Archive for July, 2011

Atlanta Falcons' Tyson Clabo enters a Manhattan law office, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in New York. NFL owners and player representatives arrived for another round of labor talks as the negotiations hit a critical phase. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)

The NFL lockout continues to lurch forward toward a conclusion. The 32 player representatives will vote in an 11 a.m. conference call today, according to one league official familiar with the negotiations.

Jarrett Bell of USA Today is reporting that the NFLPA has scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference in Washington, D.C.

ESPN is citing sources that the NFLPA’s executive committee will recommend approval of the labor deal.  The owners approved the deal last Thursday at a hotel near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The union membership would then have to approve the deal in a majority vote and then re-certify as a union.

FOX is reporting that the two sides have agreed to terms.

Falcons player representative Tyson Clabo was asked …

Continue reading NFLPA player reps to vote today at 11 a.m. »

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards could be headed to Philadelphia. (Associated Press)

With most of the NFL writers in town last week, we passed some time during the eight-hour league’ meeting cross-checking free agency notes, catching up on league gossip, rumor and innuendo.

Here are five things we heard bouncing of the walls of the swank Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway:

1. Ray Edwards is headed elsewhere: The Falcons reportedly have had a change of heart. They are going to focus on retaining their 11 free agents and will not be a player in the Ray Edwards derby. The defensive end is expected to land in Philadelphia.
2.  Tyson Clabo is staying put: Although the Falcons planned for a potential exodus of offensive linemen, they appear ready to retain two of the three starters. The order of priority is believed to be Clabo, Harvey Dahl and then Justin Blalock.
3. Stephen Nicholas is headed to the New York Giants:  Nicholas is viewed as a potential starter for the Giants. For …

Continue reading 5 things we heard: Ray Edwards headed to Philadelphia »

Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) scores a touchdown in front of Philadelphia defender Ellis Hobbs (31). AP

UPDATE, MONDAY 8:20 A.M.  — Sides agree to terms, players to vote today, Falcons could report on Wednesday.

We’ve been monitoring the NFLPA talks in D.C. from a far.

I figured that I better take a break from planking on the deck and pass along a blog.

ESPN is citing sources that the NFLPA’s executive committee will recommend approval of the labor deal on Monday.  The owners approved the deal last Thursday at a hotel near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The union membership would then have to approve the deal in a majority vote and then re-certify as a union.

FOX is reporting that the two sides have agreed to terms.

Sports Illustrated in reporting that the players have a 11 a.m. conference call scheduled where they could likely vote to officially end the lockout.  

Falcons player representative Tyson Clabo was asked Sunday night via text if we should expect …

Continue reading Tony Gonzalez says lockout is ‘close to being done’ »

NFL CLUBS APPROVE COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT

NFL clubs approved today the terms of a comprehensive settlement of litigation and a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association.

The vote was taken at a league meeting in Atlanta where the clubs were briefed on the terms of the agreement and the rules for the transition into the new League Year. The agreement must be ratified by the NFL Players Association in order for the league year to begin.

“We are pleased to announce that our clubs have approved the terms of a long-term negotiated agreement with the NFL players,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “It includes many positive changes that emerged from a spirit of compromise rooted in doing what is best for the game and players. DeMaurice Smith and his team, and the players and owners involved in the negotiations, deserve great credit for their skill and professionalism. If approved by the players, this agreement will allow the league …

Continue reading Here’s the outline of the NFL’s comprehensive agreement »

STATEMENT FROM NFLPA president Kevin Mawae: “Player leadership is discussing the most recent written proposal with the NFL, which includes a settlement agreement, deal terms and the right process for addressing recertification. There will not be any further NFLPA statements today out of respect for the Kraft family while they mourn the loss of Myra Kraft.”

–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog

Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.

Continue reading NFLPA not expected to vote today »

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. …

Continue reading Q&A: Falcons star Roddy White defends NFLPA’s position »

110721 Atlanta – New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, right, is escorted by security as he arrives for the NFL Owners meetings at the Atlanta Airport Gateway Marriott on Thursday, July 21, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Here is the transcript from the press conference following the NFL’s special meeting at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway.

 NFL teams approved the terms of a comprehensive settlement of litigation and a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association pending ratification and re-certification by the NFLPA. 

NFL press conference at league meeting in Atlanta
July 21, 2011

Commissioner Goodell: Good afternoon. The clubs approved an agreement that was negotiated with the players this afternoon. In addition to approving that agreement, we also approved a supplemental revenue sharing system for the next 10 years. With this ratification and with the ratification of the NFLPA board, we will be prepared to open the training facilities …

Continue reading Transcript from NFL press conference in Atlanta »

110721 Atlanta – Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is swarmed by news media when he arrives for the NFL Owners meetings at the Atlanta Airport Gateway Marriott in Atlanta on Thursday, July 21, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

The NFLPA did not vote during a conference call to ratify the comprehensive settlement and 10-year collective bargaining agreement.

In a e-mail to the player representatives, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith took opposition to the owner’s approval.

Here’s the e-mail:

We received the NFL’s proposed procedure for finalizing a settlement,” Smith wrote. “Among other things, it demands that the players re-form as a union and provide evidence by Tuesday, July 26 that a majority of players have signed union authorization cards;
(2)    Requires that the players also vote by Tuesday, July 26 to ratify a proposed CBA that would contain virtually all of the provisions of the old CBA along with the non-CBA items that class counsel and the NFL have …

Continue reading NFLPA does not vote on the collective bargaining agreement »

After meeting for more than eight hours, National Football League owners passed a resolution  to end their four-month lockout on Thursday .

The league was prepared to hold a symposium for general managers to lay out the ground rules for re-opening business, but that meeting was push back until today.

 Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank predicted before the meeting that the resolution would pass. He projected that that 400-plus page document would be approved by a majority of the owners.  The owners  needed 24 of the 32 owners to approve the deal.

“Yes, I think so” Blank told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when asked if he felt the deal would get done today. “I’d be disappointed, like 330 million people in America, if it didn’t get done today.”

Now, the ball is in the players’ side of the field. They were set to hold a conference at 8 p.m. after they did not vote to approve the collective bargaining agreement in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

“ Hopefully, the players have …

Continue reading NFL owners pass resolution to end the lockout »

110721 Atlanta – Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, from left, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell have a conversation in the hallway outside the NFL Owners meetings at the Atlanta Airport Gateway Marriott in Atlanta on Thursday, July 21, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Falcons owner Arthur Blank expects there to be football . . . real soon.

The NFL has descended on the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway for a special meeting today.

 There is one item on the agenda.

The owners will meet in the Gateway Ballroom starting at 10 a.m. and will vote to end the four-month old lockout, the league’s first work stoppage since 1987. The league will need 24 of the 32 owners to approve the deal.

“Yes, I think so” Blank told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when asked if he felt the deal would get done today. “I’d be disappointed, like 330 million people in America, if it didn’t get done today.”

Blank, who spoke to the AJC before entering the meeting, …

Continue reading Falcons owner Arthur Blank expects league to ratify deal today »