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Forbes
3 minutes ago
- Forbes
Strip Club Expenses Could Be Just The Start In NFLPA Investigation
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 05: NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell discusses the state of ... More the union and its direction for the upcoming year before fielding questions from the media on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by) Lloyd Howell Jr. resigned as the Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) amidst allegations of conflicts of interest and expense impropriety. It's a startling turn for an organization known for stability; Howell was just its third executive director in the last 42 years. Howell may have left the NFLPA, but reading the reports and having investigated hundreds of similar matters, my immediate reaction was that any probe should not just continue, but also expand in scope. This article will focus on why, and what that investigation might look like. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 05: NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell discusses the state of ... More the union and its direction for the upcoming year before fielding questions from the media on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by) Executives Have A Fiduciary And Moral Responsibility Athletes take fiscal management of their unions seriously, as they should. External to unions, athletes targeted for fraud prorates to a billion-dollar issue based on this Ernst & Young study (which, full disclosure, I co-authored when I was at the firm). Union executives - who have a legal and fiduciary responsibility to their members - should be held to the highest standards in managing what is ultimately athlete money. To that end, unions have internal processes and controls, sometimes based on these Department of Labor recommendations. One such process, submitting expense reports – familiar to many cube monkeys – is part of this issue; expenses from a 2023 and 2025 visis that Howell and colleagues made to strip clubs were submitted for reimbursement to the NFLPA. (Original Caption) 10/15/1987-Washington, DC- Gene Upshaw (R), head of the National Football League ... More players union, announces the end of the strike at a press conference. Alongside Upshaw is Dick Berthelsen, the union's general counsel. Upshaw also said that the union has filed a federal suit in Minneapolis, alleging breach of antitrust laws by the NFL. But Strip Club Shouldn't Be The Only Area Of Concern Consider not just the 'where', but also the 'what' and the 'how'. The line items on the 2025 expense report included 'numerous' cash withdrawals Howell made during the visit. Cash – and its cousins, PayPal, Venmo and gift cards – are high-risk areas for expense reimbursements because they mask the ultimate nature of spend. In addition, Howell reportedly 'instructed (another employee present) to file the expense reports '. That move might have masked total spending for the evening, and also allowed Howell to essentially approve his own expenses if the employee was his subordinate. Expense policies typically prohibit such activities, and both might indicate a willingness to circumvent internal controls that have broader implications. WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 25: A microphone sits outside the building where members of the NFL Players ... More Association are meeting on July 25, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by) Comes Amidst Other Concerning Stories Exacerbating the concern is another report that Howell was operating as a consultant for Carlyle Group, one of the private equity firms approved to make minority investments in NFL teams. That issue is more optical than logical; reportedly, Howell consulted in Aerospace & Defense and the relationship was disclosed and vetted by internal and external teams before he joined the NFLPA and again when Carlyle was approved for NFL investment. But there are also concerns around suppressing potential collusion allegations, a sexual discrimination and retaliation lawsuit at a previous employer, and an ongoing FBI investigation into personal enrichment through the NFLPA's OneTeam investment. Perhaps relatedly, a source close to the partner WilmerHale hired to investigate Howell said 'our work continues'. WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 28: The office building that houses WilmerHale law firm is seen on May 28, 2025 ... More in Washington, DC. (Photo by) How that investigation might proceed Investigations are part art, part science, and no two are the same. But based on experience and the facts that have been publicly disclosed, it's reasonable to suggest counsel and the forensic accountants they hire will pursue a few angles. First will be interviews, including Howell, if he's cooperative, as well as any employees directly or indirectly involved. That also means whistleblowers, especially since the strip club expenses were 'received' by the outside investigator. Second, the NFLPA's attorneys might extract emails for Howell or other employees. Those emails will go into a legal data platform like Relativity that is more effective than the Microsoft Outlook search bar for identifying patterns. Third, they'll pore through two years of expense reimbursement and vendor spending data. Analytics will help, such as math and pattern analyses to identify red flags, or even - ironically - yellow flags. Those results are married to emails and interviews, and sometimes further testing – such as looking at supporting documentation – is necessary for painting a clearer picture. Given the concerns around conflicts of interest and circumvention of internal controls, investigators will also look closely at vendors that the NFLPA paid during Howell's tenure. Did they provide legitimate services? And who else within the organization was aware of conflicts and did enough to communicate them – where reasonable – to broader membership? At the end of this process, WilmerHale will provide a report. If I'm a player, and not just an executive committee member, I'd demand to see it, understanding some parts may be redacted to protect whistleblowers. Transparency is paramount; not just with the union, but with the government, since there are reportedly labor law implications. Necessary for restoring faith As this process unfolds, scrutiny and pressure continue to widen beyond Howell. J.C. Tretter, the President, was reportedly one of two people being considered to replace Howell. He just resigned amidst public criticism on his role in Howell's hiring and other matters from constituents like Will Compton. It's been a tough period for the NFLPA, but with CBA expiration on the horizon, hopefully this investigation and the new executive director will be key first steps in restoring faith from membership.
Washington Post
3 minutes ago
- Washington Post
The top training camp storylines ahead of a massive Commanders season
The Washington Commanders will report to training camp Tuesday with a sense of anticipation not felt in Ashburn for a generation or two. Fresh off a run to the NFC championship game, with one of the NFL's brightest young stars at quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders will gather with realistic aspirations of Super Bowl contention. Here are the questions and storylines they need to sort out over the next six-plus weeks before they open the season Sept. 7 against the New York Giants.
New York Times
3 minutes ago
- New York Times
What I'm hearing on Mets trade deadline: How others expect New York to fill pitching needs
With approximately a week and a half left before the MLB trade deadline, rival evaluators say they admire the New York Mets' farm system, noting its improvement, quality and depth. It is deep in terms of sought-after pitchers and up-the-middle position players. What the industry is eager to learn: How much are the Mets willing to subtract from it in order to address major-league needs? Advertisement Beyond their farm system, the Mets are willing to deal from their major-league infield depth, league sources said. They have four young infielders in Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña all vying for playing time at third base and second base when Jeff McNeil plays center field. With limited opportunities — obviously stars Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso are locked into shortstop and first base, respectively — it would only make sense for the Mets to have conversations with other clubs about their younger infielders if it means helping them elsewhere. The Mets' main priority is supplementing their bullpen. They need multiple relievers. Their preference is to find help through trades. If New York somehow does not find a deal to its liking that meaningfully improves its bullpen, the Mets are open to using top starting pitcher prospects Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell in shorter roles in the majors, people briefed on their plans said. The Mets don't appear to be committing to such a decision, but it is among the possibilities. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns used a similar strategy in the past. While with the Milwaukee Brewers, he broke in future top starters Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta as relievers for teams in playoff hunts. However, there is more risk in going such a route compared to acquiring a proven reliever. Industry sources expect the bullpen market to feature many options. The level of quality at the top remains unclear. Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, who isn't a free agent until after the 2026 season, is available. It is still up in the air as to whether other closers under club control such as the Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, the Athletics' Mason Miller, the Minnesota Twins' Jhoan Duran and the Baltimore Orioles' Félix Bautista join Bednar on the market. Such impactful relievers are also relatively affordable, meaning the cost for teams interested in acquiring them is high. Teams with such closers are looking to land a top prospect in return. Buyers know they are going to pay a premium at this time of year. For teams like the Mets, the challenge is parting with something good but not too good; no team wants to surrender a future All-Star for a reliever. In previous years, Stearns has not acquired such a reliever at the trade deadline. While with Milwaukee, he largely didn't have to — the Brewers were typically strong in the backend of bullpens — and worked under a much tighter financial budget. Last year, his first with the Mets, he acquired relievers who were either undervalued because of performance or salary (Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton) and/or represented upside with club control (Huascar Brazoban). Advertisement But unlike Stearns' Brewers teams, the Mets do not feature multiple elite backend relievers. The Mets have just one: Edwin Díaz. Thus, the need is greater than in the past, which, in theory, means there should be more openness. At this juncture, it is unlikely that the Mets add to their starting rotation solely for depth purposes, people briefed on their plans said. In other words, even if an injury pops up, it is unlikely that the Mets would jump into the market for a back-of-the-rotation starter. Sproat and McLean are among the reasons why the Mets feel good about their depth. It is tough for the Mets to acquire a mid-rotation starter given their current alignment of Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas. None of them has pitched poorly enough to warrant a demotion to the bullpen. If the Mets end up trading for a starter, it would have to be someone who represents a major upgrade — an ace-level pitcher all but guaranteed to start a playoff game. Such a player may not exist on the market. The upside of the Mets' rotation relies on Senga and Manaea staying healthy. With both pitchers, the ability to remain healthy is a valid concern. At least six innings have been completed by a Mets starting pitcher just five times over their last 35 games, and Peterson is responsible for all five occurrences. Senga and Manaea returned recently from respective stints on the injured list. Neither is built up yet to provide consistent length. The Mets expect that to change. (Photo of Mets reliever Ryne Stanek: Ishika Samant / Getty Images)
