NFL Schools MLB, Once Again

[Ksyrup]

I think at this point it's pretty clear that Goodell and Upshaw have an agreement in place to take whatever issue baseball is getting kicked around on and take the most conservative position possible to make themselves look good. I'm waiting for Goodell to announce that the NFL will not recognize Barry Bonds' HR record.

NFL Bans Alcohol for Team Functions

May 31 02:05 PM US/Eastern By DAVE GOLDBERG AP Football Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - NFL clubs may no longer serve alcohol at team functions or on buses or flights, extending a ban that until now applied only in locker rooms. NFL owners and executives were told Thursday by commissioner Roger Goodell that the rule pertains not only to players but to owners, coaches and guests. "I believe that no constructive purpose is served by clubs continuing to make alcoholic beverages available, and that doing so imposes significant and unnecessary risks to the league, its players and others," Goodell wrote to all 32 teams in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The commissioner's letter separates him from, among others, baseball commissioner Bud Selig. After St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock died a month ago in what was ruled an alcohol-related auto accident, Selig said a decision on banning beer in clubhouses was a team matter, not a league one. Goodell's letter is in keeping with his policy of setting strict standards for behavior by players, coaches and officials after a year of numerous arrests, many of them for alcohol-related offenses. He has imposed strict suspensions on those who violated those policies, including a yearlong suspension for Tennessee's Adam "Pacman" Jones, which is currently under appeal. The letter is addressed to chief executives, club presidents, general managers and head coaches. "Effective immediately," it reads, "clubs are prohibited from providing alcoholic beverages, including beer, in any club setting, including in locker rooms, practice or office facilities, or while traveling, including on team buses or flights. "This prohibition extends not only to players, but to all team personnel, as well as to other guests traveling with the team or who have access to club facilities." The ban was sent with the approval of the NFL Players Association and the player advisory council, a group of veterans appointed in early April to advise Goodell on player issues. That group includes union president Troy Vincent, currently a free agent; safety Donovin Darius of Jacksonville; fullback Tony Richardson of Minnesota; center Jeff Saturday of Indianapolis; linebacker Takeo Spikes of Philadelphia; and wide receiver James Thrash of Washington.

[Crapshoot]

Shit, when you have a union as weak as the NFLPA, Its not that much of a surprise.

[spleen1015]

Is it me or is Goodell making a lot more changes than Tagliabue would have in these situations?

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Is it me or is Goodell making a lot more changes than Tagliabue would have in these situations?

He's got to make his bones.

[miami_fan]

Does this include draft parties hosted by the teams?

[ISiddiqui]

This is actually really retarded. No alcohol on team flights? Huh?

MLB > NFL on this.

[spleen1015]

Alcohol is very much useless anyway. I see no issue with it especially when the teams could be held accountable.

[Ksyrup]

I think this has more to do with legal culpability than anything (although the positive PR is a close second). I still find it hard to believe that MLB is fine with teams handing out free alcohol to players, from a legal perspective.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I think this has more to do with legal culpability than anything (although the positive PR is a close second). I still find it hard to believe that MLB is fine with teams handing out free alcohol to players, from a legal perspective.

Why? MLB doesn't get sued, the team does. They can decide whether to accept the risk or not.

[Solecismic]

If the NFLPA is a weak union, then that says a lot about unions.

They've presided over incredible growth in the sport, far exceeding baseball, basketball and hockey. That's made their membership very, very rich.

The labor-management relationship between the NFL and the NFLPA should be the prototype in any industry. Get along, work together to grow the business, share the results. Here in Michigan, the UAW was "strong" - once. Now Michigan's economy is pretty much dead last in the country.

[Ksyrup]

First, I think the MLB would be included in a suit, regardless of merit. And second, I would think the MLB has a reason to protect clubs from potentially enormous liability. And third, there's the obvious good PR that comes with it.

It's one thing to have an employer-sponsored party or something where alcohol is served. It's another to give your employees free alcohol at the end of every work day.

[BrianD]

This doesn't seem all that unusual. A few companies I have worked for had a similar no-alcohol policy on company grounds, and they wouldn't supply alcohol during company functions...not that people couldn't buy their own alcohol during company functions. This seems like a reasonable way to make sure the players are responsible for anything they might do wrong.

[st.cronin]

This is an example of sports news that I have zero interest in, and am just amazed that its actually presented to the public. People seriously care about this?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

If the NFLPA is a weak union, then that says a lot about unions.

They've presided over incredible growth in the sport, far exceeding baseball, basketball and hockey. That's made their membership very, very rich.

The labor-management relationship between the NFL and the NFLPA should be the prototype in any industry. Get along, work together to grow the business, share the results. Here in Michigan, the UAW was "strong" - once. Now Michigan's economy is pretty much dead last in the country.

Weak in comparison to the power Baseball's Player Union has. It doesn't necessarily make it inferior, but there's no way anyone could say the NFLPA has the power that Baseball's PA has.

The NFL and the NFLPA work very well together, as you pointed out, and it shows in the growth of the sport. However, there's been whispers of some players wanting Gene Upshaw replaced because of the appearance that he gives in to the commish far too often.

[Solecismic]

I'd argue the NFLPA is stronger than the MLBPA.

They have true power, because the NFL works with them before anyone goes strutting in front of the media.

The relationship between the baseball owners and the MLBPA is so poor that the MLBPA has to constantly swagger and strut. The MLBPA is the proverbial man with a fancy new sports car and tiny -----. True power is not measured by appearances alone.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Weak in comparison to the power Baseball's Player Union has. It doesn't necessarily make it inferior, but there's no way anyone could say the NFLPA has the power that Baseball's PA has.

The NFL and the NFLPA work very well together, as you pointed out, and it shows in the growth of the sport. However, there's been whispers of some players wanting Gene Upshaw replaced because of the appearance that he gives in to the commish far too often.

"". MLB has their players with guaranteed salaries - the NFL does not. MLB players have their rights guaranteed - the NFLPA does nothing on the "voluntary" minicamps and the "no hitting" bit. I'm not a union fan in general, but the MLBPA takes care of its players in a way the NFLPA does not.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

"". MLB has their players with guaranteed salaries - the NFL does not. MLB players have their rights guaranteed - the NFLPA does nothing on the "voluntary" minicamps and the "no hitting" bit. I'm not a union fan in general, but the MLBPA takes care of its players in a way the NFLPA does not.

Hey now, I agreed with you.

They seem to have different priorites. The NFLPA is looking at the overall health of the league along with its players, while the MLBPA is focused almost entirely on the players.

The NFLPA has allowed a salary cap and also has issues taking care of its retired players. MLBPA has taken care of its players about as well as anyone could possibly expect, but the sport's growth has slowed at times because of the power the MLBPA has.

[Ksyrup]

The guaranteed contract thing seems more a function of the nature of the game than anything else.

[SteelerFan448]

Baseball may have the stronger union, but that union is also holding their sport's growth back while the NFL is head and shoulders above it because of how the NFL and NFLPA work together to build and grow the league.

[cthomer5000]

You can argue strength, but there is no doubt about which is the more intelligent uniion.

[JonInMiddleGA]

As I first read it, this would prevent a team president from having a drink in his office. Upon further review, the phrase "prohibited from providing" might only restrict the club from buying it but not the individual from essentially BYOB.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan448

Baseball may have the stronger union, but that union is also holding their sport's growth back while the NFL is head and shoulders above it because of how the NFL and NFLPA work together to build and grow the league.

Funny - when you say "hold the sport back", you mean demand more money - which isn't a crime. The MLBPA does significantly better for its players than the NFLPA does. Think about this - in the NFL, the Commish can suspend anyone with an appeal process that goes to the... commissioner. That's beyond absurd.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

As I first read it, this would prevent a team president from having a drink in his office. Upon further review, the phrase "prohibited from providing" might only restrict the club from buying it but not the individual from essentially BYOB.

Yeah, or tossing a 50 to a locker room attendant with instructions to have beer in his locker when he gets off the field. That's how you know this is a legal issue. If they wanted to ban it completely, they would say that no alcohol could be consumed in the locker room. Not that this isn't a good first step...having to make an effort to get alcohol could prevent many from actually drinking.

[JediKooter]

Hmmmm, but, the NFL has no problem with Coors Light being a sponsor. I guess when you're a monopoly, you can pick and choose.

[lynchjm24]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

They've presided over incredible growth in the sport, far exceeding baseball, basketball and hockey. That's made their membership very, very rich.

Yep. But not having guaranteed contracts forces players to put their health at risk to stay rich. Ask someone like Ted Johnson.

The NFLPA gets their ass handed to them by the league everytime they turn around.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Hmmmm, but, the NFL has no problem with Coors Light being a sponsor. I guess when you're a monopoly, you can pick and choose.

I think people are misunderstanding this. This isn't the NFL going anti-alcohol here. This is the NFL saying that it does not want teams serving alcohol to NFL employees during team functions. It's a liability issue, pure and simple. This has nothing to do with having an alcohol-related league sponsor. They're not saying alcohol is bad; they're saying teams can't serve it at official functions because the league doesn't want the risk associated with the consequences of freely providing alcohol to its employees.


""I believe that no constructive purpose is served by clubs continuing to make alcoholic beverages available, and that doing so imposes significant and unnecessary risks to the league, its players and others," Goodell wrote..."