Players union considers combine and draft boycott

[greerre]

Re: Players union considers draft boycott

A combine boycott would help the teams with strong college scouting systems, and would hurt teams like the Bengals.

Any system requiring intelligent talent assessment hurts the Bengals

 

[Wax Frog]

Re: Players union considers draft boycott

I always liked Alfred Hitch**** movies.

Spaghetti Westerns for me - I'm particularly fond of "A Fistful of Dollars"...

 

[Sicilian]

Re: Players union considers draft boycott

A combine boycott would help the teams with strong college scouting systems, and would hurt teams like the Bengals.

Funny, it could work to the advantage of the more incompetent teams too. They'll be less tempted to take bad football players just because they blew away the workouts.

 

[capetide]

My favorite player is Danny Wood****.

 

[IllegalContact]

well.....not sure why the NFL would even want to hold a draft as scheduled if, as goodell mentioned, free agency won't happen if there is no CBA deal completed.

if there is no free agency, then while they won't admit it, the lockout will already be upon us......blame the owners for that one.

there are about twice as many (500) free agents this year as there are draft picks. so there are twice as many players who have no chance to get a contract. its not just the rookies who are going to be held away from their goals of playing in the NFL.

the one thing that would stand in favor of the draftees staying involved is that if there is a draft prior to the completion of the new CBA, they will likely be signing contracts based on the existing system and beat the rookie wage scale implementation.

i would not be down on the players for their pursuits.....it takes 2 to tango, and the league has plenty of dirt on its own hands.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

well.....not sure why the NFL would even want to hold a draft as scheduled if, as goodell mentioned, free agency won't happen if there is no CBA deal completed.

if there is no free agency, then while they won't admit it, the lockout will already be upon us......blame the owners for that one.

there are about twice as many (500) free agents this year as there are draft picks. so there are twice as many players who have no chance to get a contract. its not just the rookies who are going to be held away from their goals of playing in the NFL.

the one thing that would stand in favor of the draftees staying involved is that if there is a draft prior to the completion of the new CBA, they will likely be signing contracts based on the existing system and beat the rookie wage scale implementation.

i would not be down on the players for their pursuits.....it takes 2 to tango, and the league has plenty of dirt on its own hands.

The rookies will be in limbo with the FA. There will be no FA contracts or rookie contracts signed until a new CBA (or rules imposed under an impass or decertification are in effect which will absolutely include a slotted rookie contract cap). The reason for having a draft is so the 32 NFL teams will hold the rights to members of the class of 2011. Just won't be able to work with them thereafter...ergo don't need contracts.

 

[townes]

The combine is an invite only event and every prospect who declines the invite will be replaced by one who doesn't, all it would mean is that they would be allowing others to showcase themselves in their place. This is a really bad idea all the way around because it would simply put the lack of unity on display before a lockout.


I'm on the player's side on this matter but they are pretty much screwed as the owners cut a deal with the networks and will get paid even after they lock the players out, and the players will never stick together when the checks stop coming in.

 

[TrueBeliever]

Okay, are we talking about guys who are declaring for the draft? I never really think of them as "players" until they are signed. Before then I just think of them as prospects or picks.

As far as the union is concerned, are these guys considered players as soon as they declare?

Anyway I can't see guys like that holding out from the combine. They haven't earned a dime yet (well, not legally, anyway ) and I can't imagine they'd want to jeopardize that to make a statement regarding a job they don't even have yet. The draft maybe, but as was mentioned only a handful of the top guys go to that anyway.

 

[IllegalContact]

The rookies will be in limbo with the FA. There will be no FA contracts or rookie contracts signed until a new CBA (or rules imposed under an impass or decertification are in effect which will absolutely include a slotted rookie contract cap). The reason for having a draft is so the 32 NFL teams will hold the rights to members of the class of 2011. Just won't be able to work with them thereafter...ergo don't need contracts.

well.......I believe the players would win that one in court......the owners would not be granted the right to 'own' a player without the intention to sign him to a binding contract. The players would likely succeed in getting an injunction against the draft since all other league operations will have ceased.

it does work both ways.....one could argue there is no basis for a draft without a CBA and that it would be illegitimate

I hope none of this happens, but at some point, the union will decertify before there's a lockout, and then things will get really messy. charges of collusion, threat of anti-trust exemption removal.

its a game of chicken where both sides will lose. yeah, sure the league gets money for the TV contract regardless, but if the networks lose substantial time, they will try to get that money back in the future

 

[MoLewisrocks]

well.......I believe the players would win that one in court......the owners would not be granted the right to 'own' a player without the intention to sign him to a binding contract. The players would likely succeed in getting an injunction against the draft since all other league operations will have ceased.

it does work both ways.....one could argue there is no basis for a draft without a CBA and that it would be illegitimate

I hope none of this happens, but at some point, the union will decertify before there's a lockout, and then things will get really messy. charges of collusion, threat of anti-trust exemption removal.

its a game of chicken where both sides will lose. yeah, sure the league gets money for the TV contract regardless, but if the networks lose substantial time, they will try to get that money back in the future

This draft was stipulated in the expiring CBA. What would the draftees gain in preventing the draft...they've already lost their NCAA eligibility by declaring for one or they had none left. They are in the same boat as all the UFA...limbo. And it has been clear for almost two years now that this was potentially going to be the case... That was why so many juniors came out early last year...

The union is 0-2 in court just in the last week alone. Lost their claim against the TV deal and lost their claim that the league should have to continue player benefits during a lockout...

50-60% of that money that will have to be given back (via discounts/credits down the road) will come out of the players pockets...even though it was never in them.

 

[billdog3484]

im sure half the guys eligible for the draft hope the other half doesnt show. let them show off what they got and laugh at the others while their draft stock drops