Jerry Jones - Cowboys Owner Jones Part Of NFL Network Committee - NFLMedia.com

JERRY JONES NAMED CHAIRMAN OF NFL NETWORK COMMITTEE - NFLMEDIA.COM

COMMITTEE NOW INCLUDES PAT BOWLEN, ROBERT KRAFT, STAN KROENKE & MARK RICHARDSON


The NFL announced today the appointment of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as the new chairman of the NFL Network Committee, which acts as the executive board of the league’s year-round television service.


“NFL Network is an important long-term asset for the NFL,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “It is critical we ensure broad and affordable access to NFL Network to help better serve and grow our fan base.”


The Cowboys appear twice on NFL Network’s live game schedule this season (Nov. 29 vs. Green Bay; Dec. 22 @ Carolina) and as a result, Jones is keenly aware of fan interest in NFL Network.


"My immediate and primary objective is to ensure broad distribution of NFL Network to our millions of fans across the land,” said Jones. “Today there are more options than ever before for consumers in terms of choosing a television provider. Satellite companies like DirecTV and Dish Network and telecommunications companies like Verizon and AT&T offer NFL Network on broad packages without extra costs to consumers. Those fans whose access to NFL Network is still being blocked by their cable provider will have both the opportunity and the incentive to switch providers if cable continues to deny customers the programming they want.”


Joining Jones on the NFL Network Committee are:


· Denver Broncos President and CEO Pat Bowlen

· New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft

· St. Louis Rams Owner/Vice Chairman Stan Kroenke

· Carolina Panthers President Mark Richardson


“Steve Bornstein and his team have launched a high-quality, must-see, year-round network for football fans,” added Jones. “As a committee, we plan to help the broader NFL ownership harness the value that our clubs can provide locally to NFL Network distribution partners. NFL Network is extremely important to the future of the NFL and our fans.”


NFL Network, the 24-hour, 365-day programming vehicle of the NFL, has taken on greater importance to the league and its long-term goals as the digital media landscape continues to evolve.


From content deals with Apple’s iTunes, Sprint NFL Mobile, Sirius Satellite Radio, Verizon FiOS, MyNetworkTV, and ION Networks, to the recent move bringing the NFL’s Internet operations in-house and utilizing NFL Network video at the center of the new NFL.com, the strategic use of NFL Network’s content requires important decisions to be made on a regular basis.


Recently, the NFL filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) drawing attention to large cable companies’ regular practice of content discrimination, where they use their market power to deny independent channels they do not own broad distribution on their systems. Like many other independent programmers, NFL Network supports a mandatory arbitration process to ensure that content disputes are resolved in a timely manner so that consumers have access to the channels they want on fair terms.


NFL ownership committees are made up typically of four to six principal owners. Committees meet regularly to analyze issues and recommend strategy and policies to the Commissioner and broader ownership.


NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the first television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.


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Jeffrey Kessler - Michael Vick Can Retain $22 Million Due To New Collective Bargaining Agreement

Jeffrey Kessler, NFL Players Association Lawyer acting in representation of Michael Vick, made the argument that the extention of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibited returning $22 Million to the Atlanta Falcons.

From what I read of the NFL CBA, Kessler's right. Look at this:

Section 9. Limitations on Salary Forfeitures:
(a) No forfeitures of signing bonuses shall be permitted, except that players and Clubs may agree: (i)
to proportionate forfeitures of a signing bonus if a player voluntarily retires or willfully withholds his
services from one or more regular season games; and/or (ii) that if a player willfully takes action that has
the effect of substantially undermining his ability to fully participate and contribute in either preseason
training camp or the regular season (including by willfully withholding his services in either preseason
training camp or during the regular season or willfully missing one or more games), the player may forfeit
the greater of: (a) 25% of the prorated portion of his signing bonus for the applicable League Year for the
first time such conduct occurs after the beginning of training camp until the end of the season for his Club,
and the remaining 75% prorated portion of his signing bonus for the applicable year for the second time
such conduct occurs during that period that year; or (b) the proportionate amount of his signing bonus
allocation for each week missed (1/17th for each regular season week or game missed).
(b) If a player with a signing bonus forfeiture clause voluntarily retires and misses the remainder of
the season, and the player then reports back to the Club in the subsequent season, then the Club must either
(i) take the player back under his existing contract with no forfeiture of the remaining proportionate signing
bonus allocation, or (ii) release the player and seek repayment of any remaining proportion of the signing
bonus allocated to future League Years.
(c) No forfeitures permitted (current and future contracts) for signing bonus allocations for years
already performed, or for other salary escalators or performance bonuses already earned.
(d) A player’s right to receive and/or retain a signing bonus may not be conditioned on the player’s
participation in voluntary off-season programs or voluntary minicamps, or for adverse public statements,
provided that the Club may have non-proratable participation bonuses for its off-season workout program.
(e) Player Contracts may not contain individually negotiated provisions for forfeiture relating to
violations of the Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances or the NFL Policy and Program for
Substances of Abuse (which policies will address this issue), or for failing any drug test.
(f) Except as provided above, existing contract forfeiture provisions entered into before the end of
the 2005 regular season will be in full force and effect for the duration of the current contract, and any
extensions resulting solely from effectuation of existing contract provision (e.g., option years). If a Player
Contract with a forfeiture provision entered into before the end of the 2005 regular season is otherwise
extended or renegotiated, the amount of Salary agreed to in the contract prior to its extension or
renegotiation shall be subject to forfeiture to the same extent as provided prior to such extension or renegotiation.
(g) For purposes of this Section 9, the terms “proportionate forfeitures” and “proportionate amount”
mean 1/17th of that year’s signing bonus allocation for each regular season week or game missed.

If you take a look at this, there's a particular section that could doom the Falcons attempts to recover the $22 million signing bonus. It's this:

(c) No forfeitures permitted (current and future contracts) for signing bonus allocations for years
already performed, or for other salary escalators or performance bonuses already earned.

The issue is over bonus money Vick's already made based on performance, not money he's due to collect. So the Falcons are going to lose this round. Indeed, I personally think they're being terrible in their pursuit of this money he deservedly earned under the CBA.

Pittsburgh Steelers Receiver Hines Ward Out - Knee Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward will miss his second game in a row Sunday because of a right knee injury.

The Steelers star has been unable to practice since he was hurt Sept. 23 against San Francisco. Before sitting out last weekend’s 21-14 loss at Arizona, Ward had missed only three games to injury in his 10-year NFL career.