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Brady, P. Manning, Brees: It’s time for NFL deal

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NEW YORK (AP) — Calling the players’ offer “fair for both sides,”

star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees –

plaintiffs in an antitrust suit against the NFL – said Wednesday

“it is time” to wrap up negotiations on a deal to end the league’s

lockout.

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Brady, Manning and Brees spoke as a group publicly for the first

time with talks in a critical phase, four months into the league’s

first work stoppage since 1987. Players and owners met Wednesday

morning at a Manhattan law office for the latest round of

discussions. Talks continued into the afternoon.

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Deadlines are coming up next week to get training camps and the

preseason started on time. Although it seems the sides have agreed

on the basic elements of how to split more than $9 billion in

annual revenues, among the key sticking points recently have been

how to structure a new rookie salary system and what free agency

will look like.

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In a statement released to The Associated Press via the NFL Players

Association, New England’s Brady, Indianapolis’ Manning and New

Orleans’ Brees said: “We believe the overall proposal made by the

players is fair for both sides and it is time to get this deal

done.”

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They continued: “This is the time of year we as players turn our

attention to the game on the field. We hope the owners feel the

same way.”

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In response, the NFL issued a statement saying: “We share the view

that now is the time to reach an agreement so we can all get back

to football and a full 2011 season. We are working hard with the

players’ negotiating team every day to complete an agreement as

soon as possible.”

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Brady, Manning and Brees are among 10 players who are named

plaintiffs in an antitrust suit that is pending in federal court in

Minnesota. That class-action lawsuit was filed March 11, hours

after federally mediated negotiations to arrive at a new collective

bargaining agreement broke down, and the old labor contract

expired. The NFLPA immediately dissolved itself, meaning players no

longer were protected under labor law but instead were allowed to

take their chances under antitrust law.

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On March 12, the owners imposed a lockout on the players, a right

management has to shut down a business when a CBA expires. During

the lockout, there can be no communication between the teams and

current NFL players; no players – including those drafted in April

– can be signed; teams won’t pay for players’ health

insurance.

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A series of court rulings followed, including one last week from an

appeals court that said the lockout could continue.

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Talks resumed in May, overseen by a court-appointed mediator, U.S.

Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, who is on vacation this week.

Boylan ordered both sides to speak with him in Minneapolis next

Tuesday, and the owners have a special meeting set for July 21 in

Atlanta, where they could vote to ratify a new deal if one is

reached.

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That means there’s intense pressure on NFL Commissioner Roger

Goodell and NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith to keep things moving in a

positive direction. Disruptions to the planned preseason schedule

would decrease the overall revenue pie.

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Smith was among those arriving Wednesday morning for talks, along

with powerful team owners Robert Kraft of the Patriots, John Mara

of the New York Giants and Jerry Jones of the Dallas

Cowboys.

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