NFL KICKOFF LUNCHEON
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2002
HOSTED BY CURT MENEFEE

Roundtable Participants:
Hosted by Curt Menefee - CM
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue - PT
Gene Upshaw - GU
Phil Simms - PS
Chris Berman - CB
Brian Baldinger - BB

CM: Let’s start with you Commissioner, all the talk this summer in the world of sports was about baseball and its labor issues.  It’s been along time since we heard about labor problems in the National Football League.  How have you been so successful in keeping a balance?

PT:  We all worked hard to learn from the 80s when we had our own problems.  I think Wellington Mara and Dan Rooney and all the owners looked back and learned from the 80s, I know Gene and I did.  Once we were able to agree on a concept of free agency and a salary cap which focuses on the game, which focuses on the continuity on the squads and focus on the franchise players.  We’ve been able to keep it in place by staying ahead of the curve and working together on a lot of issues and not letting anything go to the last minute.  Hopefully we can keep doing that and if we can we’ll keep being successful in keeping the sport healthy.

CM:  Gene, what I think is the most impressive is that you don’t even let it get to that point.  You guys reuped the Collective Bargaining Agreement a couple of years before you get to the end of the line.  From a players’ standpoint how did you get this thing to work?

GU:  If you look at our agreement, and the reason we have the agreement we have in place because it’s the only one we could all agree on.  We put in a system that made a lot of sense and it made the players a true partner in the business.  When you’re a partner in the business, you care about the business, you take care of the product, and you want to protect the product and that’s what we’ve done.  Through a period of years of not waiting to the last minute to do it, has also caused us to focus on issues that need to be changed.  A good example is the minimum salary change we did this to subsidized veteran players.  We heard a lot of players were getting released because of the salary cap, I never believed that, but if it was a myth we wanted to disprove it.  We came up with a system, both the league and the players, that would subsidize minimum salaries for players in the league so older players would last a lot longer.  Not only have we done that, but we’ve done other things from stadiums to dealing with crisis that may or may not have occurred.  So we have a true partnership; so that’s why do it early.

CM:  We heard about baseball and its labor problems the whole offseason, so let’s talk about football.  We start with you Chris.  ESPN has the big game, on Thursday night.  The first ever Thursday night opener in NFL history, what’s that mean to you.  You’re a guy who is not just a broadcaster but you’re a big time football fan as well.

CB:  Now that pro football doesn’t get started till after the Labor Day, it’s the guest that’s properly waited its turn.  All the schools are back, college football, how many games have they played (5 or 6), even some of the high schools in some places have started.  Now you have pro football.  So from Thursday to Sunday it’s going to be front and center.  And the fact that ESPN is able to present one game on Thursday night and New York to share in what New York is going to put forth tomorrow, a week before the one year anniversary of 9-11, and then put forth what should be an outstanding football game brings me back to 1987 when we Pete Rozelle said maybe we’ll do a Sunday night game on cable and everyone thought he was nuts.  I tripped over every engineer that we had just to do the intro to that game.  It’s a great thing for us and a great thing for the league putting up one game on a Thursday night makes it a football weekend.

CM:  Brian, talking about football on the field and I think one of the things you look at is the development of the NFL and how it’s grown.  Not just the NFL anymore, its Arena League, NFL Europe – you and I have been over in Europe the last 6 years watching the talent.  Kurt Warner is the big name that comes out of there.  But there are a lot of names that do.  Are there any guys that you’ve seen recently that people may find as household names this season?

BB:  Not just players, but I mean, if you’ve been watching the HBO Hard Knocks Show and I think they’ve done a pretty good job turning that around and showing from the inside out what can go on within an organization and in a training camp.  The Cowboys have 2 coaches on their team, Galen Hall who recruited Emmitt Smith at the University of Florida and went over to that league and was a coach in Dusseldorf for a long time.  He’s running back coach over there now.  And Wes Chandler is doing a great job with the wide receivers and was a coach in that league as well and a former great player in the league.  But if you stay within the Cowboy theme there, their defensive tackles Brandon Noble and LáRoi Glover came out of that league and both of them would tell you they would not be in the National Football League or a team like the Dallas Cowboys without an opportunity from that league.  And it’s like that throughout the league.  I was in Pittsburgh on Thursday night watching the preseason game and they have a guard by the name of Oliver Ross.  He went over there a few years ago, and throughout the league on every team on every roster you’re going to have, because of salary cap constraints, to fit players within the cap.  Guys will be part of the special team unit.  So every single team right now, I was looking at the rosters earlier in the week, have graduates from that league.

CM:  You’re going to have more than two in the game tomorrow.  San Francisco has the running back Jamal Robertson, the Giants have Frank Ferraro, who may or may not be a starter on that team.

Phil, you cover the AFC mostly over on CBS, so you have the Jets at Buffalo.  Everybody keeps asking who’s the surprise team, first of all are the Patriots going to be as good as they were last year?  If not, whom would be the surprise team coming out of the AFC this year?

PS:   I think the Patriots will be better this year.  Everyone thinks people know about them now.  It’s the NFL everyone prepares for everyone in this league.  I think they are deeper, more talented.  We were up there for an exhibition game and we were supposed to meet with Bill Belichek at 2 o’clock.  At about 3:30 he finally walks in and he has that look on his face – you know that Bill Belichek look – anyway we said ‘did things go late.’  He said, “I had a meeting and I had to get a few things straight with the players.”  So I knew what he was doing – reading them the riot act because things weren’t going the way he wanted them to in training camp.   I think they’re used to him.  Tom Brady will take more of a role on the team.  They’ll be a little more explosive maybe throwing the football.  Everybody’s overlooking them, but when it comes to the playoffs, you’re going to talk about who has a chance and they’ll definitely be one of those team’s that has a chance to win it all.

CM:  Anyone unexpected that may rise this season?

PS:  Everybody’s looking for that unexpected team, so it’s kind of like hard to pick one out.  I do like what Boomer Esiason said during our show a couple of weeks ago.  I think the Cincinnati Bengals – some year – I think with all the good players that one year it’s going to come together.  I think they have a fairly good coaching staff down there and they do have a lot of explosive players down there.  They have a lot of explosive players on both sides of the ball.  Gus Frerotte is a very talented quarterback - it’s got to come together some time.

CM:  Brian, you cover the NFC for FOX, you open up this week with Steve Spurrier’s NFL debut.  What do you think Steve is going to be able to achieve as a coach in the National Football League?  Secondly give me an overview of the conference.

BB:  Steve’s not a shy guy.  He’s not going to be afraid to speak his mind.  He’s already said this is the best team he’s ever coached.   So that’s a good start.  Everyone’s going to talk about the offense there, it’s the ‘Fun and Gun’ so it will work, probably not as well with the quarterbacks he has there.   The bloom is off the rose especially after some of the preseason games he’s played there against New England and Pittsburgh where they didn’t score points or struggled.   They have a lot of talent on defense and that’s going to keep them in a lot of games.  LaVar Arrington is just going to keep rising.  He’s just going to be a bonefide star.  Everyone is just going to want to put 56 on the jersey in the NFL.    There’s a buzz in Washington and football is back.  It’s a proud organization that’s trying to return to its respectful days.  It’s going to be fun down there opening week.

CM:  Anyone who’s been in NY or Times Square lately has seen all the construction down there and it has nothing to do with Disney this time.  It’s the NFL setting up for the big kickoff celebration, which happens tomorrow night before the Giants and 49ers play at Giant Stadium.  Commissioner, is there anyway we can get away from the traffic down there without taking the subways and why did you decide to have a big kickoff celebration and game on Thursday night and also is there talk about making this an annual event every Thursday to start the year? 

PT:  First off we thought if we could start the year in primetime and end it primetime it would be great for the fans, the league and its teams.  We can use Thursday night and ESPN to profile all the games that are coming up on Sunday.  The second thing is thinking about where to do it.  We think New York is special for many reasons.  We have 2 teams here, which gives us maximum flexibility to select a top game, but the most important thing was the attack on the city of New York and the resilience that the people here showed.  Whether you listen to President Bush, Mayor Giuliani or Mayor Bloomberg, we all know how important the spirit is of the people here in New York and around the nation.  We just felt we could do something positive for the spirit of the city and the spirit of America.  We’ve got to be positive as we look ahead to some tough times.  We selected NY and then thought about what we would do on top of the game so we talked about this type of event, which focuses on football.  Last night we premiered an NFL Films special production of the rebuilding of the football team of the fire dept. is a phenomenal show and will be carried on ESPN tomorrow night.  Then someone in our organization said we have to do something in Times Square or at the Statue of Liberty.  Something that symbolizes NY and America.  That’s when we came up with this event.  I think its going to be a balance between a series of events that will kick off our season, show the resiliency of the people of New York and next Wednesday on a much more somber level we’ll be respecting those lost and honoring the heroes of 9-11 and those in Afghanistan who have been working since 9-11.

CM:  Jon Bon Jovi is going to be there – are you backing him up on ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’?

PT:  Last year when he sang America the Beautiful when resumed after Sept. 11, the thing that struck me the most was, and this shows small things tell you a lot about big people.  We were in a firehouse on 51^st and Lex and one of the firemen said to me have you ever had firehouse coffee and I said no.  Then I asked what’s unique about firehouse coffee and he said there’s more caffeine per ounce than any other type of coffee in the world.  Jon Bon Jovi started drinking that coffee and talking to the firemen and their families including the families who lost firemen.  I could see how he connected with the people of New York, eventhough he’s a New Jersey guy like me.  And when we talked about whom to bring back this year he was at the top of my list mostly because of what I saw in that firehouse.  The firemen and their families really reacted to him.  He’s going to be a great part of the weekend.

CM:  Gene this obviously brings a big event to the New York metropolitan area. There’s been talk about maybe bringing a Super Bowl to Giants Stadium.  First of all from the players’ perspective the Super Bowl is a big party.  The people who aren’t playing want to hangout on Bourbon St. or enjoy the life that goes on Super Bowl week.  Do guys want to play a Super Bowl in NY?

GU:  We’re not suggesting that they don’t have those type of things in New York.  The players would support the concept.  Obviously, we would have some concerns about some of the things that surround the game.  The weather is a big element.  The environment itself, like the halftime show.  I don’t think the current facilities like the one here in New York would support a Super Bowl, but that’s something that people have to look at – the political groups.  Obviously, we would support the concept.  We think it is a great thing to do, to have a game in the largest city in the country and maybe in the nation’s capital. 

CM:  Where does it stand right now, Commissioner?

PT:  We’re working on it.  We had some meetings this summer with the Jets, Giants and Redskins.  We’ve been putting together the leadership in the business community, which is very important and strong in both cites.  We’re going to come back and discuss it in depth here in New York, during our league meeting here in October and address some of the points Gene’s talking about.  He and I will sit together with our staffs and talk about the playing conditions, which is a concern of coaches, owners and players.  I think we can address that.  We’re going to take that up in October try to move it step by step and try to get a consensus of a good idea that would serve everybody’s interest with a Super Bowl in New York and or Washington.

CM:  Chris, I’m going to have you make a prediction on the upcoming season.  Everyone talks about teams that may have breakout seasons, which individual players might have a coming out party this season?

CB:  That’s a good question.  Arrington is one of them.  I’m hoping that randy Moss will have an uneventful other than football year, and I think he will with Tice.  I don’t know if that answers the question.  I’m anxious to see how a kid like Drew Brees does.  I’m anxious to see how some rebirth players  - can Terry Glenn get it together and actually become Brett Favre’s best buddy.  For a breakout player, the return of Eddie George and Edgerrin James, whichever back is 100 percent, that’s not the type of question you’re asking me, I’m dodging it because I don’t know.  If either Eddie George or Edgerrin James come back the way they were, that team becomes a bonified contender for the Super Bowl and win their division with a record like 13-3.

CM:  Did we miss anybody?

CB:  I missed a lot of young guys.  I’m just throwing out some of the older guys.

CM:  Everybody talks about who’s the best linebacker in the league.  Ray Lewis held on to that mantel for a little while.  You look at Brian Urlacher in Chicago and now LaVar Arrington is moving up to that next level.  Is there a best linebacker in the NFL?  If so, are those the only three candidates?

PS:  It’s like quarterbacks. Everyone always asks who’s the best quarterback.  I always say the one with the best play call and the one with the best quarterbacks around him.  Sometimes you can have the greatest skill but it doesn’t show because you don’t have the supporting cast.  That’s why football is about the team.  I heard somebody on the radio complaining that there are not enough stars in the NFL, well that’s kind of the idea isn’t it.  The teams are the stars and that’s why its so popular cause you don’t follow the player you follow your team.  Players, to answer the linebacker question of course Ray Lewis down in Baltimore.  He had great people in front of him.  Plus he had great talent which allowed him to take advantage of it.  The best player with pure physical talent, Lawrence Taylor excluded, but now Brian Urlacher is unbelievable.  The speed and the way he can react is just – he’s an unbelievably gifted, natural athlete.  He didn’t do this in the weight room.  The thing that also always catches me when we go visit the teams – listen to the players talk about him.  One by on they would come in and say things about him.  We’ve all played pick up basketball, and you hear about a guy – a linebacker – driving down the middle of the lane jumping from the foul line and doing a 360 dunk.  You go wait I know he’s exaggerating, but even if you are it’s still unbelievable.  This guy physically is about as good as anyone who has come in the league.

CM:  Brian, I know if we would have come in here last year and said who is the most important person on and team you may have said Drew Bledsoe.  Because if the Patriots lose him you might have said the Patriots have no shot.  Obviously, it didn’t turn out that way last year.  Is there a player where you say a team has to have him because he may be the most important player in the NFL?

BB:  Well the first guy who comes to mind, is Donovan McNabb, because Philadelphia, as much as you watch them, never looks pretty unless the ball is in his hands.  You don’t get excited about their running backs or wide receivers, but he’s just a magical guy.  He just finds a way every Sunday to create magic and find a way to keep you in the game, get you out of a bad play or whatever.  To me right now, with McNabb away from the Philadelphia Eagles. I don’t think you get excited about that football team.  A lot of people have Philadelphia as their team going all the way to San Diego.  To me right now McNabb is that guy.

CB:  Or Brett Favre.  

GU:  You got to find a way to keep those start players on the field.  They all are stars.  All 1,800 of them.  That’s why they do what they do, because they are the best.  Anytime you lose a player at a critical position, it doesn’t matter if its an offensive lineman it hurts.  If you can go out and find guys who could replace the guy that’s in there you would already have him anyway.  Those guys are not walking around on the street.

CM:  Commissioner, we were talking about the Philadelphia and they will move into a new stadium next year.  There are for new stadiums this year if you count the renovations at Lambeau Field.  Where does the stadium issue stand as far as the National Football League is concerned?

PT:  Well I think we took a major step after we had the turmoil from the mid 90s with the teams moving and getting the league involved and helping them subsidize the construction of stadiums.  I think Gene took the lead with the players association and helped us get it done under the salary cap.  We’ve been able to get something done in Chicago, which has been 30 years in the hopper.  Philadelphia’s been and took the league’s assistance there.  In New England, it took a huge investment from Bob Kraft and his family.  I think we are well on our way to solving those types of problems.  The problems we have now are to extend the program.  The way we have it set up now is that with the players association goes through March of 2003.  We both wanted to see if it was a sensible thing to do.  We both believe it is a sensible thing; to have the league invest in – to have some television money go into stadium development.  Now the challenge is to extend this program to address New York, to address San Francisco a couple of other situations and than we’ll be in a situation so our fans can have first class facilities. 

CM:  I know I asked Woody Johnson and Jay Cross this, but I’ll ask you, the Jets – New York and San Francisco are the two finalists for the 2012 Summer Olympics.  Are their new stadium deals tied to the NFL getting an Olympic bid or are they independent of that?

PT:  I think they are independent.  I know I worked with Mayor Brown in San Francisco and John’s been working with the mayor since to try to get something for the 49ers.  The Jets have a major initiative here to which is very attractive in many ways and gets sensitive to the environment and sensitive to the neighborhoods.  Of course, right now both cities are in the hunt for the bid for the Olympics.  Probably if both facilities were built for the Jets and or the 49ers would be Olympic venues.  But I think both teams would go forward whether or not the teams are in the Olympic chase.  They have good strong cases based on the merits.

CM:  Final questions:  two conference champions, and who’s it going to be in the Super Bowl?

PS:  There’s no question the St. Louis Rams are extremely talented and deep.  One thing I noticed this year is that there are a lot of good backups.   The talk that the league is thin is a bunch of paper clichés – it’s not true.  The league has more talent this year than ever.  They’re more skilled players.  Guys are getting cut and I’m like you’re kidding.  It’s loaded with good players and good people.  I know that doesn’t answer the question.

CB:  Philly and New England.

BB:  I think sometime you have to go through a painful year to get to it.  I think that happened to Pittsburgh last year.  I think they have what it takes to get there.  I’ll take the black and gold and then from the NFC, Brett Favre is surrounded by more talent than ever.  So I’ll take Green Bay.

GU:  I have to pick the Raiders and I’d like to see Minnesota.

PT:  I’m not going to say anything because I’m neutral.  The one thing I’m going to say is, with Gene here and Wellington Mara here, we’ve talked a lot about big money spoiling motivation or not spoiling motivation and the work ethic.  Kurt Warner came to see me to a talk about some charitable endeavors he had with the make a wish foundation and he talked about his work ethic and the work ethic of Marshall Faulk and Issac Bruce and you would have thought you were listening to Joe Montana and Roger Craig and Jerry Rice.  I’m neutral.  I’ll go back to what Phil said, we have great talent, highly motivated players, great work ethic despite the money, I think this will be a great season.  But don’t sell St. Louis short.