NFL PLAYERS STRIKE: DAY 11 : Five More Ram Players Cross the Picket Line

Five more Ram players crossed the picket line Friday, some of them blaming their return on recent comments and what they called non-negotiating tactics by Executive Director Gene Upshaw of the NFL Players Assn.

Back on the practice field Friday were veteran safety Nolan Cromwell, linebacker Jim Collins, nose tackle Greg Meisner, defensive end Shawn Miller and punter Dale Hatcher.

All will play in Sunday’s game against the Saints at New Orleans.

Nine Rams have crossed the picket line since Wednesday.

Miller has been the most outspoken, saying that Upshaw’s comments Thursday about the strike becoming a racial issue prompted his return.

Upshaw, who is black, suggested that a racist attitude by NFL owners might be prolonging the players’ strike.

“It’s definitely not what I wanted to hear,” Miller said. “I wanted to hear about the issues we’re supposed to be talking about. That had a lot to do with my decision of coming in here. . . . I strongly believe in the issues the union is fighting for. I do believe that. But I sure wanted to hear that we’ve lightened up on this or we’ve resolved this. But nothing’s happened since last week.”

Meisner, who wasn’t as explicit, agreed.

“I heard what he said,” Meisner said of Upshaw. “I don’t like the way things are going.”

Collins wouldn’t comment on what effect Upshaw’s remarks had on his decision to return.

“I just didn’t like the way things were going,” he said. “I don’t want to get into any of the details.”

In reporting Friday, the players received this week’s paychecks. For Cromwell, who earns $400,000 annually, it meant $25,000, or 1/16th of his base salary. Cromwell, an 11-year veteran and the biggest name to cross to date, said earlier this week he was going to hold out another week. He said he has been frustrated by the lack of movement on both sides.

“My intentions were to stay out to give them a chance to negotiate through the weekend,” Cromwell said. “But right now there are no meetings scheduled, so that’s about the size of it. All of us felt there were things we could accomplish through the process of a strike. We thought we could do it very quickly. But it didn’t happen; both sides have taken a firm stand, saying, ‘Who’s going to give in first.’ I don’t believe in that kind of negotiating.”

Ram player representative Carl Ekern said that the latest defections are painful but not an indication of union weakness. Ekern said he had spoken with all returnees except Hatcher and was not surprised. Cromwell, Meisner, Collins and Miller all spoke with teammates before returning.

“It’s obviously still not a majority and it’s not going to be,” Ekern said. “As long as we still have a majority (striking), that’s what’s important.”

Meisner, who was active in the picket line earlier, said he worried about how his crossing would affect future relationships with teammates.

“Those are the guys you go to war with,” Meisner said of the striking players. “I hope they understand. Every individual has to do what he has to do. My decision was based on what’s best for me.”

Cromwell said he wasn’t sure how many more Rams were ready to cross. He said he thought there would be a few more players coming in early next week.

Miller, who will be starting at defensive end Sunday, wonders when it’s all going to end. “It’s come down to two pit bulls in a fight,” he said. “Neither one is going to give ground until the other one is dead.”