I think McMahon fucked up, unless its part of an effort to get the NFL to buy out the FFL.
Under Center: The NFL In The New Millennium
- Thread starter Calcaterra
- Start date
He does have a legal basis for a lawsuit, especially if he can prove that there was a coordinated effort to sabotage the FFL. If he can do that, I imagine he could probably also create an antitrust lawsuit building on the basis of the USFL case.
The Lost Post: Super Bowl XLVIII
Turns out I forgot to post this when I originally intended to. Don't know what happened, and why I didn't post this, but I found it in the master version and I think I kind of needed to post it, so it might as well be now when I'm working on the FFL case and the year 2017. Enjoy.
February 2, 2014: The Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating the San Fransisco 49ers, 34-24, becoming the first franchise to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium, the Anthem Dome. Peyton Manning is named Super Bowl MVP, after completing 28 out of 36 passes, three touchdowns, and passing for 305 yards, in the final game of his career. He is hailed as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, with a sizable number of people regarding “Ol’ 18” as the greatest. He retires with the all-time passing touchdowns record (542), all-time passing yards record (77,826), and has the most NFL MVP Awards (5).
February 2, 2014: The Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating the San Fransisco 49ers, 34-24, becoming the first franchise to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium, the Anthem Dome. Peyton Manning is named Super Bowl MVP, after completing 28 out of 36 passes, three touchdowns, and passing for 305 yards, in the final game of his career. He is hailed as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, with a sizable number of people regarding “Ol’ 18” as the greatest. He retires with the all-time passing touchdowns record (542), all-time passing yards record (77,826), and has the most NFL MVP Awards (5).
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Chapter Seventeen, Part Three: Tomlin Talks, Murdoch Swoops In, & Al Michaels Is At NBC
February 17, 2017: New England Patriots head coach Mike Tomlin makes waves in the NFL by suggesting that the gap between the treatment of Ben Roethlisberger and Michael Vick is indicative of a larger inequity. Roethlisberger, although viewed with hostility by the media, is still among the best paid and most famous athletes in the United States, despite killing a man and being accused of sexual assault several times. Vick, on the other hand, was convicted for his own heinous crime, and instead became a pariah, gaining little to no sponsorships and gaining unforgiving press coverage with little mention of his lobbying for animal rights groups. Tomlin goes further by saying that, if Ben Roethlisberger was a black man, he would have been convicted in both of his trials. The comments spark a debate about racial differences in the NFL and society as a whole and a conversation about what it means to be a black athlete in America.
February 20, 2017: Michael Bloomberg announces that he is in talks with Rupert Murdoch to raise funds for a buyout of Donald Trump’s stake in the Five Boroughs Group. The conflict between Bloomberg and Trump, which had been foreseen by many at the time of the Knicks purchase, hinges mostly upon the consortium’s relationship with Trump’s New York Knights FFL franchise, an asset that Trump himself has said he will “never, ever” divest himself from. Bloomberg himself predicted the eventual failure of the FFL, and, due to the risk factors, vetoed the group (outside of Trump’s preexisting stake) from investing in the Knights or any other franchise in the league.
February 21, 2017: Following the expiration of his contract with ABC Sports, Al Michaels moves to NBC to take Bob Costas’ spot as the play-by-play commentator for all primetime and “big game” NFL on NBC coverage. Michaels will be in the booth alongside former ABC colleague “Touchdown” Tom Brady, reuniting a critically praised duo. Michaels will be replaced on ABC and ESPN football broadcasts by Brent Musburger, who is called the new “voice” of ABC Sports.
Costas was moved off of NFL programming in a further attempt to make him the “face” of NBC Sports. He is moved to a revamped Football Night in America, which includes interviews with figures important to a daily conversation, and the game at hand and his presence on baseball broadcasts is upped.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
February 20, 2017: Michael Bloomberg announces that he is in talks with Rupert Murdoch to raise funds for a buyout of Donald Trump’s stake in the Five Boroughs Group. The conflict between Bloomberg and Trump, which had been foreseen by many at the time of the Knicks purchase, hinges mostly upon the consortium’s relationship with Trump’s New York Knights FFL franchise, an asset that Trump himself has said he will “never, ever” divest himself from. Bloomberg himself predicted the eventual failure of the FFL, and, due to the risk factors, vetoed the group (outside of Trump’s preexisting stake) from investing in the Knights or any other franchise in the league.
February 21, 2017: Following the expiration of his contract with ABC Sports, Al Michaels moves to NBC to take Bob Costas’ spot as the play-by-play commentator for all primetime and “big game” NFL on NBC coverage. Michaels will be in the booth alongside former ABC colleague “Touchdown” Tom Brady, reuniting a critically praised duo. Michaels will be replaced on ABC and ESPN football broadcasts by Brent Musburger, who is called the new “voice” of ABC Sports.
Costas was moved off of NFL programming in a further attempt to make him the “face” of NBC Sports. He is moved to a revamped Football Night in America, which includes interviews with figures important to a daily conversation, and the game at hand and his presence on baseball broadcasts is upped.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
Chapter Seventeen, Part Four: Blitz, O'Brien Goes To Dallas, Trial, & 2016 In Sports
February 22, 2017: The NFL further indicates it will fight the FFL case by launching a PR blitz, as several executives make appearances on sports shows and morning programs. Notably, Commissioner Young is interviewed on the Today show, Good Morning America, the Herd with Colin Cowherd, and the Beat with Bob Costas, routinely fielding questions about any wrongdoing by the NFL. Despite the campaign, the league is noted for a relatively tame response to questions, aggressive enough to dispatch them but passive to the point that ill intent can not be reasonably interpreted.
February 28, 2017: Bill O’Brien is announced as the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. O’Brien, the incumbent head coach of the Miami Hurricanes and former Raiders’ quarterback coach, is praised as a forward thinking choice, focused on re-establishing the offense and working with new star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. O’Brien brings aboard former Titans head coach and noted defensive guru Jeff Fisher as his defensive coordinator.
March 1, 2017: The McMahon v. NFL case goes to trial officially in federal court.
2016 In Sports:
Super Bowl: Green Bay Packers def. Miami Dolphins
World Series: New York Mets def. Chicago White Sox in 7
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers def. New York Knicks in 7
College Football: #1 Tennessee (Josh Rosen) def. #4 Georgia Tech (Jake Fromm)
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
February 28, 2017: Bill O’Brien is announced as the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. O’Brien, the incumbent head coach of the Miami Hurricanes and former Raiders’ quarterback coach, is praised as a forward thinking choice, focused on re-establishing the offense and working with new star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. O’Brien brings aboard former Titans head coach and noted defensive guru Jeff Fisher as his defensive coordinator.
March 1, 2017: The McMahon v. NFL case goes to trial officially in federal court.
2016 In Sports:
Super Bowl: Green Bay Packers def. Miami Dolphins
World Series: New York Mets def. Chicago White Sox in 7
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers def. New York Knicks in 7
College Football: #1 Tennessee (Josh Rosen) def. #4 Georgia Tech (Jake Fromm)
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
Missed opportunity for a Crosstown Series between the Cubs and Sox IMO
Missed opportunity for a Crosstown Series between the Cubs and Sox IMO
ITTL the Cubs haven't been like ultra good since 2010. They are contenders, it's just that the Cardinals are pretty amazing.
Chapter Seventeen, Part Five: Anti-Trust & The Colts Questions
March 2, 2017: McMahon v. NFL opens with a bang, as the FFL’s law team begin to lay out their case, which is very clearly more than just an average damages suit. The team alleges that the NFL is a hulking monopoly, actively bulldozing and sabotaging any and all potential competition. Introduced into evidence is the tape of NFL executives, including Commissioner Young, talking about coordinated decimation of NASCAR ratings in Indiana and the south. Further, the plaintiffs reveal they intend to call witnesses from the Sports Illustrated writing staff to try and force the name of the anonymous source that caused the initial PR disaster.
March 4, 2017: The Indianapolis Colts, holders of the first overall pick, hold meetings with quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (the favorite for the first overall spot), Dak Prescott, and Deshaun Watson within an eight-hour span. Present in the meetings are Colts general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Sean McVay, and offensive coordinator Matt Lafleur, with team owner Jim Irsay joining for a few minutes each time. The snub of prospects Mitch Trubisky and Carson Wentz hurt the respective draft stocks of both, although Trubisky, who was expected to at least join into that conversation, finds himself especially harmed by it.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
March 4, 2017: The Indianapolis Colts, holders of the first overall pick, hold meetings with quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (the favorite for the first overall spot), Dak Prescott, and Deshaun Watson within an eight-hour span. Present in the meetings are Colts general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Sean McVay, and offensive coordinator Matt Lafleur, with team owner Jim Irsay joining for a few minutes each time. The snub of prospects Mitch Trubisky and Carson Wentz hurt the respective draft stocks of both, although Trubisky, who was expected to at least join into that conversation, finds himself especially harmed by it.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
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This is a civil case so there wouldn't be a prosecution, just a plaintiff and a defendant, and FFL's lawyers would simply be referred to as a "Legal Team" in this case. Also, this lawsuit would be in Federal Court so NY's Shield Law isn't an applicable defense for SI to refuse a subpoena.
Thank you very much, I'll correct it as appropriate. If you haven't noticed I'm not well versed in corporate law, I'm trying to do my best. Can I check the updates with you (or really anyone) beforehand for accuracy?
Already posted that, in the threadmark titled Chapter Twelve, Part Four: Rebuilding Rogers, Cross-Pollination, & "The Commissioner Tapes". That was my attempt of foreshadowing how the NFL's tactics are intentionally hurting competition, precluding the inevitable anti-trust case years later.
oh yeah i remember. They're trying to sabotage NASCAR. I may include it in my TL if i ever get anywhere near that.
Yeah, it's an interesting concept. Whatever happened to the NASCAR timeline?
still going. that an an indycar one. They're in my bio thing below
Oh yeah, ok, I saw that's a companion piece. I'll make sure to check it out further.
Chapter Seventeen, Part Six: We Got The Guy, The Guy Walks, & The Texans Talk
March 5, 2017: The McMahon law team call several members of the Sports Illustrated writing staff onto the stand, to testify the identity of the anonymous source. The first two staff writers, Peter King and Alex Rubenstein, who both contributed to and helped edit the article, testify that they had no knowledge of the identity but merely knew the information. Andy Benoit, a staff NFL writer and the third contributor to the article, is identified as the interviewer, although he claims to be protected from revealing the information due to the journalistic implications of divulging the identity. After significant legal maneuvering and heavy questioning, Benoit reveals that the leak was NFL Senior Financial Analyst Walter Roczik. Roczik is subpoenaed by the court.
March 7, 2017: Walter Roczik appears in court, to testify in McMahon v. NFL. He verifies that he was the leak, but denies that he coordinated with the NFL in any way. When cross-examined, he reveals that the information was leaked accidentally, during a conversation at the NFL headquarters between Andy Benoit and Roczik. Roczik further testifies that he later agreed to supply Benoit with additional, non-FFL related information in exchange for anonymity in regards to both the already revealed and future information. The revelation rocks the case, and many question the viability of the McMahon’s team’s case without the building block of malicious intent.
March 9, 2017: The Houston Texans, holders of the second overall pick, meet with top prospects DEs Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas, WR/RB/CB Tyreek Hill, S Jamal Adams, and RB Christian McCaffrey. Present in the meetings are Head Coach Doug Marrone and general manager Tom Telesco. The quarterback-free meetings, due to the team’s belief that the later rounds will be rich with potential talent, allegedly produce a clear favorite for the pick in Garrett, although Hill impresses, falling short of the pick due to issues with the adaptability of his style of play in the NFL.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.
March 7, 2017: Walter Roczik appears in court, to testify in McMahon v. NFL. He verifies that he was the leak, but denies that he coordinated with the NFL in any way. When cross-examined, he reveals that the information was leaked accidentally, during a conversation at the NFL headquarters between Andy Benoit and Roczik. Roczik further testifies that he later agreed to supply Benoit with additional, non-FFL related information in exchange for anonymity in regards to both the already revealed and future information. The revelation rocks the case, and many question the viability of the McMahon’s team’s case without the building block of malicious intent.
March 9, 2017: The Houston Texans, holders of the second overall pick, meet with top prospects DEs Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas, WR/RB/CB Tyreek Hill, S Jamal Adams, and RB Christian McCaffrey. Present in the meetings are Head Coach Doug Marrone and general manager Tom Telesco. The quarterback-free meetings, due to the team’s belief that the later rounds will be rich with potential talent, allegedly produce a clear favorite for the pick in Garrett, although Hill impresses, falling short of the pick due to issues with the adaptability of his style of play in the NFL.
As always, please comment your thoughts on the latest events, and feel free to DM me about your thoughts, ideas, or random musings. Be sure to like this, and thanks for reading.