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Article about T.O. and the Players Union


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And the saga continues... B)

It's all over but the crying...

and the decision.

Players group makes case against Owens’ 49ers contract

By Bob Brookover

Inquirer Staff Writer

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) argued today that Terrell Owens voided his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in enough time to become a free agent and that the March 4 trade that sent the wide receiver to Baltimore should be voided.

Representatives from the National Football League and the NFLPA made their cases to Stephen Burbank, a University of Pennsylvania law professor acting as a special master to decide collective bargaining cases between the league and the union. The meeting, which lasted 2 1/2 hours behind closed doors, took place at Silverman Hall on the Penn campus.

Both union chief Gene Upshaw and legal counsel Jeffrey Kessler said the reported Feb. 21 move-up by the NFL did not apply to Owens. The NFLPA argued that Owens' contract had a void date of March 15 or whenever the NFL's free-agency period began, which was midnight on March 2, and that supercedes any change the league would make.

Kessler said all of the other arguments that have been written or reported in the past two weeks were not discussed. Owens and his agent, David Joseph, were not at the meeting.

NFL legal counsel Gregg Levy left the hearing without comment, but 49ers owner John York expressed his confidence in the NFL's case, saying it was "very strong."

When asked what the NFL argued, Upshaw reponded, "That we're wrong."

Neither the Eagles nor Ravens were represented in the hearing.

Burbank told both sides that he expected to have a decision tomorrow and that he would email his decision to the parties involved.

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I just don't know how I want this to turn out....I'd love to see the Ravens get screwed over and not get TO....But then I don't know if getting TO is such a great thing for them anymore cause he doesn't want to play for them, and when he doesn't want to play, he doesn't even if he's on the field....

he still drops too many balls....and he'll still only be at best, the 2nd best WR in the AFC North.

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Great I've just seen this at sportsline and it says that they are working on a compromise that will net the 49ers a 3rd round pick, and get this the Ravens get a pick as well. :o

WTF? That would suck...I just assume see them keep TO then to give them back their 2nd, and give them another pick as well.....

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For god sacks, the NFL this season is going to lose it's uniqueness as one of the best businesses in sports. First it's me first attitudes, then players demanding things, now players taking up the NFL problems with arbitrators and courts. This is one reason I'm enjoying NASCAR because it's still pure, it's about winning. The NFL? Slowly evolving to money first, winning second.

(I'm sure to get some responses on this one)

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For god sacks, the NFL this season is going to lose it's uniqueness as one of the best businesses in sports. First it's me first attitudes, then players demanding things, now players taking up the NFL problems with arbitrators and courts. This is one reason I'm enjoying NASCAR because it's still pure, it's about winning. The NFL? Slowly evolving to money first, winning second.

(I'm sure to get some responses on this one)

This type of situation will always happen in a sport that coddles a**h***s like this. This sort of situation would NEVER occur in Nascar because that sport (Yes...I said SPORT!) is ruled with an Iron Fist! They don't care how big a name you are. You'll be treated no different than the greenest rookie out there. You step outa line, the powers that be will put you back in, or completely out of the competition if they think it's required.

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For god sacks, the NFL this season is going to lose it's uniqueness as one of the best businesses in sports.  First it's me first attitudes, then players demanding things, now players taking up the NFL problems with arbitrators and courts.  This is one reason I'm enjoying NASCAR because it's still pure, it's about winning.  The NFL?  Slowly evolving to money first, winning second.

(I'm sure to get some responses on this one)

This type of situation will always happen in a sport that coddles a**h***s like this. This sort of situation would NEVER occur in Nascar because that sport (Yes...I said SPORT!) is ruled with an Iron Fist! They don't care how big a name you are. You'll be treated no different than the greenest rookie out there. You step outa line, the powers that be will put you back in, or completely out of the competition if they think it's required.

You're exactly right Billy and the NFL was like that. But not now. The NFL is giving these thumb sucking a**h***s a chance to do what they will. And Yes, even though courts and arbitrators force it to happen, the NFL isn't using all their resources available.

And if the NFL continues its downward spiral, then NASCAR will be the most popular.

I mean how could it not? First you have the "National Pasttime" in MLB and it's quickly losing popularity. Just wait, the NFL could repeat history. Yet, we never learn.

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One thing that has to be mentioned is what if Terrell Owens and the Players Union are in the right..?

--The T.O. has the right to reclaim something that may have been taken away from him illegally.

---I'll go on record to say that I wasn't in favor of the Maurice Clarett ruling.

---I'll also say that if T.O. and his agent messed up, then they gotta deal with the consiquences of those actions.

--BUT one thing I won't do , is take the owners word over that of the players. The rule book is in their favor .and unlike the Players Union in baseball... The players representation has shown more buddy-buddy-ness with the owners than the players in the past. It is widely considered that Gene Upshaw is the "cronie" for the Owners, so if the 49ers are in the wrong , then I hope T.O. wins his case. Like I said, if it's in black and white... Let's see the 49ers get out of this. !!

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And if the NFL continues its downward spiral, then NASCAR will be the most popular.

I mean how could it not? First you have the "National Pasttime" in MLB and it's quickly losing popularity. Just wait, the NFL could repeat history. Yet, we never learn.

The one pure truth about human history is that we never seem to learn from it! History ALWAY has a way of repeating. Scary s**t, huh. <_<

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And if the NFL continues its downward spiral, then NASCAR will be the most popular.

I mean how could it not?  First you have the "National Pasttime" in MLB and it's quickly losing popularity.  Just wait, the NFL could repeat history.  Yet, we never learn.

The one pure truth about human history is that we never seem to learn from it! History ALWAY has a way of repeating. Scary s**t, huh. <_<

Kinda like the transition between WWI and WWII?

(I'm kind of a history buff) :lol:

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Well, one thing to consider is that the owners are trying to cover themselves...Yes TO is a dumbass, but if he thinks he has a legit case, some lawyer will be willing to take on the NFL for the right price...Too much money to be made....The NFL could fall victem to some anti-trust laws and what would happen to the NFL if players could just get out of contracts with a lawyer??? That would be all bad....So instead of setting a dangerous precedent they "appease" to save themselves a lot more grief down the line.....

Of course this TO thing just get's more and more twisted as it goes so who really knows what the hell is going on....

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Well, one thing to consider is that the owners are trying to cover themselves...Yes TO is a dumbass, but if he thinks he has a legit case, some lawyer will be willing to take on the NFL for the right price...Too much money to be made....The NFL could fall victem to some anti-trust laws and what would happen to the NFL if players could just get out of contracts with a lawyer??? That would be all bad....So instead of setting a dangerous precedent they "appease" to save themselves a lot more grief down the line.....

Of course this TO thing just get's more and more twisted as it goes so who really knows what the hell is going on....

Kev, I think that's the direction of our society from the past 15 years. Money first, civility second.

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Kev, I think that's the direction of our society from the past 15 years. Money first, civility second.

Josh...I thought you were a history buff extrodinaire. It's usually been about money and power first. Seldom does civility prevail. I hate it as much as anyone. :(

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Actually I think golf is still predominantly pure too. They may "cheat" with new high tech equipment, but it's still drug free, now that Daly is on the wagon! :lol:

Yea, that's a great point. Plus the difference is the only way to "cheat" is equipment, in which everyone else could use. Then again, the cheating factor has never surfaced; just a claim Tiger made b/c he couldn't win.

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The thing I love about our front office is even when the s**t hits the fan, we come up smelling like roses. Now, I know some of you will say "you're losing TO," but others are correct that his lack of desire to play here makes him a less valuable commodity.

In essence, what will happen is that we started the offseason with the 51st pick in the draft as our highest pick, and we will end up with something like a new 33rd pick and a 52nd (former 51st). The combined value of those is something like the 17th overall pick. Don't be suprised if Ozzie pulls some draft day magic out of his hat and we somehow end up with a great rookie WR. He won't be a beast like TO, but would good is beast if he's pouting and not playing??

As others have said on Ravenstalk: F.U.T.O.

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Actually according to reports from ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, the Ravens wouldn't get anything more than a 4th rounder . Good faith or not, returning their 51st pick is enough !. Be glad you get it back, because T.O. could lose and you still won't have him , when he ties you up in court all season.

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