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Back last autumn, long before the collective bargaining process for the Canadian Football League and its players began, it wasnt hard to find those around the game who figured the leagues new salary cap would come in at about $5 million. Which is exactly where it landed Saturday night, with the players and league reaching a tentative agreement which - pending ratification - will end the threat of a work stoppage for the next five seasons. The $5 million figure is an increase of $600,000 per team over one year ago which means, when combined with ratification bonuses just for signing the deal, player compensation will grow to roughly $5.3 million per team this upcoming season. Historically speaking, a payroll jump of nearly $1 million per team from one season to the next is unheard of in the CFL. So why are so many players apparently unhappy with the deal? Largely because the CFL Players Association had been trying to build solidarity by pointing to the leagues new TV contract and several new stadium, while pleading its case first for a share of revenues and then for a salary cap of $6.8 million. But as time passed, the CFLPA executive sensed the that the $5 million salary cap was a deal-breaker for the league, an amount the players were likely going to have to accept either now, or in July or sometime after that. The players had every right to expect more. But any student of professional football labour knows that owners hold more of the cards in this sport than any other. Remember that three years ago, with all signs pointing to record revenues and popularity, the NFL locked out its players and rolled back their percentage of the take. All for the same reason the CFLs owners were able to gain the upper hand with their players: because they could and this is business. The unique element of the CFLs business case is that it can reasonably say it needed to make the league more economically stable. The bad old days in the CFL arent really all that long ago (its been eight years since a CFL team folded, 11 since two others were in bankruptcy) so the league based its position on prioritizing the medium to long term future of the league. There are non-monetary wins for the players in this deal, in such things as reduced hitting time in practice time, plus the fact that veteran contracts will no longer tie players to their teams for an extra year at the clubs option. But as for how this will affect the CFL game as a whole, theres not a whole lot in this agreement thats going to change the product as we know it. The league hopes the new agreement will provide the financial footing for it and its teams to invest in all areas of its business, essentially play catch-up on some of the things it wasnt able to do while it was trying to keep its head above water. With three teams having public ownership and six other franchises owned by people of considerable wealth unrelated to the business of football, the owners getting their way in this deal isnt about fat-cats trying to line their pockets. Its really about creating a business model that can drive franchise values up and make CFL franchises desirable to own in a way they havent been for decades. Which is the very best insurance the league can have and should mean the end of fire sales and circumstances where owners are tempted to throw the keys on the table and walk away. If the league operates soundly from here on, there will be better paydays in a stronger CFL down the road. Thats little consolation for this group of players, most of whom wont be around to share in the spoils that may come. But for a league that has spent much of the past 30 years trying to stay a few steps ahead of The Grim Reaper, theres no shame in striking a deal that builds a solid financial foundation to the future. Reggie White Jersey . According to TSN Edmonton reporter Ryan Rishaug, agent Rick Valette met with Oilers senior VP of hockey operations Scott Howson and general manager Craig MacTavish on Monday to kick off the talks. Rashan Gary Packers Jersey .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Bart-Starr-Jersey/ . Johns IceCaps erased an early two-goal deficit to come from behind and defeat the host Portland Pirates 5-4 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. Ray Nitschke Jersey . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Aaron Rodgers Youth Jersey . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then.Q: Did you have a jersey as a kid that you wore way too much? MP: Oh yeah, I had a Penny jersey. Penny Hardaway. Man, I think I wore it until the number came off. I thought I was Penny (laughs). Q: Who was your basketball idol growing up? I guess it was Penny Hardaway? MP: He was one, but growing up in Michigan, having the Bad Boy Pistons. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars were my idols, but also Magic Johnson. (photo: Getty Images) Q: Morris Peterson game-worn headband sold for $100.00. MP: Oh, what!? Q: How much would you have paid for an Isiah Thomas game-worn headband when you were younger? MP: Well you know what? The cool thing about being an NBA player is you get a chance to meet some of the coolest guys. So, he would just probably give it to me (laughs). Q: Youre widely considered as the most popular Raptors player ever. The ultimate fan favourite. Why do you think you connected with this city and its fans so well? MP: You know I wish I could say what it was. But I think the city and the fans appreciate blue collar work ethic. Michigan and Toronto kind of remind me a lot of each other in terms of the people. We got great people who go to work every day, punch in, work hard, punch out and go home. So, that was kind of my mentality stepping on the floor. I think if you look at what Canada stands for, with hockey and being tough, I think I kind of reminded them of a hockey player (laughs). (photo: The Windsor Star) Q: Three memorable moments stand out for raps fans when they think of MoPete: the blind folded layup, the crazy buzzer beater in Washington, and the first time back at the ACC as a visitor, you were introduced in the starting lineup and you went to centre court and kissed the logo. Which was most memorable for you as a Raptor? MP: I would have to say coming back and kissing the floor. Because that was a spur of the moment thing. I just wanted to show my gratitude and my love for the city, and the fans I grew with. They got a chance to see me grow from a kid to a man. And over my career we had some good times and bad times, but I just wanted to show my appreciation. Q: What was your favourite Raptorrs "look"? You have the purple pinstripes early days, purple front black back days and then the red and white canadian look? MP: Well, I think it was when we had the red jerseys, being at Michigan State at the time we didnt really have a lot of different jerseys.dddddddddddd So, when I got to the NBA everybody had alternate jerseys, so I was looking for the red one. I also wanted to wear the Huskies jersey one time. And I think they did one time, but that was after I left! And I was sitting there thinking to myself, "Oh man, I was the one who told everybody we should wear those!" (Laughs) (photo: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star) Q: Whos jersey would you rock on this years Raptors team? MP: Ouu, theres a lot of guys on the team I would rock. Kyle, I would rock all of them, you know Kyle Lowry is a tough point guard, T-Ross, DeMar. But I gotta stick with the wing players. Q: Will Vince Carter get his number raised in Toronto? MP: I think it will, Yes, sir…. For sure. Q: Former Raptors teammate, Jalen Rose, just did a ncaa tournament style bracket for hip hop groups on his podcast. In your opinion, who should win best hip-hop group of all time? Final Four was Wu-Tang, NWA, Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest. MP: WOW! Oh man. Wow, thats tough. But I would have to say Outkast may edge Wu-Tang, only because, and Im going to use players terms here, they had more experience at the time (laughs). But no, I would probably have to go with OutKast. (This video is NSFW) Favourite YouTube video? Well, I do like to watch old basketball highlights. But I would have to say (thinking). You ever see that one where the little boy bit his brothers finger? Charlie bit my finger. Ya, thats one of my favourites cause I got kids you know, so when they saw that, they always wanted to watch it. Can you go BarDown? Absolutely. When I was in Muskoka not too long ago, we had to do a scavenger hunt and I had to put the puck in the corner of the net, like an accuracy challenge. And I put in the corner, but it was probably the hardest thing Ive ever done too. And I think I had my eyes closed (laughs). ' ' '