Well, the owners just couldn't resist throwing another monkey wrench into the lockout mess. They ratified an agreement yesterday that included things that weren't actually agreed to. The Oakland Raiders abstained, which is kind of silly if you ask me. If they didn't like the deal, why didn't they just vote against it? I digress.
The players didn't care for the obvious power play and yet another layer of mistrust has been added. Why? For a few extra peanuts? Classic bait and switch by the owners. Judging by the few player reactions cited yesterday, they're pissed off about being pressured into a deal that includes last minute changes. I don't blame them.
All of that said, the owners are playing a dangerous game here. They're counting on the players to be worried about their paychecks and signing off on a deal that they don't particularly like. The players could refuse and the season would probably be lost. If that were to happen, I think the players would go nuclear. They'd go forward with the anti-trust suit, which the owners cannot win. The league would lose their anti-trust exemption, the draft would be abolished, and 100% true free agency would reign but, most importantly, THE SEASON WOULD BE LOST. Why risk that? For a few extra bucks? You can take it with you, owners, but you won't be able to spend it.
I think the players still ultimately sign off on it, maybe throwing in some last-minute changes of their own. Meanwhile, the clock ticks toward midnight ...
48 days until Saints v Packers ... I hope
