Blog: Chatham says NFLPA Prez 'Optimistic' A Deal Will Get Done

[Christopher_Price]

Hey everyone ... spoke with Matt Chatham today about his offseason — he's taking classes at Harvard Business School — and said Troy Vincent, the president of the NFLPA, is "optimistic" a deal will get done regarding the new CBA before the deadline. Check it out here:

http://www.patsfans.com/price/blog/?q=node/248

Thanks,
Chris

 

[DarMan]

Thanks for the update, Chris. It's good to see a note of optimism. I would not be surprised if that assessment is correct.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Good blogging, Chris ... once again!

I have neither spoken to Troy Vincent nor stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Yet i. too, was confident that a deal would be reached.

That is, until i returned this evening to find all these startling cap casualties strewn all about. Factor that, Mr. NFLPA President !

 

[MoLewisrocks]

One group we haven't heard much if anything from is the players. The few who have commented have seemed to be of the same mind as their fan base - that you would have to be a complete moron to screw up an arrangement that has worked this well for all parties.

Hopefully they have conveyed that thought to their representatives, who are relaying it to Mr. Upshaw.

I have a feeling if bloody Thursday unfolds as scheduled, followed by fairly tepid interest in FA beyond the handful of teams with cap space offering 3-4 year deals with limited signing bonuses, players and agents aren't going to be too happy with Gene.

 

[groundgame]

Unfortunately, the only real obstacle to a settlement is the philosophical gap AMONGST THE OWNERS, not the deal on the table between the Players Assoc. and the Owners.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Nice job Chris!

 

[hwc]

Unfortunately, the only real obstacle to a settlement is the philosophical gap AMONGST THE OWNERS, not the deal on the table between the Players Assoc. and the Owners.

I'm not sure I agree with that.

I think the bidding goes as follows:

1) Upshaw demands 60% of total revenues

2) Tagliabue does the math for Upshaw and shows him that half the teams in the NFL wouldn't be able to spend up to the cap on that deal.

3) Upshaw counters by saying that the owners should share more of the revenues and forget about paying off the debt on privately financed stadiums.

Fundamentally, the problem is that Upshaw is demanding more DOLLARS than the owners will pay. Where the dollars come from or how revenue is shared is, frankly, none of Upshaw's business. This is about DOLLARS. Everything else is just the blame game.