Last year, whispers persisted that the NFLPA was talking so much about a lockout because the union actually wants a lockout. (Executive director De Smith scoffed at that claim during an appearance last July on The Dan Patrick Show.) Now, the NFL’s chief outside labor lawyer has publicly made that accusation.
“This is not a union eager to avoid a lockout,” Bob Batterman told Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “This is a union waiting for a lockout to occur.”
The theory that has been making the rounds not just in NFL circles but within the halls of the NFLPA’s Washington, D.C. offices is that Smith and outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler believe that, after a lockout is imposed, the union will be able to exert the greatest possible leverage against the league, via political pressure or the court system.
“If you want to litigate, if you want to get Congress involved, you want a lockout to occur and you want the clock to run out [on negotiations] so your decertification and litigation strategy can come into play,” Batterman said.
(Yep, we’re already taking steps to get Batterman on PFT Live next week.)
The notion that the union wants a lockout arguably is bolstered by the union’s presumption a lockout will be implemented automatically by the NFL at the moment the current labor deal expires, as of midnight on March 4. But that’s not the case. Just as the players can work without a contract and opt to walk out at a moment of heightened leverage, the league can do the same.
“Our options are to lock out or not lock out,” Batterman said. “A lockout does not have to begin on the first day after expiration.”
Batterman declined to say what the league will do if March 4 comes and goes without a new deal. The union is bracing for a lockout. And, per Batterman, welcoming it.
Within that context, can a new deal be done by March 3?
‘There is time if there were two things — a serious partner who wanted to get a deal done by March 3, and I have serious doubts about that, and if we spent serious time getting it done,” Batterman said. “It’s do-able if there were a desire to reach a serious compromise. Without that, it doesn’t matter if there’s 50 days or 500 days.”
This gets back to one of the points made in our recent item on the 10 things to know right now about the labor situation. Smith possibly believes he can’t do a deal by March 4 because it will appear that he didn’t engage in a sufficient fight against the league. If, of course, the parties spent more time meeting and less time bickering, Smith could sell to the rank-and-file that enough blood, sweat, and tears had been shed in advance of the expiration of the current deal to justify a new one.
10/23/10, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California (24th Bridge School Benefit)
10/24/10, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California (24th Bridge School Benefit)
07/11/11, Paramount Theater, Oakland, California (Eddie Vedder Solo Show)
10/22/11, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California (Eddie Vedder Solo Show, 25th Bridge School Benefit)
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Ravens deserve to lose this game. Played scared most of the 2nd half. Rushing only three guys on the 3rd and long was a classic example. Plus not going for the lead when they were inside the 10 yard line, ran it twice for no gain. Then that drop by Bolden who talks a much better game than he plays. For my money Hines Ward is a better receiver any day of the week. Patriots won't make these same mistakes next week. I thought the Ravens were the only team capable of going to Foxboro and winning and I stick by that still. Outside of a game in 2004 (they ended up smoking them in the AFC Championship later that season) I don't think Brady has ever lost a game to Big Ben.
Enjoy the off-season ravens. Steelers looked awful in first in 1st half, and some awful no calls by the officials, but outside the turnovers, they owned that game.
...got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul...
Surprised out how well the Packers are manhandling the Falcons so far.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
pack going win next week in chicago and go to the superbowl
Chicago has to get by the Seahawks first (hey it can happen).
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
they also ran the ball 25 times...not much success, but they kept at it with that starks kid.
a packers/pats super bowl could be one for the ages.
Run the ball...whats that ?? Running it 25 times with a rookie no less :roll:
I know he's a local kid but I was sick of hearing "Matty Ice" the dude has done nothing as far as the playoffs are concerned
I agree..love to see Pats/GB in the SB....56-50 Final
i'm a matty ice fan. love the nickname too. he did win a playoff game as a rookie a couple years back and then was hurt last year. didn't play well last night but his defense allowed close to 50 points. i think he's gonna be a top 10 qb for the foreseeable future.
All i know is im nervous as hell for the Pats/Packers game
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Man that was awesome last night! Still hungover! It appears we are getting the Bears next Sunday, doesn't get much bigger than that. GO PACK!!!
Alpine Valley 6/26/98, Alpine Valley 10/8/00, Champaign 4/23/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Grand Rapids 10/3/04
Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Milwaukee 6/29/06, Milwaukee 6/30/06, Lollapalooza 8/5/07
Eddie Solo Milwaukee 8/19/08, Toronto 8/21/09, Chicago 8/23/09
Chicago 8/24/09, Indianapolis 5/7/10, Ed Chicago 6/29/11, Alpine Valley 9/3/11 and 9/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Moline 10/18/14, Milwaukee 10/20/14
Comments
i love it
and no more challenges
http://www.nfllockout.com/
10/24/10, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California (24th Bridge School Benefit)
07/11/11, Paramount Theater, Oakland, California (Eddie Vedder Solo Show)
10/22/11, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California (Eddie Vedder Solo Show, 25th Bridge School Benefit)
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
Chicago has to get by the Seahawks first (hey it can happen).
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
i would LOVE for seattle to win tomorrow
Rodgers is killin' it!!! Woohooooo!
hard to believe the eagles held this team to just 21 points last week. rogers is great.
(Watching Clay in slow motion does not get old...)
Fuck yeah!!!!!!!
Matty Ice who?!?
Tomorrow we find out who the next victim will be!
Talk about a QB
Rodgers is really top 3 or 4 in the league
First QB to have 10 TD's in his first 3 Playoff Games
How does a Number 1 seed get 48 points dropped on them at home ?!?!?
Pathetic
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
at this point, he might be #2 behind brady.
they also ran the ball 25 times...not much success, but they kept at it with that starks kid.
a packers/pats super bowl could be one for the ages.
Run the ball...whats that ?? Running it 25 times with a rookie no less :roll:
I know he's a local kid but I was sick of hearing "Matty Ice" the dude has done nothing as far as the playoffs are concerned
I agree..love to see Pats/GB in the SB....56-50 Final
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
i'm a matty ice fan. love the nickname too. he did win a playoff game as a rookie a couple years back and then was hurt last year. didn't play well last night but his defense allowed close to 50 points. i think he's gonna be a top 10 qb for the foreseeable future.
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Me too. I took them on the money line. Would be very interesting to see them host the NFC Champ game!!!
That was a hell of a bet :roll:
Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Milwaukee 6/29/06, Milwaukee 6/30/06, Lollapalooza 8/5/07
Eddie Solo Milwaukee 8/19/08, Toronto 8/21/09, Chicago 8/23/09
Chicago 8/24/09, Indianapolis 5/7/10, Ed Chicago 6/29/11, Alpine Valley 9/3/11 and 9/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Moline 10/18/14, Milwaukee 10/20/14