Tuesday, September 29, 2009
De Smith Speaks to the United Steelworkers Union
NFLPA Executive Director De Smith speaks with the United Steelworkers Union to announce a reunited partnership between the two labor unions.
Friday, September 25, 2009
NFL labor fears affect deals for execs, coaches
Contracts include pay cuts if play stops
By LIZ MULLEN
Staff writer
Clauses to that effect began appearing in coaches’ contracts about six months ago, and have been included in contracts of other high-level NFL club employees as well, sources said, including contracts for scouts and high-level business-side executives.
The NFL collective-bargaining agreement with players expires in March 2011, and owners are expected to lock players out if there is no deal. That would mean little or no work for thousands of other NFL club employees.
The vast majority of non-player employees at NFL clubs can quit or be fired “at will,” and do not have employment agreements. But many top executives on the business side have contracts, as do all general managers and coaches.
Many of the work-stoppage clauses differ from club to club but some of the same language appears in multiple contracts, said Larry Kennan, staff director of the NFL Coaches Association, a trade association that represents the about 600 NFL coaches, from head coaches to the lowest-level assistant coaches.
“There are multiple contracts with the same terms. For instance, a lot of them have that the club can impose a 25 percent salary reduction in the event of the lockout,” he said.
The language in some contracts goes even further, according to multiple sources (see box).
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined to discuss the contracts of team coaches or executives, saying, “The terms are negotiated individually by the clubs and the employees.” He said he was not aware of similar language being inserted into the contracts of league employees.
Aiello declined to estimate the number of club employees at the 32 NFL teams, but industry sources said many NFL clubs employ about 100 people and sometimes more.
The number can vary greatly depending on whether the club owns and operates its stadium or is a tenant in a government-owned stadium, said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp. Ltd., a Chicago-based sports business consulting firm. Employees in football operations, including the entire coaching staff, are contract employees. “And then, on the business side, you will have your executives, your top marketing people, your top financial people, your top administrator [under contracts],” Ganis said.
During the last major work stoppage in sports, the 2004-05 NHL lockout, about 1,000 jobs were eliminated at NHL clubs, business partners and the league itself. Some clubs chose not to lay off any employees while others did, and many employees whose compensation was based on sales commissions quit. At one club, the Dallas Stars, upper management, including full-time scouts and coaches, took 20 percent to 25 percent pay cuts.
Kennan said many coaches are not aware of the new contract language because they haven’t negotiated their contracts for the potential lockout year. He did say that some of the language in the contracts ties coaches down. “In most cases the club is saying we can renew this thing when the lockout ends,” he said. On the other hand, there are some clauses which allow coaches to work in college football, he said.
Some coaches are refusing to sign contracts that contain the work-stoppage language, according to Kennan and agents who represent coaches.
Agents, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals against their clients, say some coaches have fought successfully to get the lockout clauses stricken. “Like anyone else, it depends on how much leverage you have and if a team wants a coach badly enough,” one agent said.
Unlike NFL players, NFL coaches are not part of a collective-bargaining unit and have no union to fight against the changes in their contracts. (The NFL Coaches Association is funded by dues, which about two-thirds of the 600 coaches pay voluntarily. The association is not funded by the NFL Players Association, but the players union provides office space and services, including administrative and legal services, to the coaches group.)
Kennan said coaches are upset about the new contracts and feel caught in the middle between owners and players.
“I don’t want to say we will be on the players’ side,” Kennan said. “We will be on the side that will be most friendly to coaches. If the owners are trying to lock us out, that is not very friendly.”
By LIZ MULLEN
Print This StoryStaff writer
Published September 21, 2009 : Page 01
Some NFL clubs are asking top-level employees to take pay cuts as steep as 50 percent or agree to be terminated with little notice if there is a work stoppage in 2011.Clauses to that effect began appearing in coaches’ contracts about six months ago, and have been included in contracts of other high-level NFL club employees as well, sources said, including contracts for scouts and high-level business-side executives.
The NFL collective-bargaining agreement with players expires in March 2011, and owners are expected to lock players out if there is no deal. That would mean little or no work for thousands of other NFL club employees.
The vast majority of non-player employees at NFL clubs can quit or be fired “at will,” and do not have employment agreements. But many top executives on the business side have contracts, as do all general managers and coaches.
Many of the work-stoppage clauses differ from club to club but some of the same language appears in multiple contracts, said Larry Kennan, staff director of the NFL Coaches Association, a trade association that represents the about 600 NFL coaches, from head coaches to the lowest-level assistant coaches.
| THROWN FOR A LOSS? |
| Some clauses in recent contracts of top team executives, coaches and general managers give clubs new rights to cut compensation and terminate contracts. Some examples, according to multiple sources, include language allowing clubs to: |
 Reduce, terminate or suspend the contract on 20 days’ notice. |
| Reduce salary by 50 percent if the lockout continues for more than 90 days. |
| Terminate the employee without pay on 60 days’ notice. |
| Extend the contract another year at same terms as 2011 if at least eight NFL games are canceled. |
The language in some contracts goes even further, according to multiple sources (see box).
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined to discuss the contracts of team coaches or executives, saying, “The terms are negotiated individually by the clubs and the employees.” He said he was not aware of similar language being inserted into the contracts of league employees.
Aiello declined to estimate the number of club employees at the 32 NFL teams, but industry sources said many NFL clubs employ about 100 people and sometimes more.
The number can vary greatly depending on whether the club owns and operates its stadium or is a tenant in a government-owned stadium, said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp. Ltd., a Chicago-based sports business consulting firm. Employees in football operations, including the entire coaching staff, are contract employees. “And then, on the business side, you will have your executives, your top marketing people, your top financial people, your top administrator [under contracts],” Ganis said.
During the last major work stoppage in sports, the 2004-05 NHL lockout, about 1,000 jobs were eliminated at NHL clubs, business partners and the league itself. Some clubs chose not to lay off any employees while others did, and many employees whose compensation was based on sales commissions quit. At one club, the Dallas Stars, upper management, including full-time scouts and coaches, took 20 percent to 25 percent pay cuts.
Kennan said many coaches are not aware of the new contract language because they haven’t negotiated their contracts for the potential lockout year. He did say that some of the language in the contracts ties coaches down. “In most cases the club is saying we can renew this thing when the lockout ends,” he said. On the other hand, there are some clauses which allow coaches to work in college football, he said.
Some coaches are refusing to sign contracts that contain the work-stoppage language, according to Kennan and agents who represent coaches.
Agents, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals against their clients, say some coaches have fought successfully to get the lockout clauses stricken. “Like anyone else, it depends on how much leverage you have and if a team wants a coach badly enough,” one agent said.
Unlike NFL players, NFL coaches are not part of a collective-bargaining unit and have no union to fight against the changes in their contracts. (The NFL Coaches Association is funded by dues, which about two-thirds of the 600 coaches pay voluntarily. The association is not funded by the NFL Players Association, but the players union provides office space and services, including administrative and legal services, to the coaches group.)
Kennan said coaches are upset about the new contracts and feel caught in the middle between owners and players.
“I don’t want to say we will be on the players’ side,” Kennan said. “We will be on the side that will be most friendly to coaches. If the owners are trying to lock us out, that is not very friendly.”
Political Football? What political party is your favorite team donating to?
How much has your favorite pro football team given in lobbying dollars and political donations. More importantly, to who? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/32921603#32921603
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Max International Opens in the Philippines
Philippines open,
After months of preparation and planning, Max International officially launched its operations in the Philippines on Saturday, August 1, welcoming more than 2,300 guests to a special event at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Max International President Mike Larkins started the event by sharing his vision of the kind of company Max is, and the values we strive to live up to. “Mike’s remarks were the perfect way to introduce Max to the Philippines,” said Julie VanderToolen, director of events. “He was able to show everyone how Max is different and why our opportunity is something special.”
Additional remarks by Max CEO Peter Nordberg, Senior Vice President Craig Case, and Vice President Rick Nelson gave attendees a clear picture of what Max is all about and what we will accomplish in the Philippines, our third market. There was also a ribbon cutting at the convention center, because it was the only way to accommodate all attendees.
Associate leaders who spoke were Jim Fitzpatrick, Chris and Tammy Gingras, Steven Kent, Todd King, and Steve Lee. Two representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, Patrick Wall and Dey Robalis, attended the event.
“I was truly amazed at how excited everyone was at this event,” Julie said. “You could literally feel the energy from the crowd, and that’s a spectacular way to launch a new market. It was a memorable day for everyone.”
After months of preparation and planning, Max International officially launched its operations in the Philippines on Saturday, August 1, welcoming more than 2,300 guests to a special event at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Max International President Mike Larkins started the event by sharing his vision of the kind of company Max is, and the values we strive to live up to. “Mike’s remarks were the perfect way to introduce Max to the Philippines,” said Julie VanderToolen, director of events. “He was able to show everyone how Max is different and why our opportunity is something special.”
Additional remarks by Max CEO Peter Nordberg, Senior Vice President Craig Case, and Vice President Rick Nelson gave attendees a clear picture of what Max is all about and what we will accomplish in the Philippines, our third market. There was also a ribbon cutting at the convention center, because it was the only way to accommodate all attendees.
Associate leaders who spoke were Jim Fitzpatrick, Chris and Tammy Gingras, Steven Kent, Todd King, and Steve Lee. Two representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, Patrick Wall and Dey Robalis, attended the event.
“I was truly amazed at how excited everyone was at this event,” Julie said. “You could literally feel the energy from the crowd, and that’s a spectacular way to launch a new market. It was a memorable day for everyone.”
The DEKA Arm
New technology is making it possible for amputees to pick up small objects they never thought they would master thanks to the biggest innovation in prosthetic arms since WW II. Scott Pelley reports.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
NFLPA Q&A with Nolan Harrison III
Khalil Garriott
NFLPLAYERS.COM
NFLPLAYERS.COM
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.—During his 10-year NFL career, Nolan Harrison became known as a steady, consistent defensive lineman who played for the Raiders, Steelers and Redskins. Over 128 games played, he compiled 22 sacks before retiring in 2000. He was a sixth-round pick by the Raiders out of Indiana University in 1991. In this exclusive Q&A with NFLPLAYERS.COM from the 25th annual NFLPA Retired Players Convention, Harrison answers questions about the convention, the importance of the NFLPA, the many areas which keep him busy these days and much more.
Q: Can you talk about the Retired Players Convention and what this event means to you as a retired player?
A: I think the convention gives you a great knowledge and clarity of what the NFLPA is all about and what it can offer and help the guys with. Every year there are always improvements with what the NFLPA is able to bring to the table for us, and the retired players help with that process. I think that it is a good time for guys to get together and see what differences or concerns they have and they can get some clarity so they can walk away and tell their chapter members and the other retired players that they know things are going in the right direction. That’s what this convention represents.
Q: I know you are really involved with retired players for the NFLPA. What has that been like for you, and what has the NFLPA done for you?
A: Oh it’s been great. I have been in the NFLPA since I was a player. I have been on the Executive Committee and now I’m on the Steering Committee and I’m up for re-election for my second term. The NFLPA has always been there for us in terms of benefits, and it’s kind of funny because the first benefit increases were the ones that I voted for. Seeing the benefits and what they are today, being retired and eight years out of the league, I think it’s important to show that perspective. I think it’s important that a lot of the younger guys teach some of the older guys that the young guys do care, they are not selfish and they will continue to give through the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s important because those guys in the past who gave are benefiting from it now in terms of leadership and it has come through a big change.
I am really excited about DeMaurice Smith and what he can bring to us, and I think that we have a solid leader in place to take us to the next step. All I can do as a Steering Committee member and a retired player member is to continue to support the union, support our guys and be a leader like [I was] on the field and now in the community. We need to help the guys who are making that transition.
Q: Are you still President of the Phoenix chapter of retired players?
A: No. I’ve actually relocated to Chicago and that is my hometown and I took a new position with a new firm. So, I will be representing the Midwest. I left Phoenix in good hands.
Q: What do you think the main difference is for a guy who retired in 2009 as opposed to when you retired?
A: Besides the economics of it, a guy who retires in 2009—if he did the right things and took care of his money and his body—would be in much better position eight years out than we [were]. They should be able to really use this NFL experience as a launching pad. If you played three years, were vested and you retired today, you have a great annuity, 401(k) and pension plan built up. You have a nice start because the money is bigger and the longer you play, the greater that start is. I think the guys have a better advantage now but I think I had more of an advantage when I retired than in 1991 because I had the money in, and the money goes as the economy drops.
Q: What do you remember about your playing career?
A: I’ve been out for eight years and I played for 10. I think one of my best memories ever was when I was in the AFC Championship Game. We (the Pittsburgh Steelers) won the AFC Central in 1997 and got to the AFC Championship Game in 1997, and that year was one of my best years. A lot of people counted me out because I came off a serious back injury from two years before so a lot of guys were writing me off. I came back and had one of the best years of my career on a new team and we made it all the way to just before the Super Bowl. We lost to Denver in the AFC Championship Game. John (Elway) got his first Super Bowl at my expense because that was the first and only chance to play in the Super Bowl on my birthday. It was a bittersweet season but I can’t take away all of the great things that happened that year. It was a fun year.
Q: Do you have any regrets or things you wished you had done differently?A: I played for L.A., and during my time with the L.A. Raiders—who moved to Oakland—I wish I had kept in contact with a lot of the business contacts, because I’m more of a businessman. When I was a player I didn’t leverage taking advantage of my contacts like I should have. But when you are 22, 23, 24 years old you don’t think of those things. During the later years of my career I could have taken advantage of it but I kind of wish I kept in contact with the people at that time who were really reaching out to me when I was younger. That’s one of the big regrets.
Q: Do you miss the game at all?
A: I miss some things. My body might say something else but I miss some things. I miss going to that locker room, being on that bus and walking into the stadium—whether it was home or away—and everyone had a single purpose and mindset. I miss the crowds, the hits, all the contact and the competition. I miss that, I do. There is a lot of pain and sacrifice that go into getting into Sunday but when Sunday happens, all that stuff goes away. The pain goes away and it is just pure joy.
I always tell people if I can have one moment, it’s going out in the AFC Championship Game, having them announce my name and hearing the crowd go crazy for me. That is something that will always stay with me and it’s a joy that will always be inside. That’s all I can remember, I can see it now. If anyone can ever have that moment, you never want to let it go. I’ll say that over and over.
Q: What takes up most of your time nowadays?
A: Well besides being involved with the financial world, which has been a landmine during the last 24 months, just as you know and everyone else knows, my daughters are the greatest things in the world in my life, I take care of them and try and be as strong of a part in their lives as I can. I also am trying to strengthen my educational experience. I have completed my coursework at the ASU School of Global Management & Leadership for the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and will be testing for it. I received an MBA scholarship from the University of Phoenix where I will be staring in August. So, just that and spending time with my family are the greatest things.
Q: It sounds like you have quite a full plate.
A: I do, but I am never satisfied. It’s funny; I was just talking about the mindset of guys when they come out [of college] and what they should be doing. One thing has always been to never be satisfied. That’s what I was able to apply for 10 years and that has always been my personality. I’m always trying to get better and these are the things that will get me better.
Q: So what’s next for you?
A: President of whatever firm I’m at. There is nothing that if I work hard at, I can’t achieve. If that worked in the NFL, why can’t that get me to the top of the boardroom?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
September 2009 Economic Outlook
Financial information provided by my partners at First Midwest Bank, Trust and Investment Management Division.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njf4sP9fGxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njf4sP9fGxA
Monday, September 14, 2009
Some Health Care Political Humor
I wanted to share this clip from MSNBC. Very funny! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NDzA7nChB4&feature=player_embedded
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Blast from the past, The 2000 Redskins D-Line Dinner video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnqVnGD11T8
RTSports.com - Labor issues cloud NFL's future
RealTime Fantasy Sports News - http://www.rtsports.com
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Labor issues cloud NFL's future
The NFL is two years away from a potential work stoppage, plenty of time for the owners and union to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, right?
Maybe not.
And what would an uncapped year in 2010 bring?
Click Here for the Rest of the Story:
http://www.rtsports.com/football-news/0800043671
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Labor issues cloud NFL's future
The NFL is two years away from a potential work stoppage, plenty of time for the owners and union to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, right?
Maybe not.
And what would an uncapped year in 2010 bring?
Click Here for the Rest of the Story:
http://www.rtsports.com/football-news/0800043671
Dear Conservatives: Reagan preached tax cuts to schoolkids
Sent to you by Nolan via Google Reader:
via digg.com: Stories / Political News / Popular on 9/3/09
The conservative freak-out over President Obama's planned speech to students urging them to stay in school and work hard is due to fears that Obama will use his platform as an opportunity to push his agenda on unsuspecting students. Ironically, that's exactly what President Reagan did two decades ago.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to digg.com: Stories / Political News / Popular using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Here we are again, the start of the NFL Season and the season of Leverage
We are getting ready to start another exciting NFL season. Fans are getting their Sunday Ticket, their final trades for the fantasy football and their favorite teams gear. For the players this is another year to take advantage of the blessing that is being able to play in the NFL for one more year. This year holds even more importance since this is the year before the end of the salary cap. This is the dawn of a new age of labor negotiations for the NFL and the NFLPA. Players have decided to start building a war chest to combat the inevitable lockout by the NFL owners who want even greater profits, at the expense of the fans, working public, and the players. The NFLPA's 50/50 Plan of saving 50% of this years salary is a good start but how do you go about doing this? This is where a plan is needed to keep the leverage the player has. The player needs to ask himself several questions.
- What are my fixed expenses for the year?
- What is my take home pay net of taxes?
- Are there any major payments due in the next two years?
- Are there any places where savings can be found? (service professionals, trips, large purchases)
- Has the reality of the next two years been properly communicated with family members?
- Do you know your support options within the NFLPA?
- Have you adjusted your asset allocation for the possibility of needing liquidity during the lockout?
Being prepared for this coming storm will help the players weather it and come out stronger fiscally for it. The players are about to enter a great teaching period and I hope the lessons are well learned. The NFLPA is doing a great job preparing the players for this under the dynamic new leadership of the new executive director, DeMaurice Smith, but having a strong team around each player advising them (Financial Advisor, Agent, Attorney, CPA) will help this to be the dawn of a new and stronger NFLPA, where the players, like on the field of play, use their Leverage, to win the game.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Politicians gone wild
Wow, I cannot believe the audacity of this man. What has this world come to when this kind of behavior not only is tolerated, but endorsed. What ever happened to respect and decorum? In case some did not realize, it is behavior like this that made the last eight years, unbearable. Speaking without thinking. interesting choice for the new poster child, have at it! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/10/joe-wilson-explains-his-a_n_282936.html?igoogle=1
Sunday, September 6, 2009
NFL Money Train
As the 2009 NFL season begins this week I am given pause to wonder about the statements I have observed in the off-season from the NFL. We have heard that the NFL is not doing as well financially this year and during the recession. The Green Bay Packers, the smallest market team in the NFL, made a whopping 20 million dollars this past season. Can you imagine how much the large market teams of the Cowboys, Redskins, and Bears made this year? It really makes you wonder why the NFL is treating the fans and the players as if they are not watching, as if they are blind. This year the salaries went up 8 to 10 percent. Ticket prices still went up. New stadiums are still going on line. New marketing partnerships are still being made. In a statement to the NFL Players Association the NFL owners stated that they opted out of the current NFL labor collective beginning agreement, not because they were in financial hardship, but because they were not making enough money and the players should take more of the risk. The NFL Players association already gives money back to assist in the costs associated with the new stadium construction in the form of revenue credits. That money is not given out as salary, part of the 58% total revenue due to the players, it is given back or credited to the owners so that they could use it towards the debit obligations of the new stadiums. The players, and I hope the fans are much more savvy and are watching and listening because we can all see what is coming down the tracks. The NFL Money Train, and it is on a collision course with the NFL Players Association and the fans who have and are paying for stadiums that may not host games in the near future. Believe It! Stay tuned...
NCAA Graduation Rates for Football and Basketball
I for one have a huge issue with some of the numbers that have come out on the Graduation Rates of our college athletes in the sports of basketball and football. In an article by Steve Megargee a national writer for Rivals.Com, it is reported that the rates of the two programs are slightly improving. I do not see how a school with the following graduation rates in football can be allowed to continue to function without a stronger penalty.
We wish to punish schools for allowing the alumni to give money to young athletes to attend the school, but we do not punish the school for having sub par graduation standards. Where is the moral and ethical responsibility to the young student athletes the parents entrust to the universities? The billions of dollars these schools make from these sports and not using that money to help the student athletes to be the best that they can be inside and outside of the athletic arena is the true violation that needs to be punished and a new standard established instead of the lip service being paid today. Miles Brand stated that, "That's very laudable," he said. "It is a high-percentage increase. Nonetheless, men's basketball still is the lowest of our sports in terms of graduation rate. We will need to work on that sport in order to bring up men's basketball to reach the benchmarks." in reference to the increase in the graduation rate. He would like to see a 60% national average. Why are we advocating sub par performance in the graduation rates if we do not except sub par performance from our, banks, businesses, government or other entities in our lives? The schools like those "On the other end of the spectrum, football programs with GSR at 90 or above were Air Force (92), Boston College (93), Duke (93), Navy (95), Northwestern (94), Notre Dame (93), Stanford (93), Vanderbilt (91) and Wake Forest (90)" and "Major men's basketball programs from the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 or Southeastern conferences that posted GSRs at 90 or above included two-time defending national champion Florida (100), Florida State (100), Notre Dame (91) and Purdue (91)." should be made the standard and benchmarks that all schools should aspire to.
Our student athletes deserve better and the communities as a whole who are waiting for their student athletes to return as productive working professionals deserve better.
- Arizona - 41%
- Georgia - 41%
- Oklahoma - 44%
- San Jose State - 36%
- Texas - 42%
We wish to punish schools for allowing the alumni to give money to young athletes to attend the school, but we do not punish the school for having sub par graduation standards. Where is the moral and ethical responsibility to the young student athletes the parents entrust to the universities? The billions of dollars these schools make from these sports and not using that money to help the student athletes to be the best that they can be inside and outside of the athletic arena is the true violation that needs to be punished and a new standard established instead of the lip service being paid today. Miles Brand stated that, "That's very laudable," he said. "It is a high-percentage increase. Nonetheless, men's basketball still is the lowest of our sports in terms of graduation rate. We will need to work on that sport in order to bring up men's basketball to reach the benchmarks." in reference to the increase in the graduation rate. He would like to see a 60% national average. Why are we advocating sub par performance in the graduation rates if we do not except sub par performance from our, banks, businesses, government or other entities in our lives? The schools like those "On the other end of the spectrum, football programs with GSR at 90 or above were Air Force (92), Boston College (93), Duke (93), Navy (95), Northwestern (94), Notre Dame (93), Stanford (93), Vanderbilt (91) and Wake Forest (90)" and "Major men's basketball programs from the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 or Southeastern conferences that posted GSRs at 90 or above included two-time defending national champion Florida (100), Florida State (100), Notre Dame (91) and Purdue (91)." should be made the standard and benchmarks that all schools should aspire to.
Our student athletes deserve better and the communities as a whole who are waiting for their student athletes to return as productive working professionals deserve better.
Giants’ Manning Says He ‘Hopes’ NFL Can Avoid Labor Stoppage
Giants’ Manning Says He ‘Hopes’ NFL Can Avoid Labor Stoppage
By Michael Buteau
Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Eli Manning, among the National Football League’s highest-paid players, is banking on the sport being able to settle its labor differences and avoid its first work stoppage since 1987.
“We all hope that’s not the case,” the New York Giants’ quarterback said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “We all love playing football and are proud that we’re able to do that. We hope for the best and that there will be no stoppage of play.”
The NFL is preparing to play the 2010 season without a salary cap because of the slow pace of talks with the players union about a new labor agreement.
A work stoppage may happen in 2011 following a unanimous decision in May 2008 by team owners to opt out of their labor deal with players. Unless a new deal is reached, the 2010 season will be played without the salary cap, which stops wealthy clubs from hoarding the best talent.
“Everybody is aware of the situation that 2010 could be an uncapped year,” Manning said. “It just all depends on whether you’re going to be a free agent that year or not. I think everybody’s focus is just on playing well, doing their part and seeing what happens.”
Manning, 28, and the Giants agreed on a six-year contract extension last month worth almost $100 million that would keep him with the franchise through 2015 and make him the highest- paid player in league history.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he told NFL Players AssociationExecutive Director DeMaurice Smith over lunch this week that owners want to start negotiating. There is no timetable for talks.
Owners want a deal that recognizes the league’s changing economics and provides for the cost of investment in expanding the sport, said Anthony Noto, the NFL’s chief financial officer.
The existing deal gives players about 60 percent of the league’s $8 billion annual revenue. That’s unsustainable because of the rising costs of running stadiums and other operations, owners said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Buteau in Atlantambuteau@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: September 4, 2009 17:54 EDT
Byron Williams: Isn't Adequate Healthcare a Moral Issue?
What exactly constitutes a moral issue? I know many would classify gay marriage and abortion as such, but I'm not certain how something becomes a moral issue other than that if enough people say it loud enough and long enough for it to be so.
Shouldn't health care receive the same vaunted status in the public conversation? Is it not a moral issue?
For some reason the church doesn't seem to possess the same zeal advocating for health care that it does for its opposition to same-gender marriage. Where's the reverend, bishop, pastor, father or elder on the cable talk shows proclaiming the virtues of a healthier nation?
Why don't we see the same fervor -- particularly emanating from the churches that seek to block gay marriage -- transferred, at least temporarily, to the 47 million Americans who must go without health care?
I am not suggesting there are no churches that fail to see health care as a compelling moral issue for the nation, but if it were abortion or same-gender marriage the collective passion would be more evident.
Why is the black church not out in mass protest, with scripture in hand, demanding that something be done about the health care crisis that's spiraling out of control.
If many black churches feel that way about gay marriage, it must also feel that way about say, diabetes. Which one is a greater threat to the black community -- gay marriage or diabetes? (Here is where someone will undoubtedly write a longer e-mail than my column explaining why the answer is gay marriage).
We are talking about a disease that claims approximately 2.7 million or 11.4 percent of all African-Americans aged 20 years or older. What's even more frightening, statistics suggest that roughly one-third of those who do have diabetes don't know it.
The most life-threatening consequences of diabetes are heart disease and stroke, which strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do others.
Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates two to four times higher than those without diabetes. African-Americans with diabetes have a particularly high risk for heart disease, stroke and other complications that include blindness, kidney disease and amputations.
In fact, there ought to be a radical contingent of the black church not only demanding universal health care, but also suggesting that there be a corresponding reduction in the price of healthy food as a way to keep the health care cost from spiraling out of control.
As long as the price of fast food remains competitive with healthier choices, there will be a portion of the population, regardless of race, that will be fast--tracked for Type 2 diabetes.
Whatever aspects of preventive care that is attributed to lowering overall health care cost must obviously include diet. A healthier society provides an overall positive benefit, impacting education, the economy, and the overall attitude of the country.
President Barack Obama in a recent health care conference call with religious organizations said: "The one thing you all share is a moral conviction. You know this debate over health care goes to the heart of who we are in America."
He added: "It is a core ethical and moral obligation that we look after each other. In wealthiest nation on Earth, we are neglecting to live up to that call."
The president is absolutely correct, there is indeed a moral and ethical obligation to look after each other. In fact, there is a far greater biblical emphasis on caring for each other than opposition to homosexuality.
I've long held that government budgets -- federal, state or local -- are documents that speak to the moral values of society.
I applaud the bipartisan coalition within the California Legislature that voted to levy a tax on health insurance companies. The tax allowed Healthy Families, which insures approximately 700,000 low-income children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid coverage, to avoid, at the very least, having to drop tens of thousands of children from their rolls.
It would have been nice to see churches lining the streets with signs that read: "Call you legislator in Sacramento to vote in favor of saving health coverage for 700,000 low-income children!"
I am not critical because it did not happen, but I also know that if the issue was gay marriage there would have been churches out there.
Byron Williams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist and blog-talk radio host. He is the author of Strip Mall Patriotism: Moral Reflections of the Iraq War. E-mail him at byron@byronspeaks.com or visit his Web site: byronspeaks.com
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Labor issues cloud NFL's future
The NFL is two years away from a potential work stoppage, plenty of time for the owners and union to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, right? Maybe not. And what would an uncapped year in 2010 bring? Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives emphasize that football will be played - guaranteed - for two more seasons. Union chief DeMaurice Smith and his associates stress that with no collective bargaining agreement in place after the 2011 Super Bowl, the owners might lock them out. Regardless of the rhetoric, one thing is clear: Pro football is closing in on meaningful deadlines, with no serious negotiations having taken place. ``Listen, I think everybody in the NFL wants to play,'' Goodell says. ``The owners want to play, the players want to play. It's our job to get a deal done. That's why I keep saying a lockout is not a strategy, nor an objective. What we want to do is get an agreement that works for the players and the coaches and the game and allows (us) to continue to grow it.'' The owners claim revenues are not growing fast enough to keep up with the payments they make to the players. Jeff Pash, the league's chief counsel, says 75 percent of new revenues have gone to the players since a new CBA was reached in 2006, and the owners opted out of that agreement last year. Meanwhile, the players say the system isn't broken because the 32 teams aren't losing money - 19 of them are worth at least $1 billion, according to Forbes magazine's annual survey, and the estimated annual revenues approach $8 billion. ``When the issue is dollars, economics, and one side is saying economics are not good, it's up to them to give evidence that those economics have changed and there is reason for concern,'' says NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen. ``But that has not happened.'' The union wants to see the teams' books for concrete proof the NFL is financially strapped. No team has indicated a willingness to do that, nor is it likely any will. Goodell and Smith have had some informal meetings, and hard negotiations could begin at any time. Although March 2011 would seem to be the absolute deadline to reach an agreement, the cutoff to avoid potential mayhem realistically is a year earlier than that. Next March, if a CBA has not been reached, the league will have its first season since 1993 without a salary cap. Nobody can argue that the cap has not worked for both sides, with player salaries spiraling - the current cap is $123 million, up from $34.6 that first year - and competitive balance in the standings. Would teams such as the Jaguars, Titans, Bills and even the community-owned Packers be competitive without a cap? We might find out in 2010 if there is no spending ceiling and no minimum, either. ``If a team wants to win, there would be no limit on spending dollars to bring in players to get to the Super Bowl, and we all think we know who those teams are,'' Berthelsen says. ``If an owner is not interested in competing, he can go on the cheap. But I think that would be the exception rather than the rule. ``If past is prologue, the players' piece of the pie would get larger, which is what happened in 1993.'' But an uncapped year will also bring bigger limitations on free agency, mainly that a player would need six years of service to be unrestricted rather than the current four. The top eight teams of the 2009 season - the divisional-round playoff teams - would also be limited in how many free agents they could sign. Each club would be allowed to use a transition tag on a second player, giving that team right of first refusal to match an offer sheet from another club. Also, the minimum salary for individual players would rise at a slower rate in an uncapped season than in a capped year. ``It's really meant to be a yellow light,'' Pash explains. ``Rather than run all the way to an expiration, we have this transition year and no one will be really happy with it, so let's try not to get to it. Let's try to enter into an extension early and keep the deal going.'' Considering the mayhem that could accompany an uncapped year, it would seem logical that both sides would be eager to get moving on negotiations. ``We have not put a line in the sand that if this doesn't happen by such and such a date, there will be major consequences,'' Pash says. ``I never believed that 'take it or leave it' works, especially when we're dealing with a long-term relationship. ``It's not like buying or selling a house. I think that the focus should not be on 'drop dead dates' and ultimatums, but let's accelerate what we are doing. Let's spend the time we need to work through these issues. ``I am always optimistic. With people with good will and a common goal, you can make a lot of progress.'' So far, though, there's been little progress. Being in the midst of a deep recession doesn't help, of course. The union also is dealing with a messy lawsuit about alleged collusion with the league by some NFLPA members and former executives. The fans? They want to hear about TDs and shutouts, not CBAs and lockouts. ``As each week of the season goes by without a proposal, the tougher it gets,'' Berthelsen admits. ``The players want to play, they think the partnership has been beneficial for both sides. We are with the fans, we want to see football played.'' |
[Cowboys] Jerry Jones Wants To Change NFL's Revenue Sharing
Jerry Jones sounded an interesting alarm when it comes to the Vikings stadium push before Friday night's game at the Metrodome. The owner of the Dallas Cowboys said that revenue-sharing will go away after the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010 season. "We're in the last year of our collective bargaining agreement next year, that's an uncapped year, and then you don't have it anymore right there," Jones said. "It goes away automatically right there. When the labor agreement is over, it will be over and when there's a new one in it won't be a part of it. Eighty-five percent is far in excess of what any other leagues share," Jones said, talking about the current model. "What we're talking about is above 85 percent. That's what is subsidizing this market right now is above 85 percent. That's going to stop."
Source: Star-Tribune
Source: Star-Tribune
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Reluctant Landlords: More Homeowners Renting Out Their Homes
Reluctant Landlords: More Homeowners Renting Out Their Homes
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/03/reluctant-landlords-more-_n_276068.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/03/reluctant-landlords-more-_n_276068.html
49ers, Raiders lag on franchise value list
49ers, Raiders lag on franchise value list
Chronicle News Services
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
(09-02) 21:11 PDT -- How 'bout them Cowboys? They're No. 1 in something even before the NFL season begins: total value.
The Cowboys are worth $1.65 billion, the most of any U.S.-based sports franchise, according to Forbes magazine's annual rankings. Only Manchester United of the English Premier League is worth more worldwide, $1.87 billion.
The Cowboys lead the rankings for the third straight year and are worth $100 million more than the runner-up Washington Redskins, followed by the New England Patriots ($1.361 billion), New York Giants ($1.183 billion) and Jets ($1.170 billion).
The Raiders ($797 million, down 7 percent from last year) are last, not even reaching half of Dallas' worth.
The 27th-ranked 49ers increased their revenues by 1 percent to $875 million.
Texans owner's denial: Houston Texans owner Bob McNair denied that he participated in secret meetings to discuss NFL labor talks, as alleged in a wrongful termination suit filed against the NFL Players Association last week by union employee Mary Moran.
Moran says she was a confidential informant for the Labor Department and gave investigators evidence that former NFLPA president Troy Vincent and other union members met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and McNair to provide the league access to confidential union information.
Briefly: Panthers owner Jerry Richardson hired Texas Christian University athletic director Danny Morrison as team president, a day after the surprising resignations of his sons, Mark and Jon Richardson. ... Quarterback Brett Favre will not play in the Vikings' preseason finale. ... The Lions claimed former Patriots backup quarterback Kevin O'Connell off waivers after third-stringer Drew Stanton tore knee cartilage. ... The Buccaneers signed guard Marcus Johnson and released center Sean Mahan. ... Injured linebacker Pat Thomas was released by the Bills.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/02/SPAE19HL46.DTL
© 2009 Hearst Communications Inc. | Privacy Policy | Feedback | RSS Feeds | FAQ | Site Index | Contact
Chronicle News Services
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
(09-02) 21:11 PDT -- How 'bout them Cowboys? They're No. 1 in something even before the NFL season begins: total value.
The Cowboys are worth $1.65 billion, the most of any U.S.-based sports franchise, according to Forbes magazine's annual rankings. Only Manchester United of the English Premier League is worth more worldwide, $1.87 billion.
The Cowboys lead the rankings for the third straight year and are worth $100 million more than the runner-up Washington Redskins, followed by the New England Patriots ($1.361 billion), New York Giants ($1.183 billion) and Jets ($1.170 billion).
The Raiders ($797 million, down 7 percent from last year) are last, not even reaching half of Dallas' worth.
The 27th-ranked 49ers increased their revenues by 1 percent to $875 million.
Texans owner's denial: Houston Texans owner Bob McNair denied that he participated in secret meetings to discuss NFL labor talks, as alleged in a wrongful termination suit filed against the NFL Players Association last week by union employee Mary Moran.
Moran says she was a confidential informant for the Labor Department and gave investigators evidence that former NFLPA president Troy Vincent and other union members met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and McNair to provide the league access to confidential union information.
Briefly: Panthers owner Jerry Richardson hired Texas Christian University athletic director Danny Morrison as team president, a day after the surprising resignations of his sons, Mark and Jon Richardson. ... Quarterback Brett Favre will not play in the Vikings' preseason finale. ... The Lions claimed former Patriots backup quarterback Kevin O'Connell off waivers after third-stringer Drew Stanton tore knee cartilage. ... The Buccaneers signed guard Marcus Johnson and released center Sean Mahan. ... Injured linebacker Pat Thomas was released by the Bills.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/02/SPAE19HL46.DTL
© 2009 Hearst Communications Inc. | Privacy Policy | Feedback | RSS Feeds | FAQ | Site Index | Contact
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Bailed-out CEOs Pocket Millions, Lay off Hundreds of Thousands
5:53 PM (5 hours ago)
Bailed-out CEOs Pocket Millions, Lay off Hundreds of Thousands
by James Parks
Executives of banks that were bailed out with taxpayer dollars have pulled down stock options that guarantee them mega-million-dollar windfalls for years to come.
Worse, they’re using our taxpayer money to line their own pockets while laying off workers. Since Jan. 1, 2008, the top 20 financial industry recipients of bailout aid have together laid off more than 160,000 employees. In 2008, the 20 CEOs at these firms each averaged $13.8 million in compensation, for a collective total of over $250 million.
According to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the top five executives at 10 of the top 20 banks that have accepted the most federal bailout dollars received a combined increase in the value of their stock options of nearly $90 million.
Says Sarah Anderson, lead author of “America’s Bailout Barons,” part of IPS’s Executive Excess series:
America’s executive pay bubble remains unpopped. And these outrageous rewards give executives an incentive to behave outrageously, putting the rest of us at risk.
According to the report, the average compensation for the top five executives at the 20 banks averaged $32 million each from 2006 through 2008. It would take 1,000 years for 100 U.S. workers to make as much as these 100 executives made in three years.
These 20 CEOs averaged 85 times more pay than the regulators who direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). These two agencies, many analysts agree, have largely lacked the experienced and committed staff they need to protect average Americans from financial industry recklessness.
One reason the regulatory agencies may lack experienced staff is that many of the best and brightest staffers leave to work for the financial companies where they can make more money. Says report co-author Sam Pizzigati:
The lure of lucrative private-sector jobs doesn’t just siphon off talent from public service. It also breeds corrosive and ever-present conflicts of interest: Why “get tough,” as a regulator, on a firm that could be your future employer?
Click here to download the report.
The IPS report backs up the findings of the AFL-CIO’s 2009 Executive PayWatch site. The PayWatch data shows CEOs and other executives responsible for the financial crisis have pocketed millions of dollars from bonuses and golden parachutes. CEO perks alone grew in 2008 to an average of $336,248—or nine times the median salary of a full-time worker.
Meanwhile, the economy tanked for working people while many companies were bailed out with more than $700 billion in taxpayer money, as well as low-interest loans and guarantees.
Click here to learn more about excessive executive pay on the PayWatch site.
The federal government has done too little too late to seriously address the problem of executive pay. The IPS report praises the Patriot Corporations Act (H.R. 1874), sponsored by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), which would extend tax breaks and procurement bidding preferences only to those companies that compensate their executive at no more than 100 times the income of their lowest-paid workers. In 2008, the IPS report shows, compensation for top executives averaged 319 times more than average U.S. worker pay.
IPS Director John Cavanagh says:
Unless we also address more fundamental questions about the overall size of executive pay, about the gap between the rewards that executives and workers are receiving, the executive pay bubble will most likely continue to inflate.
Or as IPS Senior Scholar Chuck Collins aptly put it:
Public officials in Congress and the White House hold the pin that could pop the executive pay bubble. They have so far failed to use it.
Bailed-out CEOs Pocket Millions, Lay off Hundreds of Thousands
by James Parks
Executives of banks that were bailed out with taxpayer dollars have pulled down stock options that guarantee them mega-million-dollar windfalls for years to come.
Worse, they’re using our taxpayer money to line their own pockets while laying off workers. Since Jan. 1, 2008, the top 20 financial industry recipients of bailout aid have together laid off more than 160,000 employees. In 2008, the 20 CEOs at these firms each averaged $13.8 million in compensation, for a collective total of over $250 million.
According to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the top five executives at 10 of the top 20 banks that have accepted the most federal bailout dollars received a combined increase in the value of their stock options of nearly $90 million.
Says Sarah Anderson, lead author of “America’s Bailout Barons,” part of IPS’s Executive Excess series:
America’s executive pay bubble remains unpopped. And these outrageous rewards give executives an incentive to behave outrageously, putting the rest of us at risk.
According to the report, the average compensation for the top five executives at the 20 banks averaged $32 million each from 2006 through 2008. It would take 1,000 years for 100 U.S. workers to make as much as these 100 executives made in three years.
These 20 CEOs averaged 85 times more pay than the regulators who direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). These two agencies, many analysts agree, have largely lacked the experienced and committed staff they need to protect average Americans from financial industry recklessness.
One reason the regulatory agencies may lack experienced staff is that many of the best and brightest staffers leave to work for the financial companies where they can make more money. Says report co-author Sam Pizzigati:
The lure of lucrative private-sector jobs doesn’t just siphon off talent from public service. It also breeds corrosive and ever-present conflicts of interest: Why “get tough,” as a regulator, on a firm that could be your future employer?
Click here to download the report.
The IPS report backs up the findings of the AFL-CIO’s 2009 Executive PayWatch site. The PayWatch data shows CEOs and other executives responsible for the financial crisis have pocketed millions of dollars from bonuses and golden parachutes. CEO perks alone grew in 2008 to an average of $336,248—or nine times the median salary of a full-time worker.
Meanwhile, the economy tanked for working people while many companies were bailed out with more than $700 billion in taxpayer money, as well as low-interest loans and guarantees.
Click here to learn more about excessive executive pay on the PayWatch site.
The federal government has done too little too late to seriously address the problem of executive pay. The IPS report praises the Patriot Corporations Act (H.R. 1874), sponsored by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), which would extend tax breaks and procurement bidding preferences only to those companies that compensate their executive at no more than 100 times the income of their lowest-paid workers. In 2008, the IPS report shows, compensation for top executives averaged 319 times more than average U.S. worker pay.
IPS Director John Cavanagh says:
Unless we also address more fundamental questions about the overall size of executive pay, about the gap between the rewards that executives and workers are receiving, the executive pay bubble will most likely continue to inflate.
Or as IPS Senior Scholar Chuck Collins aptly put it:
Public officials in Congress and the White House hold the pin that could pop the executive pay bubble. They have so far failed to use it.
DeMaurice Smith Hosts ‘Anti-Lockout Task Force’ at NFLPA Headquarters September 02, 2009
DeMaurice Smith Hosts ‘Anti-Lockout Task Force’ at NFLPA Headquarters
September 02, 2009
NFLPLAYERS.COM
NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith met Wednesday with a group of economists, lawyers and business advisors at NFLPA headquarters to discuss strategies for countering a potential lockout by the NFL owners.
Since March 2009, there have been only two formal negotiating sessions. Smith and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell briefly met over lunch Tuesday in Washington, D.C. after the Commissioner paid a visit to Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va.
According to the Washington Post’s coverage of Tuesday's visit, Goodell said, “We’re communicating, we’re trying to get information to the union leadership, make sure they understand the challenges we’re facing as a system and as a business. And make sure they understand that so we can design a system that addresses the issues for the players, the coaches and the game.”
When Goodell’s comment in Wednesday’s newspaper was raised during the morning’s strategy meeting, Smith reminded NFLPLAYERS.COM that numerous written and public requests have been made for precisely that information, including profit and loss figures, details of television contracts and, above all, a formal proposal to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“If they need to use our copy machines or printers to get us this information,” Smith said, “the door to our office is always open.”
Our players have proved that they are ready, willing and prepared to meet at anytime.
-- DeMaurice Smith
Ed Garvey, the NFLPA’s Executive Director from 1971 through 1983, attended the meeting to provide some historical context to the strategy session.
Garvey said, “It’s important that today’s players know that we went through tough times before and despite taking some licks, players emerged stronger every time. There is no question that the NFLPA is in a difficult position because they’ve been forced to come to the bargaining table without much information. But I’m just happy to be here and help share some strategies and success stories from the good old days.”
There has been growing concern in some media reports that only two bargaining sessions have been held to date. Sports Business Journal’s Dan Kaplan reported in the publication’s most recent issue that, “Goodell said the league has suggested several dates to resume negotiations but has not heard back.”
Smith responded, “Our players have proved that they are ready, willing and prepared to meet at anytime. It’s not a question of dates; it’s a question of substance. We hope they can offer the appropriate information and then figure out a way to communicate it to us.”
September 02, 2009
NFLPLAYERS.COM
NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith met Wednesday with a group of economists, lawyers and business advisors at NFLPA headquarters to discuss strategies for countering a potential lockout by the NFL owners.
Since March 2009, there have been only two formal negotiating sessions. Smith and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell briefly met over lunch Tuesday in Washington, D.C. after the Commissioner paid a visit to Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va.
According to the Washington Post’s coverage of Tuesday's visit, Goodell said, “We’re communicating, we’re trying to get information to the union leadership, make sure they understand the challenges we’re facing as a system and as a business. And make sure they understand that so we can design a system that addresses the issues for the players, the coaches and the game.”
When Goodell’s comment in Wednesday’s newspaper was raised during the morning’s strategy meeting, Smith reminded NFLPLAYERS.COM that numerous written and public requests have been made for precisely that information, including profit and loss figures, details of television contracts and, above all, a formal proposal to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“If they need to use our copy machines or printers to get us this information,” Smith said, “the door to our office is always open.”
Our players have proved that they are ready, willing and prepared to meet at anytime.
-- DeMaurice Smith
Ed Garvey, the NFLPA’s Executive Director from 1971 through 1983, attended the meeting to provide some historical context to the strategy session.
Garvey said, “It’s important that today’s players know that we went through tough times before and despite taking some licks, players emerged stronger every time. There is no question that the NFLPA is in a difficult position because they’ve been forced to come to the bargaining table without much information. But I’m just happy to be here and help share some strategies and success stories from the good old days.”
There has been growing concern in some media reports that only two bargaining sessions have been held to date. Sports Business Journal’s Dan Kaplan reported in the publication’s most recent issue that, “Goodell said the league has suggested several dates to resume negotiations but has not heard back.”
Smith responded, “Our players have proved that they are ready, willing and prepared to meet at anytime. It’s not a question of dates; it’s a question of substance. We hope they can offer the appropriate information and then figure out a way to communicate it to us.”
McNair denies NFLPA lawsuit claims
6 hours, 0 minutes ago
Print
HOUSTON (AP)—Houston Texans owner Bob McNair on Wednesday denied allegations that he participated in secret meetings to discuss NFL labor talks.
The allegations were in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the NFL Players Association last week by union employee Mary Moran.
She says she was a confidential informant for the Labor Department and gave investigators evidence that former NFLPA president Troy Vincent(notes) and other union members met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and McNair. The meetings were allegedly to provide the league access to confidential union information.
Moran also alleges in the lawsuit that NFLPA executive committee member and former Texan Mark Bruener(notes) and Texans player representative Kris Brown(notes) attended the meetings.
“There’s no truth to it at all,” McNair told Houston television station KRIV. “There was never any involvement on my part or Kris Brown or Mark Bruener.”
McNair added that he meets with players about many issues.
“I meet with Kris, Mark and Chester (Pitts) and other players who are not player representatives about a number of things,” he said. “Just recently, some of the players met with me about the music we play at the (Reliant) Stadium. What (Moran) suggests is completely without foundation. It is outrageous.”
6 hours, 0 minutes ago
HOUSTON (AP)—Houston Texans owner Bob McNair on Wednesday denied allegations that he participated in secret meetings to discuss NFL labor talks.
The allegations were in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the NFL Players Association last week by union employee Mary Moran.
She says she was a confidential informant for the Labor Department and gave investigators evidence that former NFLPA president Troy Vincent(notes) and other union members met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and McNair. The meetings were allegedly to provide the league access to confidential union information.
Moran also alleges in the lawsuit that NFLPA executive committee member and former Texan Mark Bruener(notes) and Texans player representative Kris Brown(notes) attended the meetings.
“There’s no truth to it at all,” McNair told Houston television station KRIV. “There was never any involvement on my part or Kris Brown or Mark Bruener.”
McNair added that he meets with players about many issues.
“I meet with Kris, Mark and Chester (Pitts) and other players who are not player representatives about a number of things,” he said. “Just recently, some of the players met with me about the music we play at the (Reliant) Stadium. What (Moran) suggests is completely without foundation. It is outrageous.”
I have often wondered what the true feelings are of the people who secretly have people in their families who desperately need universal health care but in their public life they are arguing against it because it fits their political profile. How many people vote for public officials for the same reason? Will people give in to fear again? The fear that put us in a war? It is time to stand for more than just the thin vail that hides the truth from the people who are all probably feeling the same way as you but are just as good as hiding it. We can throw billions of dollars for a war and rebuilding of another country but now we are worried about the prospect of debt that will benefit millions of Americans who need it? I hope we pull the curtain back before it is to late. Thank you President Obama. Keep pushing those who need to be pushed out from behind the curtain.
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