The Redskins, the Cowboys, the NFL and collusion

[Tilted]

So, the NFL Player's Association has finally filed suit against the NFL alleging collusion. Given the information that came to light in the wake of the NFL's salary cap penalties against the Redskins and Cowboys, that seemed pretty likely to happen.

When those penalties first came to light, it struck me as one of the most boneheaded moves made by a sports league (read: by a commissioner) in recent memory. There was basically no chance that it wouldn't blow up in the league's face or that, if the Redskins and Cowboys were willing to risk the long-term ire of the commissioner's office by taking the issue to federal court, the NFL could make the penalties stick. The essence of the NFL's position here plays out not unlike a bad Abbot & Costello routine:

NFL: The Redskins and Cowboys are being penalized with loses of salary cap space for the next two years.

Interested Onlooker: Wow! If you don't mind my asking, why?

NFL: Because they broke a rule.

Interested Onlooker: What rule?

NFL: The rule against spending too much money on player's salaries for the 2010 season.

Interested Onlooker: I didn't know there was such a rule, can you show it to me?

NFL: Well, no, it was kinda an unwritten rule.

Interested Onlooker: Seems like that would be an important rule, why was it unwritten?

NFL: Because if it had been written it would have violated federal law against collusion.

Interested Onlooker: You violated federal law against collusion?

NFL: No.

Interested Onlooker: But you just said...

NFL: No, I said if we'd had an actual rule it would have violated federal law.

Interested Onlooker: So, you didn't actually have a rule?

NFL: No.

Interested Onlooker: So, why are the Redskins and Cowboys being penalized?

NFL: Because they broke the rule.

Interested Onlooker: The rule that you didn't actually have?

NFL: Yes.

Interested Onlooker: So how can you penalize them for violating it?

NFL: Because it kinda was a rule.

Interested Onlooker: So, let me get this straight - you kinda had a rule but you didn't actually have a rule?

NFL: Correct.

Interested Onlooker: Well, if you kinda had a rule then didn't you kinda violate federal law?

NFL: Well, no. It wasn't really a rule, it was more like an understanding.

Interested Onlooker: So, you had an understanding but not a rule?

NFL: That's correct.

Interested Onlooker: And this understanding was that you would violate federal law?

NFL: Correct ...oh wait, no, we didn't violate federal law because we didn't have a rule - we never agreed to anything.

Interested Onlooker: You just understood it?

NFL: Correct.

Interested Onlooker: So, you had an understanding that you wouldn't do something that, if you had agreed not to do it, you would have been violating federal law?

NFL: Now you got it.

Interested Onlooker: Okay, I'm getting more and more confused. For once and for all, yes or no, did you have a rule for the 2010 season?

NFL: It depends why your asking.

Interested Onlooker: How so?

NFL: Well, if you're asking to find out whether we have good cause to impose these penalties then, yes, we absolutely did have an unwritten, unofficial rule.

Interested Onlooker: Okay, what if I'm asking to find out whether you violated federal law and might rightfully be sued by the players?

NFL: Then, we absolutely did not have a rule.

Interested Onlooker: Okay, okay, I think I get it now.

NFL: Good, you know it's not really that complicated.

Interested Onlooker: So, one last question, if someone asks whether you had a rule, what should I tell them?

NFL: It depends on who's asking...

For anyone interested in the details of the player's suit, here's the complaint. Even though my team (i.e. the Redskins) has been injured by the league's behavior in this situation, I'm kinda glad this came to light. It solves a mini-mystery that had bounced around in one of the bored parts of my brain: Why the hell didn't the rich teams go on a spending spree before the 2010 season and sign bunches of players (or, at least, a few productive stars) to heavily front-loaded contracts and, in so doing, position themselves well for when a salary cap came back into effect. It made little sense that more of them did not do that. Now, it would seem, we know why.

 

[BuddyLee]

The good ol' boys club is getting a dose of reality. They can't just go around as if they're a mafia just because they're the #1 grossing sport in America.

Their heads are so big they think not of the consequences that might abound when attacking two of the largest grossers in their league. I believe the NFLPA signed off on this deal to punish the Redskins and Cowboys merely to find out more information. Information was undoubtedly leaked by loud mouth owners and in the appeals process.

Between the thousands of lawsuits and now this, the NFL is in for a mighty good time.