News Sides must reach resolution soon to preserve full preseason

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The clock continues to tick. And the NFL and players continue to work.

With the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears -- the teams in this year's Hall of Fame game -- scheduled to open training camp just three weeks from Friday, time is beginning to run short for negotiating teams as they look to preserve the preseason in its traditional form. The two sides return to the bargaining table later this week for a fifth round of "secret talks."

The owners and players have spent a total of nine days in four different locations -- suburban Chicago, New York's Long Island, Maryland's Eastern Shore and suburban Boston -- during this phase of negotiations. They've also communicated away from the table, and one source has said that about five hours of work goes into every hour of face-to-face talk.

rest of article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8207eed2/article/sides-must-reach-resolution-soon-to-preserve-full-preseason?module=HP_headlines

[TXBRONC]

I keep hearing that they think can get a deal done by the early part of July.

[sneakers]

Oh noooo! Please don't take away the preseason games! Hahhaa

[TXBRONC]

Oh noooo! Please don't take away the preseason games! Hahhaa

While the games are meaningless and many times not very exciting they're still worth a lot money.

[LordTrychon]

We of all teams need as much Training Camp and Preseason as possible.

I've still not heard any bad news in a few weeks though, just caution.... 'It's not done yet... It's not done yet...'

They've been saying early/mid July for a while. If that changes, I'll worry.

[arapaho2]

While the games are meaningless and many times not very exciting they're still worth a lot money.

i personaly like pre season....get a vanilla look at offernse, defense, fa's and of course the first look at the rookies in real action

careers are lost or launched here

[BroncoJoe]

i personaly like pre season....get a vanilla look at offernse, defense, fa's and of course the first look at the rookies in real action

careers are lost or launched here

Ditto. Where would TD be without preseason?

[TXBRONC]

i personaly like pre season....get a vanilla look at offernse, defense, fa's and of course the first look at the rookies in real action

careers are lost or launched here

I like them too anytime I get to watch the Broncos is enjoyable. The only reason I said what I said in the previous post is because a lot of people feel that way.

[arapaho2]

I like them too anytime I get to watch the Broncos is enjoyable. The only reason I said what I said in the previous post is because a lot of people feel that way.


i know...:beer:

[Npba900]

Pre-season should be for the rookies and non starters to fight to make the team(s). The starters (espcially the veterans) need to skip the pre-seasons while getting reps during two-a days.

[Lonestar]

Pre-season should be for the rookies and non starters to fight to make the team(s). The starters (espcially the veterans) need to skip the pre-seasons while getting reps during two-a days.

So the rookies should play in ps games without the benefit of practicing the plays in two a days.

[TXBRONC]

Pre-season should be for the rookies and non starters to fight to make the team(s). The starters (espcially the veterans) need to skip the pre-seasons while getting reps during two-a days.

No. Preseason is helpful for veterans as well because it helps to develop the timing. If you have a veteran that came via free agency he would need time in real game situations to get accustomed to his teammates.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The NFL and representatives from the NFL Players Association have agreed to meetings during the next four days in Minnesota -- with a twist.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his staff, as well as NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and his staff, will meet without players or owners present.

This will be the fifth round of "secret talks" between the players and the league.

Minnesota is home to Arthur Boylan, the U.S. magistrate judge assigned to run court-ordered mediation and who has been present for the previous talks. Constants in the room during past talks have been Goodell, Smith, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, New York Giants owner John Mara, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, New York Jets fullback Tony Richardson, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth and Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday.

rest of article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82085155/article/goodell-smith-and-staffs-will-meet-without-players-owners?module=HP_headlines

[TXBRONC]

rest of article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82085155/article/goodell-smith-and-staffs-will-meet-without-players-owners?module=HP_headlines

I saw this on NFLN earlier this evening.

What can they accomplish without the princpals in the room?

[Tned]

I saw this on NFLN earlier this evening.

What can they accomplish without the princpals in the room?

Well, often non-professionals have a habit of getting caught up on unimportant things, which can burn a lot of time. It may be that they are hoping that based on the previous discussions, that Smith, Goodell and their staff can hammer out a framework that can be presented to both sides for approval.

Clearly at this point Smith knows what the players wants, and Goodell mostly speaks for the owners anyway. Having five or six players in the room is probably more of a detriment than help to progress.