Thursday and Long: NFL Players' Union Fires Back at John Mara

Since the start of the current collective bargaining negotiations, the NFL and its players have been pretty strict about not discussing them publicly. So it was surprising Wednesday to read CBA-related comments from Giants owner John Mara in The New York Times, and even more startling later that day to learn that Mara had apparently spoken out with the blessing of the league and his fellow owners. That signals a decision by the league to make this a public relations battle, and if that's the case, the union is prepared with its own message.

"There's not going to be a strike, or a 'work stoppage.' It's a lockout," union executive council member Kevin Carter told FanHouse in a phone interview. "We want to play football. The workers want to work. And if there's something wrong with the current deal we have in place -- and we don't believe there is -- how do we make progress (on a new deal) when this is not our doing? This is not a sympathy plea, but people in the general public need to understand why they might not have their favorite game on TV on a Sunday."


In his comments after Tuesday's negotiating session, Mara said he didn't think the labor talks were making any progress, that the league made a proposal in early November and that the union had so far failed to respond with a "meaningful counterproposal."

"They want a deal that is equal to or better than the existing one, and that is not acceptable to us," Mara told the Times.

But from the players' point of view, Mara is mis-stating the facts. They say they have never asked for a deal that is "better" for them than the existing one out of which the owners opted out. In fact, according to one source, their counter-proposal when the owners drafted a proposal for a rookie wage scale included a three-year continuation of the current deal.

Carter, the former Rams and Titans defensive end, said he's been stopped by people in airports and asked if the players were going on strike in 2011. He takes those opportunities to stress the union's belief that the owners entered into this process intending to lock the players out in 2011 in an effort to get the deal they want.

"They're doing things that ensure their revenues remain intact while they freeze people out," Carter said, citing new network TV deals that will pay off even if no games are played in 2011. "We have to prepare our players for the worst. We have to prepare ourselves for the lockout. If your employer won't let you work, that's a difficult position to be in, and we have no choice but to react and be smart and pragmatic going forward. This is clearly real."

If the union is right, and a lockout is part of the owners' strategy, then the owners are banking on their own ability to withstand a lockout outlasting that of the players. That's why Carter and other union leaders, including new executive director DeMaurice Smith, have been urging players to save parts of their paychecks to help them through a possible lockout. If the players start to run out of money, that would weaken their resolve and crush the union's bargaining position.

"I know people always say the players don't care or pay attention, but that's not true. Guys are really into it," Jets guard and player rep Brandon Moore told me. "We've got a plan in place to help guys last, and guys have money. You have to remember, in the off-season, we don't get paid, so we're used to managing and budgeting our money."

Moore sees what the owners are trying to do, but he thinks it's a mistake for them to try and take the fight to an economically strapped public.

"I don't think the owners want to get in a shouting match, billionaires vs. players shouting over money," Moore said. "Especially in these times we're living in. It's a strong game, but you don't want to hit it in that way."

Feeling a Draft

Lions fans are hoping the Rams, who pick first in this year's draft, decide they need a quarterback badly enough to take somebody like Jimmy Claussen or Sam Bradford. That would allow the Lions, picking second, to take devastating Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The key difference between the two teams at the top of the first round is a critical one, and one that's favorable to the Lions: St. Louis needs a quarterback while Detroit, having taken Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall last year, does not.

"We felt pretty confident we picked a guy we could lean on for years and years to come," Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan told me in a phone interview Wednesday. "And there's no question, from what we saw this year, (Stafford) has those qualities. As he goes, the Lions will go. And when you look at the teams that are winning consistently in this league, they have a quarterback in place they can count on."

Linehan said his one regret about Stafford's rookie season is that injuries kept the rookie QB from playing all 16 games and denied him some crucial development time. But in addition to the athleticism and arm strength that showed up on the film and the scouting reports, the Lions were pleased with the leadership qualities the top pick in the 2009 draft showed.

"I think he did it the right way," Linehan said. "I think it happened naturally, over time, in stages, from the time he got here to when he was named the starter. That Cleveland game (38-37 last-second Week 11 win) was kind of a culmination of what we were seeing from him every day. Our players knew there was something special about the guy. And we weren't fortunate enough to be in a position where he just had to manage games. He really had to be the leader of our team, and it was great to see."

Two for the Road

All year, this was "Three for the Road," where I'd pick three road teams I liked to win each week. But since there are only two games (and two road teams) this week, we're amending the title. Road teams were 1-3 last week, with the Jets knocking off the Chargers in San Diego and the home teams prevailing in the other three divisional round games.

But this week, of a possible two road teams, I like...ready?....two. And I'll start with the one I consider more likely.

1. Vikings over Saints. I understand the Vikings aren't as good on the road, where the crowd noise swings the other way and the defensive linemen can't rely on consistent and reliable opponents' snap counts to help them get off the ball as quickly. But even without that advantage, that line is hellacious and inspired. And assuming Ray Edwards' knee injury isn't going to keep him out (which it doesn't seem it will), Minnesota is equipped to follow the game plan the Cowboys did in beating the Saints in New Orleans in December. They'll get into the backfield enough to disrupt the running game and rattle Drew Brees, and that'll be enough to send Brett Favre and company to Super Bowl XLIV.

2. Jets over Colts. No, I haven't been on the Jets all along. I picked against them last week, and I see the reasons to pick against them this week. But there's something going on with Gang Green that makes me think of the run the Giants made two years ago. The defense is for real, and seems to have a plan for pressuring Peyton Manning that it didn't use much of (for some reason) four weeks ago. And not only can you run on the Colts, but the Jets are as effective and dedicated a running team as there is in the league. They'll wear down a very good Indy defense, and if their own D can keep it close as it did last week, the fourth quarter will be theirs once again. Favre faces his "old" team in the Super Bowl.

Traveling Man

Working from home all week, making the 35-mile drive back and forth between home and the Jets' Florham Park, N.J. headquarters and then flying to Indianapolis on Saturday for the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. Spending time around the Jets makes them easy to like. They're confident, but they're easygoing and relaxed. They're serious, and appreciate where they are and the opportunity it represents, but they're loose and having fun with it. "This will be as loose a team as you'll ever see going into an AFC Championship Game," Rex Ryan said Wednesday. "We're not afraid to compete against the Colts. We're excited to." The Jets are honest, real and sure of themselves, just like their coach. They may not be good enough to beat the Colts, but if they lose, it won't be because they weren't up for it.