Field for NFL Players' Union Head Is Narrowed

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/24/AR2008122402095.html

By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 25, 2008; Page E02

The NFL Players Association has reduced the field of candidates for its executive director job to fewer than 10, people familiar with the union's search said.

Sources familiar with the search, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the union is not releasing information about it, said eight or nine candidates remain under consideration.

The group of candidates includes former NFL players Troy Vincent, Trace Armstrong and Mike Kenn and lawyer David Cornwell, the sources said.

Union officials and several players involved in the search declined to comment publicly.

The union is conducting a search for a replacement for the late Gene Upshaw and hopes to elect a permanent successor at its annual meetings in March. Richard Berthelsen, the union's general counsel, is serving as acting executive director.

According to sources, the next step in the search process will be for members of the players' ruling executive committee to conduct interviews with the remaining candidates and then reduce the field to a group of finalists. Several players familiar with the search process said the target number of finalists is three, but other sources indicated that could be flexible.

FULL story at link.