Jeff Pash Optimistic about new CBA Agreement Being Reached
Jeff Pash, the NFL's executive vice president of labor and general counsel, is confident that the league and the players’ union can reach a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA agreement) to prevent a lockout of the 2011 season.
The critical issues regarding the two sides stem mostly from human growth hormone (HGH) testing for players, a rookie wage scale, and the potential transition to an 18-game season. The two sides have not been able to settle those issues thus far, however Pash has expressed optimism and insisted the league is committed to reaching an agreement with the union and avoiding a potential work stoppage.
"Our commitment to everyone -- to our fans, to all of the clubs and the players -- is to work as hard as we can to reach a new agreement," Pash said.
"There will be an agreement," Pash said. "I am very confident of that."
Pash also discussed that the next collective bargaining agreement must directly address the league’s issues.
"When someone tells you that they're happy with the deal and we should just extend it without changing a thing, that's a code for saying it's a pretty one-sided deal," he said. "Let's come up with a system that builds the game, that grows the game and that delivers better value for fans, and that's going to take some changes."
Funny he should say that because recently, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith suggested that the players were satisfied with the current deal.
"The players haven't asked for anything," Smith said. "The owners opted out of this deal. We've told them that we're happy with the deal the way it is right now before the uncapped year. We were willing to extend the current deal for another six years."
One lingering issue is the subject of HGH testing for players. The league has wanted to introduce the blood-testing formula used by the Olympics, but players have questioned the validity of the test. Pash claimed that the NFLPA is resistant to testing. He also said that the league has introduced a valid HGH test.
"I can't speak for everyone, but what I can say is our understanding of the science is that there have been substantial advances and that the Olympic anti-doping authorities have validated the test," Pash said. "We think it is at the point where it is appropriate to introduce it into the NFL."
Pash also addressed the fact that the NFL is looking to extend the regular season to 18 games.
"We could say that we're going to go to 18 games without reducing the preseason," he said. "(What) we should do is deliver a season that is of greater value to our fans by having them get 18 games that they want as opposed to 16."
Pash also discussed the league’s desire to limit the amount of money rookies make and shift some of that money to the league’s veterans.
"There is no reason why a player should come into the NFL and, before he has his first practice, is one of the highest-paid players not only in the league but in all of professional sports," Pash said.
Pash stated that both sides are trying very hard to work out a new deal and that neither side wants a work stoppage to happen. He remains confident that both sides can come to an agreement on time.
"This is a very complicated set of agreements that we have to work on, and we're going to keep at it," he said. "I'm optimistic."
Pash also cited the economy’s current state as an issue complicating negotiations.
"It is really no different from what you see in the broader economy, where businesses all over America are sitting on cash, they're not hiring and they're not expanding because they don't know what the economy is going to be like," Pash said. "... You're seeing the same thing here. People don't know. What's the cap going to be in 2011? What will the rules be concerning player signings? What will the rookie system be going forward? That tends to cause people on both sides to sit back and wait to try to get some clarity."
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