NFL owners are wrong, and don’t get it

NFL owners are wrong, and don’t get it

 By Sally Jenkins, Tuesday, April 26, 10:30 PM

Federal judge Susan Richard Nelson essentially said to the NFL owners in her ringing 89-page ruling: Cut your losses, fellas. You’re in the wrong. Understand the extraordinary privilege you have enjoyed all these years, and don’t push it. Stow your hubris, and end the labor dispute, or risk losing everything.

The owners don’t get it, and haven’t from the beginning. But they better get it fast, or the entire structure of the league may come down around their ears. On Tuesday, it suddenly became clear what a doomsday scenario they put into play when they picked a financial fight with their players, and locked them out. It was a profound mistake, committed out of arrogance. While they were calculating revenue, studying profit-loss statements and betting on how many unplayed games it would take the players to fold, they should have taken a crucial fact into account: They are in the legal wrong.

They had no right to lock out the players, they are in violation of antitrust law, and what’s more they are repeat, recidivist offenders. They are guilty as charged, and this is the trouble with their hope for relief on appeal.

The best way to think about the old NFL collective bargaining agreement is as a beautiful magic cloak. It allowed the owners a kind of charmed invisibility when it came to collusion, to artificially controlling competition, to inhibiting player movement, to making their costs certain, and generally suppressing every free market principle. The fact that they had the consent of players via collective bargaining created a non-statutory labor exemption — it gave the owners legal cover for the socialistic anti-competitive way they operate. It also helped them maintain the goodwill of the paying public. Take away that magic cloak, and they look like pirates.

The owners, almost incomprehensibly, voluntarily stripped off their magic cloak and ripped it to shreds, when they opted out of the CBA and demanded $1 billion in concessions from players. They tore up their cloak because, they said, their share of $9.4 billion in revenue wasn’t enough to support them in the style to which they’ve become accustomed.

Why would they do such a thing? Profit motive is one answer, and an exaggerated self-regard is another. This is not to say that there aren’t some good owners — there are some wonderful ones, and Roger Goodell has been a strong and sensible commissioner on just about every other issue. But as a group they are used to getting their way, and bending people to their will. The owners seem to genuinely believe that they could not lose in court — or possibly be wrong. Even now, they are convinced that Judge Nelson’s court order to end the lockout will be overturned.

It doesn’t seem to occur to NFL owners that Nelson merely held the obvious about their conduct: that it was illegal.

Rather than admit wrongdoing or a mistake, the owners are crying that Nelson exceeded her authority, and are bucking her order while they appeal, with games like letting players into their facilities for a cup of coffee but not allowing them to work out. They claim to be confident they will win an appeal, and get a different answer from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, because 13 of the 16 judges were nominated by Republican presidents, and therefore might be conservative and pro-business.

Once again, they have miscalculated. The fact is, getting Nelson overturned will be as difficult as getting a call on the field overturned by instant replay — there has to be incontrovertible evidence the ruling was wrong. But that’s not their only problem. What makes the owners think that they are in a position to appeal to conservative, pro-business instincts?

The fact is, the owners have now placed themselves in the ludicrous legal position of arguing strenuously against free market principles before conservative judges. On Tuesday, Goodell wrote an extraordinary op-ed article in the Wall Street Journal in which he all but begged for a return to the collective bargaining status quo, the “carefully constructed rules proven to generate competitive balance.” Interestingly enough, Goodell did not offer a single legal defense for the way the league does business. He simply argued that the system has made it “one of the most popular and successful sports leagues in history.” So judges like Nelson should leave it alone.

The plain fact is that the owners are the ones who opened the Pandora’s box — and what popped out is a very big monster. Instead of concessions and pay cuts from players, what they may get from them is an Armageddon. Instead of controlled costs, the owners could be looking at the end of the salary cap, the draft, free agency and the union, with every player an independent contractor free to get the best deal for himself.

The owners’ best hope to settle this dispute and maintain the current structure of the league is clear: make a fairly generous offer to the players that treats them as what they are, essential partners without whom there would be no game on the field. But first they will have to admit to themselves that they made a mistake and were wrong. Good luck with that one.

Another Attempt to Divide Players

April 20th, 2011 (UPDATED 9:56 PM)

On Wednesday, Dan Kaplan of Sports Business Journal reported that possibly up to 70 NFL players were considering signing on with a law firm to intervene into settlement mediation talks. The report cited unnamed sources and did not name any NFL players or the law firm.

The below letter* was sent from the firm via email to players, soliciting them to sign up as clients. The letter itself indicates that it is a follow up to a previous effort, as it had to resolve a conflict before proceeding: A partner in the firm previously represented the NFL.

However, the main objective of the letter appears not to be to clear up that issue, but to continue soliciting players as clients since the firm’s goal for participants (70) has not been met.

THE MEDIATION SO YOU HAVE A VOICE. READ BELOW AND SEE ATTACHED.
Please find attached correspondence to you and a proposed player engagement letter. We have not also attached a copy of our standard terms and conditions.

As we discussed, one of our partners in our Los Angeles office has previously done work for the National Football League or its its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Accordingly, pursuant to our internal review of this issue and the Rules of Professional Conduct, we must obtain a waiver from the NFL in order to represent players in the referenced litigation. Requesting the waiver will alert the NFL to the players’ concerns and our potential involvement relating thereto which presents tactical opportunities - as it would allow the players to quickly and openly enter the negotiation process - but also concerns as it may create the false impression that the players are somehow fragmented at this time. Accordingly, it is critical that the players consider the issues presented and ensure you that they are comfortable with our seeking a waiver at this time. It is important, additionally, that they appreciate that the NFL may not agree to a waiver. In that case they will need to seek other counsel, though we can assist with that process on an expedited basis. see below for update

It is our hope and intention to represent a group of seventy (70) or more current or potential NFL players.These players have expressed an interest in obtaining independent representation in the hope that by adding their voice to the current negotiations and litigation they may: (1) work to secure a global resolution promptly that addresses the needs of all players; and (2) support and add to the legal efforts of the players now active in the litigation. The focus of our representation will therefore be to accelerate efforts aimed at securing a negotiated resolution of the dispute and, if necessary, intervene in the litigation proceedings and pursue resolution through direct participation in the litigation.

From a legal standpoint, we anticipate taking the following steps to meet the players’ objectives:
1. Advise counsel for players now active in the litigation of the separate interests of our clients and the need to address those interests as a part of securing a prompt resolution of the dispute;

2. Conduct an initial meeting with counsel for players now active in the litigation on an expedited basis to detail our clients’ interests and discuss how those interests can be incorporated into the current negotiations for resolution; and

3. Discuss with counsel for players now active in the litigation in our initial meeting whether the inclusion of our clients as named plaintiffs will be a positive and effective addition to the litigation team and materially advance prospects for a prompt resolution.

It is our intent to work in a cooperative fashion with the current player representatives to add to the force of the players’ claims in the case based on our belief that our prospective clients’ are more “typical” of the average NFL player from an interest, financial and damages perspective. In doing so, however, it is also our belief that a mutually-agreeable resolution of the current dispute is more likely if such “typical” players are more actively represented in the litigation and negotiation proceedings on an ongoing basis.

*****Update from above: per the last email I sent you the Lawyers have spoken to the NFL with regards to the issue they had with a potential conflict and their new partner in LA office. He spoke to the NFL to get their permission to move forward on you and your fellow players behalf.

The response was welcome as they said the present list of players that are in Mediation right now are not negotiating in good faith and they welcome a fresh large list of players to help bridge the gap.

This information is important as they believe the players/PA reps and counsel are acting on the idea that the judge will rule in their favor and this is a bad idea even if it does that would mean this will drag on for months or worse.

I ask you to please get the 70 players to sign onto this as fast as possible the next meeting between the parties is Tuesday therefore we have the weekend and Monday to be added to the table, you would have a voice for your own futures.

*NFLLockout.com has posted the unedited email in its entirety and has not attempted to correct the errors it contains.

NFLPA takes its case to the classroom, talks about lockout with law students

NFLPA takes its case to the classroom, talks about lockout with law students

By Joseph White, The Associated Press – 11 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Even as the players have made their case in court, the NFL Players Association is making its case in the classroom.

Representatives of the NFLPA were invited guests at the American University's Washington College of Law on Tuesday, answering questions from students about the league's decision to lock out the players and the court proceedings that have followed.

The NFLPA made a similar appearance at Rutgers last month. The programs help the former union — now technically a trade association — make sure that students and the public at large are fully aware of its side of the story.

"I understand there's a lot of fan frustration and fan anger — directed at both sides, frankly," Atallah said. "I understand that. I'm a fan of the game myself, so I'm sympathetic to it. I think at the end of the day the fans and people need to know the players have worked on resolving this and have been attempting to avoid it for more than two years now. ... It's not lost on me that people want to see their football."

The savvy students peppered Atallah and former player Nolan Harrison with various legal questions — the words "litigation," ''decertification," ''injunction" and "mediation" were uttered many times. While the parties are under orders from a judge not to talk about the ongoing court-ordered mediation talks in Minneapolis, Atallah reiterated that a negotiated settlement from those talks — rather than more legal wrangling — is the preferred outcome for the players.

"The unfortunate thing about the current state of the business of football is that anything outside of a litigation settlement takes us into the unknown," Atallah said.

Atallah and Harrison restated many NFLPA positions: that the league had been planning the lockout for years in advance, that the players never threatened to strike, that they never asked for more money than they were getting in their previous deal, that they're concerned about the economic impact on businesses such as restaurants if games aren't played and that it doesn't make sense to them to have draft picks pigeonholed into five-year contracts when the average career doesn't last that long.

Harrison responded with vigour to a student's question that referenced the dispute as one of millionaires versus billionaires.

"Let's be clear about things: No one can cry poverty in the NFL," Harrison said, "but not every player is making over a million dollars."

Harrison said many players are done by age 25 and "go back to being regular students, regular employees, regular businessmen."

"To be fair," he added, "not every owner's a billionaire. But they're pretty darn close."

Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Former Players Message April 15, 2011

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Trust (PAT), Tyrone Allen, 800-372-2000 NFL Player Benefits Bethany Marshall, 800-372-2000 NFL Player Care Foundation 800-NFL-Goal NFLPA FORMER PLAYERS BENEFITS An informational Website designed to describe the benefits available to Former NFL Players. Click to view the site. MY GOAL LINE MyGoalLine.com is the only designated website for benefits in pro sports. Click to view the site. DEMARCUS WARE SHOWS LEADERSHIP His latest act of leadership further proves that he is one of many players setting the example. Click to view the article. HOW TO GET THE LIFE YOU WANT Aspirational speaker Chris Gardner shares his secrets for success. Click to view the article. LEGENDS REVENUE OPPORTUNITY School of the Legends is the world’s greatest online football experience. It serves aspiring football players, NFL players—past and present—and fans worldwide. It provides valuable, intensive web-based training for young people eager to learn the game. SOTL also offers an exclusive social football community that is an official licensed partner of the NFL Players Association and is destined to become a mega hit for players and fans. Click to view the site. READ ACROSS AMERICA Dewey McClain and Solomon Brannan of the Atlanta chapter participate in the read across America campaign. Click to view the article. SOCIAL NETWORKS Follow up with the NFLPA and happenings with the CBA here: NFLPALegends on Twitter NFLPA on FaceBook NFLPA on LinkedIn April 15, 2011 CLASS ACTION Quote from Mark Murphy, President and CEO of the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers February 24, 2011 Murphy: You know, right now our current players if they're vested, and you vest if you play three or more seasons, you get health insurance coverage for five years, which is great. But I look at it, too, and the transition for players from playing in the NFL to finding another career and establishing themselves is very difficult, and I really wonder, sometimes, if we do too much for the players. They've got severance pay and a 401(k) plan. I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes it's not all bad, and going back and talking to some of the players who played for Lombardi in the '60s - you know, they worked in the off-seasons, and they made a very smooth transition into their second careers because they had to. And so I'm a little worried that if we do too much for players in terms of compensation after their career's end, and health insurance - it's not all bad to have an incentive to get a job. And, so those are just some of the things we’re thinking through and talking through. Click to view the article. Back to top Former Player DC Chapter President Ray Schoenke Speaks Out I recognize that as Former Pre-93 NFL Players, we do not always agree on everything, but we do agree on some things. What we all agree on is to improve the health and financial welfare of all former NFL Players particularly our generation. After the 2006 CBA, Bruce Laird and I discussed how we were going to go forward since we were both dissatisfied with the treatment and benefit structure that former players were receiving by the NFLPA. I told Bruce I was going to stay under the NFLPA tent for a period of time and try to create change within the system. I told him, the power to negotiate still rests with the NFLPA and I choose to stay. Bruce, on the other hand, said he was going to try to create a new entity. I wish him well and encourage him. While Bruce and I had some very strong disagreements I respect his tenacity and resolve in trying to get things done. With the unexpected death of Gene Upshaw everything changed dramatically. It was fortuitous that I knew De before he became Executive Director of the NFLPA. I was very close to the principal partner at De's former law firm, which is one the most respected law firms in the country, and asked him for his opinion of De. He said he was a smart and a tough litigator and when you went into court you wanted him on your side. I was very pleased when De got the job. He told me to be patient. He would settle the lawsuit and former players would get representation on the Executive Committee. I might add that Gene Upshaw and Troy Vincent said point blank to me "we would never have representation on the Executive Committee." De delivered on both points. Prior to the 2010 convention, De and I talked about the Legacy fund and its importance to Pre-93'ers and his support for such a Fund. At the 2010 NFLPA Convention I proposed a Legacy Fund for all vested pre-93 Former Players of $2000 a month to be paid by the Owners. The motion was carried unanimously. Since then the Legacy Fund has continued to be of great interest to all Pre-93'ers. As the current CBA is winding its way through the negotiations both the owners and the active players have been responsive to supporting the concept of the Fund. What has been difficult is understanding the proposals that have been put forward by those outside the negotiating parties. The good news both sides at the table feel it is appropriate and justifiable. The question is how much will be set aside, what kind of benefits will finally be determined and who amongst the pre-93'ers will be eligible. While I would like to comment on what I think is appropriate for us to consider at this time, I do feel all of us, as Former NFL Players regardless of our affiliation, our first commitment should be to our negotiating team and its leader. We are deep into the game. Our team is on the field. Our leader has determined that pursuing an outcome through the court system is the best approach to win the game. I appreciate the comments made by Bruce Laird, Jeff Nixon, Joe DeLamielleure and Mark Murphy and Jerry Richardson for the owners. All as former pre-93 players certainly have an appreciation of our situation. On the other hand if I were in a poker game and my opponent refused to show me his cards and told me to "trust him as to what was in his hands," I think we would all agree that such a scenario is ludicrous. Yet that is what the owners our asking. Trust us. De said, "Good luck but we'll see you in court." We have a great litigator as our leader and we need to back him. The power to negotiate still rests with the NFLPA. I feel very confident an agreement will be reached and both sides will determine how much money will be set aside for the Legacy Fund. At that time we need the right people at the table ready to negotiate on our behalf. I feel very confident with Cornelius, Nolan, and Jim representing our interests. I have spent a lot of time with Jim in his efforts to be elected to the Executive Committee. I found him to be knowledgeable, accessible, and responsive. I am confident they will reach out to all of us when the time comes. Respectfully, Ray Schoenke Dallas Cowboys 1963-1964 Washington Redskins 1966-1975 Back to top MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS University of Michigan Depression Center The University of Michigan Depression Center has partnered with the NFLPA to provide a comprehensive mood and behavioral evaluation. The assessment will generate a personalized treatment plan with recommendations that incorporate the past and current lifestyle of the player and family. The Program includes a year-long follow up by specialists, which will be coordinated with local physicians, care providers and family, thereby helping to assure that progress is monitored and that any necessary adjustments are timely. Pre-arranged services include: an initial assessment done over the phone by a qualified nurse or social worker, a pre-visit phone call with a doctor, and if necessary a scheduled day of care at the University of Michigan Depression Center. This is a need based program. If you would like to know more please email Andre Collins (andre.collins@nflplayers.com) or Tyrone Allen (tyrone.allen@nflplayers.com). By phone, call us at 1-800-372-2000 ext. 166. Back to top VQ OrthoCare® Offers NFLPA Former Player Members the Opportunity to Live Without Knee Pain Medical device company offers a special discount program on BioniCare, the only device that can claim to provide an overall improvement to an osteoarthritic knee VQ OrthoCare®, creator of the award-winning BioniCare® Knee System, is pleased to announce its BioniCare member discount program for National Football League Players Association (NFPLA) former player members and their families. VQ OrthoCare initiated this discount program based on the need for a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical treatment option for retired professional athletes living with osteoarthritis of the knee. Professional athletes move their knees up to 20 million times per year. In contrast, the average person uses their knees only three million times per year. The constant knee movements wear down the knee joints, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee (Overtime Magazine, 2007). In conjunction with the BioniCare member discount program, VQ OrthoCare is also offering a financial aid program for former player members needing assistance. "More than 27 million Americans are living with osteoarthritis of the knee and National Football League players are three times more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than the general population," said VQ OrthoCare president and founder, Jim Knape. "We are thrilled to be offering former player members of the NFLPA and their families the opportunity to utilize this life-changing treatment option that will enable them to live pain free and regain their active lifestyles." Back to top GotProHealth NFLPA Member Discount Program GotProHealth has launched a new member discount program as part of the NFL Players Association's (NFLPA) member discount programs. GotProHealth will help educate players and their families on the use of complementary and natural medicine. GotProHealth is also developing a national network of qualified and licensed professionals in the field of complementary medicine so that players will have access to experienced practitioners around the country. "This endeavor has tremendous potential to change the way professional athletes and their families think about getting and staying healthy," says Amy Lewis, CEO, and licensed acupuncturist. Complementary medicine includes modalities such as acupuncture, massage therapy and body work, herbal medicine, energy work, chiropractic, and naturopathic medicine. Ken Jenkins, President, and a former NFL running back, knows firsthand how important complementary medicine can be on and off the field. "I suffered many injuries during my career. I used acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic regularly during my career and it helped me recover. Even now – off the field – I continue treatments to maintain my overall health." Jenkins adds, "Our job is to provide legitimate and accurate information about complementary medicine and to make qualified professionals easily accessible." Back to top HEALTH Power up your workouts: It's workout season -- here are some high-tech suggestions to facilitate your fitness plans By Eric Gwinn Apr. 13, 2011 (McClatchy-Tribune News Service delivered by Newstex) -- Looking to energize your workouts with some high-tech-gear? We're here to help. Click to view the article. Back to top Deciding to exercise is the first step. The second? Enlisting your brain from: The Dallas Morning News, April 12, 2011 "In order to understand exercise motivation, it's important to understand where a person is in terms of change," says Carla Sottovia, director of fitness and personal training exercise for the Cooper Fitness Center. "For any change to occur, the person has to be ready emotionally and physically. It has to come from within." Click to view the article. Back to top NEWS Meanest Budget Cuts From heating for the poor to removing unexploded landmines, the budget compromise takes the ax to some very worthy programs. Click to view the article. Back to top BUSINESS Money 101 Lesson One: Setting Priorities 1. Narrow your objectives. You probably won't be able to achieve every financial goal you've ever dreamed of. So identify your goals clearly and why they matter to you, and decide which are most important. By concentrating your efforts, you have a better chance of achieving what matters most. 2. Focus first on the goals that matter. To accomplish primary goals, you will often need to put desirable but less important ones on the back burner. Click to view the article. Back to top NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION | 1133 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 800-372-2000 | www.nflplayers.com

The Smokescreen That Hides the Truth

Here's the thing, the NFL owners could right now implement The Legacy Fund. The NFLPA Former Players requested the $10 million per team savings in 2010 to be used to create the fund. Those savings came from the owners not having to pay benefits to the players due to the uncapped year. That's $320 million that would've seeded the fund. They flat out refused. Don't buy into the divisive tactics that are being employed right now. Let stand behind the leadership and the class and make them show us why they won't.

NFLPA Former Players Message April 8, 2011

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Trust (PAT), Tyrone Allen, 800-372-2000 NFL Player Benefits Bethany Marshall, 800-372-2000 NFL Player Care Foundation 800-NFL-Goal NFLPA FORMER PLAYERS BENEFITS An informational Website designed to describe the benefits available to Former NFL Players. Click to view the site. MY GOAL LINE MyGoalLine.com is the only designated website for benefits in pro sports. Click to view the site. CARDINALS FAN CANCELS SEASON TICKETS IN RESPONSE TO LETTER On April 5, the Arizona Cardinals sent an e-newsletter to season-ticket holders. The letter did not go over well with one Cardinals fan and season-ticket holder. Michael Baltazar, who says the fans are on the side of the players, responded by emailing the Cardinals... Click to view the article. AARP Government Shutdown: Be prepared if there's no agreement on the budget Click to view the article. SOCIAL NETWORKS Follow up with the NFLPA and happenings with the CBA here: NFLPALegends on Twitter NFLPA on FaceBook NFLPA on LinkedIn GRAY MATTERS: REWIRING THE AGING BRAIN by Inside E Street for AARP The brain is the command center of the body and it is more powerful than most people recognize. Scientists once thought the brain loses cells as we grow older. Now research indicates that the brain continues to produce new cells into our seventies. It also has the ability to change shape by re-wiring itself. As science makes remarkable progress in finding ways to prevent cognitive loss and forgetfulness, Inside E Street explores the aging brain and tells you what you can do to stay mentally sharp. Click to view the video. April 8, 2011 CLASS ACTION NFL Players Agree to Mediation Under Oversight of Federal Court April 7, 2011 Washington, D.C. – The class of NFL players wrote to Judge Susan Nelson today, embracing her recommendation to participate in mediation under the oversight of the federal court of Minnesota. Though the injunction to lift the owners' lockout remains under Judge Nelson's consideration, the players took to heart her advice given during Wednesday's hearing that the two sides should not delay to meet. The players expressed their hope that mediation under court oversight will begin immediately. To view the letter sent by the Brady class to Judge Nelson, click here and scroll down. Opening George's Mailbag In an effort to engage more directly and substantively with NFL fans, George Atallah will respond to several questions every Monday in his new mailbag feature on www.nfllockout.com. While many of the questions will likely focus on the business of the NFL and the current lockout, it should be noted that the NFLPA renounced its status as the union for NFL players and all discussions related to collective bargaining occurred before the CBA expired on March 11th. NFL fans can send questions anytime to the email address mailbag@nflplayers.com. Questions and answers will be posted every Monday. 1) Question from P. Davis: Thanks for taking the time to respond. Andrew Brandt at nationalfootballpost.com said that the cap portion of the $141M proposal was $114M. I haven't seen that elsewhere. Can you confirm that? And I totaled the player expenses (sal + ben) from Forbes for 2009, and it totaled $140M. That was when the cap was $124M + the cam adj. If that $114M proposed cap figure is correct, does that mean that there was a converse bump in proposed benefits? Brandt also suggests that the owners were prepared to go up to $121M for that cap figure. I'm curious if anyone has plugged these numbers in at the team level to see how many teams would project over that cap figure and by how much. Would teams have to make several hard/disadvantageous roster decisions including cuts and restructures to get under the proposed cap number? And that expense credit has been poorly described in the press. I take it the owner's are asking to broaden what can be counted as a credit. What could be counted previously, and what are they looking to add as credits in the future CBA? And as a compromise on the 18 game schedule, has any thought been given to add 2 more bye weeks instead of additional games? It would expand the TV schedule/season, and give teams added rest/recovery, addressing the safety concerns both sides have. George: Thanks for your email. Lots to unpack here. Let me tackle the first question regarding the salary cap. The last time we had a salary cap, there were basically two numbers that comprised it: player salaries and player benefits. The benefits number was roughly $25 million. I can't get into the specifics of the actual numbers in this space, but I can point you to this post for a description of why what you're describing was a huge problem for the players. Players – not lawyers – plugged in the NFL's proposed numbers to see if they would work. Players would have had to take an unjustified reduction in pay if they would have agreed to that proposal. To answer your question regarding the expense credits, the owners' initial proposal included a broad exclusion of costs that were never there before. There are long lists of credits that were counted under the last CBA, including things like stadium construction, NFL Network, etc. Under their initial proposal, cost credits would have incorporated things like professional fees, travel and other overhead. So, yes, in its most simple form, the owners asked to broaden what would have been counted as a "credit". For the 18 game schedule or season, there was a point where the players proposed acceptable terms for an 18 game schedule that included much more than what you mention with regards to health and safety. The NFL basically said 'no' to that proposal. Over time and as more health and safety issues were being revealed, players said that they won't play 18 games. Here are two critical posts that help explain the issues you raised: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/13/making-sense-of-the-financial-divide-between-the-two-sides/ and http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-nfllabor-thenumbers Thanks for your questions. Keep the dialog going. Click to view more. BENEFITS Great News! Due to the advocacy of the NFLPA Former Player leadership, the NFL owners have finally put in writing that they will continue the 5 year medical coverage for continuing veterans. The benefits were scheduled to end August 31, 2011. Back to top HEALTH What You Most Need to Know by Patricia Barry for AARP Bulletin You're a boomer. The milestone of your 65th birthday may be here or just over the horizon. But you know zip about Medicare. Do you need it? What does it cover? When should you sign up? Lots of questions — but don't panic. You can get your head around Medicare with this guide to what you most need to know. Click to view the article. Back to top Ibuprofen May Protect Against Parkinson's Disease by Katharine Greider for AARP Bulletin People who take ibuprofen two or more times a week are considerably less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who don't take the drug, according to a study published online March 2 in the journal Neurology. The finding suggests this common over-the-counter painkiller (sold under brand names that include Advil, Motrin and Nuprin) may actually protect the brain against the degeneration that produces the symptoms of Parkinson's, including shaking, muscle stiffness and other difficulties with movement and coordination. Back to top NEWS Nolan Harrison Calls Richardson/Murphy Letter 'Absolute Nonsense' by Dan Graziano for Pro Player Insiders Earlier this week, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and Green Bay Packers team president Mark Murphy sent a letter to retired players detailing some of the benefits they would have received if the NFLPA had agreed to the league's March 11 proposal. As a former player, Nolan Harrison received the letter… Click to view the article. Back to top BUSINESS IRS: Top 10 Tips for Tax Time by IRS, for IRS.gov Editor's note: This content is provided by the Internal Revenue Service. Consult your financial or tax adviser regarding your individual situation. It's that time of the year again. The income tax filing season has begun and important tax documents should be arriving in the mail. Even though your return is not due until April, getting an early start will make filing easier. Here are the Internal Revenue Service's top 10 tips that will help your tax filing process run smoother than ever this year. Click to view the article. Back to top PHOTO OF THE WEEK Back to top NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION | 1133 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 800-372-2000 | www.nflplayers.com