Ryan downplays Ellis' departure, talks up Jets' young players

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan will miss Shaun Ellis, who recently signed with the New England Patriots. But Ryan isn't kept awake at night worrying about the defensive end providing an advantage to the Jets' AFC East rivals.

"I don't think he can bring secrets. He can bring mentality," Ryan said Tuesday in an interview with WEPN-AM. "He can talk about the way we are going to approach games against New England and things like that."

Ellis was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he was the longest-tenured player on the team in 2010. Despite that background, Ryan said Ellis wasn't exposed to playbook information that could compromise the Jets if it fell into the wrong hands.

"As far as the playbook, if that was (safety) Jim Leonhard going over there or somebody that was in the back end that knows the front coverage and all that (it would have an effect)," Ryan said. "Shaun's role was basically in a phone booth, so it was obvious he did a great job for us. I really don't worry about that."

Ryan wished Ellis health but not necessarily success. The coach believes his team will be able to compensate for the loss on the field.

"I think (Ellis) was an excellent football player, but just wait until everybody sees these young guys play," Ryan said. "I don't think you have to worry about our defense."

Ryan also touched on the Jets' reworked receiving corps. Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith all have moved on, and veteran Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason joined the fold.

Ryan said Mason plays nothing like the 37-year-old he is, and he also spoke of getting to know Burress, the former Giants Super Bowl hero who's making an NFL comeback following a 20-month prison sentence on gun charges.

"I do like him. He loves the game," Ryan said. "He's also a fan of baseball, basketball. He's kind of an interesting guy. You can tell he loves football just the way he talks. He fits right in."

View the original article here

Concessions for Brady suit plaintiffs not an issue in labor talks

WASHINGTON -- Things still are standing in the way of NFL labor peace. The issue of placating the named plaintiffs in the Brady antitrust lawsuit no longer is one, for now.

Requests for concessions for numerous players -- including but not limited to San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson and New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins -- remained earlier in the week. But Jackson and Mankins appear to have dropped their demands, leaving less standing in the way of a new collective bargaining agreement that would end the four-month-old NFL lockout.

A source involved said Saturday that some of the unresolved issues involve injury protection, workers' compensation, opt-out rights for players and the process for finalizing benefits, discipline and drug-testing agreements, which can't be made binding until after the NFL Players Association recertifies as a union.

A league source told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi that league owners are expected to have a conference call Saturday to discuss the outstanding issues.

Wyche: Four areas of agreement

NFLPA lawyers and officials are digesting the league's proposal for a new CBA this weekend, and NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Friday that no vote on ratification was imminent. Some player reps have advised their teammates that it could take several days for the NFLPA to agree to terms with the league and begin the union recertification process. Of course, that could change if major gains are made in negotiations.

The major economic framework for a 10-year deal was worked out a week ago. That included how the $9 billion-plus in annual league revenues will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011 -- and at least that in 2012 and 2013 -- plus about $22 million in benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and league owners expressed hope Thursday night that their 31-0 vote -- the Oakland Raiders abstained -- to approve the proposed CBA would lead to a speedy resolution to the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987. They called it an equitable deal that improves player safety and allows the sport to prosper even more.

"It is time to get back to football," Goodell said.

But even when players decide they're OK with a final agreement, their approval process is more complicated than the owners' was. The 32 player reps will have to recommend accepting the settlement. Then the 10 named plaintiffs -- including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- in the players' suit against the league must officially inform the court of their approval.

Eventually, all 1,900 players would take a majority vote to approve returning the NFLPA to union status. When talks broke down in March, allowing the old collective bargaining agreement to expire, the players dissolved the union, turning the NFLPA into a trade association. That's what allowed the players to sue the owners in federal court under antitrust law.

The issue of how and when the NFLPA would reform as a union remains paramount. There is a difference between the players and owners as to how that process would occur. NFLPA lawyers and brass believe there are "major problems with the process of reforming the union and settling the lawsuits," as spelled out in the proposal presented by the owners, one source told La Canfora.

Complicating matters is the fact some players have been referred to an illegitimate website that is posing as a vehicle to help players vote to reconstitute a union. The NFLPA sent a letter to all players and agents Friday advising them to ignore the site and that it isn't affiliated with the organization or the NFL.

NFL Network insiders Jason La Canfora and Michael Lombardi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Latest talks accomplish little, but sides will meet again Monday

NEW YORK -- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in January that a deadline "has to be real" to create the anxiety needed to push parties to a new collective bargaining deal that works for everyone.

And so it is.

NFL players and owners wrapped up a frustrating couple of days in Manhattan with 10 hours of talks Friday that didn't produce much. In fact, three sources, including figures on each side, said there was little to no progress on the core issues the parties had hoped to break through in constructing a new labor deal this week.

Players could file another injunction According to legal sources, the language from Friday's ruling creates an opportunity for the NFLPA to file another expedited injunction seeking more rights for rookies and free agents not under contract. More ...

As a result, the lockout, which is now in its fifth month, will continue into next week. There will be communication between the parties over the weekend -- it's not considered a "weekend off" -- but the next set of face-to-face labor talks won't occur until Monday. The legal teams and staff from each side will convene in Manhattan, with the players and owners expected to join them Tuesday or Wednesday.

"We're going to break for the weekend, get back to work next week. We continue to work hard to get something done," NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said. "I know our fans want us to get something done as quickly as possible."

Smith led a six-man group of players, with retirees Kevin Mawae, the NFLPA president, Sean Morey and Pete Kendall joined by active players Charlie Batch, Jeff Saturday and Domonique Foxworth. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was accompanied by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and the New York Giants' John Mara.

Smith conducted a conference call with players at 3 p.m. ET, about six hours into the meeting, was thanked for his efforts by a number of players and told the group would stay united during an important time.

Next week's talks will be critical, with the days waning before preseason games will be forced off the schedule. The NFL estimates an entirely canceled preseason would cost nearly $1 billion in revenue, and although the players believe that number is inflated, there is little question the figure would be significant and take a serious toll on any proposal made by the league.

Judge Arthur J. Boylan, who is mediating the labor dispute between NFL owners and players, also scheduled a future session for July 19 in Minneapolis. Boylan set the meeting on Saturday, just before starting his vacation. But he also made clear that both sides should continue their own sessions in the interim as they work toward a new collective bargaining agreement.

Boylan ordered both sides to continue mediation without him "in an effort to define and narrow the differences between their respective settlement positions." He also ordered attorneys from both sides to be ready to meet with him on the evening of July 18 "for an in-person agenda- setting session" that presumably would set the stage for meaningful, fruitful talks the following day.

Adversely affecting Friday's talks was the late-morning ruling from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which overturned U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson's April decision to issue an injunction to lift the NFL lockout.

Although the decision enabled the lockout to remain in place, the players were afforded leverage as well, and NFLPA officials found solace in elements of the decision.

First, the appeals court allowed the players' antitrust litigation to move forward, meaning the owners are operating in treble damages liability as long as the lockout is ongoing.

Second, the court declined to rule on the legality of the owners locking out the league's unsigned players -- rookies and unrestricted free agents. The players can file for an injunction with Nelson's court to allow those players to sign with teams, something they are confident they would be granted based on the district judge's earlier decision, and create a chaotic situation for the league.

Judge Kermit Bye dissented on the decision. He had said at a June 3 hearing that the decision would be one "both sides aren't going to like," and the panel certainly delivered that.

The idea, ultimately, is to place the parties in uncomfortable positions that encourage them to resolve the situation on their own, something they said in a joint statement that they'd continue to work to do.

One more outstanding court decision remains: Judge David Doty has yet to issue his ruling on the networks rights-fees case, which will determine the fate of more than $4 billion in television revenue.

Doty, like the 8th U.S. Circuit Court, said in court he would rather the players and owners work out their differences before he makes a ruling in his case.

Next Friday, July 15, has long been seen as a deadline to get a deal and save the preseason in full. There are a number of issues -- including the rookie salary system and funding of retiree benefits -- on which the parties have failed to make breakthroughs.

Those issues flow into the larger issue of the revenue split. After progress June 30 and July 1 in Minneapolis, larger concepts in that area, such as the all-revenue model, may no longer be stumbling blocks. But the related issues have potential to tear down what's in place.

When talks resume next week, the lawyers will continue to hammer away at language and details, an area where they were able to make progress earlier this week.

It has been estimated that it would take between 10 and 14 days to go from an agreement to a signed document, and the aim of those sessions is to cut down that time and lay groundwork to quickly move things from a settlement to the opening of training camps. The Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams, who are scheduled to play in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7, are scheduled to report to camp July 22.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Retired players ask court to involve them more in labor talks

MINNEAPOLIS -- While NFL owners and players appear to be inching toward a resolution of the league's lengthy lockout, a group of retired players is clamoring to be more involved in the discussions.

The group filed a class-action complaint against the owners and current players in federal court Monday, saying they have been excluded from the mediation sessions taking place in an attempt to end the lockout.

With the scheduled opening of training camps and preseason games fast approaching, Albert Breer writes that owners and players feel pressure to strike a labor deal. More...

Named plaintiffs including Hall of Famers Carl Eller, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen and Paul Krause are asking U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson to put a halt to the mediation she ordered and declare that the current players cannot negotiate on behalf of those who are retired.

Owners and current players have met five times over the last few weeks as they work to put together a new collective bargaining agreement in time to avoid the loss of training camps and games. They met with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur J. Boylan in Minneapolis last week, including for more than 15 hours Thursday, and will resume meetings Tuesday in New York.

The retired players say that NFL owners; the NFL Players Association and a group of current players, including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, are "conspiring to depress the amounts of pension and disability benefits to be paid to former NFL players in order to maximize the salaries and benefits to current NFL players."

The NFL declined comment on the complaint, which was first reported by The New York Times. The Associated Press left a message for an NFLPA spokesman seeking comment.

The complaint gets to the heart of an issue that has been building for quite some time. Retired players have felt marginalized in the dispute over how to divide more than $9 billion in revenue.

After the owners locked out the players in March, the NFLPA disbanded, and a group of them sued the league for antitrust violations. A small group of retired players, including Eller, Obafemi Ayanbadejo and Ryan Collins, filed their own lawsuit against the league seeking more help for medical treatments of former players and better pensions.

Nelson combined the two lawsuits, and several representatives of the retired players, including Eller and attorney Michael Hausfeld, were present at early mediation sessions in Minneapolis. But as talks have heated up and the venue has shifted from the Twin Cities to Maryland, Massachussetts, Illinois and back to Minneapolis again over the last month or so, the retired players haven't been present.

This hasn't sat well with them, and lawyers for the group have sent letters to Boylan, lobbied NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and held intense media briefings to make their feelings known.

The complaint said the players' decision to decertify their union makes it an antitrust violation for the owners and current players to negotiate for retired players.

It also alleges that the NFL had said it would tap revenue streams both from within and outside the salary cap to help retired players, but union representatives, including executive director DeMaurice Smith, want all the money delegated for the cap to be given to current players.

"Through the settlement they are forging, the Brady plaintiffs, the NFLPA and the NFL defendants are conspiring to set retiree benefits and pension levels at artificially low levels," the complaint alleged.

If Nelson rejects the motion for an injunction on the mediation, the retired players are asking for treble damages.

It wasn't immediately clear what kind of impact the filing would have on the continuing talks between the owners and current players. They were scheduled to resume Tuesday, with the open of training camp less than three weeks away and the preseason opener between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams slated for Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Sides make progress on revenue split with N.Y. talks on tap

MINNEAPOLIS -- At 4 p.m. Thursday, the NFLPA conducted a conference call with its player reps and executive committee members that painted a grim picture as the labor situation made a turn for the worse.

Then everything changed.

As it turned out, the call, made after seven hours of negotiations at a downtown Minneapolis law firm, came less than halfway through the day's talks. And after those talks finished just before 1 a.m. CT and another set was staged on Friday morning, a different story was emerging.

The owners and players still have much work to do, but major progress was made to fix the revenue split, the overriding issue in the labor battle, on Thursday night and Friday morning. One source said that if smaller pieces connected to it don't shift the numbers too much, it "might not even be a stumbling block going forward."

In addition, the parties took strides to work out disagreements over how to define "all revenue" in the model they plan to use, and they also discarded some terms in the deal the other side found unacceptable.

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

So one set of critical talks now gives way to another. The legal teams for each side will meet in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, with players and owners returning to the table Thursday and Friday. The format for the week follows the one set for this week's Minneapolis talks.

"We'll continue to meet next week, and our goal is to get a deal done," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said on his way out. NFL general counsel Jeff Pash, again citing the gag order, simply said: "We'll be back at it again next week."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan proved a pivotal figure when things were at their darkest Thursday. Boylan was able to rein the parties in, narrow their focus to what was important on the revenue split, and forge a very productive evening.

This was after issues that arose last week in Massachusetts (over the rookie salary system) and Monday (over what the players perceived as a deception play by owners on the revenue system) resurfaced and again proved explosive, with players and owners re-entering the room after legal teams handled the earlier part of the week.

Things went so well Thursday that Boylan implored the sides to keep going past 1 a.m. The players and owners convinced the judge -- who ran court-ordered mediation in April and May, but has no binding power in these talks -- that they were spent, but the positive momentum continued into Friday morning.

And realistic hope remains that the league will be able to stage the preseason in its natural form, without the cancellation of any games, which would save hundreds of millions of dollars. Internal deadlines to have a deal done in order to save the preseason sit around July 15, and part of the ratcheted-up sense of urgency is the acknowledgement by both sides that a settlement will be exponentially tougher to reach if significant revenue is subtracted from the equation.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell led a group that included Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Giants owner John Mara, and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, with Kraft and Mara the two constants for the owners in the five sets of clandestine meetings.

Smith's team included NFLPA managing director Ira Fishman, outside counsel Jim Quinn, general counsel Richard Berthelsen, Colts center Jeff Saturday, Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, Chiefs guard Brian Waters, and former player Sean Morey. Foxworth, like Kraft and Mara, has been a constant presence at these meetings, which started May 31, over the last five weeks.

The four previous "secret" sessions over the past month took place in suburban Chicago, New York's Long Island, Maryland's Eastern Shore and Massachusetts' South Shore. The Chicago talks, the first in the series, started May 31 and lasted three days, with the Long Island, Eastern Shore and South Shore negotiations going for two days apiece.

The St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears, this year's Hall of Fame Game participants, are scheduled to open training camp in 21 days, so time is beginning to run short.

The parties have spent the past four weeks largely discussing the revenue split. And it's not just the revenue now, but also how to account for the league's future growth, particularly when the 2014 television deals are done, in the players' take. The idea of an "all revenue" model, which would largely eliminate cost credits to the owners and limit revenue projections, has bridged differences over the course of the discussions.

As for the rookie salary system, the numbers aren't the only issue. Finding a way to replace the market effect those contracts have on veterans as well as getting high draft picks to free agency quicker are among the players' concerns. As it stands, six-year contracts are allowed for high first-round picks making big money.

Goodell was invited to the symposium by Smith, who said he was "thrilled" the commissioner accepted and participated. The men stood side by side after the visit Wednesday morning to Florida.

Goodell and Smith, who arrived in Minneapolis on Monday, took a break from talks Tuesday night to fly together to Sarasota, Fla., and speak to assembled players at the NFLPA's rookie symposium the next morning. They returned to Minneapolis on the same plane.

Goodell was invited to the symposium by Smith, who said he was "thrilled" the commissioner accepted and participated. The men stood side by side after the event Wednesday morning and vowed to continue working on a deal.

View the original article here

Bills player rep Wilson 'definitely optimistic' about labor talks

Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson likes what he sees and hears about the players' recent discussions with NFL owners to end the lockout. He also cautions against being swept away by expectations of an imminent settlement.

Leber: Season will start on time

"We're definitely optimistic we're moving in the right direction," Wilson, the Bills' player representative, told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Right now, we feel like we're having meaningful discussions. ... We feel we have the right people in the room, discussing the right things, and both sides want to get a deal done. But even though we're moving in the right direction, we're not there yet."

Wilson said conference calls held in the last two days mark the first time in a while that players have been briefed on a lockout that's in its fourth month.

"That's because there haven't been any developments the last little while," he said.

The players also were told that more updates will come next week, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, several owners and players are scheduled to meet again at an undisclosed location.

"There's definitely going to be talks every week because time is of the essence," Wilson said.

One NFC team executive told NFL Network's Albert Breer on Wednesday night that he believed the sides were "within striking distance" of a deal. However, another AFC team executive said: "There are enough legitimate issues to where it could all fall down still. They're dealing with that stuff."

One such issue is the rookie salary system, which was broached for the first time Thursday since the secret meetings began May 31. The parties have spent much of the last four weeks discussing the biggest issue, which is how to split revenue and account for growth in the players' take.

"The CBA is far from just a percentage of revenue," Wilson said. "There's so much more."

Training camps are scheduled to open in about one month, with two teams -- the Ravens and Jets -- already announcing they will remain at their in-season facilities rather than stage out-of-town camps because of the lockout. The Ravens won't go to Westminster, Md., and the Jets won't go to Cortland, N.Y.

The first preseason game, which pits the Chicago Bears against the St. Louis Rams, is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

NFL-player talks moving forward; more meetings planned

The NFL and players wrapped up another two-day round of talks on Maryland's Eastern Shore on Wednesday, with more talks expected in the near future.

This is the third in a series of clandestine sessions that started with a three-day meeting two weeks ago in suburban Chicago, and continued with a two-day meeting on Long Island, N.Y. last week. According to sources, the talks remain productive and are moving forward, though a resolution to the three-month-old lockout is not on the immediate horizon.

Both sides have evaluated and strongly considered the concessions and compromises that could ultimately lead to the problem being solved, though, and sources indicated an agreement could come within a month.

"The Top 100: Players of 2011" countdown continues on NFL Network on Sunday, June 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show after players Nos. 21-30 are revealed.

The sides released a joint statement Wednesday reiterating their vow of silence to the media.

“Discussions between NFL owners and players under the auspices of Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan took place again this week and will continue. At the request of Judge Boylan, both sides have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of the substance of the talks.”

Next on the calendar is a scheduled one-day owners meeting near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. That one is set for Tuesday, June 21, and league officials were told this week to be prepared for the meeting to spill into the evening or even Wednesday.

The NFL and players left Maryland with plenty to think about, and potential progress ahead. Things are expected to be quiet over the coming days, with movement likely on hold until next week’s owners meeting gets underway.

"Probably a sense of urgency with the season just around the corner," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Wednesday. "The general understanding from everybody is that if we don't have something done by July it would be hard to start on time."

The league estimates that the cancellation of the preseason could cost it as much as $1 billion. Whether or not that figure is accurate, both parties recognize that the major economic losses that would be incurred by this dispute dragging through the summer would make negotiations exponentially tougher.

"Secret" meetings, such as the ones that took place in Chicago and Long Island, have been critical in past NFL negotiations, dating to the 1980s.

"I know that we've been talking pretty extensively over the last few weeks," Brees added. "It seems like things are moving in the right direction, which is very positive. It's what we always hoped for as players because obviously we're getting to crunch time here."

Movement toward an agreement also might be in both sides' best interest after a federal appeals court judge warned the owners and players they might not like the upcoming decisions in legal actions sparked by the lockout. Indeed, the court could delay any rulings if a new CBA appears to be near.

Although no deadlines have been set for the opening of training camps, the 32 teams soon must decide whether to delay them, particularly those clubs that stage a portion of camp out of town. Settling before July 4 almost certainly would provide for full training camps at previously planned locations, although the Minnesota Vikings have said they could delay until July 18 an announcement on whether they will train at their usual site in Mankato.

First would come a free agency period, including the signing of undrafted rookies, and probably minicamps, which already have been canceled by the lockout that began March 12.

The lockout also has cost the league and some teams advertising and sponsorship money, and some players have not collected workout bonuses. At least seven teams have instituted pay cuts or furloughs of employees who are not players.

The Maryland talks were held at an undisclosed location, with larger groups than had been part of the first two waves of meetings. The legal teams for the sides -- NFL general counsel Jeff Pash and outside counsel Bob Batterman, and NFL Players Association outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler and Jim Quinn -- were a part of these sessions.

Also, there was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Giants owner John Mara, Chargers owner Dean Spanos, and active players Domonique Foxworth, Tony Richardson, Jeff Saturday and Brian Waters. All but Waters have taken part in these sessions over the last two weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Redskins D-coordinator talks frustration over Haynesworth

Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett didn't hold back when explaining his issues with Albert Haynesworth in an interview with 101 ESPN radio in St. Louis.

According to Profootballtalk.com, Haslett qualified his statements by saying he likes Haynesworth, and he believes the defensive lineman can still thrive if returned to a 4-3 scheme. But he also described Haynesworth as a lazy player who either has trouble listening to -- or plain ignores -- his coaches.

“He can do almost anything he wants. He doesn’t want to do anything. To me that’s the issue,” Haslett said. “He’s one of those guys you walk in a meeting and you tell him, ‘Put down the phone.’ The next day you have to tell him to put down the phone. The next day, you tell him to put down the phone.

“You tell him, ‘Don’t read the newspaper in meetings.’ The next day you have to tell him the same thing. It doesn’t stick; it’s an every-day thing.”

Haynesworth set an NFL record in 2009 with $41 million guaranteed as part of a seven-year, $100 million contract with the Redskins. But Haynesworth fell out of favor with new coach Mike Shanahan in 2010 and repeatedly clashed over workout routines and playing time. The Redskins suspended Haynesworth for the final four games of the season for "conduct detrimental to the team."

Haynesworth exasperated Redskins coaches by essentially refusing to be part of the team's 3-4 defense last season.

“He just didn’t want to play in this scheme. He didn’t want to play in the 3-4,” Haslett said in the interview. “He didn’t want to do the things we wanted. Then we said, ‘OK, if you’re not going to do it, let’s not do it. Let’s play nickel, play the 3-technique.’

“Then, it got to the point where he said, ‘I don’t want to play first- and second-down nickel. I just want to play third-down nickel.’ Oh my God, you’re relegating yourself to 10-15 snaps a game. Then after that he didn’t want to do the blitzes, he just wanted to rush.”

Haynesworth's image as a poor team player is just the start of his problems. At one point last year, the 29-year-old was juggling as many four court-related matters, including lawsuits from a bank, an exotic dancer, a man injured in an automobile accident and complaints from his ex-wife that he wasn't paying her health insurance or their children's bills.

Last week, a Virginia judge dismissed a misdemeanor assault charge against Haynesworth after the player reached an agreement with the man who said he was the victim of a road-rage attack.

And last month, Haynesworth pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse for an incident in which he allegedly groped a waitress at a Washington hotel bar in February. That case goes to trial in July.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Eagles owner talks about process of signing troubled players

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie isn't afraid to take a chance on a reclamation project, as proven by the franchise star he now has behind center.

But Lurie made it clear the signing of Michael Vick following the quarterback's 18-month prison stint came only after a long look at both physical skills and personality makeup.

"We've shown we'll take chances if it's warranted," Lurie told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday.

Which, of course, begs the question: Are the Eagles interested in signing soon-to-be free agent Plaxico Burress?

The former Giants star was released from prison on Monday after a 22-month term stemming from a weapons conviction. Burress exited prison wearing a throwback Philadelphia Phillies cap, a not-so-subtle nod to one of his potential landings spots.

Burress would appear to be a good fit with the Eagles, but Lurie said properly judging a player goes beyond game tape and bio information.

"You can evaluate his talent. You can evaluate his age. But you can't evaluate where his heart and his head are at the moment," Lurie said. "Until you can do that ... it's far from enough information."

That was the case when the team began its flirtation with Vick that led to their signing of the quarterback in 2009.

"We evaluate case by case. It involved a lot of research into Michael -- what kind of teammate he was," Lurie said. "What his motivations were. How much he cared for the game."

As for Burress' recent choices in headwear, Eagles coach Andy Reid isn't one to make much of it.

"He must be a Phillies fan," he told the Inquirer. "If he'd had an Eagles hat on, then we'd talk."

View the original article here

St. Charles feels blessed after hosting secret NFL-player talks

St. Charles, Ill., population of 31,834, had a few more people in town last week -- and they caused quite a stir.

NFL owners and players chose the small Chicago suburb as the site for their clandestine labor talks Tuesday through Thursday, and the locals did their best to keep the secret while the parties tried to end the league's nearly three-month lockout.

The parties stayed at Hotel Baker, where the employees were excited about their new guests but honored their request for privacy. Rowena Salas, the hotel's general manager, told the Kane County Chronicle that she couldn't tell her 15-year-old twin sons, Antonio and Emilio, the truth when they asked if NFL owners and players were in town.

"They didn't make us sign anything for confidentiality, but they requested that it be kept confidential," Salas told the newspaper. "We had to adhere to that, and they were pleased with how we kept it so private."

News of the meeting broke Wednesday night, when the Chicago Tribune spotted New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft and a plane belonging to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at nearby DuPage Airport. The parties confirmed the talks Thursday as they left town, some of them bound for Friday's hearing before the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

Salas said the owners and players kept to themselves -- "they were private, and we didn't have the nerve to ask how things were going," she said -- but on Wednesday night, Jones asked about a place to hear some music. Salas recommended McNally's Pub, where Jones drew a crowd.

"I looked at him, and I kind of recognized him." Shay Clarke, the pub's manager, told the Chronicle. "You just don't believe it."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who also participated in the talks, said Friday that he was happy the parties could come together without lawyers present. And if the meeting in St. Charles leads to labor peace in the NFL, Salas won't forget the town's part in the whole deal.

"It was exhausting and exciting and something we will always remember," she said. "It'll go down in our books as one of the things that was very memorable at the Hotel Baker."

View the original article here

Goodell considers recent labor talks to be 'a positive sign'

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will spend the weekend preparing for the next set of labor negotiations, energized by this week's secret talks that he believes show both parties are committed to ending their dispute.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (right) shares a laugh with troops Friday while visiting Fort Bragg in North Carolina. (National Football League)

While the owners and players spent Friday in a St. Louis courtroom arguing over the legality of the league-imposed lockout, Goodell visited with troops at Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army base in North Carolina, with Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera.

At the end of a long day that included trying on -- but not using -- a parachute, Goodell took questions from soldiers before telling reporters there's some reason for optimism following the clandestine talks in suburban Chicago.

"The importance is to have the principles talk," Goodell said. "That's what we were interested in doing, have the owners and players talk to one another. That was accomplished this week. ... That's a positive sign for us."

Goodell was far from specific -- he wouldn't say when the next round of talks would be held or if the owners will prepare another offer -- but he acknowledged both parties showed a willingness to work toward a deal.

Goodell wouldn't say how the league and its players will compromise on the stumbling blocks in the negotiations, mostly notably how to divvy up $9 billion in annual revenue.

"I would just tell you that both sides are committed to continuing the dialogue," Goodell said. "In negotiations, you're making different suggestions, recommendations and proposals from time to time. I think both sides will do that in a responsible fashion."

Goodell agreed that having the lawyers absent and the players and owners directly meet -- Rivera acknowledged that Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was there -- helped get the talks rolling.

"I still believe principle to principle is the best way to really get the kind of dialogue you need so people understand the different perspectives," Goodell said.

Feldman breaks down Friday's events Lawyers representing the league and its players met before a three-judge panel in St. Louis, but what transpired and what does it mean? NFL Network legal analyst Gabe Feldman cuts through the legalese to answer that and other questions. More...

But time is running out. Already, free agency has been delayed, minicamps canceled and optional workouts put on hold. Training camps are scheduled to open next month.

Goodell wasn't spared from the fans' frustrations at Fort Bragg. One soldier accused the owners of being the players' "No. 1 distraction" and asked Goodell, "Where's the passion, the love of game?"

"I understand the frustration and criticism because people want football," Goodell said. "You hear that everywhere you go. I heard that all day today. That's what we're in the business of doing. You have to make sure you're taking the right steps, though, to protect the game for a long-term basis."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

NFL tells court only talks can end lingering labor dispute

The NFL filed its reply brief to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday -- the final piece of business due from either party before the June 3 hearing in St. Louis -- and the league took the opportunity to reiterate its core arguments.

The NFL told the appeals court that U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson lacks the jurisdiction to rule on the lockout-lifting injunction and that the NFL Players Asssociation's decertification needs to go before the National Labor Relations Board first. The league also said Nelson can't issue an injunction to end a lockout that "grows out of a labor dispute," per the Norris-LaGuardia Act, and the non-statutory labor exemption bars the antitrust claims made in the Brady et al lawsuit against the NFL.

Debate: When will NFL's lockout end? Soon? Sometime in July? Will the 2011 season even start on time? Our experts try to provide the answer that fans -- and Commissioner Roger Goodell -- want to know. More ...

The league's conclusion reads: "This Court should vacate the District Court's grant of a preliminary injunction and remand with instructions to dismiss or stay the action."

A dismissal of the entire antitrust suit would deal a devastating blow to the players' side, and the NFL additionally asked that the court make clear a resolution to the situation "lies with the labor laws and not the antitrust courts."

The next round of court-ordered mediation between the parties is scheduled for June 7 in Minneapolis.

However, league sources indicate an appeals court ruling in the NFL's favor wouldn't necessarily discredit the whole of Brady et al. Rather, specific language in such a ruling would dictate any fallout on the larger antitrust suit.

Nelson granted the players the preliminary injunction and chose not to stay that decision in late April, leading to a brief lifting of the lockout. The appeals court first granted a temporary injunction of Nelson's ruling, leading to the lockout being reinstated, then on May 16 granted the NFL a stay-on-appeal, which preserves the league's right to lock out the players until a ruling on the appeal.

Last Friday, just minutes before the midnight deadline, lawyers for the players filed their response to the league's original appeal. In that document, the players described the NFL as a "cartel" that has skirted antitrust laws and damaged their careers with a work stoppage that has lasted more than two months.

In its Thursday filing, the NFL called that brief a "straw man" attack that made blanket suggestions and ignored important pieces of legislation.

The league combated the players' contention that the previous collective bargaining agreement included a provision that the league couldn't dispute a union decertification. The NFL says it agreed only not to dispute a decertification that came following the expiration of the CBA, and that provision isn't applicable because this one came hours before the labor deal expired March 11.

The primary argument of the NFL on the Norris-LaGuardia Act is that the lockout "involves or grows out of a labor dispute", which under the law would preclude Nelson from issuing the injunction. The league says labor disputes aren't limited to those involving unions and also dismisses volumes of cases that the players provide as precedent against the league's argument because of a lack of specific involvement of Norris-LaGuardia in those.

The NFL's argument on the NLRB's jurisdiction is fairly straight-forward, saying the labor board must rule on the validity of the NFLPA's decertification before any aspect of the Brady et al suit moves forward. The players' argument is that it's unlikely the NLRB would rule against them, on a claim that was filed over three months ago, that the decertification was valid and that deferring to the NLRB would only work to slow the process.

On the non-statutory labor exemption, the NFL claims it shouldn't have been subject to the antitrust case in the first place. The players' argument is that the exemption "lasts only until the collapse of the collective bargaining relationship," which they say happened at the time of decertification.

"No student of the history of this industry -- and no one familiar with the NFLPA leadership's very recent statements of purpose and intent -- believes that the Union is gone, let alone gone forever," attorneys for the NFL wrote.

Much of the brief was spent attempting to dispel precedents the players presented to support their case.

Judge Kermit Bye dissented on the decision to grant the NFL the temporary and the longer stays, and he's the only appointee of a Democratic president (Bill Clinton) on the three-judge panel. Judge Steve Colloton and William Duane Benton were appointed by President George W. Bush.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Dolphin chatter: Marshall claims he talks 'a lot' with Henne

Dolphins star receiver Brandon Marshall ended last season disappointed with his performance and hinting that Miami's offense and its quarterback, Chad Henne, needed work.

Marshall downplayed those criticisms in comments to The Miami Herald, saying that he and Henne, both taking part in a charity event over the weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., have talked "a lot" since last season.

"Just trying to see what direction we’re going in the offseason as far as getting everybody back together, going over some of the things we’ve learned as far as the new offense," Marshall said. "Just getting some timing down on the field."

In December, the five-year pro provided a lukewarm endorsement of Henne and questioned whether the duo could achieve greatness.

"I'm not sure," Marshall said at the time. "We had some opportunities this year to do that, and we didn't get it done. I guess we have to evaluate what we've done this year, and see if we can improve and see if we can become good before we become great."

Marshall brushed off questions about any lingering tension with Henne.

"Why, I don’t understand -- next question," Marshall told The Herald.

The Dolphins traded for Marshall last April to upgrade the offense, and while he became their biggest threat, his streak of more than 100 catches in three successive seasons ended. He finished with 86 receptions for 1,014 yards and three touchdowns.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Chargers entering final contract talks with LT McNeill

Marcus McNeill expressed his desire for a new contract by holding out from the San Diego Chargers. Now that he has reported to the team and been activated from the roster-exempt list, it appears a deal is near completion.

McNeill, a two-time Pro Bowl left tackle, and the Chargers are expected to go over final negotiating points Tuesday, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported, meaning an agreement likely is close.

Chargers director of public relations Bill Johnston suggested Tuesday that the two sides were close.

"Nearing 5-yr deal for Marcus McNeill," Johnston tweeted. "Team always said to 73 & 83: sign tender, go to work & we'll see how it goes. It went well for Mac."

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith disputed an ESPN report that an agreement had been reached Monday.

"That's not the case," Smith told The Union-Tribune. "If there is something to report, we'll let you know."

McNeill, a restricted free agent this offseason, rejected a one-year, $3.168 million tender offer from the Chargers, then skipped training camp, all four preseason games and the first two regular-season contests. The Chargers reduced their offer to $630,000, then placed the fifth-year pro on the roster-exempt list, meaning he was required to sit out three games after signing the tender.

McNeill signed the tender Sept. 25 and practiced with the team while he couldn't play. The Chargers added him to their active roster Monday and released cornerback Fred Bennett and safety C.J. Spillman.

According to The Union-Tribune, McNeill will work with the first-team offense in practice starting Wednesday and likely will start in Sunday's game at St. Louis.

The Chargers still have one holdout player. Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson still hasn't signed his tender, and various reports have linked him to possible trades to the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots.

View the original article here