Q&A: Falcons star Roddy White defends NFLPA’s position
101024 Atlanta - ONE HANDED CATCH - Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White makes a one handed catch against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones for a 1st down during 2nd quarter action at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Sunday, Oct. 24 , 2010. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
Falcons All-Pro wide receiver Roddy White in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution on Friday defended the NFL Players Association’s decision not to vote on the agreement that the owners approved on Thursday.
White believes some of the Falcons will report to the building on Saturday, but doesn’t feel the owners were fair in putting a deadline on the NFLPA to re-certify.
Here’s the Q&A:
Q: What do you think about the owners’ ratification?
A: We have to go through the contract and everything. It might take another day or two. You can’t discuss a 450-page contract over the phone in two hours. You can’t do that. Not with 32 reps.
Once we get that done, we can move on from there. That’s just, it is what it is. The deadline thing, I mean we aren’t going to be pressured to be at that deadline or whatever.
They can put that deadline out there. We can only mess this whole thing up by them doing that. We need to be a union by this time or it’s going to be no deal. That would just be stupid and we’d be all the way back at square one.
But I don’t think anybody will do that or risk doing that. I just think they put the deadline out there so that we can get this thing moving.
Q: Do you all just need time to review the information?
A: We just want to digest everything. There are still issues that we have to solve, but we can’t solve them until re-certify as a union again. The CBA is like three-fourths of the way done. We still have a little bit more of it to go because we can’t negotiate without being a union . There is stuff that we have to negotiate to get it done.
Q: Are you surprised by the fans’ negative reaction? I read some of your tweets reacting to a tweet about people are out there starving.)
A: That doesn’t have anything to do with football players. When people say, “people are starving and y’all making millions of dollars.’ Even if you are making $50,000. You aren’t trying to feed all of them just because we’re making millions. This is a billion dollar industry.
There is a lot of money that we’ve got to get going in the right direction. We are not playing this game just for us. We are playing this game for the people who went before us and made this game what it is today and for the people that are going to be into this game.
People don’t understand that. They just are saying I want to watch football right now. In all actuality, that’s not fair to the people that made this game a $9 billion product. Or to the people who are going to enter this game 10 years from now. That’s what we are negotiating for. We are not negotiating for right now.
Q: Will the Falcons report to the building in Flowery Branch tomorrow?
A: I think we’re going to wait until we get done and certify as a union and then we’ll go in the building whenever that time is. When we talk to D. smith and he’s like, when we are a union again we can go about our business as a union again.
Q: Did the union say don’t go to the buildings yet?
A: They didn’t say go to the buildings or nothing like that. There are going to be guys that go to the buildings. It’s going to be good for some guys to go to the buildings anyway because some guys are going to get their playbooks. If the rookies can go there, that will be a really good part of it. So they can go and kind of learn some things before we even get into training camp.
Right now, they are so far behind that I don’t know if any rookie is going to have a chance offensively to kind of come in and contribute to a team with such a short notice. It’s going to be tough for them unless they play defense. You can tell somebody, ‘hey go rush the passer.’ That’s totally different. When you tell people you have to learn play calls, two-minute offense. We run a lot of no huddle. It’s going to be tough.
Q: How is Tyson Clabo doing as the player representative?
A: “He’s doing a good job. He sends the emails every day. We hear from Coy Wire every day. He texts me every day and gives me updates. We are right there. We know what’s going on and everything. We just have to be patient. They gave us a deadline. We are not saying that we are not going to be ready by the deadline. If we are ready by the deadline and we can certify and everything can be clear cut, then we’ll do that by Tuesday. If it’s not ready, we are not going to rush into it and leave no bases uncovered. That’s just what it is.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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80 comments Add your comment
Jimmy
July 22nd, 2011
6:42 pm
Yeah, Jerry, Roddy and the players have the moral high ground.
They never hold out with years remaining on their contract.
They never cop an attitude when they are unhappy with a coach.
And they never violate terms of a contract by committing crimes.
There is plenty of reasons for each side to distrust.
If we are going to have football, however, the players and owners better get over themselves.
tim
July 22nd, 2011
6:44 pm
@fan nique eastclown and down………how’s things in NW ATL? Anyone shot today? Anyone have their gold tooth stolen? Any teachers cheatin??
tim
July 22nd, 2011
6:44 pm
@fan nique eastclown and down………how’s things in NW ATL? Anyone shot today? Anyone have their gold tooth stolen? Any teachers cheatin??
DAWGFAN
July 22nd, 2011
6:55 pm
ok players get off your over paid asses and start getting ready to play
and thank god you got a job that pays so well, there are people
out there wondering where their next meal is commin from.
and you want to bitch about you benifits. what a shame
DAWGFAN
July 22nd, 2011
6:56 pm
forgot the g in comming
DAWGFAN
July 22nd, 2011
6:57 pm
ok too many m s too
Kenn Smith
July 22nd, 2011
6:58 pm
Hmmm. Ok let’s look at this logic once more.
Everyone go to work tomorrow and tell the owner o your company you want a bigger (fairer share) of his profits. Then tell me where I can go apply for your vacated position.
You own a business to make money ok no doubt they are doing that but if you don’t like the pay then leave. I don’t care how short there careers are. Value for value then who should be paid more whiney wide receiver or dr who just saved some Radom child’s life?
It’s entertainment pure an simple and the product being put before us of late does have a good ROI.
Just saying
DAWGFAN
July 22nd, 2011
6:58 pm
geez i need a dictionary
DAWGFAN
July 22nd, 2011
7:01 pm
well my wife works at UGA and has to do double duty because
they are too cheap to hire the proper help but she has to do it
with no extra pay
welikebaseball2
July 22nd, 2011
7:14 pm
fan, nique, eastbound: Don’t even respond. Someone just wants some attention. If you ignore it, it will go away. Maybe it will find a more appropriate blog to display it’s fear & sense of inferiority.
Paddy
July 22nd, 2011
7:37 pm
DAWGFAN……I feel you pain. But in todays economy will all have to do more to keep our jobs. Kudos to your wife for understanding how things are today!
maddawg913 (sick of being taken for granted)
July 22nd, 2011
10:33 pm
ok, I don’t begrudge these guys for what they make,(more waging of class warfare) nor do I disagree with Roddy in saying they need time to read the contract. Congress should have been allowed to read the health care bill!!!!
My problem is when Roddy makes his statements as though the fans are not any part of this equation. Proffessional athletes continue to forget that without us there is NO money. If the NFL doesn’t have an audience there is no TV, ticket, parking, concession, or advertising money. As much as I like Roddy, he is just like the rest that take the fan for granite.
I remember the baseball players all saying they had no responsibility to the fans, I’m not a role model ets…
They kept that attitude up and all of a sudden after the last strike fans in droves turned their backs. They took pay cuts and baseball was in real trouble until the SOSA Mcguire steroid contest and brought back the interest.
As much as it would hurt me (football is my life), I would tune out on principle alone if this sh%$ continues much longer. We as fans have a say if we exercise it just like we as citizens have a say over the way the country is run if we exercise it.
The moral of this story is “The fans pay your salary, don’t forget it!!!
We vote in or out politicians, Don’t forget it!!!!!!!
Paddy O
July 22nd, 2011
11:38 pm
gritz blitz – you reflect a poor working knowledge of a profession that very few can do at a high level. your attitude is accurate for low skill jobs with a glut of labor, but that is NOT the case here. I wholeheartedly support the players – they need to know what the CBA says, and whether it represents their best interested in total. Still don’t know why the union bothered to decertify – it appears the executive director gave them very, very bad advice.
Paddy O
July 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
Em – the players union did not lock themselves out. the owners did that as a bargaining tool. if you had scarce high skills in high demand, you would not accept anything less than you can get either.
Paddy O
July 22nd, 2011
11:42 pm
maddawg – I bet you would last until thanksgiving – especially if the falcons were undefeated. it is part of the equation – the game gets in your blood, and you just can’t force yourself to stay away.
Paddy O
July 22nd, 2011
11:43 pm
make that would NOT last until thankgiving.
JimmyT
July 23rd, 2011
8:36 am
Nice job Roddy. Makes sense to me. Nobody’s going to sign a huge legal document that affects their job, their livelihood without going through it to try to decifer the legaleze mumbo jumbo. I’m ready for F.A. and the season to get here, but I can wait another couple of days and it won’t alter my universe. Roddy is a beast, I’m thinking Julio is going to be effective because teams will still need to double Roddy now and then. That’ll give us what, the Beasty Boys?
Vladimir Sonovabitch
July 23rd, 2011
9:21 am
I hate unions period. Scum of the Earth.
maddawg
July 23rd, 2011
10:16 am
Paddy O,
It would definately be tough. I did quit watching baseball and I am a lifelong braves fan. It lasted a couple of years. Football would be tougher but I would have to get my fix in the college game. In a matter of principle I would tune out. I’m not there yet but these people need to know who really pays there salaries!!!!
Dont care bout the fans
July 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
wow all i got out of this is White cares nothing about us… the fans he says hes only playing the game for past and future players. its all about the players as usuall how bout you get the stick out of your butt and realize the fans are the support for yall and oh sorry that going to a falcons game is a luxury for some but yet to a millionair it doesnt mean anything.
Jimmy
July 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
Unions have done a lot of good historically.
But in the last 20 years, there have been fewer causes to fight for in business.
They have become more of a negative force that threatens the jobs of those they claim to fight for.
The NFLPA leveraged the players to practically the highest place they could be in the business of football.
In what other business can employees or private contractors (take your pick) be entitled to 50% of revenues?
Could things be better for them? Sure. They could become co-owners.
DR. FALCON
July 23rd, 2011
6:52 pm
JUST CONSIDER THE SOURCE, GUYS! TAKE IT EASY! RODDY IS RODDY. HE WILL NEVER BE A POLITICIAN, THATS FOR SURE! LET’S NOT MAKE THIS THING RACIAL! THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT BLACK PARENTS OUT THERE. I’M ONE OF THEM! THANK YOU! RODDY IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER. THAT’S IT! WE LOVE HIM FOR WHAT HE DOES! I WILL ADMIT, HE HAS A TENDENCY TO PISS YOU OFF WITH HIS COMMENTS! BLESS HIM!
Blitz Money
July 23rd, 2011
8:27 pm
All of us want the deal to be done, all of us don’t want any football to be missed but the fact is nobody (including the players) should sign the dotted line until all T’s are crossed and I’s dotted. We’re all getting impatient because deadlines are drawing closer than before and the product that we love could possibly be delayed or even cancelled. For those who say,”we made you with our hard-earned money”, stop it. Yes, some of the tickets, beer, apparel, etc. could go towards player salaries (I don’t know for sure). There are groups of people who put more money into this operation than all of us, and that is sponsors and owners. They too don’t want any games lost for monetary reasons, while we as fans don’t want to lose games we’re emotionally invested in. Roddy and the estimated 1,900 active players in the NFLPA , as well as retired players who will be involved with this process, deserve to know exactly what the deal is. The proposed CBA is over 200 pages long and I, along with anyone with half a brain, wouldn’t sign a ten-year commitment to anything without knowing what it entails. I am one of those impatient people, but football will come back when it’s good for everybody involved in the process.
Blitz Money
July 23rd, 2011
8:30 pm
Correction: 450 pages are included in the proposed CBA.
maddawg
July 24th, 2011
10:03 am
DR. FALCON/welikebaseball2,
I haven’t read every single post on here but I’ve read a lot of em and I haven’t seen a single racially directed post except your two posts. Are you trying to find something that isn’t there?? Are you the same person??? Is your name Jesse or Al????
Jimmy
July 24th, 2011
3:22 pm
The money for professional football comes from the fans.
If we don’t watch, buy merchandise, and support the myriad TV, radio, and print media enterprises, then there is no one who would invest in the game.
Simple.
Any player whose comments seem to forget or belittle that fact is making a mistake.
He is forgetting the true bottom line of professional sports.
real falcons fan
July 24th, 2011
5:07 pm
i do not blame the players,I DO HOWEVER blame d. smith,how could you haggle all these points with the owners and not know what supplamental income was?the players hired d.smith for his expertise,and to me he is a grandstanding self serving man. this whole experiance is mind numbing.and makes the players look bad.
DR. FALCON
July 24th, 2011
6:43 pm
HEY MADDAWG, I WAS REFERRING TO TIM, WHO WAS CRITICIZING ‘NIQUE ON HIS NAME AND HIS BLOG! WE HAVE NO PLACE FOR RACIALLY CHARGED COMMENTARY ON LEDBEETER’S BLOG!! IN THE WORDS FROM TIM: ‘NIQUE IS A NAME FROM IDIOT BLACK PARENTS.! THAT’S WRONG! LETS KEEP IT CLEAN! THATS ALL I’M SAYING! AS FAR AS RODDY WHITE, HE HAS A RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUT, AS A PRO ATHLETE, HE HAS TO SHOW SOME SORT OF MATURITY, RELATIVE TO HIS FAN BASE! THIS IS NOT STREET BALL! FAN’S DO MATTER!
D. Orlando Ledbetter
July 24th, 2011
10:47 pm
Thanks PMC!.
Also, had to ban that Tim person.
Shut up and play
July 25th, 2011
4:02 pm
Just go play catch with Matt.