As if on cue, the brake-pumping has begun.
With the first wave of reports that a deal between the NFL and locked-out officials was close, next comes the wave of reports saying “Not so fast.”
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King just tweeted: “NFLRA negotiator Scott Green has notified officials that a deal is not imminent.”
That dovetails with the NFL Network’s Albert Breer’s report this morning, which acknowledged progress but noted substantial differences on the pension issue.
Perhaps the truest words of the last hour were uttered by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who also took to Twitter.
“Having done this before, everyone needs to wait until the ink is dry.”
Again, all signs point toward this thing being finished, and perhaps soon. Our long, national nightmare is almost over.
But as we approach the finish line, the urge to mark territory runs strong in the media, and sometimes needs to be curbed.