I LOATHE lame ‘everyone is wrong’ articles
If the deal the owners say they offered is real — and nobody knows for sure — the union did a disservice to its players. According to a statement released by the league, this is what the union left on the table:
• An offer to narrow the player compensation game that existed by splitting the difference. That sounds like it means splitting the $1 billion difference to $500 million. The league also said it agreed to the union’s demand for a 2014 cap at $161 million, but a union source said the league wanted to cut $1.4 billion out of the salaries in the next four years.
• Guaranteed reallocation of savings from first-round rookie deals to veterans and retirees. But the league, according to a union source, wanted five-year rookie deals for first-round picks. The union wanted three.
I absolutely don’t see how any of those things constitute a good deal for the players. Especially when that 2014 number is a CONCESSION by the players. Not a demand.
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