Will a CBA get done, will there be a lockout, will there be an 18 game regular season?
NFL Offseason 2011 - The Longest Yard?
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I think the 18 game schedule might be a threat that the owners will pull if the players concede something. Fans obviously think paying full price for exhibition games sucks, but the owners won't ever lower the prices for that. Of course, there used to be a 14 game schedule and 6 exhibition games, so the 18 game schedule isn't out of the realm of possibility, but if you want the players to play more games, you better pay them more, not less.
The thing that's weird to me is that they are still having a draft even if there is no CBA. It's hard to assess your needs if you don't know which free agents are coming and going first.
The other interesting thing I heard on the radio of personal interest was that the Pats might actually use their high round picks this year and not trade down and hoard picks, as a rookie pay scale is something likely to be implemented.
The other interesting thing I heard on the radio of personal interest was that the Pats might actually use their high round picks this year and not trade down and hoard picks, as a rookie pay scale is something likely to be implemented.
The 18-game schedule is pretty much a foregone conclusion if the players want to play this season. That's the one thing the owners are intent on ramming down the union's throat. Just slightly behind that is the decreased share of the revenue pool for the players, but I have a feeling the Jerry "TAKE BACK OUR LEAGUE" Richardsons of the league are going to get pushed back on that, because you can't ask the players to play more while at the same time cutting their percentage of revenue, and even some of the more dickheaded owners like the McCaskeys and Jerry Jones have been softening their tone. The rookie cap is something that both sides agree is necessary, but since the owners have made it a priority, the union will make a show of grudgingly accepting it as a display of good faith.
The interesting thing will be the salary cap. Gene Upshaw had said in previous years that if the uncapped year of the CBA were to ever come about, the union would never again agree to a salary cap. Now, Upshaw is long gone and DeMaurice Smith is running the NFLPA, and he's kept up the rhetoric, saying that it's "virtually impossible" to return to a capped NFL after this season. (Of course, without a salary cap, you can't implement a salary floor -- I doubt the NFLPA wants to see teams like Carolina fielding rosters at the league minimum.)
The interesting thing will be the salary cap. Gene Upshaw had said in previous years that if the uncapped year of the CBA were to ever come about, the union would never again agree to a salary cap. Now, Upshaw is long gone and DeMaurice Smith is running the NFLPA, and he's kept up the rhetoric, saying that it's "virtually impossible" to return to a capped NFL after this season. (Of course, without a salary cap, you can't implement a salary floor -- I doubt the NFLPA wants to see teams like Carolina fielding rosters at the league minimum.)
Rookie cap is needed, and I think both parties agree as well. Some hot shot making more in a signing bonus than you have in 10 years as a player makes no sense.
Another sticking point on the players side is the extend health care and benefits for former players. They seem hell bent on this one. On one hand I can see this, but it has to be difficult to quantify, and I can't imagine it will sit well with the owners. It also seems somewhat excessive if you compare it to your industry. If I visit a site where one of my projects is being built and a wrecking ball take my head off, how long is my company supposed to keep me afloat for. I like the idea in theory, but it sounds sticky in practice.
If the season goes 18 games, I agree the players deserve more money. If I go from 40 to 50 hours per week, I'd want more too. But before I'd totally endorse the idea, I'd want to see a plan for scheduling, roster expansion, additional bye weeks, etc. Also, how would it impact the players' schedule for being vested as far as benefits go?
I think a cap needs to stay, it helps keep the parity the NFL wants so badly. Otherwise you'd end up baseball style with the Cowboys, Skins, Giants and Pats (as much as I'd love that) being in it every year, and the champion Packers up the river. you do feel your team has at least a chance most years, unlike the Pirates who will be mathmatically eliminated before they report to spring training.
Another sticking point on the players side is the extend health care and benefits for former players. They seem hell bent on this one. On one hand I can see this, but it has to be difficult to quantify, and I can't imagine it will sit well with the owners. It also seems somewhat excessive if you compare it to your industry. If I visit a site where one of my projects is being built and a wrecking ball take my head off, how long is my company supposed to keep me afloat for. I like the idea in theory, but it sounds sticky in practice.
If the season goes 18 games, I agree the players deserve more money. If I go from 40 to 50 hours per week, I'd want more too. But before I'd totally endorse the idea, I'd want to see a plan for scheduling, roster expansion, additional bye weeks, etc. Also, how would it impact the players' schedule for being vested as far as benefits go?
I think a cap needs to stay, it helps keep the parity the NFL wants so badly. Otherwise you'd end up baseball style with the Cowboys, Skins, Giants and Pats (as much as I'd love that) being in it every year, and the champion Packers up the river. you do feel your team has at least a chance most years, unlike the Pirates who will be mathmatically eliminated before they report to spring training.
I don't think you're understanding the issue. It's not that the players are asking for more money. In addition to extending the regular season to 18 games, the owners are demanding a radical adjustment in the players' share of the revenue pool. As part of the 2006 CBA extension the owners agreed to put all revenue into one pot to be split with the players (as opposed to the "designated gross revenue" system previously in place). In exchange, the players allowed the owners to take $1 billion off the top for stadium costs, leaving 59.5 percent of the remaining revenues (roughly about $5.35 billion, out of $9 billion total) for the players.
The league's current demand is essentially that the percentage be rolled back by 18 percent. They want that $1 billion revenue credit increased to $2.4 billion, reducing the revenue pool to $7.6 billion, while keeping the players' share at the same 60 percent ($4.5 billion and change). So, basically, the owners are demanding that the players take the same cut of a smaller pie. And that's bullshit.
Fans file lawsuit for being displaced.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...inst-NFL-and-Cowboys-over-Supe?urn=nfl-319085
Glad they did this as I think that will truly reduce the chances of it ever happening again.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...inst-NFL-and-Cowboys-over-Supe?urn=nfl-319085
Glad they did this as I think that will truly reduce the chances of it ever happening again.
I'm not even close to an expert.
What part of the current agreement allows these yo-yo's to "hold out" if they don't like the contract they signed their names to?
I've always thought that was BS. You sign a contract, then honor the damn thing.
What part of the current agreement allows these yo-yo's to "hold out" if they don't like the contract they signed their names to?
I've always thought that was BS. You sign a contract, then honor the damn thing.
Sure you can. You can make a rule that whatever's left over of a certain number gets put back into the general NFL revenue pool to be shared with the other clubs; so a owner doesn't directly profit from spending less money on the team. I thought that's how it worked previously already.
Al waves bye bye to the 2010 NFL season
I hope they take care of this labor nonsense without a long drawn-out lockout. The Packers are in a pretty good position to compete again... lots of reinforcements coming from IR. Jermichael Finley is poised for his "Year of the Takeover"... we can always use another outside linebacker and reinforcements along the offensive line... but seemingly our coaching staff isn't going to be pillaged.
The Vikings really look like bottom feeders for at least the next year, I don't think they'll be a factor. I'd be hard pressed to believe the Bears can duplicate their success, but stranger things have happened. Still, Urlacher and friends aren't getting younger. Detroit really feels like a team on the rise, I could see them making a playoff run in 2011. Even though they didn't win it in 2010, the NFC North seems like the Packers' division to lose.
It seems like the better teams are still in the AFC, giving the Pack an easier path than the likes of the Pats, Chargers, Jets, Steelers, Ravens, and Colts... I would hate to be an AFC team right now. The Patriots are especially scary, a good team that's gotten younger and has a lot of top draft picks this year. Fatso Rex is going to have his hands full next year.
Sure, the Pack may have an NFL high 13 championships, but only 4 Super Bowls, which off the top of my head is behind Pittsburgh, Dallas, and San Francisco. GB has as good a shot as anyone of competing over the next 5 years in the prime of Rodgers' career, so here's hoping for a couple of more championships!
The players' union?
As I understand it, the current collective bargaining contract has already expired, or is about to. It's what happens after that which is the problem.
That's not really true. Yeah, the CBA expires on March 4, but there's nothing stopping them from concluding an agreement on March 5, for example. However, I think there is a predominant unwillingness to let things go that far, as it would be a sign of complete failure at the negotiation table, and neither side wants that PR hit.
A more likely scenario (should things get that far) would be that the league and union agree to set a new deadline for negotiations ... probably early May, after the draft, when teams would be looking to begin signing their draft picks and bringing them in for offseason workouts. Should things go beyond that date, they'd probably keep trying until sometime just before training camp, and beyond that a lockout would be essentially guaranteed.
In addition to the hard cap, the NFL has a salary floor. The salary floor is a percentage of the cap; in 2009, teams were required to spend at least $107 million to player salaries (the cap was about $128 million).
Yeah, I'm not sure how the other two would fit. Maybe two more games against the opposite conference, but that's a weird imbalance.
I think what would happen is that they would cut 2 weeks of preseason in favor of regular season games, leaving the total at 20. I've also heard an extra bye week would be added.
My thought for the additional games would be to play 2 other teams in the other conference that came in the same spot in their division the year before. Right now the 1st place team in the AFC North plays the other 3 first place AFC teams, this could be expanded across conferences. Seems as fair as what they do now.
I wonder when the season would start. Late August, when the final 2 preseason games are, or into September like it does now. If it is the latter, the Super Bowl would be played at the end of February, which is awful late.
My thought for the additional games would be to play 2 other teams in the other conference that came in the same spot in their division the year before. Right now the 1st place team in the AFC North plays the other 3 first place AFC teams, this could be expanded across conferences. Seems as fair as what they do now.
I wonder when the season would start. Late August, when the final 2 preseason games are, or into September like it does now. If it is the latter, the Super Bowl would be played at the end of February, which is awful late.
I'd hate to see the Super Bowl moved back further, but if they go to 18 games, I don't see how they could avoid it. I doubt they'd start the season too much earlier.
Feels weird sitting here on a Sunday and not having football. It always takes me a few weeks to adjust.
Feels weird sitting here on a Sunday and not having football. It always takes me a few weeks to adjust.
Wide Receiver Demaryius Thomas suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon on Wednesday while training in Georgia. His recovery is expected to take 6-8 months.
Dammit.
Dammit.
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