Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are considered two of the smarter NFL quarterbacks alive. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson reportedly still treated them like children in a CBA negotiating session last Saturday.
Speaking on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio in New York, Cardinals kicker Jay Feely passed along a story from last week’s brief bargaining session in Dallas that Brees and Manning attended.
“Jerry Richardson . . . he’s going to criticize Peyton Manning and Drew Brees and their intelligence in our meeting Saturday?” Feely said. “And sit there and say dismissively to Manning ‘Do I need to help you read a revenue chart son? Do I need to help break that down for you because I don’t know if you know how to read that?'”
We agree with Feely’s point: condescension isn’t going to help get a deal done. Respect is necessary on both sides.
Richardson, who has taken a leadership position among the owners in the negotiation, has been called the “least flexible and most pessimistic” of the owners.
“Logical minds can sit there and come up with a deal, but once you bring up emotion, then you get in the way of logic,” Feely said.
The entire interview is worth a listen, and Feely makes a cogent case on behalf of the players. Our one small quibble is that continuing to publicly talk about the particulars of a negotiating session could get in the way of a deal too.