Alternate NFLPA draft event

I am not tired of him. Gene Upshaw had a personal relationship with the Commish, so that helps reach agreements.

I understand being overly combative is detrimental, however if high profile rookies do not go to the draft(stay at home or go to the NFLPA draft) it sends a message on a national level. If a player is smart, he realizes the long-term impacts of the current labor disputes rather than being self-absorbed in one moment.

A lot of the players love him, I don't think it is clear cut he is the wrong guy. I think your opinion about the situation is allowing you to portray him negatively.

Not really getting all the De Smith hate.. Sure he's misguided on this but didn't the owners pick this fight by opting out of the CBA? Should he just be a good little boy and do what the owners say?

Bottom line, owners are opting out and locking the players out. It is not a strike.

Somehow that all gets overlooked.

Bottom line, owners are opting out and locking the players out. It is not a strike.

Somehow that all gets overlooked.

Exactly, even with decertification if the owners decided to just leave things as they were in 2010 for 2011 we'd be rolling in trades and free agency right now. They locked out causing the stoppage of the league year.

Not really getting all the De Smith hate.. Sure he's misguided on this but didn't the owners pick this fight by opting out of the CBA? Should he just be a good little boy and do what the owners say?

Initially yes, the owners were being ridiculous and Smith had the world behind him. Since then the NFL has come to the table with a fair offer, and Smith and Co. rejected it. This offer was at the very least a fair starting point and rather then come back with a slightly modified counter offer Smith decides to drag this out and take it to court. Now, as the head of a union, that technically doesn't exist, he's telling players to boycott the draft and attend a sham draft party.

I don't know if it's Smith who made the final decision to reject the NFL's offer but whoever did make that call is taking an unnecessary risk with the 2011 season and beyond. For me the draft boycott is simply the straw that broke the camels back.

"The union left a very good deal on the table," the NFL said in a statement. "It included an offer to narrow the player compensation gap that existed in the negotiations by splitting the difference; guarantee reallocation of savings from first-round rookies to veterans and retirees without negatively affecting compensation for rounds 2-7; ensure no compensation reduction for veterans; implement new year-round health and safety rules; retain the current 16-4 season format for at least two years with any subsequent changes subject to the approval of the league and union; and establish a new legacy fund for retired players ($82 million contributed by the owners over the next two years).

"The union was offered financial disclosure of audited league and club profitability information that is not even shared with the NFL clubs.

"The expanded health and safety rules would include a reduction in offseason programs of five weeks (from 14 to nine) and of OTAs (Organized Team Activities) from 14 to 10; significant reductions in the amount of contact in practices; and other changes."

New York Giants owner John Mara, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in addressing the media after the union decertified.

People seem to have this romanticized memory of Gene Upshaw, but in reality he had his share of critics amongst the players, especially retired players who felt he didn't do enough for them and catered more to active players. He was also viewed by many as being a little too close with NFL execs and didn't always have the best interests of the players in mind.

I honestly don't know enough about De Smith yet. He does seem to have strong support from the players. Plus he's a Skins fan, so he can't be that bad. ;)

Anyone else getting tired of DeMaurice Smith? Personally I knew we were in trouble when he called Collective Bargaining a "war." Seriously he compared negotiating billions of dollars to getting shot at. Now we have this sham of a draft event were the great DeMaurice Smith, the true players advocate, will doll out the hugs in a worn down hotel ball room.

The players clearly hired the wrong guy. Gene Upshaw got the players 60% without shouting and screaming at least in public. Smith on the other hand thinks he can bully 32 guys that can't seem to agree on anything.

Well he's not the first person to make a "war" analogy in sports

And did we forget Upshaw led the players to a strike in 1987; that he decertified the union, that he filed (on behalf of the players) multiple lawsuits

Well he's not the first person to make a "war" analogy in sports

And did we forget Upshaw led the players to a strike in 1987; that he decertified the union, that he filed (on behalf of the players) multiple lawsuits

He's not the first person I've gone after for making the war analogy. Heck it's practically a canned speech for me in real life.

And you're absolutely right. Upshaw was certainly a key figure in the 1987 players strike. However Upshaw had to work under a different set of circumstances. In 1987 there was no salary cap (read *no salary floor*), no free agency, no $9 billion industry. Also at the time the NFL was neck and neck with the NBA and MLB. Now both leagues are barely in the NFL's rear view mirror.

I think the thing that irks me the most among other things is that the owners came to the table with a reasonable offer and rather then putting together a counter offer they simply said "see you in court."

"reasonable offer" depends on who you ask I suppose