NFL Union to Players: Prepare for lockout

[mgoblue2290]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5882717

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The NFL players' union is advising its members to prepare for a lockout it expects to come in March, telling players to save their last three game checks this year in case there is no season in 2011.

In a letter to the players that was seen by The Associated Press, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said the union had an "internal deadline" for agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement.

"That deadline has now passed," he wrote. "It is important that you protect yourself and your family."

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The letter was dated Wednesday, and copies were strewn across a table in the New England Patriots locker room during the media availability on Saturday. After a reporter asked players about the letter, a Patriots spokesman flipped the copies face-down.

NFLPA spokesman George Atallah did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello called the union's stance "disappointing and inexplicable, especially for fans."

"We hope this does not mean the union has abandoned negotiating in favor of de-certifying and litigating," he said. "We are ready to meet and negotiate anytime and anywhere. But it takes sustained effort and shared commitment to reach an agreement. One side can't do it alone."

The one-page letter on NFLPA stationery said the union expects the lockout to come on March 4, and that players should work with their advisers to prepare for an impending lack of income.

It also said the league is planning to cancel the players' health insurance.The union said it is filing a grievance to contest a cancellation of health insurance, citing a section of the collective bargaining agreement that states: "Players will continue to receive the benefits provided in this article through the end of the Plan Year in which they are released or otherwise sever employment."

Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light, one of the team's player representatives, said players understand the nature of the business but the threat to cancel health insurance is different.

"You're going to cancel somebody's health insurance and maybe they've got a baby that's due in the offseason?" he said. "Yeah, it gets personal."

Light said he is doing his best to educate his teammates on how to prepare.

"They've got to look at it like they're going into a period in which they are going to change their financial situation," he said. "Nobody knows what's going to happen. But if you're going to go a year without getting paid, you need to prepare accordingly."

New England linebacker Tully Banta-Cain said he was already squirreling away his savings in case of a lockout. Banta-Cain said he was also working on his outside businesses, which include a clothing line and a music label.

"I'm trying to prepare," he said. "And I'm trying to establish my off-the-field businesses and make sure I can make money in the offseason."

 

[1ke]

Not surprising....Move along, nothing will get serious until April or May. the draft is protected so nothing will change there. Wake me up when shit gets real.

 

[Leftwich]

Cool. Just what the fans want.

 

[mgoblue2290]

Not surprising....Move along, nothing will get serious until April or May. the draft is protected so nothing will change there. Wake me up when shit gets real.

I think the fact that the internal deadline the Union had being passed is pretty real.

 

[1ke]

I think the fact that the internal deadline the Union had being passed is pretty real.

Why though, who is focused on this in the middle of the season? How could they? Did you really think when the season started they would have a deal done by December?

They aren't telling their people anything new. They are saying, hey save your millions, just in case. When things are starting to cut into training camp time, thats real. Week whatever in December, nahhh. This is nothing.

 

[f16harm]

Cool. Just what the fans want.

Agree, these fucks on both sides of the argument forget this whole business is driven by FANS. What they provide is entertainment to the general population...they do not provide a good or resource required for life or to build/develop any other industrial resource.

I think the fact that the internal deadline the Union had being passed is pretty real.

This is the type of bullshit that makes a bigger problem, and less of an answer. It's complete dick beating ignorance. Setting a deadline to sign a piece of paper agreeing to terms, 3 months before the damn deadline, is asinine. In any contract talks, the deadline should be 1 minute before the end of the contract due date. Until then you have all of the time in the world to sit down face-to-face and work a deal. To do otherwise is simply being a dickhead.

There is absolutely, 100% no reason why these 2 sides cannot sit down in a room starting Monday morning and continue to plow through negotiations until a deal is reached, whether it take 2 days or 2 weeks. No different than deliberating on a jury. The reason they don't do this? Because both sides are being complete dick measuring assholes, plain and simple.

 

[mcstl25]

This is basically a slow-paced game of chicken between owners and players. There is no reason to approach an agreement right now because games are still being played. Expect the game of chicken to speed up during March or April as the draft approaches. Eventually one side will back down a bit and hopefully an agreement will be reached. I'm not going to get worried until then.

 

[Goober]

Tebow will be ready to go in '12!

 

[JOHNNYTHECLOWN]

Well, I'm excited for my Tully Banta-Cain Jeans to come in already.

 

[strahanfan92]

There is absolutely no chance in fucking hell a lockout happens.

 

[KillaK]

There better not be a lockout, Carolina is going to have the first pick and I don't want players not entering the draft because of this.

 

[Rekkapryde]

There better not be a lockout, Carolina is going to have the first pick and I don't want players not entering the draft because of this.

Wishful thinking. There WILL be a lockout. These guys aren't even close on terms.

Thing is, the owners have no incentive to give in. I don't know how they pulled this off, but they still get their TV money next season even if there is a lockout.

I'm totally with the players this time, they are not the ones striking. The owners are locking them out. And to hear some of the horror stories with players and simple things such as health care after playing being denied after playing days are over is rediculous. The owners are making money hand over foot and they still wanna be greedy and want more. Not to mention this rediculous 18 game foolishness. They claim they are trying to protect players in one breath and then add 2 games???? Tomfoolery and fuckery at its finest.

 

[MRN]

Wishful thinking. There WILL be a lockout. These guys aren't even close on terms.

Thing is, the owners have no incentive to give in. I don't know how they pulled this off, but they still get their TV money next season even if there is a lockout.

I'm totally with the players this time, they are not the ones striking. The owners are locking them out. And to hear some of the horror stories with players and simple things such as health care after playing being denied after playing days are over is rediculous. The owners are making money hand over foot and they still wanna be greedy and want more. Not to mention this rediculous 18 game foolishness. They claim they are trying to protect players in one breath and then add 2 games???? Tomfoolery and fuckery at its finest.

Groaned for overly large sig.