Lockout Update 07/23

What’s really going on? If you keep up with many medium outlets, you’d get confused. For starters, ESPN seems to run yesterdays headlines, regarding the Lockout, constantly with the exception of an occasional Adam Schefter update (the guy is really connected, good for him). All the major network’s websites (Fox, NBC, all that….) have updates on all different angles all over their websites. Contained within these website exist enough information to make your head spin. I started to read most of it and literally got a headache. It made me care less. So, the purpose of this article will be to update you on as much as I can as quickly as I can. I don’t want to make your head spin.

Let’s hit the main stuff.

The NFL Owners voted in approval of  a new contract bargaining agreement. We are now awaiting the players vote. Most people that should be “in the know” on these matters, proclaim that the deal will be signed within the next 5 days at the latest. A few of the players are having issues with this deal and they proclaim that the owners slid a few extra items into the deal and then went public with the deal in order to win the PR (Public Relations) battle. I can’t blame them for thinking this way.

The deal that the owners voted on passed with a 31-0 vote. I know, there are 32 teams in the NFL. The Raiders, and by that I mean owner Al Davis, chose not to vote due to “profound philosophical differences”. So, he thinks it sucks. Why not vote no?

The matter of the ‘Brady et al vs the NFL’ ( I believe that’s worded right) seems to be disappearing because the billionaire owners are smart (whoda thunk they became billionaire due to their brains). The owners won’t allow the CBA to be approved unless the NFLPA (players association that is no longer an association\union) re-forms as a union. Why does this matter? Players cannot sue the owners unless it is through the union. The union would have to sue the NFL on the players behalf and they won’t do that immediately after signing a 10-year CBA. And that’s our next point.

10 Years

The name of a good band and also the bold print in the newest attempt at a CBA. The owners seem to have given the players nearly everything they’ve request (health insurance for life, lighter off-season workloads, more money for veteran players–which also means a rookie salary cap) and yet they’ve slipped this in. While I’m not familiar with every detail, by any means. I’ve noticed that this seems to be the biggest oddity to the players camp. Well, this and a re-structured Revenue Sharing Program between franchises.

The 10 years is non-negotiable. The players want a 7-year opt-out option. More than likely they would take it. The owners have proclaimed that they will not budge. The Revenue Sharing Program is something that I am not familiar with. I’m so ignorant on that one matter, that I have no idea why the players would have problems with this issue. If anyone knows better, do enlighten me in the comments. I’m always up for a great football conversation, or snowboarding if you’re into that.

The players are rumored to vote on the ratification of the new NFL CBA on Monday, July 25th. That means they vote to agree to play based on the new rules.

And now we are brought to our picture at the top–Vincent Jackson. If you’re not familiar with him, Jackson is a Pro Bowl Wide Receiver for the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is the large, possesion type and he is very good at what he does. Jackson was not afforded Free Agency due to the odd year that was last NFL season and he was tagged. Long story short, he got stuck with a very, very low paying contract and forced to play under it. After following the advice of his agents, he sat out the majority of the 2010 season and played the minimum amount of games required to count the season as a year accrued toward his experience. Now, wanting to finally be a Free Agent (I accidentally hit Gree Agent there but greed agent works) and go to the highest bidder/contender Jackson got a Franchise Tag. He will be paid a LOT of money to play under a one-year contract for the chargers. Now, the rumor is out there that Jackson attached his name to the Brady et al suit vs the NFL in order to help his fellow man….

The other rumor is that Jackson did it so that he can say he won’t relinquish the suit or vote for the new CBA until he is given $10 million dollars (for lost money last year) or made exempt from this years and any future tags of any sort. In other words, he would be a free agent for life, unless signed by the team of his choice. Yeah….just him.

So now, he apparently has decided to play nice and the story is over. The former 2-time DUI champion of the West Coast is turning out to be a good guy. All’s well that ends well, right?

For the record, Jackson never publicly claimed any of what’s perceived negative here.