As Ed Valentine reported Thursday night, the labor impasse in the NFL is potentially nearing completion, and a deal may be struck as early as Friday. A rookie wage scale was a major stumbling block, and there appears to be an agreement in principle on that issue now. Let's hope that Friday brings more good news, but as nothing is in stone until it's in stone, you just never know what can happen.
Sources: NFL CBA nearing ready for approval - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Two sources from the players’ side indicated late Thursday that the components to a deal could be done as early as Friday after the owners and players made significant strides on several issues. It had been previously reported by multiple outlets that the sides had made significant progress on finalizing the rookie salary scale system, which will go into effect with this year’s draft class. Both sides also came to agreement on other revenue-sharing issues. Once the two sides have the framework in place, the deal must still be approved by plaintiffs in the Brady v. NFL antitrust suit and voted on by owners. The owners are currently scheduled to meet in Atlanta on July 21. With that, hope went from tepid to extremely warm.
Still more work left to be done toward new CBA | National Football Post
While there's no deal yet, things are moving toward that eventuality and the return of football following a lengthy lockout that wiped out the majority of the offseason besides the NFL draft.
Mike Martz says Bears could be ready for Hall of Fame game in one day | ProFootballTalk
Martz told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the Bears would only need one day to get ready for the game if necessary. He said that wouldn’t be ideal of course, but they could get it done.
I wonder if the Bears' players feel the same way. Anyway, the "sources" appear to all be chirping that a deal could be imminent. Let's hope so, because this is getting really old really fast.
Walls' belief paid off | The News Star | thenewsstar.com
That tireless ambition to overcome whatever obstacles lay in path paid off with league titles in college, pro bowls and a championship in the NFL and, this weekend, induction as part of the third class of the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame. The sold-out ceremonies will be held Saturday at the Hobdy Assembly Center on the Grambling campus.
I, for one, never get tired of hearing when former Giants receive honors like this. Congrats, Mr. Walls.
NFL -- Plaxico Burress, Philadelphia Eagles are a great match - ESPN
Now, after the successful integration of Vick into the Eagles organization, the campaigning has begun for the team to sign Plaxico Burress. Vick has said publicly that he wants Burress on the team. So has Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson. From the sound of it, the Eagles are on Burress' short list, and in all likelihood, given how many times Reid had to watch Burress torch his team with the New York Giants, Reid wants Burress on the team, although he cannot say so and even if he could, he would not.
No, just, please.....NO.
Forbes: Redskins are 4th-most valuable sports franchise - The Insider - The Washington Post
Forbes reports the Redskins have a value of $1.55 billion and says Daniel Snyder’s team has been the most profitable in the NFL in the last decade, averaging an operating income of $76 million. Manchester United, owned by the Glazer family, boasts a value of $1.86 billion. Meanwhile, Jerry Jones’ Cowboys are worth $1.81 billion. The Steinbrenner family’s Yankees are worth $1.7 billion -- 86 percent more than baseball’s second most valuable team: the Red Sox. Washington beats out Real Madrid ($1.45 billion), the Patriots ($1.37 billion), Arsenal ($1.19 billion), the New York Giants ($1.18 billion) and the Houston Texans ($1.17 billion). The New York Jets ($1.14 billion) round out the world’s top 10 most valuable sports franchises.
This is how partial I am to the Giants--I wanted them to be worth more than the Redskins and Cowboys, and even the Yankees. But okay. Then I noticed the Texans--the TEXANS--are ranked right behind them, and ahead of the Jets. Something is wrong with that picture.
NFC East's biggest future stars - Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN Dallas
Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants wide receiver: Nicks is already one of the best and most reliable wideouts in the NFL, and he's got just two years in. He's 23 years old right now, which means he'll play the 2014 season at age 26. In the meantime, he'll have been Eli Manning's No. 1 receiver in the Giants' pass-heavy offense and had enough skill-position talent around him.....His physical gifts are clearly substantial, and they aren't going anywhere between now and 2014.
It's hard to believe Hakeem is only 23, but if he stays healthy (knock wood), he really does have enormous potential.
Have a great weekend, everyone. Hopefully when I see you all on Monday morning, we will be one step closer to a deal being struck. Oh, and since it's freaking hot everywhere, I want to share my recipe for "Guy Gazpacho," in which the secret ingredient is Buffalo wing sauce. I swear, you can never have enough of that stuff in your food.