Yes, I believe the meetings between the head of the NFL and the head of the NFL Players Accosiation is a good sign. Both Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith met together in a closed meeting, just the two of them in Minnesota earlier this week. Then on Tuesday night they flew together to Sarasota, FL to speak to the rookies in the annual Rookie Symposium. In the past, the NFL commissioner's usually do not speak at theses meetings. Theses meetings are usually set aside just for current players speaking to the rookies on what the league is all about from a players perspective. All this is organized by the NFLPA.
But on this day, Smith thought it would be a good idea that Goodell speak to the rookies due to all the negotiations going on with the current lockout. The players asked many questions. The players are probably worried about coming into the league where there is not work at this moment. Once you are a pro athlete, living in the real word usually goes out the window when you are talking about money. But in the case of these young rookies, they are coming into the league and still living in the real world.
The crucial deadline that I keep hearing on when the lockout will be over and the league resume is July 15. But the good sign that I'm hearing is that with Goodell and Smith meeting together with no one else, is they want to get a deal done. I know both sides want to get a deal done fast, because with all the money lost to this point, more money will be lost if a deal is not done and the work stoppage enters into the regular season.
After the symposium, both Goodell and Smith hopped on the same plane back together to continue the negotiations. This time a few more people will be involved in the continuing talks that resume today.
If the lockout ends before or on July 15, free agency would start immediately, then organized team activities would begin July 23, with training camps set to start opening for business on the 25th. You might ask, why OTA's, and why not just go into training camps? Well, training camps would be okay if you didn't have any rookies on the teams. You have to have a contract in order to participate in training camp, but you don't in OTA's. So OTA's gives the rookies the opportunity to practice with the team, while trying to work out a contract. But the key is everything is going to have to move swiftly. The Hall of Fame game is set for kickoff August 7 with Chicago Bears versus St. Louis Rams. But unlike the early years of pro football, players are in shape year round, and also memorize these playbooks. Training camps are just a way nowadays to get back acquainted with your coaches and teammates and be a little refresher before the season starts. The great thing about this lockout is the players are organizing team player practices with all players, even rookies. So once the lockout is over, everything will be back to normal after about a few weeks. The DEAL will be done in a week or two.
But on this day, Smith thought it would be a good idea that Goodell speak to the rookies due to all the negotiations going on with the current lockout. The players asked many questions. The players are probably worried about coming into the league where there is not work at this moment. Once you are a pro athlete, living in the real word usually goes out the window when you are talking about money. But in the case of these young rookies, they are coming into the league and still living in the real world.
The crucial deadline that I keep hearing on when the lockout will be over and the league resume is July 15. But the good sign that I'm hearing is that with Goodell and Smith meeting together with no one else, is they want to get a deal done. I know both sides want to get a deal done fast, because with all the money lost to this point, more money will be lost if a deal is not done and the work stoppage enters into the regular season.
After the symposium, both Goodell and Smith hopped on the same plane back together to continue the negotiations. This time a few more people will be involved in the continuing talks that resume today.
If the lockout ends before or on July 15, free agency would start immediately, then organized team activities would begin July 23, with training camps set to start opening for business on the 25th. You might ask, why OTA's, and why not just go into training camps? Well, training camps would be okay if you didn't have any rookies on the teams. You have to have a contract in order to participate in training camp, but you don't in OTA's. So OTA's gives the rookies the opportunity to practice with the team, while trying to work out a contract. But the key is everything is going to have to move swiftly. The Hall of Fame game is set for kickoff August 7 with Chicago Bears versus St. Louis Rams. But unlike the early years of pro football, players are in shape year round, and also memorize these playbooks. Training camps are just a way nowadays to get back acquainted with your coaches and teammates and be a little refresher before the season starts. The great thing about this lockout is the players are organizing team player practices with all players, even rookies. So once the lockout is over, everything will be back to normal after about a few weeks. The DEAL will be done in a week or two.
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