DeMaurice Smith "apologizes" to the fans

[TheComeback]

I have to say, although I didn't favor either side, I was a bit more sympathetic toward the players until De Smith started opening his mouth. This guy isn't just a clown, he's a flat out liar. The players are the ones who sued to shut down football, the players are the ones who decertified the union and got this all started in the first place. He isn't fooling anyone with half a brain.

I hope the owners crush the players in courts just so this idiot gets fired. Having him at the helm of the NFLPA for years to come would be a disaster for the players in the long run.

 

[E Belichick Unum]

I have to say, although I didn't favor either side, I was a bit more sympathetic toward the players until De Smith started opening his mouth. This guy isn't just a clown, he's a flat out liar. The players are the ones who sued to shut down football, the players are the ones who decertified the union and got this all started in the first place. He isn't fooling anyone with half a brain.

I hope the owners crush the players in courts just so this idiot gets fired. Having him at the helm of the NFLPA for years to come would be a disaster for the players in the long run.

I am more of an owners guy also, but I do have to point out that it was the owners who opted out of the CBA and git this mess started. Don't get me wrong, it was well within their reights under the previous CBA to opt out, but the owners started the ball rolling. So, let me be the millionth person to state "A POX ON BOTH THEIR HOUSES"!

 

[Off The Grid]

WOW.

This Thread is LOADED with Rich Text.

Gratefull thanks, Gentlemen: Some tremendous prose, hereabouts.

 

[Triumph]

There is clearly no doubt at this point that "the owners sued to stop football" is the new talking point. It is a complete lie and insults the intelligence of both his players and the fans of the game but Smith probably (and likely correctly) assumes many if not most don't know the difference.

Smith has lied all along.

He said that they have asked for nothing. Well, they are asking the Minny courts for nearly 800 million in damages on the TV deal. 1 billion was floated around as the original settlement amount.

They have also asked the Minny courts to end the owners anti trust exemption.

 

[ausbacker]

I'm glad to see that people are finally coming around to the "DeMaurice Smith is the single biggest problem in getting the CBA done". Nobody believes this snake oil salesman.

 

[Mike in 333]

I'm glad to see that people are finally coming around to the "DeMaurice Smith is the single biggest problem in getting the CBA done". Nobody believes this snake oil salesman.

Plenty of "biggest problems" in this mess. Smith comes across as a disingenuous self promoter as does Pash. Each would be doing their respective causes a big favor by keeping their mouths shut. Last week Goodell was quoted as saying that some huge percentage of fans want an 18 game season, can't find the exact number but as I recall it was north of 80%. I have never seen anywhere that there is nearly the support for an 18 game season that the league continues to suggest.
None of the current principals of the negotiating teams sound like they give a damn about the fans but they're going to keep spewing their drivel, apparently assuming that it will swing fans loyalties to their view. They're grossly underestimating the fans intelligence.
edit, link added: link to Goodell 18 game article: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/04/30/league-still-pushes-18-and-2-format/
clearly not a scientific poll

 

[ausbacker]

Plenty of "biggest problems" in this mess. Smith comes across as a disingenuous self promoter as does Pash. Each would be doing their respective causes a big favor by keeping their mouths shut. Last week Goodell was quoted as saying that some huge percentage of fans want an 18 game season, can't find the exact number but as I recall it was north of 80%. I have never seen anywhere that there is nearly the support for an 18 game season that the league continues to suggest.
None of the current principals of the negotiating teams sound like they give a damn about the fans but they're going to keep spewing their drivel, apparently assuming that it will swing fans loyalties to their view. They're grossly underestimating the fans intelligence.

I've repeatedly voiced my disdain for both sides in this mess. That doesn't detract from my opinion that DeMaurice Smith is on a Gaddafi make a name for myself quest to the detriment of the rest.

If the NFLPA membership moved on this clown and put someone in who was competent and didn't blabber bull every time a microphone was put in front of him that would go a long way to helping (even in light of the collective idiocy of the owners).

 

[Joker]

heh......Goodell says...

how can you tell Goodell is lying???...his lips move

Rule#1: NEVER believe a word that vomits forth from this disingenuous turd.

Rule #2: If in doubt, refer to Rule #1

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Plenty of "biggest problems" in this mess. Smith comes across as a disingenuous self promoter as does Pash. Each would be doing their respective causes a big favor by keeping their mouths shut. Last week Goodell was quoted as saying that some huge percentage of fans want an 18 game season, can't find the exact number but as I recall it was north of 80%. I have never seen anywhere that there is nearly the support for an 18 game season that the league continues to suggest.

This was born from fans complaining about paying full price for preseason games. What I think most fans said was "if we have to pay full price we want real games". If you actually took a real poll, Im not so sure fans would want 18 games, what fans really want is to not pay full price for preseason games.

 

[Rob0729]

I've repeatedly voiced my disdain for both sides in this mess. That doesn't detract from my opinion that DeMaurice Smith is on a Gaddafi make a name for myself quest to the detriment of the rest.

If the NFLPA membership moved on this clown and put someone in who was competent and didn't blabber bull every time a microphone was put in front of him that would go a long way to helping (even in light of the collective idiocy of the owners).

That is basically my sentiment. I don't think there are any good guys at the top at either organization (except the player representatives and some of the owners who have been actively involved in mediation). I just think the greatest two villians in this process just happen to be the top two guys on the players' side - DeMaurice Smith and Jeffrey Kessler.

Smith has been throwing grenades for over a year now when he should be more consilatory (at least at times). Instead of referencing The Godfather and claiming the players are ready to go to the mattress (in other words the players want to fight a war), he should be saying he is willing to negotiate if the owners would get more serious.

Kessler has dreams of a free market NFL. He only sees the good parts of a system like that where rookies can pick what team they want to play for and elite players can get ARod type of contracts while ignoring the downside where back up players and inactive players will make sub $100k year and retired players will not get any pensions or other benefits from the league unless an individual team decides they want to set up a pension plan for their employees which is doubtful at least not at the level former players get paid today.

Both Goodell and Jeff Pash had done a lot of shady and stupid things in this process, but not to the level of Smith and Kessler.

 

[Rob0729]

One point to clarify, the players in their suit Brady V NFL are already suing the league over all the things you say they may turn around and sue for if they win the injunction. The injunction is just the first part of a broad suit against the NFL.

Brady v. NFL: a primer | National Football Post

The players lawsuit requests:
An injunction to stop the NFL lockout and force teams to open their facilities to players and transact business;

Restraints on their earning ability (lockout, draft, salary cap, franchise/transition tag) declared illegal;

Players currently under contract to be immediately paid;

Treble (triple) damages for all players due to these restraints, as well as costs and attorneys fees.

A declaration that the NFL has waived its right to assert any “sham” defense – meaning that the NFL cannot contest the NFLPA’s decertification as illegitimate.

Actually, I should have been more specific. I meant that if the lockkout was ended and the league imposed 2010 rules, it would be likely that the players would file a petition for an injunction to bar the league from enforcing things like a franchise tag and RFA tenders.

 

[JPPT1974]

We shall see on June 7th what happens. Now won't we? As it is dragging along.

 

[Rob0729]

In most cases you are right.

But in this case, if the person they agreed to had the confidence of both sides, and they knew that person would be fair and not impose a deal that one party could not live with, then that would better than dragging it through the court system and losing billions that they may never be able to recover.

See that's the rub. How can you find an arbitrator who is fair and impartial? Look at the Judges in the motion and appeal for an injunction of the lockout. Thus far, every ruling has come to political party lines. Every Judge appointed by a Republican President has sided with the owners and every Judge appointed by a Democratic President sided with the players. Only Judge Doty has bucked the trend that respect since he was appointed by Reagan and usually sides with the players (But this isn't the first time a Reagan appointee turned out to be left of center - see Supreme Court Justice David Souter).

Right now the players and owners can't even agree on whether they made progress in mediation this week. How are they ever going to agree on an arbitrator to oversee their case? Both sides are jockeying for leverage in court and would obviously try to do the same by trying to get an arbitrator sympathetic to them in an arbitration case. It would probably take longer to agree on an arbitrator than it will to let the appeals process of the stay of the lockout to play out.

 

[townes]

See that's the rub. How can you find an arbitrator who is fair and impartial? Look at the Judges in the motion and appeal for an injunction of the lockout. Thus far, every ruling has come to political party lines. Every Judge appointed by a Republican President has sided with the owners and every Judge appointed by a Democratic President sided with the players. Only Judge Doty has bucked the trend that respect since he was appointed by Reagan and usually sides with the players (But this isn't the first time a Reagan appointee turned out to be left of center - see Supreme Court Justice David Souter).

Right now the players and owners can't even agree on whether they made progress in mediation this week. How are they ever going to agree on an arbitrator to oversee their case? Both sides are jockeying for leverage in court and would obviously try to do the same by trying to get an arbitrator sympathetic to them in an arbitration case. It would probably take longer to agree on an arbitrator than it will to let the appeals process of the stay of the lockout to play out.

Agree completely.

Robo, I work 4 12's from wed-sat so responding during those days is tough, when i get a chance i will return to this and respond to comments directed at me from anyone who posted them.

 

[part-timer]

It apears D Smith has had this fight planed for 2 years and had the NFLPA membetship agreeing to go through this fight 2 years ago. Speaking to the University of Maryland we heard more retoric of "we will not shut up and play" and admission that this fight was planed by the membership with no mention of a negociation stratigy at all at that time. It apears the NFLPA was all in from the first day the CBA opt out was played.
De Smith faces “we want football!” chant, too | ProFootballTalk
This is big bussiness and it only figures that everything that has and can happen has been thought up and over for the last 2 years and we are just watching it play out and neither side will alow anything the fans say or due to alter the direction these negociations were destined to take. The only variable is the direction the courts push it in.

 

[Sfpat]

I doubt Smith thought he would be slapped down like this by the appeal court before any testimony is ever heard, basically saying that the Nelson decision is flawed and the owners will prevail on appeal. I hope they have a good plan B

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Don't forget this gem:

“To anybody who thinks for one minute that passion is something that is cheap and futile, have two words for them: ‘You suck.’ And for anybody who would ever think that it is the wrong thing to do to care so much that you’re willing to risk everything because it is right, reserve those two words for them.”

Source: De Smith faces “we want football!” chant, too | ProFootballTalk

I'm reserving those two words for you, DeMaurice.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

De is about as adept at delivering commencement speeches as he is at negotiating CBA's...

No wonder his audition speech blew the NFLPA Executive Committee away...

Sadly, that says more about them than him. Players play...for a reason. Some develop inflated egos that convince them their contribution is so much more significant. It isn't.

 

[Shelterdog]

I doubt Smith thought he would be slapped down like this by the appeal court before any testimony is ever heard, basically saying that the Nelson decision is flawed and the owners will prevail on appeal. I hope they have a good plan B

If he's a good lawyer, and he probably is despite the bluster, the plan is simple. Hope that Doty CRUSHES the NFL in the TV case, hope that you get lucky at the 8th circuit-but you probably dont-and work to settle the thing by August 1 using the TV case as leverage.

If he's smart and interested in self-preservation he will negotiate a relatively high 2011 cap that increases very slowly over time, so his curent players are happy and the owners are happy and future players are screwed.

 

[lamafist]

(But this isn't the first time a Reagan appointee turned out to be left of center - see Supreme Court Justice David Souter)

*Souter was an G.H.W. Bush appointee.