NFL Offseson 2006

[wip5150]

This whole labor issue is just burning me up. I get the fact that everyone wants more of the scratch that the NFL produces but both labor and management's views are so myopic it's pathetic.

Guys, it's a $3.2B a year industry divided amgonst approximately 4,000 participants (players, management, coaches, league office, etc.).

Can't we all just get along????

[Wolfman]

This disgusts me about every sport that it happens in ... which is pretty much all of them. From one year to the next, one sporting league is having trouble with "labor" issues. The quotation marks I put around labor are to signify sarcasm and mockery, in case that isn't obvious.

As far as players go - I'll gladly switch places with any of these guys that gets to paid to play a game for a living. Furthermore, earning at the very least ten times more a year than I may make in my lifetime. If they want to piss and moan about league minimums, let 'em stand in the shoes of one of us Average Joe's for a little bit.

I won't even talk about these richer than dirt owners that toss money around like water for the sake of winning and then complain about salary caps.




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[Guwapo]

The problem is the unions right Carmine?

[3fingers]

Somewhere along the line...people stopped playing for the love of the game and lost something in the process. It is too much about the dollars for sports in general imo.

[SteveS235]

Owners approve six-year CBA extension

NFL.com wire reports

GRAPEVINE, Texas (March 8, 2006) -- Labor peace was restored to the NFL when the owners agreed to the players union's proposal, extending the collective bargaining agreement for six years.

There were no further details on the agreement, or whether it includes expanded revenue sharing.

The vote was 30-2, with Buffalo and Cincinnati, two low-revenue teams, voting against the extension.

Free agency, put off twice by the protracted negotiations between the owners and players, now will start at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

"It was a good compromise," said Jim Irsay, owner of low-revenue Indianapolis. "We're happy with it -- 30-2 is a good vote."

The agreement comes after a week of on-again, off-again negotiations, culminating in a two-day owners meeting.

No agreement wouldn't have meant a work stoppage -- at least not for the next two years -- but it would have sent teams scrambling to get under a $94.5 million salary cap. That would have put a number of veterans on the street and it would've also limited the amount of money available for other free agents. And it would've led to an uncapped year in 2007.

Now the cap is expected to go up by as much as $10 million with an extension of the CBA in place.

The real debate was between the owners themselves on the important issue of expanded revenue sharing.

The revenue debate involves low-income teams such as Buffalo, Cincinnati and Indianapolis who say high-revenue teams -- Dallas, Washington and Philadelphia, for instance -- should contribute proportionately to the player pool because they can earn far more in nonfootball income such as advertising and local radio rights.

Those high-revenue teams might contribute only 10 percent of their outside money compared with 50 percent or more for low-revenue teams.

"Some teams are contributing a little more than others," Redskins owner Dan Synder said. "This is really a win-win."

Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association, has insisted throughout more than a year of negotiations that the division between owners must be resolved before agreement could be reached on a contract extension.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service


** Post Edited to add more to the story **

[TopJimmy78]

I figured I would go ahead and start and offseason thread with free agency under way and the draft next month, so lets keep all of the NFL talk in this thread for now



Edit: I Merged a couple of the other NFL threads inot this one

[wip5150]

Great idea TJ!!

All I know is I'm going to be PISSED if the Cowboys sign TO. I can't stand the rat bastard and I'd rather see the boys in silver and blue lose than win with TO.

Please Tuna, nut up and tell Jerry NO!!

[TopJimmy78]

Originally Posted by wip5150

Great idea TJ!!

All I know is I'm going to be PISSED if the Cowboys sign TO. I can't stand the rat bastard and I'd rather see the boys in silver and blue lose than win with TO.

Please Tuna, nut up and tell Jerry NO!!

Well if anyone can reign T.O. in Wip it is the Tuna, if they can keep T.O.'s attitude and ego in check he would instantly make the Cowboys much better, I mean look at how much better Philly played with him than and what a much better record they had with him than without him last season, if he could just keep his attitude and ego in check man T.O. could make them very dangerous next season.

[Guwapo]

This could be great.....this could be ugly!!!!

Associated Press


IRVING, Texas -- Jerry Jones was finishing yet another explanation of why he thinks Terrell Owens will be on his best behavior with the Dallas Cowboys when his new star receiver chimed in.

"Jerry, I know what's expected of me," Owens said. "I won't let you down."

The Cowboys sure hope so, especially since they didn't get it in writing.

The receiver who has proven he can wreak havoc on or off the field signed a three-year, $25 million contract with Dallas on Saturday. The deal includes a $5 million bonus and $5 million salary this season, but no added penalties should Owens pull any of the stunts that caused so many problems for his two previous teams, the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

His relationship with the Eagles soured only months after he led them to the Super Bowl, leading to a bitter breakup that ended with his release Tuesday.

"It's more than his word, it's about logic," Jones said. "This is an opportunity for him to basically put it all together and come in here and have a very positive experience. ... Whoever got him after those two experiences was going to get a more knowledgeable and educated player."


Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Jones never requested anything beyond a standard NFL contract. Jones might not have wanted to bring it up considering Rosenhaus said there were six other teams also aggressively seeking Owens.

"There was so much interest in Terrell, there was no reason to do anything but that kind of deal," Rosenhaus said.

After his windfall this season, Owens will get salaries of $8 million in 2007 and $7 million in 2008. All told, it's a lot more than he would've made under the contract with Philadelphia that began his bad blood with the organization.

"All's well that ends well," Rosenhaus said. "He's a big, big winner and so are the Dallas Cowboys."

Jones said team officials began kicking around the idea of acquiring Owens in November, once it was apparent he wouldn't be back with the Eagles. They interviewed his friends and enemies, then talked extensively to him before deciding he was a risk worth taking.

"The more we looked, the more we became convinced he'd be a good fit," team vice president Stephen Jones said.

There's no questioning his talent -- Owens has consistently put up statistics the Cowboys have lacked since Michael Irvin was in the prime of his career in the mid-1990s.

It's his attitude that's an issue. Owens has badmouthed his last two quarterbacks even though both were Pro Bowl players, squabbled with coaches and gotten angry at his bosses for not properly celebrating personal milestones such as his 100th career touchdown.

"I'm going in with my eyes wide open," said his newest quarterback, Drew Bledsoe. "I know there have been some issues. But at the same time, going forward from here, I don't see how it helps us to dwell on some of the stuff that's gone on in the past."

Owens will join a locker room lacking veteran leaders who might be able to keep him in check. Captains Dan Campbell and Dat Nguyen already are gone, as is La'Roi Glover, another calming influence.

But Owens, who has been away from the team setting since November, vowed he won't need any help getting along, saying he's had plenty of time to think about the problems he's caused.

"I'm going to put those things behind me," Owens said. "They can only make a man stronger, wiser. For me, that's what it's done. I'll be a better teammate, a better person, a better man in life."

Perhaps the biggest test of that will be his relationship with his new coach, Bill Parcells.

The two have spoken only by telephone. Parcells missed the news conference Saturday because he was in Florida. Don't read anything into it, though, because Parcells hasn't attended any news conferences for free-agent signings since joining the club three-plus years ago.

"Bill is very much on the page here, very much," Jones insisted. "We're not just in the business here of walking problems through the door to create challenges. We've got enough on our own."

Jones also tried to douse speculation that Owens' arrival could hasten Parcells' departure.

"I don't think it's fair to say if this doesn't work, Bill's not going to be here to live with it," said Jones, who in January gave Parcells a raise and an extension through 2007. "I don't think it's going to have any bearing at all to how long Bill is going to be here."

Part of the gamble with Owens coming to Dallas is whether fans will embrace him. Many are still bitter about the September 2000 game when, while playing for the 49ers, Owens celebrated each of two touchdown catches at Texas Stadium by running to the team's star logo at midfield. Safety George Teague secured a spot in team lore by decking Owens after the second one.

Then, on a Monday night game in 2004 best remembered for his pregame skit with a "Desperate Housewives" actress, Owens celebrated another score by tapping on a logo in the end zone.

Owens said he and Jones already have discussed his future TD celebrations. With an arm on Jones' back, he smiled wide and said, "I will embrace the star."

Until the Eagles banished him after nine games last season, Owens had at least 75 receptions and 1,100 yards receiving in five straight seasons. The last time a Cowboys receiver hit both figures in one season was Irvin in 1997.

Irvin and Owens are good enough friends that they spoke before Owens decided to join the Cowboys. Irvin is so happy for his pal and his former team that he said, "This move for Dallas put them -- and I'll say it -- in the Super Bowl."

That's quite a leap considering the Cowboys were 9-7 last season. They've missed the playoffs the last two years and haven't won a playoff game in nine years.

[billandgitana]

The Dolphins' plan is for Culpepper to take over for Gus Frerotte, who backed up Culpepper in Minnesota and guided Miami to a 9-7 season last year.
Do you think this is a wise move on Miami's part?

[billandgitana]

maybe Rikki WIlliams can supply the Boat Parties down in Miami

[billandgitana]

Who do you think will sign the infamous Terrell Owens?
I am leaning towards Dallas Cowboys to sign him as they have let Keyshaun Johnson go...clearing up some Salary room...

[Wolfman]

I get the feeling Dallas is orchestrating a welcome mat for T.O. with the release of Keyshawn too.

As a Dallas fan, I hope they don't though. I like to win, but not at "all costs", such as having a controversial, egotistic, selfish pain in the ass on your roster. Does the name Michael Irvin ring a bell?? Hello??? Is this thing on???


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[billandgitana]

Michael Irvin is one of T.O.'s biggest supporters....
I think TO has the play making ability but lacks all disipline just like a previous recievers in the past ei johnson,irvin,
I dont think the coaching staff nor the city of Dallas is ready for T.O.
butif they are winning they will probably accept it...

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by billandgitana

Michael Irvin is one of T.O.'s biggest supporters....

Yeah - go figure, huh? LOL!

I agree with everything you are saying, and that's what scares me about this whole thing. I'd like to see Dallas get back to their early 1990's form, and moves like this will only set them back, IMO.

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