What is the NFLPA doing?

[oldunclemark]

The National Footbal League Players Association (NFLPA) is almost totally brain dead.

Forget the commissioner for a second....

You mean to tell me that players take 'bounty' money to injure other players..

.....and the NFLPA backs the defendents? Not the victims.

........the NFLPA which, in theory, works for the good of ther players, puts their full weight behind players who attempted to incapacitate their union brothers.....?.

This is why no one takes this union seriously.

Imagine a steel worker working as a hit man/thug to take down other steelworkers (not kill them..just make sure they cant work temporarily) and the union suing management when they fired him.

Dysfunctional children being led by other dysfunctional children.

I wonder seriously about the mental state of players who argue for the rights of other players who put out a bounty to knock out other players.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

But, I can see the side that they shouldn't be punished without seeing the evidence against them - especially those saying the accusations are false about trying to hurt players. I have no idea what they have or haven't seen, but everyone should have the right to know what exactly they are accused of. Players >>>ed up by not meeting with the league though.

[Peyton and Eli fan]

The word that got deleted was in my post was not a swear word, btw.

[subvet]

The National Footbal League Players Association (NFLPA) is almost totally brain dead.

Forget the commissioner for a second....

You mean to tell me that players take 'bounty' money to injure other players..

.....and the NFLPA backs the defendents? Not the victims.

........the NFLPA which, in theory, works for the good of ther players, puts their full weight behind players who attempted to incapacitate their union brothers.....?.

This is why no one takes this union seriously.

Imagine a steel worker working as a hit man/thug to take down other steelworkers (not kill them..just make sure they cant work temporarily) and the union suing management when they fired him.

Dysfunctional children being led by other dysfunctional children.

I wonder seriously about the mental state of players who argue for the rights of other players who put out a bounty to knock out other players.

The NFLPA defends all members impartially and it is not their task to determine fault. It's part of that legal thing that says a person is innocent until proven guilty.

[Tony Sullivan]

Let's set ignorance aside for a second and realize a few things;

The reasons for the appeal are based on a lack of evidence from the NFL. The NFLPA does not condone the actions of the players involved, it just does not agree with the NFL's investigation and determination of which players were guilty and which players weren't.

Vilma got suspended for a whole season, but what evidence have we heard that makes him deserve to be hit that much harder than the other guys that got suspended. The new NFL has been pretty fair imo with it's punishments , but the NFLPA should support its players if they feel they are being singled out.

[oldunclemark]

But, I can see the side that they shouldn't be punished without seeing the evidence against them - especially those saying the accusations are false about trying to hurt players. I have no idea what they have or haven't seen, but everyone should have the right to know what exactly they are accused of. Players >>>ed up by not meeting with the league though.

They were all asked to meet with the commisioner and ALL declined.

..They could have taken lawyers and unions reps...but they chose not to go.

That's like your boss asking to meet with you over wrong doing and you refusing.

You signed a basic agreement giving the commisioner powers...you have to at least speak to him or he can pass judgement without you

But...getting back to my point...

Wouldnt you, on the face of it, discipline YOUR UNION BROTHERS who tue dto cripple YOUR UNION BROTHERS

[oldunclemark]

The NFLPA defends all members impartially and it is not their task to determine fault. It's part of that legal thing that says a person is innocent until proven guilty.

This is not a trial...its your job.

As a union member...you must obide by the basic agreement your reps signed.

That's the agreement your people signed.

The commissioner has NO RIGHT (or obligation) to reveal what eveidence he has...the union agreement prohibits that.

But again...why doenst the union care about other union members crippling hard working union members

[bahhummbug]

This is not a trial...its your job.

As a union member...you must obide by the basic agreement your reps signed.

That's the agreement your people signed.

The commissioner has NO RIGHT (or obligation) to reveal what eveidence he has...the union agreement prohibits that.

But again...why doenst the union care about other union members crippling hard working union members

I agree with unclemark the NFLPA should of signed outside counsel on this matter.They do have an obligation to both sides therefor they should of had a mediator or outside counsel take their place Defending Vilma and others.

[subvet]

This is not a trial...its your job.

As a union member...you must obide by the basic agreement your reps signed.

That's the agreement your people signed.

The commissioner has NO RIGHT (or obligation) to reveal what eveidence he has...the union agreement prohibits that.

But again...why doenst the union care about other union members crippling hard working union members

The union is impartial and cannot judge, if they assume guilt they are breaking the agreement with the players. I don't like the thought of crippling other players any more than you do but like when lawyers "interpret" laws, the rules and guidelines the unions work within are "interpreted" creatively.

[BrentMc11]

This is a classic case of what a union does: It 'attempts' to protect all of it's members whether it is an absence issue or attempted murder.

I worked in a tough union environment for 22 years. There was one union emplyee in Memphis who was fired 22 times and got his job back. In Indy there was an attempted murder on property and an employee got his job back. The union is there to protect the 'saints' like Drew Brees and the Saints like Mr Vilma! It is the nature of the beast.

In this case, the NFLPA is trying to grab the power back from the judge, jury, and executioner....Roger Goodell. The new CBA gave Goodell the power. The argument will be was this on the field or off. If it happened in the locker-room??? On the field? Should it be Goodell's jurisdiction?

My thoughts are Goodell should have said power, but also feel that Vilma will get a reduction to 8 games to show a compromise. Is it right? Being involved for 22 years...nothing will surprise me unclemark and fellow forum friends.

[21isSuperman]

That's just the NFLPA's job, to fight for the players. They would fight to prevent suspension and if a suspension is unavoidable, then they would fight to get the suspensions reduced

[pacolts56]

Good!!! Good!!!

I'm all for union rights and people not being wrongly accused or punished.

But looking at this Saints bounty mess as a whole and where a lot of evidence seemed to be pointing, my take is that the uglier and more complicated, nasty and costly this gets, legally and personally, between the NFL and the NFLPA.... the suspended Saints players and the union.... the rest of the union members and Demaurice Smith.... the suspended players and Goodell.... and in any future criminal or civil court action that takes place.... the better.

Hopefully, in addition to the punishment already handed out.... a long and arduous, painfully exhaustive legal process will convince the mongoloids who caused all this, and anyone else who might think its a good idea to use bounties and then lie about it.... to completely perish the thought.

[JCPatriot]

Imagine a steel worker working as a hit man/thug to take down other steelworkers (not kill them..just make sure they cant work temporarily) and the union suing management when they fired him.

This is not an apples to apples comparison. Steel workers are not paid to hit each other. Most of the things that happen on a football field would be completely inappropriate, even criminal, in most work environments.

[AFCSouth]

Agree. It's about getting some real proof of who was involved at at what level.