XPost: alt.sports.football.pro, alt.sports.football.nfl, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh

The National Football League accused Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry
Jones of trying to sabotage its contract negotiations with
commissioner Roger Goodell, calling his conduct �detrimental to the
league�s best interests.�

The tension has grown so severe that the topic of removing Mr. Jones
has been discussed by at least some owners, according to people
familiar with the matter. That type of drastic action would require
the league showing conduct detrimental to the league�which is
exactly the language the league used in a letter sent to Mr. Jones�s
attorney, David Boies, on Wednesday.

The letter, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, says Mr. Jones�s
�antics, whatever their motivation, are damaging the League.�

That letter was shared with all of the league�s 32 owners. It was in
response to a Tuesday letter from Mr. Boies, who wrote that �Mr.
Jones is in possession of a document that shows that certain
statements made about those negotiations are not accurate.�

In a radio interview Tuesday, Mr. Jones described any chatter about
his ouster �ridiculous.� A spokesman for the Cowboys didn�t
immediately respond to a request for comment.

The conflict marks a dramatic reversal for Mr. Jones, who in a
matter of weeks has gone from being one of football�s most
influential figures to one who is effectively ostracized from the
league. It also raised the specter of a protracted civil war within
the league, which has been largely unified since a series of legal
battles with the late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis a generation
ago.

Throughout the season, Mr. Jones has sharply criticized Mr.
Goodell�s discipline of Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott
over violations of the league�s personal conduct policy related to
alleged domestic violence. Mr. Jones and the NFL Players Association
have called the suspension unfair and criticized how the
investigation was conducted.

Mr. Elliott has denied the allegations and after a protracted legal
battle that kept him on the field served the first game of that
six-game suspension last Sunday.

Mr. Jones pivoted against Mr. Goodell after Mr. Elliott�s
suspension, according to executives from around the league. They
said as recently as two days before Mr. Elliott�s suspension was
announced in August, Mr. Jones expressed his continued support for
extension of Mr. Goodell�s contract as commissioner.

Although the league�s owners voted unanimously in May to proceed
with negotiations for a Goodell contract extension, Mr. Jones has in
recent weeks stepped up efforts to halt the process. He hired one of
the country�s most prominent litigators, Mr. Boies, and threatened
to sue the league and its owners over the issue. That resulted in
his banishment from the compensation committee, where he served as
an ad hoc member.

Mr. Jones has said he isn�t out for vengeance, but rather has been
concerned about the structure of the contract and the rush to get it
done when there is still about a year and a half left on Mr.
Goodell�s current deal.

Throughout Mr. Jones�s history as an owner, he has been successful
in not only expanding the league�s business but getting his way. His
decisions have driven the league�s television deals to unprecedented
heights and his opinions have typically carried outsize weight among
the owners.

It is unclear how many other owners support Jones. Two of the
executives from around the league said Redskins owner Dan Snyder may
be the only one who steadfastly supports Mr. Jones�s efforts, and
that if there are others it is only a handful. A spokesman for
Snyder declined to comment.

Also angering some owners was their view that Jones was behind
remarks from Papa John�s CEO John Schnatter earlier this month that
were critical of the NFL. If Jones encouraged Schnatter to attack
the league that could qualify as detrimental conduct, the executives
said.

Papa John�s is an NFL sponsor and on a recent earnings call
Schnatter said the NFL has �hurt us� and expressed disappointment
that the league had not resolved the player protests during the
national anthem.

Jones has said he�s a joint owner of more than 100 Papa John�s
stores and that Schattner�s points have �tremendous credibility.�

In a series of tweets yesterday, Papa John�s walked back those
comments, apologizing to anyone who thought the comments were
divisive. �We believe in the right to protest inequality and support
the players� movement to create a new platform for change,� the
company tweeted.

Jones�s tactics thus far have backfired and rallied support around
finishing Goodell�s extension, said the league executives. The
framework for that new deal has been agreed upon.

Goodell�s new contract, which would begin in 2019, would have a base
salary under $5 million, with the vast majority of his compensation
contingent on incentives in different categories, according to the
tentative framework in place. More than half of the league�s owners
would determine annually to what extent Goodell reached those
benchmarks. Goodell earned more than $34 million in 2014, according
to a tax filing, and has reportedly made more than $200 million
since becoming commissioner in 2006.

�The Committee is continuing its work towards finalizing a contract
extension with the Commissioner,� said Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur
Blank, who is chair of the compensation committee, in a statement
Monday. �The negotiations are progressing and we will keep ownership
apprised of the negotiations as they move forward. We do not intend
to publicly comment on our discussions.�

Boies�s Nov. 14 letter says that �Mr. Jones believes it is important
that the owners know the truth about the negotiations� and plans to
send an Aug. 16 memo from a consultant hired by the compensation
committee.

In his response, the league�s outside counsel, Brad Karp, wrote that
Boies�s letter is �yet another effort by your client to disregard
and interfere� with the owners� unanimous resolution in May to give
Goodell a contract extension. The letter says �there is no
legitimate basis for Mr. Jones to circulate to the full ownership a three-month-old document� that �Mr. Jones personally knows to be an
outdated, historical artifact of no relevance whatsoever in the
context of these lengthy negotiations.�

�With due respect,� the letter says, �we urge Mr. Jones to drop his
misguided litigation threats and media campaign to undermine the
Committee�s mandate.�

This clash only adds fuel to a season that has in many ways already
been defined by unprecedented tensions. In addition to continued
ratings declines the league has grappled with its players continued
protests during the national anthem, which became the source of a
feud between the country�s most popular sport and the White House,
when President Donald Trump encouraged fans to boycott games if the demonstrations continue. Trump and some fans have called the
protests unpatriotic, while sponsors have expressed concerns too.

Trump called for NFL owners to fire or suspend players for their
protests, which began a year ago to draw attention to social issues.
Vice President Mike Pence later walked out of a game because of
protesting players.

The topic became the focus of the league�s October owners� meetings,
where they ultimately decided not to implement a policy that would
require players to stand. Jones, meanwhile, has said he would bench
any Cowboys player who took a knee during the anthem.


--
Al Franken admits guilt after photographic evidence of his abuse
surfaces.
Mitch: "Let's investigate."

In Alabama, ZERO evidence, allegations 100% rejected.
Mitch: "Moore must quit immediately or be expelled."

-- Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 16, 2017

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