NFL Lockout Delayed with Seven
The NFL lockout that has been looming for months has been postponed at least a week thanks to a sevenday extension in negotiations between the players and owners.
The collective bargaining agreement was set to expire last night at midnight before an agreement was reached for a 24hour extension. And, after meeting again on Friday, the two sides have agreed to hold off on a lockout for another week while trying to settle the dispute.
The important question now is whether another week will make a difference in what have already been protracted negotiations to avoid an NFL lockout. Is there any reason to believe the NFL Players Association and owners can reach an agreement in seven days to put this whole mess to bed?
Unlikely. In an ultimate statement of greed, the owners continue to refuse to budge, putting the players in an uncomfortable position to hold their ground and potentially ensure a lockout. If that is the case and it's looking more and more likely the hope would be that things would be resolved before any games are lost to the dispute.
The whole situation is maddening for fans of the league, and if games are lost it moves from upsetting to unforgivable. Casual fans shouldn't have to sit and listen to billionaires argue with millionaires while the most popular sport in America disappears from the limelight.
A solution needs to be reached to avoid an NFL lockout. Whether a sevenday extension is enough or not remains to be seen, but it's at least a little taste of progress in what has otherwise been a rather hopeless situation.
The owners need to swallow at least a measure of their pride and get a deal done. There is no excuse for halting a sport that is raking in billions of dollars, particularly as most of the nation struggles to make ends meet during a down economy.
The whole situation is frustrating for fans. But if an NFL lockout emerges even after the aforementioned seven day extension, it becomes the ultimate insult to those who support the sport.
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