Judge grants motion, lifts lockout; owners' appeal coming

None of these guys (the ones pushing this fight) deserve respect because they all are self-obsessed ego-maniacs, regardless of the face they put on in public.

I think we are in 100% total agreement here. ;)

Interesting twitter post here:

"MarkMaske
James Quinn, attorney for players, said he thinks free agency should begin within 24 hours or he "would have concerns" about collusion."

Well sh*t gas up Redskins One...this is the part of the season where we shine

I'm still dumbfounded by some people. The ONE time a American work force an incredible leverage over a greedy corporation, and many of you want to favor the corporation? ...lol You all should be applauding their ability to tell this corporation to go **** themselves. Corporations have been screwing the American people for a long time now, it's about time somebody had fighting power against them.

I find it a stretch to infer professional athletes as an American Workforce fighting a greedy corporation/system. We are not talking about teachers in Wisconsin or auto workers in Detroit. We are talking about elite, high paid athletes (i think the league minimum is 300k+) who want to keep a higher share of revenue than the owners want them to have. I don't have a dog in this fight but I think it far fetched for aither party to play the victim.

I find it a stretch to infer professional athletes as an American Workforce fighting a greedy corporation/system. We are not talking about teachers in Wisconsin or auto workers in Detroit. We are talking about elite, high paid athletes (i think the league minimum is 300k+) who want to keep a higher share of revenue than the owners want them to have. I don't have a dog in this fight but I think it far fetched for aither party to play the victim.

I agree with this, but there are other people that make regular salaries that are getting screwed by this lockout.

Also, I still think that teams will have long term effects b/c they were not able to deal in free agency, have offseason programs to install offenses/defenses, and make draft decisions w/o free agency.

@AdamSchefter Adam Schefter
Players have asked Judge Nelson judge to force NFL owners to start the league year. Judge ordered owners to respond by 5 pm. tomorrow.


One question, and it is probably naive. IF the judge forces the league to start a "league year", and forces them to put rules in place to operate, then HOW can the owners then be sued for anti-trust violations. I simply don't understand the players can have it both ways: you can't treat us like a collective group, however, you must behave like a collective group, and once you do we will sue you because you are acting like an illegal collective group.

I simply don't get it.

I wish I knew. Not particularly familiar with labor law to begin with and anti-trust is a whole other specialty. THere are probably so many arcane legal rules at play here that it takes five lawyers sitting in a rooom just name half - not agree on them mind you, just name them.

I think ultimately, it will all be settled under the guise of a "legal fiction" which is the equivalent of "poetic license".

good on the Giants! You would think this kind of info would make it very awkward for other teams tomorrow if players decide to show up before the Judge makes her decision.

Giants let players work out at facility (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/04/26/giants-let-players-work-out-at-facility/)

According to JLC the NFLPA is telling Agents that Free Agency is open and they should start contacting teams now. Another twist.

According to JLC the NFLPA is telling Agents that Free Agency is open and they should start contacting teams now. Another twist.

Teams aren't responding to agents' calls. I think that could change tomorrow night

NFLPA instructs free agents to start shopping their services now

NFLPA instructs free agents to start shopping their services now (http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/16637/NFLPA-instructs-free-agents-to-start-shopping-their-services-now/Default.aspx)