Lockout could be over shortly "Union's letter cites safety concerns"

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http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...s-lockout-cites-lack-safe-working-environment

NEW YORK -- The NFL Players Association sent an open letter to team owners calling for an end to the lockout of on-field officials and hinting that it's a violation of the contract between the players and the league.

The players were locked out for 4½ months last year, and they emphasized in the letter, posted Sunday on the union's website, that a lack of a safe working environment exists with replacement officials working the games.

Domonique Foxworth, president of the NFLPA, Drew Brees and Scott Fujita are among the union members who signed it.

"Your decision to lock out officials with more than 1,500 years of collective NFL experience has led to a deterioration of order, safety and integrity," the NFLPA wrote. "This affirmative decision has not only resulted in poor calls, missed calls and bad game management, but the combination of those deficiencies will only continue to jeopardize player health and safety and the integrity of the game that has taken decades to build."

The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, one new snag in negotiations between the league and the NFL Referees Association is the latter's request for a ratification bonus to approve a new deal in which the union has made concessions, sources familiar with the talks told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The league has resisted such a bonus because it believes it is a mechanism for the locked-out officials to receive money for games they have missed, the sources said. The union maintained to the NFL that a lump-sum bonus paid to it is a common treatment for its members to ratify an agreement in which it has made concessions to the league. Under the proposal, the union would have discretion to distribute the amount as it desires.

In the NFLPA's letter signed by 12 current or former players, the players ask why commissioner Roger Goodell issues suspensions and fines "in the name of player health and safety" while the regular officials the league entrusts to maintain health and safety are locked out.

"As players, we see this game as more than the 'product' you reference at times," the letter said. "You cannot simply switch to a group of cheaper officials and fulfill your legal, moral, and duty obligations to us and our fans. You need to end the lockout and bring back the officials immediately."

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contact expired. It has used replacements for the first time since 2001, when the regular officials missed only the first week of action.

But those replacements had experience at the highest levels of college football, and the current replacements come from lower college levels or from other leagues such as Arena Football.

There have been numerous complaints by players and coaches about the officiating -- certainly more than when the regular officials work -- and one particularly embarrassing episode in which an official was removed from working a New Orleans game because he posted photos of himself in Saints gear on Facebook.

"The removal of the veteran officials from regular-season games left a group of your replacements who have proved to be incapable of keeping pace with the speed of the game," the players wrote. "Coaches and players have complained of numerous errors and failures including: erratic and missed calls on egregious holds and hits, increased skirmishes between players and confusion about game rules. Many replacements have lost control of games due to inexperience and unfamiliarity with players and rules."

Browns linebacker Fujita was suspended for three games by Goodell for his role in the Saints' bounty scandal, a suspension that was temporarily placed on hold by an appeals panel.

Among others signing the letter were Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Packers center Jeff Saturday and former star safety Brian Dawkins, now retired and currently an ESPN analyst.
 
I would love for them to explain how player safety is affected. I still don't get that complaint.
 
I would love for them to explain how player safety is affected. I still don't get that complaint.

Well, I think that they would try to argue that refs are letting games get out of control (like on Monday); teams may fight, etc, or that players will try to bend the rules more, knowing that the refs may not know the rules as well, and may deal out more cheap shots, etc.

:shrug:

I can somewhat understand their point, although I don't know how legitimate the concern is.
 
Well, I think that they would try to argue that refs are letting games get out of control (like on Monday); teams may fight, etc, or that players will try to bend the rules more, knowing that the refs may not know the rules as well, and may deal out more cheap shots, etc.

:shrug:

I can somewhat understand their point, although I don't know how legitimate the concern is.

so the argument is......It's the NFL's fault......we need to be stopped from being so rough on ourselves.

You have to save me from myself....LOLtastic augment!:blink:
 
@PF09, That makes sense, and there's no doubt these refs HAVE to get better control of the games. That said, I agree that I am not sure how much of a concern it is.
 
It won't happen in 10 million years but the players association could end this lockout with the following pronouncement:

"Should the NFLRA decide to picket any NFL facilities the NFLPA would exercise their right NOT TO CROSS ANY LEGAL PICKET LINE"

Done and Done.

But if the NFL called their bluff they'd have to forfeit a game check.
 
I think the Players should walk off the job until the ref mess is fixed...
 
I think the Players should walk off the job until the ref mess is fixed...

Yeah, they'll decide to give up some game checks to help out the refs.

:)
 
It was on display last night for the world to see. Refs were letting the Ravens get away with dirty play. A clear head shot by Ed Reed twice to pats WR's. Only one flagged.
 
I would love for them to explain how player safety is affected. I still don't get that complaint.

I guess you didn't see the Texans and Broncos.

It's like when kids get a substitute teacher at school. They amp up their bad behavior just to see what kind of crap they can get away with. I fully believe that's what is going on with some of the players.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
Yeah, considering that three weeks in, I can't think of an injury that has happened because of these refs.

Maybe they are worried at the injuries that will happen to the refs.:coffee:
 
It looks like some progress has been made in the talks.

mike freeman ‏<s>@</s>realfreemancbs NFL and officials have reached at least a partial compromise on 21 full-time officials in developmental program.
Albert Breer ‏<s>@</s>AlbertBreer The NFL and NFLRA have reached an agreement on the issue of backup crews. Will have a developmental program. Pension remains an issue.
The NFL and the NFL Referees Association have come to an agreement on the issue of backup crews, an NFLRA source said Wednesday.
The 21 backup officials, who will not be NFLRA members, will be in a developmental program. The purpose of the developmental league is to train the backup officials and expose them how to work with the NFL.
The 21 backup officials will work with NFL crews throughout the week but will not work games and will not be eligible to be subbed out.
The two sides negotiated past midnight Tuesday, a source on both sides of the negotiations said.
The owners who have shown no inclination to budge on the referees' benefits issues have gotten more involved in the negotiations, according to the source, and the federal mediator has done well to keep talks on track.
The officials have enjoyed defined-benefit pension plan, and the league has been seeking, in these negotiations, to terminate that plan and switch the NFLRA over to a 401(k)
Negotiations are expected to continue.

Many of the veteran referees, who are part-time employees of the NFL, opted out of retirement plans at their full-time jobs because of the NFL pension, making the switch a non-starter in these talks for them. According to NFLRA sources, offers have been made to grandfather in the existing referees and have the new ones on 401(k) plans, which a source briefed on the negotiations said the league found "untenable", given the climate of the American economy.
The other -- and less divisive -- issue revolves around the NFL's proposal to add 21 officials to the current roster of 121.
The NFL wants to create a "culture of accountability" in evaluating crews on a week-to-week basis, with the ability to bench a crew for poor performance. The NFLRA's concerns with that are:
amount of work, and officials being paid per game.
1) It would affect compensation, as there would be more people for the same
2) The problem of job security for referees, which becomes more problematic with a set rotation that makes each official less valuable.
The NFL thinks the addition of a large number of officials would provide a better opportunity to more consistently put the best officials at each game.
As for the Seahawks game, one league source said, "We get that it's painful. Even though it's short-term pain, no one likes going through it." But the thought is that the long-term gain of better officiating across the board would be worth it.
Nothing is set in stone, but absent a resolution Tuesday and barring another breakdown in talks, the sides are expected to continue talking throughout the week.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...-continue-negotiating-for-fourth-straight-day
 
What I said in another thread

I hope when they do come back they get a chant in each stadium of "Welcome BACK!!!"

Just as a good kick to the balls of the owners, for allowing this shit to happen in the first place
 
Well she is back stage warming up her voice but is waiting for the curtain to come up.

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