DeMaurice Smith dismissed with one word a question about his union’s labor deal with the NFL being extended.
Then he attacked.
The executive director of the NFL Players Association quickly said ”no” Thursday when asked about the current 10-year collective bargaining agreement
getting extended beyond the 2020 season.
Then Smith
Cheap Mark Walton Jersey , re-elected last year, went on the offensive about the next CBA.
”We prepare for war,” he said. ”If we are able to get a collective bargaining agreement done, great. All of these men went through a unilateral war declared
on players in 2010-11.”
NFLPA President Eric Winston stressed there are many portions of the current contract they believe need changing, from health care issues to the union’s role
in overall league decisions to, naturally, revenue splits.
”We want 99 percent of the revenues,” Winston joked before adding the structure of rookies’ contracts, health care and technical field issues as key
elements for negotiations.
Ryan Wendell said workplace player safety would be an important topic, along with ”more unfettered union access to the players.”
Wendell also wants the players to have a ”seat at the table in how revenues are raised.”
There remain three full seasons of NFL play before any potential work stoppages, be it a lockout or strike. On many issues, the union and owners have
fought bitterly through the seven years of this agreement.
It isn’t likely to change, either.
”We have been preparing with the idea this will be another arduous process,” Winston said.
One area the union is adamant about wanting to change is Commissioner Roger Goodell’s role in handing out player discipline. The players gave up any
alteration in that area in 2011 in exchange for other concessions from the
league.
They’ve regretted it ever since, and also take issue with the system of fines handed out by the NFL.
”The fine system and guys are labeled as repeat offenders
Stephen Vogt Jersey ,” annoys Thomas Davis, the 2014 Walter Payton Award winner as NFL Man of the Year.
The Carolina linebacker was suspended for one game this season for what was determined an egregious hit on Packers receiver Davante Adams late this
season.
”They group and categorize everyone in the same box. It shouldn’t be that way.”
Winston insisted an 18-game schedule, which the league pushed for before the current CBA, remains as nonsensical as it did in 2011.
Smith virtually ducked answering queries about Colin Kaepernick, the former 49ers quarterback whose kneeling during the national anthem beginning in 2016
sparked the 2017 player protests about social injustice. Kaepernick was not on
any roster this season and has filed a grievance against the NFL that the union
is supporting.
But Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, who missed the season while injured, said Kaepernick had an effect on his peers.
”I don’t think that made people more fearful” of repercussions from management, Herzlich said of the demonstrations during the anthem.
”It empowered more people to join a movement they really felt was right. I think the bravery of these men to really show what they feel and say, this is
about unity. We’re not going against the country or the flag, but we’re about
wanting equality.”
Winston praised the players for their willingness to speak up when a teammate or opponent appeared to be hurt, particularly concussed.
”I’ve seen many guys say something to a coach or the medical staff: `Get this guy checked out,”’ Winston said. ”It’s a great thing to see.
”There a big education piece to this, but there’s always an undercurrent of, `I’ve got to stick it out for my team.’ To which I say, `You’re not that good a
player when you are concussed. You could cost your team a win.”’
Eagles defensive end Chris Long was awarded the Whizzer White Community MVP by the union. The NFLPA gives the award to a player ”for his profound dedication
to positively impacting his team city
http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-patrick-omameh-jersey , and communities across the country, in the spirit of the former Supreme Court
justice.”
Long donated six of his game checks this season to funding a scholarship program at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, where he attended high school in
Charlottesville, Virginia.
He then donated his last 10 game checks to programs that support educational equality in the three cities where he’s played so far: Philadelphia, Boston and
St. Louis. Through the ”Pledge 10 for Tomorrow” campaign, he was able to match
his own charitable contribution by raising another $1.3 million in
donations.
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When Detroit outfielder JaCoby Jones came to the plate in the seventh inning of a tie game Thursday afternoon, he was well aware he was struggling at the
plate after striking out in his first two at-bats against the Twins.
He chose to focus on something else – the walk-off home run he hit against the Kansas City Royals nearly two months ago – and came through again.
Jones hit Lance Lynn’s 3-1 fastball over the wall for the final two runs in Detroit’s 3-1 win.
”I knew I had some success in big late-game situations earlier this year, so I tried to take something from that,” said Jones, who was hitting .135 in his
last 10 games. ”I was just looking for a fastball I could drive.
”I’ve really been pressing, so I tried to be more relaxed – the way I was earlier in the year when I hit that homer against the Royals,” he said. ”That’s
the type of thing that can get you right out of a slump.”
Detroit won the last two games of the series to improve to 23-17 at Comerica Park. The Tigers, who play their next eight games on the road, are 10-20 away
from home.
”This is our place, and we have done a great job of playing here
Authentic Josh Sweat Jersey ,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”Now we’ve got to take this momentum onto the road.”
Michael Fulmer (3-5) improved to 5-0 in five career starts against the Twins. He pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with four
strikeouts in ending a three-start winless streak.
”It’s about time,” said Fulmer, who won for the first time this year at home. ”Everything felt great out there. Even when they got a run in the first, it was
off good pitches that were where I wanted them.”
Joe Jimenez pitched the eighth and Shane Greene threw the ninth for his 17th save.
Lynn (4-5) took a shutout into the seventh but ended up allowing three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings.
”I wanted to pitch the seventh,” Lynn said. ”When all is said and done, it is a loss. I need to be better next time.”
The Twins took a first-inning lead for the second day in a row. With one out, Eddie Rosario doubled and scored on Eduardo Escobar’s base hit.
After that, the game belonged to Fulmer and Lynn. After six innings, the Twins still led 1-0 with four hits to Detroit’s three.
John Hicks, though, led off the bottom of the seventh with his first career triple, a line drive to the right-centerfield gap.
”That’s a good place to get a triple, and when I got to second base, I looked out there and they still hadn’t picked up the ball
Authentic Mark Andrews Jersey ,” Hicks said. ”I figured I should be able to make it to third at that point.”
Niko Goodrum followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. With two out, Lynn hit Jose Iglesias, and Jones hit Lynn’s 114th and final pitch over the
wall.
”There were a lot of big smiles after that home run,” Gardenhire said. ”It was good to see JaCoby get one.”
The homer was the first Lynn had allowed in his last six starts.
”I have to get us out of that inning,” he said. ”I didn’t do that, and it cost us the win.”
Detroit’s three-run seventh came one day after the Tigers scored four in the eighth inning of a 5-2 win.
”It is fun to watch these guys play right now in the late innings,” Fulmer said. ”As a starting pitcher, I’d appreciate a few more first-inning runs, but
this is great.”
SANO DEMOTED
After the game, Twins manager Paul Molitor announced Miguel Sano had been optioned to Fort Myers of the Class-A Florida State League. Sano, an All Star in
2017, is hitting .203, including .148 in his last seven games. He last played in
the FSL in 2013.
”We’re going to get him down there and give him an opportunity to get things back on track,” Molitor said. ”We don’t feel like we’re getting what we need
from him, and he’s going to have to get down there and get to work.”
CASTELLANOS STRUGGLING
With Miguel Cabrera out for the season
Authentic Vinny Curry Jersey , Nicholas Castellanos is expected to become Detroit’s key hitter. Castellanos is hitting .133 in his last 10 games and is
hitless in his last 18 at-bats, but Gardenhire doesn’t plan to interfere.
”I try not to have many deep conversations with that young man because most of what he says goes over my head,” Gardenhire joked. ”Every time we get
talking, I leave with my head spinning.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: 1B Joe Mauer, who has been out since May 19 with a neck strain and concussion symptoms, is expected to return to the lineup on Friday. . Along with
the Sano move, the Twins optioned OF Jake Cave to Triple-A Rochester.
Tigers: Cabrera was scheduled to have his ruptured bicep tendon repaired Thursday. The team expects him to be ready for spring training. … C James McCann
returned to the lineup after missing three games with the flu.
UP NEXT
Twins: Travel to Cleveland for a three-game weekend series. Kyle Gibson (1-4, 3.45) faces Cleveland’s Corey Kluber (10-2, 1.99) in Friday’s opener.
Tigers: Start a three-city, eight-game road trip with a weekend series against the White Sox. Mike Fiers (5-3, 4.01) will start for Detroit on Friday
against Chicago’s Reynaldo Lopez (2-4, 3.26).
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