Report: NFL Players Union Could Be Splitting

by JasonB on Apr 20, 2011 5:18 PM EDT in Philadelphia Eagles News

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 14: If they're unhappy, then we should get together and elect a new executive board," Linebacker Mike Vrabel of the Kansas City Chiefs (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images)

Sports Business Daily is reporting that a group of as many as 70 NFL players could be close to revolting against DeMaurice Smith and the NFLPA by hiring their own lawyer and suing for a seat at the negotiating table. The group is reportedly not looking to stop the current lawsuit, but could be upset with the current strategy of the NFLPA and want the ability to have their own voice during the mediation sessions.

KC Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel, who is a plaintiff in the case and a member of the NFPLA executive committee, told ESPN that he's unaware of any breakaway group and that if the players are unhappy with the job being done by himself and the other union heads, they should elect new ones.

"We all have a seat at the table already. If they're unhappy, then we should get together and elect a new executive board," he said.

The report says that if 75 players agree to the breakaway, the law firm they are working with could file for for an intervention before the week is out. We've written previously about some of the odd decisions made by DeMaurice Smith and the union heads since the start of the lockout and how they've seemingly allowed public sentiment, which was almost unanimously on their side drift to the owners a bit.

ESPN NFL business analyst Andrew Brandt says that he thinks Roger Goodell's letter to the players may have started this rift.

It seems like there's a group of players that maybe Commissioner Goodell got to with that letter in his divide and conquer strategy that may be questioning the direction of the union leadership right now. That's what it appears.

Brandt also says that he expects Judge Nelson to make a ruling on whether to lift the lockout this week.

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Comments

schism

And I wonder if this could lead to a scabs situation like before.

I know its different, but if the players suddenly seem less united, and money becomes an issue, then certainly I’m sure the owners could try to open business in some type of way.

I would like to thank my hands for being so great, for allowing me to type this post.

by corn on the kolb on Apr 20, 2011 5:39 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

There wouldn’t be scabs because the players aren’t striking.

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by JasonB on Apr 20, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

can we be scab owners and pay players to play football

create teams & uniforms
get sponsors
rent soccer stadiums ( or nfl stadiums)

we should just create our own league with a better cba
call it M.L.F. (Major League Football)
JimmyK can be Head of All Football Operations

the players would just have to leave the union

I've been waiting my whole life for an Eagles Championship
R2C2!
RIP JJ

by sports00fan00 on Apr 20, 2011 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

They're already decertified, the work's half done.

13.

by Wiedmann on Apr 20, 2011 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s why I said a scab situation- where some players would play (under unfair owner rules) while others continued to negotiate kind of thing.

I would like to thank my hands for being so great, for allowing me to type this post.

by corn on the kolb on Apr 20, 2011 7:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

lol

RIP Jim Johnson, best ever.
Cam Newton: future QB bust

by Imp on Apr 20, 2011 5:40 PM EDT reply actions

I called this long ago. Smith has too much of an ego. If Upshaw was still alive this would probably get done.

by outsyderz34 on Apr 20, 2011 6:19 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

If Upshaw was still alive this would’ve been solved sometime late in the 2009 season at the latest.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

by wildcatlh on Apr 20, 2011 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

A ruling in favor of the owners this week might be the fastest route to a deal

Maybe it’s best to hope that the judge rules in favor of the Owners right now. I don’t see how you prevent the NFL from closing its doors anyway so that’s not going to hold up on the Appeal. So I think the players might cave in and take the last deal that was put on the table if this ruling doesn’t go their way.

I’m certainly not going to lose sleep over NFL players getting less money. It’s not like the NFL wanted to lower the minimum salary.. they still get their big contracts, go play football!

by cin7 on Apr 20, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions

Agree

If the owners win this suit, I think it’ll be faster to a resolution than if the players win. Owners win, lockout stays, players cave faster. Players win, great, lockout goes away, but still no CBA, owners still don’t give, and players have no reason to starting giving something. I mean it would be great to end the lockout, but with no CBA, there’s still no trades, no signing contracts, no free agency, etc…..

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by SGTSteve on Apr 20, 2011 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions

If the judge ends the lockout

then the owners would be forced to resume normal business, ie free agency, trades, OTAs etc. Rules would be implemented by the league, probably similar to those used last year, while the courts decide on the suits filed by the players. There would be uncertainty about the future, possibly for a very long time, but from a fan’s perspective, football would carry on as normal.

It all depends on whether Judge Nelson issues a stay on her ruling, assuming she finds in favour of the players. If so, then the lockout remains in force until the appeals procedure is exhausted. If not, the doors swing open and normal off-season activities begin.

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by davidbt11 on Apr 20, 2011 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Not necessarily

Judge Nelson can also rule in favour of the players with stay of appeal, meaning that if the owners appeal, which they will, the lockout remains in tact until the appeal courts have their say. This would take another ~2 months.

by Team Serbia on Apr 20, 2011 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Oops

You mentioned that. Disregard!

by Team Serbia on Apr 20, 2011 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Almost unanimously on the player's side?

Maybe on BGN. If you live outside of this blog I found most people have always blamed both but put more onus on the players because they are not the actual owners of the business. At best, it is 50/50 for the average of the US population. It really seems to tilt towards the owners when you poll people at the ages of 35+ Read the comments/voting on PFT. They are decidedly anti-players. Unless you think 2-3 people are “stuffing the ballots” on that site which I am sure is possible. Maybe you have evidence of a US poll that shows otherwise.

by Dawk on Apr 21, 2011 12:37 AM EDT reply actions

You missed the point ...

… By a lot.

He said that DeMaurice’s weird moves had squandered the goodwill the players had and that most people are now pro-owner.

A bunch of y’all fell for the okie-doke when the owners asked for an extra billion, then offered to split it down the middle, making the players look unreasonable for not offering to give up a half-a-bil. Nice PR move, not a good-faith negotiation tactic.

Also I’m not sure I consider PFT a random sampling of NFL fans. Reading the comments there is like dragging for sludge at the bottom of the gene pool.

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Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome

by D3Keith on Apr 21, 2011 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions

This whole situation is starting to make me feel crazy.

by BitterSportsFan on Apr 21, 2011 12:39 AM EDT reply actions

This sets off my BS meter

Even if players were thinking of splintering, they wouldn’t let it leak to the media now, right when they’re about to get a decision from Judge Nelson.

Also I notice no names attached to the 70 or so.

I’m sure not everybody is happy with the leadership, but this is definitely something drummed up and floated by the other side. Thing is, it could work.

Secretary of State for BGN aka "Most diplomatic man on this site," as appointed by Talon Talent
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome

by D3Keith on Apr 21, 2011 1:25 AM EDT reply actions

fuck it

there won’t be a season

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our two Rookie safety’s don’t have to go all Ed Reed-Palamolu-Dawkins-super sayan badass mode to help us win." - W_E
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by number5 on Apr 21, 2011 4:23 AM EDT reply actions

Definitely makes for an interesting off season and exposes the sport to some backlash from fans.

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded. But once mastered, no one can help you as much. - Dhammapada

by Eagladelphia on Apr 21, 2011 4:43 AM EDT reply actions

Football is really weird

because I cannot think of another union which represents guys who earn as much per year as these guys do. It’s almost like a union of CEOs or something. It seems to me that often the interests of the union are contrary to the interests of individual players, even if they are acting in the interest of the players as a whole.

This kind of “prisoner’s delima” game theory is one reason why I think the owners will win. I cannot imagine they did not prepare for any move the NFLPA might eventually make in advance, which means they used game theory as well as legal counsel. There is almost no current NFL player who will be better off if there is no 2011 NFL season than if the players take the deal proposed by the owners. The players are not choosing between $1 Billion this year or $2 Billion this year (or whatever the numbers are), but between $1 Billion this year and $0 this year. That’s an easy choice to make.

Bottom line is this: all of the NFLPA’s eggs are in the legal basket. Unless a federal judge orders the owners to end the lockout and start the season, the owners cannot possibly lose. Since we have not yet in this country progressed to Stalinist Russia, I cannot imagine a judge ordering a private business to start up operations if they do not wish to. It might not be “fair” to the players to take this deal, but life isn’t fair, and they’ll have a lot of money to console themselves with as they feel sorry for themselves.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Apr 21, 2011 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs