The National Football League came down with a penalty ruling on March 12 that is sure to come back and bite them. They announced that the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys would be penalized salary cap space in the next two seasons for trying to subvert the rules. In the case of Washington, the penalty is $36 million, which they graciously allowed to be spread over two years. The problem is that the league is trying to enforce rules that did not exist.
The league has now stepped into the proverbial crap with this action. I guess they thought they would announce this action the day before free agency opened, and everyone would accept it. Obviously, the league forgot whom they are dealing with. The Washington Redskins take nothing lying down and are not about to start now. There are fatal flaws in the NFL's actions and the Skins will now expose them.
The NFL Management Counsel Executive Committee released this statement and nothing further: "We determined that the contract practices of a small number of clubs during the 2010 league year created an unacceptable risk to future competitive balance, particularly in light of the relatively modest salary-cap growth projected for the new agreement´s early years." That is all fine and dandy, but they leave out a crucial fact.
The league approved all of the contracts that the Redskins entered into during the period in question. Every single last one of them was looked over by the league, and then given the Roger Goodell stamp of approval. So, the contracts are acceptable during the uncapped year, but are not allowed after they get a new deal in place? That type of logic is certainly colorful, but does not hold up under the bright lights.
To make matters worse, the NFLPA agreed to this farce. This group touted during the strike that they were all about the players and fans. When they had this opportunity to stand up for both groups, they took the coward way out. All in the name of not having the salary cap go down by $4 million this upcoming year. It is sad to see this union succumb to league enforced blackmail to get their way.
Why is the league so upset about this supposed salary cap subversion? It is because the league wanted all the teams to do things their way during that uncapped season. Remember that both sides of this labor situation said okay to this uncapped year. The NFL said spend money, but not try to dump bad contracts. If this were such a priority, then put it in writing gentlemen! That was never going to occur because the NFLPA could cite them for collusion and tie them up in court forever.
The NFL now is trying to penalize the Skins by saying that teams were verbally warned six times to watch it. Good luck with that holding up in court. Do not be fooled that this will not end up there. Bruce Allen released a statement tonight, and it has see you in court written all over it: " Every contract entered into by the club during the applicable periods complied with the 2010 and 2011 collective bargaining agreements and, in fact, were approved by the NFL commissioner's office."
That does not sound like the words of a team that will just take their medicine. Not many Redskins fans like Dan Snyder, but they know he is not afraid to get legal when he feels he is being screwed over. The Redskins, therefore, head into free agency tomorrow with the mindset that they have all of their cap space available. Bruce Allen stated, "We look forward to free agency, the draft and the coming football season." With those words, the Redskins and their fans prepare for war with the NFL, tomahawk style!
John Atchison was rumored to have emerged at birth with a Redskins jersey on. Born and bred in Virginia, he is a diehard Redskin fan and will always have a fond spot in his heart for the phrase 70 Chip! Follow him on Twitter @John_Atchison .
Sources: washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/12/redskins-penalized-36m-salary-cap-space/?page=1
washingtonredskins.com
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