Ranking the owners: JR #3

[Murph]

Jerry Richardson - A year ago, just before I unveiled these rankings, Richardson rocked my world by firing his sons, a clear sign of two things: He’s firmly back in the saddle after a heart transplant that saved his life, and he takes his role as the managing partner of an ownership group very, very seriously. At the NFL owner meetings in Orlando last March Richardson, the management council’s point man on the labor front, made an even more emphatic statement, opening a session on the first day with a fiery speech that had some of his peers ready to run through a wall. Recalls one witness, “Jerry said, ‘We signed a [expletive] deal last time, and we’re going to stick together and take back our league and [expletive] do something about it.’ He was practically yelling. It was amazing, and it set an incredible tone.” It helped that Richardson had as much credibility as anybody in the room. He’s a former player who has thrived in a small-market setting without whining about its challenges and has consistently stuck up for the interests and concerns of others. He’s also one of commissioner Roger Goodell’s closest allies and is the emblem of integrity and professionalism. For what it’s worth I think Richardson likely had a potential lockout in mind when he resisted the temptation to fire coach John Fox after last season and throw tons of money at former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who lives in North Carolina. With Fox’s contract set to expire after the current campaign, this thing could go a lot of different ways, but I have little doubt that after the labor war ends and a new CBA is forged, Richardson will continue to push aggressively for a championship. And for what it’s worth Danny Morrison, the former TCU athletic director who Richardson hired as team president after relieving his son Mark of those duties, has gotten positive reviews in league circles.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ao0.pVpIB2d30VzoKmh3CzlDubYF?slug=ms-ownerrankingsparttwo090310

That little opening speech to the owners is something else. Anyone still think that our current revised, young team is here strictly for talent reasons and not for CBA reasons? Anyone still think JR might trade for or sign a WR with a (or demanding a) large multi-year deal? Think again.

[Kurb]

NFL is more important to JR than the people who support his business.

[panthersphan]

Great read...impressed... We gotta show JR some love at the home opener!

[mountainpantherfan]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ao0.pVpIB2d30VzoKmh3CzlDubYF?slug=ms-ownerrankingsparttwo090310

That little opening speech to the owners is something else. Anyone still think that our current revised, young team is here strictly for talent reasons and not for CBA reasons? Anyone still think JR might trade for or sign a WR with a (or demanding a) large multi-year deal? Think again.

Sorry Murph but that reports makes me love JR even more.

Did he make moves this season with the labor issue in mind, yes. But not for a lack of a bigger picture. In his mind, right or wrong, a new and better CBA will allow his team to better compete and win championships.

[natty]

He's making the point that the league is bigger than one season. I'll respond by not buying a single ticket, attend a single game or purchase a single piece of panthers merchandise. When he pays, I'll pay.

[Jaxel]

Will you watch them on TV natty? Then your still supporting amigo.

[pepaw]

WHat does he mean take the league back? The 60/40 payscale not fair? The fact that hardly any of the teams will disclose their earnings?

[E CaT PanTHer]

does anyone know how JR is doing?? I haven't heard much since his heart transplant.

[pstall]

Let me go look for my melted thread from several months ago on this.

[bigcuz]

Sorry Murph but that reports makes me love JR even more.

Did he make moves this season with the labor issue in mind, yes. But not for a lack of a bigger picture. In his mind, right or wrong, a new and better CBA will allow his team to better compete and win championships.

Dittos to mountainpantherfan

[Squirrel]

WHat does he mean take the league back? The 60/40 payscale not fair? The fact that hardly any of the teams will disclose their earnings?

Greenbay is a public team go check their earnings.

[mountainpantherfan]

WHat does he mean take the league back? The 60/40 payscale not fair? The fact that hardly any of the teams will disclose their earnings?

1) He means that the owners gave in to a deal in the last CBA to keep football going but it was a bad deal and thus the reason for the escape clause they used that created this issue in the first place. That CBA would have never been approved or supported if they knew that the economy was going to tank the way it did but were smart enough to place a clause in the CBA that would allow them to get out of it in case it did.

2) No, the 60/40 scale is not fair as compared to every other company in the world and compared to every business model there is out there. A business is considered to be in good financial standing if they can keep their personel salaries under 52%. That number is generally suggested for non-profits as it allows a business to tread water. In order to be considered a successfully financial company personel salaries should be around 40%. But lets not forget that the players are not the only "personel" on staff for the NFL. There is the league office, officials, coaches, assistants, scouts, trainers, stadium employees and front office staff including the GM. Why did so many front office employees lose there jobs across the NFL over the last two years? Because the players had to be paid...

3) The Carolina Panthers nor any other team is a publicly traded company and thus do not have to disclose any of their financial records. They do however give a gereral report, which is more than they have to do. I'm sorry but how many companys to you know of that disclose their financials to the public or for that matter even the employees. Non-profit or publicly traded company, yes. But that is not what the Panthers are. In my opinion, team owners have been more than generous in allowing the NFLPA to see the amount they have. How would the players feel if the owners asked that every player disclose publicly their finances?

[OneBadassCat]

Well players could just not be allowed to make 60 million over 5-6 years. That might help.

[mountainpantherfan]

Sorry, computer malfunction. Repost.