When the National Football League announced that former NFLPA president Troy Vincent had taken a job with the league office, heads jerked throughout the football-following world.
The man who long coveted the chance to run the union — and who was rejected by the rank and file a year ago after a multiple-month smear campaign — had joined forces with management. Of all the former players whom the league could have hired, the league chose Vincent.
Predictably, some believe that the NFL will use Vincent as a “wedge” to divide players, per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. Even more predictably, the league denies any such motivation, explaining that Vincent say the job posted online and applied for it.
In our view, however, everything the league does until a new CBA is finalized must first be scrutinized from the perspective of the labor situation. Though the NFL hasn’t said it, the cumulative impact of its actions of late send a clear message — getting a new labor deal on terms favorable to the owners occupies the top spot on the league’s to-do list.
And the league surely wants to drive a wedge between the players and the union, for the same reasons the union would love to drive a wedge between the owners. As one source recently pointed out, this labor fight will be a war of attrition, with the side that realizes the most internal harm the most likely to cry “uncle.”
The risk, of course, is that efforts to divide the players could in reality unite them. For example, to the extent that some players are experiencing buyer’s remorse regarding the decision to choose De Smith and not Vincent, Vincent’s perceived defection could erase those doubts.
So, basically, this thing continues to get more and more interesting.
Double agent. Obviously.
Obvious the NFL/Owners are smarter than the players (who didn’t hire him). He’s actually a businessman. NFLPA: You made a bad choice…
getting a new labor deal on terms favorable to the owners occupies the top spot on the league’s to-do list.
Wow, you are good…who knew the owners wanted a better deal?
The players chose Smith because they knew they needed a killer in the negotiation room and he’s the goods in that regard. No NFL player is going to have the on the ground experience necessary to handle this fight at the highest level. You’re going against billionaires who can bring in the best of the best to negotiate for them.
Florio, we already know that aren’t really a journalist but you pulled out the sleaziest faux journalist move here with the ‘ol “some think” move. Really? Who are these some and are there more who disagree? My point is that this is not very ethical reporting but it’s unfortunately become very prevalent in media outlets today and you are just following the herd. Any writer could talk to any one person with a random opinion about anything and then pen a story on this opinion beginning “some say” and then offer no counter opinion from someone else. This incredibly misleading tactic leads readers to form opinions based on essentially no truths. It is a way media outlets (see drudge, NY Post, washington time, fox) with extreme bias try to manipulate public opinion. Very scummy. Looks like we know where your bias’ lay.
I agree with Dirte….De Smith will float this as a way to create distrust towards the NFL.
@ Dirte
Ditto-De Smith was a bad hire!
The players chose Smith because they knew they needed a killer in the negotiation room and he’s the goods in that regard.
——————–
Aside from actually killing people he is not doing anything in the negotiation room, the guy is a joke. Give him a red nose and he looks like Homey the Clown.
Florio, we know you aren’t a real journalist but pulling the sleazy “some think” move. Really? Who are these some and are there more who disagree? My point is that this is not very ethical reporting but it’s unfortunately become very prevalent in media outlets today and you are just following the herd. Any writer could talk to any one person with a random opinion about anything and then pen a story on this opinion beginning “some say” and then offer no counter opinion from someone else. This incredibly misleading tactic leads readers to form opinions based on essentially no truths. It is a way media outlets (see drudge, NY Post, washington time, fox) with extreme bias try to manipulate public opinion. Very scummy. Looks like we know where your bias’ lay.
Double-agent is a maybe … but then which side trusts they’re getting his loyalty? … likely the side that is choosing to pay him well …
Florio, we already know that aren’t really a journalist but you pulled out the sleaziest faux journalist move here with the ‘ol “some think” move. Really? Who are these some and are there more who disagree? My point is that this is not very ethical reporting but it’s unfortunately become very prevalent in media outlets today and you are just following the herd. Any writer could talk to any one person with a random opinion about anything and then pen a story on this opinion beginning “some say” and then offer no counter opinion from someone else. This incredibly misleading tactic leads readers to form opinions based on essentially no truths. It is a way media outlets (see drudge, NY Post, washington time, fox) with extreme bias try to manipulate public opinion. Very scummy. Looks like we know where your bias’ lay.
Yeah every conservative or right leaning media outlet is bias but the other 10,000 left leaning sites don’t mislead anyone? You further imply that Florio is right leaning? Who do you consider centerist? Mao??
I fully believe that Troy Vincent learned about the job opening online and that his being rejected by the player’s association had nothing to do with him being hired by the NFL.
Sincerely,
Tiger Woods
Obviously both sides need more lawyers running up billable hours. Not!
The harsh truth:
If both sides don’t settle it, the owners have billions of dollars of income lined up and the players will lose a year or two or more of earning potential. Zero is a very powerful income level. Unless the players really did graduate with medical or law degrees….. nope, didn’t think so.
So players, what’s it gonna be?
Shocked that the NFL and the owners are just a tad smarter then D Smith and the over paid players.
Guess what if the players want to play hardball the owners will win why because the owners have all the money and all the power.
I am sure the NFL can find another 1,696 players that would love the chance to play a game.
where are the players going to go CFL UFL no they will be on there knees begging to be let back into the game.
The NFLPA has notoriously catered exclusively to the top 10% of the league player, i.e “the Stars”. There will always be a “divide” amongst the players and it has nothing to do with the Vincent signing with management. As long as they cater to the chosen few instead of the whole membership, this Union will remain divided, weak and “WILL” agree to any new CBA placed in front of them!
De (pronounced “duh”) was a bad choice. pee cee and apparently ‘politically’ connected… at least thru jan 19, 2012, but still, a bad choice.
I hope he does divide the union. What they did to try to keep players from voting for him is dispicable. Thats what I hate about politians they dont care whats best for the people they are trying to represent they just want to make their competition look so bad that they cant win.
And thats exactly how the highest ranking members of the union acted to keep Vincent from taking over. They knew if he got the job he would be making changes. Which probably would have cost some of them their jobs.
So because it was more important to get a guy to toe the union line like De Smith who wouldnt upset the balance I hope Vincent shows them how strong he could have been for them by tearing them apart.
“Dirte”… you describe Troy as a businessman??? Look at his latest business SCAM called Pro Athletes Only. Try a simple GOOGLE search. Many professional athletes, including NFL players, lost big time investing in PAO. Ask former MLB star Junior Spivey. Troy’s partner at PAO is Scott Helfand. Helfand was convicted of defrauding two retired NFL players among others. Helfand is currently in jail in Miami. Now Troy is advising the NFL! The players made the right decision!