The NFL is Getting Close...

When I started this blog back in January, in my mind, I had three main content focuses:

-NFL and College Football
-Science, STEM, and Education
-Any other topics that interest me and are worthy of me writing about them

Admittedly, the first bullet item was what was going to dominate the blog.  I am a huge football fan, and I try to pay attention to the goings on during the offseason.  Most people tune out and focus on other sports during the offseason, or no sports at all.  When I started the blog, we were neck deep in the playoffs.  I even dedicated an entire week to playing around with various aspects of the Super Bowl.  So, can you imagine how it made me feel inside when for the last 5 and a half months, my football content consisted of mostly analysis of labor law?  Now, I know that without football, the world will go on.  Clearly, I have dedicated a significant amount of content to other areas besides sports.  Nevertheless, I crave football.  Saturdays and Sundays in the Fall are usually filled with touchdown celebrations, "C'mon Mans," and flying prolate spheroids. 

I say this because finally...FINALLY...we might be reaching a conclusion.  FINALLY, we might be reaching labor harmony.  FINALLY, my blog will not be an analysis of labor law (but if you really are into that stuff, check out Rob's feed down in the blog roll), but rather a critique of what's actually happening on the gridiron.  I am an X's and O's kind of guy.  I can actually tell you what the difference is between an off-tackle play and the counter trey (it has to do with the direction of blocking on the offensive line and the way the running back cuts after receiving the handoff).  I can't wait until we actually get to see some real action on the field so I can talk about players, coaches, strategy, fantasy stats, and playoff scenarios.  I'll even talk/vent about how good/bad the Redskins are/were...or something like that.  Menace II Sobriety has our draft scheduled for Labor Day weekend, so that will be on the agenda as well. 

However, there is no deal done yet.  The magic date is July 21st.  That is when the next round of owners meetings will be held, and where (theoreticaly) the owners will vote on ratification of a new CBA.  The latest round of negotiations have brought the two sides closer than they have ever been since the lockout began, but it's not over yet.  Several players are now saying that they have conceded as much as they're willing to concede.  If a CBA is to be ratified on July 21st, an agreement in principle has to be done well before then.  It appears as if the final sticking point is the rookie wage scale.  The two sides are pretty much in cahoots on how to split the $9 billion (which was the biggest issue from the beginning).  However, rookie salaries can still be a major issue as draft picks have yet to even begin negotiations, let alone sign contracts.  The good news is that, as part of these negotiations, the two sides have essentially agreed upon "transition rules" which will govern how free agency, trades, and rookie negotiations (both for drafted and undrafted players) will work.  There seems to be agreement here, except when it comes to a deadline on when rookies can have contracts signed, but this goes back to the wage scale issue.  If the wage scale gets approved, then Cam Newton is looking at 4 or 5 years around $50 million.  Players only want 4 year contracts for top picks so that they can test the free agency market sooner.  Owners would obviously like a little more control over the top picks and sign rookies to 5 year contracts.  We shall see.  It would be a shame that the two sides have come this far in negotiations...only to see a deal fall apart over one issue like this.

As far as the season structure, assuming the deal is ratified on July 21st, there should not be many changes.  Many teams have already cancelled off-site training camps (such as the Ravens and Giants), but assuming a deal is in place, they can have a full training camp.  The problem is that with no offseason work, the coaches are starting from scratch.  You can't tell me that players running their own "OTA" sessions are doing anything to install playbooks, and even if they were, coaches would be foolish to assume that the players are as knowledgeable as they should be.  As a result, the Hall of Fame Game would still be in serious jeopardy.  The Rams and Bears open camp on the 22nd, but given the fact that they had absolutely zero offseason work (and literally no time at all to make roster moves prior to that), I'm fairly certain that the teams will not want to play the game.  Other than that, you should see training camp and the preseason go on as scheduled.  What will be interesting to see is how much starters play during the presason.  Ordinarily, starters really only see significant work in the third preseason game.  However, given the rust from the offseason, I would not be surprised to see starters play significantly more minutes in the first two preseason games.  The fourth preseason game will still be a junk game for 3rd and 4th stringers to avoid being cut. 

Hopefully, my next post on this subject will be something along the lines of "DEAL DONE!!!  FOOTBALL IN 2011!!!"  However, I have taken a "I'll believe it when I see it" approach for the entire offseason, and I still feel this way, despite the apparent progress.  I do sincerely hope that a deal is done by July 21st (if not sooner), and I can soon start discussing obscure training camp themes such as "The Oklahoma Drill," and "The Turk."