NFL and the NFLPA Mediation Countdown: Lockout Day Delayed

With this day beginning, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the team owners and the NFL players union came to an agreement yesterday — a 24-hour reprieve until the final potential lockout for the NFL, with 9 hours already gone.  The team owners have expressed more frustration than the union board.  For now, for better or for worse, President Barack Obama has decided not to intervene on the discussions concerning NFL’s collective bargaining agreement in his own backyard.  Then again, Obama has far bigger fish to fry at the moment internationally and domestically.  Whether it’s Jeff Saturday representing the NFL union board or owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys having their say in this affair, I don’t think another day won’t be much help with how little progress both sides are making.  Perhaps with arbitration as a future option might help, but neither side would be willing to commit themselves to a third-party decision.  We fans can only wait, watch and read about franchising, deals, signings and the draft.  But all these business decisions with these teams may come to naught if little progress is made again.

Until then, there are rumors of another extension in the works, if this one fails…