The NFL has probably realized months ago that the contract with the Player's Association is deficient in delineating proper penalties for infractions that may have an effect on the integrity of the game. Berman's ruling today has confirmed this. Regardless of how the appeals process plays out, the league will be looking to make very clear how players found guilty will be prosecuted for onfield transgressions and the union will fight it tooth and nail enjoying the "Get Out of Jail Free" status Berman's ruling cites. This is certainly important enough to both sides to cause a stalemate in the next round of contract negotiations that can lead to a long impasse and a strike or lockout. One can already see the goal line stances being taken. It is preposterous that the NFL is in better legal standing while prosecuting players for off the field transgressions a la Vick, Rice and Peterson than they are for regulating those actions on the gridiron that may lead to irregularities in the actual playing of the game and its integrity. Losing an entire season would not be beyond the realm of possibilities.
Nope. The players will cave for more money and then litigate the stuff they gave up but don't like. It's like the courts are their partner in these negotiations. _
I have been saying this for weeks...owners are pissed and players are pissed. Berman basically threw out the CBA with that ruling and there are already other suspended players talking about appealing. I would not be surprised if there wasn't a lockout sooner rather than later...billionaires can afford to lose a few million here and there. Also this pretty much guarantees Richardson won't get anything more tacked on to his 4 games.
This is the most under reported aspect of the entire Deflategate court process. There's no way the NFL itself is going to let the inmates run the asylum and all they have to do is withhold game checks (lockout) to make it happen; the players will capitulate - too many of them live paycheck to paycheck (which is an embarrassment, but a whole 'nother issue). And if people think that Article 46 gave the Commissioner draconian powers, wait until the clause that replaces it in the next CBA. It will probably be worded something like "When it comes to discipline of league players, the Commissioner can do anything he wants, whenever he wants and the players have no recourse. The end. Period. And no, he doesn't have to have any evidence; he just has to feel it's in the best interests of the league."
The players gave the commish the right to arbitrate appeals. They didn't give him the power to trample on due process and ignore the rest of the CBA. There's a reason this bullshit never happened with Tagliabue. He took care of business in-house. The NFLPA worked WITH Tagliabue, now, they don't trust the league with anything.
I think you have a union that feels entitled to everything they bargained for AND everything they gave up at the bargaining table. This is a win for the players but a loss for the league. Once the inmates start running the asylum we'll have anarchy. On an NFL scale, mind you, not real anarchy like putting ketchup on spaghetti. _
Dude - football team preference aside. You want to take money and rights AWAY from the players? These assholes are getting tax dollars to build stadiums and not even disclosing what they're making and you want to side with THEM? Jesus christ it's just a game. But I'll side with the players, coaches and fans way before some greasy owner.
Yeah I do. I'm pro owner and anti players when it comes to the business side. I love football, love players, hate the overreaching by these aholes. _
In all seriousness the NFL is really killing themselves with a lot of what they are doing these days. If things weren't bad enough leading up to the SB they are now making media day a prime time event starting next year. My son is 30 and he and most of his friends have gotten so sick of the NFL they won't even watch it anymore, they much prefer the NHL. With decisions like the Brady decision this week and the rampant cheating the patriots have been guiily of for years it won't be long before everybody loses interest.
I think these courtroom battles plus all of the other off the field stuff is souring the public on the NFL and in the long run people might spend their entertainment dollars in a different way. You can also throw in injuries, concussions and we see that parents don't want their kids to play football. Even players are saying they don't want their kids playing football. The NFL cash cow isn't guarantee thru perpetuity. Trends change and the public could reach their limit and just say: I want to do something else on my Sundays. It's already started. It seems like you can get tickets easily for games and sometimes very cheap. Whereas in the past you couldn't get a seat to a good game.
Opinion is all that matters since it is the opinion of the people that will decide whether they watch or not...if you want you can go ask Schefter to write about it but he probably won't since his job depends on the NFL doing well.
Exactly my point..My son and his friends pretty much stopped watching last year, I'm sure a lot more will now...for me personally, I enjoyed the NFL waaaayyyy more when I had to get in my car Sunday morning and drive to upsate NY to watch my team play because of blackout rules, that was fun...this isn't.
I have to agree with stokes on this one. I heard someone say, do we really care about the discipline of a few players over the bigger scheme, more financial security? Even if they get a neutral arbitrary, they'll still pull this when they don't get what they want. What the league needs to do instead of worrying about the extra point, is clearly define conduct penalties. Regardless of whoever hears an appeal, they can fall back on that. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
But it isn't just a game. There's millions involved for everyone from owners, to players to fans and to the mob. Whether you pay millions or get millions. There's a lot of money involved. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
