NFLPA will remove arbitrator Bloch

[viman96]

WOW!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mortensen_chris&id=2235051


In the wake of what he considered an incorrect ruling in the Terrell Owens case, NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw said emphatically on Wednesday that he will have arbitrator Richard Bloch removed from the process.

"One thing I can control is that he will no longer be an arbitrator in any more of our cases," Upshaw said, shortly after Bloch upheld the Philadelphia Eagles suspension of the veteran wide receiver and their stance that Owens will be deactivated for the final five games of the 2005 season. "Under the (collective bargaining agreement), either side has a right between Dec. 1 and Dec. 10 to dismiss an arbitrator, and we are going to dismiss this one.

"When an arbitrator decides to (mis)interpret and add on to the collective bargaining agreement, he can't be an arbitrator any more."

Bloch has been an arbitrator in sports-related cases for more than two decades and he has presided over grievances in general for 30 years. Last week, before the Owens hearing, attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who was co-counsel for the wide receiver, seemed confident that Bloch would rule in favor of his client.

Said Kessler: "He'll interpret the agreement as written, which is as it should be." On Wednesday afternoon, though, Upshaw didn't see things that way.

"Management and the players union will now have to jointly agree on another arbitrator, and I can assure you, the name won't be Bloch," Upshaw said. "No way. I won't stand for it. I can't stand for it."

[fortdick]

I don't have a link but it has been said on all the recaps of the decision that the union is going to fire Bloch for his decision. I don't want to discuss the good or bad of unions, but this is a typical coercive technique that sends a message to all future arb's. I gotta believe that the owners should flame the heck out of the union for making this announcement publically the day of the decision.

I have no sympathy for the players association after this statement. Binding arb is a clause every union wants in their contract because most decisions are modified by arbitrators. Refusing to accept T.O. is a jerk, the union instead wants the take reprisals against Bloch.

I look for a strike when the current agreement expires.

[viman96]

Beat ya by 1 minute ;-)

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?p=607527#post607527

[Yeagermeister]

When did Gene Upshaw become Daniel Synder?

[TobiasEagle77]

that'll show im.

[Kaika]

You Can't Make this up. WOW!!!!!!
Maybe the next Arbitrator the the NFLPA hires will be more ubderstanding.

[viman96]

You Can't Make this $hit up. WOW!!!!!!
Maybe the next Arbitrator the the NFLPA hires will be more ubderstanding.


Welcome FGI brother :laugh2:

-PB

[sacase]

It would be interesting to see what he "added" to the CBA. Honestly things did sound kind of fishy about the ruling.

[SultanOfSix]

LOL. I didn't think the NFLPA would take it this hard, but I knew right away that they didn't like it. I don't agree with TO's behavior, but other players have done worse so something really does sound fishy about this ruling.

It is some pretty serious charges to say that the arbitrator misinterpreted and added on to the collective bargaining agreement. I guess it gives new meaning to the word arbitraitor. ;)

[FLCowboyFan]

Isn't this one of those things that can't be changed by firing the Arbitrator? I guess you can punish him but you can't overturn the ruling?

[AbeBeta]

really, either way he loses his job. if he ruled the other way, the league would remove him.

[bbgun]

NFLPA:

http://www.123imagehost.com/uploads/235-615-crying_baby.jpeg

[LaTunaNostra]

LOL. I didn't think the NFLPA would take it this hard, but I knew right away that they didn't like it. I don't agree with TO's behavior, but other players have done worse so something really does sound fishy about this ruling.
What players have done worse and yet not received anymore than the standard four game suspension for it?

The only players in the entire league that I know of (there could be more) whose teams tried to hand down more than the four game suspension for 'conduct detrimental', or 'insubordination' are our own Key and Terry.

Key accepted the deactivation so the union did not take it to arbitration.

In Terry's case, the same Richard Bloch being declared hostile to the CBA today was the arbitrator who ruled the Pats could not suspend Terry for the entire 2001 season after he went AWOL from camp the day his friend Korey Stringer died. Bloch clearly saw through NE's act, which was to recoup not just Terry's signing bonus, but his entire salary.

But neither Key nor T did anything like what TO did. Terry was all screwed up, hurt no one but himself, and Key's issues were a personality conflict with Gruden alone. TO's actions were evidently deliberate..and included the threatening of Reid with 'deviant actions' (LMAO!) as part of a campaign by him and his agent to force a contract restructure. In other words, TO actually told his head coach if he didn't get his way he would wage a war of attrition.

And he did exactly that. Even if the way he waged his idiotic war sounds trivial (telling Childress not to speak to him til spoken to, parking in handicapped spaces, dissing McChunk, fighting Douglas, challenging teammates to a fight) it all adds up to an ongoing, daily disruption of team business. And it most certainly hurt their team.

What the Eagles complaint documented was not a player melting down so much as an intentional assault upon the integrity of the organization, the franchise's well being, and the unity of the team.

I think the abitrator ruled correctly. In the business world, it would qualify as industrial sabotage, mental if not physical. A 'plot' to disrupt, carried through.

Rosenhaus is the one who looks the worst now. He had to have planned the 'strategy' or at the very least sanctioned it.

[Rack Bauer]

WOW!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mortensen_chris&id=2235051


In the wake of what he considered an incorrect ruling in the Terrell Owens case, NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw said emphatically on Wednesday that he will have arbitrator Richard Bloch removed from the process.

"One thing I can control is that he will no longer be an arbitrator in any more of our cases," Upshaw said, shortly after Bloch upheld the Philadelphia Eagles suspension of the veteran wide receiver and their stance that Owens will be deactivated for the final five games of the 2005 season. "Under the (collective bargaining agreement), either side has a right between Dec. 1 and Dec. 10 to dismiss an arbitrator, and we are going to dismiss this one.

"When an arbitrator decides to (mis)interpret and add on to the collective bargaining agreement, he can't be an arbitrator any more."

Bloch has been an arbitrator in sports-related cases for more than two decades and he has presided over grievances in general for 30 years. Last week, before the Owens hearing, attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who was co-counsel for the wide receiver, seemed confident that Bloch would rule in favor of his client.

Said Kessler: "He'll interpret the agreement as written, which is as it should be." On Wednesday afternoon, though, Upshaw didn't see things that way.

"Management and the players union will now have to jointly agree on another arbitrator, and I can assure you, the name won't be Bloch," Upshaw said. "No way. I won't stand for it. I can't stand for it."



http://www.phisinc.com/images/cms_upload/cry%20baby.jpg
Gene Upshaw ^^^


Edit: Dammit someone already did the predictable pic of a baby crying bit! I need to freshen up my act I guess.

[Etonicas]

I'm under the impression that this happens quite often, an arbitrator makes a decision one side doesn't like therefor they won't go back to that person again to arbitrate.

[nathanlt]

I am suprised that the arbitrator was a season ticket holding Redskin fan. You would think they would hire a lawyer who has no interest in football whatsoever.

I think they should pick a pool of arbitrators that have no association with football in any way, and rotate them through disagreements like this. Anyway, I'm glad that he ruled the way he did, and I hope T.O. has a lovely thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Years... and an enjoyable day at home on Super Bowl Sunday!

[sacase]

I think the abitrator ruled correctly. In the business world, it would qualify as industrial sabotage, mental if not physical. A 'plot' to disrupt, carried through.



Yes and if this was the business world he would be able to sue for the eagles creating a hostile working enviroment, by then attempting to unleash Hugh Douglas on him, someone who had no business going into the training room. ./sarcasm The Eagles used HD to get the whole show on the road so they could suspend TO /sarcasm off Thankfully this is not the business world.

[Rockytop6]

I thought an arbitrator was to be impartial. I didn't know he was to always rule in favor of the NFLPA. If he is just the mouthpiece for the NFLPA then he isn't an arbitrator. Of course that goes for managment as well.

[Etonicas]

I thought an arbitrator was to be impartial. I didn't know he was to always rule in favor of the NFLPA. If he is just the mouthpiece for the NFLPA then he isn't an arbitrator. Of course that goes for managment as well.

An arbitrator is impartial, but both sides still must agree on who that arbitrator is. Obviously the NFLPA won't accept him again as an arbitrator.