As pro football's signature offseason event looms with the three-day NFL draft kicking off on Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall in New York, these are hardly typical times.
By Sean Gardner, Getty Images
Roger Goodell will announce the first pick of this year's NFL draft on Thursday.
By Sean Gardner, Getty Images
Roger Goodell will announce the first pick of this year's NFL draft on Thursday.
The league's lockout of players is in its seventh week. With mediation sessions last week in Minnesota failing to produce a new collective bargaining agreement or a settlement of the players antitrust action, Brady et al vs. NFL, the prospects for a full 2011 season are threatened.
Meanwhile, the sides await a ruling from Judge Susan Richard Nelson that could come as early as Monday regarding the players' request to lift the lockout ? which is expected to trigger more legal action.
Against that backdrop, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell discussed a wide range of issues with USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell:
Q: Given this cloud of labor uncertainty hovering around the league, is this upcoming NFL draft like a breath of fresh air?
RG: "The draft is one of my favorite events because it is about football. People are focused on how their teams improve. It's a celebration of football. And most importantly, it represents a very important time in the lives of these men who are entering the NFL, and their families. To be a part of them starting their careers, it's an honor and a privilege. I enjoy having the time with the players that we bring in. We're bringing in the most players ever this year. I think we'll have 25 players. That's the exciting thing for me."
Q: The NFLPA is staging a series of events in New York, too, during draft weekend. How do you square with that? Does it take any luster of what you're doing with the draft?
RG: "We've approached this the same way we always do. We've invited players and their families, and we're doing all the events that we normally do. I'm completely focused on the events we're doing."
Q: Although this year's draft was covered in the last CBA, it appears that future drafts could be targeted legally if the antitrust action by the players continues against the NFL. The draft goes back to 1936. Isn't that as one of your pillars for competitive balance?
RG: "It's not just the NFL. Every other league has a draft. It has been fundamental to the success of professional sports. So when you see that kind of attack, as someone who's responsible for the integrity of the game and the popularity of the game, that's troubling to me."
Q: During the lockout hearing on April 6, Judge Nelson asked the attorneys for their opinions on what the NFL would look like ? from a standpoint of work rules and policies that govern the system ? if she lifted the lockout. What does it need to look like in your view?
RG: "You're getting into a lot of hypotheticals. You know that I'm always a proponent of doing things differently. We've got to get better in everything that we do. And part of what we're doing in the collective bargaining process is modifying what we're doing and making sure that we're continuing to make the league successful. That's everything from modifying the rookie compensation system, changing the basic economic structure to at least recognize the cost of building the game and keeping the game successful. Making changes in player health and safety. Making changes in benefits to retired players. All those things are part of the collective bargaining process that we think need to be addressed. We made a proposal on March 11 which improves retirees' pensions by 60%. We've made improvements to health and safety, with respect to how we will conduct the offseason to reduce the types of impact that players have indicated are of concern to them, and we want to address it. I've listened to the players. I understand their perspective. And we've made a responsive proposal on those issues."
Q: Did the NFL present a revised proposal during the last round of mediation?
RG: "The judge asked us to be respectful of the process and keep it confidential. So I can't answer any specific questions about what transpired during mediation."
Q: After the last work stoppage in 1987, the NFL operated without a CBA until 1993. Can you play the 2011 season without a CBA?
RG: "I'm not going to answer hypotheticals. We need a collective bargaining agreement that's going to address the issues that we've identified. We need a fair agreement."
Q: Has the NFL felt much effect from business partners due to the labor uncertainty?
RG: "There's no question it's starting to damage, in my mind, the planning and the promotion of the season. It's going to have a financial effect that will impact on the clubs and the players."
Q: Former Giants receiver Amani Toomer used a disparaging term (Gestapo) to describe you, then issued an apology. Did you get a personal apology?
RG: "I have not heard from Amani Toomer."
Q: Considering the number of inflammatory remarks that have been out there, how much of a challenge is it for you to try to bridge the gap between the league and players ? and ex-players ? that has surfaced during this tense period?
RG: "This is a labor dispute. There are negotiations going on. I don't get myself caught up in the rhetoric, or any kind of personal comments that are made. The best thing that can be done is we get back to negotiating, and we resolve this in a fair manner. That's how we've been successful, is by working together to do that. I don't think it's beneficial for us as a league ? and that includes everybody, players, business partners ? to be dividing the league. We need to work together to address the issues, find solutions and continue to deliver great football. That's what fans want."
Q: Why did you call Chad Ochocinco? Some people question whether that's hypocritical when the teams can't have contact with players.
RG: "Because he tweeted me out. He asked me to call him. I talk to players all the time."
Q: Yet given this climate, is that crossing a fine line?
RG: "I have great respect for our players. I think it's important for me to continue to listen to them."
Q: There was a story by Alex Marvez on FoxSports.com contending that, given all that's been done to deal with concussions, some players might try to sandbag results in baseline and other testing in order to continue playing after having concussions. Does the NFL need to further revise concussion protocols to guard against that possibility?
RG: "I think that goes with changing the culture. It goes with the recognition of the seriousness of the injury and I would hope that players certainly understand the risk of doing that and would not do that. It's not in their best individual interests. That's one of the reasons why we've tried to make sure that players, coaches and everyone else involved understand the serious nature of these issues."
Q: In the past, the validity of the HGH tests have been a concern. What is it that makes you feel the testing has improved enough that you'll have a reliable test that needs to be incorporated as part of your drug policy?
RG: "Anytime you're in the drug-testing area, technology is changing. Technology is improving. It's important for us in protecting the integrity of the league, which is my No. 1 responsibility, to make sure that we have the best drug program. There are advancements in the testing methodology.
"I just had my HGH tested in the last couple of weeks. I wanted to see what was involved in the testing. They came in here at 9:30 in the morning, completely unannounced, and I went through the procedure. The same one our players would go through."
Q: So, did your test come back clean?
RG: "I can't disclose it because of the confidential nature of it. Let me put it this way: I'm proud of my results."
Posted
No comments:
Post a Comment