Someone Remind Me Why This Man Is In Charge?
PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Arlen Specter accused the National Football League and the Philadelphia Eagles' of treating Terrell Owens unfairly and said he might refer the matter to the antitrust subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs.
Specter said at a news conference Monday in Harrisburg it was "vindictive and inappropriate" for the league and the Eagles to forbid the all-pro wide receiver from playing and prevent other teams from talking to him.
"It's a restraint of trade for them to do that, and the thought crosses my mind, it might be a violation of antitrust laws," Specter said, though some other legal experts disagreed. (Yes, and I'm one of those people who disagree.)
The Eagles suspended Owens on Nov. 5 for four games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the team, and deactivated him with pay on Sunday after the suspension ended.
Arbitrator Richard Bloch said last week the team's actions were supported by the labor agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association.
"The arbitrator's decision is consistent with our collective bargaining agreement, and it simply enforced the terms of the player's contract," Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said Monday.
"To have an antitrust violation, you have to have a contract or conspiracy in restraint of trade," said Robert McCormick, a law professor at Michigan State University.
Matthew J. Mitten, director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University, said, "We're in the labor arena, not antitrust."
Specter emphasized that he was "not a supporter of Terrell Owens."
"I am madder than hell at what he has done in ruining the Eagles' season," the Pennsylvania Republican said. "I think he's in flagrant breach of his contract and I believe the Eagles would be within their rights in not paying him another dime or perhaps even suing him for damages."
But Specter said, "I do not believe, personally, that it is appropriate to punish him (by forcing him to sit out the rest of the season). He's not committed a crime, he's committed a breach of contract. And what they're doing against him is vindictive."
OK, I'm not too happy that this three-ring circus is even considered "news worthy," and I wouldn't touch on it were it not for "Snarling" Arlen Specter sticking his nose into an issue that is none of his business. Now, let me make this perfectly clear before I go any further.
I'm a hockey fan. That's what I know. I pay half-attention to baseball and football, and ZERO attention to basketball. The only controlling factor in this whole debacle that Sen. Specter seems to have forgotten is Terrell Owens breached his contract. According to the team, and the arbitrator, there were provisions in his contract that were directly connected to his behavior on the Philadelphia Eagles. This stems from his antics of the past involving the San Francisco 49ers where he accused Jeff Garcia of being "gay."
Terrell Owens is a cancer in any locker room, and is the sort of athlete that has no concept of what constitutes a team in sports. And quite frankly, this whole mess is much ado about nothing. Terrell Owens is ticked that the team has the right to do what they're doing to him. And for Sen. Specter to decide to tackle this issue is disturbing.
Sen. Sepcter is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee has enough on it's plate already, including the Patriot Act, several other circuit and appellate court nominees, and let's not forget Judge Alito. Sen. Specter claimed that the committee was too busy to get to Judge Alito now, and pushed off the nomination until after the first of the year. He assured America and the president that January was the soonest they could get to Judge Alito. NOW, he seems to think he has some time to address this.
I'm sick of this worthless RINO. The base warned Frist and those leaders in the Senate that Specter couldn't be trusted with the responsibility of being the chairman. They poo-pooed us off, and said they had him under control, and he'd play nice.
This is under control? Sen. Specter doesn't seem to get the fact that this has nothing to do with anything involving antitrust. This is a labor dispute between an employee and an employer. They can work this out. Further, as I stated above, this is about the breach of contract initiated by Terrell Owens' antics. Sen. Specter says he thinks Owens is being treated unfairly. If I were hired by an employer--under contract, mind you--and I violated a provision of that contract, how long do you all think I'll have my job? I doubt it'll be long.
I want the GOP leadership in the Senate to either rein in this old fool, or take away his chairmanship. If he's not going to do his job they way he's supposed to be, then it's time for him to go. And as for Terrell Owens, I can honestly say that the Eagles won't miss this cancer when he's finally gone.
Publius II
PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Arlen Specter accused the National Football League and the Philadelphia Eagles' of treating Terrell Owens unfairly and said he might refer the matter to the antitrust subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs.
Specter said at a news conference Monday in Harrisburg it was "vindictive and inappropriate" for the league and the Eagles to forbid the all-pro wide receiver from playing and prevent other teams from talking to him.
"It's a restraint of trade for them to do that, and the thought crosses my mind, it might be a violation of antitrust laws," Specter said, though some other legal experts disagreed. (Yes, and I'm one of those people who disagree.)
The Eagles suspended Owens on Nov. 5 for four games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the team, and deactivated him with pay on Sunday after the suspension ended.
Arbitrator Richard Bloch said last week the team's actions were supported by the labor agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association.
"The arbitrator's decision is consistent with our collective bargaining agreement, and it simply enforced the terms of the player's contract," Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said Monday.
"To have an antitrust violation, you have to have a contract or conspiracy in restraint of trade," said Robert McCormick, a law professor at Michigan State University.
Matthew J. Mitten, director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University, said, "We're in the labor arena, not antitrust."
Specter emphasized that he was "not a supporter of Terrell Owens."
"I am madder than hell at what he has done in ruining the Eagles' season," the Pennsylvania Republican said. "I think he's in flagrant breach of his contract and I believe the Eagles would be within their rights in not paying him another dime or perhaps even suing him for damages."
But Specter said, "I do not believe, personally, that it is appropriate to punish him (by forcing him to sit out the rest of the season). He's not committed a crime, he's committed a breach of contract. And what they're doing against him is vindictive."
OK, I'm not too happy that this three-ring circus is even considered "news worthy," and I wouldn't touch on it were it not for "Snarling" Arlen Specter sticking his nose into an issue that is none of his business. Now, let me make this perfectly clear before I go any further.
I'm a hockey fan. That's what I know. I pay half-attention to baseball and football, and ZERO attention to basketball. The only controlling factor in this whole debacle that Sen. Specter seems to have forgotten is Terrell Owens breached his contract. According to the team, and the arbitrator, there were provisions in his contract that were directly connected to his behavior on the Philadelphia Eagles. This stems from his antics of the past involving the San Francisco 49ers where he accused Jeff Garcia of being "gay."
Terrell Owens is a cancer in any locker room, and is the sort of athlete that has no concept of what constitutes a team in sports. And quite frankly, this whole mess is much ado about nothing. Terrell Owens is ticked that the team has the right to do what they're doing to him. And for Sen. Specter to decide to tackle this issue is disturbing.
Sen. Sepcter is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee has enough on it's plate already, including the Patriot Act, several other circuit and appellate court nominees, and let's not forget Judge Alito. Sen. Specter claimed that the committee was too busy to get to Judge Alito now, and pushed off the nomination until after the first of the year. He assured America and the president that January was the soonest they could get to Judge Alito. NOW, he seems to think he has some time to address this.
I'm sick of this worthless RINO. The base warned Frist and those leaders in the Senate that Specter couldn't be trusted with the responsibility of being the chairman. They poo-pooed us off, and said they had him under control, and he'd play nice.
This is under control? Sen. Specter doesn't seem to get the fact that this has nothing to do with anything involving antitrust. This is a labor dispute between an employee and an employer. They can work this out. Further, as I stated above, this is about the breach of contract initiated by Terrell Owens' antics. Sen. Specter says he thinks Owens is being treated unfairly. If I were hired by an employer--under contract, mind you--and I violated a provision of that contract, how long do you all think I'll have my job? I doubt it'll be long.
I want the GOP leadership in the Senate to either rein in this old fool, or take away his chairmanship. If he's not going to do his job they way he's supposed to be, then it's time for him to go. And as for Terrell Owens, I can honestly say that the Eagles won't miss this cancer when he's finally gone.
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 6:21 PM
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