Killer Instincts

THIBODAUX, La. -Peyton Manning in his element on a hot, sticky, balmy Friday morning as he tutored and mentored young gransden quarterbacks at the annual manning passing Academy at Nicholls State University.

Yet the football never left the Colts quarterback's hand. Need once.

It's all by design, but he feels it of not by his choice.

Peyton Manning provides direction during drills at the manning passing Academy. (AP) Manning is tiptoeing his way through rehab after having neck surgery in may, his second neck surgery in a 15-month span. And he of placing a heavy onus on the owners for keeping the players away from team facilities. More specifically, he blames the owners for keeping them away from the training rooms, and, in turn, not having injured players fully healed once the players and owners decide to get their act together for a labor agreement.

"[Player injury rehab is] one thing these owners did not take into account," Manning said. "You've got a guy rehabbing and you can 't use your training room and can' t use your trainer." It provides some obstacles. I've been very, very cautious and taking it very slow because I have been somewhat on my own in some ways. When you find a good coach and a good rehab guy that you like, it's a pretty special bond. These guys kind of know your body. "So the fact that I haven't had access to my guys and I've been somewhat on my own, I've been extra cautious and extra slow and making sure we don't have any setbacks."

Manning, who has played in 208 consecutive regular-season games, said his may neck surgery what a necessity - "I didn't have a choice." He would not go into many details, though, on how long it would take to fully recover or what he has been doing to rehab his twice-repaired neck.

On recovery-length: "it's really hard to give yourself to evaluation because I really need my coach and my doctor to get their hands on me and work for me."

On what he has to do as far as rehabbing his neck: "you're kind of getting out of my expertise." I'm following the doctors' orders. "I have exercises that he's requiring me to do."

On the feeling of getting old: "really need." I've [had] 20 years of outstanding health since I what a sophomore in high school. "I had surgery last year, rehabbed it and had a healthy 2010 season and played every play."

Manning what most tight lipped on the subject of whether he has actually been throwing yet. When asked if he could give some examples of what he can and can't do as far as throwing said simply in rehab, Manning, "No."

Eli Manning did not of shed any more light on how much the lockout affected his brother's rehab, saying, "you've got to ask him on that one."

Archie Manning might have given, inadvertently, the most insight as to what his son has done or can do on the football field.

"I think he's been a little frustrated because he can't go to his rehab guy and his place to do it, the Colts' place," Archie said. "In his mind it probably wasn't a good time to have surgery." ... I'm sure [the injury is] from hits... but he's been organizing workouts, throwing. "That's the way it is."

So there's that.

Manning's contract is another situation in limbo. He stands to make $23 million as the Colts' franchise player, but undoubtably desires a multiyear, multigabillion-dollar deal.

"I really haven't of had a whole lot of thought on that," Peyton said. "There'll be a time and a place to address that once the lockout ends among other questions." "At this point, I'm just focused on rehabbing hard."

His contract isn't the only thing manning hasn't of really paid much attention to in the past several months. He said his interest on the daily in the and outs of the lockout has waned.

"I followed it early and it just got so exhausting because every day was the day it was supposed to end, and that was like three months ago," Manning said. "I've gotten to the point now where I' ve just told Jeff Saturday to call me when I can go back to the facility because otherwise it has been exhausting every day of hopeful hoping that's the day." ... I have no information or insight as to when it's going to end. I don't of think it's this week, but hopefully it will going to be be real, real soon. ...

"I what following it every day for a while." Calling de Smith and calling Saturday and getting updates. It just seemed like it what so disappointing that it what a long way away. So I got off that daily call. It's kind of made my offseason... be more settled and not be so anxious in thinking if today's the day. That's carried out for a long time. It sounds like even when they do reach an agreement, the paperwork is going to take some time. "Being patient has been important."

Later I asked manning if he felt he should be more involved in labor talks, considering his name is on the antitrust lawsuit. His face soured after hearing the question.

"I know everything that I need to know," Manning said, matter of factly. "At this point there's a lot of talk between the lawyers that are making the decisions and I don't have a law degree." I'm involved. I know everything I need to know. "I don't have any reservations about that."

So who knows if his face soured even more as the 8th Circuit Court ruling in favor of the owners came down shortly after talking with reporters.

If you were interested in Manning's health or future this season and beyond, do not look here. Just more finger-pointing and "players despise owners" rhetoric.

At least his feelings toward the lockout are directly in line with the way fans feel at this point.

"The lockout hasn't been good for anybody, I don't think," Manning said. "The only winners in the lockout have been the lawyers."

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NEW YORK--with NBA stars by veteran Kevin Garnett to Rookie of the year Blake Griffin standing behind him said Union President Derek Fisher on Thursday, that player is not a bad deal, avoid a work stoppage accept.

"We look forward to a lock-out to avoid, but we are unified in the sense not in fear, if that is what we are faced with," said Lakers guard.

Player representatives from each team were in the city have been updated for their summer meeting and on the State of negotiations with the owners. The collective agreement is 30 June, and the sides remain far apart headed into another meeting Friday.

Garnett and Paul Pierce of the Celtics, the Clippers Griffin, the Hornets Chris Paul and Jason Terry of the NBA Championship that the Dallas Mavericks were among 60 players joined the fishermen at the top of the news conference. Garnett said that owners want to "Control."

"It is regrettable, to be honest, because we have great momentum right now," said Garnett, whose massive Vertrag in Minnesota was a catalyst for change owners, which resulted in the 1998 lockout searched.

"I think the League is, as far as anticipation and leading stories and the career that you can follow, you know, win Dirk Finally, I mean, there are several stories, which are now fascinating, and it is only regrettable that we all go through this kind of that slow down now."

The sides swapped proposals Tuesday, but that they brought no closer. The League proposed what it a "Flex" salary cap, the teams to spend would be targeted $62 million, but could not exceed, with various exceptions. But there are so player a hard Cap still consider it a possible ceiling with an unspecified amount.

It is similar to the NHL salary cap system, which was initiated after a work stoppage in 2004-05 and the NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter called "the worst thing in all professional sports."

Hunter said that NHL owners only such an agreement after breaking their players Union win could, and contends that NBA owners want to lock their players with similar hopes.

"they have been implemented, the on us yet, but are what proposes it even NHL deal look good makes," said Hunter. "To ensure that it is my belief, that you need to do the same kind of damage, you impose on the same type of harm on us." "They have the mind and will and determination of NBA players, to achieve, what they want to break."

Players say is not going to happen, with Garnett believing that unity is stronger than it was in ' 98.

The players say she reclaim their proposal $500 million in salary give five years by reducing their share of guaranteed revenue from 57 percent to 54.3%, a proposal called that Commissioner David Stern "modest."

"Our steps call modest, is just not right," Fisher said.

Even though the League has projected $300 million loss of this season and says that 22 of its 30 teams will lose money, show player to record TV ratings and increases in were and their faith that things are not bad enough to the change owner search in ticket sales to justify.

"Everything you measure to the success of were at record levels,", Fischer said.

May be not enough. Both sides pointed out that they reached the border have of what she would admit a proposal so that it can be no progress Friday. Then, owner be set to lock the players Tuesday in Dallas, meetings where they were able to vote.

Fisher refused to guess what the owner do his side would, but made clear.

"We rely have not to accept a deal that is fair, not our players," he said.

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St. LOUIS--NFL player asked a federal appeals court Friday, the lockout declare illegal, say that the League had no right to a work stoppage, approaching three months now with no sign of a business, that the season will save 2011 impose.

In a courtroom with some 200 people, including out-of work players and retired to hereingebracht, the amount, the folding chairs handle packed got lawyers on both sides of the fight bitter work each make their cases about 30 minutes.

Ted Olson, Attorney for the players, saying 'we ask for a preliminary injunction for a short period of time.' (Getty Images) The complaint centers on the lock, the hours after months of work talks apart March 11 was began, the players Union dissolved and ended the fight in Federal Court. The NFL contends the union decertification was to win a farce meant leverage in the talks and the conflict remains subject to labour law.

The players argue that antitrust laws apply and the lock must be set up under the labour law on ice put to put as it was in April by US district judge Susan Richard Nelson in Minnesota.

"We call for an interim injunction for a short period of time," said the player counsel Theodore Olson, silent in the courtroom. "We simply ask that the laws of the United States are respected."

The arguments came before a three judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals whose zwei earlier 2-1 decisions have on the part of the League and confirmed the lock. The Panel took the arguments under consultation with a judge, Kermit bye, only to say that a judgment in "due course" would come and he suggested that the two sides of things to find out.

"We all would not what injured if you go and said this case to rules, bye with a smile as he closed the hearing 68 minutes.""We hold with our business, and when that ends with a decision, it is probably to something that both sides did not go, such as."

The League begins, the impact of the lockout, with furloughs and other recent moneysaving for steps see. Start training camp traditionally end of July and first preseason is little more than two months away.

The hearing has to be central in the dispute about like the NFL $9 billion dollar annual turnover parts seen and the turnout of NFL Players Association leader DeMaurice Smith and two dozen players, including Green Bay Cullen Jenkins, Tony Richardson jets and Giants standout OSI Umenyiora.

A League spokesman spent Friday in Fort Bragg, n.c., NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, that Goodell tweeting is not a lawyer and "would have added much to legal proceedings." Owner Woody Johnson was jets at the hearing.

A reporter of the question whether the NFL which had upper hand is waved off Paul Clement, a lawyer, and the NFL.

"When we tried to make it clear in there, we think, the lock is actually the best way to get players back on the field," said Clement, as Olson is a former General of the US lawyer. "I think that people understand that this problem will, be solved" the resolution will contain a collective agreement. And is the fastest way, the antitrust laws, which were only an outsider in this context of the image. "

The hearing was sometimes tight like Olson and Clement arguments about Nelson's April 25 decision to lift the lock on the grounds that it suffering damage, illegal and not gutzumachenden the player has been put. The 8th Circuit - seen as a conservative, business-friendly venue in the NFL as the federal courts in Minnesota - their ruling put on hold April 29, and reiterated its decision 16 May.

Judge Steven Colloton and Duane Benton wrote for most of then, that "the League has made a strong performance, that it is probably in the successful." Bye off both times, favors the players.

Colloton and Benton - by Republican President George W. Bush - appointed were Friday, Frank Olson and Clement draw with requirements on legal points and precedents to develop. Bye, an Envoy of President Clinton, a Democrat, offered the opening of the crowded Gallery welcome, but remained mostly quiet.

Conflict Clement was the Norris-LaGuardia Act bars court injunctions in cases due to a dispute work, it is maintained in the game, and Nelson's decision runs it with the said.

"Collective bargaining ultimately is a much better way, these disputes as antitrust litigation," Clement said.

Olson countered that the law that the depression was organized without work activity-apply and Union law includes players in the Court fight, a still from federal antitrust lawsuit filed by 10 players, including Tom Brady and Peyton Manning dissolved.

"The players are perfectly happy protected by antitrust laws are", Olson said. He denied that the decertification was a negotiating tactic, add that the players from participating in collective bargaining are excluded for their decision.

to solve "they have every step" to the Union, Olson said. "they made an important choice, which has a significant impact on labour law."

Olson also claimed that his customers will continue to financially damaged by the lockout. Clement, asked by bye to this problem, refused to Olson's grant claim and said "evidence hearing before the Court, which would carry out"-Although he think it necessary.

The two sides met 16 days before talks fell apart. A federal magistrate was also six days in communicating with both sides, and he was on hand with them again in three days of discussions in the vicinity of Chicago.

Ernie Conwell, former Rams and Holy tight end, said the players were those times but "not willing participants" in the NFL at the negotiating table. And he mocked Clements proposal, that more leisure time with the lockout delight players.

"Come," said Conwell, now a player agent. "It is not to be a lot of stress on these guys know what the future holds for them." And the League is that - which is why the lock is available. "

Brady, said during half-time charity touch football game at Harvard University, that he remained confident that there is a resolution soon if he admitted a "no one knows."

"Everyone works hard towards a great result," said the Patriots quarterback. "And I am confident that many reasonable people will come to a very reasonable agreement."

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