Sources: NFLPA orders draft boycott

[Murph]

If we select Mallett with our 1st pick, I would rather not watch him go up to stage and hold up a jersey for pictures...just prolongs my misery.

Maybe this isnt a bad thing

[teeray]

Ok, The Draft and that entire spectacle is an NFL product. The players are officially locked out by the NFL. Why would they be there? The gloves came off as negotiations were over. If I was the Union I would also ask the players not to show up. If I was a player I would probably not want to alienate my peers on my first day. If I the "NFL" network or whomever the network that is broadcasting the draft I would be pissed. I just look at this like another incentive on getting done quicker. I mean it's not like the players aren't still going to be drafted.

That is great from a leverage stand point and is great for the players in the league.

What PISSES me off is their willingness to take the greatest day in these kid's lives, and try to take it away FROM THE KIDS to try to get leverage.

These kids have waited THEIR WHOLE LIVES FOR THIS MOMENT.

Just shows that the NFLPA doesn't care about things like that. They just want leverage to make the NFL = MLB.

You can't defend taking the young college kid's day away from them like that.

[MadHatter]

Then aren't they tampering by communicating with players and prospective players if the don't represent them?

Not sure the legality of it. The NFLPA still exists. However, they are not a union organziation representing the players.

[stirs]

Very Petty

Man, if they are this petty, i could see how it would be a blast to negotiate with them.

I would not "dig" that

[Udogg]

For the record I think both sides are full of poo. I just think the owners tried to strong arm the players in the beginning and it lead to an impass. They could have easily given concessions weeks ago, but according to most reports, they were not even close to where the last proposal was. Going 18 games, rookie caps, 2 billion off the top, and negotiating that back door TV deal was too much to start with.

[teeray]

It's still an organization that represents the players. It's just not legally a union, but a trade association.

gotcha thanks

[Swarly]

funny

6 months from now the majority of the players will be broke and thousands+ in debt, while the owners will be chuckling in their mansions at a bunch of dumbass athletes trying to strong arm them into a new deal

they will then accept a worse deal than originally offered

[MadHatter]

That is great from a leverage stand point and is great for the players in the league.

What PISSES me off is their willingness to take the greatest day in these kid's lives, and try to take it away FROM THE KIDS to try to get leverage.

These kids have waited THEIR WHOLE LIVES FOR THIS MOMENT.

Just shows that the NFLPA doesn't care about things like that. They just want leverage to make the NFL = MLB.

You can't defend taking the young college kid's day away from them like that.

I don't think this gives the NFLPA or the players any additional leverage. The fact that the players are not present changes NOTHING with the workings of the draft.

It just makes the existing players look like spoiled little bitches.

[Dpantherman]

DeMaurice Smith is no long in charge of the NFLPA

[Nicbsbll2]

The Players Association has no power over the incoming players. They aren't a union, so they don't legally represent the players. Also since they aren't a union, the players are required to be a member of this trade association. If I was a top prospect, and my dream of hearing my name called and walking across the stage was coming up, I would be damned if I'm letting some two bit trade association, one that I don't currently belong to, tell me I can't go to New York and walk the stage.

[Swarly]

I don't think this gives the NFLPA or the players any additional leverage. The fact that the players are not present changes NOTHING with the workings of the draft.

It just makes the existing players look like spoiled little bitches.

actually it destroys ratings for the NFL network/ESPN/etc since no one is going to sit around and watch it when no players will be going up to get their jersey and do interviews. people would just follow it via live updater/blogs on several websites.

[MadHatter]

The Players Association has no power over the incoming players. They aren't a union, so they don't legally represent the players. Also since they aren't a union, the players are required to be a member of this trade association. If I was a top prospect, and my dream of hearing my name called and walking across the stage was coming up, I would be damned if I'm letting some two bit trade association, one that I don't currently belong to, tell me I can't go to New York and walk the stage.

Not quite as simple as that for the rookies. This really makes a tough decison for them. Do they live out their life long dream of walking the stage. Or, do they risk alienating and pissign off the veterans that they will some day be playing with.

This is a bush league move by the players and the NFLPA.

[MadHatter]

actually it destroys ratings for the NFL network/ESPN/etc since no one is going to sit around and watch it when no players will be going up to get their jersey and do interviews. people would just follow it via live updater/blogs on several websites.

See your point....but not sure how much it will really matter.

I am just as inclined to watch without the players as I am with them.

I don't care about the interviews. I am more interested in teh picks and the analysts comments and discussions on the picks.

[riddel]

Reporter: A black car traveling south on I95 blew a Goodyear tire and flipped 12 times before lauching landing in a canal.

After 3 people passed on the report: An orange cat flipped off a canine.

How can this report really have already been completely screwed up by you guys after 30 minutes?

It's real simple, the players want to collect the revenues of a public appearance to accept their draft position as selected. Why shouldn't they profit? They are the commodity.....this is just another example of that. I think it's hilarious.

The NFL Players Association is putting into place a plan that would prevent each top college prospect from attending next month's draft in New York, according to multiple league sources. The NFLPA already has contacted 17 top prospects that ordinarily would have received an invitation to attend the draft and informed them not to go.

Thus, when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the name of the first player selected, the player will not walk on to the stage at Radio City Music Hall as has been the custom. And the player will not be there to do interviews with ESPN or NFL Network. The draft will go on, but not in the manner in which it has been conducted before.

"As of right now, this is 100 percent happening," said one source familiar with the Players Association's thinking. "This is going down."

The Players Association even has gone so far as to consider placing the players on another competing network to do post-pick interviews, though no final decisions have been made. Another source said that, in this day and age, it's possible that the top prospects also could appear on a social media network platform, only.

"We plan to invite the 15-20 top prospects and their families to New York as we normally do for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. And, as always, it is the decision of the players and their families as to whether they attend," league spokesman Greg Aiello said in response to the report.

Yet another source suggested the NFL still could try to pay the incoming rookies to attend the draft, but it is something the league never has done in the past. The NFL has always paid the expenses for the invited players and their immediate family to attend.

Last Friday, the union decertified, meaning it declared itself out of the business of representing players. In exchange for giving up their rights under labor law, the players are able to take their chances in court under antitrust law.

Although it no longer represents players, the NFLPA still exists "as a professional trade association with the mission of supporting the interests and rights of current and former professional football players," it said after decertifying.

Adam Schefter is ESPN's NFL Insider. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.