A year after "The Great Salary Cap Rebellion," the mood
among NFL players "is quite different ... The lynch mobs have
dispersed and the widespread player anger over the salary cap has
subsided." NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw, on a meeting with the
Eagles, his most outspoken critics last season: "When I
mentioned to them that we've had discussions about extending our
deal, nobody said, 'You're crazy, don't do that.' If I had
mentioned an extension to them last October, I might not have
gotten out of there in one piece." Agent Leigh Steinberg
explains the difference: "Many teams were in a deep panic about
their ability to get under the salary cap last year. It was a
year of real pain for a number of high-priced players who saw
their salaries drastically reduced or were forced to find other
teams to play for. This year, teams have adjusted and there
hasn't been as much of that." As for an extension of the current
CBA, which expires in '99, Upshaw said discussions with the
league have been "very preliminary." Upshaw said NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue "has taken it upon himself to
encourage everybody to start looking down the road and maybe try
to do something before 1999. Because we might not be able to
manage that in 1999." There are two reasons that NFL owners may
want an extension: The league's TV deals expire in '98, and the
final year of the contract is uncapped. Steinberg: "There is no
question that the prospect of an uncapped year in 1999 terrifies
management" (Paul Domowitch, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/6).
