Player collusion in Seattle?

[NCRAVEN]

All I am saying is that the current comments by the likes of Aaron Wilson and this new letter by D Smith support my suspicion of collusion. Is there acutal collusion? I cannot say - I am not the one fielding offers from the various teams.

Dude, this is the only real issue anyone has with what you're saying!

How is Aaron Wilson tweeting what D Smith is saying, mean that A. Wilson is reporting collusion?

How is that evidence!?!??!

[moose10101]

So if they are separate...are they allowed to agree on the prices of the free agent market in view of Sherman section 1?

They are allowed to enter into a collective bargaining agreement as one entity, and set minimum and maximum TOTAL expenditures on player salaries. No, they're not allowed to cooperate beyond that, and there is no evidence that they have done so.

Agents fit the adage, "To a child with a hammer, everything looks like a nail". They should be vigilant, but they shouldn't assume any change in the status quo must be "collusion".

[BcRaven]

To bt12483, as Al Pacino said in his inspirational speech in 'Scent of a Woman' :

"This is such a crock of $H!+"...and so is your position IMO... Bc

[bt12483]

maybe it's age based discrimination??? Are the owners colluding against the older players? that would be more palatable.

It's a young man's game... money is only being spent on players coming off their Rookie deals. I thoguth that was obvious, and is no basis for collusion, it's a CHOICE to spend on younger players.

When hasn't it been a young man's game?

[moose10101]

All I am saying is that the current comments by the likes of Aaron Wilson

Wilson is a reporter, not a commentator. He did not say that HE was suspicious. Please don't misrepresent, or I'll have the bailiff whack your pee-pee.

[Haloti92]

Indeed. But once they decertify the applicable law is...the Sherman Act.

Yet.

Perhaps there is a major misunderstanding.

All I am saying is that the current comments by the likes of Aaron Wilson and this new letter by D Smith support my suspicion of collusion. Is there acutal collusion? I cannot say - I am not the one fielding offers from the various teams.

Would I be suspicious if I talk to 5 different teams and they all just so happen to arrive at a similar deal?

Is that a mere coincidence?

Is the teams parallel conduct independent, or concerted?

My opinion is fairly straightforward. I am not saying that it is impossible that the owners are colluding. I am not saying that eventually evidence of such might not be obtained. I am only saying that, in and of itself, selective, depressed Free Agent values is not evidence of collusion. And neither is, obviously, simple accusations of collusion by self-interested parties (players' union and players' agents) evidence of collusion.

To me, the easiest way to support such an accusation is to show that the owners are spending less of the full cap than they normally do. Period. If they are not, then they are not benefiting from paying selective Free Agents less (because the savings is being spent on different players not hoarded by owners). And because there are still months to go before teams are done spending, and because thus far, to me, the cap situations do not scream "underspending," I can't conclude there is any evidence at all. Yet. Of course things could change, but I suspect they won't (personal guess).

[bt12483]

Dude, this is the only real issue anyone has with what you're saying!

How is Aaron Wilson tweeting what D Smith is saying, mean that A. Wilson is reporting collusion?

How is that evidence!?!??!

If people (aka agents/players) weren't talking about it, Aaron Wilson wouldn't be tweeting about it, and D Smith wouldn't be writing letters about it.

[moose10101]

When hasn't it been a young man's game?

When most of the starters on the Steelers' 2012 top-3 defense were over 30 years old? When the Ravens' defensive leaders passed age 30 when Bush was still President?

[bt12483]

Wilson is a reporter, not a commentator. He did not say that HE was suspicious. Please don't misrepresent, or I'll have the bailiff whack your pee-pee.

I don't think I've ever claimed that Aaron Wilson believes collusion is happening. I have no clue his opinion on the topic.

I merely said his Twitter post supports my suspicion. His twitter post references agents. See post 31.

[moose10101]

And because there are still months to go before teams are done spending, and because thus far, to me, the cap situations do not scream "underspending," I can't conclude there is any evidence at all. Yet. Of course things could change, but I suspect they won't (personal guess).

It's likely that the league as a whole will spend a higher % of the combined cap than they ever have, due to the floor kicking in (wow, a minimum; now there's a rule that just screams "collusion" )

[Ravenswintitle]

This is ONE poster who clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. He just wants his claims to be validated. Logic is not going to change this dude's mind, plenty of people have refuted what he's said and he's just continued to repeat himself. Only thing to do is stop arguing with him so the thread goes away.

I don't see it that way. I don't happen to agree with the claims but it's an interesting perspective and he is bringing his side of the story. It's a healthy debate IMO

[moose10101]

I don't think I've ever claimed that Aaron Wilson believes collusion is happening. I have no clue his opinion on the topic.

I merely said his Twitter post supports my suspicion. His twitter post references agents. See post 31.

So if 20 more "reporters" tweeted the same thing, that would strengthen your case, even though they're all talking to the same agents. Right?