Muhammad tries to shepherd young Panthers teammates.........

[AKPantherFan]

Muhammad tries to shepherd young Panthers teammates

By Darin Gantt - [email protected] SPARTANBURG -- Muhsin Muhammad freely admits that in his first few years in the league, he might not have been ready to hear the message.

But now he's the one spreading it, as the Carolina Panthers' player representative to the NFL Players Association, trying to teach the young players in camp the message of the union and about the stormy seas ahead.

The 36-year-old wide receiver fell into his current job after being elected alternate rep last year. Longtime Panthers player rep Jason Kyle was allowed to walk in free agency, and signed with New Orleans this offseason, leaving Muhammad with the job of keeping players up to date on union proceedings.

Chuck Burton/ - As the Panthers' union rep, receiver Muhsin Muhammad has tried to prepare his younger teammates for the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011.CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS “We've got a pretty young team,” Muhammad said. “What's important at this point is to educate the young guys about the history of the NFL, the history of the union, the significance it has so they can carry the torch. Because as you well know, players come and players go, but the owners are always here. So the new players need to understand what they're stepping into.

“You know, I don't think a guy who comes into the NFL, first or second year, really understands. It takes a while to really understand the business side of football. When you're a young guy, you're so focused on making an impact on your team that you're not really focused on the business. After a while, it does become evident that it plays a big role.”

Muhammad wasn't sure he wanted to get involved with union leadership until he went to Chicago in 2005, and became the alternate rep there. Since then, he's become more deeply interested in the process.

And make no mistake, these are potentially turbulent times for the NFLPA and its members.

In May 2008, owners voted to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA. That means that barring a new deal, 2010 will be played without a salary cap and the potential exists for a work stoppage in 2011.

Pressed for an opinion on what he thought would happen, Muhammad was realistic about the possibility of no football two years from now.

“That's what it's scheduled to be right now” he said. “The owners were the ones who wanted to opt out of the deal. I'm not sure exactly how it's going to play itself out, but I hope we can come to some resolve.

“I think it's pretty high right now (the chance of a lockout). Unfortunately I think it is. Until the talks begin, my position is that it will more likely happen than not happen.”

And with that in the back of his mind, his off-field job is becoming more important.

To prepare its membership for the possibility of no paychecks in 2011, the NFLPA is pushing a “50/50” campaign, hoping its members will save half their earnings for the next two years so they'll be ready for a work stoppage.

It's an admirable goal in even the best economic times, but particularly now. The NFLPA has been careful to point out to players that even rookies making the minimum ($310,000 this year) are among the top one percent of earners in the country,

“It's essential that players are financially prepared to withstand the loss of income due to a lockout,” NFLPA Financial Programs Director Dana Hammonds said in a recent statement. “A financially sound membership represents a strong bargaining group.”

Second-year wide receiver Kenny Moore said Muhammad has done a good job of keeping the issues in front of players, pointing out the economic realities at every turn.

“He's encouraging guys to stay involved, really stay on top of things for us young guys who might not take it seriously or understand how serious it is,” Moore said. “He does a great job with that.”

The good news is, the message has gotten through to Moore. At the same time, he understands the temptations of new money, and knows how quickly it can go away.

“A lot of rookies come in, you have a lot of money you never had before, so it's easy to get out there and want to get this and get that,” Moore said. “You've got to have somebody help you out with that. I think as guys mature, they start to understand there. There are a lot of guys who have been in the NFL who don't have the money right now.

With a lot of guys when they get that contract, you're the big part of the family, and they're looking to you to help things with the family. Your whole family is leaning on you to succeed. When you make it, you want to be able to do things you haven't done before.”

Moore is fortunate to have such a mature view of the short-term money he's making now. Others might not be as aware, and that will be Muhammad's biggest job over the next year.

“I think as I matured as a player and became aware of all of the issues that surrounded our business, I wanted to take an interest in stepping up and becoming part of that,” he said.

more--- http://www.heraldonline.com/sports/story/1525811.html

enjoy

[CosmoGirl]

I hope they get this worked out.

[mantal]

Was listening to Colin Cowherd on the Herd on ESPN radio today when he said the statistics show that there is a very high percentage of NFL players who are broke and without a job 3 years out of the NFL, can't remember what he said it was, but it was shocking. He also said that there is an 80% amount of players divorced, while the percentage in Baseball is less than 3 and they go out for two weeks at a time, where NFL players are home every week. It was interesting...

[panther4life]

Read the article over lunch today..scary thought. Also if we do go an uncapped year wouldnt that have an adverse affect to teams who go willy nilly if they work on agreement and then we have a cap again in 2011? hope yall understand my question there if not i'll elaborate

[Snake]

The Players are really getting for too much. Thats why a deal has not been reached. I doubt there will be a deal and prob a short season that year because of greed. Moose is def a greedy person although a good player. He could have stayed with our team a few years ago for millions but the bears offered more and there was no home team discount. Im sorry I just dont have any love for people that make Millions yet think they need more. They are in the 5% already what the hell do they have to complain about?

[mantal]

The Players are really getting for too much. Thats why a deal has not been reached. I doubt there will be a deal and prob a short season that year because of greed. Moose is def a greedy person although a good player. He could have stayed with our team a few years ago for millions but the bears offered more and there was no home team discount.

What about coming back? I bet he coulda got more somewhere else. It wasn't about money when he left, he wanted to be a number one and knew he wouldn't be here...

[Snake]

What about coming back? I bet he coulda got more somewhere else. It wasn't about money when he left, he wanted to be a number one and knew he wouldn't be here...

He said himself that it was about the money back then. He said Carolina was good but the Bears offered more so I took it. Moose is a business man first and a player second. Coming back he had the best chance to be a number two and we payed him a good sum as well. People seem to forget he bad mouthed us in the playoffs in 05. Told the media that Fox didnt keep the team motivated enough to win the SB. Then turned around and bashed the bears when he came back:lol:. Im not knocking him as a player cause he gives his all but he also goes to the highest bidder also.

[mantal]

He said himself that it was about the money back then. He said Carolina was good but the Bears offered more so I took it. Moose is a business man first and a player second. Coming back he had the best chance to be a number two and we payed him a good sum as well. People seem to forget he bad mouthed us in the playoffs in 05. Told the media that Fox didnt keep the team motivated enough to win the SB. Then turned around and bashed the bears when he came back:lol:. Im not knocking him as a player cause he gives his all but he also goes to the highest bidder also.

Well, it's your prerogative to think as you want to. But if you'll do a little research, you'll see that there wasn't enough difference in the salary we offered and what Chi offered to make that the reason, there just wasn't, it wasn't millions, it was far less. But if that's what you want to think, more power to you...

[User Name]

Being a right to work state can't the Panthers players opt out of the union

JK I realize the Players need a union, but I'm against unions as a whole, they cause more harm than good.

[Snake]

Well, it's your prerogative to think as you want to. But if you'll do a little research, you'll see that there wasn't enough difference in the salary we offered and what Chi offered to make that the reason, there just wasn't, it wasn't millions, it was far less. But if that's what you want to think, more power to you...

What carolina offered was never disclosed to my knowledge. The fact is the Bears offered more and Moose took it. Really if they were close then its even worst cause he didnt cut us any sort of break. What you said even if true dose not remove the fact that he bashed Carolina and that he ran to the highest bidder. Just reinforces my statement he thinks of himself first.

[Khyber53]

Carolina could have never paid Moose that $10 million roster bonus. Chicago, however, desperately needed a receiver and had the money to pay (and remember that Moose had just posted a huge number of TDs the year before).

I don't think Carolina wanted to see him go, and I don't think Moose really wanted to go either. But he was able to pocket millions of dollars for a two-year exile in Chicago, millions that he deserved to earn for the career he's had.

Of course, I've been thrilled since it was first announced that he was coming back to us. I'd take the one Moose we have over a whole field of Owens, Ochosincos, Boldins, Burresses and Mosses.

[southcakalac]

^^

I'd take Boldin out of those guys.