APThe NFL may be telling fans about their plans for the coming week, but we do not have a labor agreement yet.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter got hold of an email sent to player reps Thursday night that makes it clear the players have issues with how the NFL ratified their settlement.
The email details how players received the NFL’s procedure for finalizing a settlement. The email says the NFL is requiring the players to re-form as a union and ratify the new CBA by Tuesday, July 26. (Fair enough.)
Here are the key two sections as we see it that should raise eyebrows around the league:
“[The settlement] gives the players only three days–Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week–to try to bargain any changes to the old CBA. Any such changes would have to be agreed to by the owners in order to be incorporated into the Agreement, which would then become final on Saturday, July 30. If the NFL does not agree to the players’ proposed changes, the old CBA terms on benefits, discipline, safety, etc. will remain unchanged for another ten years,” the email reads.
It gets worse.
“In addition to depriving the players of the time needed to consider forming a union and making needed changes to the old Agreement, this proposed procedure would in my view also violate federal labor laws. Those laws prohibit employers from coercing their employees into forming a union, and could result in any Agreement reached through the procedure being declared null and void,” the email finishes.
Yikes.
I’m not the legal expert around here, but that sure sounds like a bucket of cold water from the NFLPA* lawyers that appears to be discouraging a possible deal.
NFL outside counsel Jeff Pash indicated that he expects the players to ratify the deal because DeMaurice Smith negotiated it. Roger Goodell said he believed Smith will “take care of business.”
That email makes it clear that ratification from the players is hardly a given.
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Enough already! The damn lawyers need to shut up and stop going for more billable hours.
Players are going to get 100% of the hate here and they know it.
Public perception will NOT be on their side here.
Not surprised. F*** the NFLPA.
This has Kessler stamped all over it. The NFLPA needs to fire him and get this done. Man I am seriously wishing bad things to happen to that guy.
LAWYERS!!! This all could’ve been solved quickly without them!
“PFT wants to keep us relegiously clicking the site even though the deal is already done.”
That’d be a better title.
That’s par for the course with lawyers. They are paid to always present the darkest, most dire version of a situation.
The players (Brees, Mankins, et. al.) tried a last-minute power play and got roasted by their own peers. This is a done deal.
Lets get some replacement players in there to replace them. I’ll be happy to suit up for a fraction of what players make if I’m needed.
the NFLPA lawyers are from hell and when this lockout is over they should sent back there.
I was very pro-players during most of this lockout. However, if they f*ck this up, fans are not going to be happy.
Hey players – it already seems like you won more than you lost in this new CBA. Agree to the damn thing.
“[T]this proposed procedure would in my view also violate federal labor laws.” In my view, you’re an idiot who either (a) does not understand labor law or (b) is Jeffrey Kesler.
Don’t worry, the players got what they needed from those sharks, and even though they continue to rock the boat, it ain’t going down.
Players will agree to this deal.
thank you players!
They all want to play. There isn’t a 1000 players who are really thinking about this.
Well if they don’t certify they lose leverage with the owners and football fans .
Its up to them to kneel it out, or they could try to run up the score on 4th down. If they don’t score, the owners will get the ball back.
This is doomed!
Why this ocean of cold water? I’m drowning over here.
leave it to De Smith and the players to screw things up… I truly believe if De Smith, Kessler, and that arrogant little midget Jeff Pash who knows nothing about football was involved, things would have been done a LONG time ago
AAAAH i KNEW it! one step forward, one step back with these news stories!!!!
Anddd there I go, from midnight, back down to 6
KESSLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shi….
oh well.
If they do this, I really would lose respect for these players who are ruining what DeSmith fought for and prove that they’re just out for themselves as individuals> they’re only a union because it allows them to secure certain rights but they could care less about each other.
Let it be clear here. The players are the bad guys. This is rediculous!!!
“We dont have a timeline, thats the owners timeline”. Here is a newsflash for ya. You start missing preseason games and you lose money as well. Everyone has a deadline. Owners, Fans and yes, even you the players…
God I am so PRO OWNER right now and I bet anything that a vast majority of fans are with me. The players are dragging their feet on everything. Ohhh boohoo your being pressured. The NFLPA are dragging their feet almost just to feel powerful. Seriously they are the ones with the egos…
NFLPA if you mess this up it will be your side that is hated by millions!!!
The NFL is not coercing the players to form a union. They are just saying that it’s a given they will reform into a union. Why would’nt they reform?
nobody cares about the fine print, we just need to hear it’s approved and free agency is about to start.
Its friggin hot in Texas…I appreciate the cold water!
If the players don’t agree to a deal it will cost them millions
I didn’t support the players when this lockout started and they are doing very little to change my mind.
Lawyers are going to try and drag this out.. DeSmith and Roger should start drop kicking them out of the picture immediately.
OH COME ON
OH DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So is it white smoke or gray smoke we want to see after the players’ conference call?
Just get it done already, cuz this ish is getting tiresome!!!
“In addition to depriving the players of the time needed to consider forming a union and making needed changes to the old Agreement, this proposed procedure would in my view also violate federal labor laws. Those laws prohibit employers from coercing their employees into forming a union, and could result in any Agreement reached through the procedure being declared null and void,”
Sincerely,
Jeff Kessler
So help me god if these bastards don’t vote yes.
It’s only a bucket of cold water if you thought this was really the end.
It’s pretty simple, actually. Either they ratify the CBS tonight or they all eat a d*ck and I quit caring. No worries.
Why is the “old CBA” and “old Agreement” even part of this discussion? I’m thoroughly confused.
Players are making me mad greedy !!!!!!!! And lazy get y’all butt out there and play
Listening to players talk on espn, they either are really dumb, or are.being lied to.
Give me a break! The players act like they have no idea what is in this CBA. What do you think Dee Smith and the rest of the NFLPA has been jerking off to in the past 6 weeks? Why did you hire the guy if you aren’t going to approve the deal he made? At this point, I almost wish the players don’t approve it and then they get the snobbish hell beaten out of them by the media and the fans.
*CBA — damn auto-correct.
In review: ratify: yay. No-ratify: eat a d*ck. I’ll go watch hockey or something.
Would someone PLEASE take the lawyers outback behind the wood shed!!!
Why in the world did you negotiate with the owners and leave it up to your leadership if this isn’t something you can live with. How freaking stupid. Why do you have any negotiations at all? Why not just go back one by one and work out your deal? Greed kills! #douche bags was the correct term the punter gave you.
WOW…Unbelievable…y’all better be offering free tickets to games or something this year..’cuz EVERYBODY AND THEIR MAMA IS SICK of y’all with this nonsense….Who the HELL sent that damn email???
Might I inquire as to the identity of the original sender of said e-mail?
That might go a long way to explaining its contents.
The players deprived themselves. The owners want the season to begin. This has NOTHING to do with the players being left out in the cold.
Negotiating 2 days a week for a few months, they had plenty and I mean plenty of time to up the amount of negotiations and demands.
Put up or shut up.
billinva says:
Jul 21, 2011 7:56 PM
Enough already! The damn lawyers need to shut up and stop going for more billable hours.
nola4eva says: HUH BRUH!!! I FEEL YA! This dat BS, man forreal.
it would be helpful to know who sent this e-mail…
WTF? this is total bull, we can say all day make deal or were unhappy but the bottom line is, when they finally sign a deal we’l be playing fantasy football and watching every sunday like we always have
This just proves the players side has and is the biggest problem in this whole process.
if 31 people agree that the greatest color ever is blue, then slide that piece of paper across the table to 2000 other people and say “sign this”, that’s bs. it doesn’t mean they have to sign it, and it doesn’t mean it’s fair.
We should turn the NFL into the No Fan League
Cooler heads will prevail. As long as the agreement is acceptable, there’s no reason to reject it and recertification won’t ultimately be a deal breaker.
GOOD MOVE NFLPA! They can’t force you into becoming a union or coerce you into a decision. They locked you out now they gotta deal with the ramifactions.
My feel good day down the drain.
The lawyers are back in the game a dark day kick them to the curb.
PLAYERS: Here is our proposal and issues.
OWNERS: Here is our proposal and issues.
FANS: WAHHHHH! I’M SO TIRED OF THIS! IT’S ALL ABOUT ME, ME, ME!!!!
I’m sick of this too. Not the negotiations…they’ve gone about like most legal wrangling.
I’m sick of the whiny-ass loser FANS.
You’re really done? GOOD! GO ALREADY!!!!
If they have no football then I will stop buying the stuff and stop watching game and boycott them we pay lot of money to see and watch them play and we help the owners out to so may be hurt them in the pocket book we poor people come and watch, hope we have football this year. The fan put a hurt on baseball one year when they stay out so long.