Feb 4, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at a press conference at the New Orleans Convention Center the day after Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL is in the business of making money, we all know that, and with a proposal that came public today indicating that the league wants to push its calendar back, revenue is the reason.

The proposed changes would move the Combine into April, the Draft into May and all 32 teams, including the Green Bay Packers, would open training camp on the same day. The idea is that with the growth and success of the Draft the past couple of years with making it prime time and spreading it out over a couple of days, the league could make it an even bigger event by moving it closer to a true halfway point from the end of the Super Bowl to the start of the regular season. Oh, and the Super Bowl? Instead of being held at the beginning of February, it would be held near the middle or the end of that month.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith in attendance Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

No doubt, this plan may also play into the idea surrounding an 18-game season, something the National Football League Players Association has nixed from the start. From early reactions about this move to change the league’s schedule, it doesn’t seem like the NFLPA is too fond of this idea either.

The league hopes it can convince the players because it would mean more revenue – which of course would be shared with the players.

My feeling is that the league might be moving a bit too fast on this matter. Maybe they consider taking this idea and breaking it up and instituting it over the course of two or three years – you know, ease into it to give the players, the advertisers and the fans a chance for it to sink in and make sense.

We’ll keep an eye on this and all the other proposed changes to the league right here on Lombardiave.com.

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Ndamukong Suh is reported to have been suspended for two games, pending possible appeal.

We all knew the punishment for Ndamukong Suh was coming. Some speculated as heavy of a penalty as suspension for the remainder of the season for his stomping of Green Bay Packers right guard Evan Dietrich-Smith in the Thanksgiving Day game won by the Packers.

We suspected, as did many others, that it would be at least a couple of games.

The two-game suspension is what is being reported.

While Suh has three days to file an appeal for the suspension of two games, we certainly hope he doesn’t. The entire world knows what he did and no matter how many attorneys and no matter how much he apologizes, it’s not going to change the perception that he is a bully and a dirty player.

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Today is turning out to be a good day for the fans of the NFL. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Ever so slowly, reports about what is contained in the new collective bargaining agreement are surfacing.

Over the weekend, we saw the reports about fewer contact days in camp and now this morning the report about protections for career-ending injuries, especially for rookies, has been implemented.

In keeping in line with the players association and Commissioner Roger Goodell’s focus on player safety, the new wrinkle, as reported this morning by Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, will allow an injured player to recoup up to $1.5 million. (more…)

We're hoping that players like Clay Matthews will be sweating and giving interviews as early as this weekend. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Andrew Brandt, that knowledgeable former Packers negotiator, knows this football business best and that’s why we here at lombardiave.com have been following his sage advice through this entire CBA negotiations issue: It’s not agreed upon until EVERYTHING is agreed upon.

So, with that in mind, we take Jay Glazer’s announcement very early this morning announcing “Sources: NFL, NFLPA agree to CBA terms” with at least a small grain of salt.

We all know what transpired yesterday. We all know that players and inside sources were tweeting, emailing and commenting about the fact that the league and players were very close to agreeing to a deal after breakthroughs in negotiations – namely the obstacles surrounding the reinstitution of the players’ association and whether there will be a 10-year deal or a deal that gives players an opt-out option.
All that is well and good, but like Brandt said, it’s not a done deal until everything is agreed upon and as of Monday morning it appeared that the only thing that could screw things up is the class action suit filed by Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller and other retired players. (more…)

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV over 70 days ago. The Super Bowl “high” we felt has continued on and doesn’t appear to be dying down anytime soon.

There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming draft.. speculation of who Ted’s first round pick will be (psst… OL, please), and a whole lot of previously disgruntled Packers fans’ admission of the true genius that we have now come to love. It’s amazing what a Super Bowl win will do to send a singular person’s stock to rise sky high.

As we continue to have hopes for an agreement between the NFL owners and Players Association, waiting for news, shaking our heads in disbelief that they have STILL not been able to come to terms.. I’m starting to feel a little disgruntled myself. Not with the team and not with the fans.. but there are a few outstanding celebrations that have been put on hold for months now.

When are we going to see our team make the dutiful trip to Washington DC to meet with the President? When are we going to get to see the diamond encrusted, gaudy, but rightfully earned Super Bowl ring.. and where is the Twitter-controversy-fed Super Bowl Team photo? (more…)

There is a popular NFL adage, “On Any Given Sunday”; it’s meaning is that in the NFL there is a very real possibility that any team could prevail in their weekly Sunday match-up. NFL players and their fans, no matter how big an underdog they might be, truly believe that their team can win. It’s what drives the players and their fans.

It is a rare individual that attains the status of a professional NFL player. Only 1696 achieve that distinction each week of the season. The talent and hard work it takes to make it to the elite status, as an NFL player is extraordinary. What is even more unique is the title of a NFL team owner. That exclusive club is limited to a privileged 32 (31 plus the publicly owned Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers). You don’t become an NFL franchise owner without having won battles in the boardroom and the courtroom.

Unfortunately the players and their union officials are in a game (CBA Negotiations) with the owners, in which they are so over matched that in this case “On Any Given Sunday” probably means that the owners will take a large television rights fee deposit to the bank on “Every Given Monday” during a labor lockout.

Just as the players practice, condition and watch film in preparation to wage war between the lines each week, NFL owners have done their version of game preparation in their offices and boardrooms week in and week out for decades. Where players and coaches draw strategies in x’s and o’s, owners strategies are drawn in dollar signs and zeros by attorneys and MBAs. (more…)