IT'S NFL FOOTBALL ! ! !

"NFL owners voted overwhelmingly in favor of a tentative 10-year agreement to end the four-month-old lockout Thursday, pending player approval.
The vote was 31-0 with the Oakland Raiders abstaining from the ratification, which came after a full day of meetings at an Atlanta-area hotel."

"Team facilities will open Saturday [23 JULY], and the new league year will begin Wednesday [27 JULY], [Commissioner Roger] Goodell said -- assuming the players approve the agreement, too."

Aye, . . . there's the rub.

DonDiego doubts things will go as smoothly as the owners surmise.
First, the "decertified-union" union representatives have to get approval from the 10 plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the owners, . . . and three of these plaintiffs have apparently said they'd like $10-million-each as compensation for not being feee-agents last year. It seems the "decertified-union" union plan to decertify itself to permit a lawsuit may backfire. Anyway, once the plaintiffs agree and drop their lawsuit, . . . then the Union must become re-certified; i.e. the players must vote themselves back into the decertified union.
And then 50%+1 of all the players in the recertified-decertified union must agree to the negotiated pact.
DonDiego suspects this cannot happen by Saturday, . . . but he is ever-hopeful, as always.

It seems the Hall-of-Fame Game in Canton, Ohio is the only known casuality; it will not be played. Tough Nuggies to the merchants, hoteliers, and restauranteurs of Canton.

GO EAGLES ! ! !

It has been speculated that the Las Vegas Sportsbooks, . . . the LV Hilton is usually first, . . . may post the Season-Wins totals as early as 22 July - TOMORROW.

Until then, here's one on-line "expert's" opinion: Regular Season Wins Projections.

the HOF game may NOT be played, but the induction, the parade and the other festivities that go with the weekend can still go on. Imo the game was the least exciting of all the activities involving the HOF weekend. it's a preseason game, the first of the season. the Vets usually only play 1 QTR.

They ought to have a real Hall of Fame Game where they put a bunch of old Hall of Fame players in pads and let them go at it. Montana to Rice one more time! Of course there might be some injuries. Players would play using the equipment of their era, so the oldest players would wear the leather helmets.

Boy....I sure hope all parties agree to the contract conditions and there is football this 2011 season!

Especially as I greatly anticipate watching the Arizona Cardinals kick Philadelphia Eagle butt!!!!
.....well, IF they find a quarterback.....and IF the quarterback is great already.....and if Larry Fitzgerald can 'find the rhythm' with said quarterback by the Cardinals-Eagles game.....well, ALRIGHTY THEN!

Go C-A-R-D-I-N-A-L-S!!!!!!

If, If, If.- that describes the NFL to a T.

Looks like it's done.....

"A league source said San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, one of the 10 named plaintiffs in the players' antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, is now willing to release his claim without compensation, meaning no money or lifting of the franchise tag. Jackson was the last of the 10 named plaintiffs unwilling to drop his claim."

"The NFLPA is making plans for a major press conference Monday. But first the player reps' executive committee is scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., on Sunday so they can vote Monday.

Just as the NFL would not have called a vote Thursday in Atlanta without knowing it would pass in the way it did -- 31-0 with one abstention -- the NFLPA would also not be going forward without that assurance."


Link

If the Cardinals end up with Kevin Kolb, this game will probably get national attention.

ESPN reports agreement on the deal.

The NFL Players Association may recommend approval as early as Monday.

Players will vote to recertify the "decertified-union" union, requiring the standard 50%+1 of the total membership to be represented, by Friday.

And the NFL 2011-2012 Year will begin on Saturday 30 July. And the Free-Agent Period is to begin on the same day.
So far as anyone knows all pre-season games, less the Hall-of-Fame game, are still scheduled to begin on 11 August.

DonDiego is so glad that he a man of leisure and will be able to follow all the excitement as it happens.

Ref: ESPN

A man of leisure?.....is that the same as "we don't do jack-squat all day long and we get paid for it!"?

Ain't retirement grand?


and, Roulette Man....even if the game doesn't get National Attention....it will get Appalachian Attention! I'm sure DonDiego and I will put up a few greenbacks on which team will win the game....