Uncle Sean going for the NFLPA head?

[Matt39]

 

 

  http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/08/sean-gilbert-lays-out-five-options-to-agents/ Sean Gilbert lays out five options to agents

Posted by Mike Florio on April 8, 2014, 10:41 AM EDT

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As current NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith meets with the NFL, his potential successor has been quietly laying the foundation for next year’s effort to claim the office.

Sean Gilbert, a former NFL player, has declared his intention to pursue the job held by Smith since 2009.  At the Scouting Combine, Gilbert met with 25-to-30 agents.  Recently, he sent an email to agents elaborating on some of his ideas and explaining that he’s in the process of drafting a full platform.

His book, The $29 Million Tip, shares some of that platform by advocating for an 18-game season in exchange for three years to free agency.  That has caused some to claim that Gilbert isn’t as committed to player safety as he should be.  Gilbert disputes that contention in his email to agents, a copy of which PFT has obtained.

“I would never negotiate the health and safety of our players,” Gilbert wrote.  “The health and safety of NFL players is priceless and should be respected by both the union and the owners.”

Gilbert continues to be concerned about the financial quality of the current CBA.

“Under Gene Upshaw, the salary cap would have been $157 million this year instead of $133 million. That is a shift of $768 million from players to owners THIS YEAR ALONE,” Gilbert wrote.  “Through the first four years of this Collective Bargaining Agreement, more than $2.5 billion has already shifted from the players to the owners.”

That’s why Gilbert is suggesting that the players should look for a way to pull the plug on the current CBA.  In support of his case for change, he lays out five options.  Here they are, in Gilbert’s words:

1.  Do nothing and wait until after the 2020 League Year.

 

2.  Grovel to the owners, similar to a Player who has outperformed his current contract.

 

3.  Strike – I am NOT advocating this.

 

4.  Termination of the CBA due to Collusion – See Article 69 and Article 17 of the CBA, as well as the last page of my book.

 

5.  Provide a “carrot” that will get the owners to come back to the negotiating table.

Gilbert doesn’t identify an option that he prefers in the email.  But his past comments indicate that he like the idea of terminating the agreement prematurely; his email confirms that the path to ending the contract comes from allegations of collusion.

And while he doesn’t advocate striking now (which would violate the terms of the CBA), scuttling the CBA could be a precursor to a strike.

So why is Gilbert making a pitch directly to agents?  Many of them have been privately griping about the current labor deal since it was signed in August 2011, and they have a direct pipeline to players who can position themselves to become player representatives for one of the 32 teams.

If, in the end, Gilbert places 17 players who would vote for him as representatives for the 2014-15 season, Gilbert will have enough support to win the job.

 

[SouthernJet]

are u sh*tting me,, lord,, this is the guy who in reality maps out Revis's strategy for Revis agents,,revis's blood uncle

[SayNoToDMC]

He's been talking about this for awhile. Revis will be the new model of free agency

[jgb]

"it's not a strike, it's a coordinated hold out"

[RutgersJetFan]

This is adorable.

[Matt39]

He's been talking about this for awhile. Revis will be the new model of free agency

 

I don't see how that would benefit the average player.

[SenorGato]

There is no helping the players in the NFL. Nobody wants to see it happen except for people labeled insane. No matter how blatant and obvious the collusion in this sport is, not enough people actually care and the vast majority of them can be bought or are just plain easily sated by what's offered now.

 

I just can't wait until this sport implodes on itself. I want it to die such an extreme death, but will settle for merely it's fall. The best case scenario for this is probably that more players start acting like Revis, but my guess is extremely few people on the planet (let alone this half tard game) have his combination of balls and talent.

[SenorGato]

I don't see how that would benefit the average player.

 

Unfortunately the average player is probably satisfied with the way things are due to outright stupidity. The league counts on a whole lot of people being complacent idiots, and it works beautifully for them.

 

There is no Marvin Miller coming for NFL players. Someone like Gilbert who will even try to put up a fight is doomed. No one will give a sh*t because they think it has no effect on them....It's just some infuriating sh*t.

[T0mShane]

He'll be Vince Foster'd before he sees a day in office.

[bitonti]

it never fails to surprise me how 31 billionaires and the town of green bay Wisconsin are more sympathetic than 2500+ active players. 

[Klecko73isGod]

There is no helping the players in the NFL. Nobody wants to see it happen except for people labeled insane. No matter how blatant and obvious the collusion in this sport is, not enough people actually care and the vast majority of them can be bought or are just plain easily sated by what's offered now.

 

I just can't wait until this sport implodes on itself. I want it to die such an extreme death, but will settle for merely it's fall. The best case scenario for this is probably that more players start acting like Revis, but my guess is extremely few people on the planet (let alone this half tard game) have his combination of balls and talent.

 

 

Unfortunately the average player is probably satisfied with the way things are due to outright stupidity. The league counts on a whole lot of people being complacent idiots, and it works beautifully for them.

 

There is no Marvin Miller coming for NFL players. Someone like Gilbert who will even try to put up a fight is doomed. No one will give a sh*t because they think it has no effect on them....It's just some infuriating sh*t.

 

Of all the things to worry about in life, I would imagine that the plight of the NFL player is pretty low on most people's lists. For the vast majority of observers, this is a battle of millionaires vs. billionaires that the rest of us all wind up losing. 

 

The worst thing Goodell has done recently is make his statement that "most fans want a team in LA, but it needs to be the right situation." 1. Most fans don't give a sh*t that LA doesn't have a team. 2. "The right situation" means taxpayers paying for a stadium that ends up making a group of billionaires even wealthier. 

 

The two most expensive stadiums ever built are Cowboys Stadium and Metlife Stadium, costing $1.2 and $1.6 billion respectively. Take into account inflation and LA being an expensive place to build and figure a new stadium would cost around $2 billion. That's $62.5 million per owner. ****ers want a team in LA? ****ers need to pay for that stadium - NOT the fans. It'll cost them less than 1/2 of one year's salary cap each and they'll make it all back plus profit in less than 3 years. Cheap, greedy bastards. 

[T0mShane]

Every time Goodell references "the fans," it becomes clearer that he's never actually met a fan.

[JetsFanInDenver]

He cannot do any worse than the current guy who essentially sold out the players in the last deal.

[SouthernJet]

He cannot do any worse than the current guy who essentially sold out the players in the last deal.

Uncle Sean is  a Turd of the highest log-itude

 

Trust me, I am 90% sure there would be a General Players strike within 18-24 months

 

[JetsFanInDenver]

Uncle Sean is  a Turd of the highest log-itude

 

Trust me, I am 90% sure there would be a General Players strike within 18-24 months

 

 

Why ? Because he showed he could make more money for Revis ?

[Sperm Edwards]

Of all the things to worry about in life, I would imagine that the plight of the NFL player is pretty low on most people's lists. For the vast majority of observers, this is a battle of millionaires vs. billionaires that the rest of us all wind up losing. 

 

The worst thing Goodell has done recently is make his statement that "most fans want a team in LA, but it needs to be the right situation." 1. Most fans don't give a sh*t that LA doesn't have a team. 2. "The right situation" means taxpayers paying for a stadium that ends up making a group of billionaires even wealthier. 

 

The two most expensive stadiums ever built are Cowboys Stadium and Metlife Stadium, costing $1.2 and $1.6 billion respectively. Take into account inflation and LA being an expensive place to build and figure a new stadium would cost around $2 billion. That's $62.5 million per owner. ****ers want a team in LA? ****ers need to pay for that stadium - NOT the fans. It'll cost them less than 1/2 of one year's salary cap each and they'll make it all back plus profit in less than 3 years. Cheap, greedy bastards. 

 

Whoa.  What about the sales tax revenue that it "generates"? Don't you know that absent a stadium, those people would have sat at home every game and spent nothing? Everything associated with a new stadium exists in a vacuum.  Employees would have been unemployed.  People buying stuff would have bought nothing.  People building it would have sat around building nothing with all those unused cranes & stuff.  Damn shame if they don't build that L.A. stadium. Damn shame.

 

I'm sure there is some spill-over benefit to the city/state, but I'm also sure it ain't nearly what they calculate it to be.  You want your own stadium?  Go build your own stadium.  But bring your own checkbook.  JMO.

[Sperm Edwards]

Why ? Because he showed he could make more money for Revis ?

 

Encouraging someone to hold out for a higher up-front bonus, and then after getting it, encourage that same under-contract player to hold out? Turd.

[SouthernJet]

Encouraging someone to hold out for a higher up-front bonus, and then after getting it, encourage that same under-contract player to hold out? Turd.

winner winner chicken dinner.  If he gets gig he will employ that philosophy to every 'main' cog player on every team and force owners hands to lockout or see a shutdown form players. Trust me, trust me,,Gilbert will f**k up the game.

[Matt39]

How far ahead is eliminating the stadium all together? 100 years?

[Lizard King]

He'll be Vince Foster'd before he sees a day in office.

Wow.

[Sperm Edwards]

How far ahead is eliminating the stadium all together? 100 years?

 

I'm picturing a small arena with a bunch of iPads doing FaceTime.  Then they pan the camera into the stands and you see a sea of faces on iPads.  

 

And they'll all be watching the robot football players that one of them does (forget whether it's CBS Sports or FOX Sports).  

[Lizard King]

Gilbert's letter to the agents reads like it was written by Malcolm X. Is this really what player representation is going to come to? DeMaurice Smith was a weak fool who thought that cheap parlor tricks intended to gloss over the absence of strategy would work- but to go to the other extreme and consider a Hoffa-esque Thug, is going to backfire tremendously.

[Lizard King]

I'm picturing a small arena with a bunch of iPads doing FaceTime.  Then they pan the camera into the stands and you see a sea of faces on iPads.  

 

And they'll all be watching the robot football players that one of them does (forget whether it's CBS Sports or FOX Sports).  

Right. or better yet, a computer simulated, real life image will be projected to your home. You'll pay $1,000 a year for the privilege, which will be almost pure profit as no human beings are involved whatsoever.

[Matt39]

I'm picturing a small arena with a bunch of iPads doing FaceTime.  Then they pan the camera into the stands and you see a sea of faces on iPads.  

 

And they'll all be watching the robot football players that one of them does (forget whether it's CBS Sports or FOX Sports).  

 

Im sensing your sarcasm...but seriously. The in-game experience blows, all of their money is made through television...I don't see that aspect of the sport improving. The upper deck at Metlife is worthless.

[Sperm Edwards]

Im sensing your sarcasm...but seriously. The in-game experience blows, all of their money is made through television...I don't see that aspect of the sport improving. The upper deck at Metlife is worthless.

 

It's way better at home.

[Matt39]

It's way better at home.

 

Unless its game one or a big game when the Jets are actually good...there's really no point. You can always get tickets if you want to. I'd rather pay for good seats for one good game than have crappy seats for every game.

[Sperm Edwards]

Unless its game one or a big game when the Jets are actually good...there's really no point. You can always get tickets if you want to. I'd rather pay for good seats for one good game than have crappy seats for every game.

 

I used to think that way after I gave up season tickets years ago. Now I think I'll pay for good seats for one good game every 3-4 years instead.  Had enough times watching Pennington not even attempting a pass to an open Moss because he was too far downfield. Ugh.

 

I've been to some great games, but it's just no longer worth the all-day affair that it is. I still watch every game. Just don't go to them.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Encouraging someone to hold out for a higher up-front bonus, and then after getting it, encourage that same under-contract player to hold out? Turd.

 

From a players standpoint the response would be so what ? Its not like the billionaire owner paid Revis more and went bankrupt paying up.

 

I have no sympathies for the owners and the NFL.

 

Look at the NFL settlement for injuries 765 mill. Just how much they save in salaries just this year 768 mill.

 

This new CBA screwed the players. Plain and simple. So if they choose other representation there would be no issues with me.

[dundunit]

Whoa.  What about the sales tax revenue that it "generates"? Don't you know that absent a stadium, those people would have sat at home every game and spent nothing? Everything associated with a new stadium exists in a vacuum.  Employees would have been unemployed.  People buying stuff would have bought nothing.  People building it would have sat around building nothing with all those unused cranes & stuff.  Damn shame if they don't build that L.A. stadium. Damn shame.

 

I'm sure there is some spill-over benefit to the city/state, but I'm also sure it ain't nearly what they calculate it to be.  You want your own stadium?  Go build your own stadium.  But bring your own checkbook.  JMO.

There have been many studies that show the net effect of building a new stadium in a city does not benefit the stadium economically. I remember having to write a paper on it five years ago when I was still in school. It is largely a myth that a new stadium benefits the stadium. Yes it creates jobs, but they are temporary and low paying jobs with high turnover. There are very few people who benefit in the long term from a new stadium and it creates massive costs for the city.

[dundunit]

*benefits the city

[HessStation]

it never fails to surprise me how 31 billionaires and the town of green bay Wisconsin are more sympathetic than 2500+ active players.

Nobody cares about either. But fans want their teams intact.

[Sperm Edwards]

There have been many studies that show the net effect of building a new stadium in a city does not benefit the stadium economically. I remember having to write a paper on it five years ago when I was still in school. It is largely a myth that a new stadium benefits the stadium. Yes it creates jobs, but they are temporary and low paying jobs with high turnover. There are very few people who benefit in the long term from a new stadium and it creates massive costs for the city.

 

You mean benefits the state? You wrote "benefits the stadium" multiple times.  Assuming that's what you meant, it's not surprising.  Things don't exist in a vacuum; where you gain in one area (stadium) you're probably just shuffling around from another area.  Unless literally all the jobs created went to previously-unemployed people (which, as you say, are mostly low paying jobs and temporary at that, meaning the state isn't getting much income tax revenue from them).  And football in particular is 10 games a year.  Sure there are concerts, but L.A. has places to have concerts (or conventions or whatever) with or without a new football stadium.  Construction jobs? Meh. You don't pay to create a $1000 job so you can collect $200 or so on it for one year.

 

If you have a copy, where you did research on it, I'd love to read it.  I promise not to post it anywhere or email it around if you don't want.  But I'd definitely be interested in reading it.  

[Sperm Edwards]

From a players standpoint the response would be so what ? Its not like the billionaire owner paid Revis more and went bankrupt paying up.

 

I have no sympathies for the owners and the NFL.

 

Look at the NFL settlement for injuries 765 mill. Just how much they save in salaries just this year 768 mill.

 

This new CBA screwed the players. Plain and simple. So if they choose other representation there would be no issues with me.

 

What does going bankrupt have to do with anything? It has nothing whatsoever to do with giving a rat's ass about Woody Johnson's checking account. He can go belly up tomorrow and it wouldn't bother me in the least. So framing an argument as though it's about "sympathies for the owners and the NFL" has nothing to do with why I feel that way.  In other words, it's not an answer.

 

I don't like it because it's dishonorable to sign a contract that says "I will play out my contract IF you pay me some of it up front."  And then after getting the up-front money, saying (in effect) "I quit unless you give me more."  Cutting a player early isn't the same, because a player got money up front to compensate in advance.  Also if the player is still performing he will not get cut (or he'll find work paying the same or more from someone else).  If a player gets cut for not being worth $5M anymore, why should someone be forced to pay him $5M?

 

From the players' standpoints, it's not like 99% of these guys were going to become millionaires if not for football, so I don't have a great deal of sympathy for them any more than I have sympathy for the owners.  It's a job. They don't have to take the job if they don't want.  Go fill out a job application like everyone else if playing football and being a celebrity of sorts is too awful.  But don't take someone else's money up front, which everyone knows is advance payment of future services, and then quit. It's slimy, even if we all like the players better than the owners (who few actually like, let alone root for, in comparison).

 

The CBA being less beneficial to the players has nothing to do with it either.  This is about a couple of individuals who hold out, not a whole league full of players who have gotten less than they could have.  Revis holding out for more doesn't benefit the rest of the players.  If anything, it hurts the others, as the needs of the many are being sacrificed for the needs of the few. Spock, for one, would certainly be appalled. 

[JetsFanInDenver]

 

What does going bankrupt have to do with anything? It has nothing whatsoever to do with giving a rat's ass about Woody Johnson's checking account. He can go belly up tomorrow and it wouldn't bother me in the least. So framing an argument as though it's about "sympathies for the owners and the NFL" has nothing to do with why I feel that way.  In other words, it's not an answer.

 

The whole CBA was between owners and players. And i said Woody did not go bankrupt paying more for the player he wanted that means he could afford to pay him. As i said I do not have sympathies for the owners.

 

 

 

I don't like it because it's dishonorable to sign a contract that says "I will play out my contract IF you pay me some of it up front."  And then after getting the up-front money, saying (in effect) "I quit unless you give me more."  Cutting a player early isn't the same, because a player got money up front to compensate in advance.  Also if the player is still performing he will not get cut (or he'll find work paying the same or more from someone else).  If a player gets cut for not being worth $5M anymore, why should someone be forced to pay him $5M?

 

 

Honor or lack of it goes out of the window once lawyers get involved in anything. And it works both ways. Teams do not honor their contracts and there are multiple instances every year where players are asked to restructure and if they dont they are cut away forcing the player to restart the process of seeking employment.

 

Any GM knows that if they pay upfront the risk is always there that a player comes back for more if the player has the leverage. Most don't have the leverage but when they do they hold out. Its the GM fault for agreeing to pay upfront. Its also the GM's fault to being willing to negotiate again. At the end of the day ask any lawyer or GM about a contract and they will tell you if you wanted to prevent something from happening than you should have put it in the contract.

 

 

From the players' standpoints, it's not like 99% of these guys were going to become millionaires if not for football, so I don't have a great deal of sympathy for them any more than I have sympathy for the owners.  It's a job. They don't have to take the job if they don't want.  Go fill out a job application like everyone else if playing football and being a celebrity of sorts is too awful.  But don't take someone else's money up front, which everyone knows is advance payment of future services, and then quit. It's slimy, even if we all like the players better than the owners (who few actually like, let alone root for, in comparison).

 

 

That's a rant i will never understand. First of all these have some skills that has a great market which everyone doesn't and thats why they get paid. That's true for any sport. But just because you are making more than the average guy does not mean they should not want to earn more than they already do specially when their window of playing is very short.

 

 

The CBA being less beneficial to the players has nothing to do with it either.  This is about a couple of individuals who hold out, not a whole league full of players who have gotten less than they could have.  Revis holding out for more doesn't benefit the rest of the players.  If anything, it hurts the others, as the needs of the many are being sacrificed for the needs of the few. Spock, for one, would certainly be appalled.

 

CBA does have everything to do with it. You missed the part of owners saving 2.5 bill in salaries since the start of the CBA and 768 mill just this year. If that money was available the cap would have been a lot higher and nobody would have to sacrifice as you put it.

 

Specific to Revis situation a lot of it was the mismanagement from the JETS GM in not being able to negotiate. You cannot blame a player's representative(s) for knowing their leverage and being great negotiators.

 

 

 

[j4jets]

He should spend a night with the "Iceman Killer".