Redskins, Cowboys File Arbitration Suit (update page 16, post 237.)

[cal_junior]

Campbell:

The #Redskins' salary cap arbitration hearing has been scheduled for May 10, a league spokesman says.

That's the same day the new unis are supposed to be unveiled, if I recall.

[HanburgerBum]

Originally Posted by shally

i hope you are correct.. it would be a stunning win for the Redskins if that happened.. I am just too cynical to think that right will prevail in this matter..

I still have the uneasy feeling that the Redskins will end up losing something over this. For instance, even if Wash-Dallas prevail in every legal argument and consideration and the cap penalty is removed, what is to prevent the other owners via Goodell in a move of reprisal from handing down severe penalties (including forfeiture of draft picks) over a "bounty" violation? After all, Greg Williams worked here several years and who believes he didn't have a similar "bounty" system here as he did in New Orleans?

[shally]

Originally Posted by HanburgerBum

I still have the uneasy feeling that the Redskins will end up losing something over this. For instance, even if Wash-Dallas prevail in every legal argument and consideration and the cap penalty is removed, what is to prevent the other owners via Goodell in a move of reprisal from handing down severe penalties (including forfeiture of draft picks) over a "bounty" violation? After all, Greg Williams worked here several years and who believes he didn't have a similar "bounty" system here as he did in New Orleans?

they wouldnt dare.. we would have to really toe the line, but there is no way for the league to go after the Redskins if they prevail in court.. same way with the late Al Davis.. they just gritted their teeth and moved on

[HanburgerBum]

Originally Posted by shally

they wouldnt dare.. we would have to really toe the line, but there is no way for the league to go after the Redskins if they prevail in court.. same way with the late Al Davis.. they just gritted their teeth and moved on

Oh, the League would be too smart to openly link any "bounty" punishment with the cap penalty issue. After the NFL lose the cap penalty issue with the arbitrator and/or in the courts, it will suddenly decide to punish the Redskins for their part in the "bounty" scandal.

I don't think the League would go as far as forfeiting any draft choices Wash already traded to the Rams and thus throw that entire trade in doubt, but I can certainly visualize taking away a 2nd and/or a 3rd rounder down the line. These other NFL owners are a bunch of vindictive turds, and I believe they will do whatever they can to make a point with the Redskins that when you don't play ball with the boys you are going to suffer consequences. This despite the fact that it was these owners who themselves violated the CBA and colluded to treat the uncapped season as a capped season.

[GloryHog]

Originally Posted by HanburgerBum

Oh, the League would be too smart to openly link any "bounty" punishment with the cap penalty issue. After the NFL lose the cap penalty issue with the arbitrator and/or in the courts, it will suddenly decide to punish the Redskins for their part in the "bounty" scandal.

I don't think the League would go as far as forfeiting any draft choices Wash already traded to the Rams and thus throw that entire trade in doubt, but I can certainly visualize taking away a 2nd and/or a 3rd rounder down the line. These other NFL owners are a bunch of vindictive turds, and I believe they will do whatever they can to make a point with the Redskins that when you don't play ball with the boys you are going to suffer consequences. This despite the fact that it was these owners who themselves violated the CBA and colluded to treat the uncapped season as a capped season.

By the time the the NFL would react to an arbiters decision, the Bounty Gate scandal would be so old that it would be an obvious payback. I don't think the league would invite the bad pub.

Now on a general basis, after that the Redskins would be on a short leash and not enjoy any favorable treatment. No Superbowls for Danny.

[GloryHog]

Another Graziano piece - This one on why the NFL got mad.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...-nfl-got-mad-2

[Farmer Ted]

Originally Posted by shally

i hope you are correct.. it would be a stunning win for the Redskins if that happened.. I am just too cynical to think that right will prevail in this matter..

I hate to say it, but I agree. The whole "the arbitrator will decide if the league had the power to give the cap penalty" is a far cry from deciding that the league's move was against the rules. I suspect you're right, and that the arbitrator is going to find that the league has the power to administer the penalties. He's probably also going to find a suitcase filled with money a day later.

Originally Posted by GloryHog

Another Graziano piece - This one on why the NFL got mad.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...-nfl-got-mad-2

What a load of crap that is; Do they realize that all those players salaries drop drastically a year later, thus dropping the positional cap number? And what about the Peppers' contract? No one cares about DE's?

[silverspring]

the arbitrator will decide if the league had the power to give the cap penalty

I am perplexed why this is the point of judgment. I would think the case is about whether the redskins broke any rules.
Of course the league has power to give ridiculous penalties, but you can't give penalties just because you want to. Rules have to be broken.

[colkurtz]

Arbitration often splits the baby in half; it allows both the Redskins and Cowboys to get back some money they could really use, while it doesn't get any worse for the NFL and they made their point.

I think this compromise will help NEXT year more than this year, as FA becomes more important as the 'skins improve. Some FA will come onto a team on the rise [or certainly at the top] and it seems the Redskins will have a better chance to be on the way up after a meager 5-11 season; a possible franchise QB; a fairly easy schedule.

[flave1969]

Originally Posted by Farmer Ted

What a load of crap that is; Do they realize that all those players salaries drop drastically a year later, thus dropping the positional cap number? And what about the Peppers' contract? No one cares about DE's?

When I read this I was thinking "You have got to be kidding". Not only did the so called Franchise players not leave in that year, but we are talking about a sum total pay increase of about $9 million overall for those clubs, peanuts.

Vincent Jackson did not leave this season because of something we did, he left because the Chargers didn't want to pony up the cash needed to keep him via a long term deal.

If this was one of the motivations then it just shows this is not about competitive balance, it is about keeping money in owners pockets.

How the hell this translated into $46 million total penalties I will never know?

Furthermore can someone tell me how the Cowboys and Redskins actually affected the competitive balance? They certainly did not improve on the field, and I cant see any evidence that the other teams were hurt in any way by what we did.

[Keino]

Originally Posted by GloryHog

Another Graziano piece - This one on why the NFL got mad.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...-nfl-got-mad-2

That is an excellent piece. I think Graziano has a good handle on the issues.

[HanburgerBum]

Originally Posted by GloryHog

By the time the the NFL would react to an arbiters decision, the Bounty Gate scandal would be so old that it would be an obvious payback. I don't think the league would invite the bad pub.

Now on a general basis, after that the Redskins would be on a short leash and not enjoy any favorable treatment. No Superbowls for Danny.

I wish I were confident that you are right about the NFL not retaliating after losing the arbitrator decision, but I am not. The very fact that the other owners would collude in violation of the CBA to treat the uncapped season as a capped season and then have the unmitigated gall to punish teams that wouldn't go along with the collusion tells me just what these other owners are--a bunch of rules-flaunting scumbags.

Further, have you noticed how slowly the "investigation" of other teams besides the Saints that may have been involved in the bounty scandal is taking place? I interpret that to mean the NFL is using that investigation as a club over these teams to toe the line--particularly in the case of the Redskins. It wouldn't surprise me one bit that shortly after an adverse decision from the arbitrator, the League would suddenly conclude the bounty investigation and punish Wash for also having taken part.

[BIGREDSKINSFAN1963]

The latest from PFT.looks like this may eventually go to Court.

On May 10, Special Master Stephen Burbank will consider the grievance filed by the Cowboys and Redskins arising from the $46 million in total cap space stripped from the two franchises because they treated the “uncapped year” a bit too literally.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL has tried to block the hearing by submitting a request to dismiss the grievance.

The NFL contends that, because the NFL Players Association consented to the imposition of cap penalties, the Cowboys and Redskins have no grounds to attack the agreement under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which governs the relationship between the league and the players.

Of course, if that argument prevails, the Cowboys and Redskins could be forced to pursue other avenues of relief. Ultimately, the Cowboys and Redskins could choose to claim that the sanctions against them arise from an effort by the NFL to engage in collusion during the uncapped year.

[jaylen]

LOL league trying to dead this thing. They know they are gonna lose this thing. They are gonna drag this out though.

[silverspring]

I think we should just take it to court if only to put more pressure on the league. They are playing the same game, lets go nuclear.