NFLPA Assistant Exec Dir of External Affairs George Atallah appeared on ESPN’s “OTL” today. When asked what evidence the NFL has presented to the union in regards to players linked to PEDs in an Al-Jazeera report, he said, “Nothing, zero. That’s the easiest question that I’ve had on this program since I’ve had this job.” Atallah: “We’re in this position now because the league wants to apply whatever rules they want to any system that they want and we don't believe that’s fair, despite what the law says. Power does not replace judgment, power does not replace diplomacy and power certainly doesn’t replace wisdom.”
ESPN's Bob Ley asked Atallah, “Do you trust the NFL to conduct a fair investigation? Atallah: “We will be there to represent the players if they decide that they want to be interviewed in light of the threats made the other day.” Ley asked once again, “Do you trust the league?” Atallah reiterated his stance the NFLPA would be present at the interviews to ensure the “process is conducted as fairly as possible.”
Atallah referred indirectly to Commissioner Roger Goodell's leadership, saying there has been essentially the same CBA “in place for 20, 30 years now, and you never saw these issues pop up when Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was in that chair. This is the regime that this group of NFL owners have accepted. This is the direction they want to go in and this is the reality that we have” (“OTL,” ESPN, 8/17).
