Lousy Football? Blame Newly Re-Elected DeMaurice Smith and the NFLPA

[Montanalo]

https://www.si.com/2017/09/20/demaurice-smith-reelected-bad-football

Interesting opinion article by Robert Klemko of SI. Essentially, Klemko postulates that a key factor in the decline of play is the 2011 CBA negotiated by Smith and agreed to by the NFLPA.

Klemko asserts that the CBA has resulted in younger players (he provides data showing the average team age has decrease year-on-year since the CBA was renegotiated) and, coupled with other aspects of the CBA (shorter, more restrictive practices), the quality of play has taken a nose dive. He attributes the youth movement to the rookie wage scale (and salary cap) which, he believes, has squeezed out many of the mid-tier, higher-priced players.

The article also quotes Baltimore Raven's head coach John Harbaugh that "technique" across the board has deteriorated.

In summing up the issue, Klemko stated, "In essence, the NFL has become an exaggerated version of the meat market it already was, with a line of young talent coursing through a revolving door, and a handful of superstar quarterbacks throwing five-yard passes to bewildered young receivers from pockets comprised of ingénues."

If Klemko's assertions prove true, it seems that, given the anticipated showdown between the NFL and the NFLPA over the Zeke court case, any attempt to redress or correct the CBA in regards to practice time, etc. could likely be met with a major walk-out during the next renegotiation.

What do you think?

 

[diefree666]

I think the players could have done much better than Smith but he has worked very hard to get his cronies where they will support him the most.

This next CBA will be very interesting.

I totally agree about the quality of the game; it is NOWHERE near what it was in the 90's and not anywhere as good as it was just 10 years ago. And of course there are multiple reasons: teams unable to stay together is the biggest factor but the fewer and shorter practices and ESPECIALLY padded practices are the major factors now. That is why the first few games are so bad.

The horse-trading will be intense and a strike is to me probably inevitable. Discipline vs roster size vs cap ratio to me is where most of the fighting will be; sadly not many on either side care about the quality of play. BOTH sides ignore the fact that they are ALL pissing off a lot of the hard core fans in favor of pandering to fantasy and women. Not smart but not surprising.

 

[sean10mm]

I think the practice restrictions amplify the effects of differences in coaching and roster quality, too. If you aren't incredibly efficient at using the time you have then your players will stink it up for like the first half of the season. It has also become much harder to rely on a simple plan with good execution to compete when the training that makes the execution possible is hamstrung by the practice restrictions.

Apparently even Belichick has reached the point where he basically treats the first 4 weeks of the season as an extension of training camp as much as anything else, because it's just not possible to even get your final starting roster dialed in before that in the 2011+ preseason environment.

 

[KB1122]

the salary cap level is a disaster. As are the no-contact practice rules.

 

[Sarge]

Let them strike. I could care less.

 

[Sarge]

The NFL should thank their lucky stars that their is such a thing as fantasy football or the ratings would be a hundred times worse. It's simply hard to watch nowadays.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Let them strike. I could care less.

I agree and that's something I never would have said 5 years ago.

 

[ghst187]

The NFL should thank their lucky stars that their is such a thing as fantasy football or the ratings would be a hundred times worse. It's simply hard to watch nowadays.

This x1000. I find it excruciating to watch a game start to finish.
The incessant stoppages, replays that still result in the wrong call, inconsistent officiating, and 90 commercials...sometimes I'm almost thankful for when the boys play at an hour where I can't watch. And we're it not for redzone (I don't pay for redzone just get it) I'd never watch a non-cowboys game again.

 

[xwalker]

https://www.si.com/2017/09/20/demaurice-smith-reelected-bad-football

Interesting opinion article by Robert Klemko of SI. Essentially, Klemko postulates that a key factor in the decline of play is the 2011 CBA negotiated by Smith and agreed to by the NFLPA.

Klemko asserts that the CBA has resulted in younger players (he provides data showing the average team age has decrease year-on-year since the CBA was renegotiated) and, coupled with other aspects of the CBA (shorter, more restrictive practices), the quality of play has taken a nose dive. He attributes the youth movement to the rookie wage scale (and salary cap) which, he believes, has squeezed out many of the mid-tier, higher-priced players.

The article also quotes Baltimore Raven's head coach John Harbaugh that "technique" across the board has deteriorated.

In summing up the issue, Klemko stated, "In essence, the NFL has become an exaggerated version of the meat market it already was, with a line of young talent coursing through a revolving door, and a handful of superstar quarterbacks throwing five-yard passes to bewildered young receivers from pockets comprised of ingénues."

If Klemko's assertions prove true, it seems that, given the anticipated showdown between the NFL and the NFLPA over the Zeke court case, any attempt to redress or correct the CBA in regards to practice time, etc. could likely be met with a major walk-out during the next renegotiation.

What do you think?

I thought at the time of the CBA that the NFL paid off D.Smith.

 

[Nightman]

I thought at the time of the CBA that the NFL paid off D.Smith.

The just re-upped him for 4 more years...... the CBA is up in 3 so he is the guy again

The Owners and Goodell are laughing their butts off.......... they brutalized DSmith last time

 

[xwalker]

The just re-upped him for 4 more years...... the CBA is up in 3 so he is the guy again

The Owners and Goodell are laughing their butts off.......... they brutalized DSmith last time

I think the players will be much more aware this time.

 

[Nightman]

I think the players will be much more aware this time.

How could they re-hire him? He was so over-matched

The 18 game schedule, marijuana, rule 46, CTE....... they have big issues at stake

 

[xwalker]

How could they re-hire him? He was so over-matched

The 18 game schedule, marijuana, rule 46, CTE....... they have big issues at stake

I am surprised that he is still around.

 

[Hoofbite]

In an effort to curb exorbitant rookie salaries that owners and players alike agreed were getting out of hand, the NFLPA overcorrected, enacting a rookie wage scale that incentivized NFL teams to stockpile young talent and save surplus cash for a handful of second contracts. The union also agreed to shortened practice time in the offseason, a measure that had the full backing of players but should have been more carefully scrutinized. The consequences are clear.

This is supposed to be a knock? Saving surplus cash for the guys who earn it? The rookie wage scale is probably one of the best inclusions in the current version of the CBA. It allowed teams to start picking players that they otherwise would not have picked because they would have been getting paid well beyond their value. Specifically, RBs. Throw OG and C on that list as well.

 

[diefree666]

This is supposed to be a knock? Saving surplus cash for the guys who earn it? The rookie wage scale is probably one of the best inclusions in the current version of the CBA. It allowed teams to start picking players that they otherwise would not have picked because they would have been getting paid well beyond their value. Specifically, RBs. Throw OG and C on that list as well.

The rookie wage scale was one of the few things both sides agreed on. It was ridiculous those last couple of years -players getting insane first contracts.

 

[YosemiteSam]

It's Hockey Time!

 

[Jake]

https://www.si.com/2017/09/20/demaurice-smith-reelected-bad-football

Interesting opinion article by Robert Klemko of SI. Essentially, Klemko postulates that a key factor in the decline of play is the 2011 CBA negotiated by Smith and agreed to by the NFLPA.

Klemko asserts that the CBA has resulted in younger players (he provides data showing the average team age has decrease year-on-year since the CBA was renegotiated) and, coupled with other aspects of the CBA (shorter, more restrictive practices), the quality of play has taken a nose dive. He attributes the youth movement to the rookie wage scale (and salary cap) which, he believes, has squeezed out many of the mid-tier, higher-priced players.

The article also quotes Baltimore Raven's head coach John Harbaugh that "technique" across the board has deteriorated.

In summing up the issue, Klemko stated, "In essence, the NFL has become an exaggerated version of the meat market it already was, with a line of young talent coursing through a revolving door, and a handful of superstar quarterbacks throwing five-yard passes to bewildered young receivers from pockets comprised of ingénues."

If Klemko's assertions prove true, it seems that, given the anticipated showdown between the NFL and the NFLPA over the Zeke court case, any attempt to redress or correct the CBA in regards to practice time, etc. could likely be met with a major walk-out during the next renegotiation.

What do you think?

Funny thing is the veterans got what they wanted - fewer practices and a rookie wage scale. It has also caused some of them to be unemployed sooner.

In exchange, they conceded power to the commissioner's office. While fans complain most players don't care because most players don't get suspended.

But yeah, the quality of play has deteriorated with it. Tackling is atrocious because it's rarely practiced, a lot of guys look out of condition - I don't remember fat tub linemen when I was a kid.

 

[CowboyWay]

The whole league is bad. Just bad, bad, bad football. It reminds me of NASCAR where they made every car completely even, so you just watch a bunch of guys going the same speed. This is the football version. No elite teams. One week your team can destroy one team, the next week they come out and get destroyed by a so called "bad" team. Everyone is just painfully average.

They essentially took kickoffs out of the game entirely. Its just a reason to put more commercials in between it. You certainly can't hit anyone nowadays. You could blow a kiss on Aaron Rodgers and its a penalty. I don't know about you guys, but I watch football for the violence. I don't mind protecting college kids with these rules.... these are kids... we should protect them..... but I'm sorry.....when you are a pro, making tremendous money... you need to get lit up. If that means you don't know who you are, and can't walk to the bathroom without help when you are 60, so be it.

Its easy to see why people are turning away in droves... Like the one poster said.... if it weren't for fantasy football..... this league would be on life support.

This is the first time I haven't bought the NFL Sunday Ticket since its inception. I just don't care as much anymore. I watch all the cowboys games, and even enjoy watching the rest of the NFC East.... but the rest of the league? bleh..... I just don't care.

 

[erod]

Football is virtually a part-time job these days. The product shows.

 

[Nightman]

This is supposed to be a knock? Saving surplus cash for the guys who earn it? The rookie wage scale is probably one of the best inclusions in the current version of the CBA. It allowed teams to start picking players that they otherwise would not have picked because they would have been getting paid well beyond their value. Specifically, RBs. Throw OG and C on that list as well.

But the savings didn't go to the vets.......it went to QBs and DEs and more and more rookies and UDFAs ........ and QBs haven't even gone up equal to the cap increases

They had to make a rule that said vets that made 1m only counted for 600k against the cap to promote signing more of them