As we’ve mentioned a time or two (or 20) in the past, collective bargaining is a give-and-take process. For everything that one side gets, the other side gets something in return.
Previously, the NFL agreed to give the players 59 cents of every dollar earned via football activities.
Previously, the union agreed to a player-discipline procedure that places authority for determining the penalty and reviewing it on appeal in the hands of the Commissioner.
Some league insiders have suggested that Commissioner Roger Goodell has been taking a harder line under the substance abuse, steroids, and conduct policies in part to demonstrate the extent of the power that the union has provided to him. In theory, that drives up the value of the concessions that will need to be made to shift the final say to an independent arbitrator. (For some forms of discipline, such as suspensions imposed by a team, the league and the union already have agreed to utilize independent arbitration.)
If that’s the goal, the union could be taking the bait.
NFLPA Executive Director De Smith’s talking points in the wake of Mike Vick’s conditional reinstatement have included a short monologue regarding the union’s intent to address the Commissioner’s judge-and-jury authority as the two sides embark on the process of working out a new labor deal.
“That’s something that’s very important to the players that we intend to
raise,” Smith told Jarrett Bell of USA Today. “You will increase the understanding of fairness if
people are involved in a way that they understand why. . . . If you
imagined a world where our court systems were not public and people
meted out justice and all you heard was what the result was, well, they
might even get the decision right — but there would be a sense that it
wasn’t fair because you couldn’t see why things were.”
Smith made similar comments during a Tuesday morning appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike In The Morning. (We decided not to call the show Man-Girl & Meatball In The Morning this time around, despite the fact that one of the hosts was wearing a blouse this morning, and the other one’s face was covered in marinara sauce. We’re kidding about one of those characterizations. And the sad reality is that anyone who didn’t see the show won’t be able to determine with any degree of certainty which one we made up.)
So while Smith’s points are valid, his words serve only to enhance the significance of the power that Goodell wields — and to raise the price tag necessary to persuade the NFL to yield it to an arbitrator.
Our court systems??
What if every citizen understood the fact that “our” judges sit on the bench, Latin for BANK.
Where would that take the conversation?
Yo! Saturnalian!
The Supreme Premier Prime Beatific Holy Absolute Royal Uncontested Ultimate Exalted Executive Overlord Chancellor General President King Ayotollah Iman Shiek Tyrant Dictator Deliverer Commissioner Christ Roger “El God” Goodell is doing two things with Vick:
He’s holding him off just long enough so that he can’t hijack/dominate all the storylines that jumpstart the regular season
(THAT particular spot is reserved for He-Who-Sits-at-Goodell’s-Right-Hand: Lord Princess Favre).
Plus he continues to placate those who feel Ick needs to sit in time-out a little longer.
But, he’s also able to pander to the “brother”hood of felons/players that think Ick should be able to pick up right where he left off.
And Roger-Dodger can also show how “compassionate” and non-robotic he is, and how “forgiving” (yet upstanding!!) the League is, all while marketing the hell out of Ick’s whole “redemption” story.
Shrewd all around. That is to say, disgusting.
“Some league insiders have suggested that Commissioner Roger Goodell has been taking a harder line under the substance abuse, steroids, and conduct policies in part to demonstrate the extent of the power that the union has provided to him. In theory, that drives up the value of the concessions that will need to be made to shift the final say to an independent arbitrator. ”
I don’t think Goodell’s that conniving or manipulative…but it’s working well anyway.
So the players feel that Goodell is being too strict? They are making millions of dollars, why do we care what they think? The life expectancy of a player in the NFL is short where no player lasts very long. Goodell is just making sure that one guy doesn’t tarnish the NFL’s image much like Bonds did for MLB. Also, granted I’m not in a union, but if I failed a drug test before I started my job there is no way I would be hired. NFL players are hired and given multiple chances. So, they make millions of dollars and expect to not be held responsible for any of their actions and then expect public sympanthy when they get suspended. Yeah, that makes sense.
Hhhmm, I have a single judge and jury with respect to my employment if I screw up….the BOSS.
Oh yeah, the court system is working out great. Goodell is doing a good job and its hitting home because guys got away with more in the past but are equally doing more in current times/culture. Solution, the players shouldn’t screw up. It’s really not that hard to do. 95% of them don’t. Being young and making mistakes doesn’t usually involve breaking the law and getting arrested for most folks.
If I did what Vick Plex or Stallworth did my employer would kick me to the curb
Todays players are aholes Vick blew how much money what an ass
Pay me you can tell me what to wear what to eat when and where to sleep hell for 100 Million I would just say yes sir
If not for the owners the players would mostly be working in a junk yard or on the back of a DPW truck or we would have 1600 more gym teachers
The players should kiss the owners rings bow and say THANK YOU
dewey, one could also say roger cut the baby in half. and that vick has some more time… er… rope… to go hang himself again with.
always a possibility.
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i wouldnt say 95% of players dont screw up. maybe 80%.
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if anyone else did what vick did, our 2nd chance would be to work in food service, garbage collection, hard manual labor, machine shop…
so, he got preferential treatment. the media and libs and yes some players sure wanted their icon back, despite the fact he hasnt done jack to merit being an icon… just a con. his creditors want to be paid. not sure how that latter part will work out.