http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6756301 Some hope out there, but obviously since the fat lady hasn't sung yet its just an opinion.
Its too close not to happen, and too much money at stake. This will happen by the 21st.....just can feel it.
If you manage to have a normal regular season thats the key IMO. Obviously losing mini camps and such has hurt, but for the most part the players have at least been active. Its not the same, but if the preseason remains largely intact most teams should be alright. The standard of football the first two weeks of the season may be a little suspect, but with a "normal" preseason schedule and then those two weeks, there should be enough consistent football activities to get even the majority of out of shape guys to a competent fitness level.
I'm disappointed that they'd even take that long. Should be done. I realize there's an issue on contract length of rookies but I also get the sense both sides are just using this issue as another staging point to duke it out and try and take out their frustrations on each other.
It could be that they're somewaht dragging it out as a means to get some background processes in motion. Giving themselves a window so to speak to come to an agreement over an issue they both feel they can resolve. That extra week to get other things in order, get staff back in the building etc, could be useful. The extra 10 days could be just enough to get the machine moving so when the deal is signed there is already momentum rather than trying to start there.
WTH!!! The 4th weekend / The 15th / Now the 21st? Not holding my breath take them a box of bic pens CK to sign some damn papers so we can start talking football one more Henne thread and I'm gunna commit hairy carrie.
The reason I disagree is that the foot dragging has now reached territory where they're going to lose revenue. A July 21st ratification with UDFAs signed and free agents re-signed all thru the week ending July 28th probably means the loss of the Hall of Fame Game. Further delays are costing them season ticket sales by the day. They're way behind. How many fans are waiting to buy season tickets until this lockout is over? The Dolphins just sold season ticket packages for $250 each. That's ridiculously cheap. They're getting into time sensitive areas for that because fans may get to the point where they don't want season tickets, they figure they'll just buy and sell them on a game for game basis. That would SIGNIFICANTLY hurt preseason sales, because normally they count on season ticket holders being strong-armed into paying full price for the two preseason home games. Knocking the fans off this rhythm would have pretty extreme consequences to attendance revenue. In order to get the season ticket sales back up they'll have to slash prices dramatically like the Dolphins did. I've already heard of other teams holding similar one day sales of season tickets for ridiculously low prices. Trust me, if they have the ability to get the legal stuff taken care of in the background while the lockout is ended, they have every financial reason to do exactly that. They're really not feeling the urgency that they should and it's going to cost them.
Are you sure this really plays to our advantage? I'm not. Let me ask you a question. On one team you have Tom Brady, whose authority is unquestioned, whose role in the offense in past years has approached that of a full coach (seriously when they lost Charlie Weis they explained that Weis' duties would be filled by a combination of Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels), running practices with his teammates and teaching a playbook they all mostly know, a system they all mostly know, none more so than him. On another team you have Chad Henne, whose authority is highly questioned (by teammates, publicly and privately), with teammates knowing that the coaches will be bringing in someone to compete with him and therefore there's a significant chance Henne won't even be starting for the offense this year, running practices with teammates and teaching a playbook he himself is still learning. Which practices do you imagine are more fruitful? On a long enough timeline, the inefficient and the efficient both end up about as well prepared as one another. The more you shorten that timeline, the more you constrain practice opportunities, the more you expose the final product to the margins of efficiency. We shouldn't forget that this lockout has exposed the Dolphins' offense to a serious disadvantage. They're installing a new and unfamiliar offense. Other teams aren't. They're just not going to be as crisp, as soon, as other teams out there. They'll have to get by on talent, on play-making. Put the play-makers in position to make plays and then go ahead and make those plays. Chad Henne will have to make throws. Brandon Marshall will have to leap up into double coverage and come down with a 40 yard ball that by all rights should have been a pick. Whoever is running for us will have to do crazy sh-t, reverse field, gain 23 yards where you thought he was going to lose 3.
C-Pepe could run a bit, and Hartline could be Jake Reed, who is the sort of forgotten guy from that powerful Vikings offense. Add in they had Robert Smith at Rb.
Dolphins' offense was already simple. That's one of the problems that Brian Daboll is supposed to fix. It's a Catch 22. The offense was too simple and Henne didn't have enough freedom in it. So now he's supposed to have more freedom and options in the offense, which means it becomes more complex, but everyone has a lockout-shortened off season to learn this more complex, alien offense. Chad Henne just doesn't have the talent that Culpepper did before his knee injury. And our receivers may be good but comparing them to Randy Moss in his prime and Cris Carter? That's not right.
I don't agree with this. I like our WRs, I've defended them countless times here, but I don't see any of the following pairs bowing their heads and admitting that the Marshall/Bess duo is better than them: Hines Ward & Mike Wallace Andre Johnson & Anyone Else' Larry Fitzgerald & Steve Breaston Anquan Boldin & Derrick Mason Reggie Wayne & Austin Collie Miles Austin & Dez Bryant Hakeem Nicks & Steve Smith/Mario Manningham Greg Jennings & Donald Driver Sidney Rice & Percy Harvin Roddy White & Julio Jones Like I said, I like our WRs and I think we BELONG up there in that group, where the differences get pretty marginal, but Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess being the unquestioned best? I doubt it.
If the standard is getting other players to admit that someone else is better than them, then no one could ever be the greatest. Just as an example: by his own admission, Charles Barkley for most of his career thought he was the best player in the NBA. He thought he was better than Michael Jordan, better than everyone else playing at the time. This phenomenon applies to all athletes in all sports. You know Aaron Rodgers is pissed off at how many QBs his fellow players ranked ahead of him, for instance. He thinks (read: knows) he's the best, just like how Tom Brady thinks (read: knows) he's the best, or how Drew Brees thinks/knows he's the best. So, no, Hines Ward and Mike Wallace aren't going to say "Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess are better than us." They would never say that, even if it were glaringly obvious, which admittedly it is not. (And I would take Marshall/Bess over almost all of the other combos you listed, including Ward/Wallace.)
I think trying to argue whether Brandon Marshall is better than Roddy White or Andre Johnson or Mike Wallace or Larry Fitzgerald is pointless. Its really a matter of personal preference. My preference would be whichever one is cheapest.
This thing isn't getting done in time. I've become completely skeptical of any optimistic news. I just think both parties are dug in. Neither side has a figure like Tagliabue or Upshaw to say "let's get the damn deal done". I don't think it's done by the 21st. I think this thing continues into August and there are regular season games missed. Upon those games being missed, there will be fans missed by both players and owners like MLB in 1995 and the NBA.
I'm still not so sure the owners won't mind the losses as long as the season plays 16 full games with some preseason games added. They all get to split the 9 billion right. I mean, I know losing money is losing money but by holding out to get a better rookie package lets them make that back thru the years.
Btw, Ozzy. You're going to have to use a more catchy, larger, more brightly colored font to attract attention back up to your posts. Half the time, I find myself scrolling down past your thoughts and opinions.
Lmmfao!!!!!!! I kinda thought thats what you meant the other day when you told me I should post more....
Love the confidence, will say they are a good duo, less then 10 Td's between the two of them though, is not a good sign. I'd go further and say all three could easily avg the 62 yds or so per game to reach 1k yds, the real question is whether or not they have the explosiveness to turn that into TD's as well.
Alert to the mods!!! Someone has obviously hijacked DolfanJake's account!!! Joking Jake, I hope you are right this time!
I just don't agree with this. The revenue split is the revenue split and the salary floor issue is also set. What they are arguing over right now is purely structural. It will not add or detract from league profitability. They're losing revenue right now arguing over an issue that doesn't affect league profitability.
I don't think the owners or players are going to press anything in order to get a deal done in time for preseason. Sure, they would lose some revenue, but that revenue is going to pale in comparison to the revenue they'll be looking at in the next 10 years.
And here is where I re-emphasize that the issue they're digging their heels about, the length of contracts in the rookie wage scale, has NO EFFECT on future profitability. This is purely an equity issue.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ges-as-target-for-the-announcement-of-a-deal/ For whatever reason, insiders are whispering that an agreement will be announced on July 17th, which is a Sunday. No idea why that should be the case. Seems like kind of a random day. Perhaps there is talk amongst the owners of moving the July 21st owners meeting to July 17th? That would make sense. If, for instance, Goodell and De Smith expect this Thursday/Friday session to finally be the last, then I could see the owners making preparation to move up the owners meetings as early as possible, and if the deal comes to agreement Friday this would give the owners Saturday to prepare for a Sunday vote. And if they are making preparations to move the meeting to the 17th, that would make sense as to how this rumor is making the rounds (the giant game of telephone) that there will be an agreement on the 17th. If ratification itself happens on the 17th, then according to the Transition Rules document, that would mean free agency would begin fast and furious on the 24th. UDFAs I guess would be free to sign on the 20th or 21st.
Yes, and let me restate it please. The owners might be willing to lose some dollars now so they get what they want with the rookie contracts and especially if given the option for a 5th year. They can spend a little less on the rookies and use more on their top guys who's contracts are ending soon. The rookie pool, if given that 5th season, will give original teams a better shot at keeping some of their good draft picks...
Which again, is purely structural...and they're losing profit because of it. They'll gain no more profit at any point in the CBA's life because of the fact that they get to slightly underpay 1st rounders on rookie contracts, at the expense of having to overpay for the rest of the veterans. It's a closed system. It's not rational to lose revenue because of this.
They will not make the money back but if they can sign a long term CBA their individual products stand to make more year by year, and with better product, the better the chance to turn that 9 billion into 10..
