WP:Deadline Looms For NFL, Players-Attorney: Deal 'Seems Doubtful'(Merged)

[SkinsHokieFan]

Pretty frank talk from Gene Upshaw in a Washington Post article today

Click here for the story

The NFL is headed toward a labor showdown by the end of this week barring an unlikely last-minute breakthrough in negotiations, Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw said, signaling that the labor peace that for 13 years has been a key reason for the league's success is on the verge of dissipating.

A written message sent Friday from a union attorney to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said it "seems doubtful" that team owners and players will be able to settle on an extension of their collective bargaining agreement beyond next season. Upshaw, who has worked closely with Tagliabue for years to avoid the sort of labor strife that has affected other professional sports leagues, said in a telephone interview that the union now is ready for a fight............ cut, clink on link for rest of article

Part of it is obviously a little gamesmanship from Upshaw. But the "gang of 9" suing the rest of the owners rumor is very troubling, which could lead to long term labor instability in the NFL

[RiggoReincarnated]

Pretty frank talk from Gene Upshaw in a Washington Post article today

Click here for the story





Part of it is obviously a little gamesmanship from Upshaw. But the "gang of 9" suing the rest of the owners rumor is very troubling, which could lead to long term labor instability in the NFL

**** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****!

[Goaldeje]

**** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****!

That's like watching Chris Rock on TV!!!!

[Aghar]

Very sad. Some of the owners and players want to turn this into baseball. When they start losing some oftheir fans and their stadiums aren't full they will wonder why, but by then it will be too late.

As a football fan, I hate all of this!

[Fred Jones]

From the Article

"Upshaw has said that some owners of the league's wealthiest franchises aren't devoting a fair portion of their revenues to players' salaries. He has exempted the Redskins' Daniel Snyder, whose team generates the league's highest revenues but also usually has one of the NFL's heftiest player payrolls."


At least Snyder gets a little love for wanting to field the best team possible using his the money he has earned.

[CrabR]

stupid question

If there is no agreement reached can we take the players contracts and make the bonuses all come due in the 2007 uncapped year ?. Is this a viable away around our 2006 cap overage

[Hogskin1]

stupid question

If there is no agreement reached can we take the players contracts and make the bonuses all come due in the 2007 uncapped year ?. Is this a viable away around our 2006 cap overage

No, there is a rule in the existing agreement that prevents teams from converting player salaries to bonuses to circumvent the cap.

[Major Harris]

if i ignore it, it might go away.

[wskin44]

stupid question

If there is no agreement reached can we take the players contracts and make the bonuses all come due in the 2007 uncapped year ?. Is this a viable away around our 2006 cap overage

The 30% rule was instituted to prevent this tactic. A long time ago the cowpies got around the original cap by moving a lot of salary dollars into the first uncapped year. The existing agreement says that a player's salary in the first uncapped year can't be more than 30% higher than the last capped year. That continues into the 2nd & 3rd, etc. uncapped years too, preventing teams from signing players during capped years and pushing exhorbitant salaries into uncapped years.

[CowboySlayer]

Very sad. Some of the owners and players want to turn this into baseball. When they start losing some oftheir fans and their stadiums aren't full they will wonder why, but by then it will be too late.

As a football fan, I hate all of this!

this is the smartest thing i've read all day

[SKINZ_DOMIN8]

Good let this happen. Teams that spend money will win, teams that languish in mediocrity (Giants, Packers, Jets, Bills, Raiders, etc.) will fold.


I say let them wither and die.

[Warhead36]

Ugh, I hope this is just posturing...

[FootballGuy2677]

Oh My Gosh You Dumb Retarded Just Re-install The One You Just Had!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!duh!?!??!?

[FlyinO]

Gene Upshaw wants to become the most hated man in America! The public will not be happy if this guy ruins the 06 or 07 seasons.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Gene Upshaw wants to become the most hated man in America! The public will not be happy if this guy ruins the 06 or 07 seasons.

I don't think its Gene Washington's fault here, but the reason we don't hear anything from the owners is because I am sure Tagliabue has placed a gag order on them with steep fines if they speak about any details of the internal negotiations between the owners

Washington can say whatever the hell he wants, and its generally in the best interest of the players

However, both these sides are playing an interesting game here, which may cause a lot of people to get burned