CBS's Mike Freeman: "Deal will be reached within matter of days"

[PatsFanSince74]

NFL source: Labor negotiations 80-85 percent complete - NFL - CBSSports.com Football

Salient points:

80--85 percent complete? It all depends on exactly which 15--20% remains unresolved. The Israeli's and Palestinians have been 80% of the way to a deal for over a decade; it's that last 20% on things like exact borders, right of return and the status of Jerusalem that's been holding things up.

 

[SanAngeloState]

I was kind of hoping for a cancelled season, but if the players are truly crushed then that'll be OK, I guess.

 

[Patspsycho]

80--85 percent complete? It all depends on exactly which 15--20% remains unresolved. The Israeli's and Palestinians have been 80% of the way to a deal for over a decade; it's that last 20% on things like exact borders, right of return and the status of Jerusalem that's been holding things up.

Along with not being able to get along for 2,000 years? I'm sorry this is just football, not politics.

 

[Rob0729]

Good news! De Smith kicked Jeffrey Kessler out of today's meetings because he nearly blew up the process yesterday. Kessler is evil and should not be involved in anything other than reviewing the deal to make sure it is legal. Kessler is a big reason why there is no deal now.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Good news! De Smith kicked Jeffrey Kessler out of today's meetings because he nearly blew up the process yesterday. Kessler is evil and should not be involved in anything other than reviewing the deal to make sure it is legal. Kessler is a big reason why there is no deal now.

You know, I read yesterday that they were letting the lawyers back in. Then this morning I saw on Schefter that things almost fell apart yesterday.

Lockout: Talks 'almost blew up' Tuesday, source says - ESPN

As tensions rose and anger grew, two sources said NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith instructed his lawyers to "stand down."

With the lawyers removed from the direct negotiations, the process was said to get back on track and to a good spot. The scenario is an example of just how tenuous these talks can be and how quickly they can be derailed.

Just figures.

 

[BradyManny]

That's good news that De Smith asked the lawyers to leave. I've been firmly on the players side of this problem from the getgo, but have not been a huge fan of his leadership. Good to see he is now committed to getting the deal done at this stage.

It's embarrassing that the lawyers are such a threat to what progress has been made that they have to be treated like children and sent for timeouts.

 

[37Harrison]

NFL, NFLPA negotiators huddle for second straight day - NFL - SI.com

A person with knowledge of the talks tells The Associated Press that the negotiations have continued Wednesday and they include lawyers for both sides...

On Tuesday, several people familiar with the talks told the AP that significant progress was being made toward ending the owners' lockout of the players, now in its fourth month...

First of all if this is true I am not happy to hear that they lawyers are back in the room however, "A person with knowledge" is about as vague as you can get and invokes no confidence with me.

 

[Patspsycho]

First of all if this is true I am not happy to hear that they lawyers are back in the room however, "A person with knowledge" is about as vague as you can get and invokes no confidence with me.

The lawyers will have to come in at some point to handle the drafting of the legal document itself, but from the way it seems- it looks like they were brought in a little too soon. So that's good they got kicked out again because it shows that both sides are finally sincere about the process.

My personal opinion is that I think it's oxymoronic, and counterproductive for DeSmith to keep using lawyers who are litigators (e.g., Kessler) because it's in the best interests of the litigators that this continues indefinitely and not get settled (and for the anti-trust triple damage to keep piling up).

DeSmith probably won't do it, but if he were to hire contract lawyers, they'd just charge to draft legal documents spelling out the new CBA.

 

[goheels22002]

That's good news that De Smith asked the lawyers to leave. I've been firmly on the players side of this problem from the getgo, but have not been a huge fan of his leadership. Good to see he is now committed to getting the deal done at this stage.

It's embarrassing that the lawyers are such a threat to what progress has been made that they have to be treated like children and sent for timeouts.

Q: You're trapped in a room with Rex Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger and a lawyer and you only have two bullets in your gun. What do you do?

A: Shoot the lawyer. Twice.

 

[dhamz]

The whole De Smith standing up to the lawyers leak is likely designed to make him a hero in the eyes of the players to try to insure his re-election next year.

I highly doubt it happenned anything like Schefter was told.

 

[TriplecHamp]

You know, I read yesterday that they were letting the lawyers back in. Then this morning I saw on Schefter that things almost fell apart yesterday.

Lockout: Talks 'almost blew up' Tuesday, source says - ESPN



Just figures.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Kessler is the fly in the ointment and he always has been. He's already flapping his lips about his upcoming battle with the NBA...and singing the same song. He's got a vested interest in seeing litigation prevail in this case as a result, despite the fact that the NBA can unfortunately provide ample documentation to prove their business model is already in the kind of financial distress that he mocks NFL owners for attempting to insure they avoid. He's not a lawyer, he's an opportunist who fancies himself as the NFL/NBA version of Marvin Miller and Donald Fehr's lovechild, the guys who ruined MLB in more ways than one.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The whole De Smith standing up to the lawyers leak is likely designed to make him a hero in the eyes of the players to try to insure his re-election next year.

I highly doubt it happenned anything like Schefter was told.

Sounds overly dramatic to me. Negotiations are bound to get testy. And its convenient to blame the lawyers since nobody likes em. In any case if OP's article is true. All that I care about is that things get wrapped up soon and the NFL goes back to being a product everyone can enjoy. Let's hope a new CBA is agreed to soon and this lockout is finally over.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Sounds like Kessler isn't the only fly in the ointment. Probably the usual suspects pushing back...

Several NFL owners resisting deal to end lockout, sources say - ESPN

 

[Rob0729]

Sounds like Kessler isn't the only fly in the ointment. Probably the usual suspects pushing back...

Several NFL owners resisting deal to end lockout, sources say - ESPN

So Mike Brown and Ralph Wilson are against the CBA again. Big deal. Mike Brown isn't going to be happy until he gets a CBA where he gives the players' 0% of the revenues.

I am beginning not to trust Schefter on this. He has said as recently as last week that he doesn't expect a deal to be done until late August or early September at the earliest and I think he is looking for something to back that up. Yes, we all know two AFC teams (the Bills and Bengals) are not going to be happy with the deal no matter what it is. By shear dumb luck they were right the last time that the deal was not good for the owners.

The owners opposition to a new CBA will need 9 votes to squash any deal. I seriously doubt there are going to be 9 no votes when the CBA comes to a vote. Until I hear that more than eight owner are against it, I think it is a non-story.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think you are missing the point which is this thing isn't that close to a vote yet. Rumors of progress as usual caused many to jump the gun in hopes of being ahead of the pack. All the really well connected mediots including people like Liz Mullen and Dan Kaplan at the SBJ were cautioning last week that justifiable enthusiasm was getting ahead of reality to a point of bordering on hysteria fed delusion. This thing is still weeks away if it doesn't implode altogether (which I don't think the majority on either side will allow it to). July 15 looms as the logical goal, whether fans want it to come sooner or not. Some teams claim to need it a week sooner because of outside camp comittments, but by then they should know whether or not it's within reach with relative certainty.

Remember while there were only two naysayers who eventually remained unwilling to compromise back in 2006 there were 32 willing to opt out just 24 months later. And several means there are more than two at this juncture. Several only need to secure a couple of voters (including some with different agendas even) to control the outcome. And frankly the same can be said for the association where 13 mostly retired or at the end of their career guys and a lawyer will be deciding whether or not everyone impacted in the present and the future gets to vote on a new deal any time soon.

 

[Rob0729]

I think you are missing the point which is this thing isn't that close to a vote yet. Rumors of progress as usual caused many to jump the gun in hopes of being ahead of the pack. All the really well connected mediots including people like Liz Mullen and Dan Kaplan at the SBJ were cautioning last week that justifiable enthusiasm was getting ahead of reality to a point of bordering on hysteria fed delusion. This thing is still weeks away if it doesn't implode altogether (which I don't think the majority on either side will allow it to). July 15 looms as the logical goal, whether fans want it to come sooner or not. Some teams claim to need it a week sooner because of outside camp comittments, but by then they should know whether or not it's within reach with relative certainty.

Remember while there were only two naysayers who eventually remained unwilling to compromise back in 2006 there were 32 willing to opt out just 24 months later. And several means there are more than two at this juncture. Several only need to secure a couple of voters (including some with different agendas even) to control the outcome. And frankly the same can be said for the association where 13 mostly retired or at the end of their career guys and a lawyer will be deciding whether or not everyone impacted in the present and the future gets to vote on a new deal any time soon.

I expect a vote on the framework to voted on next week. I guarantee you there will be a deal in place by July 14th. As Florio pointed out in response to the Schefter piece, if there are some owners not happy with what the owners are agreeing to in these meetings, the gap between the both sides has shrunk exponentially there is real reason to believe a deal will be done. If all the owners were happy with what was being offered, the chances of a deal would be far less because the players would never agree to it.

I don't expect an universal 32 team approval of the CBA. Right now the story is a non-story because anything less than nine teams not being happy with the current state of the negotiations is irrelevant.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't expect a vote on any framework next week because while progress has been made there isn't actually framework to vote on yet. They are reportedly closing gaps and proposing compromise solutions to several issues, but until they agree on the % split and true up parameters and court oversight going forward and any settlement terms (not sure why those would be necessary at this juncture if in fact an agreement in principle on a new CBA is achieved beyond both sides joining together to motion the courts to drop the suit), the owners meeting will be about hashing out the remaining impediments on one side. And who knows what the other side is yet willing to do. I think it's optomistic at best to think a framework could be in place by the end of next week and more realistic to hope by the week after.

 

[IcyPatriot]

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[lamafist]

Remember while there were only two naysayers who eventually remained unwilling to compromise back in 2006 there were 32 willing to opt out just 24 months later.

Sort of, but not really. It would only take the votes of 9 owners to trigger the opt-out. Once it became apparent during the owners meeting that the opt-out had the numbers, it behooved the rest of the owners to make the official vote unanimous, so as to be able to present a united front in negotiations.