NFL fans get apology letter from Roger Goodell

It was nice waking up this morning knowing that the NFL was back in the hands of real referees and everything in the world order was back in place.  A nice added touch from the league was when I received a letter from Roger Goodell via email apologizing for the lockout and more excuses for the inconvenience of putting  amateurs on a professional field.

That's a good start.  Now we can get back to talking about what's really important — Bountygate and Tim Tebow's Wildcat.

The NFL Commissioner's letter read in part:

"I believe in accountability, not excuses.  And I regret we were not able to secure an agreement sooner in the process and avoid the unfortunate distractions to the game.  You deserve better."

By "you" he means us.

Goodell added:

"As a lifelong fan, this wasn't an easy process for anyone involved.  I particularly want to thank commend the replacement officials for taking on an unenviable task and doing it with focus and dedication in the most adverse of circumstances."

The commish starts with how the "focus is on the players and the action on the field"and not labor negotiations and ends with him praising the returning refs.

Still, no mention of the Green Bay Packers.

NFL reaches agreement with officials to end lockout

After five straight days of of negotiations — spurred on by Monday night's Packers-Seahawks Hail Mary fiasco — and the slate of Week 4 games creeping closer, the NFL and its referees' union finally came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Team owners lifted the three-month lockout, allowing the regular referees to return to the field for Thursday night's Ravens-Browns game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The settlement came after the marathon negotiations went on since last Friday and picked up intensity after the Seahawks defeated the Packers on Monday night's nationally televised blown call in the end zone.

Emotions ran high after the controversial call — one of the many replacement referees' flubs over the first three weeks of the season. The fill-in referees were universally criticized by the players, fans, coaches, gamblers and politicians.  Even President Obama called Monday's play "terrible."

"We are glad to be getting back on the field," NFLRA president Scott Green said after the eight-year deal was pushed through 48 hours after the Packers-Seahawks debacle.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell — who's leadership was questioned throughout the lockout — took a lot of the blame for allowing inexperienced referees to officiate games that many did not have the skills or training to handle.  Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said the league had 'tarnished" the league by putting inferior refs on the field and apologized to fans for the NFL.

"We look forward to having the finest officials in sports back on the field and I want to give a special thanks to NFL fans for their passion," said Goodell of the agreement.  "Now it's time to put the focus back on the teams and players where it belongs."

The 121 regular referees' average salaries will increase from $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013 rising to $205,000 in 2019.

The timetable for the final signing off on the deal is expected to be minimal.  The officials need to meet to ratify any proposal accepted by  the NFLRA's board of directors.  They are expected to vote on it in Dallas on Saturday.

A day after the real referees came out looking like winners, the other beneficiaries are the fans and the players — even after suffering through weeks of the rent-a-refs.

Meanwhile, the owners came out looking like arrogant Scrooges.

But the big loser was Goodell — who came out looking unsympathetic to the fans and player's gripes about the poor officiating that had head coaches steaming.  The NFL fined four coaches — including New England's Bill Belichick and Denver's John Fox — for demonstrative acts against the replacements.  Belichick drew a $50,000 fine for grabbing an official after the Patriots lost.

For the Green Bay Packers, the agreement came three days too late.

Osi Umenyiora Calls LeSean McCoy a 'Chihuahua or Poodle'

New York Giants defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, is still making a lot of noise one day after leaking bits of an affidavit claiming that New York Giants GM Jerry Reese reneged on a verbal agreement to renegotiate his contract.  Now, when Umenyiora should be in some sort of spin control, he has stirred up more controversy by comparing Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy to a yapping, little lap dog.

After Umenyiora's story broke on Thursday afternoon, McCoy Tweeted that Umenyiora was "overrated n soft."  McCoy also called Umenyiora the "3rd best d-line on his team honestly."

In a phone interview with The New York Times, Umenyiora responded to McCoy's tweet.

"That little chihuahua or poodle in the backfield," steamed Umenyiora.  "He doesn't have to block me.  If you have something to say, say it man to man; you can't be a Twitter gangster.  That's easy to do, trying to be a tough guy.  Say it to my face, and we'll see what happens."

Or you can say it in an affidavit to be filed in Minneapolis next month.

Umenyiora goes on to say that the G-Men's defense has a pet name for McCoy: "Lady Gaga."  The Giants defensive end doesn't elaborate on how the nickname came about.

McCoy hasn't replied to Umenyiora's diss, but he might start by reminding him that the Eagles are 4-0 against the Giants with the speedster in the backfield and then go all Twitter gangster by throwing in a video of his game-winning run through Umenyiora's fingertips and the Giants defense last season. 

The G-Men's defense had so many holes against the Eagles in that epic New York fail last season, McCoy might think of calling them the Kardashians.

While Umenyiora goes off on McCoy, it looks like his stance against the Giants has softened.

According to the Times interview, Osi did an about face and revealed his deep love for the team from the Meadowlands.

Umenyiora said he'd be happy to return to New York, even after, in that sworn affidavit, called Reese a liar for going back on a two-year old verbal commitment to renegotiate his contract after the 2010 season.

"I love my teammates.  The owners of the team, Mr. Mara and Mr. Tisch, I'm really cool with both of them," said Umenyiora.  "They came to the hospital when I was injured...I don't have a beef with them per se.  At the end of the day, they're going to have to make the best decision for them."

Umenyiora's case is notable mostly because he is one of the plaintiffs named in the ongoing anti-trust case against the NFL.

Finally, some spinning and less stirring from the disgruntled Giant.  Stay tuned.

Osi Umenyiora Has Packed His Bags & Wants Out Of New York

If it's spring, it must mean another demand to be traded by New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora.  In what has become an annual grind in the Giants rumor mill,  Umenyiora is making allegations and mandates once again.  Only this time it seems like Osi really means it.

In a sworn affidavit to be filed in Minneapolis next month, Umenyiora makes it clear why he wants to leave New York by stating Giants general manager, Jerry Reese,  has failed to honor a verbal agreement to renegotiate Umenyiora's current contract.

According to ESPN,  Umenyiora met with Reese during the off-season after the 2008 season and the GM promised that, in two years, the Giants would reevaluate the two-time Pro-Bowler's contract.

NFL Players Asking For Lower Alimony Payments; NBA Watching Closely

While NFL players lose paychecks, and the lockout continues to be stuck at a stand-still, the repercussions of a trickle-down effect could reach the littlest and most innocent of victims--player's children.  Out of work NFL players have now reached out to lawyers in hope of having their alimony and child-support payments modified to lower amounts.  The NBA, with their contract expiring in two months, must be watching this scenario closely.

According a report in the Bloomberg Business Report, a number of unidentified NFL players are preparing for the worst and looking into modifications of financial support if the dead lock between the NFLPA and team owners shuts down the 2011 season, leaving many players with no income.

The report said if the NFL players are unable to reach a collective bargaining agreement with their union, many more players will be looking for modifications in their support requirements.

The poster-child for child support, New York Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie, already has his 2 year-old son's mother a little nervous and she is probably not alone.  Cromartie is reported to have sired nine children with eight different women.

Tina Julien, a 33 year-old nurse from California, said she is worried about being able to afford child-care for Cromartie's son if the NFLPA and team owners don't shake hands.