Daily News: T-Rich Hopeful about Lockout

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New York Jets' Tony Richardson, D'Brickashaw Ferguson hopeful for NFL lockout resolution

BY Kevin Armstrong

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

As well-to-do fans of the Giants and Jets placed their bids on memorabilia at a silent auction inside salons off the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel's Grand Ballroom Tuesday night, Jets fullback Tony Richardson was questioned about the NFL's lockout.

"There's never any resentment," said Richardson, who was being honored by the United Way for his charitable work along with Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty at the 18th annual Gridiron Gala.

"(Monday) was a big day, but we have to see this through. It's a process."

On Monday, the three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis voted 2-1 to turn the temporary stay it granted on April 29 into a permanent stay, keeping the lockout in place pending the NFL's June 3 appeal.

Adding to the labor battle Tuesday, NFL owners and players in Minneapolis wrapped up another round of court-ordered mediation without any sign of a new agreement.

Officials and attorneys for both sides left the federal courthouse and said they'd return before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan on June 7.

Richardson and Jets offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson maintain they are hopeful things will be resolved soon.

"We're doing everything in our powers to be prepared whenever we're told to come back," Ferguson said.

Richardson, 39, will be a free agent when a new labor deal is reached. He entered the league 17 seasons ago as an undrafted free agent and recognizes the uncertainty that rookies not selected in the draft will face due to time lost in the spring that would typically be spent preparing for the season.

"If Mark Sanchez didn't get right into the playbook with coaches after being drafted then there's no way we would have made back-to-back AFC Championship Games," Richardson said. "Fortunately we haven't missed any games. This hurts everyone, not just the players and the owners. We know others are affected."

Richardson believes it is his role as a veteran to help rookies ease into the Jets way, even though he recognizes that the organization could part ways with him once free agency begins.

For one night, though, members of both local teams made their way into the same rooms and sat among each other across Park Ave. from the National Football League offices.

"It's business," Richardson said. "At the end of the day a deal needs to be struck.

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T-Rich still envisions football in '11

May, 18, 2011

May 18

9:10

AM ET

By Rich Cimini

Tony Richardson admitted that Monday's decision by the Eighth Court of Appeals to uphold the NFL lockout was a "big step" backward for the players, but the Jets' fullback -- a member of the former NFLPA's executive committee -- remains optimistic that there will be a season.

"The decision pushes things back, and it was a big step," Richardson told Newsday and the New York Daily News Tuesday night at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan, where he and the Giants' Chris Canty were honored at the annual Gridiron Gala to benefit the United Way. "But I'm believing there's going to be football. There's a process, and we don't quite know what this thing is going to look like. We just have to keep fighting and see how this thing plays out."

Right now, the owners have the leverage, thanks to Monday's decision. Many legal experts have said that the court's wording in the ruling is so pro-owners that it appears the owners also are likely to win their appeal of the injunction that temporarily lifted the lockout -- and that appeal begins June 3. If the owners win that round, it could blow up the season -- unless the two sides agree to a deal.

In the meantime, no minicamps, no OTAs. Basically, the offseason as we know it is shot. A decision on the appeal isn't expected until mid to late June, so even if the players were to win, it would be too late to have anything close to a normal offseason. There would have to be free agency and, by the time that finished, it would almost be time to go to training camp.

"It's a process, and yes, it's hurting a lot of people," Richardson said. "We're trying to get back on the field as fast as we can.''

How does it hurt the players? Richardson mentioned the rookies and undrafted players, who can't be signed until the lockout is over. He also mentioned Jets QB Mark Sanchez.

"If he would have been in this situation (last year), there's no way he would have gone to back-to-back AFC Championship Games," he said, alluding to all the time Sanchez spent with coaches last offseason. "This is going to slow the growth of a lot of players.''

[bitonti]

the fans want OTAs but you know who doesn't? the players

ditto training camp. i hated 2 a days in high school i can only imagine what doing 2 a days in the NFL is like

the players are not in a rush to get rolled over so they can hurry back and workout twice a day. certainly not the vets.

[PatriotReign37]

the fans want OTAs but you know who doesn't? the players

ditto training camp. i hated 2 a days in high school i can only imagine what doing 2 a days in the NFL is like

the players are not in a rush to get rolled over so they can hurry back and workout twice a day. certainly not the vets.

But a lot of players are out of money and only way they paid more by the NFL is going back to work.

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the fans want OTAs but you know who doesn't? the players

ditto training camp. i hated 2 a days in high school i can only imagine what doing 2 a days in the NFL is like

the players are not in a rush to get rolled over so they can hurry back and workout twice a day. certainly not the vets.

Yeah I hate going to work in the 100 degree Florida sun, but if I want to eat, got to go