Brees and the NFLPA -- had not heard this before

It seems to me that De Smith has gotten too chummy with the owners. This kind of alliance can emerge when an initially adversarial relationship becomes mollified through constant communication.

Sometimes, that's a good thing, as when whites associate with blacks. They can become colleagues and friends. I've experienced it.

Sometimes, though, adversarial relationships should be maintained. Smith's job is to get players their best deal and ensure their safety. The owners' job is to make money. Certain incompatibilities are going to arise between these two entities, and it's not clear to me that common ground is always to be be found, nor is it necessarily desireable. Sometimes, one has to hold one's ground.