treeduck Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 The latest hint that the longest work stoppage in NFL history is on the verge of ending came by way of quarterback Drew Brees, who sent an email to his New Orleans Saints teammates Sunday night that was obtained by NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora. In the email, Brees provided a positive progress update regarding talks to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement, before detailing post-lockout life for the Saints. "The Deal is almost done," Brees wrote. "I am flying out to DC tonight to meet with our Executive Committee and De Smith (NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith) tomorrow. It is expected that we will approve the deal as well as our Board of Reps and Lead Plaintiffs and then have a press conference to announce that sometime during the day on Monday." Brees included a schedule for his team if the deal is completed as expected. "As long as we agree to the deal on Monday, Free Agency is set to begin on Tuesday," he wrote. "The thought is that there will be a 3 day period in which teams will have an opportunity to negotiate and sign their own free agents only. That will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday." According to the quarterback, the open free-agency period could last as long as a week, though he didn't know specifics. He said the start of the league year would be set for next Sunday at 3:01 ET. Wyche: Busy week ahead When the lockout reaches its conclusion, the real fun begins. Steve Wyche takes a look at what's in store in what could be one of the most historic (and hectic) weeks in NFL history. More... " League execs schooled on new rules " Losing Hall of Fame Game hits Canton " Chiefs owner Hunt extols virtues of CBA " Terms of proposal approved by owners "Our facility will be open to players beginning on Wednesday thru Sunday of this week if you want to come in for any reason," he wrote. "You will be allowed to travel and check into the hotel on Saturday July 30, and get physicals done that day." Brees made it clear that this was the Saints' schedule, and he couldn't speak for other NFL teams. He said he would provide updates on an as-needed basis. An exact post-lockout timeline might not be known until the press conference Brees eluded to in his email. La Canfora reported earlier Sunday that a timeline being discussed included free agency beginning Sunday, July 31, with training camps starting soon after. La Canfora reported that a timeline for transition rules also continued to be a work in progress, with teams feeling like they might need more than three days from the opening of facilities until the start of the league year and free agency. Clubs need to see 30 or more players in many cases to be ready for camp and also need time to digest rules, rework contracts and try to re-sign their own free agents. Discussions remain on possible contingencies if it takes longer than expected to get a CBA fully ratified. Certain issues involving drug policy and Commissioner Roger Goodell's powers in off-field discipline cannot be formally signed off until after the union has recertified and a CBA is reached. Other details being discussed included whether or not a practice in shells would count as a "padded practice" or a "walk-through" in regards to the limits on padded practices in the new agreement. Also, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, the sides are determining whether or not roster bonuses from the 2011 offseason will be due on the first day of the league year, or perhaps the second day or shortly thereafter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Enemy Without Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (treeduck @ Jul 22 2011, 01:40 PM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 22 2011, 01:30 PM) QUOTE (ioc @ Jul 22 2011, 01:17 PM) QUOTE (PhilCastro @ Jul 22 2011, 11:24 AM) QUOTE (tick @ Jul 22 2011, 09:08 AM) I don't care if they ever play again. I'd love to see them all realize what greedy dicks they are. People should boycott sports altogether for a good long time. It would put it all in perspective for all athletes and there owners. It will never happen because people love to bitch moan and complain about how greedy athletes and owners are, and then they fork up the big money as soon as its on again. Its a joke. Couldn't agree more. I like watching local amateur sports. Sloppier, yes; but super fun to watch. I coach local youth football - it's a blast. I'm pretty much only a football guy... youth, HS, College, NFL - I'll watch it all. Other sports ranked by my liking after football: hockey baseball NCAA basketball golf tennis curling archery NBA basketball soccer No boxing? And ping-pong! What about ping-pong? No jousting either...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMWriter Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 All I can say is... I have always loved college football about ten million times more than pro football. I'd rather watch my alma mater's varsity team get slaughtered than watch a couple games of the NFL. I wouldn't have whined if the whole system came crashing down, and it always makes me smile when college football players (and other athletes for that matter) turn down pro offers so they can finish school and get their degrees. NCAA may be money-hongers too and coaches like Bo Pelini and that guy down at UT get paid waaaaaaaaay too much money.. but it's closer to my heart. Except for Ndamukong Suh up with the Lions. ...Even though I didn't watch a single Lions game last year. (Oops!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Principled Man Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (lerxt1990 @ Jul 23 2011, 08:18 PM)and personal seat licenses.. what a scam. + 1 This is by far the most corrupt and disrespectful thing NFL teams have done to fans in years. There is ZERO valid reason for the licenses. My god-damned TICKET is my "license" to sit in that freekin' seat!!! Get the frack out of my wallet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test4VitalSigns Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Lockout looks like is almost officially over pending a player vote later today... http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/25/repor...deal/?hpt=hp_c1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost In Xanadu Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 08:47 AM) Lockout looks like is almost officially over pending a player vote later today... http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/25/repor...deal/?hpt=hp_c1 That article had me until I read "Peter King" - everytime I see that name, I shut off, that guy is such a joke. His predictions are TERRIBLE, and he does nothing more than throw around names "I was talking to..." "I was at dinner with...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test4VitalSigns Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 25 2011, 09:50 AM) QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 08:47 AM) Lockout looks like is almost officially over pending a player vote later today... http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/25/repor...deal/?hpt=hp_c1 That article had me until I read "Peter King" - everytime I see that name, I shut off, that guy is such a joke. His predictions are TERRIBLE, and he does nothing more than throw around names "I was talking to..." "I was at dinner with...." ok here is news from NFL.com http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d820f...1_breaking_news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost In Xanadu Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 09:04 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 25 2011, 09:50 AM) QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 08:47 AM) Lockout looks like is almost officially over pending a player vote later today... http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/25/repor...deal/?hpt=hp_c1 That article had me until I read "Peter King" - everytime I see that name, I shut off, that guy is such a joke. His predictions are TERRIBLE, and he does nothing more than throw around names "I was talking to..." "I was at dinner with...." ok here is news from NFL.com http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d820f...1_breaking_news LMAO - I just like taking any opportunity I can get to publicly slam that blowhard named Peter King. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost In Xanadu Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Edited July 25, 2011 by Lost In Xanadu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Bout f n time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 QUOTE (metaldad @ Jul 25 2011, 02:39 PM) Bout f n time Now you can watch on in amazement as the Cowboys piss another season up the wall!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 25 2011, 08:15 AM) QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 09:04 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 25 2011, 09:50 AM) QUOTE (Test4VitalSigns @ Jul 25 2011, 08:47 AM) Lockout looks like is almost officially over pending a player vote later today... http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/25/repor...deal/?hpt=hp_c1 That article had me until I read "Peter King" - everytime I see that name, I shut off, that guy is such a joke. His predictions are TERRIBLE, and he does nothing more than throw around names "I was talking to..." "I was at dinner with...." ok here is news from NFL.com http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d820f...1_breaking_news LMAO - I just like taking any opportunity I can get to publicly slam that blowhard named Peter King. LIX, then you should enjoy this, from King's column in 2003... "This is going to do nothing but make you envious of me, and so I'm not sure if I should write it or not, but I relate it only to let you know how thankful I am for the charmed life I lead, and to remind you that the next time I complain about anything job-related you need to put me in my place and tell me what a fool I am. Last Wednesday, at the conclusion of the league meetings, I had a 5:15 p.m. flight on Continental from Phoenix to Newark. Being the baseball nerd that I am, I decided to stop in at the Arizona-Oakland exhibition game in Phoenix for a few innings, in large part because Randy Johnson was hurling. And so here came Miguel Tejada to the dish. Cool moment. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner versus reigning AL Most Valuable Player. Here's the pitch. Long drive to right ... twisting ... curving foul ... deep ... and 10 feet foul, over the fence. I thought -- and I have my reasons why -- what a good thing it would be to have that ball. There was a moderate crowd on this toasty Arizona afternoon. And, after the inning, I walked out to the bleachers down the right-field line and looked over the fence that stood between the main ballpark and the back fields where the A's train. I asked a fan where the ball was that Tejada hit, and he pointed to the first main field, where a ball sat between home plate and the first-base bag. At the same time, a kid, maybe about 7, asked some other fans where the ball was; I heard him. And those fans pointed to four foul balls sitting in sort of no-man's land between the backstop on the first field and the fence where I was. I knew this couldn't be true, because the ball went over the fence barely foul, not 35 feet foul the way it would have had to if it was where the kid thought it was. And so I walked to the area outside the right-field stands where a guard and an A's official were making sure no fans got down to the lower fields and the players' parking lot. I asked if I might be able to get the Johnson-Tejada ball. The official said no problem, and I walked down, past the alerted guard, and onto the pristine field to get the ball. Behind me, all of a sudden, I heard the running footsteps of the kid, who'd apparently snuck behind me and got past the guard, too, and he scrambled past the backstop to get the ball he was sure was the one Tejada hit. I picked up the True Ball, and I told the kid: "I'm sure you've got the one Tejada hit," just so he'd feel good about it. And when the guard saw him walking back up the ramp toward the stadium, he tried to stop the kid, but he was too quick and slipped back into the stadium. (Just like I'm sure I would have done if I was a kid and had an MVP foul ball.) I thanked Matt sincerely, told him the ball would be put to good use, and went back to watch a couple more innings before catching my plane. And now you know why I have the best job on earth. " The next week, King published a letter from someone who apparently didn't like what King had done. First, the letter: "YOU'LL GET YOURS SOME DAY, KING. From Sean Griffin of Washington, D.C.: "Let me see if I've got this right. You, Peter King, fabulously wealthy sportswriter, used your prestige and fame to push your way into a closed-access area so you could get a foul ball. Then you lied to a 7-year-old kid so you could keep the foul ball. Then you brag in your web column about how you cheated this 7-year-old kid out of a foul ball, so all of your readers can share in the joy of your wonderful life. Gee, how heartwarming. It's just too bad you couldn't have published this piece closer to the holiday season -- peace on earth, good will toward men, and screw you kid, I got my foul ball, so there." King's response: "Wow. The anger. The rage. I introduced myself to a guard and asked if I could get a foul ball. I walked to get the foul ball. A 7-year-old boy passed through the same gate, without permission, as the guard called after him to come back. I picked up the ball I thought was hit by Miguel Tejada. The kid picked up the ball he thought was hit by Tejada. I'm supposed to convince this kid who snuck through the gate that he doesn't have the right ball and give him mine? I had permission to get the ball I got. The 7-year-old boy stole his. And I "cheated" him out of the ball? I can see how you'd be offended that I tried to make the kid feel good by telling him he had the real ball, because I told what I believed to be a lie, even though it was not a malicious one. Maybe that's wrong. But is it right to be somewhere you shouldn't be and, technically, to possess stolen property?" Ladies and gentlemen, America's premier football writer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollthebones1963 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 thank goodness it's over! i would have really went nuts without nfl football this fall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lerxt1990 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 QUOTE (treeduck @ Jul 25 2011, 04:27 PM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Jul 25 2011, 02:39 PM) Bout f n time Now you can watch on in amazement as the Cowboys piss another season up the wall!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test4VitalSigns Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) Edited July 26, 2011 by Test4VitalSigns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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