SB Nation - Troy Vincent

What they're saying - Eagles beat Bears

JasonB — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:31:55 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

about 1 month ago: Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (29) races to the end zone past Chicago Bears safety Danieal Manning (38) to score the winning touchdown in the Eagles 24-20 win during an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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LeSean McCoy talked about what his TD meant to his confidence

"In terms of my confidence, it definitely boosted it. Having the opportunity to make a play, even after a mistake, it was awesome. It's also on the shoulders of the line. There was some excellent blocking to make some room for us."

Donovan McNabb was asked what he said to Jay Cutler after the game

"I got a chance to talk to Jay a little bit. What we talked about, we are going to keep between us. It's a fraternity of the quarterbacks. I've been through a different situation, but somewhat similar to what he is going through right now. I will continue to provide confidence for him and let him know that he's not the only one who has been through a situation like this. Everyone's been through a situation where you struggle a little bit, but he will bounce back."

Andy Reid talked about what the win meant

"We haven't had a lot of luck in the close games. This time, the guys battled through. They really weren't worrying about what was happening, and just keep banging on. I am proud of them for that. The coaches never got down and they kept pushing. I thought the coordinators did a nice job. Ted Daisher (special teams) really had to deal with a tough card, having to deal with Devin Hester and Johnny Knox."

More after the jump

Jason Peters talked about re-injuring his ankle during the game

I rolled it," Peters said. "I just kept going. I tried not to think about it."

"Brown was getting off the rock," he said of Brown's quickness. "I was late off the ball. But man, when I'm healthy, nobody can beat me."

Sheldon Brown talked about his gutty performance playing with an injured hamstring

"Troy Vincent would be proud of me," Brown said. "I’ve seen him play with some wraps and bandages and all kinds of stuff. I looked up to Troy in a lot of ways and this was one of the ways he always taught me – sometimes you’re not going to feel 100 percent, but you have to put it in your mind that you can get it done and you just have to play smart, play to the defense’s strength. You can’t gamble as much as I would like to, but you play smart you can get through."

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns

sireric — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:30:15 -0000

Buffalo Bills (1-3) vs Cleveland Browns (0-4)
Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 1:00 PM ET
Ralph Wilson Stadium - Orchard Park, NY

Random, unexpected pre-post note: Cleveland on Wednesday morning traded WR Braylon Edwards to the Jets in exchange for WR Chansi Stuckey, LB Jason Trusnick, and two undisclosed draft picks. Essentially, Buffalo will be playing against Edwards soon - it's just been delayed a week. Report comes via ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Well, it took last week's "game" to finally bring out the pessimist in me. This Buffalo Bills team is really killing my enthusiasm for football. But the cupcake Cleveland Browns are coming in this week, so they should be pushovers, right? I'm fairly certain that is the sentiment that most of us had the last two seasons when the Bills played the Browns, and look how that turned out. If you forget how that turned out just, skip the rest of my rambling and hit the jump.

The Browns and Bills have met fifteen times during their histories, despite being less then 190 miles from each other, that includes one playoff game. The Browns hold an all-time edge in the series 10-5, including wins in their last two meetings. Hit the jump for the last five meeting in greater detail.

Sunday, November 4, 1990: Bills 42, Browns 0
Ah, the good old days when the Bills could take a weaker team behind the wood shed and beat them senseless. The Bills ran for only 102 yards on the day, but four runs ended in touchdowns. Thurman Thomas had three touchdowns on the day (two rushing and one receiving), while Jamie Mueller and Kenneth Davis punched in the other two offensive scores. Darryl Talley picked off two Mike Pagel passes, taking one of them 60 yards to the house to cap the scoring for the Bills. The Browns had 43 rushing yards on the day and committed 13 penalties for 87 yards to aid the Bills. Marvcus Patton and Hal Garner recorded a half-sack each.

Monday, October 2, 1995: Bills 22, Browns 19
Steve Christie (three field goals) and Matt Stover (four) had very active days for their respective teams. The Bills got two Jim Kelly touchdown passes - one to Justin Armour and the other to Andre Reed - while the Browns got a 69-yard punt return for a score by Derrick Alexander to round out the scoring. Vinny Testaverde hit his favorite target, Andre Rison, to the tune of 6 catches for 126 yards, but it wasn't enough for the Browns. Phil Hansen (1.0), Bruce Smith (1.0), and Bryce Paup (1.0) all recorded sacks for the Bills.

Sunday, December 12, 2004: Bills 37, Browns 7
Ah, the good old days when the Bills could take a weaker team behind the wood shed and beat them senseless... again... but this time with defense. Luke McCown and the uber-popular Jeff Garcia combined to go 9 of 21 passing for 62 yards while getting sacked 8 times for a loss of 108 yards. Add to that the pitiful 29 yards rushing for the Browns, and Buffalo's defense held Cleveland to 17 total yards of offense on the day. Ouch. And you thought the Bills' offense was bad? Willis McGahee ran for 105 yards and two scores to pace the offense. Sam Adams (2.0), Chris Kelsay (1.0), Jeff Posey (1.0), Aaron Schobel (2.0), Lawyer Milloy (1.0), and Troy Vincent (1.0) all recorded sacks, and Vincent and Nate Clements added interceptions.

Sunday, December 16, 2007: Browns 8, Bills 0
This was the "Blizzard Game" from 2007. You remember - the one that started a three-game slide to end the season and eliminated the Bills from playoff contention. Jamal Lewis put the Browns on his back to the tune of 163 yards rushing. The Bills' offense, on the other hand, did almost nothing, with the exception of a single long run by Marshawn Lynch that didn't result in any points. And, of course, on the final play of the game, with the Bills attempting to tie it up... well, you know.

Monday, November 17, 2008: Browns 29, Bills 27
Trent Edwards came out of the gates firing in this one! Three interceptions to the Browns in the first quarter really set the tone for this game. Cleveland capitalized by going up 13-0 on two Phil Dawson field goals and a Josh Cribbs two-yard touchdown run. Two Rian Lindell field goals and a Marshawn Lynch 18-yard touchdown catch sandwiched another Dawson field goal to bring the Bills to within three points at 16-13. Jerome Harrison then broke Buffalo's back by rumbling 72 yards for a touchdown. Yes - that remains the lone career touchdown of his four-year career. Leodis McKelvin then resuscitated Bills fans by taking the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a score to stay three points down. After another Dawson field goal, Edwards plunged into the end zone to give the Bills a 27-26 lead. But that jerk Dawson hit his fifth field goal of the day - and then Lindell missed one wide right as time expired - to give the Browns victory.

Maximizing Ronde Barber

Sandy Kazmir — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:30:13 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

Soooo close. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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So far our defense has looked pretty good, right? Right? Especially that secondary, right? Anybody??? OK, there's no fooling Bucs fans let alone rival offensive coaches. Right now they are licking their chops to play us so that they can send up some fireworks. My solution, since learning that Tanard Jackson has an undisclosed substance abuse problem, is to move Ronde Barber back to FS. This move would not be unprecedented as other players have made the switch. Probably the best example is Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. After starting at corner for 10 years Baltimore decided to put him on the back line. At the age of 34 he had a bit of a renaissance season netting 7 picks and making 54 solo tackles. As an aging player that was never really known for his quicks, this move allowed him to play another five seasons after the switch.

From 1999 to 2003 Rod Woodson started 74 games at FS. In that time he amassed 24 interceptions with 5 of them coming all the way back for TDs. His nose for the ball allowed him to be in position to knock out 3 fumbles as well as pick up 10. In this time he amassed 287 tackles (about 57 a year) while assisting on another 64 (about another 12).

Rod Woodson is not the only example that comes to mind. Aeneas Williams switched over his last two seasons. The same can be said for Troy Vincent and Artrell Hawkins. Two others that made the switch much earlier are Ronnie Lott and Antrel Rolle. Here is a look at their career numbers at each position:

	Barber		R. Woodson		A. Williams		Vincent		Lott		A. Rolle		A. Hawkins		Total
	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S	CB	S
Starts	168		154	74	181	26	173	23	66	123	28	16	76	16	678	278
Sacks	23		13.5	0	2	1	4.5	1	3.5	5	0	0	3	1	26.5	8
Int	37		47	24	51	4	42	5	23	40	7	1	10	1	180	75
Int. TD	7		7	5	8	1	3	0	4	1	3	1	1	0	26	8
FF	11		17	3	5	3	11	1	2	14	2	0	10	2	47	23
FR	10		22	10	19	4	9	3	5	12	0	0	6	1	61	30
Fumble TD	4		1	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
Solo Tackle	755		763	287	577	100	663	61	420	693	157	77	361	65	2941	1283
Assist Tackle	149		43	64	94	23	115	33	0	33	19	11	43	25	314	189

Something common to all of these players is that they could always be found around the ball. That is what you want out of your safety. A thinker that can break down what is going on in front of him and keep it there. There haven't been too many players like Ronde Barber in the history of the league. He's a sure tackler, great blitzer, and can do something when the ball is in his hands. That he is undersized makes me root for him even harder. I would like to see Ronde stick around for a couple of more years and I think a move to FS is the best way to do that.

All numbers compiled from pro-football-reference

If anyone knows any other great examples of guys that made the switch please feel free to name-drop. I couldn't find a truly great resource so I had to go off the top of my head as well as what google was able to spit out.

49ers Year-by-Year: 1996

howtheyscored — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:00:35 -0000

In this installment of the 49ers Year-by-Year, we take a look at the 1996 season. This is another one of those glorious, punishing seasons. From unbridled hope to injury riddled mess to healthy resurrection to devastating playoff loss, the 49ers took fans on quite the roller coaster in 1996. It was a fun season, but it was also excruciating (especially for the battered and beaten Steve Young). And you can read about it here. Enjoy:

Date:	Opponent:	Score:	Record:	Opponent's Record:
Sept. 1	New Orleans Saints	W: 11-27	1-0	0-1
Sept. 8	St. Louis Rams	W: 0-34	2-0	1-1
Sept. 22	@ Carolina Panthers	L: 7-23	2-1	3-0
Sept. 29	Atlanta Falcons	W: 17-39	3-1	0-4
Oct. 6	@ St. Louis Rams	W: 28-11	4-1	1-5
Oct. 14	@ Green Bay Packers	L: 20-23	4-2	6-1
Oct. 20	Cincinnati Bengals	W: 21-28	5-2	1-6
Oct. 27	@ Houston Oilers	W: 10-9	6-2	5-3
Nov. 3	@ New Orleans Saints	W: 24-17	7-2	2-7
Nov. 10	Dallas Cowboys	L: 20-17	7-3	6-4
Nov. 17	Baltimore Ravens	W: 20-38	8-3	3-8
Nov. 24	@ Washington Redskins	W: 19-16	9-3	8-4
Dec. 2	@ Atlanta Falcons	W: 34-10	10-3	2-11
Dec. 8	Carolina Panthers	L: 30-24	10-4	10-4
Dec. 15	@ Pittsburgh Steelers	W: 25-15	11-4	10-5
Dec. 23	Detroit Lions	W: 14-24	12-4	5-11
Playoffs:
Dec. 29	Philadelphia Eagles	W: 0-14	13-4	10-7
Jan. 4	@ Green Bay Packers	L: 14-35	13-5	14-3

Head Coach: George Seifert

Key Losses: WR John Taylor, C Bart Oates, DE Ricky Jackson, CB Eric Davis

Key Additions: RB Terry Kirby, WR Terrell Owens, G Ray Brown, DE Chris Doleman, DE Roy Barker

The offseason between 1995 and 1996 was an ugly one for the NFL. Though the offseason was marked by only one controversy, it was a huge controversy that inspired a heated media blitz and eventually ended in an intervention by the commissioner. The controversy arose when Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell decided that he wanted to relocate the storied franchise. The Browns had been in the NFL for more than four decades, after making the transition along with the 49ers and the Baltimore Colts from the AAFC in 1950. The reaction from fans was one of complete outrage, and the media picked up on the attitude. Ultimately, the league had to make an agreement with the city of Cleveland that the Browns name, colors, and history would continue to belong to the city, and that the Browns would be replaced one way or another within the next few years.

Coming off of a playoff loss to the Packers, the 49ers went into 1996 looking to reassert their dominance. Despite losing starters John Taylor, Bart Oates, and Ricky Jackson to retirement, not to mention Eric Davis to free agency (signing with the Panthers instead), the 49ers pushed forward aggressively. They went into free agency looking to retool the roster, signing veterans like guard Ray Brown and defensive linemen Chris Doleman and Roy Barker. They made efforts to address the aging defense through the draft, but only managed to land one impact player in wide receiver Terrell Owens. Otherwise, the team still had many of the stalwarts who had made them one of the best teams in the league during head coach George Seifert's entire tenure.

The season started fast with easy victories over the Saints and Rams. However, in the second game, Steve Young suffered a mild groin strain that would continue to nag him over the next few games. In the third game of the season the 49ers played the division rival Carolina Panthers, and both teams were out to make a statement.

Dom Capers team, led by backup quarterback Steve Beuerlein and an aggressive, innovative defensive scheme went for the throat right from the start. Steve Young, hobbled but playing, along with the rest of the 49ers illustrious offense, was stymied by Capers's unpredictable defensive playcalling. The Panthers dominated the game, and established themselves early as a threat to win the division.

After the loss, the 49ers looked to get healthy against a weak stretch of schedule. Steve Young sat out in favor of Elvis Grbac against a struggling Atlanta team that was trying to deal with a suspension to their starting quarterback, Jeff George, and Brent Jones also missed the game. The 49ers won handily before marching into St. Louis and dismantling the Rams in a similar fashion, as Young and Jones continued to rest.

Then, at 4-1, the 49ers traveled to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers, in a much awaited rematch of the previous season's critical playoff game. Elvis Grbac again got the start, and even behind their backup quarterback the 49ers jumped out to a 17-6 halftime lead. Jerry Rice caught both touchdown passes, and the 49ers appeared to be in control of the game. Then, in the third quarter, Brett Favre threw a 29 yard strike to the outstretched Don Beebe, who appeared to be touched on the ground by Marquez Pope. But when no whistle blew, Beebe stood up and raced to the endzone for a touchdown. Replays clearly showed Pope's hand on Beebe while the receiver cradled the ball after his diving catch, but without an active replay system the play stood. The ensuing two-point conversion made the score 17-14 in favor of the 49ers.

But the Packers had the momentum, and slowly but surely they played the game into a 20-20 fourth-quarter tie, eventually winning on an overtime field goal. The loss could have been a crushing blow for the 49ers, and it almost seemed like that would be the case.

Steve Young returned the next week against the Bengals, but was removed from the game after continuing to struggle with his groin through the first quarter. Replaced by Grbac, the game got ugly fast. At the end of the first half, Grbac went down with a shoulder injury and, down by 21, Young had to return for the second half. Miraculously, Young managed to put his injury behind him for two quarters, throwing for two touchdowns and eventually running for winning score. The resilient 49ers had secured a victory, but with Young hobbled and Grbac out, they were again battered.

Still, Young would start the next game, against Houston, but after on throw he was knocked to the turf and out of the game with a concussion. Third-string quarterback Jeff Brohm would play the rest of the game, and it would be just enough to secure another victory. But after the ugly effort, one thing was sure: the 49ers would have to get healthy fast if they wanted to continue winning.

Steve Young did return, again, the next week as the 49ers coasted to a win against the Saints in a warm up for their matchup against their long-time rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. With the 49ers battling for a division title, the game would undoubtedly have playoff implications. The 49ers jumped out to an early lead, but Young suffered his second concussion of the season before the first half was over and had to be removed from the game. Grbac replaced him and was less than stellar. After throwing a key interception late in the game that gave Dallas the chance to come back, the Cowboys did exactly that, eventually winning the game in overtime. After the game, Grbac blamed himself for the loss.

The next day, San Francisco mayor Willie Brown infamously remarked that Grbac was an "embarrassment to humankind." When he later learned that Grbac's mind had been occupied with the recent surgery of his young son and had trouble focusing on the game for that reason, Brown would apologize.

Finally getting healthy again, with Young, Jones, and even an injured William Floyd returning, the 49ers rallied off three consecutive victories before meeting the Panthers for the second time. At 10-3, the 49ers had a chance to virtually secure a division title by defeating the 9-4 Panthers, but Carolina had San Francisco's number that season. In a shootout loss, perhaps the most painful moment came when former 49er Eric Davis made a key interception in the fourth quarter that gave the Panthers the momentum they needed to win the game.

The 49ers won their last two games and tied the Panthers for the season with a 12-4 record, but lost the tiebreaker and, disappointingly, would have to settle for a wild-card berth into the playoffs.

Against Ty Detmer, Ricky Watters, Irving Fryer, Guy McIntyre, Troy Vincent, Brian Dawkins, Don Griffin (a few familiar faces in the bunch) and the rest of the Eagles, the 49ers actually struggled. Philadelphia dominated the game on both sides of the ball only to ultimately be held out of the endzone time and time again by the 49ers determined defense. But after knocking Detmer out of the game with a hamstring injury in the first half, the 49ers were able to hang on for a 14-0 victory. However, Philadelphia returned the favor, as Young suffered two broken ribs during the game.

And as if by fate, they were headed back to Green Bay. Young was determined to play and managed to start despite his broken ribs thanks to a combination of courage and painkillers. Unfortunately for the 49ers, he would only last two series before the ribs forced him out of the game. To make matters worse, Bryant Young also had to leave the game early, with an injury to his neck and back. Again hobbled by injury, the 49ers struggled to keep pace with the Packers for most of the game before finally succumbing to Green Bay in the second half. After three consecutive losses to the Packers, it was becoming clear that the Packers were a healthier and stronger team - and that they might even be more talented and better coached.

The 49ers season, again, was ended without a return to the Super Bowl.

Primary References:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/1996_games.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/05/sports/49ers-lose-young-and-the-game.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/21/sports/ailing-young-rallies-49ers-from-a-21-point-deficit.html
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-28/sports/sp-58779_1_jeff-brohm
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/11/sports/cowboys-turn-tables-on-49ers-with-comeback.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1996/12/09/SPORTS16113.dtl&type=printable
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1996/12/30/SP24667.DTL
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/23/sports/panthers-upset-of-49ers-almost-looks-too-easy.html
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-09-30/sports/sp-49137_1_elvis-grbac
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-15/sports/sp-53973_1_green-bay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_San_Francisco_49ers_season
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-07/sports/sp-51419_1_san-francisco-49ers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_NFL_season
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/11/nyregion/chronicle-690368.html

The Linc - Jim Johnson 1941-2009

JasonB — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Johnson and Philadelphia, a love story | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/28/2009
Johnson was prepared to retire in 1999 when he got an out-of-the-blue call from a young, unproven coach he'd met on a bus in Honolulu. Andy Reid had just been hired as head coach of the Eagles and he wanted Johnson, a man nearly two decades his senior, to be his defensive coordinator.

Eagles’ Jim Johnson dies from cancer | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/28/2009
Former players Troy Vincent, Ike Reese, & Hugh Douglas share their memories of Jim Johnson.

Why Reid wanted Johnson to join Eagles | Philly | 07/28/2009
Andy Reid recounts the story of why he wanted Jim Johnson as his defensive coordinator.

Remembering Jim Johnson, 1941-2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/28/2009
With word of Jim Johnson's passing, the respects and remembrances of the former Eagles defensive coordinator poured in from around the NFL

Hall of Fame shouldn't ignore Jim Johnson | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News
Assistant coaches do not garner any consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's tough enough for head coaches to gain enshrinement. But Canton should examine the credentials of Jim Johnson, who spent 22 seasons as an NFL assistant, including the last 10 as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.

More after the jump

Mourning The Loss Of A Genius And Gentleman - Philadelphia Eagles
Dave Spadaro shares his thoughts on the passing of Jim Johnson.

Reid tells story of Johnson, Lito | Philly | 07/28/2009
Andy Reid told some stories about his friend Jim Johnson.

Jim Johnson, former Eagles and Colts defensive coordinator, has passed away - Stampede Blue
The longtime Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator had many strong ties to the colts and the state of Indiana. He passed away today after a long fight with cancer. Stampede Blue remembers this coaching legend.

The Linc - Sir Charles, All decade defense, & a "Big Fan"

JasonB — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:57:33 -0000

View full size photo »

Flight Night - Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are giving fans their first chance to see the entire 2009 team at Lincoln Financial Field at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, at the inaugural Eagles Flight Night! while raising funds in support of Eagles Youth Partnership.

2009 Eagles: Better than the 2008 version? | Philly2Philly.com-Everyday Philly For Everyday People
Mark Eckel compares the two squads.

All Decade Defense - NFC West - ESPN
Only one Eagle made ESPN's all decade defense. CB Troy Vincent.

Barkley thinking Eagles Super Bowl | Philly | 06/23/2009
Sir Charles thinks the Eagles will win it all this year.

Lab Report: Giants’ Trouble in the Red Zone - The Fifth Down Blog - NYTimes.com
The interior of the Giants' O-Line struggles against bigger DTs

First Look: Patton Oswalt in Big Fan " TheMovingPicture.net - Movie News - Movie Trailers - Movie Reviews - TV - DVD - Rumors - Casting News
Patton Oswalt plays a disturbed Giants fan in this new movie. Michael Rappaport plays his Eagles fan rival.

Xbox 360 hits the big screen at Cowboys Stadium
The staff at the new Cowboys stadium is hard at work... playing Halo on their new giant video screen.

All-Decade Defense: Urlacher Gets Featured

Dane Noble — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:30:17 -0000

It's the time of year when many websites are running their Top-10 Lists, coaches rankings, etc., and ESPN will have a similar feature this week. Even though we still have one year left in this decade, they are doing a daily installment of their "All-Decade" lists.

Today, they have pieced together their All-Decade Defense. Brian Urlacher gets the nod in the Linebacker department.

Linebackers Derrick Brooks, Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher: Brooks has started 16 games in each of the last 13 seasons. He has 17

Brooks

Lewis

Urlacher

interceptions this decade. Brooks, released by Tampa Bay in the offseason, brought exceptional quickness to the position even late in his career.

Lewis and Chicago's Urlacher are sluggers by comparison.

At his best, the 260-pound Urlacher was athletic enough to play the deep middle in coverage, yet strong enough to punish receivers and running backs on underneath plays.

According to the article, Urlacher edged out Zach Thomas. Thomas has had a great career, but in my opinion, there is really no question that Urlacher would win that battle every time.

The rest of the All-Decade Defense is:

DE: Michael Strahan, N.Y. Giants,
DT: Warren Sapp, Tampa Bay/Oakland
DT: Kris Jenkins, Carolina/N.Y. Jets
DE: Jason Taylor, Miami/Washington
LB: Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay
LB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore
LB: Brian Urlacher, Chicago
CB: Champ Bailey, Washington/Denver
CB: Troy Vincent: Phil./Mia./Buff./Wash.
S: Ed Reed, Baltimore
S: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

Did ESPN get this right? Would you replace any of these names with someone else?

NFLPA elects new Executive Director: DeMaurice Smith

Fooch — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:11 -0000

As ProfessorBigelow pointed out yesterday, the NFL Players Association has elected a new Executive Director, replacing the late Gene Upshaw. The new Executive Director is DeMaurice Smith, a partner at Patton Boggs, a Washington, DC. The three other finalists were sports attorney David Cornwell and former players Trace Armstrong and Troy Vincent.

While this news is not 49ers specific, it is obviously a big story given the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations. The most interesting aspect, at least in my opinion, is that Smith does not have a sports background. The two previous executive directors were former player Gene Upshaw, and Ed Garvey, an attorney who had worked as counsel to the NFLPA prior to being named Executive Director.

At Patton Boggs, Smith concentrated in white-collar criminal defense and “bet the company” tort liability trials. He also was chair of the firm’s Government Investigations and White-Collar Practice Group. Some of experience has included:

Representation of the General Counsel at one of the U.S.’s largest health care services provider in criminal and Congressional investigation
Trial of radio executive in insider trading allegations
Numerous representations of corporate executives in criminal and civil trials and corporate internal investigations
Representation of major government contracting firm before U.S. Congress in oversight hearings

So, Smith brings a general legal expertise, as opposed to a sports specialization. According to PFT, Smith is widely considered a compromise candidate because Vincent and Armstrong were expected to split the vote. The NFLPA has players in assorted positions but I've often wondered why there has not been a greater number of non-players in key positions.

I realize that players know the game better than anybody else, but one can simply look at the baseball players' union to see what outsiders can do for a union. The MLBPA took off under the leadership of Marvin Miller, who spent his time with the National Labor Relations Board, the Machinist Union, the United Auto Workers and the Steelworkers Union before taking over the MLBPA. His experience allowed him to take the MLBPA to unheard of heights and great riches, including free agency. He was succeeded by Donald Fehr, who remains executive director. In spite of the steroid issue, Fehr has led the MLBPA to continued riches.

I certainly think Smith brings a certain level outside expertise. Given the decline in unions lately, I'm not exactly shocked that there wasn't a traditional union leader in the mix. We'll find out real quick whether Smith can handle the job. As ProfessorBigelow mentioned in his FanShot, Smith is immediately going to be dealing with negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. This particular CBA negotiation comes with the league and the nation at a financial crossroads. The owners are looking to lower the salary committments they have to make, while the players are battling such arguments in struggling economic times.

Whether you side with the players or the owners in this high stakes negotiation, it's an important time for the league. The potential for a strike or lockout looms large like the proverbial dark clouds in the distance. While it is not a 49ers specific story, it affects everybody in the NFL and is something I want to try and cover in detail in the coming months. Labor law, particularly sports labor, is the area of law I want to go into (for the new folks, I'm a second year law student at the University of San Francisco), so consider it my own little pet project.

FOOCH'S UPDATE: In one of his first moves, Smith has asked newly retired Tony Dungy to serve as a liaison between the NFLPA and the NFL office for player issues.