After Keyshawn Johnson was traded by the Jets and
signed an eight-year, $56M contract with the Bucs, two NFLPA
player reps said that they "planned to address" the league's
salary cap with NFLPA officials "in the near future,"
according to Mike Freeman of the N.Y. TIMES. What "worries"
the two reps is that the salary cap "is preventing teams
from hanging on to their best players." The two players
"suggested" that when the CBA expires in 2002, the union
"should insist on a salary cap similar" to the "one used by"
the NBA. Freeman: "The problem is that N.F.L. owners are
strongly against such a system because it would mean a
significant escalation in salaries" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/16). But
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue "didn't buy the suggestion" that
the league's salary cap system "is not working." Tagliabue,
on Johnson: "The Jets could have made room to sign him."
Tagliabue, on "taking a high-profile player" like Johnson
out of N.Y.: "It doesn't bother me. Tampa Bay is an
important team. Tampa Bay and St. Louis had a bigger rating
when they played in the conference championship game than
the Jets and Denver did" in '99 (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/16).
CHARACTER ISSUE SURROUNDS DRAFT: On "World News
Tonight," ABC's Steve Aveson examined the character issue
around the NFL Draft. Aveson: "When the Cleveland Browns
made Courtney Brown the number one pick in today's NFL
Draft, he was just the kind of headline-making player the
team and the league were looking for. A great athlete and a
solid citizen." NFL Exec VP/Labor Relations Harold
Henderson: "This year, it seems because of the heightened
media coverage, I've been probably more concerned than usual
and [we] really are looking very hard at players'
backgrounds and histories" (ABC, 4/15). CNN/SI's Peter King
reported that teams "are spending 20% to 25% more time
overall on character, on interviewing guys, on background
checks. The Houston expansion team is not playing for two
and a half years, and yet one of their first hires was a
former police officer in the Houston Police Department, who
was at Indianapolis at the combine this year, already doing
background checks they might pick up in two years" ("Page
One," CNN/SI, 4/15). In NC, Steve Reed writes that Panthers
Owner Jerry Richardson told the team's draft picks of "his
expectations" on and off the field. Indiana (PA) Univ. OL
Leander Jordan, the team's third-round selection:
"[Richardson] said how they don't tolerate nonsense from
players. (He told us) they don't want no thugs" (GASTON
GAZETTE, 4/17). NBC's Jay Leno: "The [Packers] announced
today they will no longer allow their players to do the
Lambeau Leap after touchdowns. ... Apparently, one of their
players landed on a babysitter" ("Tonight Show," 4/15).
CHARM SCHOOL: On Friday's "CBS Evening News," Jim
Stewart reported on IMG's training center for its clients:
"Call it a charm school for athletes. A creation of ...
[IMG], ... which recently figured out that by making IMG
players just a hair faster or adding a half inch in vertical
jump, coaches would be so impressed that athletes IMG
represents would be chosen even higher in the draft." IMG's
Tom Condon: "[The] higher they go in the draft, the more
money they're paid, the higher my percentage. Money, money,
money." Stewart: "To get that level of performance out of
an young athlete, IMG wants him totally focused. So, if he
needs a car, no problem, IMG leases it. They set up the
apartment, arrange his travel plans, they'll even send
flowers to his mother and girlfriend so that he can
concentrate solely on increasing his vertical jump. ...
They're taught how to even charm team owners" (CBS, 4/14).
