2011 NFL Labor Negotiations: Ranking NFL Owners Ability To Deal With High Stress
As the National Football League enters into the week-long extension with the National Football League Players Association and mediator George H. Cohen, I have been watching the video footage reports coming out of Virginia. The thing that struck me is that the same owners keep coming in and out of the building.
But, that also suggests there are other owners you are not seeing in attendance. That got me to thinking, which is always a dangerous thing, as to why aren't all the owners there, which led to wondering how many of them physically, mentally and spiritually want to actually be there to deal with all of the stress coming out of the negotiations. In other words, attending might not be in the best interests of their long-term health.
So, with that overview in mind, let's take a brief visit around the NFL and take a little bit closer look at the current slate of NFL owners and attempt to figure out how they are able to cope with the high stress of all this national attention regarding the NFLPA labor negotiations.
Bonus Slide 1) 2011 NFL MVP: George H. Cohen
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If the 2011 NFL season does become reality, they might as well as save the MVP trophy voters some time and etch the name of federal mediator George H. Cohen on it right now. Without the involvement of Cohen, there very well may have never been a 2011 season to begin with. There still might not be a NFL season for 2011, but not due to the efforts and negotiation skills of Cohen.
After the MVP award is given to Cohen, the voters should then present the "Unsung Hero Award" to Judge Doty, who was able to give the NFL owners a taste of reality and jolt them out of their comfort zone.
32) Mark Murphy, Green Bay Packers
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Mark Murphy is not an owner, because he is simply the President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers. As such, he is representing the Packers at the NFLPA negotiations. Murphy is 55 years old.
It is next to impossible to know the ages of the thousands of Green Bay Packers shareholders that make up the ownership of the team.
Besides, coming off of a Super Bowl victory, life is good. This organization is dealing with minimal stress level, as they are probably attending lots of parties, with plenty of great cheese platter samples.
31) Jed York, San Francisco 49ers
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Okay, you are Jed York. You are 29 years old, and you are the owner of the storied San Francisco 49ers franchise. How much stress can you have? Life is good.
York must find it strange to attend NFL owners meetings. After all, who in the room is he going to be bonding with, anyway? The next closest owner in age to him is Daniel Snyder, and there is still a gap of 17 years between them.
If he were to bring up the Black Keys to the owners, they would think he was referring to the part on the piano you use to play Chopsticks.
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30) Daniel Snyder, Washington Redskins
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If you look closely at Daniel Snyder, you won't see many gray hairs, because he is all of 46 years young. If you wait for three or more years and revisit him, I suspect he will start seeing layers of gray coming in.
That would be because he is looking at how much money he paid Albert Haynesworth and how little return on the dollar he got back. It also could be the result of trying to get in between Mike Shanahan and whatever quarterback he is feuding with at the time.
Snyder continues to sign players to big contracts, as shown by the recent deal this week to bring in O.J. Atogwe. How does he stay under the salary cap?
We will rank Snyder's stress level as moderate, because of his age, but say that a good portion of his stress is due to the mess he created for himself.
29) Clark Hunt-Kansas City Chiefs
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Clark Hunt is the same age as Daniel Snyder, 46. Things seem to be trending younger with the Kansas City Chiefs these days. Young head coach in Todd Haley, and a young team that is making progress towards becoming a force in the NFL again.
Hunt grew up in the family business thanks to his father Lamar Hunt, so he can take things like the labor negotiations in stride. For the record, the Chiefs are owned by Lamar Hunt's children, but we use Hunt as the mouthpiece of the team, since he is the chairman of the board.
Low stress level.
28) Randolph Lerner-Cleveland Browns
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Randolph Lerner, the Cleveland Browns owner, is another of the young guns in the NFL, at 49 years old. Anything under 50 years old, would have to be considered young, with respect to the vast majority of NFL owners ages.
The Browns have had an interesting off-season, starting with the decision to fire head coach Eric Mangini and bring in Pat Shurmur to run the team. You would like to get the new organization up and running, and now the labor negotiations bring team interaction to a halt.
I would consider his stress level to be tending towards the anxious level, wanting to get this over with so the team can get back to business.
27) Stephen Bisciotti-Baltimore Ravens
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At 50 years old, Stephen Bisciotti looks like he could be heading over to the frat parties on Maryland's campus after games. He is a Baltimore native, and brought some needed working capital to the team, when it was being run into the ground by former owner Art Modell.
His team is an annual threat to be in the playoffs every year. He is keeping the unemployment numbers down to all of the contract employees that his company leases out.
Life is good for Bisciotti, so stress level is low.
26) Jim Irsay-Indianapolis Colts
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Jim Irsay, 51 years old, has witnessed the Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl. He is looking forward to being the host of the next Super Bowl, but what if the Super Bowl for the 2011 doesn't materialize because the season never is played?
Early estimated opinions say the city of Indianapolis could lose anywhere from $150 - 200 million plus, so there is enormous pressure on Irsay to see the negotiations come to a successful conclusion and the season comes about without a hitch.
As a bonus kicker, he still has to work out Peyton Manning's contract details, which will cause every other QB contract in the league to spiral.
Stress Level: Very high
25) John Mara and Steve Tisch-New York Giants
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John Mara, 57, and Steve Tisch, 62, are the co-owners of the New York Giants. The Giants have to be kicking themselves over finishing the regular season at 10-6 and missing the playoffs. Not only that, but they had the same record as the Green Bay Packers, who emerged from the 6th seed to win the Super Bowl.
The Giants are still hanging in there with Tom Coughlin, and they have to decide if they want to bring Plaxico Burress back after he gets his prison release.
The Giants have won a recent Super Bowl, so all they have to do is deal with is the loyal Giants fans and the media coming out of New York City. For the rabid fans, and the media, that translates to very high stress levels. Not for the faint of heart.
24) Paul Allen-Seattle Seahawks
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Paul Allen, 58, of Microsoft fame is a very wealthy man. He saw the Seattle Seahawks win a playoff game to appease their fans. The Seahawks have the energetic Pete Carroll to coach the team, and a weak NFC West division to try to claim for a second straight year.
His Portland Trail Blazer's team is on the verge of making the playoffs, or falling out of them, down the stretch. With so much on his plate, he probably needs the NFLPA negotiations like he needs a hole in his head.
We will rank him as high stress based on the empire he is trying to stay on top of.
23) Jeffrey Lurie-Philadelphia Eagles
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Even though the negotiations extended the deadline for a week, the Philadelphia Eagles would prefer to conduct business as usual. Jeffrey Lurie, 59, has a very nice QB dilemma on his hands, and would like to see the team move Kevin Kolb for some draft picks. It worked out okay last year with Donovan McNabb, so they are hoping for another successful trade.
The ability to trade NFL players is not an option until the new CBA is completed. With so many teams looking to potentially add a quarterback at the draft, the Eagles would prefer to solve the problem for one team by trading away Kolb. To maximize their return, they would need to make the deal happen before the draft occurs.
In addition, the Eagles have to decide if they want to sign Michael Vick to a long-term deal or not. Outside of that, the team continues to be a yearly playoff contender under the direction of Andy Reid.
Stress Level: Moderate
Note: Having a QB dilemma is just the tip of the iceberg. The real question should be: "Is it a QB dilemma or a QB dilemna"?
22) Zygi Wilf-Minnesota Vikings
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We will start off by asking the question, how many years did Zygi Wilf, 60, age last season? A brief year in review: Brett Favre, a team destined for playoffs fell far short, Brad Childress courting of Brett Favre, and Brett courting...problems with the Metrodome, firing Brad Childress, Randy Moss and then finally Brett Favre retirement from football.
The current labor negotiations must feel something like, sure, what else do you want to pile on to me? Maybe good things will happen due to the hiring of Leslie Frazier as head coach. Maybe they will get a new stadium, but there is the possibility they won't. So with all of that in mind:
Stress Level - Very High
21) Stan Kroenke-St. Louis Rams
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Stan Kroenke, 63, is the owner of the St. Louis Rams. He has to feel good about their decision to draft their franchise quarterback Sam Bradford last year. The Rams look like an up-and-coming team now, so they are probably excited about the prospects of the team, and don't want to see their momentum halted by any kind of a work stoppage.
Not only do they have momentum, but look at the division they play in. If a 7-9 record gets you in the playoffs, wouldn't you be excited to get going as soon as you could?
Stress Level: somewhat anxious
20) Woody Johnson-New York Jets
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Woody Johnson, 63, the owner of the New York Jets, is seen coming and going out of the negotiating meetings wearing his suit and his Jets baseball cap. Is he a trend setter or what?
The Jets have a wide range of issues they are dealing with. Releasing high priced veterans, trying to bring in other quality free agents, trying to prevent veterans from holding out, and putting enough players in place to allow your head coach to deliver on promises and guarantees that he hasn't been able to keep so far.
All in all, from "Hard Knocks" to the heartbreak of another AFC Championship loss, the Jets had a stressful year. Head Coach Rex Ryan tries to keep players loose with his humor, but the foot fetish thing was a little strange.
Trying to win in New York City and keeping the fans happy?
Woody's stress level: High
19) Pat Bowlen-Denver Broncos
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Note: Starting with Pat Bowlen, all of the remaining owners are going to be at least 67 years old or greater. Since that is the age that most people are supposed to be considering retirement, the fact that all of them are owning an NFL team that is worth a fortune, is quite a remarkable feat. Hats off to each of them.
For Pat Bowlen, 67, the off-season has seen a number of changes already occur. Dipping into the past glory days with the hiring of John Elway, to bringing on board new head coach John Fox. The Broncos had a dreadful season, and they are now rewarded with trying to figure out what to do with the second overall pick.
They did resign Champ Bailey to a new four year contract, so at least they know they have one position on defense squared away. The Broncos appear to be in the midst of a rebuilding effort, similar to what the Buffalo Bills are going through. This is an effort that requires patience, and less distractions.
Consider the labor negotiations to be the kind of a distraction that is not needed right now.
Stress level: Slightly above average
18) Jerry Jones-Dallas Cowboys
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Jerry Jones, 68, has his hands full. From trying to make sure the Cowboys financial empire gives up as little revenue sharing as possible, to trying to appease the displaced Super Bowl ticket holders, to preparing for the draft that he will orchestrate...Jerry Jones is one busy man.
While he insists on running the Cowboys team, there will always be an inordinate amount of stress on him. For creating the new stadium, with the huge scoreboard spectacle, to hoping his team would be hosting the Super Bowl, Jerry brings a lot of attention to himself and to his franchise.
Many people around the country did not seem to be overly upset that the Cowboys failed to qualify for the playoffs, as they are a far cry from being America's team. If Jones continues to demand to do things his own way, there is always going to be the question of how long can he deal with the stress.
Stress level: Very high
17) Arthur Blank-Atlanta Falcons
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Arthur Blank, 68, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, saw his team finish with the best record in the NFC, yet they couldn't find a way to advance to the NFC Championship game. The Falcons appear to be on the rise, so the level of frustration experienced at not realizing their ultimate goals should have the team anxious to get back out there and finish the job in 2011.
The labor negotiations put the Falcons on a momentary pause. They have a good young team that should contend again this year. They do not want to see the 2011 season go away. Consider the team eager to learn from their mistakes.
Stress level: Average
16) Robert Kraft-New England Patriots
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Robert Kraft, 69, owner of the New England Patriots, is sitting pretty with six draft picks in the first 92 selections. The Patriots are great at acquiring picks to keep restocking their team. If they had entertained trading away any of their "surplus picks" for known NFL talent, that is no longer an option with the lack of a CBA in place.
If the CBA can't be completed before the draft, the Patriots have the ability to do more draft pick trading, either by moving up or down. Whether or not they decide to replace Randy Moss with a rookie receiver to go with their new tight ends, remains to be seen.
Just like Atlanta, the Patriots also had the best record in their own conference, but did not extend their second season to play for the AFC Championship crown. That leads me to believe that the Patriots are still hungry and have some unfinished business.
Stress Level: slightly anxious
15) Stephen Ross-Miami Dolphins
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Stephen Ross, 70, has to figure out how to turn around the Miami Dolphins. Bill Parcells is now only a mere consultant to Ross, and his role has greatly diminished with the team. Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown are both free agents, and Chad Henne seemed to take a step backwards in 2010.
What amount of damage did Ross do in his relationship with head coach Tony Sparano over the whole Jim Harbaugh off-season incident? If the Dolphins start out the year less than a stellar record, tensions could escalate between the two, with Sparano thinking that Ross never really had his back to begin with.
At least if Ross needs a break from all of the stress, he can call for an owner's meeting. For those that forgot she is more than a judge on American Idol, Jennifer Lopez is a minority owner of the Dolphins.
For that ray of sunshine alone, stress level: Tolerable
14) Robert McNair-Houston Texans
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Robert McNair, 73, is the owner of the Houston Texans. Coming in to the 2010 season, the Texans were thought to be one of the wild card teams that could find their way into the NFL Playoffs. At 6-10, the Texans fell well short of their goal, so this team could be viewed as having taken a step backwards last year.
The team should be hungry to get back out on the field and turn around their fortunes. They gave a new contract to Owen Daniel to make sure Matt Schaub has multiple options to throw to. At 73, McNair looks to be in good spirits, so we will cut him some degree of slack here.
Stress level: Moderate
13) Mike Brown-Cincinnati Bengals
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Here is a picture of Mike Brown, 73, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, entering the facility where the NFL CBA negotiations are taking place. At least we are now aware he was in attendance. For owners that are in their 70's and up, you have to wonder how much "get up and go" they still have, or did it go the way of "my get up and go, got up and went"?
Dealing with Mike Brown is like dealing with the U.S. Government about negotiating with kidnappers or terrorists. It doesn't happen. Carson Palmer can make all of the threats he wants to, Brown will either see if they get a reasonable offer, or will let him retire. Either way, figure that the Bengals will be thinking long and hard with that fourth overall draft pick at the quarterback spot.
With Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens mouthing off, things are not great right now in Cincinnati. As a result of all of the above:
Stress Level: High
12) Jerry Richardson-Carolina Panthers
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For Jerry Richardson, 74, the owner of the Carolina Panthers, I expect he would very much like to get the CBA negotiations completed and in the books. Based on the worst record in the NFL in 2010, the Panthers have the right to draft the first player in the 2011 draft. The Panthers would like to know if there is going to be a rookie salary cap put in place, that it is something they would know before they draft, not after.
The reason for that is if there is a rookie salary cap in place, it would make their draft pick even more valuable than it already is. A potential trade out of that first overall pick could net them a huge haul. Then again, their name is in the news frequently.
The Panthers fired John Fox and hired Ron Rivera to be the head coach. The coaches are not allowed to interface with the players until the new CBA is done. What do they do with the first pick, draft a QB to challenge Jimmy Clausen?
For all the above reasons, stress level: High
11) Wayne Weaver-Jacksonville Jaguars
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Wayne Weaver, 76, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, doesn't always look like this. But if he sees lots of empty seats at Jaguars home games, you can probably expect a reaction fairly similar to this one.
The Jaguars made a run in 2010 to make the playoffs, but fell short down the stretch. The biggest challenge for the Jaguars is how to boost attendance for home games. The lack of a CBA might ultimately result in a work stoppage or strike. If that happens, will the fans who had been showing up, come back, or will there be even more empty seats?
Until the rumors of the Jacksonville franchise being targeted for relocation go away, this is one owner that will be dealing with stress.
Stress Level: High
10) Dan Rooney and Art Rooney II-Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Rooney family is one of the classier NFL owners. Dan Rooney, 78, and Art Rooney II, 58, own the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl, but for one of the rare times, came up short in the big game.
The Steelers still have a very strong defense and should be threats to contend again. Big Ben Roethlisberger seems to have matured since last season, and that has to be a good thing for Steelers nation.
Stress Level: Moderate
9) Bill Bidwell-Arizona Cardinals
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We have to wonder why is this man laughing? Maybe he knows that laughter helps to relieve tension?
Bill Bidwell, 79, the Arizona Cardinals owner, is trying to find a solution for how to replace Kurt Warner at quarterback. Whatever the Cardinals tried last year, it didn't work. Maybe they will cut a deal to bring in Donovan McNabb, but this is one team that needs to bring in some new blood.
The Cardinals are coming off a 5-11 season, so they haven't bottomed out. If they don't come up with a strong option to be able to throw to Larry Fitzgerald, then bottoming out might occur this year, assuming there is a season to bottom out in.
The Cardinals are one of the NFL franchises that have made it to the Super Bowl in the past five years, but that is already feeling like a distant memory.
Stress Level: Above Average
8) Al Davis-Oakland Raiders
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Al Davis, 81, is the Hall-of-Fame owner of the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders started to make some positive strides last year. In my opinion, they are exactly where the Houston Texans were at this time a year ago, which is a Cinderella team that is ready to challenge for a playoff berth.
Sure, Davis has had his moments of doing some crazy stuff, but nobody is more passionate or committed to his team than Al is. I just wish the years were kinder to him, as he looks like he has been through hell and back.
I am sure that Davis is looking forward to the draft, when he can find a few speed burners to add to the Raiders arsenal. Until the draft is completed, we will picture him pacing the halls of his office.
Stress Level: High
7) Malcolm Glazer-Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Malcolm Glazer, 82, is the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs were the surprise team of the 2010 season as they came out of nowhere to finish 10-6, but just like the New York Giants with the same record, failed to be awarded a playoff berth.
The Bucs are led by a very confident young coach in Raheem Morris, that brought a spark of life to this team. They will not be catching anybody by surprise next year, so if they are able to repeat with a similar kind of record, you know that this team is for real.
This is a young hungry team that wants to play football in 2011. As a result, we will pass on that sense of urgency to the owner, Malcolm Glazer.
Stress Level: Above Average
6) Tom Benson-New Orleans Saints
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For Tom Benson, 83, life is one big parade. Owning the New Orleans Saints and bringing pride back to New Orleans after winning a Super Bowl, Benson is still living off of the high the 2009 Super Bowl win created.
The Saints at least made it back to the playoffs last year, which is not necessarily a given for teams that are Super Bowl Champions. They lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that came in with a 7-9 record though, so there was a clear drop off from the Super Bowl team.
You would have to think Drew Brees will inspire the Saints to come back hungrier in the 2011 season, assuming there is a season to come back to. As much as the Saints would have loved to have repeated, this is still the home of the Mardi Gras, so how bad can it be?
Stress Level: Low
5) William Clay Ford-Detroit Lions
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Now we enter the realm of the five oldest NFL owners. This is where I begin to seriously wonder if they should ever think about attending NFL CBA negotiations being led by a mediator. I mean seriously, if two parties begin to start yelling at each other, what is that going to be doing for their blood pressure, or heart?
William Clay Ford, 85, is the owner of the Detroit Lions. Winners of four games in December, the Lions came roaring down the stretch to close out the 2010 season in fine form and to serve notice that they are an up and coming team for 2011. Those good feelings could easily get washed out if the league doesn't find a way to play in 2011, so you know that Detroit is one team that wants to see things get wrapped up.
Still waiting to make their first Super Bowl appearance, the Lions have to be encouraged by all signs of progress like they just demonstrated.
Stress Level: Anxious
4) Alex Spanos-San Diego Chargers
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Alex Spanos, is now 87 years old. The San Diego Chargers owner has to wonder why his team continues to be one of the streakiest organizations in the NFL. They repeatedly start out cold, and come on like gang busters historically in the second half. That can't be a good thing for your health.
The Chargers dealt with a number of player holdout issues, so hammering out a new CBA is something that has to be sensitive to the Chargers in particular. Slowly but surely, they are changing the face of their team, as prior stars in LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman are employed elsewhere.
San Diego may be one of the most ideal climates to live in the United States. Personally attended a number of Chargers games over the years, since there is not any NFL teams in Los Angeles. Was tempted to tell a USC joke here, but you got the idea.
Missing out on the playoffs should have this team hungry for 2011 to come about.
Stress Level: Anxious
3) Bud Adams Jr.-Tennessee Titans
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Bud Adams Jr., 88, is the owner of the Tennessee Titans. Bud is a fairly unique owner. He moved the Oilers out of Houston and took the team to Tennessee. He flipped off Bills fans after a win and was fined a quarter of a million dollars by the NFL. In looking at this picture, between the long hair, the sunglasses and the choice of wardrobe, you can fill in your own punch line.
The Titans are in a strange place. Their long-standing coach in Jeff Fischer is gone. Their starting QB Vince Young will not be part of the team. They at least hired somebody from within the organization in Mike Munchak, who will hopefully bring a little more stability to the team, and less personality than Fisher did.
Stress Level: Off the charts
2) Virginia McCaskey: Chicago Bears
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Virginia McCaskey, 88, is the only current majority female owner in the NFL, as she owns the Chicago Bears. From this picture she seems very sweet but not sure how she would fare in a mediation filled with all of the representatives of two very strong-willed sides.
But, for her to have survived this long, you know that she probably has been toughened up by Chicago winters. She may not personally have broad shoulders, but her spirit does.
If she did attend and wanted to speak, hopefully the room would get quiet and everyone would listen. I have not seen any footage yet of her coming out of any meetings.
Stress Level: Above Average
1) Ralph Wilson-Buffalo Bills
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Ralph Wilson is currently 92 years old. The only owner the Buffalo Bills have ever known. The current CBA labor negotiations are probably something his doctors have advised him to tread with carefully. Think about all of the people you know that are 90 or older. Can you imagine any of them being involved in something as significant as the NFL labor negotiations?
Wilson has been outspoken in the past about revenue sharing issues, as he faces an uphill battle keeping his small market team competitive in a very aggressive league, especially for owners who have deeper pockets. Wilson is a Hall-of-Fame owner for good reason. He has been instrumental in the history of the NFL and the merger with the AFL. He has brought NFL regular season games in to Canada.
Now the Bills enter the second year of their rebuilding effort and Wilson is sought after in interviews to see if the rumors of the Bills interest in Cam Newton is legitimate with the third overall pick. All of these events can't be good for his blood pressure. Due to the nature of his family estate planning, the Bills future in Buffalo depends on Ralph staying healthy for now. This is one owner that doesn't need to be part of high-profile CBA negotiation sessions.
Stress Level: Higher than it needs to be.
Bonus Slide 2: Jennifer Lopez-Miami Dolphins
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After watching all of the photos of ancient NFL owners in this slide show, thought I would change the mood with a shot of minority Dolphins owners Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Thanks for checking out the presentation.
Stress Level: Did you see her latest video on American Idol? Answer is none.
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