is still missing five of its top six scorers -- Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar, Nick Young, Jodie Meeks and Xavier from zgr123's blog
The following letter from commissioner Mark Cohon was sent to CFL players on Wednesday. Charlie Coyle Wild Jersey . May 21, 2014 Dear CFL Players: On May 15, 2014, we presented your Executive Committee with a full and comprehensive offer that unfortunately was rejected. We believe that this offer is fair and reasonable, and we want to share its details with you. If ratified by the Players, the CFL offer would provide the following: Financial Terms - Increase the salary cap by 9% this season from $4,400,000 to $4,800,000 per team (and further increasing by $50,000 each year over the following five years to $5,050,000)- Effectively increase the average player salary up to 12% this season from $82,904 to $92,917 (and further increasing over the following five years)- Increase the minimum player salary by 11% this season from $45,000 to $50,000 (and further increasing to $55,000 over the following five years)- A further increase to the salary cap of $100,000 per team if the CFL receives more television revenue from TSN under a renegotiated broadcast agreement for each remaining year on the CBA- Maintain the $450,000 annual payment to the CFLPA for Player marketing and other rights This has been a long and difficult process for all involved. And when it comes right down to it, we just want to play. So, we have also offered to pay a ratification bonus of $3,000 to veteran Players and $1,000 to rookie Players (on a team roster as at June 22, 2014) if this agreement is ratified on or before June 2, 2014. Player Safety & Welfare - Immediately add two players to each teams Active Roster - Immediately restrict the number of contact practices during the regular season- Maintain 2013 CFL policy to restrict the number of contact practices during training camp- Maintain all current Player pension, medical plan and life insurance benefits- Maintain all CFL annual payments for Player counselling and rehabilitation support under the CFL-CFLPA Drug Policy On May 20, 2014 your Executive Committee provided us with their financial proposal in response to our offer. The CFLPAs financial proposal provides for a salary cap increase to $6.24 million in 2014, as well as approximately $240,000 per team per year in other monetary increases to pre and post-season compensation and pension plan contributions per year. From 2015 forward, significantly more would be added to salary cap based on a revenue sharing model. We advised the CFLPA in no uncertain terms that their proposal was not realistic, and would not form the basis for any financial settlement. In fact, it would threaten the very existence of the CFL. We have obviously rejected the CFLPA proposal today in negotiations, and we have told your Executive Committee that we are prepared to meet in bargaining at any time once they are prepared to discuss a fair and reasonable settlement that makes sense for both the Players and the League. Over the last five years, we have improved the foundation of our league. However, our work in this regard is not yet complete. Continued investment, focus and effort is required to achieve our vision of a strong, stable, and sustainable CFL. And while we remain mindful of the additional steps we must take, we also recognize the progress, together with the Players, that we have already made. And this progress is reflected in this offer. The CFL offer strikes an appropriate balance of, on the one hand, providing significant compensation increases and health & safety improvements to the Players while, on the other hand, creating an environment in which the League and its teams can continue to build for a strong and stable future. It provides a fair share to the Players, and helps us to effectively manage our businesses with a view to a strong future - for everyone. Over the last 25 years, with limited exceptions, CFL teams have either operated at a financial loss or struggled to generate even the slightest amount of profit. There are numerous factors that contributed to this, but central among them was the unbalanced relationship between revenues and all costs. Quite simply, the revenues being generated from the primary revenue streams of ticket sales, television, and sponsorships were insufficient to meet the essential operating requirements of the teams. Investments were needed in infrastructure (notably in stadiums and training facilities), and in modernizing our operations (i.e. developing our internet capabilities, and actively building competitive brands in our largest markets). However, without operating profits these investments were either insufficient, or not made at all, at both the League and team levels. A reasonable, fixed salary cap provides the foundation for a sensible business model. The League and teams have started to invest in their own futures. They have increased the skill and professionalism of their business leaders and staff, consistently and thoughtfully begun to strengthen their brands in their local markets, and have spent or committed $175 million in private money towards major stadium and infrastructure projects to create a modern CFL. Instead of reverting back to the days of old - limited investment, limited growth, significant instability, and a stagnant or declining business - we have a credible opportunity to boldly look to the future. In this new scenario, everybody ultimately wins. If you have any questions about this offer, please speak with your teams Players Association representative or a member of your Executive Committee. I want to thank you for considering this offer. This is not an easy process. The business side of football is never as much fun as the game itself. But we all share a responsibility to ensure that our league is strong for this generation of CFL fans and those that follow. Thank you for your consideration and your dedication to our League. Mark CohonCommissionerCanadian Football League Erik Haula Jersey . Chris Johnson singled with two outs off left-hander Jerry Blevins (1-1), and Schafer pinch ran. With a 2-2 count, Schafer ran on the pitch and Upton dropped a single in front of Bryce Harper. Schafer already was rounding third when Schafer bobbled the ball. Darcy Kuemper Wild Jersey . -- The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three goals in 33 seconds of the second period en route to defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 in American Hockey League action on Friday. LOS ANGELES -- For three quarters, the Los Angeles Lakers tempted the sellout crowd at Staples Center into believing they would pull off one of the most improbable upsets of the NBA season. Then Kevin Durant took over and the Lakers got sloppy with the ball, turning it into just another loss in a season full of them for coach Mike DAntonis undermanned squad. Durant scored 19 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter and the Oklahoma City Thunder sent the Lakers to a record-setting seventh straight home loss with a 107-103 victory on Thursday night. "The easy thing to do is look at it like we didnt have the proper focus. But Im not going to go there -- because when you play against an NBA team thats prideful like the Lakers, theyre going to have a good game," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. The Thunder have a 1 1/2-game lead on Indiana for the NBAs best record. Their 43-12 mark equals the best start in the franchises 47-year history, set by the 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics. Oklahoma City is 20-7 without second-leading scorer Russell Westbrook, who hasnt played since getting a triple-double on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden. Westbrook is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. "This whole group, they are resilient," Durant said. "We persevered through everything and just stayed together. We had faith no matter what. We are looking forward to having Russell back and make it seem less of a transition for him." Chris Kaman and Wesley Johnson scored 19 points apiece for Los Angeles, and Kendall Marshall added 14 points and 17 assists. The Lakers have lost 22 of their last 27 games and are tied with Sacramento for last place in the Western Conference. The Thunder, coming off a 98-95 win against Portland in which they held All-Stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard to a combined 1-for-17 from the field in the second half, trailed by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter while Durant missed his first eight attempts from 3-point range. But Durants first 3-pointer of the game cut the Lakers lead to 85-77 in the opening minute of the fourth, triggering a 15-2 run that enabled Oklahoma City to pull ahead 92-87 with 5:46 to play. "He just continued to play the game and do what he has done all season," teammate and former Lakerr Derek Fisher said. Ryan Suter Jersey. "He is one of the best I have seen in terms if really just playing through anything and everything." Los Angeles committed seven of its 23 turnovers during the first 4:03 of the final period, and Fisher tied it at 87-all on a 3-pointer. Durant then stole the ball from Johnson and hit a driving layup that gave the Thunder their first lead, 89-87. The five-time All-Star capped the rally with a 3-pointer 32 seconds later. The Lakers came out of the gate like a team that desperately wanted to avoid surpassing the franchise record for consecutive home losses they shared with the 1992-93 squad. They led 54-45 at halftime. "I thought the effort was terrific," DAntoni said. "They battled the whole game. We ran into a little rough spot there in the start of the fourth. They got into us and we turned it over way too many times." Steve Blake made a three-point play after getting fouled by Jeremy Lamb on an off-balance 20-footer from the left elbow. That put the Lakers back in front 95-94 with 3:34 left, but Serge Ibakas two free throws put the Thunder ahead to stay with 2:38 remaining and they closed with an 11-7 run as Fisher and Durant each made two free throws in the final 17 seconds. Oklahoma City has won eight of its last 12 meetings with the Lakers. DAntoni was down to eight healthy players, with point guard Steve Nash sitting out because of a recurrence of root irritation in his back and hamstring. Los Angeles is still missing five of its top six scorers -- Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar, Nick Young, Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry. "Its been a crazy year, and there will still be some turbulence ahead," DAntoni said. "But I think during these next 29 games we will get honed in and try to get better. The thing I hope is that with all the effort, they get rewarded for it." NOTES: The Thunder havent allowed 20 or more points to an opposing player since eight games ago at Miami on Jan. 29, when they overcame 34 points by LeBron James in a 112-95 win. ... Oklahoma City will come out of the All-Star break with a six-game homestand beginning next Thursday against the defending NBA champion Heat. Brooks and his staff will be calling the shots for the Western Conference All-Stars on Sunday at New Orleans. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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