News Sign of progress? Owners asked to clear schedules next week

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The NFL has asked owners to keep their schedules open next week, when the league holds meetings in Chicago, NFL Network reporter Albert Breer confirmed Tuesday.

The owners are scheduled to meet June 21, and the memo from the league asked for flexibility by the owners in case the meeting spills into Tuesday night or Wednesday. That has fueled speculation that perhaps the league and the NFL Players Association are making progress in their negotiations toward an agreement that would end the three-month-old lockout.

rest of article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82050114/article/sign-of-progress-owners-asked-to-clear-schedules-next-week?module=HP

[Ravage!!!]

I think I agree with Clayton. I think the NFL announces the holdout is over right as baseball's "All Star Game" is coming the topic. The NFL loves taking press away from the MLB. :lol: Look for around the 12th of July for the official announcement.

[rcsodak]

Why is it I feel everybodys hanging on every word....getting their hopes up....and the rug's gonna get pulled out from underneath.....

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The latest round of not-so-secret meetings between the NFL and NFLPA* are taking place on the Maryland shore near Washington D.C. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The two sides have seemingly given up the premise of keeping it completely confidential, because a number of national reporters all received this news around the same time, with ESPN’s Chris Mortensen starting the fun. Mort says the two sides are in “deal-making mode.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/14/labor-negotiations-taking-place-in-maryland-tuesday-and-wednesday/

[TXBRONC]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/14/labor-negotiations-taking-place-in-maryland-tuesday-and-wednesday/

I still meet Mort's reports with a bit of skepticism.

[Ravage!!!]

I don't. I like Mort and have no problem with him.

[Davii]

I view all reports with skepticism, not because of the reporter, but because of who is feeding the info. Both sides still want their spin after all.

[LordTrychon]

Schefter says the Lawyers are being brought in only this time it's a good thing.

That sounds like a very good thing to me.

If the lawyers are being brought in and it's a good thing... they're drafting paperwork... and not just proposals to the players, IMO.

[Davii]

Schefter says the Lawyers are being brought in only this time it's a good thing.

That sounds like a very good thing to me.

If the lawyers are being brought in and it's a good thing... they're drafting paperwork... and not just proposals to the players, IMO.

Although I will agree, I don't think lawyers are ever good. :lol:

[MasterShake]

Although I will agree, I don't think lawyers are ever good. :lol:

Except for Frank Azar. He got me $25,000. I bought some spinning rims for my 1990 Geo Prizm with it.

[Mike]

Except for Frank Azar. He got me $25,000. I bought some spinning rims for my 1990 Geo Prizm with it.

That's because he is the "Strong Arm".

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Promise has sprung from the latest round of talks between the NFL and players, who resumed clandestine face-to-face negotiations Tuesday on Maryland's eastern shore, the third such set of talks they've staged this month.

According to sources, both the NFL and NFL Players Association are evaluating and strongly considering concessions on all fronts, and that has led to a belief that a deal could be done in two to four weeks. In a sign of the progress made, the legal teams on both sides have returned to the meetings, after sitting out the sessions in suburban Chicago and Long Island. N.Y. the past two weeks.

The talks are expected to continue into Wednesday.

Two other people familiar with the talks told The AP a framework for a new collective bargaining agreement could be in place before the owners' meetings next Tuesday in suburban Chicago. A memo went out to owners asking that they keep their schedules for next week flexible, in case the June 21 meeting spills into Tuesday night or even Wednesday.

rest of article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82050114/article/optimism-over-new-deal-emerging-from-latest-round-of-talks?module=HP_headlines

[rcsodak]

Schefter says the Lawyers are being brought in only this time it's a good thing.

That sounds like a very good thing to me.

If the lawyers are being brought in and it's a good thing... they're drafting paperwork... and not just proposals to the players, IMO.
He also calls 7/14 the dropdead date for the 1st preseason game to happen.

[rcsodak]

Sheff and the guys on sirius were talking, and think not only will 5yr players get FAgency, but so will the 4's. That's an awful lot of players hitting the market.
And then there's the UDFA's.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

from lengthy article posted on espn:


Also Tuesday, a league source told Schefter that the NFL sent a memo to its teams on Monday night, advising officials to be prepared to stay overnight during next Tuesday's league meetings in Chicago. It was not immediately clear why the NFL might extend the length of those meetings.

full article - http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6660319

[Canmore]

According to CBS labor negotiations are 80-85% complete. Story at

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15231374/nfl-source-labor-negotiations-8085-percent-complete/rss

[BroncoJoe]

According to CBS labor negotiations are 80-85% complete. Story at

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15231374/nfl-source-labor-negotiations-8085-percent-complete/rss

Me likey...


"It's going to be very difficult for this to get screwed up," the source said.

[slim]

According to CBS labor negotiations are 80-85% complete. Story at

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15231374/nfl-source-labor-negotiations-8085-percent-complete/rss

:pray:

[Denver Native (Carol)]

One source with intimate knowledge of the discussions tells me negotiations are 80-85 percent complete. They've made such fast progress, I'm told, it's catching many of the principals by surprise. Some are now canceling vacations, believing an agreement will be reached within a matter of days.

Basically, it seems, we continue to move solidly into that threshold of a season will be played, not if one will be played. Again, barring the knucklehead factor.

"It's going to be very difficult for this to get screwed up," the source said.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15231374/nfl-source-labor-negotiations-8085-percent-complete/rss

[slim]

"It's going to be very difficult for this to get screwed up," the source said.

:laugh:

I don't think "the source" has been paying attention.

[GEM]

Freaking hell yes!!!!

Please Lord, let there be football!!!! :pray:

[Denver Native (Carol)]

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and several owners are meeting with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith and a group of players for a second consecutive day in Maryland.

A person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that the negotiations have continued Wednesday and they again include lawyers for both sides. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the meeting are not being made public.

Sources told NFL Network's Albert Breer on Tuesday that both the NFL and NFL Players Association are evaluating and strongly considering concessions on all fronts, and that has led to a belief that a deal could be done in two to four weeks. The return of the legal teams for both parties, after sitting out the sessions in suburban Chicago and Long Island. N.Y. the past two weeks, is seen as a sign of progress.

Both sides entered the negotiations seeing a “window of opportunity” of roughly 30 days to resolve the labor situation. The owners are planning to meet once a month until the situation is resolved.

Cincinnati Bengals player representative Andrew Whitworth, appearing on NFL.com's "Cover Two Podcast" Tuesday, told hosts Steve Wyche and Bucky Brooks that he foresees an agreement that would allow for football to continue on schedule.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82054510/article/second-day-of-talks-between-nfl-players-ongoing-in-maryland?module=HP_headlines

[Lonestar]

I wonder how much money the owners have saved in workout bonues and shaved salaries so far this year.

It sounds like any money saved in the rookie salary cap will be put into the veterans fund and not back into the salary pool.

At least that was the owners desires.

[TXBRONC]

:laugh:

I don't think "the source" has been paying attention.

Either that or hittin the sauce. :wine: