NFLPA Files Collusion Lawsuit Against NFL, Owners

[SBXVII]

Who knows what will happen. More then likely Judge Dotty will dismiss this case citing the signed agreement to drop all standing in regards to collusion. Maybe all this law suit business is just a front to make it seem like DSmith was not in cahoots with the NFL to the public and all this is just a big waist of time and will get dismissed but it will make some fans sit back and say... oh, maybe the NFL was not taking sides with the NFL and got bamboozled also.

or.... Judge Dotty could say the NFLPA has an arguement here and will want to hear the case. If it gets to this stage I think that Goodell and Mara as well as the other owners should be scared.

On a side note could all this be some sort of way to get Goodell out of office? and push Mara out of his position on the CEC? could it happen through this scenario?

[Coff]

Perhaps most interesting about all of this is that the NFL and the owners had clearly crossed their legal Ts and doted their legal Is, and seem to be in prime legal position to fight off any challenges from the Skins or Cowboys or from the union. As we have seen, the Skins and Cowboys lost their appeal, and the NFL has a strong position against collusion charges in that (to put it simply, and probably incorrectly) part of the new CBA agreement was that no grievances under the old agreement could be filed. It’s hard not to feel that the NFL has been planning this for years.

But regardless of how secure they feel, it was nonetheless an absolutely asinine move for the owners to pull off. What do they get out of this? Egg on the face of two of the owners they don’t like, and a million and a half extra dollars on their respective teams' cap next year. And what will it cost them? An absolutely acrimonious relationship with the players, the effects of which are going to carry over to the next CBA negotiations and threaten the labor peace the NFL has enjoyed for decades.

Smooth move owners.

[JoeRedskin]

Another good article laying out the issues: NFL Players Association lawsuit against NFL could be decided by Judge Doty - Michael McCann - SI.com

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Another good article laying out the issues: NFL Players Association lawsuit against NFL could be decided by Judge Doty - Michael McCann - SI.com

The first arguement for the NFL is one everyone is talking about the signed agreement not to persue collusion. but the second arguement....

Second, the mere absence of most teams "taking advantage" of an uncapped season does not prove collusion. Teams could have decided, on their own, to refrain from spending an unusually large amount of their owners' money in 2010. By definition, decisions by individual teams do not constitute collusion.

is BS. The arguement would be a good arguement had the Redsksins and Cowboys not been punished. Their arguement would stand pretty good. But why then punish two teams if the low spending was volentary? By punishing two teams for "violating the spirit of the CAP" in which there was no CAP proves in itself there was an agreement (spirit of a CAP).

What should have happened because there was no CAP in place is no punishment to anyone whether they spent below the floor or went over the CAP. When the new CBA and CAP was in place then all teams needed to be below the CAP. The Skins and Boys were. Thus no punishment.

There was a reason for a "uncapped" year. One could argue the NFL violated "the spirit of the uncapped" year. The purpose it was put into the CBA was to force the owners and players to get an agreement prior to it and if it didn't then they new spending $$$ could be fair game. The punishing of two teams for violating the "spirit of the CAP" when there was no cap proves their was some form of agreement between all the owners and they felt the need to punish two teams for their "competative advantage" the other owners failed to take advantage of.

[SBXVII]

and then there is this arguement..... why did it take 2 yrs to find collusion.

Also in regards to evidence, expect the NFL to wonder why it has taken the NFLPA two years to uncover supposed evidence of a widespread conspiracy among potentially hundreds of persons, many of whom are in regular contact with media.

Anyone in their right mind could guess the owners were colluding even we fans knew something was up since teams were not going out buying up FA's like candy and spending $$$, but all that is just assumptions. There was no real substantial proof of any collusion until the NFL came out and said we are punishing the Redskins and Cowboys for their violating the spirit of the CAP. < What CAP? There was no CAP. There can be no violation if there was no CAP. So by punishing the two teams the NFL has admitted there was some form of agreement (spirit) and some form of CAP to which the two teams violated which in reality they didn't cause there was also a "SPIRIT OF THE UNCAPPED YEAR" which was technically violated by 28 teams. No, those 28 teams didn't have to spend a lot, but by punishing two teams that did is in violation of the "spirit of the uncapped" year.

So because of the punishment (in 2012) there is finally some form of proof there was collusion. The NFLPA didn't wait 2 yrs after they had proof they maybe waited 2 months to get their ducks in a row and file the right arguement as well as somewhat wait to see what info they could did up from the appeal.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

There was no real substantial proof of any collusion until the NFL came out and said we are punishing the Redskins and Cowboys for their violating the spirit of the CAP.

The fact that there was no effort by the NFL to establish and enforce a salary floor in the uncapped year was also a hint that this whole mess had nothing to do with the NFL's attempts to ensure competitiveness among the teams. As we all know in our hearts, for the NFL it was about keeping down spending on player contracts and forcing the NFLPA to yield. Proving that assertion is entirely another matter.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

The fact that there was no effort by the NFL to establish and enforce a salary floor in the uncapped year was also a hint that this whole mess had nothing to do with the NFL's attempts to ensure competitiveness among the teams. As we all know in our hearts, for the NFL it was about keeping down spending on player contracts and forcing the NFLPA to yield. Proving that assertion is entirely another matter.

I feel it was more about John Mara attempting to gain a competitive edge over 2 divison rivals. We've already been over this, the Cowboys and us weren't the only two teams to take advantage of the uncapped year. We were the only two penalized for it though.

[Monksdown]

Originally Posted by mooby

I feel it was more about John Mara attempting to gain a competitive edge over 2 divison rivals. We've already been over this, the Cowboys and us weren't the only two teams to take advantage of the uncapped year. We were the only two penalized for it though.

Mara just pissed because he thought we had painted ourselves into a financial corner via the cap. Bruce Allen took over and with the help of Mr. Eric Schaffer built an expensive bridge to get us out of that corner. I would be pissed too if i just found out i wasnt as smart as I always thought.

[HoopheadVII]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

and then there is this arguement..... why did it take 2 yrs to find collusion.


Anyone in their right mind could guess the owners were colluding even we fans knew something was up since teams were not going out buying up FA's like candy and spending $$$, but all that is just assumptions. There was no real substantial proof of any collusion until the NFL came out and said we are punishing the Redskins and Cowboys for their violating the spirit of the CAP. < What CAP? There was no CAP. There can be no violation if there was no CAP. So by punishing the two teams the NFL has admitted there was some form of agreement (spirit) and some form of CAP to which the two teams violated which in reality they didn't cause there was also a "SPIRIT OF THE UNCAPPED YEAR" which was technically violated by 28 teams. No, those 28 teams didn't have to spend a lot, but by punishing two teams that did is in violation of the "spirit of the uncapped" year.

So because of the punishment (in 2012) there is finally some form of proof there was collusion. The NFLPA didn't wait 2 yrs after they had proof they maybe waited 2 months to get their ducks in a row and file the right arguement as well as somewhat wait to see what info they could did up from the appeal.

The only problem with that is that the NFLPA's complaint says they signed the salary cap reallocation agreement on March 11, but claims they only learned of the collusion on March 12...and their "new" evidence of collusion is the press / blogger reaction to the announcement of the salary cap reallocation.

Yes, their complaint essentially says that the salary cap reallocation wasn't evidence of collusion, but that the press release announcing it and the press / blogger reaction to it was new evidence of collusion.

Read that again.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by HoopheadVII

The only problem with that is that the NFLPA's complaint says they signed the salary cap reallocation agreement on March 11, but claims they only learned of the collusion on March 12...and their "new" evidence of collusion is the press / blogger reaction to the announcement of the salary cap reallocation.

Yes, their complaint essentially says that the salary cap reallocation wasn't evidence of collusion, but that the press release announcing it and the press / blogger reaction to it was new evidence of collusion.

Read that again.

Oh I agree with you no different then the NFL saying the punishment for the two teams had nothing to do with their spending. You know and I know that's BS, the "competitive advantage" all stemmed from the two teams spending.

[SBXVII]

If Doty allows the law suit to go on (which I doubt), then If I was the NFLPA although not working directly with the Redskins and Cowboys.... I'd be making them witness #1 and Witness #2. Take the stand please.

If this happens I can see the NFL trying to make the two teams heads a little foggy about details.

[Ruhskins]

Good job Mr. Mara, way to f*** up the labor peace

[JoeRedskin]

^^ This.

[Dirtbag59]

The thing that pisses me off about all of this is the blatant cherry picking and what would seem to be targeting division rivals.

See obviously we all know the Redskins structured contracts so they could get out of them after the uncapped year. The Cowboys on their end signed Miles Austin to a new contract that was very front loaded. And maybe the NFL would have a case if that was the issue.

However we've all seen the chart that showed other teams structuring contracts to favorably reflect the uncapped year, most prominent example being the Bears giving Julius Peppers $35 million in the first year.

Of course you can't get a majority vote to punish something when almost half the teams did it in some way shape or form.

The Redskins and Cowboys were singled out for their spending not their structuring of contracts. It's absolutely pathetic. The power trip has to end.

[Dirtbag59]

Team-by-team salary cap numbers, if there were a salary cap | ProFootballTalk
Surprise surprise the top cash spenders in 2010.

Redskins: $178.2 million.

Cowboys: $166.5 million.

Saints: $145.0 million.

The curve-ball is the Raiders at 8 but nevertheless it's still an abuse of power.

Anyway here's the best article I've read on the situation
NFL Players Association lawsuit against NFL could be decided by Judge Doty - Michael McCann - SI.com