NFLPA apparently advising players to plan for an NFL work stoppage of at least one year

[Peace Frog]

7 minutes ago, Hackenberg said:

Lol where have owners ever caved in? The players never get anything but maybe a few more dollars, that the owners have a endless supply of for themselves. Jocks are just meat that's easily replaced. The high turnover of jocks is proof of that. 

 

 

The work stoppage would happen because the PLAYERS caved last time. 

Owners have been bending over the NFLPA for years. 

[Miss Lonelyhearts]

It should also be remembered that the primary thing standing in the way of the NFLPA having representation like Michele Roberts isn't that the rank and file membership is dumber than basketball's (dubious) but rather that Drew Brees is a way bigger piece of sh*t than LeBron James is (fact).

[Peace Frog]

17 minutes ago, Miss Lonelyhearts said:

The owners measure wins and losses in dollars, not by polling the painfully naive.

Painfully naive. 

Can I steal that?

[Ken Schroy]

NFL Players want guaranteed contracts like the MLB players have, not going to happen.

I don't think owners go above the 47% they are at now.

Owners will throw them the marijuana bone. If the players demand either of the first 2, long stoppage. 

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

3 hours ago, Peace Frog said:

So we’re only winning 2 SBs before the strike?

If the Jets are favorites to win the SB in 2021 it's almost guaranteed there will be no season - LOL

[Jets Voice of Reason]

17 minutes ago, Ken Shroy said:

NFL Players want guaranteed contracts like the MLB players have, not going to happen.

I don't think owners go above the 47% they are at now.

Owners will throw them the marijuana bone. If the players demand either of the first 2, long stoppage. 

What’s amazing is that the last time they so thoroughly ****ed their future peers with the rookie wage scale and the high end talent by retaining the franchise tag that i’m not sure what financial incentive they can even bargain the owners with this time.

This at a time where tv rights went bonkers and we have had basically an unprecedented cap era with diminished costs advancing so aggressively that not many teams have had even the slightest cap trouble the last five years and free agency is so barren because the franchise tag kills it. 

 

[Bleedin Green]

3 hours ago, Jets Voice of Reason said:

They did this last CBA and summarily caved on the franchise tag and rookie wage scale in favor of short sighted restrictions on two a days and voluntary OTAs and limited training camp practices. 

 

Well they didn't particularly "cave" on the rookie wage scale.  The players were fully in favor of that too, as they were all about sacrificing future players in negotiations for the benefit of those in the league at the time, as it ultimately meant a higher percentage of the cap going to them.

However, I do agree that after all the big talk by NFLPA, all they ended up holding out for were less practices, which has really resulted in nothing more than lots of examples of pretty awful performances to open the season, and absolutely nowhere close to any degree of health improvements that were mythically claimed to come with it.

In the end, both sides better get their crap together before it all falls apart again, because if any of this results in a lack of football, no paying fans will be feeling any great sympathy for either the billionaires or millionaires who are arguing over our money.  Otherwise, XFL might find themselves with much better timing than AAF if the NFL starts this crap immediately after that.

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

The last CBA hurt the game by reducing practices - as mentioned above the play on the field to start the season is bad - also agree with all the fans would be as tolerant as before

If the NCAA starts paying players that could really change the dynamic, how many players stay and play longer?  Is there an age limit for schools?

NCAA has been around longer than the NFL, the NC playoffs couple be expanded, how much would the NFL version of the sport be in demand after that?

  

 

 

[Jetster]

What's crazy about a work stoppage is that there would be more people out of work outside of the NFL than inside the NFL. There are SO MANY peripheral jobs associated with the NFL especially in the Fantasy Football business. 

If it wasn't for Fantasy Football the kneeling controversy would have had much more of an affect in viewership than it did. A work stoppage would alienate all those Fantasy nerds. The NFL already has the problem of the cheating Patriots dominating the sport. The entire country can't stand that team, and are tired of seeing them every year for 18 years now. 

I think there will be a stoppage because it's the only way they can get these billionaire owners to budge on anything. The owners have always owned the hammer. Football players aren't mental giants & the haves (guys that have always made tons of cash i.e.Drew Brees) will talk young guys with maybe 3 year careers to strike & give up 1/3 of their pro income. 

While most fans adore Drew Brees, no other NFL athlete has sucked more % of the teams salary cap than Drew. Without the GREAT drafting that Saints team can't compete. That's why they've only won 1 Super Bowl with Drew. Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, the All pro CB, that won't be able to keep that team together. Let's pray Sam & his agent don't play the Brees game on his contract because without a couple of outstanding drafts, we'll have zero chance of winning a Super Bowl.

[Scott Dierking]

13 hours ago, k-met57 said:

 

Such bullsh*t. Hello Mr Free spending, overpaid athlete....please start being frugal with your money starting today....good luck!!

When will the players learn? You can’t win vs the billionaires.





 

 

Just ask the baseball players in the 70's. They fought for what they wanted and came up empty ?.

Although baseball union has a lot of work to do again.

This is early posturing, as there always is in any sport labor contract. Early salvos.

[Smashmouth]

13 hours ago, RutgersJetFan said:

Worst thing that can happen for football now. It feels like we’re in a transitional period for a whole lot of people actually giving a sh*t anymore about this league, not even putting out a product would be one heck of a mistake. 

Yeah that was pretty obvious at the draft where 9 billion people showed up

[Fantasy Island]

13 hours ago, Peace Frog said:

Owners can afford to miss a year’s worth of income. 

The rank and file players can’t. 

And because of the injury factor that year’s worth of salary is money many of them will never make back. 

Its not baseball where you just tack on a year to the end of your career. 

 

Leveon Bell says hi, lol.

[sec101row23]

7 hours ago, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

The last CBA hurt the game by reducing practices - as mentioned above the play on the field to start the season is bad - also agree with all the fans would be as tolerant as before

If the NCAA starts paying players that could really change the dynamic, how many players stay and play longer?  Is there an age limit for schools?

NCAA has been around longer than the NFL, the NC playoffs couple be expanded, how much would the NFL version of the sport be in demand after that?

  

 

 

Paying college players would have zero affect on the NFL.   You only have 4 years of eligibility and can’t declare for the draft until you are 3 years removed from high school.   It’s only an extra year, sometimes 2 if they were redshirted, that they could stay.  

[Peace Frog]

1 minute ago, Fantasy Island said:

Leveon Bell says hi, lol.

One guy that has already made a ton of money says hi, lol

[Fantasy Island]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

What's crazy about a work stoppage is that there would be more people out of work outside of the NFL than inside the NFL. There are SO MANY peripheral jobs associated with the NFL especially in the Fantasy Football business. 

If it wasn't for Fantasy Football the kneeling controversy would have had much more of an affect in viewership than it did. A work stoppage would alienate all those Fantasy nerds. The NFL already has the problem of the cheating Patriots dominating the sport. The entire country can't stand that team, and are tired of seeing them every year for 18 years now. 

I think there will be a stoppage because it's the only way they can get these billionaire owners to budge on anything. The owners have always owned the hammer. Football players aren't mental giants & the haves (guys that have always made tons of cash i.e.Drew Brees) will talk young guys with maybe 3 year careers to strike & give up 1/3 of their pro income. 

While most fans adore Drew Brees, no other NFL athlete has sucked more % of the teams salary cap than Drew. Without the GREAT drafting that Saints team can't compete. That's why they've only won 1 Super Bowl with Drew. Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, the All pro CB, that won't be able to keep that team together. Let's pray Sam & his agent don't play the Brees game on his contract because without a couple of outstanding drafts, we'll have zero chance of winning a Super Bowl.

I hope the NFLPA only has one demand:  Roger Goodell has to step down and be replaced with a Commissioner approved by owners and players.

[Peace Frog]

3 minutes ago, Fantasy Island said:

I hope the NFLPA only has one demand:  Roger Goodell has to step down and be replaced with a Commissioner approved by owners and players.

Should the owners have a say in who heads up the NFLPA?

Why should the players have any say in who effectively heads up the owners. 

Besides, if that’s what the players bargain for instead of monetary issues they are dumber than I thought. 

 

[Jetsfan80]

14 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

The only positive that could come out of this is that Brady probably would retire rather than come back after taking an entire season off.

It would also be a strong argument against giving Robby Anderson a lengthy extension.  Imagine how much trouble he can get in with a year off from football?

[Jetsfan80]

13 hours ago, whodeawhodat said:

This... You have billionaires on one hand and athletes with how much of a window to make their career earning as a pro? 4 years? 8 years if you are really good?  We talk about 29 yo running back being done after tearing up the league for 6 years.   What I would like to see is rookie contracts go up and a cap on salaries.  Don't they do that in basket ball, I hear about max contracts.

I agree with max contracts, but only for QB's.  It's bad for the game when QB's are making such a high % of the cap that the rest of your roster is made up with guys who should be driving UPS trucks.

[Jetsfan80]

12 hours ago, Kevin L said:

People say this every time there's a stoppage, and yet the players get concessions every time.

Ultimately, this is a player's league, because they're the guys generating the money.

The owners will cave, as they always do.

Concessions like what?  The players gave up on revenue in exchange for fewer practices and rookies getting a lower % of the pie.  Any "victories" the players get in these CBA negotiations are hollow ones, while the owners continue to get richer. 

Oh and btw, all the new rookie wage scale did was entice owners to use up players (especially RB's) on their rookie deals then collude to not pay them fair market value on their 2nd contracts.  The owners adjusted, as intelligent economists always do. 

[Jetsfan80]

11 hours ago, Hackenberg said:

Lol where have owners ever caved in? The players never get anything but maybe a few more dollars, that the owners have a endless supply of for themselves. Jocks are just meat that's easily replaced. The high turnover of jocks is proof of that.

 

And unlike the NHL or NBA, there's no other option.  You can make decent money playing in Europe if you're a hockey or basketball player.  The CFL payscale is a joke. 

[Jetsfan80]

11 hours ago, Miss Lonelyhearts said:

It should also be remembered that the primary thing standing in the way of the NFLPA having representation like Michele Roberts isn't that the rank and file membership is dumber than basketball's (dubious) but rather that Drew Brees is a way bigger piece of sh*t than LeBron James is (fact). 

Oh hell yes.  Drew Brees tried to pretend he was the man of the people during the last CBA.  A QB pretending to care about the plight of a rotational defensive lineman or a RB with a 3-year career window was a complete joke.  Meanwhile he had nothing good to say during the kneeling years. 

[Jetsfan80]

11 hours ago, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

If the Jets are favorites to win the SB in 2021 it's almost guaranteed there will be no season - LOL

It'll be like the 1994 Montreal Expos all over again. 

[Jets Voice of Reason]

7 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I agree with max contracts, but only for QB's.  It's bad for the game when QB's are making such a high % of the cap that the rest of your roster is made up with guys who should be driving UPS trucks.

Agreed. With the Russell deal and Cousins deal we're finally seeing teams getting into cap trouble again because contracts are finally catching up to the cap space. But who knows, by the time this is relevant league-wide we might see the cap expand again anyways.

The line in the sand for the players should really be guaranteed contracts and eliminating the franchise tag, but I fully expect the players to crumble again at some point and probably claim a moral victory over some concession that benefits current players and the ones who have already made their money.

[Jets Voice of Reason]

8 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

And unlike the NHL or NBA, there's no other option.  You can make decent money playing in Europe if you're a hockey or basketball player.  The CFL payscale is a joke. 

And people wonder why the NFL doesn't support a minor league feeder system. When you're a legalized monopoly, why invite anything remotely competitive?

[Jetsfan80]

2 minutes ago, Jets Voice of Reason said:

Agreed. With the Russell deal and Cousins deal we're finally seeing teams getting into cap trouble again because contracts are finally catching up to the cap space. But who knows, by the time this is relevant league-wide we might see the cap expand again anyways.

The line in the sand for the players should really be guaranteed contracts and eliminating the franchise tag, but I fully expect the players to crumble again at some point and probably claim a moral victory over some concession that benefits current players and the ones who have already made their money. 

 

Fully guaranteed contracts will never happen.  The NFLPA can never hope to get their sh*t together to rival the MLBPA.  And the owners aren't dumb.  They know how dangerous it is to pay players huge money they can never get back when season-ending injuries still happen all the time.  The only position they'll consider giving fully guaranteed money to is QB's. 

[Jetsfan80]

3 minutes ago, Jets Voice of Reason said:

And people wonder why the NFL doesn't support a minor league feeder system. When you're a legalized monopoly, why invite anything remotely competitive? 

Remember when the USFL "won" its case against the NFL and got.....One dollar?  The courts agreed that the NFL is a monopoly, and universally said "However, we don't give a sh*t." 

[Bleedin Green]

8 minutes ago, Jets Voice of Reason said:

Agreed. With the Russell deal and Cousins deal we're finally seeing teams getting into cap trouble again because contracts are finally catching up to the cap space. But who knows, by the time this is relevant league-wide we might see the cap expand again anyways.

The line in the sand for the players should really be guaranteed contracts and eliminating the franchise tag, but I fully expect the players to crumble again at some point and probably claim a moral victory over some concession that benefits current players and the ones who have already made their money.

 

4 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

 

Fully guaranteed contracts will never happen.  The NFLPA can never hope to get their sh*t together to rival the MLBPA.  And the owners aren't dumb.  They know how dangerous it is to pay players huge money they can never get back when season-ending injuries still happen all the time.  The only position they'll consider giving fully guaranteed money to is QB's. 

Fully guaranteed contracts would require a complete restructuring of the current salary cap to even be possible, and of course the owners would still be against it. The truth is, if that were to happen, all you'd see is absolutely no willingness league-wide to give anything slightly long term to anyone but QBs and the most truly elite players in the league. 

[Jetsfan80]

2 minutes ago, Bleedin Green said:

 

Fully guaranteed contracts would require a complete restructuring of the current salary cap to even be possible, and of course the owners would still be against it. The truth is, if that were to happen, all you'd see is absolutely no willingness league-wide to give anything slightly long term to anyone but QBs and the most truly elite players in the league. 

Yep.  2-year contracts will become the new craze.  The few players who like "betting on themselves" and don't mind moving from city to city throughout their careers will be happy.  The rest, not so much.

[Scott Dierking]

20 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Remember when the USFL "won" its case against the NFL and got.....One dollar?  The courts agreed that the NFL is a monopoly, and universally said "However, we don't give a sh*t." 

Not entirely true. Yes, the NFL was ruled as a monopoly.

The problem was, the jury struggled mightily with determining damages. That was a source of a lot of deliberation by the jurors, so they thought they would take the easy way out, settle on $1 and then allow the judge to fairly determine damages. What the jury failed to realize is that the judge was powerless in determining damages, and the court had to go with the jury's amount.

[CanadaSteve]

15 hours ago, Mike135 said:

Sure they can.  And planning for it now is how they do it.

Yeah, its worked throughout history so very well.  I'm SURE it will be different for the players sitting at home in their own mansions.

[Kevin L]

51 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Concessions like what?  The players gave up on revenue in exchange for fewer practices and rookies getting a lower % of the pie.  Any "victories" the players get in these CBA negotiations are hollow ones, while the owners continue to get richer. 

Oh and btw, all the new rookie wage scale did was entice owners to use up players (especially RB's) on their rookie deals then collude to not pay them fair market value on their 2nd contracts.  The owners adjusted, as intelligent economists always do. 

They got a reduced workload and an increase in benefits. Pretty sweet concessions.

[bitonti]

15 hours ago, k-met57 said:

 When will the players learn? You can’t win vs the billionaires.

 

12 hours ago, Hackenberg said:

Lol where have owners ever caved in? The players never get anything but maybe a few more dollars, that the owners have a endless supply of for themselves. Jocks are just meat that's easily replaced. The high turnover of jocks is proof of that. 

There's a path where they can win 

it's called the XFL

the only reason why billionaires have all the leverage is because there's no competition

a work stoppage seems like the perfect time to start a competitor league 

guys with TB12 level contracts won't participate but that leaves like 90% of the league to choose from 

[JoJoTownsell1]

15 hours ago, Mike135 said:

Good thinking.  If players are prepped and ready for a year or two of not playing, really gives the NFLPA a huge advantage.

If the owners know the players are ready to sit for years, should hopefully help negotiations go smoothly.

If the owners think they have the upper hand on the players however, we could be without football for a while.

Yeah, half these players are broke a year after they leave the NFL  you actually think they will be tucking money away in case of a strike? Half of these guys have 3 year careers, at best. The NFLPA is weak for a reason. 

[CanadaSteve]

There is an easy fix with this, part of which was put forth by Bob Costas YEARS ago to fix baseball:

1) One player on offense that you can pay whatever you want NO charge against the salary cap (Lets be honest, it will be your QB)

2) One player on defense that you can pay whatever you want NO charge against the salary cap

Set a strict salary cap from there.

All salaries are guaranteed

Maximum length of a contract: 2 years.  This gets owners out of bad contracts, and saves all the issues with trying to figure out 'cap friendly' deals and having to worry about spreading out guaranteed money over long periods of time.

Salaries are NEVER to go over 50 percent of income (which I still think is too high, but guarantees ownership with a set labor cost)

More money towards player retirement and health care

  

[slats]

15 hours ago, Peace Frog said:

Owners can afford to miss a year’s worth of income. 

The rank and file players can’t. 

And because of the injury factor that year’s worth of salary is money many of them will never make back. 

Its not baseball where you just tack on a year to the end of your career. 

 

Wanted to say exactly this. Neither side wants a work stoppage. 

The plight of Le'Veon Bell should be a warning to the entire league. His self-imposed year off probably cost him $20M that he'll never see. He put on a brave face saying he has no regrets, but I'm sure he's overrun with regret. In a league where the average career is three years and the NFL minimum salary is @ $500K, that's a lot of money for a bottom of the roster guy to lose. 

Conversely, the owners have TV contracts coming up in 2021, '22, and '24. They want labor peace going into those negotiations. Anything they give the players, they can go back to the networks and try to get it back from them in short order. The owners aren't hurting for money, but they might if they decide to damage the brand. 

I think this union email is largely designed to get the players ready to accept a deal. Once you start thinking about losing a year's pay, you start being more willing to make concessions to remain employed.