Upshaw Upshot

Strange, strange behind the scenes doing at the NFLPA and the leadership of executive director Gene Upshaw. Ravens kicker Matt Stover sent an email to player reps suggesting that Upshaw be replaced by next year. Stover has since backtracked and now there is news that it was Upshaw that broached the subject of succession plans with the NFLPA executive committee and subsequently the player reps. Bizarrely, Upshaw says that the replacement plan Stover floated was actually the plan Upshaw presented to the payers’ association.

 

Upshaw has earned a reputation as the owners’ stooge. And yet he did manage to negotiate a labor deal in which the players get 60% of total league revenue for the salary cap. The deal has been so “unfair,” some owners have suggested re-visiting the deal, which the agreement allows so long as it occurs before November 8, 2009. Call me skeptical, but Upshaw has been so accommodating and such a great cover for the owners’ behind the scenes ability to print money, I don’t for a second believe that the owners would re-open the deal. I suspect that the owners’ complaints is actually a conspiracy meant to protect Upshaw and give him a better reputation among the players, all the better to keep him in place and allow the Jerry Jones to continue to outmaneuver the union.

 

Aside from Upshaw, the association appears to be leaderless since Troy Vincent stepped down as president last month.