Remember the old EF Hutton ads? The slogan was "When EF Hutton talks, people listen."
Dan Rooney, Steelers' owner and US Ambassador to Ireland, is like EF Hutton. In the past, Rooney has been a key player behind the scenes in getting things done with regard to CBA negotiations and TV negotiations.
[ASIDE: Al Davis was also a key intermediary in CBA negotiations because of his personal relationship with Gene Upshaw.]
Here is a link to an article by Sam Farmer in the
LA Times. Farmer covers the NFL as a whole - - since there is no local team in LA - - and does a fine job there.
I think there is great significance that Dan Rooney has chosen to make some public remarks about the CBA negotiations at this time as deadlines are imminent. His absence from the league - - now that he is the US Ambassador to Ireland - - probably made progress more difficult. Now that he is speaking on the matter - - and possibly devoting some of his attention to it - - perhaps things will move forward.
Steelers owner Dan Rooney impatient with lack of progress in talks with players - latimes.com