April 8, 2011
CLASS ACTIONNFL Players Agree to Mediation Under Oversight of Federal CourtApril 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 MailbagIn 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.
BENEFITSGreat 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
HEALTHWhat You Most Need to Knowby 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 Diseaseby 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
NEWSNolan 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
BUSINESSIRS: Top 10 Tips for Tax Timeby 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
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