Owners agree to players new deal..players still need to vote.

[authentic]

And what is wrong with collusion - in all honesty they are playing a GAME and making atleast 400,000 a year to play with many making ALOT more then that. I say fire them and start over. Hell within 2 years the league would be as good as it is now.

The thing they want to change in the agreement are rumored to be a 7 year opt out and to beable to vote for the union at the team facilities.

This is pure crap - they could all vote online for the union and be done in 5 mins.

And if they wanted a 7 year opt out they should have gotten that into the "hand shake agreement" they had with the owners.

I still say fire them all

Tom

I think the 7 year opt out is a bunch of crap, because to be honest, most of the players in the league now, won't be playing in the next 8-10 years. So IMO, its basically a bunch of rhetoric.

[Dub70s]

If they don't budge by pre-season week 3......Bring on the Scabs!

after all....I'm going to be paying to see them play....I don't care if the players don't want to play because they can't a few extra million. Someone else will play for a few less million.

I know what the owners want and they know what I want. The players have no vested interest in the fans.

[authentic]

Reading this thread makes me laugh. I do not know why fans get jealous over players salaries. It's not like you have the same skill set. It's supply and demand. Anybody can flip a hamburger and that pays minimum wage, less people can operate a dump truck so it pays better, even fewer can become doctors so they get compensated handsomely, only 1900 people in this country are in the NFL, and there is a ton of demand for them. If your co-worker is making more than you for the same production and experience get jealous at them; not at somebody that you will never meet in a field you will never work in.

As far as the players not ratifying the deal yet; give it a minute. Have none of you taken a day or two to review a contract for employment? Its pretty common unless you are a jealous burger flipper.

didn't they have time to review this on Wednesday? And guess what, they broke from the meeting like midday, and left D. Smith and his staff to work out the rest for a conditional deal. D. Smith and Goodell spoke for about 90 on yesterday before the owners voted. If the NFLPA is so much in the dark about the few additions to the proposal, then what where Smith and Goodell talking about for 90 mins (what movie they where going to see over the weekend)?! I just don't believe that the player reps are as in the dark as they claim. If they are, then i think they have D. Smith to blame for not briefing them. Otherwise, they did have time earlier this week to review the documents.... Am i missing something here?

[Hooper]

Not sure why everyone is killing the players. Everyone just needs to relax. Negotiations like this are always ugly, but football will start soon enough. Clayton wrote a great article this morning.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6791952/nfl-owners-put-all-blitz-players

First, the ugly stuff --

This was an obvious power play by owners, who want to pressure players into accepting their latest proposal and see how they respond to public pressure. On Thursday night, the NFL Players Association executive board and 32 player reps opted not to vote on the proposal. Players finally received a copy late Thursday of what the owners had passed, but their initial response wasn't favorable. They think they are being played.

Said one player who was on a conference call with the NFLPA and reps: "What they said they voted on were things we didn't even agree to. Players were ticked off at owners and have just dug a deeper trench."

Then why I think it gets done no matter what --

Owners want to resolve this crazy situation without losing more games. The Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams, which was canceled Thursday, is the first casualty. If there is no union and no deal by Tuesday, the first week of the preseason could be in trouble, costing both sides $200 million in revenue.

Despite the setback, a deal is about 97 percent done. It's the final 3 percent that is creating this gamesmanship. By passing the proposed CBA, owners are pressuring players to accept or quickly modify the proposal.

[pjfootballer]

Reading this thread makes me laugh. I do not know why fans get jealous over players salaries. It's not like you have the same skill set. It's supply and demand. Anybody can flip a hamburger and that pays minimum wage, less people can operate a dump truck so it pays better, even fewer can become doctors so they get compensated handsomely, only 1900 people in this country are in the NFL, and there is a ton of demand for them. If your co-worker is making more than you for the same production and experience get jealous at them; not at somebody that you will never meet in a field you will never work in.

As far as the players not ratifying the deal yet; give it a minute. Have none of you taken a day or two to review a contract for employment? Its pretty common unless you are a jealous burger flipper.

I'm not so sure it's jealousy about how much they make. I'm sure all of us would love to be making that kind of money. It would be like spending $10 for a ticket at the movies and then cussing out Tom Cruise on a message board for making $20 million off the movie. I think most people are mad at the players "BECAUSE" they have that special talent and are making all of this money, but seem to not appreciate the rare position they are in to make that kind of money. I understand London Fletcher and Tom Cruise have a rare talent and I have no problem with them making that kind of money for the demand. But don't act like a league full of Latrell Sprewells and blow smoke up our asses about not being able to feed your family.

[ixcuincle]

[rockfan7224]

@AdamSchefter

Player reps emailed a letter to players saying, "We will meet again Monday to discuss our options and the direction we want to go."

:finger::finger: (directed at the NFLPA and De Smith)

[aREDSKIN]

:finger::finger: (directed at the NFLPA and De Smith)

Not only that but have you seen how much LESS work the players are now responsible for under the "new" CBA?????

They want the $$$$'s but not the responsibility that goes with it. %$#@ them all.

[55yrSkinsFan]

So, let's see how this goes. The players sued the NFL because they said they were harmed months ago by being locked out. Now they want to play baby and show the world that they can hold up the mighty NFL. Guess there wasn't much harm in the lockout if they aren't anxious to get back into the facilties. So, are they going to sue now because they aren't getting paid because they are refusing to even vote up or down the CBA? I think this shows the pettiness they have more than proving they were in any way harmed.

They authorize people to negotiate for them and won't even vote on what their negotiators signed off on?

[texasthunder]

Chris Mortensen

Here is 25-page PDF summary pending agreement NFLPA reviewed with player reps Wednesday, pre-owners `final' document:

http://es.pn/nNutZK

[@DCGoldPants]

After seeing guys like Ray Rice talking on ESPN earlier, I feel like the NFLPA* needs to tell those who can't sound like they understand what's going on....to be quiet. Its only hurting themselves to the "Fan". I hate to say this, but listening to a replay of Vonnie Holliday earlier on 980, while he sounded educated on everything. He struggled with his non-answers a bit.

[NewCliche21]

After seeing guys like Ray Rice talking on ESPN earlier, I feel like the NFLPA* needs to tell those who can't sound like they understand what's going on....to be quiet. Its only hurting themselves to the "Fan". I hate to say this, but listening to a replay of Vonnie Holliday earlier on 980, while he sounded educated on everything. He struggled with his non-answers a bit.

I'm with you, Buford. Everyone's opinion matters equally, but those who cannot articulate their opinions coherently only hurt their cause by attempting to do so.

[authentic]

I'm with you, Buford. Everyone's opinion matters equally, but those who cannot articulate their opinions coherently only hurt their cause by attempting to do so.

yeah, like Takeo Spikes....

[NewCliche21]

yeah, like Takeo Spikes....

Don't be an ass, authentic. We all know that 48% of revenue in five years will be disproportionate to the 52% of revenue in five years because of inflation and how inflation only affects players' money.

[skinfan2k]

Don't be an ass, authentic. We all know that 48% of revenue in five years will be disproportionate to the 52% of revenue in five years because of inflation and how inflation only affects players' money.

how? the 48% percent grows every year as a result in gains in profits. its not a flat rate, its a percent. both parties will feel the inflation lol

[authentic]

Don't be an ass, authentic. We all know that 48% of revenue in five years will be disproportionate to the 52% of revenue in five years because of inflation and how inflation only affects players' money.

Why i gotta be that though? ...But as skinfan stated. Its a percentage bro. so inflation will be felt regardless. If by 2015 total revenue rises to lets say $16-$18 billion, the players will get 48% of that. Mmmmm, last i checked thats some pretty decent $$.

[Coolio47]

I've got dibs on another DB spot. Always liked making an interception 1,000 times more than making a catch.

We can both take the Safety spots. I call FS though, haha.

[Gurgeh]

As I understand it its not the fact of recertification - without recertification everyone has been wasting their time and legal fees negotiating a new CBA - its the timing and method. I would think that would have been something discussed in the last couple of months at some point but there you go. The settlement of the pending litigation is probably a more substantive issue.

It's bound to be more time consuming to re-create an organisation than to dissolve it, especially when there are a few players, and perhaps more importantly their agents, who would gain more dollars if there was no re-certification. I wouldn't be surprised if the players leave it right until the last minute, or if they accept it but after the owners deadline has past, which would put the ball back in the owners court. Would they walk away because the NFLPA was a day late?

[Destino]

So, let's see how this goes. The players sued the NFL because they said they were harmed months ago by being locked out. Now they want to play baby and show the world that they can hold up the mighty NFL. Guess there wasn't much harm in the lockout if they aren't anxious to get back into the facilties. So, are they going to sue now because they aren't getting paid because they are refusing to even vote up or down the CBA? I think this shows the pettiness they have more than proving they were in any way harmed.

They authorize people to negotiate for them and won't even vote on what their negotiators signed off on?

I don't understand this point of view. They were handed a lengthy contract containing unresolved items. That has to be read and understood by player reps that then have to turn around and do the same for those which they represent. The results of which gathered brought back and then discussed at length.

What exactly did you expect the turn around time to be on that? An hour? If it wasn't for the time constraint I would guess at least a month. With the media pressure I'd say at least a week.

[j23]

Will the doors still open tomorrow for in house signings or not until the players sign?

[55yrSkinsFan]

I don't understand this point of view. They were handed a lengthy contract containing unresolved items. That has to be read and understood by player reps that then have to turn around and do the same for those which they represent. The results of which gathered brought back and then discussed at length.

What exactly did you expect the turn around time to be on that? An hour? If it wasn't for the time constraint I would guess at least a month. With the media pressure I'd say at least a week.

They can't even get to the vote of the executive committee?? Seems if the owners could look at it in a day, so could the executive committee. When did D Smith say that it wasn't what they negotiated. He didn't because it was what they negotiated.

That is the point of view. Have no idea why it would take so long for them to even get to a vote of the executive committee that has been involved since the start and supposedly kept apprised of the negotiations.

[skinsfan4128]

They can't even get to the vote of the executive committee?? Seems if the owners could look at it in a day, so could the executive committee. When did D Smith say that it wasn't what they negotiated. He didn't because it was what they negotiated.

That is the point of view. Have no idea why it would take so long for them to even get to a vote of the executive committee that has been involved since the start and supposedly kept apprised of the negotiations.

This appears to be the disparity of the situation. How is it possible that Smith doesn't know what the owners voted on when he's been apart of the negotiations thoughout the process? That and the fact that he has had Goodell on speed dial for the past 24-48 hours. This clearly is a problem with the NFLPA. Obviously, there is a clear lack of communication (as evidenced by the players who have taken to the internet or airwaves and having no clear understanding of exactly what's wrong with the CBA the owners signed off on). In my personal opinion, Smith is the problem and is not distributing the necessary information to the players as needed. As you pointed out, how did the owners go over the information and sign off on it, and yet the NFLPA can't seem to follow suit.

[MartinC]

I don't understand this point of view. They were handed a lengthy contract containing unresolved items. That has to be read and understood by player reps that then have to turn around and do the same for those which they represent. The results of which gathered brought back and then discussed at length.

What exactly did you expect the turn around time to be on that? An hour? If it wasn't for the time constraint I would guess at least a month. With the media pressure I'd say at least a week.

The Union have not been handed a document they have never seen before. The document the owners voted on was jointly drafted by the lawyers of both sides as a result of months of talks. The contents of the document were as known to the Union as the owners and the owners felt they knew enough to vote. It's clearly more complex to explain the contents to all the players versus all the owners but at least the player reps should have been well briefed. Right now it looks like even the player reps don't have a grasp on the document.

The Union have either screwed up badly in keeping their members informed of progress or they are stalling while they argue about whether to take the deal. If they want to discuss whether to take it or not that's their right - just say that's what you are doing don't BS me about the owners hoodwinking them.

[aREDSKIN]

The Union have not been handed a document they have never seen before. The document the owners voted on was jointly drafted by the lawyers of both sides as a result of months of talks. The contents of the document were as known to the Union as the owners and the owners felt they knew enough to vote. It's clearly more complex to explain the contents to all the players versus all the owners but at least the player reps should have been well briefed. Right now it looks like even the player reps don't have a grasp on the document.

The Union have either screwed up badly in keeping their members informed of progress or they are stalling while they argue about whether to take the deal. If they want to discuss whether to take it or not that's their right - just say that's what you are doing don't BS me about the owners hoodwinking them.

Indeed. This is all on the Union, their lawyers & their reps. D smith and his team of lawyers have just handled this badly. Anytime unions & their lawyers are involved I know what side I believing.

[bowhunter]

Reading this thread makes me laugh. I do not know why fans get jealous over players salaries. It's not like you have the same skill set. It's supply and demand. Anybody can flip a hamburger and that pays minimum wage, less people can operate a dump truck so it pays better, even fewer can become doctors so they get compensated handsomely, only 1900 people in this country are in the NFL, and there is a ton of demand for them. If your co-worker is making more than you for the same production and experience get jealous at them; not at somebody that you will never meet in a field you will never work in.

As far as the players not ratifying the deal yet; give it a minute. Have none of you taken a day or two to review a contract for employment? Its pretty common unless you are a jealous burger flipper.

And how many people have the skillset to land an F-18 on an aircraft carrier? Especially after a flight over enemy territory, and how much does that individual get paid. Which do you feel is more important? Yet we pay our military people "Diddly." Pat Tillman was the only NFL player to deserve his salary