Green Light In Sight: Owners Ratify Proposed CBA, Players Need To Vote
It looks like the only casualty from this near four-month old NFL lockout is the Hall Of Fame Game in Canton between theChicago Bears and St. Louis Rams.
Blame it on the heat.
With ESPN first reporting of the owners ratifying the new 10-year collective bargaining agreement, 31-0, with the Oakland Raiders abstaining—only Al Davis would pull that.
The NFL is now literally on the goal line of resuming business again. The new collective bargaining agreement still needs to be approved by the NFL Players Association.
The players must also settle with the 10 plaintiffs in the anti-trust lawsuit, Brady vs. NFL before officially recertifying as a union.
The owners have notified the players that they have accepted the deal, contingent that the players resolve all union matters accordingly.
If the players do approve the new CBA, the 2011 NFL league calendar would officially begin next Wednesday on July 27. Players would then be allowed to access team facilities as soon as Friday and training camps would kick into swing on August 1.
With the ball—fitting—now in the hands of the players, thanks to the owners, the NFLPA needs to make the final push into the end zone.
