The NFLPA has "revoked" the certification of agent TANK
BLACK for three years for rule violations and will "assess a
$25,000 fine if he reapplies" after that time, according to
Charean Williams of the ORLANDO SENTINEL, who writes that
the penalty marks the "stiffest ... ever handed down" by the
association. The NFLPA's three-member disciplinary
committee -- Dolphins DE TRACE ARMSTRONG, Vikings RB ROBERT
SMITH and Raiders LB RICHARD HARVEY -- "initially discussed
revoking Black's license indefinitely." Black now has 20
days "to seek arbitration, and the penalty will not be
enforced until either he declines to appeal or his appeal is
denied." Black said in a statement that he would appeal the
decision (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/28). In St. Petersburg,
Ernest Hooper writes that the decision to appeal "could
cripple" PMI, although Black "insists his company will
remain viable if the penalty is upheld, with a company
attorney doing the direct contract negotiations." PMI
issued a statement calling the ruling "highly predictable,
unusually harsh and inconsistent with past decisions." The
longest previous suspension for an agent was one year. PMI
will also "pursue" its $10M federal lawsuit against the
NFLPA, which was dismissed Monday. Black re-filed it
Tuesday "with additional counts" (ST. PETE TIMES, 7/28).
