Need help on A. Gates reinstatement options

[LandryFan]

Does anyone know the rules that apply to Gates being reinstated for our opener? Is it as simple as SD petitioning and the Commish just saying "OK"? Thanks for the help!

 

[CactusCowboy]

He will start against the COWBOYS.....

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He will start against the COWBOYS.....

And what modicum of logic or facts do you have to support this claim.

I personally it was a unilateral team action not a league thing so I really cannot say. At the same time the suspension would have to be run through the Commish Office so Im not sure.

 

[CactusCowboy]

He is reporting tomorrow. Do you really believe they will NOT allow him to play the opener. He will be there, bank on it.

 

[Fmart322]

Hey, how ya doing? 1st post here and I hope it helps you out.
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Chargers | Gates Doesn't Report; to Miss Three Games
Sat, 20 Aug 2005 13:34:10 -0700

San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates did not report and sign his contract by the team's 12:30 p.m. PT deadline Saturday, Aug. 20. As a result, the team is placing him on a Roster Exempt list and he will not play in the first three games following the date he signs with the team. As it currently stands, he will miss the team's final two preseason games and the first game of the regular season. The Chargers and Gates' agent, Andre Colona, negotiated throughout the morning but could not reach an agreement on years or compensation. Gates is not comfortable playing for his exclusive rights tender offer.
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www.signonsandiego.com/sp...gates.html


SAN DIEGO – All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates will report Sunday to the Chargers, his agent said Saturday afternoon.

After a morning of negotiations between agent Andre Colona and the team, the sides were no closer in agreement on the length or monetary details of a contract, and Gates missed the team's 12:30 p.m. deadline Saturday to report.

The team promptly issued a statement saying Gates would be placed on the Roster Exempt List when he reported, which the team says means he will miss the Sept. 11 season opener against Dallas.

According to the "NFL Management Handbook," however, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue could lift the exemption sooner than the usual three games.

"Antonio and I believe (the Chargers) backed themselves into a corner," Colona said. "No one said Antonio wasn't going to report. For them to impose the Roster Exemption and say he had to miss games, they didn't have to do that.

"Our interpretation is they could call the commissioner and request he lift the roster exemption. The big issue is if Antonio reports, is San Diego going to punish its fans and Antonio and his teammates by not requesting the commissioner lift the exemption."

 

[big dog cowboy]

to the board!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent first post.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He is reporting tomorrow. Do you really believe they will NOT allow him to play the opener. He will be there, bank on it.

A couple of things to he who knows nothing about the legalities of the situation.

THEY USED THE ROSTER EXEMPTION, HE HAS TO MISS THREE GAMES.

In order for this to be stopped two things need to happen.

A) The Chargers have to ask Tagliabue to rescind the exemption and seeing how they take delight in playing hardball with the likes of Rivers etc it is not out of the scale of reason that they would want this example to stand.

but even if they meet this requirement then still

B) The commisioner needs to approve it. I know of no precedent to this so I really cannot say one way or another and I wager neither can you.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

to the board!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent first post.

Ill be honest with you guys. I have issues with the rainbow banner. Now I realize this the age of tolerance and all but my brother for some reason got real real mad when I put the rainbow sticker on the rear bumper of his truck.

 

[LandryFan]

Cactus, I'm not saying you're wrong...Gates may very well play against us in the opener. But, if you read FMart's response to this thread, you'll see that the Commissioner does have to become involved in some manner if he is to be reinstated. I'm just trying to find out if anyone on this board knows the regulation that pertains to reinstatement in this case...i.e. how easy/difficult will reinstatement be?

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Hey, how ya doing? 1st post here and I hope it helps you out.
"

Welcome Fmart! With a first post like that you will make an awesome Zoner.......great job.

 

[LandryFan]

By the way, FMart...thanks for the reply, and WELCOME!

 

[big dog cowboy]

my brother for some reason got real real mad when I put the rainbow sticker on the rear bumper of his truck.

Relax. I don't care for pink mittens. You don't see anyone doing me any favors about that do ya?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Relax. I don't care for pink mittens. You don't see anyone doing me any favors about that do ya?

Lol brah Im not trying to say anything about yourself. I just really think that we should try and come up with something other than a rainbow banner to welcome new members.

 

[CactusCowboy]

I hear ya and it does look like the commish will have to get involved. I do, however, believe if he does report tomorrow and stays in camp, the Chargers will ask the commish to reinstate him and I believe he will.

Unless, of course, the Chargers do not take our team seriously and believe they can beat us without him.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I hear ya and it does look like the commish will have to get involved. I do, however, believe if he does report tomorrow and stays in camp, the Chargers will ask the commish to reinstate him and I believe he will.

Unless, of course, the Chargers do not take our team seriously and believe they can beat us without him.

It has nothing to do with us. The Chargers seem to like banging there head against the wall in situations like this. Rivers and Merriman are two very recent examples of their desire to make a statement in contract dispute.

Pasquarelli apparently agrees with this in his articel HERE In particualr look at the statements by Chargers front office. This is the Chargers we are talking about here not Green Bay or Miami.

Updated: Aug. 20, 2005, 8:21 PM ET
Gates to be placed on roster exempt listBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive Related Video:
NFL Training Camp report on the San Diego Chargers

Following through on an ultimatum delivered to Antonio Gates last week, the San Diego Chargers announced Saturday afternoon that they will place the star tight end on the NFL's "roster exempt" list and that he will not play in the regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 11.

Antonio Gates
Tight End
San Diego Chargers
Profile


2004 SEASON STATISTICS
Rec Yds TD Avg Long YAC
81 964 13 11.9 72 338




The team had informed Gates and agent Andre Colona that the Pro Bowl tight end would be placed on the exempt list if he did not sign the one-year exclusive rights free-agent offer of $380,000 or a long-term deal by Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The deadline passed with no deal and without Gates reporting to the team.


But Colona told John Seibel and Steve Bunin on their GameNight on ESPN Radio show Gates will report Sunday. Colona added his interpretation of the rules is that commissioner Paul Tagliabue can remove the exemption if requested by the Chargers, permitting Gates to play in the season opener.


While that could be true, Chargers general manager A.J. Smith called moving Gates to the roster exempt list "irrevocable" in the team's mind.


In a statement Saturday, the Chargers said: "Tight end Antonio Gates did not report and sign a contract by 12:30 p.m. today. The Chargers and Gates' agent, Andre Colona, negotiated throughout the morning but could not reach an agreement on year or compensation. At this point, Gates does not feel comfortable in signing the team's tender offer and going back to work."


The statement said that, as a result of his failure to reach an agreement, Gates "will not play in the first three games following the date he signs with the team." It also noted: "The Chargers are disappointed Gates will miss the season opener versus Dallas but remain hopeful of reaching an agreement soon."


That means that, at this point, Gates will miss the final two preseason games and the first regular-season contest. Should the third-year veteran not report by Thursday, he will miss two regular-season games. He must report by Aug. 31, under conditions of the exempt list, to avoid missing the first three games of the regular season.


"Obviously if Gates turns out missing the first game because of this, that's disappointing for everyone in this locker room because he is big part of our team and we don't want to see that happen," quarterback Drew Brees said after practice Saturday but before the deadline passed.


"He's someone we need on the team, but business is business," said running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who missed most of his rookie training camp in 2001 in a contract holdout.


Tomlinson said he spoke with Gates by phone Friday night.


"He was hoping things got worked out. Hopefully things still get worked out," Tomlinson said. "We obviously need him, but it is a business first and if Antonio is not here we are going to have to hold the fort down until he gets back."


Gates, 25, enjoyed a breakout season in 2005, with 81 receptions for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 13 touchdown catches established a new record for tight ends. As a former undrafted free agent, Gates has played for the minimum base salaries in his first two seasons in the NFL, and San Diego tendered him a minimum offer for 2005, while acknowledging he had outplayed his contract and wanted to negotiate a long-term deal.


Months of negotiations, though, have failed to produce a contract and it is not certain how or when the impasse will be resolved. Colona said earlier this week that the team's actions in threatening to place his client on the exempt list would not alter his or Gates' stance at the bargaining table.


Smith said this week that the Chargers wanted to continue the contract talks but issued the ultimatum because the team needed to know its situation at tight end and whether Gates would be a part of the opening day roster.


"We're the football team," Smith said. "We decide who gets a contract, how much they get and for how long."

 

[big dog cowboy]

Lol brah Im not trying to say anything about yourself. I just really think that we should try and come up with something other than a rainbow banner to welcome new members.

Mods there is a request for ya!!!

 

[silverbear]

He is reporting tomorrow. Do you really believe they will NOT allow him to play the opener. He will be there, bank on it.

And if the Chargers do cave in, every holdout for the next 10 years will be tougher to deal with...

They drew their line in the sand, they pretty much have to live with it, if they wish to have any credibility at all in future negotiations... given that they have a rep for being tough to deal with, I'll be astounded if they back down with Gates...

 

[silverbear]

A couple of things to he who knows nothing about the legalities of the situation.

THEY USED THE ROSTER EXEMPTION, HE HAS TO MISS THREE GAMES.

In order for this to be stopped two things need to happen.

A) The Chargers have to ask Tagliabue to rescind the exemption and seeing how they take delight in playing hardball with the likes of Rivers etc it is not out of the scale of reason that they would want this example to stand.

but even if they meet this requirement then still

B) The commisioner needs to approve it. I know of no precedent to this so I really cannot say one way or another and I wager neither can you.

Well, regarding point B, bear in mind that Tags IS a Skins fan, and has been known in the past to delight in sticking it to the Cowboys... if that turns out to be the only sticking point, look for 'Tonio to line up against the Boys...