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.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

AdamSchefterAdam Schefter


While Patriots G Logan Mankins has withdrawn his demands, Vincent Jackson hasn't, despite denials that he wants $10 million or no tag.

[BossChief]

I was listening to an interview with Takeo Spikes this morning on 1600 and he talked about his time in Buffalo when they had the #2 defense in the league.

They had nearly no padded practices all of camp (and the season) and had no significant injuries that year.

Bill Walsh and a lot of his knockoffs almost never run padded practices and didnt have injury problems.

This rule of missing contact and padded practices will hurt the teams that run physical styles. Teams that focus on finesse and timing probably won't see a dropoff.

[BossChief]

Also, all of you that seem to be in damage control in favor of the players, pa reps sent out messages to all players stating that they won't even meet till Monday to start talking about how to deal with this situation.

Garbage.

It's like they have no problem missing games.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Laz

conference call + digital signatures = done in a couple of hours

They arguably can not do that. The NFL expected the players to just send an e-mail and round up electronic signatures in a day or two.

However, given the fact that the NFL made the deal contingent on reforming a union in a few days, if the players re-certified in a few days and signed the CBA in a mad rush, some random unhappy disgruntled player could sue, asking a judge to throw the CBA out due to illegal coercion.

This whole controversy about the NFL illegally forcing players to quickly reform a union isn't because the players or NFLPA would disagree with forming a union to accept a deal they like. That was the plan all along. The problem is that if the NFL gives the appearance of coercing the players into joining a union, even if 99% of the players agree, the 1% could blow the deal up.

The players think they know a way out of the legal labor law mess the NFL created, and that is why they are asking for immediate access to the team facilities before signing the CBA. It isn't so the union could make a show of pushing back in a childish face-saving move. They want to have the players meet in person to discuss and vote on the deal. They believe that if they take their time and do it that way rather than rushing to get e-signatures, then any complaint from a disgruntled player to the NLRB would fail.

From the WSJ:

http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2011/0...ogle_news_blog

League officials would prefer the players vote to recertify, perhaps electronically, as soon as possible, after which the two sides could bargain for three days about work-place polices on drug testing, benefits, player conduct and several other matters that can’t be discussed until the association has re-formed as a collective bargaining unit.

But the Players Association wants to undertake a more formal process. It wants an opportunity to explain the new CBA to its membership and then hold an in-person vote at each training camp. Such a process would pass muster with the National Labor Relations Board in case any members challenged the legitimacy of the vote in the coming months or years.

League officials remain resistant to opening training camps or beginning free agency before the union has recertified, though it’s unclear whether they will allow an argument over the recertification process to kill the proposed deal.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Also, all of you that seem to be in damage control in favor of the players, pa reps sent out messages to all players stating that they won't even meet till Monday to start talking about how to deal with this situation.

Garbage.

It's like they have no problem missing games.

Yeah, with the regular season due to start next weekend, I can see where you're making a solid point here.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Also, all of you that seem to be in damage control in favor of the players, pa reps sent out messages to all players stating that they won't even meet till Monday to start talking about how to deal with this situation.

Garbage.

It's like they have no problem missing games.

You do not know what you are talking about.

[BossChief]

Haha Rich Eisen is stating exactly what I was talking about last night.

It's just typical lawyer "billable hours" that is holding this process up.

[ToxSocks]

So has anyone heard whether or not the NFLPA is recomending players to show up tomorrow?

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

So has anyone heard whether or not the NFLPA is recomending players to show up tomorrow?

Dude NFL wont be open tomorrow this mess wont be over till Next wed.Was only gonna open if NFLPA voted

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Yeah, with the regular season due to start next weekend, I can see where you're making a solid point here.

Bullshit.

If you think football can just open the doors and after a whole offseason of lost practices and otas, and now lost time of training camps if a deal isn't done TODAY...it's gonna get to the point real quick where preseason games are cancelled and it's not far off odor the timeframe of missing real games.

Originally Posted by alnorth

You do not know what you are talking about.

Actually, I do.

The current timeline already called for one preseason game (hof game) to be cancelled. That's if a deal was done thursday.

If it gets done a week later, another game is lost.

Let's throw that out for a minute.

Do you think teams can start practicing after 4 months off and play a game in less than a week?

If you think that, I pity your stance.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

So has anyone heard whether or not the NFLPA is recomending players to show up tomorrow?

PFT has an update with info on this:

“Our recommendation is for everyone to stay put and keep doing what you are doing where you are doing it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...s-our-options/

[BossChief]

They just directly asked Kevin Mawae why they arent working on this over the weekend to save camp and games and he stuttered for over ten seconds before giving a clueless answer that was something like "well, you have d smith....and...well....we have just decided it's better to wait"

Billable hours

[Rams Fan]

I don't think any preseason games are going to be missed if a deal is done by Wednesday.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Actually, I do.

The current timeline already called for one preseason game (hof game) to be cancelled. That's if a deal was done thursday.

If it gets done a week later, another game is lost.

Let's throw that out for a minute.

Do you think teams can start practicing after 4 months off and play a game in less than a week?

If you think that, I pity your stance.

Actually, you do not.

As the Wall Street Journal and a whole lot of lawyers elsewhere have explained, the players cant rush into reforming and signing in a day or two, or some random player could whine in court and get the deal tossed later.

The NFL did not do their legal homework and created a mess. The players need to take their time to at least create the appearance that they are carefully considering the CBA and the possibility of re-forming the union. If they rush it, the courts or the NLRB could interfere later.

[Hammock Parties]

It's gonna be interesting to see how competent teams are the first month of the regular season.

I'm guessing the teams with the most talent and the most talent on defense dominate.