Sports Radio Interviews

Players Union Not to Blame for Possible NFL Strike

In May of 2008, just two years after the NFL Players Union and owners of all NFL teams came to an agreement on a collective bargaining agreement the owners opted out of the contract. This could lead to an uncapped 2010 season, followed by a lockout, or strike in the 2011 season.

The Players Union wants the fans to know that it wasn’t them who nixed the deal. They’re pointing their fingers at the ownership committee, which voted 32-0 to tear up the previous deal and head back to the bargaining table.

Also hot on the Players Union plate is the topic of gigantic contracts being dulled out to top 10 draft picks before they even play a down in the NFL. This trend can be placed all the way back to 1998, where Ryan Leaf was handed a four-year contract worth $31.25 million dollars with a guaranteed $11.25 signing bonus. How did that one work out for the Chargers?

In 2008, offensive tackle Jake Long was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the first pick, and promptly signed to a five year $57.75 million dollar contract, making him one of the highest paid offensive linemen in the league. If Long busts like Leaf did, the Dolphins will be hamstrung for years with his fat contract. Something is definitely broken here.

Players Union Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and President Kevin Mawae joined 790 the Zone in Atlanta to discuss these issues and their takes on current environment in the NFL.

Executive Director DeMaurice Smith was asked his feelings on the overall health of the NFL:

“The health of the NFL appears to be extremely strong. I always start off with the most recent thing that happened in the National Football League, the draft. When you try to get your head around that 40 million people watched the draft, which is more than the NHL playoffs and the NBA playoffs combined. Gentlemen, that’s a healthy sport.”

President Kevin Mawae was asked about the absorbent amount of money being given to high first round draft picks:

“We don’t sign the checks. The name on the bottom of the checks is the owners who own the team. I wish I was a first rounder. I looked Mark Sanchez in the face the other day and said ‘congratulations, man. More power to you’. It’s the nature of the game. They’re fortunate enough to be in it at a time when the game is making that much money where I guy can come out and get a contract that guarantees him $30 million dollars. I’m not going to hate him for that, and I’m not going to hate the system for it. Rookie salaries only comprise four percent of the salary cap so it’s not like every guy is making that kind of money and they’re taking it from the veteran players. The reality is no team spent up to the entire cap last year. God bless the rookies coming out, they deserve it.”

Smith was asked about the collective bargaining agreement and the sentiment that nobody wants to see a work stoppage in the NFL:

“Gentlemen, I don’t know what a work stoppage is. I know what a lockout is. A lockout is where guys who want to work can’t work. You haven’t heard anything about a work stoppage or labor unrest from the players. Every fan should know that the owners opted out of this agreement two years after it was signed. This was an agreement that was signed in 2006 that was supposed to go until 2012. So two years after the owners signed the agreement, after the players signed the agreement, it’s the owners who have opted out and it’s the owners who have talked about a lockout. I tend to take a pretty strong view on things like work stoppage because if a guy tries to come into a plant and go to work I’m not sure he’s talking about a work stoppage. He’s talking about a lockout.”

Smith was asked if he’s ok with Roger Goodell acting as judge, jury and executioner when it comes to punishment’s to players who violate the conduct policy:

“I think that any discipline system that fails to fully include the players in the process, where they have an understanding of why it’s fair. Where they have a full and fair appreciation of how decisions are made. I think you can make a good system better anytime you make a decision to involve players as more vital participants in the process.”

Smith was asked if he feels from what he’s heard if Michael Vick will be playing in the NFL this upcoming season:

“That rests entirely with the commissioner. That’s the way this system works, and that is all I have heard so far.”

Listen to DeMaurice Smith and Kevin Mawae on 790 the Zone In Atlanta with Morning Mayhem

Tags: DeMaurice Smith, Kevin Mawae, NFL Players Association, Potential NFL lockout, Roger Goodell