Stover Wants Upshaw Out

[ragnorok99]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3336017

Looks like he e-mailed some other players and is trying to get the head of the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw, removed by 2009.

Thoughts?

[minford]

I get pissed at journalists who leak information that just shouldn't be leaked. Its such #$*^%* move on ESPN's part to forward the email to Upshaw. Let the players union work this out, theres no need to drag people thru the mud like this.

Anyways, back on topic. I know nothing about this topic except that the Players Union needs to do more for the older & poorer vets who have a ton of medical problems and can't afford treatment. Tom Maddy (sp) of the Baltimore Colts/ ESPN Radio 1300 is a big champion of this cause.

[Devastat1on]

I get pissed at journalists who leak information that just shouldn't be leaked. Its such #$*^%* move on ESPN's part to forward the email to Upshaw. Let the players union work this out, theres no need to drag people thru the mud like this.

Anyways, back on topic. I know nothing about this topic except that the Players Union needs to do more for the older & poorer vets who have a ton of medical problems and can't afford treatment. Tom Maddy (sp) of the Baltimore Colts/ ESPN Radio 1300 is a big champion of this cause.

Agreed. This shouldnt have been leaked out to the media and you're absolutely 100% correct when you said the Players Union needs to help out the older vets with medical problems.

WP

[ragnorok99]

It sounds like Upshaw was already aware of this email, so I'm not sure if ESPN was actually the first entity to contact him about it...but you guys are right, it's kind of weird that they had a copy in the first place.

With that said, I agree with Stover. I've seen little done to help the retired players who can barely get out of bed, while rookie contracts continue to get more and more ridiculous. Plus, I don't think Upshaw is the right person to lead labor negotiations--he seems uncompromising to a fault, and his threats of "no more salary cap" aren't going to get anything accomplished if the league does end up having an uncapped season.

Him saying that Stover "has no clue" shows how boorish he can be.

Regardless of whether it should be out there or not, Stover's letter is available to read. It seems like he has a good plan for finding a new director, if they decide to do that.

Edit: Oh, and if this topic would be more relevant somewhere else, please move it.

[neepo13]

This is totally legit. According to a rule that Upshaw himself proposed and helped pass, the NFLPA president is supposed to step down by the age of 65. Upshaw turns 65 this year and has said that he will ignore his own rule and stay in until the current CBA is renegotiated. Upshaw seems to only be concerned with screwing over the owners because they didnt hire him as the new commish. With Upshaw as the head of the players union, mark my words we will face a player lock out in the future.

Found the link:

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/58510

Edit:

I got it wrong he is supposed to step down before 2010, which is when he turns 65. But he wont because thats when labor negotiations are supposed to pick up again.

[minford]

It sounds like Upshaw was already aware of this email, so I'm not sure if ESPN was actually the first entity to contact him about it...

The article says he was aware of the email but hadn't read it til ESPN forwarded him a copy.

This is totally legit. According to a rule that Upshaw himself proposed and helped pass, the NFLPA president is supposed to step down by the age of 65. Upshaw turns 65 this year and has said that he will ignore his own rule and stay in until the current CBA is renegotiated. Upshaw seems to only be concerned with screwing over the owners because they didnt hire him as the new commish. With Upshaw as the head of the players union, mark my words we will face a player lock out in the future.

Found the link:

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/58510

Edit:

I got it wrong he is supposed to step down before 2010, which is when he turns 65. But he wont because thats when labor negotiations are supposed to pick up again.

Regardless, its still very dbaggy to refuse to step down when youre supposed to. Its not like he's the only one who knows whats happening and can close the deal.

[theFRANCHISE]

Him saying that Stover "has no clue" shows how boorish he can be.

And it's statements like Upshaw's about Stover that prove why Kyle Turley managed to come up with a better solution to help the retired veterans than anything the NFLPA has come up with thus far.

Turley's idea to have players voluntarily donate Week 15 game checks was great, especially considering how much these players make per game (depending on their years in the league).

Even some NFL officials make a little under $10,000 per game.

The fact that Turley said roughly 15 to 20 players donated their game checks means a decent sum was raised for the veterans. If the entire league were to do something like that, then imagine how much could be raised THEN.

Sad that Gene Upshaw hasn't taken more of an initiative, and blindly thinks that he's handled it well.

In my opinion, I'm all for someone like Troy Vincent to take over; he's gotten nothing but praise from his peers for his tenure as the NFLPA President, and he's a high-character individual, as evidenced by his 2002 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

[FerrariFan87]

It's sad that an e-mail like this got out when it was supposed to be for just a select few... that being said, Upshaw stepping down is long overdue and it is about time the wheels got turning on finding his replacement.

[neepo13]

Wow, his fellow players are not even backing him up on this after one of them probably had something to do with this being leaked.

Mawae, elected last month as the unions new president, dismissed Stovers letter.

Matt Stovers letter does not reflect the view of the entire executive committee or the board of player representatives, he said in a statement issued by the union. The board is in the process of preparing for the possibility of a work stoppage and understands the importance of having Gene, with his experience and history, lead the direction of the NFLPA.

Added former NFLPA president Troy Vincent: Its absolutely ridiculous.

[Drkraven]

Go Matt. I agree this should have not been leaked--that is unprofessional and childish.

[Raven07]

agreed......and i strongly feel for stover on this.....for a few reasons.....Stover is doing what he feels is best, not just for him alone, but for everyone in general....thus he's stepping forward and taking immediate action...for those of which thought about doing such a thing, but was too afraid or scared something bad was going to happen.

[ragnorok99]

Ok, so apparently Stover is only trying to get a system in place to replace Upshaw when the time comes, not remove him outright:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3338795

I still like his idea.

[neepo13]

Ok, so apparently Stover is only trying to get a system in place to replace Upshaw when the time comes, not remove him outright:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3338795

I still like his idea.

That makes sense because Upshaw has refused to name his replacement. He is required by NFLPA rules to step down before 2010 because of his age and he doesnt want to so he wont name a replacement.

[CARavensFan]

I just think this entire thing has been blown out of proportion by the media to make some type of story since nothing is going on until the draft. Everyone is dying for something football-related to write about, just read most of the articles and you'll see how they are jumping for person to person stringing together quotes to make it seem like something is happening.

Stover's email said nothing about ousting Upshaw, only putting a system in place to provide for his replacement and have the heir-apparent ready when the reins needed to be handed over to make everything run smoothly; like any good business should. I guarantee if this had happened right after the draft or during any other time is would not have gotten the coverage it has and would have just been ignored for what it is, Stover doing his job as a the Ravens Player Rep.

[ragnorok99]

I just think this entire thing has been blown out of proportion by the media to make some type of story since nothing is going on until the draft. Everyone is dying for something football-related to write about, just read most of the articles and you'll see how they are jumping for person to person stringing together quotes to make it seem like something is happening.

Stover's email said nothing about ousting Upshaw, only putting a system in place to provide for his replacement and have the heir-apparent ready when the reins needed to be handed over to make everything run smoothly; like any good business should. I guarantee if this had happened right after the draft or during any other time is would not have gotten the coverage it has and would have just been ignored for what it is, Stover doing his job as a the Ravens Player Rep.

Yeah, I should have read his e-mail more carefully before posting this topic with the the chosen title--I basically parroted what Mortensen said. As it is, I'll definitely be viewing Mortensen's stuff with a more critical/cynical eye in the future.

[Raven07]

stover said that his intentions werent at all to make this whole deal, a Public matter as it now has become....he said that it was supposed to be strictly on the private level, known only to those whom Stover wanted. now with whats its now become, everything has just seemed to be "blown out of proportion" as everything seems to be once the media gets a hold of it.

[rayvenfan_52]

plus the media will try to change some stuff up in order to get peoples attention

[Raven07]

I just think this entire thing has been blown out of proportion by the media to make some type of story since nothing is going on until the draft. Everyone is dying for something football-related to write about, just read most of the articles and you'll see how they are jumping for person to person stringing together quotes to make it seem like something is happening.

Stover's email said nothing about ousting Upshaw, only putting a system in place to provide for his replacement and have the heir-apparent ready when the reins needed to be handed over to make everything run smoothly; like any good business should. I guarantee if this had happened right after the draft or during any other time is would not have gotten the coverage it has and would have just been ignored for what it is, Stover doing his job as a the Ravens Player Rep.

yea i totally agree with you here......this whole deal is being competely blown out of proportion here, Stover even said that this wasnt supposed to be a public matter, it was meant solely for the purpose of only a select few, to hear and see. then the media got a hold of it, and just totally turned it into something that looks ALOT bigger of a deal than it really was meant to be.

seeing how the media often (once a hold of material) seems to transform and mold things into what was not or is not necessarily the Truth...they tend to take a hold of it, mold it into their way/fashion and make it sound the way they want it to hear....thus the actual translation and tran of thought from the actual orginator, is often lost within the hype and all the talk.

[smashmouth82]

I get pissed at journalists who leak information that just shouldn't be leaked. Its such #$*^%* move on ESPN's part to forward the email to Upshaw. Let the players union work this out, theres no need to drag people thru the mud like this.

Anyways, back on topic. I know nothing about this topic except that the Players Union needs to do more for the older & poorer vets who have a ton of medical problems and can't afford treatment. Tom Maddy (sp) of the Baltimore Colts/ ESPN Radio 1300 is a big champion of this cause.

anything and everything is news in sports now. it fills a time slot and makes it look good.

[Raven07]

that is true, and in a way, its really quite saddening to see sometimes...all the media people flocking to every bit of a story that they might hear or might consider being a "top story".....when in all senses of reality, people do want to have their own privacy to themsevles and do certain things on their own accord, without anyone interveening or whatever else.....

sometimes that line is crossed by the media because of where the person or subject of the matter sets or draws the line at....Stover said that this wasnt at all supposed to be the thing that the media blew it up to be. nor did he ever call for it.... it shows that the media is just often times crossing boudaries FAR FAR more than they should.

[Ravens_Pwn12]

what is so bad about upshaw?