[CBFF] Voluntary means mandatory (Pierson)

[Victor Waldron]

Voluntary means mandatory
Don Pierson
On Pro Football

June 7, 2006

Here's hoping the Bears understand the difference between run and pass
better than they interpret the difference between voluntary and
mandatory.

The current "Organized Team Activities" are declared through
negotiations with the NFL Players Association as voluntary. If you
want to keep your job under coach Lovie Smith, however, voluntary
means mandatory. Army language is similar.

By demoting running back Thomas Jones and linebacker Lance Briggs to
second team for the mini-camp, which really is mandatory, Smith was
only trying to send a message — both to the players who attend the
OTAs and to those who don't.

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said rules aren't as important as
"team building."

It often works, because the NFL means Not For Long for coaches,
players and general managers alike. So teams make up their own rules
as they go. If they backfire, they backfire. The Bears already appear
to be proceeding without Jones and Briggs, two pretty good players.