Bottom Line Might Not Be Bottom Line in NFL Talks

[Omaha Steve]

http://sports.excite.com/news/03062011/v6929.html

Mar 6, 3:05 PM (ET)

By BARRY WILNER

With five more days and nights - at least - to reach an agreement, the NFL and the players' union might find money off the top is not the bottom line.

The owners' request that about $2 billion of total revenues be deducted before they split the rest with the players has been a sticking point ever since 2008. That's when the owners opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which would have expired last Thursday if not for two extensions.

The deadline now is at the end of Friday, and a compromise on that figure - the owners already deduct about $1 billion for operating expenses from the $9 billion overall take - might be easier than reaching accord on expanding the regular season to 18 games or several other issues.

"We have made player safety our biggest concern, and we won't back off on that," said Tennessee Titans guard and player representative Jake Scott.

"There are so many moving parts, so much that goes on," added Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb, also a player rep. "When you have these CBA negotiations, what we establish now will affect how we do business for years to come. It's more than just how to slash the pie. It's how you go to work, what your offseason will look like, benefits for former players, how protected are we when injuries come along. There are so many aspects being negotiated, it takes time to come to an agreement on all these different fronts."

FULL story at link.