NFLPA decertifies
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
NFLPA decertifies
Jonathan Tamari
UPDATE:
WASHINGTON -- The NFL Players Associated announced today that it has informed the league that it has renounced its status as the exclusive collective bargaining representation, according to a statement.
The union decertified by filing paper work with a federal court in Minneapolis. The NFLPA confirmed that it had filed an anti-trust suit against the league and will seek an injunction to block a lockout from the owners at midnight.
The NFLPA will now "move forward as a professional trade association with the mission of supporting the interests and rights of current and former professional football players," the union's statement read.
If there is a lockout the union files an anti-trust suit the league could be in for a long legal battle. Even though there was some movement on Friday mediator George Cohen said that "no useful purpose would be served" by further mediation now.
The league said it received the NFLPA's decertification notice at 4 p.m. and that the union left a deal on the table that included a 16-game season. The owners want an 18-game season.
FROM EARLIER:
WASHINGTON -- It comes down to this: the NFLPA wants 10 years of audited financial statements from the league or else they won't agree to another CBA extension. The union has given the league until 5 pm to decide.
Union leader DeMaurice Smith just told reporters of the NFLPA's stance. He said the league had made an offer but that "significant differences" remain.
Once again, the talks come down to players' demands for financial transparency before they give up any of their share of revenue, and owners' willingness to open up their books.
A lockout and union decertification hangs in the balance.
Well...5 PM is here... deficate or discommode!!!— StJames888- no way,it's lockout city,the owners will wait out the players overpaid ex-stars(not HOFers)can say goodbye...w.— wolf 4
- Who really cares??? Both sides are greedy, greedy!! Whatever happens, the fans will end up the losers, having to pay more for tickets.— oneway
- great job idiots, hope they cancel the next 5 seasons and no fan ever watches again, greedy good for nothing players and owners alike..complete joke, 10% unemployment and they bicker of billions...f'n tools, all of them— tooltime
- HA HA HA---Now all the GREEDY Owners, coaches, & players can join the real world and quit taking all the loyal fans hard earned money. Both sides can now shell out lots of money to the biggest GREEDY scumbags ever-LAWYERS. Catch BOZO & the JERKOFF's(will be touring full time now)at a pub or dump near you. McNabb(leade guitar/bus drive), Obama(bass guitar/mouthpiece), N.Pelosi(singer/sex symbol of band), H.Reid(even thou 1/2 dead he's still drumming), Barney Frank(cow bell/skin flute--more cowbell-more cowbell), Shawn Andrews(music director/groupie precurer) & (security & party/desert planner)Michael Vick. Catch them while you can.— jwatson
- ROGER GOOD FOR NOTHING ELL...GREAT JOB ROG, PETER PRINCIPLE IN FULL BLOOM, BACK TO BEING A MARKETING INTERN— tooltime
- They've lost my money in the future, for whatever little it's worth. The stench of greed ever apparent in these dealings is enough to choke on. Unbelievable these billionaire owners aren't happy with how much money they already have and were already scheduled to make...— Bleue
- So boring zzzzz— Ted Mosby
- I'm telling you three billion should go to the cities, that's who really "owns" the team; they're all opportunists clinging like a ticks and sucking away at our unbridled passion for sports. Let's take some of that back...or organize our boycott. With Twitter, Facebook and all the other social networks we could really stir up the fans at this point, especially in this economy. I'm in. Been rooting since the early 50's, but these entitled clowns have gone too far.— retzlaff
- Who cares...it's not even real football...— RandyFloyd
- Is it baseball season yet?— The Pack Leader
- players want a bigger slice the owners think they are giving too much of the pie away. The only solution is to make the pie bigger. The problem is the fans are the ingredients that get used.
how you like them apples
— willbert31 - While the greedy owners and players walk away, once again the fans and all the workers who just lost their jobs take it in the shorts once again. There is absolutely no excuse on either side for flipping off the fans who pay the freight. Hope they all lose their shirts over this fiasco, they don't deserve the NFL cash cow.— Z-Force
- To all those who blame the players for wanting to see the books, If you were a cop and a rape suspect refused to offer a DNA sample because it invaded his privcacy, that's his right, but wouldn't you think he was guilty or hiding something. NFL- give up the DNA ie show the books. Other than that booth sides are stupid to kill the goose that's been laying the golden egg all these years. THAT ALL US FANS THAT KEEP FINANCING THESE RICH IDIOTS (players and owners)!— allphillyallthetime
- it's billionaires vs millionaires and the seat license fans end up holding the bag again.....w.— wolf 4
- Only Lawyers could destroy a very secure $9 billion a year industry. I hope they sit the entire season and many players go broke. Welcome to the real world. Maybe now they can put that free college education to good use. After hearing Winston Justice speak, he should practice saying this line, "Do you want fries with that"?— younged
- Fans holding seat licenses should file a lawsuit.— Dexter
- @JWatson; I'm all the way out here in Las Vegas. When do you think the BOZO and The Jerkoffs will be out this way? ROFL
@Wilbert31; Love your analogy, however one thing is off about it. The players never asked for anything more and offered to give up whatever amount of financing the owners wanted, they just want to see why they are doing it. But like you said, none of it matters as the fans are the ingredients to make the pie in the 1st place.— papabear702 - My feeling is, the owners will not open their books, unless one is willing to do so. After that the rest might be forced to follow. If the PA does block the lockout successfully, then some other form of mediation will have to take place. I assume that will mean a non-biased, outside type of negotiator, such as George Mitchell. In any case, get ready to watch the CFL, they start the regular season in June. Actually, a bit more exciting than the NFL I think.— MidStaterUXB
- The union did the only thing it could do. The owners refusal to share financial info was the equivalent of saying we just want more money and we don't have to show you why. The Owners have strongarmed the NFLPA since its inception. The only justice the NFLPA has ever obtain was a result of judicial intervention. Hopefully, the players will hold together and the fans will support them. IF so, the Owners will not want to roll the dice with Judge Doty and they will capitulate rather than watch their billion dollar business depreciate.
- Major League Baseball suffered serious damage following their strike several years ago. The NFL games could be missed on Sundays. However, a year without football may illustrate clearly for both owners and players that few people really live for any game. Perhaps season ticket holders can stay home, refuse to renew, and demand free beer and nachos, then let's see who's books will suffer.— billtfla
meh, just one more step in the dance. There'll probably be some more grandstanding and acrimonious quotes and then, miraculously, an agreement just in time to save the season. Hopefully the Eagles can maximize whatever circumstances occur to improve the team. I'll still be a football fan and still be an Eagles fan. Just wrote a check for the games I'll be going to next season. Not gonna worry about their money grubbing fights til it affects games.— Mabus
