Following the ruling from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that the NFL lockout will remain in place until an appeal is heard on June 3, the general feeling among those who follow the NFL is that the owners will prevail and the lockout will go on for an unknown amount of time.
NFL Lockout: Slight Bit Of Optimism Still Lingers
As fans who simply want to see football, that uncertainty isn’t a good feeling. Most people aren’t feeling good about the future of the work stoppage right now because the owners, who are implementing the lockout, could soon hold most of the cards.
There is some optimism though. Not a lot -- but some. Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports writes that the players aren’t panicking with the perception that they’re doomed.
The smart move would be to stay calm, counter the owners’ most recent offer and attempt to negotiate a compromise that results in a new, multiyear CBA and leaves both sides feeling reasonably good about the outcome.
Based on my conversations with key figures on both sides of the conflict, I believe that’s ultimately what will happen, despite the posturing from each camp.
Continuing in negotiations and agreeing to a new deal makes sense but, unfortunately, a lot of what’s happened in the lockout doesn’t make sense so I don’t think you can count on that. But absent a surprising decision next month from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, a new agreement may be the only way we can secure football in 2011.
It’s the uncertainty of it all that makes this so depressing.
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