With the negotiations ending on a positive note last week, and the reports that the lawyers were working on language of the deal over the weekend, my hopes had actually escalated to the point that a deal would be reached by the end of this week. I wasn't expecting it—I am not crazy enough to expect anything out of this mess—but the hop was definitely there. Well consider that hope shot dead by the cold hands of this ugly process.
According to ESPN:
Sources on both sides maintain there remains significant work to be completed after negotiations almost disintegrated last week before "getting back on track." The same sources say that an agreement is within reach but unlikely to be achieved this week.
Okay, so the report puts to rest the foolish hope that the deal will be reached before July hits double digits, but it could be worse. It certainly sounds like a deal is close.
Of course, there was one line from this report that filled me with terror:
Negotiations between the NFL and NFL players resumed Tuesday in New York, but the first two days are designated for work done by both sides' lawyers, primarily on the language of a potential agreement.
What? You can't the leave the lawyers alone to discuss this? That just seems plain reckless. Like a women walking naked through Central park at midnight, letting your son stay late after Sunday mass, or pre-ordering a copy of Dr. Dre's Detox and actually expecting it to come out.
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