Official CBA Thread

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

A good point I read somewhere is that players should hire former coaches to run some of these. Drew Brees even paid for insurance and lodging for many of his younger players to attend some recent workouts.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/04/drew-brees-paying-for-most-expenses-of-saints-workout/

[SPTO]

Re: Official CBA Thread

NFL cancels next month's rookie symposium

This is pretty unfortunate that labor issues had to affect this as I think the symposium is one of the better ways of integrating rookies into the pro game. I've seen clips of what happens there and am really impressed with the speakers they have each year and how they put their message across. Cris Carter has been a huge part of the symposium and i'm always impressed by what he has to say about it every year.

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

Jason Snelling vented his frustrations with the lack of negotiations going on, have to wonder how many players share his same frustrations with the NFLPA insisting on waiting until one court date after another to proceed rather than keeping a dalog or outright discussing how to end all of this.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/25/jason-snelling-wants-negotiations-to-resume-now/

[p_rushing]

Re: Official CBA Thread

If the NFLPA waits until after the 8th circuit rules and they lose, then the players will split. You have the NFL saying come to the table and we will work together, but that will only last so long. At some point the NFL is going to reach their breaking point and if they have the court ruling backing them up, then they will make demands that they would not have made now.

The NFLPA will then be forced to continue their no negotiating policy or give in. If they don't give in, players will split and you may even have a majority of players breaking away from the union. If they settle and get racked over the coals, Smith may be looking for a new job.

At this point, I think the only way Smith stays in his position is if the NFLPA wins in the courts. I just don't see him changing his tactics at this point and it's not going to work out well for the players if he doesn't.

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

I think at this point the worse case scenario for the players is they have to accept some form of the deal that was proposed on 3/11 that they never countered. The biggest issue with that deal is it abandoned the percentage model and instead set the salary cap as increasing a set amount each year, regardless of the leagues success/failure. That number was decided based on projections of revenue, all that seemed to be missing was what happenes if the league generates more money than projected any given year and how is that treated if anything.

Instead, as someone in a column once said, the players are trying to stick to a flat % of revenue like it's a birthright, even if the alternative satisfies a lot of what they are asking for.

I really don't expect the owners to get so much leverage they try and put the 18 game season back in. I think that will remain as it was in March. Something to be evaluated once player safety and workout changes have had time to be implemented and evaluated, and then move forward with that format only with the NFLPA's blessing.

Edit: an agent who represents "2% of the union" (45 players) has asked for a full copy of the 3/11 proposal so he can explain it to his players and the fathers of the guys who were drafted this year.

IMO the NFLPA's position is a pretty tough sell on a player by player basis, more money, better workout rules, better benefits and salary protection in the event of injury... nothing but good stuff really. It's the big picture that the NFLPA disagrees with.

[SPTO]

Re: Official CBA Thread

I think at this point the worse case scenario for the players is they have to accept some form of the deal that was proposed on 3/11 that they never countered. The biggest issue with that deal is it abandoned the percentage model and instead set the salary cap as increasing a set amount each year, regardless of the leagues success/failure. That number was decided based on projections of revenue, all that seemed to be missing was what happenes if the league generates more money than projected any given year and how is that treated if anything.

That sounds an awful lot like the NHL CBA and that's a scary thing because the cap started at 39 Mil and is now in a few short years going to be at 62.5 mil. The NHL cap has literally squeezed out the teams that can't generate enough revenues but have to spend to the cap floor even though they can't afford it.

The NFL is a lot different in that every team pretty much generates enough revenue but you're going to see some weird deals where players on their 2nd contracts get HUGE money that they probably don't deserve all in the name of spending to the cap and keeping prized commodities out of free agency. Indeed, if you look at Free Agency in the NHL right now it's mostly older guys or guys of marginal talent being made available whereas the true talent are locked up to long term deals. It's true that some very good players are in FA in the NHL but most of the time these are guys that have breakout or fluke seasons and they tend to tank it with their new teams.

The owners are trying to give the players what they want in terms of monetary gain but it's likely to make GMs make questionable decisions like their NHL counterparts and more or less render FA into a non event. That's something the players would have to wrestle with as i'm sure they'd want the money up front but NFL guys really prize the idea of being able to test the market especially if they're stuck on a bottom feeding team.

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

The league's offer accepted the union's cap number of $161m by 2014 (2009 the last capped year, was $128m), I just don't know where the money is expected to go in excess of projected revenues, or if a deal was struck for 50 cents of every dollar going to players. Would it go toward increasing the cap further? Would it be a dividend played to players annually? How are the players compensated for that in excess of the cap?

I'd love to see the NFLPA's counter to that proposal though when it finally happens.

Don't care who proposes it, I'm not in favor of any cap that goes up a tremendous amount. I don't want to see 3 year $100m contracts and whatnot in the NFL.

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

The coaches version of the NFLPA, but not a labor union (so almost exactly like the current NFLPA I assume), the NFL Coaching Assocation submitted a brief supporting the players and claiming to represent coaches in the matter.

The immediate problem with it is unlike the 'Brady' litigation there were no coaches attached to it, it just came from the NFLCA.

The Redskins and the Saints coaching staffs have gone public denouncing it.

The NFLCA brief wasn't entirely unexpected, they share a building in DC with the NFLPA.

This week the NFL submitted their rebuttal to the players brief just restating their position and countering the NFLPA's points and presenting the case for why the appeal should be successful, this is the last procedural step prior to the hearing a week from today.

[SPTO]

Re: Official CBA Thread

The coaches version of the NFLPA, but not a labor union (so almost exactly like the current NFLPA I assume), the NFL Coaching Assocation submitted a brief supporting the players and claiming to represent coaches in the matter.

The immediate problem with it is unlike the 'Brady' litigation there were no coaches attached to it, it just came from the NFLCA.

The Redskins and the Saints coaching staffs have gone public denouncing it.

The NFLCA brief wasn't entirely unexpected, they share a building in DC with the NFLPA.

If i'm a coach in the NFL i'd be a bit worried right now. As you say it's a blanket statement by the CA. Obviously some coaches support the players in this but for those who don't well, they'd better protest long and hard or else they may be dismissed ASAP.

[Bondgirl0072]

Re: Official CBA Thread

NFLPA to stage own rookie symposium

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFLPA-to-stage-rookie-educational-program-053111

[Bondgirl0072]

Re: Official CBA Thread

Report: NFL owners meet secretly

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL-owners-Jerry-Jones-Robert-Kraft-Jerry-Richardson-Roger-Goodell-meet-secretly-060111

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

Most outlets believe they were working on the 'homework' they were given from the last mediation. A couple have gone as far as to suggest that the owners voted at the recent owners meetings to specific concessions or terms and this would just a brief strategy session.

Tomorrow is the hearing with the 8th circuit over the appeal, just lawers will be in attendance for the NFL, and Monday is the date they are due to submit a brief in the Brady Lawsuit which is another thing for just the lawyers really.

Mediation resumes Tuesday I believe.

Edit: It was even better than that actually! Now being reported that it was a meeting between 6 others, Goodell, and the NFLPA. Smith, Saturday and Vrabel were there.

Guess I would have seen that if I clicked your link... but since I'd read 4-5 articles about it last night I didnt bother :o

Also, Saints, Jaguars, Cowboys, Rams, Texans and Chiefs coaching staffs have all said 'wtf, they aren't speaking for us' regarding the NFL Coaching Associations brief supporting the players... lol.

[Bondgirl0072]

Re: Official CBA Thread

Most outlets believe they were working on the 'homework' they were given from the last mediation. A couple have gone as far as to suggest that the owners voted at the recent owners meetings to specific concessions or terms and this would just a brief strategy session.

Tomorrow is the hearing with the 8th circuit over the appeal, just lawers will be in attendance for the NFL, and Monday is the date they are due to submit a brief in the Brady Lawsuit which is another thing for just the lawyers really.

Mediation resumes Tuesday I believe.

Edit: It was even better than that actually! Now being reported that it was a meeting between 6 others, Goodell, and the NFLPA. Smith, Saturday and Vrabel were there.

Guess I would have seen that if I clicked your link... but since I'd read 4-5 articles about it last night I didnt bother :o

Also, Saints, Jaguars, Cowboys, Rams, Texans and Chiefs coaching staffs have all said 'wtf, they aren't speaking for us' regarding the NFL Coaching Associations brief supporting the players... lol.

lol. The good thing about this meeting is that there were no Lawyers there.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Official CBA Thread

Hopefully some common ground can be found in these "secret" meetings. If things can be ironed out without waiting for the courts we still should be able to get enough of an off season where the game won't look like **** in the beginning.

[mestevo]

Re: Official CBA Thread

lol. The good thing about this meeting is that there were no Lawyers there.

Unfortunately it appears this is the only real good part, turns out this meeting was prompted by the magistrate judge who runs their mediation sessions.