NFLPA is Suing the Patriots for Money They Owe Aaron Hernandez. Wait. What?

FoxSports – The battle will soon be on between the New England Patriots and the NFL Players Association over money Aaron Hernandez and his camp believe they’re owed. A grievance is expected to be filed shortly because the Patriots did not pay an $82,000 workout bonus to Hernandez that was scheduled to be paid on Aug. 1, a source told FOX Sports. The source said Hernandez, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the June death of Odin Lloyd, satisfied the requirements to receive his bonus by participating in the Patriots’ offseason workout program this spring. The Patriots, however, did not send a check this month when the bonus was due, the source said. The grievance will be filed in the coming weeks unless the Patriots change their minds and write the check to Hernandez. A Patriots spokesman declined comment when asked whether the bonus will be paid in the near future. This latest development sets up an even bigger battle next year because Hernandez is owed a $3.25 million payment in March.

You know, it’s the easiest thing in the world to tool on a labor union.  Everyone’s got a story about some useless slapdick at their job who can’t be disciplined or fired because the union protects him.  And the fact that most of them are in bed with mob thugs is the worst kept secret in the world.  Still, they do some good.  My sainted mom always raised me to appreciate that her union at the phone company paid for the fillings in my teeth and the glasses on my adorable Irish nose.  Like Martin Sheen says in “Wall Street,” the only difference between the men who built the pyramids and the ones who built the Empire State Building was labor unions.

That said, is the NFLPA kidding us with this horseshit?  This is what they’re worried about?  They have a rank & file whose careers last 3 years on average, that come out of football broken shells of men in a lot of cases… with concussions and depression and flat broke with no job prospects… and the union’s biggest concern is that Aaron Hernandez gets his roster bonus.  Way to go, NFLPA.  Good luck winning that public relations argument.  “Look, we’re not saying Hernandez isn’t a sociopath who’s killed more people than Phillip Morris.  But that doesn’t mean he didn’t hit his target weight and hit his bench press reps.”  Yeah, that is not going to be a good look for you guys.  And the PA does somehow manage to win this particular lawyerfight, I hope Mr. Kraft holds a press conference, tears the check up in front of them and blows it into their faces.  Or better yet, hands them one of those big cardboard Publisher’s Clearinghouse checks for $82,000 made out to One Fund Boston in Odin Lloyd’s name “Kiss My Ass” on the memo line.  Serves them right.

PS.  Somewhere in the deep recesses of his soul, Ron Borges wants to turn this into another of his “The Patriots are cheapskates” columns, but knows he can’t. And it’s killing him.  @JerryThornton1