Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
NFL's buzz will soon be killed
Work stoppage looks like strong possibility
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A memorable season capped by a super title game with a record TV audience has NFL executives and fans beaming.
The smiles might soon disappear.
Pro football is headed into the great unknown. Barring a quick -- and totally unexpected -- agreement with the players' union on a new contract, 2010 will have no salary cap. After that, perhaps a work stoppage, something NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith puts at "14" on a scale of 1 to 10.
Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't agree, believing negotiations will lead to a new deal before March 2011, when the collective bargaining agreement expires. But an accord before the New Orleans Saints -- who dat? -- begin defence of their Super Bowl championship in September is unlikely.
The 32 team owners clearly are prepared for a go at the first uncapped season since 1993. Enough restrictions are in place, including extending the minimum years of service for unrestricted free agency from four years to six, that baseball-like bidding wars are improbable.
With the owners claiming they are losing millions and the players arguing teams are making money by the fistful, a common ground will be difficult to find.
"The labour agreement is a very important agreement," Goodell said during his annual Super Bowl week news conference. "It's something that is important to our players. It's certainly important to our clubs, and it's important to our fans.
"We have to sit at the table and we have to get an agreement that works for everybody. And that's what people expect. They want solutions, and that's what we should deliver."
Free agency begins March 5. The more critical date might be March 5 of next year, when, if no new deal has been struck, the most popular and prosperous sport in America could see the owners locking out the players.
That's the last thing fans want to hear after a special season featuring the Saints capping a football renaissance for their team and their city with their first Super Bowl title. The NFL's best teams, led by New Orleans, generally have become the most potent on offence: Each division winner except Cincinnati regularly visited the end zone, and three of the four playoff semifinalists scored at least 416 points.
And as some stars begin to fade (LaDainian Tomlinson, Champ Bailey), others emerge (Chris Johnson, Darrelle Revis). A league driven by quarterbacks has a splendid blend of veterans in top form (four-time MVP Peyton Manning, Super Bowl most valuable player Drew Brees, even 40-year-old Brett Favre), passers only now in their primes (Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers), and youngsters with great promise (Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Chad Henne).
Even as such headliners as Kurt Warner and perhaps Favre leave the game, the colleges are providing NFL-ready performers to eventually take their place.
And such events as the NFL combine later this month, free agent signings, and April's draft -- a three-day affair this year -- will keep fans stoked for football. Already, they're trying to figure out who the Saints will host to open defence of their title in September.
-- The Associated Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 9, 2010 C6
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Football
Poll
Most Popular
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- Jury on Stobbe trial down to 13 members
- Police say it's a miracle anyone survived crash that killed 10 migrant workers
- Madonna 'not impressed' over M.I.A Super Bowl finger
- Jets defeat Leafs 2-1
- M.I.A. splits from fiance
- LeAnn Rimes in pain following 'minor surgery'
- Jets forwards among cellar-dwellers in payroll, goals scored
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Smith injured after transit fare protest
- Two armed men rob store at Grant Park Shopping Centre
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Nick Carter's sister dies
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- Golf course pressured on outstanding payments
- Trapped bear commits vehicular mauling, also manages to open garage door
- All the single ladies: 'Bachelor Canada' launches tour to find contestants
- Conservatives cut short House of Commons long-gun registry debate
- Power outage over
- Two Mounties shot and wounded in rural area southeast of Edmonton
- Spanking hurts more than helps, studies find
- Ottawa hits ex-rural pharmacist with $3.1-M suit over suspect claims
- Casting tour for The Bachelor Canada stopping in city Feb. 23
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Time, it appears, is on Assad's side
- Baird says Canada is a better friend of Israel than United States is
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.