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Jerry Richardson is actually Willie Stark

Fiz

By Fiz,
in Carolina Panthers

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ORLANDO, Fla. – One year ago, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was less than two months removed from heart transplant surgery and was unable to attend the NFL’s annual meetings.

Monday, he not only was back, but gave a stirring message in the opening session of three days of meetings, which other team owners said set a bold, unifying tone for upcoming labor talks with the players association.

“He has a passion and an emotional way of expressing things sometimes,” said New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. “Those of us who love him have affection for him when he does it. It just shows how genuine he is. It came through today.

“I really hope people listened to him, because his message was right on, and we’ve missed it.”

Monday morning’s session began with a state of the league address by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, followed by a question-and-answer session.

It wasn’t an intimate owners-only meeting, but included almost all of the league’s key personnel – owners, coaches, general managers, other league and team officials, and even wives and other family members.

During the Q&A session, sources said, Richardson rose to his feet, held a microphone and piggy-backed on Goodell’s call for unity among owners in the collective bargaining negotiations with the players’ association.

For the three or four minutes Richardson spoke, multiple witnesses said he appeared to have the full attention of everyone in the room.

“He’s kind of an E.F. Hutton person,” said Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. “When he talks, everyone listens.”

“He’s a commanding presence,” said Kraft. “He’s got a forceful voice. His character comes through.”

Asked to summarize Richardson’s key points, Kraft said: “Stay together as a unit and as a group. Remember we’re a partnership and we can’t go it alone. We have to remember how lucky we are to be part of this league.”

One source said Richardson’s speech was like listening to “an old Southern-style preacher.”

“I hope the wives took it well,” said New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. WTF “He’s not afraid to let it out. He’s very passionate about the NFL.”

Because of stalled negotiations with the union, the league has entered its first year without a salary cap since 1993. Unless owners get concessions from the players association, they’re prepared to lock out players starting next March, which potentially could lead to a work stoppage of America’s most popular spectator sport.

Richardson is assigned one of the most prominent positions in the labor negotiations. As co-chairman with Denver’s Pat Bowlen of the prestigious Management Council executive committee, he’s on the front line of the CBA talks.

“He’s a great leader,” said Kraft. “What he’s doing in the labor area, nobody else is capable of doing.

“He played in the NFL. He’s tall. He’s a man of great character. He has strong beliefs and he’s genuine. He’s the anti-phony.”

Panthers officials said Richardson is working a full schedule at this week’s meetings, his most extensive work away from home since before his Feb. 1, 2009 heart transplant.

One source said knowing all that Richardson has been through since undergoing that life-saving surgery made his speech Monday even more impactful.

Richardson wasn’t available for comment, but Goodell and other owners said they’re impressed with his health.

“Jerry is back,” said Goodell. “He’s very engaged. He’s very focused … and is providing the kind of leadership that ownership wants on this issue.”

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/2010/03/richardson-stirring-speech-call-for-unity-in-labor-talks-sets-tone-for-owners-meetings.html

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