The NFLPA has filed a grievance against the Bengals
that claims the team violated the CBA when they reached a
five-year, $23M deal with WR Carl Pickens, and as a result,
the team "could lose their free-agent franchise tag." But
Bengals President Mike Brown said nine teams have followed a
format similar to the Bengals: "We checked with the
management council, and they approved what we did. We
thought we were following the letter of the law." An
arbitrator's ruling is expected February 10 (ENQUIRER,
1/26). The NFLPA also filed a similar grievance against the
Cardinals, 49ers and Packers (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/26).
DEFENDING THEIR STANCE: USSF Secretary General Hank
Steinbrecher said that a deal for a new contract with the
U.S. women's soccer team "was possible" by the end of the
week but called negotiations "sensitive." Steinbrecher
added that the team "seeks significant raises" (USA TODAY,
1/26). In Denver, Vicki Michaelis reports that U.S. Women's
soccer team member Mia Hamm, appearing at a Englewood, CO,
soccer clinic, discussed the contract dispute and said that
she and her teammates "are not trying to bolster their bank
accounts as much as they are trying to take advantage of
their high-profile podium and build on what they began
during their magical ride last summer." Hamm: "Everyone
talks about leaving their environment a little bit better
than it was when you got there, and that's what we're trying
to do." Meanwhile, Hamm's teammate Michele Akers "stood
alongside" President Clinton during a news conference Monday
at which Clinton unveiled a $27M proposal to "help women get
paid equal wages for doing the same work as men" (DENVER
POST, 1/26). Akers: "We still have a ways to go. We're
still being discriminated against. We still are not paid
equally" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/25).
STRANGE SCHEDULE? In Toronto, Tom Tebbutt writes on the
"awkward" scheduling at this week's Australian Open which
has resulted in an "unusual second-week lineup" that has two
of four women's semifinalists playing without a day's rest.
Tebbutt: "The main reason for the clumsy setup is that event
organizers don't believe in the drawing power of the women
and are hesitant to have day or night sessions involving
women-only matches" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/26).
MORE NOTES: In Detroit, Lynn Henning reports on MLB
team owners voting to increase MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's
authority and writes that the owners "now want the
commissioner to be a tiger. They want Bud Selig to unleash
all the authoritarian terror he can muster." MLBPA Dir of
Communications Greg Bouris notes Selig "only has power" over
the owner's "domain, not power over the [MLBPA]." Bouris:
"It's an interesting (issue) right now, but there's still a
collective bargaining agreement in place" (DETROIT NEWS,
1/26)....In K.C., David Boyce writes on MLS Commissioner Don
Garber visiting the K.C. Wizards, who averaged 8,183 fans
this past season. Garber, on the attendance: "The problem
in [K.C.] has been a lack of focus." Garber said MLS will
"succeed or fail with our ability to build our own
stadiums." Garber: "There are 60 million people who call
themselves soccer fans. Those 60 million people have not
been tapped into" (K.C. STAR, 1/26).
