Another two weeks before the lockout is over?

[ToxSocks]

I'm over this shit now....

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sp...-thats-a-sham/

Herald columnist Ron Borges from Atlanta: The union to recertify in a day? That’s a “sham”
Herald columnist Ron Borges is in Atlanta for the much-ballyhooed owners meetings where so many expect a settlement and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Some expect it today.

In Borges’ view? Chill out a bit.

Here is the explanatory report he just filed:

By Ron Borges
ATLANTA – Once again, NFL owners want it both ways.

When the NFLPA tried to decertify the owners’ argument was that it couldn’t be done with by a simple snap of the union’s fingers. Time had to pass, they argued, or it was all “a sham,” a point they somehow won in front of the most conservative Federal appeals court in the country.

Now they are insisting that the NFLPA settle two multi-million dollar lawsuits, approve a new 10-year CBA that cuts their pay by hundreds of millions of dollars and recertify their union in a day.


The NFLPA has basically said they may be able to do the first two but recertification will take at least two weeks. The owners, as they always seem to be except when lining their pockets, are outraged and demanding a “global settlement’’ be completed today.

Now there’s “a sham,” because nearly 1,000 recertification cards have to be signed and returned, approving recertification before the union can re-form. And that takes a lot longer than 24 hours, according to the union.

With that as the latest background in what has become a far longer slog toward a settlement of the 132-day and counting lockout than either side expected, the owners are meeting in Atlanta poised to vote on approval of a deal with the players that they don’t yet have with the players.

“It’s an ongoing thing,’’ Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jimmy Irsay said. “Everyone is pushing in that direction but it’s never done until it’s done. We are hoping to get back to the business of football.

“You can only control what you can control. We’re going to try and do our part today getting something approved.’’

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith is trying to corral angry plaintiffs in the Brady vs. NFL case and his own Executive Committee and team player reps to the point where he can get a majority to approve both the settlement and the 10-year CBA framework presently on the table.

He has yet been unable to do that which is why no vote was taken on Wednesday even though many felt it was some sort of fait accompli. Let me tell you something, at this point there is no fait accom-anything, although at some point there will be an NFL season.

Just not anywhere as quickly as fans hoped and the two sides thought possible. As NFLPA president Kevin Mawea ominously said Wednesday the players are not on a July 21 deadline for anything.

So the owners are expected to approve a deal they don’t yet have sometime today while now arguing that a union is a great thing for their business even though the players don’t have one any more.

[JD10367]

Hey, Ron Borges...

**** YOU!!!!

[Hammock Parties]

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=115&f=1837&t=7699791

1. Vote has been ratified by the Rank and File. The vote came in roughly at 89% and some change. Four to Six Player Reps told their teams that the deal was a bad one. They didn't care.

2. D. Smith and Roger Goodell would like to hold a joint press conference on Monday afternoon - I'm told if it can be done jointly it will be roughly 2-3 PM EST.

3. There WILL not be an opt out that was tabled yesterday by both sides.

4. There will be an 18-game schedule likely in 2013 or 2014 or 2015. For adding TWO regular season games, the NFL has agreed that players would get 18 game checks. That means if you're under contract in any season that includes the two extra regular season games, the players will get two additional weekly game checks. So in other words they'll all be getting raises. Also we've been told that the Thursday Night package likely will go to TNT for a nice tidy sum of $900M - $1Billion annually.

5. I'm told Draft Picks will mostly be signed in the slot system within the first day or two of the league year opening. All dollars have been calculated for rookies and signing bonus's have been pro-rated. So there is NO excuse for anyone to hold out.

6. The NFL as of Sunday had told all teams that barring a change training camps will open Monday August 1st - but the Union is pushing for the 28th of July. Players now want NFL Free Agency to start right away and that could happen as early as Thursday afternoon. The league wants to wait until Saturday. It just depends on when the 72 Hour Window to retain the teams own players officially begins and that could be Monday.

7. Going forward any player that stays in the league two more years under the new CBA will get a 45% increase in their monthly pensions going forward. So if a player under the old system was to receive a $1K a month they'll now get $1450.00. So you're going to see a few guys willing to play for the veteran league minimum just to gain that extra cash when they retire.

[Discuss Thrower]

18 games is stupid. Just my opinion, but considering injuries and the like it wouldn't bother me at all to see the league go back to 14 games or so and get rid of interconference play.