Patriots owner Robert Kraft and then-Colts center Jeff Saturday created the defining moment of the 2011 offseason when they embraced in a bear hug at a news conference announcing the end of the NFL lockout and the agreement of a 10-year collective bargaining agreement.
Almost exactly two years have passed, and now that the realities of the CBA have set in, Saturday might want to take that hug back.
No matter how you slice it, the owners obliterated the NFL Players Association and new executive director DeMaurice Smith in the 2011 negotiations.
The biggest proof came last week when the publicly controlled Green Bay Packers released their annual financial statements. The Packers reported a team-record operating profit of $54.3 million for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2013, a 26 percent increase from the year before, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Even more eye-popping, the Packers’ net income in the two years before the CBA: $22.3 million. In the two seasons since: $85.8 million.
If the Packers are making money hand over fist, so are the 31 other teams.
The players? The rookie pool has been slashed, young players are locked into unfavorable contracts, and the money isn’t trickling to the veterans, who are getting priced out of the NFL, even at minimum salaries. The NFLPA declined to respond to a request for comment.
“The NFLPA absolutely failed the NFL players,” said one prominent agent with two decades in the league, who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution by the NFLPA. “It’s the worst CBA in professional sports history. It’s pushing the veterans out of the game and cuts the rookie pay in half. How is that a good deal?”
To be fair, the players have better post-retirement benefits — medical care, pensions, transition programs, and more — under the new CBA. The creation of the $620 million Legacy Fund for pre-1993 players helped correct some mistakes of the past. Players also have a better quality of life, with a shorter offseason program, stricter guidelines on contact in practice, and the elimination of two-a-days in training camp.
Then again, the owners probably were happy to cave on those demands. It helps them promote player safety and ward off lawsuits. And do you think Kraft or any owner cares if his players have two-a-days?
But when it comes to the serious stuff — splitting up the NFL’s $9 billion in revenue — the NFLPA “got taken to the woodshed,” said another agent with 18 years of experience.
“Yeah, players got better post-retirement stuff, but I’d rather have an extra million in my bank account today than a few extra grand in my pension in 40 years,” he said. “The owners used the bad economy to cry poor, and then they took everything.”
How badly did the owners beat down the NFLPA? Let us count the ways:
1. The rookies got a raw deal.
The owners said the system needed to be fixed when a bust such as JaMarcus Russell could make $37 million guaranteed and Sam Bradford, the last No. 1 overall pick under the old CBA, could get $50 million guaranteed before playing a snap.
Rookie contracts got slashed in the new CBA, with Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011, getting just $22 million guaranteed. What’s more, rookie signing bonuses have remained flat for the last three seasons. Kansas City’s Eric Fisher, the 2013 No. 1 overall pick, will get the same $14.518 million signing bonus that Newton and Andrew Luck (2012) did.
And only the top picks are receiving top dollar. Jacksonville cornerback Johnathan Cyprien, the first pick of the second round, will have a modest salary cap number of $994,382 this year. Players taken in rounds 3-7 are all in the $400,000-$500,000 range, with the league minimum at $405,000.
But perhaps the worst deal for the rookies: All drafted players are locked into their contracts for at least three years. The CBA prevents any drafted player from renegotiating his contract until after his third season. Most rookies do get increases in base salary over each of their four seasons, however, and they’re also subject to player performance bonuses if they reach playing time markers.
Russell Wilson, who had a phenomenal rookie season after being drafted in the third round by the Seahawks, has no choice but to play the 2013 season at his base salary of $526,217. Even if they wanted to, the Seahawks can’t extend his contract until after the 2014 season.
This rule is brutal on running backs, who are by far the biggest injury risk and often don’t even make it to Year 4. Even if they do, a team has much more incentive to draft another pair of young, cheap legs instead of committing major dollars to a veteran back. A running back is almost better off sitting on the bench for two years instead of wasting his hits at minimum salary.
2. Veterans get squeezed.
The money saved on the rookies was supposed to trickle down to the veterans, but instead it appears it’s simply going straight into the owners’ pockets.
While quarterback pay continues to skyrocket, and a couple of veterans were able to cash in during free agency — Miami’s Mike Wallace, Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe, Cleveland’s Paul Kruger — the incredible value of rookie contracts is now squeezing out many veterans.
Why would a team pay big money to a free agent when it can simply draft a cheaper, healthier alternative and have him locked in to a near-minimum salary for at least three seasons?
Some free agents, such as Miami’s Dustin Keller, Seattle’s Michael Bennett, Denver’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and New England’s Aqib Talib, took modest one-year deals after receiving low-ball offers on multiyear deals. Cliff Avril, who played for $10.6 million last year as the Lions’ franchise player and is just 27, was only able to score a two-year deal with $6 million guaranteed from the Seahawks.
And while the CBA promises minimum salaries for veterans — $715,000 this year for players with 4-6 years of exper
The NFL and NFL Players Association are working toward an agreement on HGH testing and have made progress to that end recently by agreeing to a population study, with the union telling the players in an email the expectation is they might soon have to provide blood samples during training camp.
In emails to union representatives earlier this month, the NFLPA wrote that players should be prepared to participate in a population study, which will determine what the "normal" level of HGH in a player's body should be.
In the meantime, the union and the league will continue to work through the final sticking points in an issue they first agreed to work toward ironing out during the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement in 2011.
Supplemental HGH is a banned substance that is hard to detect and used by athletes for what are believed to be a variety of benefits, whether real or only perceived — such as increasing speed and improving vision. Among the health problems connected to HGH are diabetes, cardiac dysfunction and arthritis.
The blood samples the players are expected to provide this summer will only serve as a basis for the population study. "No other use will be made of any blood sample," the union wrote. "After the laboratory has processed all player blood samples, the scientists will perform the calculations and analysis necessary to determine the proper decision limit for NFL players."
In a statement provided by league spokesman Greg Aiello, the NFL said, "We are in active discussions with the NFLPA regarding the implementation of HGH testing for NFL players. Those discussions are focused on a full resolution of any remaining issues, including the role of a population study."
The union and the players haven't been able to come to an agreement over who will conduct the population study. In the recent emails sent to the players, Dr. Alan Rogol is named as the supervisor of the study. Rogol was hired jointly by the NFL and NFLPA. Donald Berry, Ph.D. "will design the study protocol and conduct the analysis," the union wrote, "and a second biostatisician will independently review both the protocol and the analysis.
That's one agreement reached, with more needed, including one on discipline. The union has told the players they will vote on any proposals reached by the two sides.
In January, Major League Baseball and the players agreed to HGH blood testing throughout the regular season and to have a World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory in Canada keep records of each player.
NFL, players union agree on HGH population study - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN
Tattoos are about as common in NFL locker rooms as jock straps and four-letter words, but one “longtime NFL personnel man” thinks ink will play a bigger role in the league going forward. According to CBS’ Bruce Feldman, NFL teams may start using police experts to inspect prospects’ tattoos in the wake of the Aaron Hernandez ordeal. When the former Patriots tight end was arrested, law enforcement inspected his tattoos to see if he had any gang ties. Reports indicated that Hernandez may have been involved in the Bristol Bloods street gang due to a red “Blood” tattoo found on his right hand. The tight end reportedly denied any involvement in street gangs.
Hernandez, charged with the murder of Odin L. Lloyd in Massachusetts, has sparked a lot of chatter about his possible gang background, including a high school photo of Hernandez throwing gang signs while dressed in Bloods red, which either shows he was a gang member back then or was being a high school kid and posing for an inappropriate photo.
A gang expert who spoke to the Boston Herald said Hernandez could well have a target tattooed on him.
“Hernandez could be a very appealing target for someone who wants to make a reputation for himself,” said Jorja Leap, adjunct professor of social welfare at UCLA. “The sheriff needs to be extra careful with someone like Hernandez.”
Looking back, an old interview with Hernandez could prove to be prophetic. Asked about some of his ink, in particular one on his forearm that reads: “If it is to be it is up to me,” Hernandez said. “Whatever I want my life to be, it’s up to me. ... The life I want to live is all in my hands.”
That, in turn, led commentator Rush Limbaugh to pick up on Rivera’s comments on his radio show. Limbaugh recalled how he once said this about the league: “The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and Crips without any weapons.”
NFL teams may hire tattoo experts in light of Aaron Hernandez oreal - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN
NFL-com's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the veteran tackle is closing in on a contract with the Arizona Cardinals, according to a person involved in the process. ProFootballTalk-com reported that the deal might be done within the next 24 hours.
Winston, 29, started 16 games at right tackle last season for the Kansas City Chiefs, who released him only one year into a four-year, $22 million contract. He spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Houston Texans.
Winston would enter an intriguing situation at tackle in Arizona. Left tackle Levi Brown didn't look great this spring, leaving the door open for right tackle Nate Potter to get some looks on Carson Palmer's blind side. If Brown completely falls out of favor, Winston might find himself in prime position for a starting gig on the right side.
First, a deal must get done.
Eric Winston, Arizona Cardinals close on contract - NFL-com
Jerry Jones let some intrigue into the room Saturday when he told the assembled media at Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif., that the prospect of an NFL team in Los Angeles is "closer than ever." On Wednesday, Jones -- a California native, for the record -- expanded on his thoughts during an interview with NFL Network.
"I feel more imminent about a team being in here, that it's more imminent than any time since we haven't had a team in Los Angeles," Jones said. "And yes, this market is a huge market, it's a little bit of a black eye for all of us to have had this many years and not had an NFL team in Los Angeles.
"The owners don't mess much up ... but we haven't gotten this one right. There's people, there's locations, there are people that are interested, a lot of people that can help us put this thing together. And as it turns out that we have at least two teams ... that could move to this area."
Jones was asked where a prospective team (or two!) would come from.
"There won't be any expansion," he said. "So it will be teams that move." And now we begin the process of elimination when viewing the NFL's future through Jerrah's Aviators. Jones has been an NFL owner for 25 years, so it's safe to say he's plugged into the inner workings of the NFL machine.
While his word shouldn't be taken as gospel, it's certainly noteworthy ... especially for you, Chargers fans.
Jerry Jones: Two NFL teams could move to Los Angeles - NFL-com
The opening weekend of training camp and some crazy offseason happenings have put a caution flag on NFL offensive plans to go fast paced.
The Philadelphia Eagles lost wide receiver Jeremy Maclin for the season with a blown ACL. Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta was lost for the season with a dislocated hip. The New York Jets may not have Santonio Holmes for the season because of a Lisfranc injury. Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin is getting a second opinion in New York on Tuesday over a possible turn labrum of his hip. And then there are the New England Patriots. Julian Edelman started training camp on the physically unable to perform list. That means Tom Brady is working without his top seven pass-catchers from last year.
If that isn't enough, the San Francisco 49ers' Michael Crabtree is going to miss a good chunk of the season because of an Achilles tear, Justin Blackmon of the Jacksonville Jaguars has a four-game suspension, Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns has a two-game suspension and tight end Heath Miller of the Pittsburgh Steelers might not be able to start the regular season because of a knee injury.
That's a lot of carnage and uncertainty just coming through the noncontact portion of training camp.
Clearly, the Patriots are the most affected offense. Until tight end Rob Gronkowski returns from his broken forearm and back surgery, the Pats could lose as many as eight points a game. I keep figuring the release of Aaron Hernandez is worth three points because he had 18 career touchdown passes in 38 games. I figure Gronkowski is worth at least five points. He has 38 career touchdown receptions in 43 games. The Baltimore Ravens are the second most impacted offense. The combination of the Pitta injury and the Anquan Boldin trade could cause a potential four-point loss. Touchdown drives could turn into field goal drives for Joe Flacco because he's missing his two go-to pass-catchers in the red zone.
Boldin and Pitta combined for 11 of Flacco's 22 regular-season completions inside the red zone during last year's regular season. Flacco also is losing his two top overall targets. Boldin had 65 catches and Pitta had 61. Torrey Smith is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, but now the Ravens have question marks at No. 2 receiver and No. 2 tight end. Ed Dickson has to take over Pitta's role as the starting tight end.
It's hard to imagine the Jets can improve upon their 17.6-point average without Holmes.
Harvin's injury could slow down the advancement of the Seahawks' offense under Russell Wilson. Because Harvin's work is mostly from the slot, the Seahawks can manage without him. Doug Baldwin showed good promise as a slot receiver as a rookie, and Golden Tate could rotate into the slot and add some speed.
Getting Harvin was a big bonus because he is one of the most explosive players in the league.
Losing him would hurt the Seahawks, but not as much as the loss of Crabtree in San Francisco. The 49ers have to spend the entire summer seeing what they have to replace a receiver who was catching six passes a game toward the end of the season and into the playoffs.
NFL mailbag - Injuries could slow offensive plans - ESPN
It's a fine line that the NFL walks in the 21st century.
As evidence mounts about the severe long-term effects of head trauma, the NFL has made player safety a point of emphasis over the past several seasons.
However, as the NFL makes several rule changes to make the game "safer," some critics have questioned whether the game that remains is actually football at all.
Could the NFL be killing the sport despite its efforts to save it?
The latest rule to draw the ire of some players and fans is the "crown of the helmet" rule that was instituted this year. Outside of the tackle box, both offensive and defensive players are no longer allowed to lower their helmet before initiating contact. The most affected position will be the running backs, who can no longer drop their hats and bulldoze opponents.
The rule was met with derision from players on both sides of the ball. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison took to Twitter to voice his displeasure: Read More: Is the NFL Simply Becoming Too Soft? | Bleacher Report
Long before Chip Kelly made a name for himself as the head coach of the University of Oregon he was perfecting his craft as the offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire.
While coaching at the Division I-AA school, Kelly’s offensive ideas were already allowing players to shine. One of his star talents was receiver David Ball.
Ball broke Jerry Rice’s I-AA career touchdowns record with 58 and most games with 100 receiving yards with 27 during his time at New Hampshire. Despite the production, Ball went undrafted and was ultimately unable to carve out an NFL career in stops with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
Now that Kelly is in the NFL as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles he reached out to Ball to see if he’d have any interest giving the NFL another go. According to Scott Cacciola of the New York Times, Ball packed up and headed for Philadelphia and another chance at making an NFL roster.
Ball had been working as a high school football coach in his home state of Vermont after four seasons playing in the Canadian Football League and arena league football. He hasn’t played since 2011. But after the Eagles lost Jeremy Maclin for the season to a torn ACL, Ball got the call to give it one more shot.
“It doesn’t matter to me whether this is three days, three weeks, three months or three years,” Ball said. “This is my last stop, because this is where I’ve always wanted it to end.”
Chip Kelly gives David Ball another shot at NFL | ProFootballTalk
While his six other classmates for this weekend's enshrinement sported blue golf shirts given them by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cris Carter was dressed in suit and tie.
He might never take them off.
"Man, I am in the Hall of Fame. I am wearing a suit every day," Carter said Friday as the 50th anniversary festivities for the hall began.
Carter will join Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Bill Parcells, Warren Sapp, Dave Robinson and Curley Culp as the newest inductees on Saturday night. He was, by far, the most emotional during a news conference Friday as festivities began for the 50th anniversary celebration of the hall.
The only member of the Class of 2013 who didn't win an NFL title, Carter used a handkerchief to wipe away the tears when asked about his career and the fact it took six tries to get elected.
"Minnesota fans didn't judge me when a lot of bad things were being said about me," Carter said, frequently pausing to regain his composure. "They always cheered for Cris. The only thing I really wish is we could've won that championship for those people. What they did for my life, every day I went out there, I played for those people."
Carter was exiled from Philadelphia in 1989 after off-field problems, including drug and alcohol issues. The first one to call him and offer a job was Parcells.
Carter never told his agent he wanted to go to the Giants, but he wound up with the Vikings, who had a stronger need for a wide receiver. All Carter did the rest of his 16-season career was wind up second at his retirement in 2002 behind Jerry Rice for all-time receptions and touchdowns. He's fourth in those categories now.
As he mentioned, though, he doesn't have that championship. For the other six, those Super Bowl rings will have a blinding shine to them Saturday night.
Parcells was a winner of two NFL titles as a coach and master of the franchise turnaround. Ogden, one of the premier offensive tackles of his time, grabbed a Super Bowl ring in 2000. Larry Allen, a 1995 champion with Dallas, was the rare equal of Ogden on the offensive line in their era.
Sapp, an outstanding defensive tackle with a personality as big as any football stadium, won the 2002 championship in Tampa Bay. Robinson, a major cog in Green Bay's championship machine under Vince Lombardi, won the first two Super Bowls. Culp, one of the original pass-rushing demons at defensive tackle, got his ring with the 1969 Chiefs.
Quite a group, and a record 121 hall members are expected to attend the ceremonies.
"It's somewhat overwhelming," said Ogden, the Baltimore Ravens' first-ever draft choice and the first team member elected to the hall. "You look around and there's Joe Greene and Joe Namath — heck, they are all there, you can't stop naming names."
Ogden, Allen and Sapp have the distinction of making the hall in their first year of eligibility. It's all the more impressive considering all three were linemen.
Allen became the anchor of the Cowboys' blocking unit for a dozen seasons, then finished his career with two years in San Francisco. He made six All-Pro teams and 11 Pro Bowls, playing guard and tackle.
"It's great, great company to be in," said Allen, who Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones believes "would have been a Hall of Famer at guard or tackle, and either side. He was special like that."
Adds Curtis Martin, the Jets and Patriots running back who was inducted last year: "If there were two guys I would have wanted to run behind, it would be Larry and Jonathan."
Sapp, whose induction speech might be the most anticipated because he's liable to say anything, was a cornerstone of Tampa Bay's powerful defense that was the key to winning the Buccaneers' only title after decades of futility.
"We took a place where they said careers came to die to a place that's become a destination," Sapp said, noting the Tampa 2 scheme is now played by defenses everywhere.
As for his speech, Sapp said he has "been trying to imagine how everything will feel and still haven't gotten it. My anticipation is nowhere near complete."
Like Sapp in Tampa, Parcells also was heavily involved in making popular — and successful — a specific alignment. The 3-4 defense came to life under Parcells with the New York Giants, and he led them to the 1986 and 1990 championships.
Parcells, who also took the Patriots, Jets and Cowboys from the bottom to near the top of the NFL as head coach, says it was his duty to provide a prosperous environment.
"You give the players a chance to succeed to the best of their ability," he said. "That's your job as a coach, your responsibility."
Parcells mentioned his coaching tree, which includes the likes of Tom Coughlin, Bill Belichick and Sean Payton — all Super Bowl-winning coaches planning to be on hand Saturday — as among his proudest achievements. He promised to bring that up during his induction speech.
Robinson and Culp were voted in as senior members. Considering their pedigrees, it's stunning it took so long for them to make it; Robinson retired in 1974, Culp in 1981.
"That bust means an awful lot," Robinson said. "That bust will last forever."
- See more at: Garden City Telegram
Bill Parcells unofficially spoke for everyone in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and all the people gathered to see him and six others inducted Saturday night in Canton, Ohio. “There’s a kinship created that lasts for the rest of your life,” he said about his experience as one of the N.F.L.’s most successful coaches.
Parcells became the first coach in seven years to be enshrined. The only coach to take four franchises to the playoffs, Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants. George Martin, a former Giant who presented Parcells for induction, called him “the definitive winner.”
Parcells said he had help.
“Every organization I worked for supported me to the fullest,” he said. “Without that, you’ve got no shot.”
Parcells asked to have his Hall of Fame bust placed somewhere near that of his former player Lawrence Taylor, so he could “keep an eye on that sucker.”
Parcells was joined by offensive linemen Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen, defensive tackles Warren Sapp and Curley Culp, wide receiver Cris Carter and linebacker Dave Robinson. Culp and Robinson were elected by the seniors committee.
Robinson became the 12th player elected from the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers, and Ogden became the first member of the Baltimore Ravens to join the Hall of Fame. He made it in his first year of eligibility, as did Allen and Sapp.
Allen, who sniffled through his speech, noted that he was the league’s strongest man, once bench-pressing 700 pounds. “I did it naturally,” he said.
Sapp, presented by his 15-year-old daughter, Mercedes, became the second Tampa Bay Buccaneer to be enshrined, 18 years after Lee Roy Selmon made it.
“I sit here with the greatest among the great,” a tearful Sapp said. “We’re here, baby.”
Carter, who needed six tries to make it to the Hall, stressed his disappointment at not winning a title for Minnesota Vikings fans; he is the only one of the seven new inductees without a championship ring.
CARDS CORNERBACK ON OFFENSE The Arizona Cardinals’ new coach, Bruce Arians, plans to use the Pro Bowl cornerback and punt returner Patrick Peterson on offense. Peterson has been catching, throwing and running in training camp.
“I’m pretty dynamic with the ball in my hands,” Peterson said, adding about Arians, “I guess he just wanted more explosive plays from guys that could help.”
Arians said he had installed about 15 plays for Peterson at wide receiver or in the backfield.
“After you see the athlete he is, he probably could be one of the top five receivers in the league,” Arians said.
GRIFFIN LOOKS SHARP IN DRILLS Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III completed 13 of 17 passes in seven-on-seven drills.
Players returning from knee surgery often need a periodic day off during camp, but Griffin has not missed a practice.
“For that knee not to swell up is a big sign,” said Coach Mike Shanahan, who would not say when Griffin would start taking snaps in 11-on-11 drills.
Art Donovan, the lineman whose hilarious stories about his football career enabled him to maintain his popularity long after his election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died Sunday night. He was 88.
Donovan died at 7:20 p.m. at Stella Maris Hospice in Baltimore, according to Kevin Byrne, senior vice president of public and community relations for the Baltimore Ravens. Donovan made a name for himself as a feisty defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts, helping the team to world championships in 1958 and 1959. He also spent single seasons with the New York Yanks and Dallas Texans in a career that lasted from 1950 through 1961.
"We lost a friend, one of the finest men and one of the greatest characters we were fortunate to meet in this community and in this business," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said. "Baltimore is now without one of its best and someone who was a foundation for the tremendous popularity of football in our area. The world is not as bright tonight because we lost someone who could make us all smile."
Voted into the Hall of Fame in 1968, Donovan was an outstanding lineman and an even better storyteller. Long after his career was over, Donovan made a living on the talk-show circuit, weaving yarns about the NFL's good old days — as he put it, "When men were, well, men." Donovan was much like Bob Uecker, who also became popular on late-night talk shows through his stories about sports. But Uecker's game was baseball, and his schtick dealt with his limited abilities. Donovan performed on the football field as well as anyone at his position, even though he once said the only weight he ever lifted was a beer can.
"Some of the greatest football ever played by a defensive tackle was played by Art Donovan," said Hall of Fame center Jim Ringo, who died in 2007. "He was one of the greatest people I played against all my life."
Donovan played in the 1958 championship game between the Colts and New York Giants, a contest that was decided in overtime and ultimately tabbed by some football historians as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The winner's share was $4,700; the most Donovan ever earned in one season was $22,000. But Donovan got a million dollars' worth of memories and more than enough material for storytelling. Once, he filled a hotel shower stall with water and went for a dip. Things went swimmingly until the shower door burst open, flooding his room and the one below it.
Donovan had a thousand more stories like that, many of which were chronicled in his autobiography, appropriately titled, Fatso. Donovan liked to say he was a light eater — "When it got light, I started eating."
He was hardly particular about what he ate (or drank), which could explain why he spent much of his life hovering around 300 pounds, although the playing weight of the 6-foot-3 Donovan was listed at 265.
"I've never been a gourmet eater," he wrote. "Kosher hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pizza, baloney, and a couple of cases of Schlitz are all I'd need on a desert isle."
Donovan's father was Arthur J. Donovan Sr., arguably the most famous fight referee of all time. The elder Donovan was the third man in the ring at 19 of Joe Louis' title fights and some 150 championship bouts in all.
When the younger Donovan grew up and left the tough New York neighborhood of his youth, he fought in World War II and played college football at Notre Dame and Boston College. While he was on the football field, he would just as soon step on a guy's hand than shake it.
Off the field, however, he was nothing more than a big teddy bear.
The late John Steadman, a sportswriter for The (Baltimore) Sun who covered the Colts in their glory years, once said, "Art is a tremendous example for everyone, a wonderful Santa Claus-type individual."
Indeed, Donovan often played the role of Saint Nick at the team's annual Christmas party. His good cheer was no act.
"Wherever Artie goes, people always crowd around him and he makes them laugh," former Colt Dick Syzmanski once said. "Isn't that a gift?"
Donovan broke into professional football in 1950 with the Colts, who folded after his rookie season. He played with the Yanks in 1951 and Texans in 1952 before the Dallas franchise moved to Baltimore and became the second version of the Colts.
Hall of Famer, NFL funny man Art Donovan dies at 88
A former NFL player has been arrested on a charge he hit his wife and shoved her from a moving car in New York City. Former New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Luke Petitgout reported to a Manhattan police precinct Tuesday.
Police say he struck his wife with her pocketbook Friday and then tossed her from the car. His wife took a taxi to a police station and filed a report.
Petitgout was arrested on an assault charge. He is in police custody awaiting arraignment and can't be reached for comment. It wasn't immediately clear who's representing him.
Petitgout played college football for Notre Dame, then spent eight seasons with the Giants and one season with the Buccaneers. They released him in 2008.
It has been seven months since Alabama crushed Notre Dame on their way to a second consecutive BCS title but for embattled inside linebacker Manti Te'o, it likely has felt much longer than that.
Unfortunately for Te'o, his NFL debut Thursday night was eerily reminiscent of his final game with the Irish.
Te'o, the No. 38 overall pick of April's draft, earned the start at inside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers but recorded no tackles in two series of action in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
Just as he had throughout most of a stellar career with Notre Dame, Te'o showed good quickness and the willingness to take on blocks. Like against Alabama, however, Te'o was unable to disengage quickly enough to be consistently involved in the action. Against a highly physical Seahawks' rushing attack, Te'o was stoned by Seahawks' right guard Paul McQuistan as well as fullback Michael Robinson on running plays in the first quarter.
It is also worth noting that Seattle's second round pick Christine Michael, and not star Marshawn Lynch, got the start at running back for the Seahawks.
Though he did not make a tackle, Te'o played solid team defense against the run. He fought off blocks and pursued with his trademark passion.
This aggression got the best of Te'o in his limited snaps against the pass. He was substituted on third downs by the Chargers and was caught out of position on his first NFL snap from scrimmage.
Te'o was sucked up towards the line by an effective play-action fake from Russell Wilson, only to realize his mistake and watch helplessly as Seattle's second-year quarterback flicked a intermediate crossing pass to wideout Jermaine Kearse for a 20-yard gain.Te'o and his teammates regrouped quickly thereafter, however, forcing Seattle to punt four plays later.
While Te'o's NFL debut lacked flash, it is important to note that he only saw nine snaps before he and many of the other San Diego starters were given the rest of the night off. Te'o has earned solid reviews for his play thus far with the Chargers and he is expected to start this season. The Seahawks accumulated just 42 total yards and did not score in Te'o's two series.
Manti Te'o largely invisible in NFL debut - CBSSports
Johnny Manziel, the starting quarterback for the Texas A&M Aggies, does not appear to be long for the world of college football.
Even before so many unnamed autograph dealers claimed this week that they had paid Manziel money for his signature—and, thus, that Manziel had broken the NCAA’s rules—he had tweeted that he was looking forward to leaving College Station. In a pair of soul-searching magazine profiles, Johnny Football’s parents said that their son, the defending Heisman Trophy winner, was sick of the peculiar flavor of intense micro-fame that attends any amateur superstar in a small town.
So why doesn’t Manziel join an NFL team for training camp? Why didn’t he abandon college football, with his star still ascendant, to find a real paycheck through the NFL draft?
He can’t. He couldn’t. The NFL has an age limit, restricting eligibility to those players who have watched three full pro seasons elapse since they departed high school. Manziel, who graduated from Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, with the class of 2011, has one more year to go.
Presently, Manziel is practicing with his team, in advance of the upcoming season, like any other presumptive starter in college football would. Texas A&M has not suspended him; the NCAA has not ruled him ineligible. As far as what has actually been proven is concerned, Manziel is in the clear, hoping to lead the Aggies to their first-ever SEC title.
But what if Manziel and his parents became so tired of the current circus that the 20-year-old tried to beat the NFL’s age limit in court? Could he do it? The attorney who came closest to overturning the age limit says he’s waiting for the right case to come along and topple the rule once and for all.
The NFL has had some sort of age limit in place since 1921, and the rule has barely shifted in the near-century since. The biggest change came in 1990, when the NFL decided to allow college juniors (or those who had otherwise been out of high school for three years) into the draft pool. But lopping a year off the age limit was just a temporary defense.
An antitrust suit eventually did come, 14 years later, from Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett. Clarett’s situation resembled Manziel’s. He had starred as a freshman—leading the Buckeyes to a national title—before various NCAA violations threatened his eligibility. Ohio State forced Clarett, who had also been charged with filing a false police report, to sit out all of the 2003 season. Thirteen days after his suspension came down, Clarett sued the NFL, challenging the age limit. He won in U.S. District Court in New York, and then he lost when his case reached the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court later declined to review the case.
“Was the Clarett case properly decided? No, absolutely not. I really don’t know why they reached the decision that they did,” Clarett’s former attorney, Alan Milstein, said Thursday. But, Milstein said, if anyone were to challenge the age limit before any court other than the Second Circuit, he’d stand a good chance of winning.
Without getting too technical: Milstein’s argument, which initially won over District Court judge Shira Scheindlin, employed a test named for Baltimore Colts tight end John Mackey, a litigant in a prior NFL case. Any league exemption from federal labor laws had to meet three criteria: It had to affect primarily those already party to the collective-bargaining agreement, the issue needed to be addressed in collective bargaining (e.g. league facility and safety standards), and it had to result from good-faith arm’s-length bargaining. But, in a decision written by future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the Second Circuit declined to employ Mackey, explaining that its justices never found it all that compelling.
Instead, the court reasoned, only Mackey’s third prong—that the exemption must result from good-faith bargaining—should matter. So long as the union signs off on something, it’s OK. Those who cannot join the union (in this case, players who have not been out of high school for three years) have no recourse.
Why does the union sign off on the age limit, anyway? From where it stands, the rule is no big deal—the presence of younger players in the league would not grant the union a larger share of total revenue, nor would it grow the number of available roster spots or increase the size of player pensions.
But the rule matters a lot to the league. It allows teams to scout players against reliable competition rather than spotty high-school talent, and it allows them to offload three years of important maturation to college programs. Front offices have a better chance of catching bad knees or bad attitudes, thanks to college football. In exchange, the colleges babysit players and get rich, making money both off the team directly and off the increased alumni interest any good football team motivates. It’s a great bargain for everyone except the players.
Back to the abandonment of Mackey: Milstein blames that decision on the whims of the New York-based Second Circuit, which also chose to take the case on an expedited basis and issue an injunction to keep Clarett from entering the NFL draft, despite the lower court’s ruling. (Had the appellate court waited to take the case, Clarett would have been drafted in 2004 but his victory would not have become a legal precedent.) ”They were hellbent on taking the case, for some reason,” Milstein said. Did that have anything to do with the NFL’s massive political influence? “Well, that’d be something maybe a reporter could speculate about, rather than a member of the bar,” Milstein said.
With a new plaintiff, though? In a different circuit court, far away from the league’s offices on Park Avenue? Milstein likes his chances. The age limit, he says, has no logical basis. “The argument, which they made in the Clarett case, that the age limit protects players? It’s total bullshit.” He said he m
Roger Goodell and the National Football League are once again cracking down on players. This time, the league is limiting the type of facemasks players can wear, according to the Associated Press.
The NFL is prohibiting any non-standard facemasks. Thus, the facemasks that Robert Mathis and Darnell Dockett wear will be illegal to wear for the upcoming season.
The reason? Well, the NFL didn't exactly give one. All league officials said was that the only exception to the new rule would be if a medical condition forced a player to wear a certain facemask. Thus, Justin Tuck of the New York Giants and Chris Canty of the Baltimore Ravens will be able to wear their facemasks, according to the Baltimore Sun.
NFL banning certain facemasks, no real reason given - SBNation-com
Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace loves him some LeBron James. So much, in fact, that he's echoing what other big-play wideouts have been saying for years: James would be a terror as an NFL pass catcher.
"I saw this guy coming out of high school just dunking like crazy and coming into the league, and he's been my favorite ever since," Wallace said via FoxSportsFlorida-com. "Look at him, he's the greatest athlete on the planet. I feel there's no greater talent than LeBron. You throw him a couple of passes and get him a couple of routes, and he'll be all right. I think you line him up at tight end. I don't know about the blocking aspect, but you can teach him. You show him a couple of things and the sky is the limit."
Last year, the Cowboys' Dez Bryant's scouting report for LeBron included this: He's "a beast."
"That dude is just that talented," Bryant told ESPN Dallas at the time. "I think it would take him probably about a good two weeks to get very acquainted with football, knowing what he's supposed to do. I think that's all he'd need with his physical ability. I've seen a little bit of his highlights from high school. He's got the hands, he can run the routes, he's fast enough. He could play in this league if he put it all together. …
"All he'd need to do is probably work on a little technique," Bryant continued. "It's not like he's never played football before. He has played football. I think he'd be a beast in the red zone. I think he could do it. I think he could do it, seriously." Four years ago, Randy Moss, who was twice named Mr. Basketball in West Virginia before dominating the NFL when he felt like it, was asked about LeBron, NFL player. His response? Also over-the-top laudatory.
"LeBron James is the athlete that comes around every so often," Moss told ESPN-com's Tim Graham in May 2009. "I would put myself in that category. We're multi-talented, able to go out and play different sports, different positions." ...
"That's a good comparison," Moss said. "I think LeBron could come in and do better than Antonio Gates. ... I believe that he could be a star in this game."
(Here's a quick clip of James' high school football exploits. Make of it what you will.)
James is listed at 6-8, 250. By comparison, one of the NFL's tallest tight ends, Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis, is 6-6, 272. And the Saints' do-everything Jimmy Graham is 6-7, 265. Put another way: LeBron is light by NFL standards. That doesn't mean some enterprising coach wouldn't find ways to exploit his talents in this make-believe world where LeBron actually plays football, just that we don't think he'd roll out of bed and and start dominating. (Not unless he played the Eaglexs every week.)
Mike Wallace latest to say LeBron James would dominate NFL - CBSSports-com
The NFL Players Association has "tentatively agreed" to human growth hormone testing and accompanying punishment for the 2013 regular season, according to a union memo obtained Tuesday by NFL-com's Albert Breer.
The memo says that a first offense for any player who tests positive for HGH will bring a four-game suspension. The NFLPA will allow the league to obtain 40 blood samples for HGH tests each week during the testing, according to the tentative agreement. The NFL denies that an agreement has been finalized.
"We do not have yet a comprehensive agreement for HGH testing and decline to comment on the union's memo," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
Breer reported earlier this week that the sides agreed on all procedural aspects of HGH testing. The last sticking point remaining, according to Breer, is the appeals process and the presence of a neutral arbitrator. The memo from the NFLPA revealed some of the details of the testing.
Every player in the NFL will provide a blood sample in training camp for a "population study" that will determine what level of HGH will result in penalties, the union wrote in the memo. Eight players randomly will be chosen from five teams each week during the regular season for testing. The memo says the comprehensive agreement likely will be finalized soon.
Union memo tells NFL players HGH testing is closer - NFL-com
Dozens of former NFL players will be administered human growth hormone as the NFL and its players union try to determine the impact of use on players' HGH levels, three people with knowledge of the plan told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the study has not been announced publicly.
The tentative plan is for roughly 100 former players to participate in the study, with two-thirds receiving HGH and the other third receiving a placebo. Their HGH levels will be measured before and after the trial.
It's part of the scientific design of the population study that will include blood draws from all current players to determine the so-called decision limit — i.e. the highest HGH level a player can have without facing discipline under the new performance-enhancing drug policy that is still being finalized, the people said.
Current Minnesota Vikings players were informed of the plan Wednesday during a visit from their designated advocates from the NFL Players Association, Martin Bayless and Ernie Conwell. It was unclear whether any ex-players had agreed to participate in the study, when the HGH would be administered or how prescriptions would be obtained for the drug.
Human growth hormone is naturally produced by the body, stimulating cell reproduction and regeneration. It also can be administered artificially and is banned by most international sports organizations as a performance-enhancing drug.
The NFL and the union agreed to blood testing for HGH in the collective bargaining agreement that was finalized two years ago. But a series of issues, including the NFLPA's insistence on the population study to determine what a "normal" HGH level is for an NFL player, has delayed implementation.
Two people with knowledge of negotiations told USA TODAY Sports this week there remains optimism HGH testing could begin in 2013, though a comprehensive agreement has not been finalized.
NFL, union plan to use ex-players as HGH guinea pigs
Christian Fauria spent 13 seasons as an NFL tight end. He won two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. He understands the hunger for any possible physical edge.
But he said he couldn't bring himself to use human growth hormone.
He did buy it though. He held the vials in his hands. He contemplated injecting himself with the banned substance, but…
"Too chicken to go through with it," Fauria told The Times on Wednesday.
"I did my research. I had tons of ankle problems, and I was looking for a way to get back faster. I purchased it.… But what you had to go through to do it, at least the guys I talked to, I was like, 'No way. You can't regulate that stuff.' I had no desire to be shooting myself up with a needle once or twice a week. I just wasn't doing it."
Fauria's disclosure comes as the NFL and NFL Players Assn. are poised to conduct a "population study," drawing blood from all NFL players to determine a baseline for what constitutes an abnormal HGH reading.
The union sent a memo to players and their representatives this week, outlining a tentative agreement for the league to test 40 players each week of the season, with positive tests drawing four-week suspensions. Players who failed would be subject to additional testing for the next two seasons. A player who tested positive a second time would be suspended eight games; a player whose test results remained negative during that period would be removed from the list.
The sides have gone back and forth on blood testing since the summer of 2011, when the issue was supposed to have been resolved as part of the latest collective-bargaining agreement. There is no timetable for the start of testing as the sides continue to negotiate the details.
Fauria said he considered doing almost anything for a career edge, even if it meant breaking the rules. He played for Seattle, New England, Washington and Carolina in a career that stretched from 1995 to 2007. He said the presence of HGH was a fact of life in the league, although he couldn't say whether the use was rare or rampant.
"I didn't realize it until my sixth year," said Fauria, 41, a former Crespi High standout who was playing for the Seahawks at the time. "Before that, everybody was taking ephedrine and creatine, stuff like that. Everything was legal, vitamins, supplements.
"But the HGH, I didn't really become aware of it until my ankles were jacked up. I started seeing guys like Olympic coaches, people who were training Olympic athletes. When I went to that elite level, I was like, 'Whoa! There's another world out here.' I was like, 'This is what they do? Holy cow!'"
It was then, he said, that he became aware of HGH use by fellow players.
"I know guys who did it, and I remember saying, 'This guy is going to the Pro Bowl! He's shredded! Massive!'" he said. "Sure enough, they'd get hurt the next year. It had something to do with guys' muscles getting so big that their tendons couldn't hold them. They were pulling their hamstrings, tearing their muscles. It was a train wreck.
"I was one of those guys who said, 'No way. Nobody's doing it.' And then I just remember playing against some guys who will remain nameless, and I remember going, 'This is a joke.' Because I remember working my tail off, harder than I ever did before. My energy wasn't as high. My strength — which I thought was high — wasn't. And I remember sitting there going, 'I am running uphill in a snowstorm with no shoes.' That's what I felt like.
"I remember when certain guys got off of it — because they got nabbed, or the league started cracking down — they were a complete different person. One thousand percent. I remember being [ticked], like, this is baloney. Come the fourth quarter, they didn't have nearly the amount of energy, they weren't nearly as strong."
During an off-season late in his career, Fauria said, he was hobbled by chronic ankle problems and drove from Phoenix to San Diego to buy HGH from an amateur pharmacist.
"It always wound up being the same kind of song and dance, some shadiness involved in it," he said. "This guy is a pharmacist but doesn't have a license, he works out of his house. Or, 'Go to this place and ask for Jimmy in the back.' I was like, what? 'Go across the border into Tijuana and get this.'"
Ultimately, Fauria said he did not use the hormones, not because they were against the rules but because he was unsure about their long-term effects.
"I had a really good physical therapist who I trusted immensely," he said. "He was really smart. We would talk about it, and he did a lot of research about it. At that point, there wasn't enough documentation on what the long-term effects were. You could guesstimate, but it wasn't worth the risk, even for a short-term gain.
"I always told myself, 'Slow and steady will win the race. They might be the rabbit, but eventually something's going to happen and I'm going to catch up to them.'"
Fauria still has a vested interest in the NFL. His nephew, Joseph Fauria, is a former UCLA tight end who's now a rookie with the Detroit Lions.
Even though he's been out of the league six years, Fauria believes the field remains slanted. By his thinking, even if HGH is rooted out of the league, the do-whatever-is-necessary mentality will remain.
"The game's constantly changing," he said. "But what will not change is individual athletes' desire to get an edge, and how you get that edge."
Former NFL player describes the pressure to use human growth hormone - latimes-com
Carrying a small purse as well as a clear plastic bag filled with fruit, Ravens fan and Baltimore resident Jessica Dodge said she encountered no problems with the new NFL bag policies implemented by the Ravens on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium.
"It was fine, it went very well," Dodge said. "I guess everybody knew what was going on."
Under the new NFL rules, fans are only allowed to carry clear plastic or vinyl tote bags as well as gallon-size clear plastic freezer bags or clutch purses. Larger purses and baby bags have been outlawed by the league.
Overall, the Ravens reported a smooth process as they phased in the mandatory NFL policies for the first time.
"It went very well," Ravens vice president of stadium operations Roy Sommerhof said. "We were pleased. I think the people that came to the game took notice and adhered to those policies. We didn't see many bags. We saw a lot of people, women specifically, bringing small clutch bags or clear bags into the stadium. We were very pleased that people got the message. It was fantastic. It's been very smooth so far."
The Ravens sent an email informing fans of the changes and have issued several press releases and also held a press conference at their downtown stadium earlier this week.
"I got an email about it, so I knew what to expect," said Christy Payton of Fredericksburg, Va. "It's a little inconvenient, I guess, because it's hard to hold or fit much into a small purse besides some cash and identification. I guess it's a safety issue."
Team officials hadn't fielded complaints and didn't have to turn back people who showed up at the gates with bags that didn't comply with the rules.
"There was very little of that," Sommerhof said. "They were prepared. Most of them came with small clutch bags and the clear plastic bags. A couple of our sponsors were giving away clear plastic bags."
Sommerhof also reported a steady flow of people through the gates.
"It was excellent," Sommerhof said. "We have fewer people here for this than a regular-season game. That went very well. We're going to make a few tweaks here and there for the next game, because the signs look very similar."
Read more: Ravens report smooth implementation of new NFL bag policy - baltimoresun-com
Almost exactly two years have passed, and now that the realities of the CBA have set in, Saturday might want to take that hug back.
No matter how you slice it, the owners obliterated the NFL Players Association and new executive director DeMaurice Smith in the 2011 negotiations.
The biggest proof came last week when the publicly controlled Green Bay Packers released their annual financial statements. The Packers reported a team-record operating profit of $54.3 million for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2013, a 26 percent increase from the year before, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Even more eye-popping, the Packers’ net income in the two years before the CBA: $22.3 million. In the two seasons since: $85.8 million.
If the Packers are making money hand over fist, so are the 31 other teams.
The players? The rookie pool has been slashed, young players are locked into unfavorable contracts, and the money isn’t trickling to the veterans, who are getting priced out of the NFL, even at minimum salaries. The NFLPA declined to respond to a request for comment.
“The NFLPA absolutely failed the NFL players,” said one prominent agent with two decades in the league, who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution by the NFLPA. “It’s the worst CBA in professional sports history. It’s pushing the veterans out of the game and cuts the rookie pay in half. How is that a good deal?”
To be fair, the players have better post-retirement benefits — medical care, pensions, transition programs, and more — under the new CBA. The creation of the $620 million Legacy Fund for pre-1993 players helped correct some mistakes of the past. Players also have a better quality of life, with a shorter offseason program, stricter guidelines on contact in practice, and the elimination of two-a-days in training camp.
Then again, the owners probably were happy to cave on those demands. It helps them promote player safety and ward off lawsuits. And do you think Kraft or any owner cares if his players have two-a-days?
But when it comes to the serious stuff — splitting up the NFL’s $9 billion in revenue — the NFLPA “got taken to the woodshed,” said another agent with 18 years of experience.
“Yeah, players got better post-retirement stuff, but I’d rather have an extra million in my bank account today than a few extra grand in my pension in 40 years,” he said. “The owners used the bad economy to cry poor, and then they took everything.”
How badly did the owners beat down the NFLPA? Let us count the ways:
1. The rookies got a raw deal.
The owners said the system needed to be fixed when a bust such as JaMarcus Russell could make $37 million guaranteed and Sam Bradford, the last No. 1 overall pick under the old CBA, could get $50 million guaranteed before playing a snap.
Rookie contracts got slashed in the new CBA, with Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011, getting just $22 million guaranteed. What’s more, rookie signing bonuses have remained flat for the last three seasons. Kansas City’s Eric Fisher, the 2013 No. 1 overall pick, will get the same $14.518 million signing bonus that Newton and Andrew Luck (2012) did.
And only the top picks are receiving top dollar. Jacksonville cornerback Johnathan Cyprien, the first pick of the second round, will have a modest salary cap number of $994,382 this year. Players taken in rounds 3-7 are all in the $400,000-$500,000 range, with the league minimum at $405,000.
But perhaps the worst deal for the rookies: All drafted players are locked into their contracts for at least three years. The CBA prevents any drafted player from renegotiating his contract until after his third season. Most rookies do get increases in base salary over each of their four seasons, however, and they’re also subject to player performance bonuses if they reach playing time markers.
Russell Wilson, who had a phenomenal rookie season after being drafted in the third round by the Seahawks, has no choice but to play the 2013 season at his base salary of $526,217. Even if they wanted to, the Seahawks can’t extend his contract until after the 2014 season.
This rule is brutal on running backs, who are by far the biggest injury risk and often don’t even make it to Year 4. Even if they do, a team has much more incentive to draft another pair of young, cheap legs instead of committing major dollars to a veteran back. A running back is almost better off sitting on the bench for two years instead of wasting his hits at minimum salary.
2. Veterans get squeezed.
The money saved on the rookies was supposed to trickle down to the veterans, but instead it appears it’s simply going straight into the owners’ pockets.
While quarterback pay continues to skyrocket, and a couple of veterans were able to cash in during free agency — Miami’s Mike Wallace, Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe, Cleveland’s Paul Kruger — the incredible value of rookie contracts is now squeezing out many veterans.
Why would a team pay big money to a free agent when it can simply draft a cheaper, healthier alternative and have him locked in to a near-minimum salary for at least three seasons?
Some free agents, such as Miami’s Dustin Keller, Seattle’s Michael Bennett, Denver’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and New England’s Aqib Talib, took modest one-year deals after receiving low-ball offers on multiyear deals. Cliff Avril, who played for $10.6 million last year as the Lions’ franchise player and is just 27, was only able to score a two-year deal with $6 million guaranteed from the Seahawks.
And while the CBA promises minimum salaries for veterans — $715,000 this year for players with 4-6 years of exper