latest on the CBA

[Happy Panther]

Rookie wage scale is agreed upon

18 games is now OFF the table according to the NFLPA because...

owners released some financial information but not enough to make anyone happy.

Smith included a list of 10 financial categories, including total operating income and total operating expenses. NFL lead negotiator Jeff Pash said the league has offered an unprecedented amount of financial data. The union has said it's not sufficient.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2011/03/10/2011-03-10_justin_tuck_remains_optimistic_but_nfl_owners_players_now_battling_over_financia.html#ixzz1GDktYkws

So basically the same things you can get off Forbes website?

Here is the nugget i had not heard before...

If the union decertifies and the league locks the players out, one prominent agent told the Daily News Wednesday he will send all his clients to work Monday at the team facilities and predicts others will do the same. He said once the union decertifies and if the league can't stop it by proving it's a sham, as it maintains, then he said the players can't be denied the right to work.

"Every guy shows up for work and says, 'I honor my contract. If you don't want to honor my contract, then I'm free," the agent said. "If they turn them away, I'm going to state court to let you know my contract is null and void and I'm a free agent and you owe me damages, treble damages because you are locking me out and it's a restraint of trade because there is no union."

That's why this agent says, "I don't think the owners will lock out."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2011/03/10/2011-03-10_justin_tuck_remains_optimistic_but_nfl_owners_players_now_battling_over_financia.html#ixzz1GDkZcM23

[Jackofalltrades]

Ace in the hole perhaps?

Labor committee is on hand today, coincidence? Me thinks not.

[countryboi]

wow if that little nugget does not force you to get a deal worked out i dont know what does.....maybe the owners dont have as leverage as i thought

[Captroop]

If the union decertifies and the league locks the players out, one prominent agent told the Daily News Wednesday he will send all his clients to work Monday at the team facilities and predicts others will do the same. He said once the union decertifies and if the league can't stop it by proving it's a sham, as it maintains, then he said the players can't be denied the right to work.

"Every guy shows up for work and says, 'I honor my contract. If you don't want to honor my contract, then I'm free," the agent said. "If they turn them away, I'm going to state court to let you know my contract is null and void and I'm a free agent and you owe me damages, treble damages because you are locking me out and it's a restraint of trade because there is no union."

That's why this agent says, "I don't think the owners will lock out."

Damn, that's some good Lawyering!

[SCMunnerlyn1]

Definitely makes you a lot less nervous drafting in the first round with a scale like that .. any clue what the difference in $ will be between this years first overall and lasts with this new scale?

[MattB]

I always laugh when I hear the players complain about 18 games. If they're so concerned about injuries why not just demand playing 14 games? Because they won't make as much money. The league and the players will make more money from 18 games so it'll get done.

[SCMunnerlyn1]

i actually like it how its set up now .. because then you have the 2 extra games in preseason to get a really good look at your rookies / 2nd year guys .. with just 2 games we could be fielding teams with no chemistry right and left .. with an 18 game schedule training camp would have to be extended among other things

[Anybodyhome]

"If the union decertifies and the league locks the players out, one prominent agent told the Daily News Wednesday he will send all his clients to work Monday at the team facilities and predicts others will do the same."

That's like sending a teacher to work in July... nobody is there. The players' work schedule does not have them going to work in March and the NFL has established work schedules (camps, OTAs, etc.). It's like me showing up to work on Sunday when the place is closed and demanding they pay me just because I showed up. Argument: FAIL

"He said once the union decertifies and if the league can't stop it by proving it's a sham, as it maintains, then he said the players can't be denied the right to work."

That is a huge "if." If the union were to put itself back together any time within about a year, the NFL and the owners would be filing suit about how much of a sham it was and the union could then be held legally liable for violating labor laws itself.

"Every guy shows up for work and says, 'I honor my contract. If you don't want to honor my contract, then I'm free," the agent said. "If they turn them away, I'm going to state court to let you know my contract is null and void and I'm a free agent and you owe me damages, treble damages because you are locking me out and it's a restraint of trade because there is no union."

These are the same players who are worried they cannot pay for their own health insurance correct? These are the same guys who are borrowing money from each other? These are the same guys we've read articles about possibly looking for a job but they've got the resources to hire an attorney to go against the NFL and the owners? Watch one player try that stunt and see how long he plays football in the NFL. He'd be blacklisted so fast Maurice Clarett would be laughing. I'll believe that when I see it.