Redskins, Cowboys could go “nuclear” over cap mess

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Mara calling the Redskins and the Cowboys cheaters in this incident is the pot calling the kettle black. I mean we've gone over it a million times but theres a list of something like 9 teams that used the uncapped year to "create a competitive advantage" and the only 2 teams that get actual salary cap sanctions are his division rivals.

Taking $46 million in cap space from your division rivals for violating a rule that technically didn't exist, thats pretty f'ing dirty. If anyones exploiting a loophole it's Mara using his position as head of the competition committee.

I personally can't wait until they overturn this in arbitration.

If Mara had tried to penalize nearly one-third of the teams in the league, he wouldn't have been able to get enough support to go after the teams he considered to be the worst offenders.

Since you mentioned Mara's less than pure motives, I'd like to point out that, after the two teams were penalized, the cap room was then spread among the rest of the teams which gave Mara's cap-starved team an additional $1.6M to spend.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

If Mara had tried to penalize nearly one-third of the teams in the league, he wouldn't have been able to get enough support to go after the teams he considered to be the worst offenders.

Since you mentioned Mara's less than pure motives, I'd like to point out that, after the two teams were penalized, the cap room was then spread among the rest of the teams which gave Mara's cap-starved team an additional $1.6M to spend.

I don't have a problem with the Exec commitee bringing it up, but it should have been shelved until the next owners meeting so all the owners could hear the allegations and hear the Redskins and Dallas's arguements on the issue and all should have voted on it. The problem? the Skins would have spent the money by then and had picked up all the really good players leaving everyone else to pick up the scraps. or so they were afraid would happen. Punish first, then give back if you have to but you've forced competativeness by that point. So what happens if the Arbiture decides they should give back the CAP space? which teams spent their 1.6 mill? and can they give it back after it's been spent?

They should have to give all back or the majority and for their illegal and immoral act they should be forced to give both teams a compensatory pick at the end of RD 1.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Mara calling the Redskins and the Cowboys cheaters in this incident is the pot calling the kettle black. I mean we've gone over it a million times but theres a list of something like 9 teams that used the uncapped year to "create a competitive advantage" and the only 2 teams that get actual salary cap sanctions are his division rivals.

Taking $46 million in cap space from your division rivals for violating a rule that technically didn't exist, thats pretty f'ing dirty. If anyones exploiting a loophole it's Mara using his position as head of the competition committee.

I personally can't wait until they overturn this in arbitration.

Exactly. The Saints were one also... no punishment. I know it has been said but if they were treating it like any other capped yr then why didn't they punish the teams who fell below the CAP floor also?

Because the whole point of the agreement was to cheat the players out of money. By keeping costs down they could try to point out to the players that the reason for the low revenue was because they didn't make as much as everyone thought they did. So in reality they didn't care if teams spent below the CAP floor.

The whole thing is BS. Either punish everyone even if it was $100,000 they spent or 36 mill and punish the ones who spent too low or not at all or don't punish at all. But the main issue is how are you going to punish someone for not violating any laws? But it's ok for everyone else to break the labor laws and not get punished. WTF?

[MTK]

I'm not sure John Mara should be talking - NFC East Blog - ESPN

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I'm not sure John Mara should be talking - NFC East Blog - ESPN

Boom roasted. That is all.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I'm not sure John Mara should be talking - NFC East Blog - ESPN

On the contrary. I would love to hear more of what John Mara has to say. For God's sake it's a free country, let the man speak to his hearts content.

[Hog1]

Dude should seriously get with Irsay and do a Twitter....union...thing...
His thoughts may not taste as pleasant the second time around...

[JoeRedskin]

As I said earlier, one of the concerns for the owners is that, if this goes nuclear, there may be a chance that tthe collusion suits may be re-opened. Apparently, more than one person has had this thought:

"The union had to drop all pending litigation against the league as part of the Brady settlement last year when the lockout ended. That included the collusion charges they filed against the league for the suspicions they had about this kind of 2010 activity. Mara's admission could well qualify as new evidence that could allow the union to file new charges."

From the Graziano blog cited above.

[VegasSkinsFan]

The only thing I'm worried about is that we get our cap space restored and then have nothing to spend it on. A draft pick would be amazing, but I don't see it happening.

I know this is going to be discussed at the owners meetings. Best possible result is an agreement is hammered out there.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by VegasSkinsFan

The only thing I'm worried about is that we get our cap space restored and then have nothing to spend it on. A draft pick would be amazing, but I don't see it happening.

I know this is going to be discussed at the owners meetings. Best possible result is an agreement is hammered out there.

I think they could have a legit argument for a draft pick. Throwing the penalty on the 'Skins on the eve of free agency forced a change of plans, even if it was minor, and may be one of the reasons the 'Skins haven't done more. If the Skins can prove that argument, maybe Judge Burbank might award them a draft pick to make up for the restrictions they faced during free agency.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by mooby

I think they could have a legit argument for a draft pick. Throwing the penalty on the 'Skins on the eve of free agency forced a change of plans, even if it was minor, and may be one of the reasons the 'Skins haven't done more. If the Skins can prove that argument, maybe Judge Burbank might award them a draft pick to make up for the restrictions they faced during free agency.

See I would love to ask for the draft pick to but at the same time I don't want to push our luck.

[ethat001]

Originally Posted by mooby

I think they could have a legit argument for a draft pick. Throwing the penalty on the 'Skins on the eve of free agency forced a change of plans, even if it was minor, and may be one of the reasons the 'Skins haven't done more. If the Skins can prove that argument, maybe Judge Burbank might award them a draft pick to make up for the restrictions they faced during free agency.

Yes, would love getting a pick, though I think it is unlikely. Seems everyone outside of owners believe these punishments to be patently illegal, and should be overturned. Since just giving us money without anyone to spend it on doesn't make up for it (they cannot give us back the FAs we missed on - like a quality RT, top tier WR, LB like Lofton, etc) -- would be completely reasonable to give us back a draft pick. Perhaps #3rd or 4th round pick would be nice.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by VegasSkinsFan

The only thing I'm worried about is that we get our cap space restored and then have nothing to spend it on. A draft pick would be amazing, but I don't see it happening.

I know this is going to be discussed at the owners meetings. Best possible result is an agreement is hammered out there.

Even if it doesn't help us now, It will mean that we won't have to worry about taking an 18 mil cap hit in 2013.

[SFREDSKIN]

Giants co-owner John Mara defended the NFL's cap penalties for the Cowboys, Redskins - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Giants co-owner John Mara defended the NFL's cap penalties for the Cowboys, Redskins - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

John Mara is wrong on so many levels that it's not even funny. Why in the world should the Redskins and Cowboys feel lucky that the league didn't strip them of draft picks? They did absolutely nothing wrong.