Nets will play in Newark until new arena is built in Brooklyn; Jan Ullrich doping investigation dropped by Swiss; History of the NFL: Plan B free agency
February 19, 2010
With the NFL's free agency period starting shortly, SLT thought it would take a look back in time to February,1989 when the NFL brass ushered in a different type of free agency. In 1989 the NFL told the NFLPA and its players that there would be free agency; however there was a catch. The catch was that each team could protect 37 players on their roster and keep those players off the market. Players who were not among the 37 protected players were then entitled to seek their market value from other teams. The problem was that teams would protect their starters, most valuable back-up players, and rising young players; letting only their injured players, aging veterans, and young unproven players have a look at free agency. This in turn created problems when a team would sign a Plan B free agent to a big contract. Protected players on the team that had just signed a Plan B
free agent would be upset since they were not getting the opportunity to have any leverage in their contract negotiations. Meanwhile, the Plan B players were reaping all the rewards.
With the strike of 1987 the NFL and NFLPA entered a period of labor war. The NFL players even voted to decertify the Union order to get their case in front of the courts. Plan B came about because of the NFL's fear that a court would rule in favor of the NFLPA if there wasn't some measure of player movement. Thus Plan B free agency was born in 1989. New York Jets running back Freeman McNeil was the lead plaintiff in the NFLPA's suit challenging the Plan B system.
Plan B free agency lasted until September of 1992, when a Minneapolis federal jury decided that the NFL's Plan B system violated antitrust laws.
See the first link below. It talks about the beginning of Plan B free agency:
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/30/sports/nfl-owners-set-on-free-agency.html
This second link, which is from 1992, discusses the end of Plan B:
http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N39/nfl.39w.html
Nets to play in Newark's Prudential Center next 2 years
The New Jersey Nets have a new, temporary, home. They will move regular-season games to Newark until their new arena in Brooklyn is ready. It will cost them a $4 million penalty over those 2 years to break their Izod Center lease. For earlier developments on their move, see SLT blogs of 11/25/09 and 12/24/09.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/New-Jersey-Nets-moving-to-Newark-until-Brooklyn-arena-is-ready-021810
With the NFL's free agency period starting shortly, SLT thought it would take a look back in time to February,1989 when the NFL brass ushered in a different type of free agency. In 1989 the NFL told the NFLPA and its players that there would be free agency; however there was a catch. The catch was that each team could protect 37 players on their roster and keep those players off the market. Players who were not among the 37 protected players were then entitled to seek their market value from other teams. The problem was that teams would protect their starters, most valuable back-up players, and rising young players; letting only their injured players, aging veterans, and young unproven players have a look at free agency. This in turn created problems when a team would sign a Plan B free agent to a big contract. Protected players on the team that had just signed a Plan B
free agent would be upset since they were not getting the opportunity to have any leverage in their contract negotiations. Meanwhile, the Plan B players were reaping all the rewards.
With the strike of 1987 the NFL and NFLPA entered a period of labor war. The NFL players even voted to decertify the Union order to get their case in front of the courts. Plan B came about because of the NFL's fear that a court would rule in favor of the NFLPA if there wasn't some measure of player movement. Thus Plan B free agency was born in 1989. New York Jets running back Freeman McNeil was the lead plaintiff in the NFLPA's suit challenging the Plan B system.
Plan B free agency lasted until September of 1992, when a Minneapolis federal jury decided that the NFL's Plan B system violated antitrust laws.
See the first link below. It talks about the beginning of Plan B free agency:
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/30/sports/nfl-owners-set-on-free-agency.html
This second link, which is from 1992, discusses the end of Plan B:
http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N39/nfl.39w.html
Nets to play in Newark's Prudential Center next 2 years
The New Jersey Nets have a new, temporary, home. They will move regular-season games to Newark until their new arena in Brooklyn is ready. It will cost them a $4 million penalty over those 2 years to break their Izod Center lease. For earlier developments on their move, see SLT blogs of 11/25/09 and 12/24/09.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/New-Jersey-Nets-moving-to-Newark-until-Brooklyn-arena-is-ready-021810
Doping-related investigation of retired Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich ends
Because the Swiss Olympic doping statute applies beginning January 1 to retirees, the Swiss disciplinary committee finds that it has no jurisdiction. The World Anti-Doping Association and the International Cycling Union, however, may yet appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/swiss-drop-ullrich-doping-investigation
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