Talks begin to break up, well after midnight

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As I empty out the DVR with episodes of Wilfred and Louis C.K. while constantly checking Twitter for more tidbits from Albert Breer of NFL Network and e-mailing and/or DM-ing others who may have an inkling as to what in the hell is currently going on, the only thing anyone knows for sure at this point is that the parties are still meetings, well after midnight, Minnesota time.

Per Breer, the league representatives at the meeting gradually have been leaving, which suggests that the process has ended for the night — without a deal but apparently with a renewed commitment to working toward getting something done.

So let’s see when they get back together, and for how long.

UPDATE:  Breer reports that the talks will resume at 8:00 a.m. CT on Friday, barely seven hours from now.  And that is good news.  Now let’s hope they’ll keep working until they can give us better news.

29 responses to “Talks begin to break up, well after midnight

  1. The first big chunk of money to be lost to all parties is the estimated $700 million for the pre-season and the “invisible deadline” is fast approaching. I for one have zero confidence that both sides give enough to reach a deal by then. I wholeheartedly hope they do because Sundays will be mighty boring without the NFL, but until both sides realize that they need to move closer together to reach a deal, we will be reading speculative posts about imagined progress or a lack thereof.

  2. According to Mark Maske, they’re meeting again tomorrow, but not to expect another all day meeting.

    Good news? I hope so.

  3. Take this anyway you want….but it’s encouraging they got together for this long to hammer out any issues towards a new deal.

    Hopefully they continue this momentum.

  4. “Reasonable men can reason together” – at least I have heard they can. Let’s just hope reason prevails now.

  5. Well, I know negotiations resume at 8:00 a.m. EDT, presumably, thus saith Albert Breer. I say this is 6:00 a.m. MDT so I will be faithful. I need to keep moral support afloat here. I just have a feeling we’ll get this done, call me quixotic if you must but not CRAZY!

  6. they better get back to work. those s.o.b.s i’m too drunk and tired to deal with this lockout any more. just get something done soon.

  7. Probably the second determinant of bargaining strength, additional to NFL and NFLPA alternative opportunities, is the relative cost incurred by the two if agreement is delayed. This determinant is in play and gaining strength. The clock is ticking. Lets hope neither party assesses their alternative opportunities more than what the parties are trying to create deep into the night!

    Neither the owners or players are morons/evil. They have serious conflicting interests and negotiations is a tough game – sometimes tougher for those on the outside waiting for an agreement. Relax with all the Monday morning quarterbacking and negative assumptions, it will happen when it happens.

  8. hahahaha i watched louie, that was the funniest one i have seen!!!! “Bummers/blueberries” that was the title soooo funny!!! but neway i hope the long meeting is a good thing.. hears to my fellow football fans!!!!! LETS GET A DEAL!!!!

  9. You mean to tell me they only get seven hours to ride the limo back to the hotel, shower, sleep, shower again, drink 18 dollar coffee from the 4 star hotel, then ride the limo back to the meetings?

    I wouldn’t put up with that. I’d take the infraction and roll in 2 or 3 hours late. Nothing is that important.

  10. So….reality check. Why don’t the owners demand zero percentage revenue sharing by the players and the NFLPA but pay the experienced and proven players BIG contracts for their proven performance after at least 3 years of proven performance levels and let the rookies earn their pay until year 3 or 4 when they mature. This would incentivize ALL players to perform consistently at their expected levels instead of looking for a “quick million dollar payday” in the NFL, then drop like a bad habit?

  11. Whoopty do. I stayed up until well past midnight and I didn’t have a 9 billion dollar profit to save. It seems like staying up past midnight working to save your business should be a no brainer.

  12. I must admit, when the air of optimism set in I thought to myself, well…….the players are receiving the bulk of the revenue (over 50%), how can that be and how can the owners settle for that? After all they are the owners and players will break down before the owners will. The owners are unified, they and I wouldn’t settle for less than just over 50% of the revenue as an owner. But if an agreement is in the near future more power to all of us. However, now here’s where the big question lies, will the owners accept less than 50% of the revenue-I think not? The players may make a fight of it but I don’t see the owners backing down at anytime, they don’t have to, they’re the OWNERS.

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