I like you all try to stay updated on the CBA, so I’ll share what I receive from Fourth and Goal. We’re all starting to get the details of what the main issues are going to come down to….but there are usually a few twists and I don’t profess to have all the answers.
ESPN.com Feb. 14, 2011
WASHINGTON — The NFL filed an unfair labor practice charge against its players’ union with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday.
The league’s filing says the union “consistently has failed to confer in good faith” during negotiations for a new contract and the union’s “conduct amounts to surface bargaining and an anticipatory refusal to bargain.”
A statement e-mailed to The Associated Press by union spokesman George Atallah says the NFL’s “claim has absolutely no merit.”
Future Of The League
The NLRB is a federal agency that enforces the nation’s labor laws and referees labor-management disputes.
The current collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of the day March 3. The NFL Players Association has said it expects the owners to lock out players; the NFL’s filing with the NLRB says that the union wants to “run out the clock” and, essentially, avoid reaching a new CBA so it can decertify and file an antitrust lawsuit. Players already have voted, team by team, to authorize decertifying their union if a new CBA isn’t reached by the deadline.
The NFLPA already decertified in 1989, then returned as a union in 1993, when a contract was reached with the league that provided for free agency. That landmark CBA was renewed or restructured several times since 1993, including in 2006. The owners opted out of that most recent deal in 2008. Under the heading “Basis of the Charge,” the NFL says in Monday’s filing with the NLRB that during current negotiations, the union delayed the scheduling of bargaining sessions; failed to “respond in a timely and/or meaningful manner” to owners’ contract proposals; and insisted on “disclosure of financial data to which the NFLPA has no legal right and then suspending negotiations unless and until such data is produced.”
The league’s filing also accuses the NFLPA of “engaging in other actions demonstrating that the union has approached these negotiations with no intent to reach agreement through good faith collective bargaining.”
Atallah’s e-mailed statement said: “The players didn’t walk out and the players can’t lock out. Players want a fair, new and long-term deal. We have offered proposals and solutions on every issue the owners have raised.”
The biggest issue separating the sides is how to divide about $9 billion in annual revenues; under the old deal, the owners receive $1 billion off the top, and they want to increase that to $2 billion before players get their share. Among the other significant points in negotiations: the owners’ push to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 while reducing the preseason by two games; a rookie wage scale; and benefits for retired players.
The NFL and union went more than two months without holding any formal bargaining sessions, until a meeting Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl. The sides met again once last week but called off a second meeting that had been scheduled for the following day. While a meeting this week had been expected to occur between the two sides, an NFLPA source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen on Monday that the league has not called to confirm the two days of negotiating sessions that had been scheduled.
The NFL has not missed games due to labor strife since 1987, when the players went on strike and the owners continued the season with replacement players. Making reference to the 1989 decertification, the NFL’s filing says: in the past, the NFLPA’s threatened disclaimer as the representative of the players, together with the now-familiar antitrust litigation that is expected to follow, is a ploy and an unlawful subversion of the collective bargaining process, there being no evidence whatsoever of any [let alone widespread] disaffection with the union by its members.”
The NFL also said Monday that it will hold its owners meetings on March 3 — the final day of the current collective bargaining agreement.
All 32 owners are expected to be at the meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that follows two days of committee meetings that were previously scheduled
Billionaires fighting with Millionaires. I’m trying to do everything I can to have a decent lifestyle and these morons are fighting over a cash cow. think about today’s economy and people trying to put food on the table..
Stop Bitching and get it done!…
Ya, your all making millions of dollars by playing a game. You all should be greatful but your not. You only care about your soon to be empty pocket book.
This will be a first ever in the NFL, a lockout during the off season!
It will be completely different from the strike years of 1982 and 1987 which occured mid season. Unchartered territory and everyone involved should be real concerned.
Imagine what it will be like starting a regular season without any or very little off season!!! An unbelievable prospect to think about…
Asking out of football shape players who will have to play it safe all off season because they might not have medical insurance to come out and play a regular season on a dead start!?!?!?!
I can’t even imagine what the fall out will be, if we think we have had many injuries of late in the league, no one has seen anything yet!!!
Anyhow that’s my furure take on this whole mess and it isn’t pretty. Stupid league, stupid players, they are all failing the intelligence test!
Everyone will suffer way more from this than they are envisioning. Welcome to your own self made hell, owners and players, and I think you deserve to hurt as much as you will. At least this might bring these millionaires and billionaires just a hair closer to the realities that us average sports fans must face everyday… Stupid, stupid people….
I didn`t think about that aspect Bay. So most of the players will be out of shape because they have little disciplne away from theeir Team facilities. Is that What your saying?
oooops, I need to learn how to spell. Theirs. lol. As for D. Thomas, he has a long tough road ahead of him, especially without the new CBA.
If it was only that… They may not have any medical insurance, why would they train hard to risk injury while not covered? I thought I made myself clear, guess not…
They definitely shouldn’t be playing pick up basketball games, go spring skiing, trip on their dogs or kick their TV’s.
I see.
Surfing in Hawaii?
The Spring Skiing reminds me of Kieth Karts. Remember that incident. That cost him his job as our starting Center.
Riding a bicycle will start looking like a real risky proposition, LOL.
Yeah, everything I mentioned actually injured one of our players, I think it was Griese who tripped on the dog, Marshall threw a fist through a TV, or fell into it with his forearm if you take his word for it, Clady playing basketball and Kartz tore ligaments in his right knee skiing.
It cost Kartz his carreer in the NFL. I remember that Shanny was angry. But Tom Nalen was draft a year or two later.
If you ever get drunk and hurt yourself, don’t bother asking Brian Griese for advice on drafting a story to explain it. The former Michigan and current Denver Bronco quarterback is obviously out of ideas. This week he claimed that his random ankle injury was caused by his dog, a golden retriever named Bella. “I was walking down the stairs and my dog came barreling down the stairs after me and clipped me, and I kind of twisted my ankle on the stairs,” Griese told reporters at his weekly press conference. “These things happen. Unfortunately, it happened to me.”
See Coop, with a little effort we can still keep this blog going, haha.
But that it takes Griese to do so sends shivers up my spine, brrrr.
Well, the tide has to turn sooner or later with our drafting classes. We need to start hitting big starting this year. The Bronco`s need an A in this draft. We cannot miss on any positions or players on this class.
Crazy!!!
hey, if we dont have a season this year, would we get the #2 overall pick next year as well? that might be the only upside to not having a season.
Good question. I wonder myself how that would work if there`s no football in 2011?
I`m sure there will be an agreement with a new CBA but it will most likely get done at the last moment. Just before the first kickoff of 2011. LOL
Well if there is a strike for the regular season I’m totally trying out for the Broncos! I Can Be a Scab! I always wanted to play for the Broncos and this could be my chance! My dream come true!!!!!
I know I’m 41 but I think I still have some gas left in the tank!!!
Besides, I’ve got Really Fresh Legs! I’ve been resting them under my desk for about 15 years. I’m ready for this!!!!
I WOULD LOVE TO BE A BRONCO SCAB!!!!!!!!!
I think the NFL’s case has a decent chance of succeeding in court. What that will achieve, I don’t know.
OC, that would be rather cool I think. Just try and avoid at all costs to be traded to the raiders as a scab. LMAO! That would be a nightmare.
GREED!!
Most players have holes in their pockets anyway. You know how it is when something is handed to you. You don`t appriciate it. Most people who start their own business start out with small (meager begins). Then after say 6 to 7 years then the profits really start coming in. Hey, you`ve earned it. Patience has paid off. Not in pro-ball. Everything is handed to you on a silver platter. What a damn joke.
Funny stuff OC. Im with you, always wanted to play for the Broncos at WR. This could be my only shot!!! and im still 22. We could play for the broncos and guys will be talking about us on this blog like we currently do lol. altho im sure alotta hasbeens and never drafteds will have first selection over us lol. TRB out…
I’m down. I can be a woodhead type contributor. Now that McD isn’t coach, I wouldn’t have to worry about being traded!!!
i can still throw a pretty spiral with accuracy, i can out punt mitch berger, i have better hands that graham and quinn so i can play
Bronco scabs??? Hey – I may be 73, but I can still play left-center field … oh – wrong sport …
The truth is, Coop could probably still give a great effort as an OL …
And I’ll replace Woody Paige and let all you scabs have it! LOL.
I wonder what Elways thoughts are on the current CBA situation. Now that he is an executive, has his loyalty shifted from the players to the owners?
Well, Klis is passing on a bit of good news to us all and we can use it:
Contract negotiations between the Broncos and star cornerback Champ Bailey have resumed.
“He’s a guy we have strong feelings about,” coach John Fox said. “We’ve had some dialogue there. There have been discussions.
“He’s a guy we definitely want to bring back. You never know how things like that work out, but we’re moving forward as best we know how.”
Bailey recently completed his seven-year, $63 million contract with his 10th Pro Bowl appearance, a record among NFL cornerbacks. He will be eligible for un-restricted free agency once the league and the players union reach a settlement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
While a few teams have applied franchise tags to their most prominent unrestricted free agents, the Broncos aren’t expected to take that strategy with Bailey because doing so would essentially guarantee him a whopping $15 million salary for the 2011 season.
But the Broncos have used the two-week, franchise-tag window to reopen talks with Bailey on a multiyear extension.
To caution, the team and Bailey have been through this before. They were deep in negotiations on four-year contract extension that would have been worth more than $40 million until the team halted talks in early October.
By waiting until season’s end to reopen negotiations, the Broncos may run into more complications. For starters, they had executed contract extensions last year with Kyle Orton, Chris Kuper and Elvis Dumervil without paying up-front signing bonuses. Almost all elite free agents, which Bailey is now, receive signing bonuses.
Another key to any contract is the guarantee. NFL contracts rarely are guaranteed past the third season, so the structure of years two and three usually is pivotal in any negotiation.
Still, no deal ever gets done unless both sides agree to talk.
It may be too little too late since they have now only 15 more days to sign him, but I would think if both sides want it bad enough it could get done, like Klis says at least they are back at the table now, what a stupid mistake it was for the top brasses to pull out of the last negotiations….
Mike Klis, thank you for some positive news
Contract negotiations between the Broncos and star cornerback Champ Bailey have resumed.
“He’s a guy we have strong feelings about,” coach John Fox said. “We’ve had some dialogue there. There have been discussions.
“He’s a guy we definitely want to bring back. You never know how things like that work out, but we’re moving forward as best we know how.”
Should know woody baylin!!!!
Legwold extrapolating on our #2 pick:
The Broncos have far more needs on defense, but the recent history of the No. 2 pick has leaned slightly toward offense. Since the merger, 22 offensive players have been selected at No. 2, while 19 defensive players have gone in the spot.
Defensively, linebacker leads the way at seven, followed by defensive end (six) and defensive tackle (five).
Those numbers bode well for two of the top players on the board this year, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. (Of course to that I will personally add that the numbers bode well for Dareus also).
Just one defensive back — Eric Turner, by the Cleveland Browns in 1991 — has been selected at No. 2 in the last 41 drafts, and Turner was a safety. So, if the Broncos selected LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson at No. 2, they would be making a slice of history along the way.
I was very pleased to read that since I don’t want to use the pick on Peterson, and I will spare you who was taken offensively with the #2 over the years since that will not be the way we’ll go this year. D baby!
Coop! Great stuff. That is great news about Champ. A load off our shoulders for sure.
If the Marshall drama was a saga filled affair, the Chargers placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on disgruntled wide out Vincent Jackson. Meaning they can match any offer sheet or receive 2 first round pick compensation (though I thought it was 1st and 3rd round picks???)
Others receiving franchise tags include Peyton Manning, Michael Vick and Haloti Ngata!
I guess without a CBA in place this is just more posturing!
I just read the good news. HaHa!!. Something to look forward to in Broncos Country. Thats a good sign that they are discussing it. No need to put no franchise tag on. This will probably get done in good faith.
Thanks for keeping us informed on the progress of the CBA. I do have a suggestion…Get rid of the union. Abolish it all together. Get rid of the owners assn. Abolish it all together. That way, it will be every man, and team owner, for themselves in any negotiating of their respective contracts. What the heck, the NFL may as well get rid of the refs while they are at it, because with the contracts being done this way, there will be no need for them. The players will be contracting with the owners how they will be hit and do the hitting on the field.
This reminds me of watching my grandchildrfen the other day playing football in the back yard. They were arguing over their “rules” before they started playing, and this is just what came to my mind. The owners and players arguing over this CBA! They are acting just like my grandchildren were acting. “I don’t like what you are saying, so I don’t want to play anymore!”
COME ON GUYS! GROW UP!!! GET TO THE TABLE AND GET IT DONE!!!
Woody Baylinocrush. See ya on Around The Horn. So what doe`s your black board say today? LOL
DaQaun Bowers had Arthroscopic Surgery on his left knee shortly after his Bowl Game. He`ll be at the Combine next week. I saw this on NFL.com News Board. I`ll be looking forward to seeing him there.
Boo! So much for good news :p
Broncos’ Champ Bailey puts house up for sale, as free-agency nears
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_17404476
As a Broncos fan, I don’t really see how things could get worse after the McDaniels era. But if they let the best player on the team walk in Champ Bailey after all the good players they just let go, then that just simply doesnt make alot of sense. I’m not a head coach or an owner of an NFL team with millions of dollars, but I’m pretty sure you don’t win when you get rid of some of the best players on your team, and then get rid of the best player on your team (bailey). Not to mention ignoring the number one glaring problem the last 3 years in the draft in the defensive front, mainly the line. The Broncos simply can’t afford to get rid of the few good proven players on the team that we still do have (elvis, champ, and clady is it). How mad will everyone else be if we let Champ walk? I haven’t really heard any other fans as mad at the organization as I am about this.
I understand your frustration, however multiple factors are at play here, mainly the one that Bailey wants to be on a team that has a legitimate shot at getting him a ring soon, and that is definitely not us, at the very least not short term. Here is a little clarification about that after Bailey just put his house up for sale:
Bailey, who could not be reached Wednesday, has said while he wants to stay in Denver, his first priority will be to go to a team that’s “in position to win and committed to win. I can’t wait forever.”
The rebuilding Broncos likely do not qualify, at least in the near term.
The Broncos are not expected to use a franchise player tag, and the $15 million, guaranteed salary that comes with it, on Bailey. There have been indications inside the Broncos” Dove Valley complex that while they would like to have a player as decorated as Bailey back, they would not impede him from improving his ability to get to his first Super Bowl.
I you really love the man and have so much respect for what he has done for us, the right thing to do might just be to let him go wherever he feels he can accomplish his wish. At least that’s the way I will rationalize it if he does move on.
But I will always know that Bowlen and Ellis blew it when they freaked out and pulled out of the contract negotiations when Bailey was well on his way of signing it.
In business, it’s all about timing, and in this case the top brasses did not recognize it.
And what would I have on the blackboard today? mmmm, how about that:
“The early bird gets the worm!”
Hahahaha!
Well that good news was short lived. You’d think after the last 3-5 years I’d be used to the disappointment.
Guess Not!