What a mess. That sums up today's Kansas City Chiefs news. I have a feeling the comments are going to explode on here today. Players vs Owners? What could make it better/worse? Whitlock. This should be fun.
No real deadline passed Thursday night when the players didn’t ratify the owners’ proposal to end their lockout. Players have until next week to approve (or counter) the deal without missing a single snap of football, so why rush on the owners’ account?
Social media and greater availability of information have played a part, too, but essentially the owners made a power play and the players, led by union head DeMaurice Smith, didn’t cave.
Goodell Fumbles As Players Reject Owners' Power Play from KC Star
That good feeling is now out the window, which ordinarily doesn’t make for a quick resolution of the disagreement.
There’s no question the ball has been punted into the players end of the field and the next step will depend on how the players react in the next 24 to 48 hours. According to Goodell, the league wants to open their facilities to the players on Saturday, but only if the deal is approved. The league wants to start the 2011 league season and open training camp on Wednesday, July 27, but only if a recertified union approves the package.
But merely by making those conditions, the NFL owners may be breaking labor law.
Owners Try Pushing Players Into Corner... Morning Cup O'Chiefs from Bob Gretz
It will be interesting to see if he apologizes for being one of the few teams in the NFL that forced salary cuts on employees during the owners’ lockout. Maybe more interesting will be whether he outlines if and when those employees will get their money returned to them.Hunt Will Visit K.C. On Friday from Bob Gretz
"I really hope we do miss (games)," Lowery said. "This really sounds sick. I think we should miss some preseason games. There are too many issues still out there."We're Missing Games, Says NFL Great from AZFamily.com
James from Raleigh, N.C.,: I am of the mind that if Jamaal Charles sustains a significant injury this season the Chiefs can kiss the playoffs goodbye because the opposing defenses will zero in on Matt Cassel . Whats your opinion ?
BW: That goes for a lot of teams and their best player.
Bears safety Chris Harris and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jerheme Urban wrote Thursday on their Twitter pages about the possibility of training camp starting soon.
"This [Texas] heat/humidity has me ready to go back to work – whenever they let us, that is," Urban wrote to Harris.
Bears Out of Hall of Fame Game from Northwest Herald
"All in all, despite the games that were played by the NFL, things look much more optimistic," a source in player leadership told Mortensen.
That meshes with something we were told in the immediate wake of what appeared to be the ultimate switch-and-bait by the NFL, with the owners supposedly changing up some terms and then hoping the players would feel pressured to pounce. Despite the move, optimism remains in place within NFLPA* leadership that a deal could be accomplished.
Mort: Players Vote Expected On Friday from ProFootballTalk
"We have crafted a long-term agreement that is good for the game of football," Goodell told the media in Atlanta. "We are anxious to get back to football. It is time to get back to football. That is what everybody here wants to do."
The players hadn't agreed to anything.
And if the players want to be daring, they shouldn't agree to a new deal for a few more weeks. I'm serious.
Players Should Let Owners Twist In The Wind from FOX Sports
Should the NFL Players Association approve a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NFL will undergo major procedural changes for the 2011 season and beyond. Here is a question-and-answer look at what fans can expect:Breaking Down Proposed CBA from FOX Sports