NFL Lockout May End Soon

The NFL owners and the NFL Players Association continued their talks today in New York in hopes of ending the lockout, however there has been a great deal of optimism surrounding these discussions. Reports indicate that the lawyers on both sides are meeting to discuss the language of a potential agreement, which indicates the lockout could end soon.

While there is still a lot of work to be done, sources believe that an agreement is within reach, however this would likely not be completed until next week at the earliest. Today marks the 112 day of the lockout.

In similar news, the NFL hall of fame announced that it still plans on hosting the league's first preseason game on August 7 between the Bears and Rams. To make the August 7 date, both teams would likely need to begin training camp sometime in the next two weeks. Despite the small window of time, both the Bears and Rams have told the hall of fame they plan on participating.

NFL Lockout Talks Take A Step Backwards

Just when it appeared that the NFL and NFL Players Association were getting closer to striking a deal, the talks took a wrong turn. The talks regressed to the point that the hearing was described as "close to blowing up" by those who attended.

Lawyers from both sides were brought in for these talks, which many interpreted as a sign that a deal could be close. However, after further failed negotiations, NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith instructed his lawyers to "stand down." Unfortunately for the public, the content of these discussions remains private, which means we are still left in the dark in regards to what really goes on in these meetings.

This latest development pretty much sums up the NFL lockout: just when NFL fans receive some good news, bad news immediately follows. The back and forth characteristics have grown increasingly frustrating with the regular season getting closer and closer. The lesson here? Don't get your hopes up until a deal has been reached and the ink is dry.