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Players call NFL a 'cartel' in court filing - NFL - Sporting News
Hmm.. The players want a CBA without unionizing?? That would be a first. What "irreparable harm" are they suffering currently? This is a time where they are not paid a normal paycheck. The only payment they receive is any stipend from any OTA they might attend. And, during this time, they are responsible for their own work-outs. Did those workouts change all of a sudden from the end of last season??? I think not. The only ones who are minimally affected are the rookies. Not ALL the players.
While they can't sign contracts, they most certainly CAN workout. In fact, we read every day how many of them ARE working out. So, again, how are they being harmed? Because a select few of the contractors are unemployed?? I have news for them, there are some 30 million people in the US who are unemployed right now. Deal with it.
As for the players basically demanding that their Anti-trust lawsuit move forward before the Appeals court has ruled on the League Appeal over the lockout, I'm sorry, but no, it shouldn't. Their Anti-trust lawsuits are inextricably tied to the Lock-out. They are only valid if the Appeals Court rules in their favor. Otherwise, they are not valid because they were filed PRIOR to the end of the CBA which, in and of itself is a violation of the CBA.
Every day that goes by, it's patently clear that the Players continue to act as a UNION and not as a trade association. And every day that passes, it becomes more and more clear that too many of the players are out of touch with reality.
And, yes, I agree with other people who have said that the AGENTS are more of a driving force behind this than the players and that the lawyers are actually the worst of the bunch.
It didn't have to get to this point, but it's clear that the players haven't bargained in good faith.
Oh, and that isn't to say that the owners have kept their noses clean. They haven't. The garbage they pulled with the TV contracts wasn't bright. And their last "offer" wasn't exactly on the up and up, though it was a starting point for everyone to work from.
"The players face immediate, continuing, severe irreparable injury from unlawful conduct orchestrated to force them to re-unionize against their will and make immense financial concessions," the players' attorneys wrote. "The NFL, by contrast, claims only a temporary loss of leverage by members of a cartel that is no longer entitled to any exemption from the antitrust laws."
Hmm.. The players want a CBA without unionizing?? That would be a first. What "irreparable harm" are they suffering currently? This is a time where they are not paid a normal paycheck. The only payment they receive is any stipend from any OTA they might attend. And, during this time, they are responsible for their own work-outs. Did those workouts change all of a sudden from the end of last season??? I think not. The only ones who are minimally affected are the rookies. Not ALL the players.
The players have argued all along that their careers are being harmed by the work stoppage — they can't work out, or sign contracts with any of the 32 clubs while the lockout persists.
While they can't sign contracts, they most certainly CAN workout. In fact, we read every day how many of them ARE working out. So, again, how are they being harmed? Because a select few of the contractors are unemployed?? I have news for them, there are some 30 million people in the US who are unemployed right now. Deal with it.
As for the players basically demanding that their Anti-trust lawsuit move forward before the Appeals court has ruled on the League Appeal over the lockout, I'm sorry, but no, it shouldn't. Their Anti-trust lawsuits are inextricably tied to the Lock-out. They are only valid if the Appeals Court rules in their favor. Otherwise, they are not valid because they were filed PRIOR to the end of the CBA which, in and of itself is a violation of the CBA.
Every day that goes by, it's patently clear that the Players continue to act as a UNION and not as a trade association. And every day that passes, it becomes more and more clear that too many of the players are out of touch with reality.
And, yes, I agree with other people who have said that the AGENTS are more of a driving force behind this than the players and that the lawyers are actually the worst of the bunch.
It didn't have to get to this point, but it's clear that the players haven't bargained in good faith.
Oh, and that isn't to say that the owners have kept their noses clean. They haven't. The garbage they pulled with the TV contracts wasn't bright. And their last "offer" wasn't exactly on the up and up, though it was a starting point for everyone to work from.