Jump to content

Bryant Gumbel on Gene Upshaw


millbank

Recommended Posts

Bryant Gumbel

 

Gumbel addressed his closing remarks on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel last Tuesday to Goodell.

 

"Before he cleans out his office," Gumbel said. "Have Paul Tagliabue show you where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash. By making the docile head of the players union his personal pet, your predecessor has kept the peace without giving players the kind of guarantees other pros take for granted. Try to make sure no one competent ever replaces Upshaw on your watch."

 

 

Gumbel is contracted to do eight games this season, on the NFL Network, that could change.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bryant Gumbel

 

Gumbel addressed his closing remarks on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel last Tuesday to Goodell.

 

"Before he cleans out his office," Gumbel said. "Have Paul Tagliabue show you where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash. By making the docile head of the players union his personal pet, your predecessor has kept the peace without giving players the kind of guarantees other pros take for granted. Try to make sure no one competent ever replaces Upshaw on your watch."

Gumbel is contracted to do eight games this season, on the NFL Network, that could change.......

748569[/snapback]

 

 

I watched that over the weekend. That guy's an ass. He made sure to throw his liberal BS into his remarks too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, he is an ass.

 

Moreover, though, he is WRONG. If anything, the union had the league by the balls during the last round of negotiations.

 

I've been reading that the owners are confident they will re-open the CBA at the first available opportunity (IIRC, November, 2008) because they realize now that they won't be able to live with the deal they made.

 

Tagliabue pushed it through to "save his legacy". The owners ratified it because they were scared. Upshaw and the union didn't have to do much, other than sit back and watch the owners cave to his demands.

 

Gumbel's an idiot, and an ignorant one at that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched that over the weekend. That guy's an ass. He made sure to throw his liberal BS into his remarks too.

748572[/snapback]

 

 

He's got a point on some issues. As far as I know, the NFL is the only league that doesn't guarantee its contracts. Right or wrong (probably the latter), NFL players are the exception in this regard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's got a point on some issues.  As far as I know, the NFL is the only league that doesn't guarantee its contracts.  Right or wrong (probably the latter), NFL players are the exception in this regard.

748589[/snapback]

 

He does have a point on guaranteed Ks, but whenever he makes his point he tries to needless be shocking and over-dramatic w/ his language. Remember his comment about the Winter Olympics?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is right. The NFL is the only pro league without gurranteed contracts, and has the hardest cap (maby hockey but that was only after the sport almost went belly up). Football is the most popular and the most dangerous sport. The average carrear is the shortest of any of the major sports yet the contracts are the worst. This would lead me to say that their union is the worst at negotiations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is right.  The NFL is the only pro league without gurranteed contracts, and has the hardest cap (maby hockey but that was only after the sport almost went belly up).  Football is the most popular and the most dangerous sport.  The average carrear is the shortest of any of the major sports yet the contracts are the worst.  This would lead me to say that their union is the worst at negotiations.

749047[/snapback]

 

How long has Upshaw represented the players? I believe the NFL was the last to get true free agency (1992 or 1993). If Upshaw inherited the lack of free agency from his predecessor, I think he had less bargaining power than those who lead other leagues' unions. Now I know that a court allowed for free agency, but I believe the NFL agreed not to fight it or something if the players agreed to things like the salary cap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...