Like most NFL fans, we followed the coverage of Wednesday’s NFL lockout hearing via Twitter as various reporters sent out updates throughout the day. Live tweeting and/or reporting was not allowed during the hearing so that’s about all we had to go on.
NFL Lockout Hearing Over; Decision In A ‘Couple Weeks’
Judge Susan Nelson heard each sides arguments and said she would take a “couple weeks” to decide which way this will go. The NFL draft is on April 28 so it’ll be interesting to see when her decision comes down because free agency could potentially be coming shortly after it.
Leading the way for the NFL was lawyer David Boies and for the NFLPA it was Jim Quinn. Boies received most of the questions from Nelson as Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe said a rough estimate was Boies speaking for 3.5 hours and the others combined for about one and a half hours. Boies said he wouldn’t look too much into that, according to Bedard.
Nelson reportedly urged the two sides to consider mediation but, according to various reports, it doesn’t sound like that will happen.
Simplifying things, the NFLPA’s argument is that they want the lockout blocked and for the players to return to work ASAP. The NFL argues that any ruling from Nelson should wait until the NLRB makes a ruling. The NFL filed a complaint earlier this year with the NLRB alleging the NFLPA was not negotiating in good faith. The NFL also argues that the NFLPA did not decertify properly, thus they do not recognize their decertification.
See More:
