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NFLPA's Smith Meets with influential Owners Secretly near Chicago


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NFLPA's Smith meets with influential owners secretly near Chicago

Commissioner also on hand, presumably to talk about labor impasse

By Brad Biggs, Tribune Reporter

8:09 a.m. CDT, June 2, 2011

A week after NFL owners wrapped up their annual spring meeting in Indianapolis, a small group of them gathered in a western suburb of Chicago and reportedly huddled with NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith in advance of Friday's scheduled court hearing.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft was spotted Wednesday boarding his private jet at DuPage Airport, a little less than 24 hours after arriving, sources told the Tribune. Also present during a full-day stakeout was the jet belonging to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, an unmistakable Gulfstream model with a star on each side of the tail.

Sources said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also arrived in West Chicago via private jet Tuesday, and Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was believed to be present, the sources said. The NFL office was unable to provide any details. Airport officials cited a confidentiality policy in declining to reveal information.

Where the men most involved in the owners' end of strategy convened is unknown but surely the NFL's protracted labor situation was the reason for their gathering. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, there was a face-to-face meeting with Smith and other union officials, which would mark the first time in weeks that the two sides have had talks.

ESPN reports that the meeting was so secret, some NFL owners weren't aware it was taking place. Other owners in attendance reportedly were the Giants' John Mara and the Steelers' Art Rooney.

Kraft was not available for questions as the SUV he was in delivered him to the stairwell of his aircraft.

The U.S. 8th Circuit Court in St. Louis will have a hearing Friday involving the lockout. Reports last week were owners are confident they will prevail. The lockout is grinding toward a third month and Goodell acknowledged to reporters last week that "it's clearly had an impact on our fans already."

bmbiggs@tribune.com

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Can picture Jerry Richardson saying or doing something remarkably and stupidly racist to bollix this up. And Goodell sitting there drooling like the Special Ed kid he has always been.

I just don't understand how if this was a secret meeting that not even all owners knew about, how the hell did Richardson end up there? Shouldn't he have been #1 on the "Do Not Tell" list?

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Can picture Jerry Richardson saying or doing something remarkably and stupidly racist to bollix this up. And Goodell sitting there drooling like the Special Ed kid he has always been.

Sorry but retards have been added to the list of people we're not allowed to make fun of

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Sorry but retards have been added to the list of people we're not allowed to make fun of

Mom was a Special Ed teacher.

No matter-can we get an excpetion for Goodell? He called the lockout, not SMith.

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Mom was a Special Ed teacher.

No matter-can we get an excpetion for Goodell? He called the lockout, not SMith.

Geez are we going to go thru this again. Yes, but Smith walked away from the negociating table leaving no other options ect.

They are both idiots. Is idiots allowed? Or do they have a lobbying group to?

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Can picture Jerry Richardson saying or doing something remarkably and stupidly racist to bollix this up. And Goodell sitting there drooling like the Special Ed kid he has always been.

Richardson: ...and that's what YOU PEOPLE don't understand!

De Smith: Did you just say, "YOU people"?

Goodell: (whispering to Jerry Jones) What should I do?

Jerry Jones: Show disgust.

Goodell: (to everyone) I'm showing disgust here!

Jones: Like you mean it. With feeling.

Goodell: I'M SHOWING A LOT OF DISGUST HERE!

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