NFL Lockout Thread

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:33 am

Cmmmmmmmon man!

I read the first Florio article and texted my buddy that the lockout looks to be over in a week!

Then, I read the second article, and had to text him back! More of the same it seems. Two steps forward, one step back. We are getting there slowly but surely.

How this for a bit of analysis.............The lockout will end after the NFL Network finishes their final episode of the Top 100 players this Sunday night!!!!!!!!! So, look for an announcement next week that the lockout is over. No way the NFL announces this tomorrow or Friday which would be the whole news story of the day and messes up their final episode of the Top 100 players. Kind of ironic this final episode was set for the week before many dubbed the "endpoint" for getting a deal done so the season could start on time.....lol.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:04 am

SI.com chimes in with an article about the lockout's impact on our industry:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/f ... itter_feed

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:24 pm

Good Read.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:27 am

There isn't a whole lot of new updates on today's negotiating session, but at least a few owners and players are back in the room today. The feeling here today is that we're taking a step back before getting the last final offer from the owners to make this work. I don't know if that means we're still weeks away from a deal or not, but something is going to have to be agreed to soon or we're not going to have a deal in place to start training camps on time.

Here's the latest update from ESPN.com:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6721798

MINNEAPOLIS -- Joined by a handful of owners and players, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith resumed talks Thursday aimed at ending the lockout with a new collective bargaining agreement.

The group met at a Minneapolis law firm with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan. The participants, including New York Giants owner John Mara and Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, declined comment as they arrived. The meetings were expected to continue Friday.

The latest round of negotiations between the two sides -- the fifth since they began hopping from city to city for clandestine meetings -- kicked off Tuesday with Goodell, Smith, their attorneys and staffs but no owners or players.

Joining the discussion Thursday were Mara and fellow owners Clark Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots. Saturday was accompanied by Chiefs offensive lineman Brian Waters and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth.

The location is significant because Minneapolis is where the players have filed a still-pending federal antitrust suit against the owners and the sides tried and failed to strike an agreement through court-ordered mediation under Boylan.

[ June 30, 2011, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:38 am

Wow, yesterday sure seemed like a critical day of negotiations as the owners are fighting for every last penny they can get. Thankfully it looks like late night discussions are moving things back in the right direction. Let's hope for good news today. Here's some solid reporting again by NFL.com's Albert Breer on the latest developments:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... _headlines

MINNEAPOLIS -- At one point Thursday, labor talks between NFL owners and players seemed to be in serious peril.

And then the parties negotiated for nearly nine more hours.

In the end, the owners and players -- who returned to the talks after their legal teams negotiated through the first three days this week -- logged nearly 16 hours before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, working into the wee hours. NFL general counsel Jeff Pash and outside counsel Bob Batterman were the last participants to leave the building, at just before 1 a.m. local time.

The parties will return to the bargaining table at 8 a.m. Friday.

The time spent into night was a sign of the seriousness of the juncture at which the parties have arrived during this fifth round of clandestine talks. At 4 p.m., the NFL Players Association held a conference call for all executive committee members and player representatives, painting a grim picture of where talks stood after seven hours negotiating with the league.

The largest issue was the revenue split and the willingness to commit to a true "all revenue" model. The subject caused a snag in negotiations between the legal teams Monday and arose again Thursday. But even after the conference call, which set off widespread pessimism following Wednesday's optimism, the parties were able to talk deep into the night.

Among the owners who joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the talks Thursday were Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, John Mara of the New York Giants and Clark Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kraft and Mara have been the two constants for the owners in these meetings.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith's team included outside counsel Jim Quinn, general counsel Richard Berthelsen, Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, Chiefs guard Brian Waters and former Arizona Cardinals special-teams ace Sean Morey. Foxworth, like Kraft and Mara, has been a constant presence at these meetings, the first of which was held May 31 and all of which have been held before Boylan.

The parties have spent the past four weeks largely discussing the revenue split. It's not just the current revenue, but also how to account for the league's future growth -- particularly when the 2014 television deals are done -- in the players' take. The idea of an "all revenue" model, which would eliminate cost credits to the owners and limit revenue projections, has bridged some differences, but the issue hasn't been settled.

The revenue split remains an explosive topic, despite some recent momentum, and as much as they've tried, the parties just haven't been able to solve it. If anything can jeopardize these talks, it's that issue. Conversely, if it's solved, the rest could fall into place.

Nonetheless, the legal teams have fought through that and spent time trading proposals, with an eye on pushing the process toward a deal and an end to a league-imposed lockout that's in its fourth month.

Part of the work for each party has been managing expectations that a resolution is on the horizon. The NFLPA has warned some players that the possibility of missing games remains real.

And time is running short as the parties look to preserve the preseason in its traditional form. The St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears, this year's Hall of Fame Game participants, are scheduled to open training camp in just three weeks.

Last Thursday, the parties broached the rookie salary system for the first time since starting the secret sessions, but it proved to be a difficult area to navigate. The numbers aren't the only issue. Finding a way to replace the market effect those contracts have on veterans as well as getting high draft picks to free agency quicker are among the players' concerns. As it stands, six-year contracts are allowed for high first-round picks making big money.

Goodell and Smith, who arrived in Minneapolis on Monday, took a break from talks Tuesday night to fly together to Sarasota, Fla., and speak to assembled players at the NFLPA's rookie symposium the next morning. They returned to Minneapolis on the same plane.

Goodell was invited to the symposium by Smith, who said he was "thrilled" the commissioner accepted and participated. The men stood side by side after the event Wednesday morning and vowed to continue working on a deal.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:45 am

Cliff Notes version - sounds like the primary problems are the (former) NFLPA's lawyers and the owners. And no surprise it's all about money. The lawyers are trying to squeeze the owners for more money and the owners are adjusting the deal even after it's been verbally agreed on.

This has been all about greed from the moment the owners plotted this course of action over two years ago. It's no surprise greed is getting in the way of a deal being finalized now but it sure does stink that even after all this time common sense continues to be so easily ignored.

Diesel · Post by **Diesel** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:53 am

Is it possible to play high stakes strat-o-matic fantasy football? We don't need a season to play out then. Screw the owners. Screw the players. Screw the NFL, if they don't sign a deal soon. All we would need are strat-o-matic fantasy football cards, dice and the NFFC as treasurers. We would essentially be playing fantasy fantasy football.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:08 am

Albert Breer reporting that meetings will end today and there will be no negotiations during the weekend - gee, what a surprise. Why show any sense of urgency now? Negotiations are expected to resume next Tuesday and run through Friday.

thegambler · Post by **thegambler** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:33 am

when does everyone think is the last day before time will be missed during the season or they have to adjust game dates?

i would have to think it is by the end of this month. i could see them dropiing a preseason game or two but not more then that for the season to start on time.

God, i hope they start on time since i booked my flight two weeks ago for sept 8th.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:35 am

I'm not sure they can go much further past the middle of July before they have to look into canceling at least the first week of preseason. A lot of top beat writers keep pointing to July 15 as the target date when this thing will be resolved. But they can't have an agreement on that day. They need to begin the season on that day. So in order for the season to begin on July 15, a deal needs to be struck sooner because it will take the lawyers at least a little time to get all the Ts crossed and I's dotted and all that fun legal stuff.