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Dear CFL and CFLPA, Lets get this deal done gentlemen. Trying to keep the CBA negotiations private just hasnt happened, and it sounds like these discussions are going nowhere fast! This letter is in no way an attempt to take sides on the issues, but just a reminder to both sides to stay focused on the big picture. The season must start on time. It is better for the teams, better for the players, and most importantly, better for the fans. First to the CFL head office. You guys know better than anyone that the players for years have made sacrifices to keep the league alive and are grossly underpaid in comparison to the rest of the world of professional sports. So when you make a final offer, rather than tell the other side what they wont get, tell them what they do get...which is a real nice raise in the form of the cap being pushed up substantially. By doing so you show the players that while you may think it is too early to go back to revenue sharing, you do want to give the players an increase in the cap they cant refuse, a real increase. Secondly, to the players association. Lets not get obsessive about revenue sharing; if you can see that the offer, and increase in the cap, shows that the league is making the players the priority, get the deal signed. I understand you are playing the "so many players sacrificed in the past so now it is time to draw a line in the sand" card, however, as one of those players that back years ago took over a thirty per cent pay cut on a signed contract, I can tell you going on strike would in no way honour those players. Back then we never thought we would take pay cuts so that future players could shut the league down, and in doing so put it in jeopardy. In fact it was just the opposite. We put the game first back then, and wanted to avoid any chance of a work stoppage. So if you want to be a voice for the players of the past that sacrificed, then make sure the league kicks off on time. The facts are that years ago players knew, due to the shaky financial ground that the league was on, that our contracts were barely worth the paper they were written on because at any time a GM could say, "I know you have a signed deal but we are ripping it up and you have to play for less money!" However, what was also true at the time was owners like David Braley stepped up and put millions into the league to make sure that this great Canadian tradition would continue on for years to come. So yes, the players got paid less than their contracts read, but while that was happening owners were losing, at times, millions of their own hard earned dollars. Players deserve more money, and owners like David Braley and Bob Wetenhall deserve to go a few years where they actually make a profit and make some of the money they have lost back. A new television contract has changed the financial landscape of the game. It should all but guarantee that teams can be profitable no matter what their win/loss record looks like in any given year. Owners and in the case of community-owned teams, the taxpayers, will start to see the fruits of their labour and players will be compensated better for putting it all on the line when they cross the stripes. All of which is a given and may be over-simplifying. However, once again to the league, make the salary cap bump substantial and reflect how much you respect the importance of the players. And to the players, there may be a time down the road when you can hold tough on revenue sharing, but that time is not now. So get a good raise, take care of some other issues, kick off the season on time, and support your families. My father once told me that if someone starts slinging mud in the gutter, dont head to the gutter and start slinging mud back, because all that happens then is that everyone gets muddy. To both sides in these negotiations, this cant be about greed, about the sacrifices of past players, or about egos. The game is too important and the league is realizing momentum like never before in its history. Most importantly, remember none of this is possible without the fans. Right now people are looking at buying their season tickets and trying to make plans for their summer holidays, and those plans are on hold. Fans in our Nations Capital cant wait to have a home team again, and this time with owners that are in it for the long haul. Those fans are now putting their plans on hold while these negotiations continue. It is time to end the, "I go high, you go low," negotiation strategy and sit down and hammer out a deal. Negotiating privately was a massive fail, and it looks like both sides are now trying to sway public opinion, and that is when egos get involved. If it gets to that, shame on both sides, because at that point you are both just covered in mud. Sincerely, Glen Suitor Wholesale Air Max 95 Free Shipping . However, Jim Popp isnt sure how long hell be able to admire wide receiver Duron Carter. Air Max 95 Clearance . Cincinnati has lost back-to-back games in overtime, wasting a chance to take a commanding lead in their division. http://www.wholesaleairmax95.com/ .com) - Blake Griffin led five Clippers in double figures with 24 points and the LA Clippers got back on track with a 101-97 win over the Utah Jazz. Air Max 95 Sale Outlet . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. Cheap Air Max 95 Free Shipping . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night.PHILADELPHIA - The proposed $765 million settlement of NFL concussion claims came under attack again Monday, this time from retirees who said they would get "nothing at all" for nagging health problems that limit their function. Seven former players filed a motion to intervene in the court case pending in Philadelphia, which aims to settle thousands of claims through a grid-like formula that reaches $5 million for younger retirees with Alzheimers disease. The latest objections come from men who can perhaps still work, but say they still suffer from headaches, personality changes, trouble multi-tasking and other side effects they link to concussions suffered while playing in the league. "The settlement provided no monetary recovery — nothing at all — for class members suffering from many of the residual effects most commonly linked to recurrent and repetitive mild traumatic brain injury, while releasing every claim these class members may have against the NFL," lawyer Steven Molo wrote in the court filing. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody fears the settlement is too low to cover 20,000 retirees for 65 years, as planned. Lawyers for both the NFL and the lead players group hope to convince her otherwise. "Were still (working) with the speecial master and the judge .dddddddddddd.. to review the settlement agreement and rightfully ensure that all members of the class are protected," said lawyer Sol Weiss, a lawyer for the lead players in the case. "We look forward to finalizing the agreement." The NFL takes in more than $9 billion in revenue annually, a figure that will rise with new TV contracts this year. The settlement does not include an admission from the NFL that it hid information from players about head injuries. A few groups of players have asked to intervene in the settlement talks to raise various concerns. The group Monday includes 2008 Pro Bowl player Sean Morey, now a sprint football coach at Princeton University. The vast majority of the proposed $765 million fund would compensate former players with one of four neurological conditions: Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, Lou Gehrigs disease or advanced dementia. Awards could also reach $4 million for deaths linked posthumously to chronic traumatic encephalopathy. At the low end, an 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000. Retirees without symptoms would get baseline screening and follow-up care if needed. The agreement also sets aside $75 million for medical exams and $10 million for medical research. ' ' '