Roger Goodell sent me a personal email.

[1B4IDie]

Why So Serious?,

 

 

With one of the most exciting regular seasons now completed and the playoffs about to begin, let me first thank you and all NFL fans for your incredible support. Many fans have been asking me where we stand on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union. Let me update you and be clear at the outset:

 

I know we can and will reach an agreement.

 

My goal as Commissioner now is to help our teams and players find a solution that is fair to everyone and ensures that football becomes more popular, accessible, and fun. We want the next decade to be the best yet for our fans, and I’m ready to work day and night to make that happen.

 

We've come a long way. Compare where we are today with 10 years ago. From player accountability to player safety, more and better television coverage, upgrading the in-stadium experience, innovations like the RedZone channel, the Draft in prime time and playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, we are focused on doing what’s best for the players, teams, and fans. My priority is and always will be the game and the fans who love our game.

 

The NFL is great because fans care deeply about it. Economic conditions, however, have changed dramatically inside and outside the NFL since 2006 when we negotiated the last CBA. A 10 percent unemployment rate hurts us all. Fans have limited budgets and rightly want the most for their money. I get it.

 

Yes, NFL players deserve to be paid well. Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.

 

These are not easy negotiations, but the outcome can be positive. If both sides give a little, everyone, including fans, will get a lot and the game will improve through innovation.

 

Even in difficult economic times, a new CBA presents us with the opportunity to secure the future of our game. You may ask how will the NFL look under this vision?

 

A significant change would be to resolve fan complaints about preseason by modifying our 20-game format. Fans tell us they don’t like the quality of the preseason games, and we’re listening. An enhanced season of 18 regular season and two preseason games would not add a single game for the players collectively, but would give fans more meaningful, high-quality football.

 

Our emphasis on player health and safety is absolutely essential to the future of our game. We are strictly enforcing rules that protect players from unnecessarily dangerous play, especially involving hits to the head. We are changing the “play through it” culture to a “player-first” culture to ensure that if a player has a head injury, he doesn’t play again until his health is certain. We are also addressing the potential wear-and-tear on players in the way they train in-season and off-season.

 

It’s not just the health of players that concerns us. We must ensure the health of the league. That includes a new system that properly compensates proven veterans and retired players by shifting some of the outrageous sums paid to many unproven rookies. Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated published a list of the 50 highest-paid American athletes that included five 2009 NFL rookies. Every other athlete on the list was a proven veteran. In 2009, NFL clubs contracted $1.2 billion to 256 drafted rookies with $585 million guaranteed before they had stepped on an NFL field.

 

Don’t get me wrong: top draft choices will continue to be highly paid. All we’re asking for is a return to common sense in paying our rookies. Other leagues have done this and we can too.

 

These improvements and more will lead to better football, plain and simple. A forward looking CBA that is fair to players and clubs will lead to a great future for the NFL and our fans.

 

My job is to represent the game — the fans, teams, players, coaches and business partners. Protecting the integrity of the game and ensuring it thrives is a responsibility I take very seriously.

 

This is about more than a labor agreement. It’s about the future of the NFL. We have to improve and will be relentless in our quest. The commitment to our fans is to make the NFL experience even better in the years ahead. With a responsible CBA, we will fulfill that vision.

 

Happy New Year and enjoy the playoffs.

 

 

 

– Roger Goodell

[Kevin]

Where the hell is my letter?

[Albany,n.y.]

I got one too.

[Nostradamus]

]Thought this was interesting.Not letting me post a link to my e-mail, so here is the body of an e-mail sent by Roger Goodell.

 

 

 

With one of the most exciting regular seasons now completed and the playoffs about to begin, let me first thank you and all NFL fans for your incredible support. Many fans have been asking me where we stand on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union. Let me update you and be clear at the outset:

 

I know we can and will reach an agreement.

 

My goal as Commissioner now is to help our teams and players find a solution that is fair to everyone and ensures that football becomes more popular, accessible, and fun. We want the next decade to be the best yet for our fans, and I’m ready to work day and night to make that happen.

 

We've come a long way. Compare where we are today with 10 years ago. From player accountability to player safety, more and better television coverage, upgrading the in-stadium experience, innovations like the RedZone channel, the Draft in prime time and playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, we are focused on doing what’s best for the players, teams, and fans. My priority is and always will be the game and the fans who love our game.

 

The NFL is great because fans care deeply about it. Economic conditions, however, have changed dramatically inside and outside the NFL since 2006 when we negotiated the last CBA. A 10 percent unemployment rate hurts us all. Fans have limited budgets and rightly want the most for their money. I get it.

 

Yes, NFL players deserve to be paid well. Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.

 

These are not easy negotiations, but the outcome can be positive. If both sides give a little, everyone, including fans, will get a lot and the game will improve through innovation.

 

Even in difficult economic times, a new CBA presents us with the opportunity to secure the future of our game. You may ask how will the NFL look under this vision?

 

A significant change would be to resolve fan complaints about preseason by modifying our 20-game format. Fans tell us they don’t like the quality of the preseason games, and we’re listening. An enhanced season of 18 regular season and two preseason games would not add a single game for the players collectively, but would give fans more meaningful, high-quality football.

 

Our emphasis on player health and safety is absolutely essential to the future of our game. We are strictly enforcing rules that protect players from unnecessarily dangerous play, especially involving hits to the head. We are changing the “play through it” culture to a “player-first” culture to ensure that if a player has a head injury, he doesn’t play again until his health is certain. We are also addressing the potential wear-and-tear on players in the way they train in-season and off-season.

 

It’s not just the health of players that concerns us. We must ensure the health of the league. That includes a new system that properly compensates proven veterans and retired players by shifting some of the outrageous sums paid to many unproven rookies. Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated published a list of the 50 highest-paid American athletes that included five 2009 NFL rookies. Every other athlete on the list was a proven veteran. In 2009, NFL clubs contracted $1.2 billion to 256 drafted rookies with $585 million guaranteed before they had stepped on an NFL field.

 

Don’t get me wrong: top draft choices will continue to be highly paid. All we’re asking for is a return to common sense in paying our rookies. Other leagues have done this and we can too.

 

These improvements and more will lead to better football, plain and simple. A forward looking CBA that is fair to players and clubs will lead to a great future for the NFL and our fans.

 

My job is to represent the game — the fans, teams, players, coaches and business partners. Protecting the integrity of the game and ensuring it thrives is a responsibility I take very seriously.

 

This is about more than a labor agreement. It’s about the future of the NFL. We have to improve and will be relentless in our quest. The commitment to our fans is to make the NFL experience even better in the years ahead. With a responsible CBA, we will fulfill that vision.

 

Happy New Year and enjoy the playoffs.

 

 

 

– Roger Goodell

 

 

Not really sure why this was sent to my e-mail account, but it looks like the league wanted to convey their agenda to season ticket holders. Nothing we didn't know about Goodell's agenda, but I thought it interesting that he would send a mass media message such as this stating his terms of the new CBA. By putting things in writing such as the rookie pay scale and the expanded 18 game season, he seems to be stating that these terms will now be non-negotiable.

And of course, the inevitable spin that these moves are being done for the benefit of the fans, which is in direct response to the player's union's spin that the union's primary concern is that the vendors and "little people" won't be adversely affected by the work stoppage.

By Goodell sending this out, to me it means one of two things.

1. He is drawing the battlelines with the union by stating that these terms are non-negotiable, and taking a hardline stance that could either push the union to bargain OR alienate the union so that a deal becomes more difficult.

2. A deal is within striking distance, and he sent the message to foreshadow to fans the terms of the new CBA.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Nostradamus

[Just Jack]

Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.

Gee, if this was a normal business, that line would be followed up with notes about pay cuts/no raises/layoffs.

[Astrobot]

Got one too.

It's smarmy. It's barfy.

I want to see the one now from the NFLPA.

[LancasterSteve]

Got one too.

It's smarmy. It's barfy.

I want to see the one now from the NFLPA.

 

Thought so also if your "smarmy" means the same thing as my "smarmy"

 

As far as one from the NFLPA, IM not holding my breath. The NFL has not only the bully pulpit but the e-mail list of all season ticket holders. Not a chance in hades they let the NFLPA have a sniff of that list.

[1B4IDie]

NFLPA has a website and there is a link to give then your email to receive updates about the CBA.

I signed up awhile back just for ***** and giggles.

I doubt they smarm it up like good ole Roge.

 

I believe this is foreshadowing the NFL will be taking a hardline. "... with a responsible CBA."

Meaning that the poor Billionaire NFL owners have been scrapping together nickles for their Maybachs over the long and hard years of the most recent CBA.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Why So Serious?

[billsfan89]

First things first the owners have to sort out the divide between the small market owners and the big market owners. Revenue sharing and a salary cap are some big issues the owners among themselves have to sort out.

 

The players have to sort out what kind of rookie salary structure they want amongst themselves.

 

NFL CBA is going to be a messy situation as its not just owners vs players both sides have to get their own fronts unified.

[Malazan]

The players made their bed and now they don't want to lie in it. So billionaire owners get to pretend they are hard up. I hope both sides get the smack they so thoroughly deserve.

[Dan]

...

 

We've come a long way. Compare where we are today with 10 years ago. From player accountability to player safety, more and better television coverage, upgrading the in-stadium experience, innovations like the RedZone channel, the Draft in prime time and playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, we are focused on doing what's best for the players, teams, and fans. My priority is and always will be the game and the fans who love our game.

...

 

– Roger Goodell

Am I the only one that views most of these items as bad things for the NFL.

 

1. Player accountability - Really? Maybe? But the rules seem so arbitrarily enforced I'm not sure it's a good thing or not. But, I'll give him this one.

 

2. Player safety - making the high priced QBs untouchable and now making it completely subjective as to whats a legal tackle and what's not. I see this as bad for football? Some of the roughing the passer penalties are completely horrible because the QB is barely touched. It's altering the outcome of games.

 

3. More TV coverage - Maybe. I'll give him this, but I'm not convinced. 3 games on Thanksgiving is too much. 2 Monday night games on opening Monday. Thurs/Sun/ and Monday night games is pushing it. Why not go back to more double headers on Sunday? As much as I like watching football, even I'm reaching a saturation point of seeing the same half a dozen teams over and over again in all the prime time games. Wanna do something? Give all teams a primetime game and stop showing favoritism to the big market teams.

 

4. In-Stadium experience - I don't get to attend a lot of games. But if $9 beers is better for football, then yeah I'll give him this one.

 

5. Red Zone channel - Really? I mean really? Maybe its ok, but is that really something to highlight as some great advancement for the league?

 

6. Draft in prime time - I think it's horrible and every long time football fan I know hates it. It's ruined the draft day parties. It stretched it out and is stupid. No way this is good.

 

7. Moving the Probowl to before the SB - Horrible. Now, a good number of ProBowlers don't even participate. Just stupid.

 

8. Focused on doing what's best for the players, teams and fans - Highly debatable. I'm not sure the league has done something with the fans actually in mind in years. Every year the cost of everything associated with football goes up making the league billions more. While my draft party gets canceled, my favorite team never gets a prime time game, the refs regularly screw my team with obscure, highly subjective calls always in favor of the high profile team, and now your trying to ship games overseas in an effort to get more fans you can eventually screw over.

 

Maybe I'm just in a pissy mood.

[mrags]

Am I the only one that views most of these items as bad things for the NFL.

 

1. Player accountability - Really? Maybe? But the rules seem so arbitrarily enforced I'm not sure it's a good thing or not. But, I'll give him this one.

 

2. Player safety - making the high priced QBs untouchable and now making it completely subjective as to whats a legal tackle and what's not. I see this as bad for football? Some of the roughing the passer penalties are completely horrible because the QB is barely touched. It's altering the outcome of games.

 

3. More TV coverage - Maybe. I'll give him this, but I'm not convinced. 3 games on Thanksgiving is too much. 2 Monday night games on opening Monday. Thurs/Sun/ and Monday night games is pushing it. Why not go back to more double headers on Sunday? As much as I like watching football, even I'm reaching a saturation point of seeing the same half a dozen teams over and over again in all the prime time games. Wanna do something? Give all teams a primetime game and stop showing favoritism to the big market teams.

 

4. In-Stadium experience - I don't get to attend a lot of games. But if $9 beers is better for football, then yeah I'll give him this one.

 

5. Red Zone channel - Really? I mean really? Maybe its ok, but is that really something to highlight as some great advancement for the league?

 

6. Draft in prime time - I think it's horrible and every long time football fan I know hates it. It's ruined the draft day parties. It stretched it out and is stupid. No way this is good.

 

7. Moving the Probowl to before the SB - Horrible. Now, a good number of ProBowlers don't even participate. Just stupid.

 

8. Focused on doing what's best for the players, teams and fans - Highly debatable. I'm not sure the league has done something with the fans actually in mind in years. Every year the cost of everything associated with football goes up making the league billions more. While my draft party gets canceled, my favorite team never gets a prime time game, the refs regularly screw my team with obscure, highly subjective calls always in favor of the high profile team, and now your trying to ship games overseas in an effort to get more fans you can eventually screw over.

 

Maybe I'm just in a pissy mood.

Nope. Not in a pissy mood at all. I agree with almost all of what you said. Too much NFL is actually a bad thing. The small markets are getting run out of the league by the douchebag Jerry Jones' and Daniel Snyder's of the league. If Green Bay wasn't publicly owned I'd suspect this would never be a problem (since the league would never allow GB to be in such distress). The league would do everything they could to help the small market teams (really only for GB). Unfortunatly nobody gives a f&$k about Butfalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, St Louis, Minnesota. Any one of these teams either have, or are in jeopordy of losing their teams at anytime.

The players are just as greedy now days, and most of them play like wussies and complain about every little hit or every little fine. The whole Harrison fine mess this year made me want to puke up a baby.

The league has serious issue with babying thier pretty boy QBs too.

"Let's let the other positions get the s$&t kicked out of them all game, but if someone even sneezes on Tom Brady or Payton Manning within a 12 yard radius give them a $5mil fine and a 300yrd penalty. Better yet, let's just fix the rest of the game so that they will get the idea not to hit Tom Brady ever again"

 

now I sound pissy. WTF!!!