Player Discipline Tops NFL's Agenda By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer 32 minutes ago PHOENIX, Ariz. - Roger Goodell's first full NFL meeting as commissioner is beginning with one item at the top of the agenda: a crackdown on players who get in trouble with the law. The meetings formally begin Monday with Goodell's state of the NFL address to the owners. But everyone was on hand Sunday for committee meetings. As did his predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, Goodell is likely to say the state of the league is good. However, he is also expected to announce, most likely on Tuesday, new and strengthened rules for discipline for what is perceived as an increasing number of players with legal issues. The new discipline is likely to be harsher, with longer suspensions than the current two or four games, and punishment handed down more quickly. In the past, the league most often has waited until the legal process has been exhausted before suspending players for violations of the law. Now, with the concurrence of the NFL Players Association and many players, it may not. Still, it is likely to be vigorously discussed. "Everyone agrees you have to have increased discipline," John Mara, co-owner of the New York Giants said Sunday. "But you have to take legal issues into account on how quickly you can act and you have to take into account the form the discipline would take _ if, for example, you discipline teams that have multiple players who get in trouble. But what's been happening isn't good for the anyone." Added Miami's Wayne Huizenga: "It's important to have a policy and I want to hear what they have to say because I have not seen anything presented. It's something I am in favor of if it is crystal clear. It depends on what the criteria is presented in it. As long as you know what it calls for, I'm in favor of it. It's definitely an important issue for us." The team in the spotlight the most has been the Cincinnati Bengals, who during the last year had nine players arrested on a variety of charges ranging from boating while drunk to spousal abuse and weapons violations. But the two players who have had the most difficulty are Adam "Pacman" Jones of Tennessee, who has had 10 separate encounters with the police, and Tank Johnson of Chicago, who was sentenced last week to four months in jail on weapons charges. The new policy in part stems from a meeting during the scouting combine in Indianapolis involving Goodell; Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA; and a group of about 10 players. All agreed that stronger and quicker discipline is needed. The question of blaming teams for player behavior stems from information gathered before the draft. "We usually know who the problem players are," Mara said. "The question is whether you hold teams responsible for drafting them. In some cases, you just have to decide whether you're going to bypass unbelievable talent because you know a player could be a problem." There also could be several rules changes this week, many of them minor. The biggest might be moving the kickoff in overtime from the 30-yard line, the spot in regulation, to the 35. Atlanta general manager Rich McKay, the competition committee's co-chairman, said last week that the group believed the kickoff spot was the major reason 62 percent of teams winning the coin toss won overtime games last season _ it gave them better field position throughout the overtime. McKay said it stemmed from the change in 1998 that moved the kickoff back to the 30 and added the "K-ball," a kicking ball harder to kick deep. Until then, winners and losers of the toss had won the games just about equally. The rule would have to be approved by three-quarters of the teams, as would a variety of other proposed rules changes. Of those, the one with the most impact would make instant replay, which is due to expire after two more seasons, a permanent part of the league's rules. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...len&id=2810754 Some of the other significant items on the agenda for the week: • Owners will attempt to agree on the so-called "qualifiers" that are a key to the expanded revenue-sharing plan that was adopted as part of the extension to the collective bargaining agreement. There remains an ever-widening disparity in the local revenues of big- and small-market franchises that needs to be addressed. It's been a year since the CBA extension and there is still no accord on the revenue-sharing element of it. • Concerned by the number of overtime games won by the team that won the coin toss, the powerful competition committee has proposed moving the kickoff in the extra period from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. The rationale is that the 5-yard swing not only will make it more difficult for the receiving team to score on its first overtime possession, but will impact field position in general. Since the 1998 season, 62 percent of the overtime games were won by the team that won the coin toss. • The competition committee also will propose that instant replay be made a permanent part of the playing rules. The replay provision has been reapproved several times, but the current one lapses after the 2008 campaign, and the committee feels it is time to end the temporary element to it and enact it permanently. As part of the proposal, the league would update all its replay equipment and move to high-definition technology. • It appears the league will alter the manner in which teams report injuries during the week. The standard designations with which everyone has become familiar -- "out," "questionable" or "doubtful" -- would be used only on Friday, not beginning on Wednesday each week. Until Friday, teams would identify if a player practiced during the week and to what extent. • Owners will consider a proposal that would allow one defensive player designated by the team to have a radio communication device inside his helmet. The device would permit the defensive coordinator to communicate with a key player in his huddle in much the same manner coaches now communicate with the quarterback.
So Far... NFL Conduct Policy Still Not Set By BARRY WILNER, AP Football Writer 33 minutes ago PHOENIX - One day after yet another NFL player was arrested, commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday a stronger player conduct policy will not be completed at these league meetings. By next month, however, Goodell expects to have in place the stricter plan and hopes to make some disciplinary decisions before the April 28-29 draft. "It's a complicated issue and there are no simple answers," Goodell said, adding he planned to meet with coaches and owners in a day or so to discuss player conduct. "We want to find out what is working well with the clubs and what is not working, get a set of best practices so they can implement them on a local basis." "We're expecting discipline will be stepped up," he added. NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw has expressed his support of a tougher disciplinary policy. Goodell listed educational programs as a key step, and wants players to become more familiar with local laws. In the past year, such players as cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones of Tennessee, with 10 separate encounters with the police, and DT Tank Johnson of Chicago, sentenced last week to four months in jail on weapons charges, have drawn headlines for their misconduct. So did nine Cincinnati Bengals who got in trouble off the field. On Sunday, Carolina Panthers reserve guard D'Anthony Batiste was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor. On Monday, Las Vegas police said they will seek felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones and two others in a February shooting at a strip club. "I've spoken to over 50 players on this issue, and they all believe leadership in mentoring younger players is important," Goodell said. "That's one of the things we'll be encouraging. I'm supportive of creating a player advisory council that would give me some input, maybe even into individual cases." The NFL did get some business done, adopting an expanded program of revenue sharing designed to help lower-revenue clubs. The complex arrangement requires that a team must be spending 65 percent or more of its revenues on player costs before it qualifies for the separate pool of $430 million being made available, retroactive to 2006. A franchise also must have gate revenues equal to at least 90 percent of the league average. Then, the franchise could not have been sold in the 2006-09 period, and if it has a new or renovated stadium with an expenditure of at least $150 million, it doesn't qualify for the extra funds. This plan does not apply to the $3.7 billion annually in TV money from Fox, NBC, CBS and ESPN, or the $700 million from DirecTV, all of which the 32 teams split equally. Qualifying teams share the extra funds: $100 million for 2006, then $110 million for each of the next three years. Once the added funds bring the team back to 65 percent of revenues on player costs, that team stops collecting. Goodell said only Cincinnati and Jacksonville of the 32 teams voted against the plan. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
