The moment any good news is reported during this lockout, you can bet that someone will report the opposite soon thereafter.
That happened Monday evening after ESPN’s Sal Paolatonio reported a breakthrough in mediated labor talks, via antitrust plaintiff and Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller.
Mark Maske of the Washington Post and Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com both have thrown cold water on the notion.
Maske: “There has been no meaningful progress in the mediated talks, I’m told.”
Freeman: “Again, I’m told, absolutely no serious progress made in mediation. None. Zippo.”
It’s at least possible that the ruling of a stay from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals could change that dynamic. It would be hard for progress to have been made if the league was asked to make a new proposal, and then spent the day formulating it.
Albert Breer of NFL.com reports the league presented a “bullet pointed overview” for the players to chew on Monday evening, rather than a complete proposal.
If we continue to hear on Tuesday that “no meaningful progress” has been made, then it’s probably time to begin another depressing march towards the next court date on June 3.