UPDATE: 3/4 of the way there! = Sources: Deal to end lockout reached

[stillers4me]

The NFL's players association and owners groups have reached agreement on the remaining points needed in their 10-year labor deal, sources from both sides said.

Despite the fact the new agreement will require a majority vote from the players, that part of the deal between the two sides is considered a formality, according to sources.

The NFLPA is making plans for a major press conference Monday. But first the player reps' executive committee is scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., on Sunday so they can vote Monday.

Just as the NFL would not have called a vote Thursday in Atlanta without knowing it would pass in the way it did -- 31-0 with one abstention -- the NFLPA would also not be going forward without that assurance.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A How-to
The NFL's 130-day labor dispute is set to end after an agreement on the remaining points was reached for a 10-year deal.
Sources say the NFL Players Association's executive committee plans to vote on a collective bargaining agreement Monday, followed by votes from player representatives and eventually players league-wide.Plus, no CBA has ever been turned down by the players when approved by leadership.


The timeline, according to an ESPN.com source:
• Monday: NFLPA's executive committee votes whether to recommend approval of the CBA approved by owners on Thursday. Then, a player rep from each of the 32 teams votes whether to recommend approval of the CBA.
• Wednesday: Players from some teams report to facilities and vote whether to recertify the NFLPA as a union and accept the proposed CBA.
If the NFLPA has gotten the necessary votes, teams can also start contract talks with their own players, including free agents and draft choices.
• Friday: The remaining players report and vote whether to approve recertification and the CBA. If the NFLPA then receives the necessary 50-percent-plus-one-vote majority in approval, then it recertifies as a union.
• Saturday: Free agency starts and teams can officially sign players.


NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith knows his executive committee, his players reps and the rest of his constituents well enough to know how they will vote...............

Read more ......... @ http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/67...e=NFLHeadlines

[stillers4me]

So, it's official. The negotiating teams for the players and owners have officially reached a new collective bargaining agreement, a player source tells me. It's over.

Players are flying to Washington to vote on it. But it will pass.

"It's done," one player source said. "We have an agreement. Now we just have to vote."





Finally, some definitive, good news.

http://mike-freeman.blogs.cbssports....64363/30827421

[HometownGal]

Let's keep our fingers (and toes) crossed!

[steeldawg]

Lol, All this outrage by the players about the owners tricking them and strong arming them, then 2 days later taking the deal. Like i said a feeble attempt at a powerplay by d smith.

[stillers4me]

Lol, All this outrage by the players about the owners tricking them and strong arming them, then 2 days later taking the deal. Like i said a feeble attempt at a powerplay by d smith.

The two sides have been talkng and negotiating all week. The owners passed a proposal that that the players had never seen in completion. What would you do?? Doyou buy a car or a house without reading the entire agreement? This is a ten year agreement. This agreement is likely the only set of rules most of the players will ever play under.

[Galax Steeler]

I am so ready for some football I hope this is true.

[86WARD]

Get it to the player vote and we have a winner...

[Count Steeler]

Methinks a deal will get done this week. Finally.

[Chidi29]

The two sides have been talkng and negotiating all week. The owners passed a proposal that that the players had never seen in completion. What would you do?? Doyou buy a car or a house without reading the entire agreement? This is a ten year agreement. This agreement is likely the only set of rules most of the players will ever play under.

I'm all for the players taking time to read the deal, I don't want them to accept a proposal they don't like, but it's clear these parts the NFL added without the union's knowledge weren't that big of a deal.

[pepsyman1]

The two sides have been talkng and negotiating all week. The owners passed a proposal that that the players had never seen in completion. What would you do?? Doyou buy a car or a house without reading the entire agreement? This is a ten year agreement. This agreement is likely the only set of rules most of the players will ever play under.

Personally, I think that's a crock. The lawyers for both sides have been working on this for the past week. If the owners have a completed agreement to review, then the players lawyers were involved in completing it...Otherwise, why would the owners bother voting on it? If the players haven't "seen it" then that's simply gamesmanship because their lawyers obviously have. That's D Smith's fault, not the owners. I have no doubt over how greedy the owners are, but to be honest, the players are the ones that are pissing me off. They work for the owners, the ones that own the business that pays the players.

[steeldawg]

The two sides have been talkng and negotiating all week. The owners passed a proposal that that the players had never seen in completion. What would you do?? Doyou buy a car or a house without reading the entire agreement? This is a ten year agreement. This agreement is likely the only set of rules most of the players will ever play under.

I understand they had to read the deal, but they did not have to throw a tantrum and try to convince everyone that the owners were somehow trying to trick them into dping something they didnt want to do. I mean read some of the tweets from the players, they certainly were quick to throw the owners under the bus. So many pointing out the owners were trying to sneak stuff into the deal, which I find funny because they were also complaining they werent given a chance to read the deal.

[Craic]

I don't know. I'm starting to think that entire story was blown out of proportion.

I wouldn't even be surprised to hear that it was two different votes by the league. One to accept the CBA financials, the other to give permission to negotiate from the proposals that the NFLPA thought were slipped in, without having to come back for an official vote (Since they were all together). Just a few phone calls for agreement that it was acceptable, since the big issues for the owners were settled.

The NFLPA probably heard about it second hand and that's why they went nuts. Can't blame them either.

A phone call from the commissioner to De Smith probably set it straight, and that's why you heard players being a lot more conciliatory the next day, talking about getting the deal done and how they just needed a few things worked out.

At least, that's a plausible scenario in my head. Then again, in my head, politicians should care more about the country than their own power. So you all know you can't trust my judgment.

[Count Steeler]

My take on it is that the NFLPA was posturing for the PR sympathy, just so they can look like the party that "gave in" just so the fans can get to watch some football. This process is really sickening. Take the interested parties next time, get them a log cabin in Alaska, and give them 1 phone call. Call when you have an agreement.