NFL Players Get What They Deserve

It seems that everyday there is a new lawsuit filed by some player or by the NFLPA against the NFL and more specifically Commissioner Roger Goodell.  It’s getting to the point of being downright laughable.  Late last month, Jonathan Vilma of the New Orleans Saints filed not one but two lawsuits against the NFL.  The first in regards to his suspension over the “bountygate” issue and the second a personal lawsuit against Roger Goodell for defamation of character.

Last Thursday, the NFLPA filed another lawsuit against the NFL regarding the aforementioned bountygate issues on behalf of the players not named Vilma.  The lawsuit alleges that the NFL has not proven that a bounty system was ever in place and that the Commissioner is acting out against the players in part due to last years lockout and subsequent de-certification of the NFL players union.

What the players and NFLPA Director DeMaurice Smith are failing to realize is that they are getting exactly what they asked for.

Last year when the two sides were engaged in heated debate, the NFLPA took certain demands off the table for an increase in monetary gain for the players.  One of those concessions supposedly was the control and power that Roger Goodell had over disciplinary actions.  Had the NFLPA took a concession themselves in other areas, the league may have taken some power away from Goodell.  As it stands today, Roger Goodell has final say in all discipline actions.

The fact that the NFLPA knew this would be an issue and still agreed to it is their own fault.  It hasn’t been one full 365 days and already they are complaining.  Prior to the start of the league new year (which was cancelled when the lockout was instituted) the NFLPA rejected the NFL’s offer calling it the “worst deal in the history of sports”.  DeMaurice Smith personally called out the NFL on that offer citing specifically the players cut of the “pie” as well as the maintained power of Roger Goodell.

Yet here we are again.  First it was the increase in the 2011 salary cap figure that jumped only by a few hundred thousand dollars.  Then came the penalties on the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys for dumping salaries in an uncapped year.  The NFLPA accused the NFL of collusion and then complained that the penalties of lost cap space hurt the players and was illegal under the cap.  Regardless of whether or not the CBA was not in existence during the uncapped season of 2010.

In New Orleans, Drew Brees has won a minor victory over the NFL when it was ruled that any prior franchise tags placed on a player will count towards a players accrual.  This really comes down to financial gains.  A player who is franchised three times can receive the franchise equivalent of a QB regardless of whether they play the position or not.  If he is a QB, he can receive around a 146% increase in his salary.  Drew Brees was franchised in San Diego and is currently tagged in New Orleans giving him two.  In Miami, LB Karlos Dansby could potentially receive his third following this season as he was tagged twice in Arizona.

The reason the above could be important is the fact that the current CBA according to members of the NFLPA should not stand to penalize players prior to it’s existence.  In other words, one of the NFLPA arguments is that the bountygate issue occurred prior to the enactment of the current CBA and thus should not be part of the penalty process.  Yet Drew Brees’ own lawsuit stands to state that what happened prior to the current CBA can still run concurrently.

It’s all confusing to some degree and it appears that it will not get any relief soon.  Still ongoing is the entire “concussion” lawsuit by former players.  Currently over 1800 players have joined in the litigation against the NFL citing the NFL’s failure to provide safer working helmets.  Which of course comes at the same time that a bounty system is blackening the eye of the NFL.

Which of course brings us back to the bounty suspensions.  The players are saying that the NFL has not proven beyond a shadow of a doubt what exactly occurred to the point that is blatantly obvious.  Jonothan Vilma is fighting it hard saying the NFL has proven nothing and that the voice on recording saying “pay me my money” was not him.  The NFL for their part is not providing all of the evidence to the public.  The two who carry the biggest suspensions, Saints coach Sean Payton, suspended for an entire year, and former Saints DC Gregg Williams, suspended indefinitely have yet to come out against the NFL and state they did no wrong.  So for now, it resides with the players.

Of course there is also Drew Brees who is currently mired in contract talks with the Saints on a long term likely last contract.  The Saints have offered what is reported as the largest contract ever offered in the NFL.  Brees turned it down.  Now many from the Brees camp, including NFLPA Director DeMaurice Smith are saying that Brees is being low-balled and punished for his involvement in the negotiations during last years CBA talks.

Confused yet?  Well let’s just wrap it up like this for now.  The CBA was agreed upon and signed by all of the players except the Pittsburgh Steelers who pointed out specifically that they were giving too much power to the Commissioner.  Every other team voted to give him that control.  They are now complaining about it and wanting to take it back.  They can’t.  It’s their own mess, their own fault, and they need to accept their punishments like men instead of making themselves look even more foolish.