted the dispute might almost be over. After leaving the negotiations, Eller headed to a meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

 

“They want to get these games going, and they want to have a season. That’s their focus,” Eller said.

 

He said “there’s still a lot more to be done” when it comes to benefits for former players, but that could be resolved after the main dispute is settled.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe tweets:

 

Sigh, and once again greed is the operative byword. Congrats Brees, Manning, Mankins, and Jackson for being 'that guy'. #douchebags

[rajncajn]

They tried to get special compensation (exemption from the tag) in return for their agreement to the new CBA. Kluwe's right, it was a dbag move although I can see where Brees is coming from having been screwed by the tag with San Diego before. They've since softened their stance. Gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed with this and really wish he'd thought it through more.

[Clubfoothead]

They tried to get special compensation (exemption from the tag) in return for their agreement to the new CBA. Kluwe's right, it was a dbag move although I can see where Brees is coming from having been screwed by the tag with San Diego before. They've since softened their stance. Gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed with this and really wish he'd thought it through more.

 

They will be able to work that out no matter who you agree with. That's most important

[rajncajn]

They will be able to work that out no matter who you agree with. That's most important

Yeah, in the end the play wouldn't have really made a difference. The deal is being done and likely wouldn't be held up by them anyway. It made no sense to anyone but them & only served in making them look greedy.

[rajncajn]

from his twitter:

drewbrees Drew Brees

I hesitate to even dignify the false media reports with a response, but obviously they are leading people astray.

And so starts the he-said, she-said...

 

Brees Decries "false media reports"

Posted by Mike Florio on July 19, 2011, 8:20 PM EDT

e593624ea92c7dd427d2d9e85b7f0e3b Getty Images

 

We’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is a great quarterback, and a truly good guy. But we can’t look the other way in the wake of reports that Brees, or someone on his behalf, is trying to leverage his status as a named plaintiff in the Brady antitrust action into a lifetime exemption from the franchise tag, which would make Brees an unrestricted free agent in 2012.

 

If it’s happening, it’s wrong. And Brees and any other named plaintiff who is trying to exploit the situation for personal gain should abandon those efforts.

 

We first heard three weeks ago that NFLPA* lawyer Jeffrey Kessler and CAA, the agency representing Brees, were pushing for this benefit, both for Brees and fellow CAA client Peyton Manning. Now that Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe and others, including Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, are reporting the same thing on the same day that lawyers are supposed to be finalizing the deal, the issue has gotten much greater notice, drawing widespread criticism of Brees Manning, Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, and Patriots guard Logan Mankins.

 

Brees has responded to the controversy, via Twitter: “I hesitate to even dignify the false media reports with a response, but obviously they are leading people astray.”

 

We’re not sure what’s specifically “false” about the reports. Chris Mortensen of ESPN, citing an unnamed high-ranking NFLPA* official, wrote earlier today that “media reports of a last-minute power play by players are misleading and erroneous.”

 

So what’s misleading, false, and/or erroneous? The reports that Brees and Manning want a “Get Out Of Franchise Tag Jail Free” card? Or the reports that the request is coming in the form of a “last-minute power play,” as opposed to an issue that Kessler has been pushing for weeks?

 

Brees could easily clear this up with a much more pointed tweet. For example, all Brees needs to say is this: “I want no special treatment. This was never about me. This is about all players, past, present, and future.”

 

Until he does, we’re not prepared to conclude that Bedard and/or Freeman are inept and/or lying.

[rajncajn]

Chris Mortensen

 

Quote:

Tom Condon, agent for Brees and Manning: Drew and Peyton haven't asked for anything individually and continue to be 100 percent behind the players' efforts to resolve the negotiations."

[The Wolf]

Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe tweets:

 

Sigh, and once again greed is the operative byword. Congrats Brees, Manning, Mankins, and Jackson for being 'that guy'. #douchebags

 

Vincent Jackson retweeted from Adam Schefter:

 

VincentTJackson VJ

by AdamSchefter

Preciate the support guys! Can't believe all u read or see in media. I have made no demands, I wanna play ball like the rest of my peers!

 

Believe what you will. Maybe there is some misinformation out there?

[Scooby's Hubby]

THe kinda stuff that stalls negotiations ... it's like the media wants chaos and could care less about football.

 

The days when reporters used to hang with bigtime players was ruined when they started spilling the dirt. Babe Ruth used to have reporters hang out with him by the pool, go to his parties, hell he probably got some of them laid. He invited them everywhere. Not one distasteful article from any of those reporters b/c they knew they would not be invited back. Those days are gone. Dirt sells and cash is king.

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Which does not preclude their having asked for the exemption for all named Plaintiffs with four or more years of service. In that scenario they are not asking for something individually.

[Pope Flick]

Brees could easily clear this up with a much more pointed tweet. For example, all Brees needs to say is this: “I want no special treatment. This was never about me. This is about all players, past, present, and future.”

 

Until he does, we’re not prepared to conclude that Bedard and/or Freeman are inept and/or lying.

 

 

In other words: "I'm going to choose to believe the guys who allow me to write more tripe stories and get some extra web hits." Florio is an absolute waste of FF space, and is basically the Enquirer of FF sites AFAIC.

[delusions of grandeur]

Last chance before we miss more than just the HOF game. Owners are expected to be voting as I type this (and by the sounds of it might have already voted), and it is not believed there is a big enough minority to get in the way of 24 votes if they feel the deal is acceptable.... If they approve the deal, the players will have an 8pm conference call to decide whether they accept and figure out where they go from there to recertifying the union and all that BS:

 

If a deal is passed by both sides, team executives would be schooled later Thursday and Friday in Atlanta on the deal's guidelines and how to apply them. Clarification would be needed on the 2011 NFL calendar, rookie salary system and new free-agency rules.

 

Goodell maintained contact with Smith throughout Wednesday evening and Thursday morning in one-on-one phone conversations to iron out remaining issues in the bargaining process, a league source told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio.

 

Goodell joined the NFL's management council executive committee when it began meeting at 8 a.m. ET, while still staying in contact with Smith via phone.

 

If the four-month lockout -- the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987 -- is going to end in time to keep the preseason completely intact, the players and owners almost certainly must ratify the deal this week. The St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears are scheduled to open the preseason Aug. 7 in the Hall of Fame game.

 

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher told ESPN's George Smith that he doubts that opening preseason game will happen.

 

"I think the Hall of Fame Game is a no go even if we get it done today," he said, adding that "we still have to have time for free agency and all that stuff."

 

The Bears were scheduled to open training camp Friday.

 

Full story from ESPN here

[delusions of grandeur]

@AdamSchefter

NFL never would put this to vote unless Roger Goodell knew he had the 24 votes he needed. Of course he does. Drama over recertification.

RT @NFLVR: @roddywhiteTV

please check out NFLVR.com, it's sole purpose is for NFL Players to be able to vote to recertify. Please pass it on, TY

 

AJCFalcons D. Orlando Ledbetter[/b] - 25 minutes ago

Waiting for Roger Goodell to arrive at this here podium. Staked out my front row seat. http://yfrog.com/kl29zygj

 

 

(Edit on the others: False Alarm: @FalconsJAdams - Jim Irsay just said they have not voted on anything yet.)

Edited July 21, 2011 by delusions of granduer