NFL, players say talks continuing this week

NEW YORK -- Whether they are meeting in secret locations or in the middle of Times Square at rush hour, talks between NFL owners and players are a good sign.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has been saying that ever since the lockout began on March 12. Players, agents and lawyers familiar with the negotiating process second the notion.

Both sides met Wednesday for a second straight day in New York, with Judge Arthur Boylan joining Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith. It was the second time this week that the sides got together. Last week, they met twice near Chicago.

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Also on hand were five team owners and five players. That's a critical component for reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.

"Having meetings on a regular basis is not nearly as important as having productive talks," said agent Ben Dogra, whose clients include Patrick Willis and Sam Bradford. "If having productive talks encompasses meeting on a regular basis, then it is a good for them to meet as often as possible."

Both sides seem ready to do that as they await a ruling about the legality of the lockout from the federal appeals court in St. Louis. The factions aren't due back in court until August. On Wednesday, Judge Susan Nelson moved up a hearing for the league's motion to dismiss the players' antitrust suit from Sept. 12 to Aug. 29 -- nine days before the regular season is scheduled to begin.

"NFL owners and players continue to be engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan," the two sides said in a joint statement. "Both sides met again this week as part of ongoing court mediation. Those discussions are expected to continue."

A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press that the owners and players will meet again "soon and often. That means in the near future, not in a month or anything like that."

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

On hand at the latest talks were owners John Mara of the New York Giants, Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Clark Hunt of the Kansas city Chiefs and Dean Spanos of the San Diego Chargers.

Representing the players were NFLPA President Kevin Mawae, Mike Vrabel, Tony Richardson, Domonique Foxworth and Jeff Saturday.

Goodell told Buccaneers ticket holders Wednesday that "any time we're talking that's a positive because I believe both sides want to find solutions."

"I believe it's the objective of everybody involved with the NFL to play a full 2011 season," Goodell said during the conference call. "That's certainly what we're working towards, and I think the players are working towards that, too. It's for the good of the game, it's for the good of the people involved in the game, and it's absolutely good for the fans."

But don't get too excited about the recent talks.

"I don't think having the meetings is necessarily a sign for optimism," Dogra said. "But the fact both sides are meeting and will continue to meet in undisclosed locations, and that ownership is present, is a good sign that both parties are continuing to talk through the issues."

Added Don Yee, agent for Tom Brady and an adjunct law professor at Southern Cal: "I think it is far too early for optimism. Generally, nothing in the sports business happens until the very last minute, and we're nowhere close to that yet."

Still, the timing is crucial. Although June usually is a slow month in the NFL, teams already would have signed free agents and some rookies; held mini-camps and offseason training activities; and laid out plans for a full training camp beginning at the end of July.

But other than conducting the draft in late April, the NFL has been dormant.

"I'm still optimistic we're going to have 16 games," said Bengals guard Bobbie Williams, an alternate player representative. "July is not here yet, and June just started. We still have time here to get this thing done. Now when July starts running out, then it's a different ballgame. Come ask me again."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Titans players can see Locker as starting QB

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans haven't seen much of rookie quarterback Jake Locker. That's not stopping his new teammates from thinking the eighth pick overall could be their starter whenever the NFL starts playing again.

Locker worked out with his new teammates Thursday in a second straight player-organized minicamp at a local high school as the NFL lockout continues. He's made a sizeable impression on Tennessee veterans in just two days, including Thursday when he completed 8 of 12 passes.

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"He is a great football player. I can see it already," Titans left guard Leroy Harris said. "The sooner we get back to practices, he is going to become the overall leader. I think physically he is ready (to start). All he has to do is make sure he learns the plays. He has all the tools to be our franchise quarterback."

The 6-foot-3, 231-pound Locker spoke with reporters Wednesday but politely declined to talk Thursday when about 40 Titans worked out for nearly two hours at Father Ryan High.

Locker has spent the last 10 days in Nashville staying with wide receiver Damian Williams and working out at local high school and college fields. Locker was expected to return to his home state of Washington later Thursday.

Most of Locker's passes were quick, short tosses. When he went downfield a couple times, the passes were incomplete. His second throw of more than 20 yards went high and deflected off Williams' hands as the receiver going into his second year as a pro took the blame for dropping the pass.

While praise was high for Locker, veteran wide receiver Nate Washington was a little more hesitant in his evaluation.

"He has a nice arm on him, but it will be a different story when the coaches get out here, critiquing, get him going about it," Washington said.

"Then that is when we will really be able to assess him. I don't really think you can step out here on this little practice and know whether he is going to be the greatest or not going to be good at all. The best thing we have with Jake is the mindset that he is comfortable with us. He is coming in here knowing that he is supposed to be here."

Locker, Rusty Smith and Brett Ratliff all took snaps at quarterback. Smith will enter his second year with the team, and the sixth-round pick is the only other quarterback currently on the roster with Locker.

The Titans plan to cut ties with Vince Young once the lockout concludes either by trading him or simply releasing him. Veteran Kerry Collins could return to help mentor Locker, but retirement after 17 seasons may be a stronger option for the 38-year-old veteran.

"It is my job to help this team get better," Smith said. "If that means helping Jake get better so he can be ready whenever the season comes, that is my role. But don't think for a second I'm not going to try to get the starting job. I'm not one of those guys who is going to be bitter about the situation. I'm very happy to be playing football for my job."

Wide receivers Justin Gage and Kenny Britt were among the notable no-shows on Thursday, along with linebacker Will Witherspoon. Britt has not been in attendance either day, busy back home in New Jersey with legal troubles.

The Titans' top receiver, Britt pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge Tuesday from a previous arrest. The first-round pick out of Rutgers in 2009 was arrested again Wednesday and charged with resisting arrest after two plainclothes officers suspected he was carrying a marijuana cigar.

"It would have definitely been great for him to be here. This is a place he was supposed to be," Washington said. "But I don't know the situation. He has been having a lot going on. It is unfortunate, but at the same time it happens. He is dealing with those things, staying close to his family. He is trying to straighten his head out."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Knicks' Mason: Owners, players still far apart

NEW YORK -- Knicks shooting guard and NBA Players' Association vice president Roger Mason considers himself an optimist. But he is not certain that a new collective bargaining agreement with the league will be in place by July 1.

"I'm hopeful," Mason said, "but right now the gap is pretty wide as far as the league and the latest proposal that they gave us, and what we're willing to do as players."

Talks between the owners and the players' union were to resume Thursday in Dallas.

“

We understand the landscape has changed since the last deal, so we're willing to make concessions, but I think what the owners are asking right now is just way too much, and it's above and beyond [the money] they're losing.

” -- Players' union VP Roger Mason

Mason pointed to two major disagreements that the players' union has with the owners' recent proposal: The owners' desire for a hard salary cap and their proposed split of the league's basketball-related income between owners and players.

The two sides are so far apart, Mason said, that cap numbers and revenue sharing percentages aren't being considered. He said the league and the union are only talking through the two main issues and haven't yet addressed other concerns, including health benefits and the possibility of contraction.

Mason acknowledged that at the end of the day, the players' union will have to loosen its grip on the proceedings in order for a new CBA to be finalized.

"We've got to understand we're going to have to take some skin of the game, just because the forecast in America right now is not great," Mason said. "We understand the landscape has changed since the last deal, so we're willing to make concessions, but I think what the owners are asking right now is just way too much, and it's above and beyond [the money] they're losing.

"Obviously they claim a [financial] loss and we have sympathy for that and are willing as players to sacrifice something. But right now that gap is pretty wide as far as what that something is," he said.

Mason was a high school senior during the 1998-99 NBA lockout. While he didn't understand the NBA's inner workings at the time, he remembers feeling very disappointed that a deal couldn't be worked out sooner.

Not only does he feel the same way now, but he's now fully aware of the league's business side -- and doesn't want history to repeat itself.

"Sometimes there are circumstances where you just can't make decisions that are going to harm the future for our league," Mason said. "I wouldn't feel good about leaving the league five, six, seven years from now and youngsters coming in with this type of agreement. I would feel horrible if I left the game that way myself."

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Pacers players want Vogel back as head coach

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers players want interim coach Frank Vogel to get the full-time gig.

Now, it's up to team president Larry Bird to make a decision.

[+] Enlarge Rob Grabowski/US PresswireIndiana Pacers players said Thursday they want Frank Vogel to return as coach next season.

It's been more than a month since the team's season ended and the waiting game continues.

"I'll be happy if Frank gets picked," said center Roy Hibbert before playing in a charity softball game for the Indiana Children's Wish Fund. "I've been with him since I was a rookie, so I hope he gets it. I understand that Larry's taking his time now, but I'm pulling for (Vogel)."

Bird has called Vogel the favorite from the beginning of the search, and the team has had several conversations with him. He took over for Jim O'Brien at midseason, went 20-18 to close the regular season and led the team to its first playoff berth since 2006.

"I think Frank did an excellent job, stepping in without the experience of a head coaching job," Bird said after the season ended. "The way he conducted himself, he brought positive energy to this team. We won more games than we lost. We did it with a young team, a team that's trying to grow."

Early in his tenure, Vogel claimed that Eastern Conference powers Boston, Miami and Orlando wouldn't want to play the Pacers when -- not if -- they made the playoffs. He introduced "smashmouth" basketball, an approach that focused on attacking the basket instead of O'Brien's perimeter-oriented game. He moved Tyler Hansbrough, a second-year player, and Paul George, a rookie, into the starting lineup and helped restore Hibbert's confidence.

It all helped them get into the playoffs and compete well before losing 4-1 to the top-seeded Chicago Bulls.

"I really feel strong about having Vogel around," George said. "I love him as a coach, as a person. But I have no control over it. I have to just go with whatever Mr. Bird goes with."

Vogel said as the season ended that he wanted the job and said with confidence that he feels he proved himself. He didn't expect a decision to be made quickly.

"It's really up to Larry and the front office," Vogel said. "Anytime you're making a decision as important as this, you never want to rush into it. Whatever timetable they decide is fine with me."

Indiana was interested in Mike Brown, but the former Pacers assistant and Cleveland head coach took the job as Los Angeles Lakers head coach. But the players have favored Vogel since he took over.

"I would like to see Frank get it," guard Lance Stephenson said. "He helped us out this year. He made us come in more as a group. I hope Larry Bird sees what happened and we can move forward."

George would like to see a decision made soon.

"It's still up in the air for me," he said. "It's something that I want to know, but it's something I have no control over."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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