As reported a couple of days ago, speculation became reality as the NFL Players Association and the team owners agreed to extend the negotiations for another week in an effort to reach an agreement and keep the 2011 schedule intact and on time. The players had reportedly agreed to be open-minded to the extension, which obviously put the owners in a no-win situation of either having to agree to the extension or come out looking like the bad guys.
The owners made the right choice to go along with this additional seven days, although the thought of this additional time ending with a new CBA is anything other than a slam-dunk. Both sides continue to negotiate and if no agreement can be reached, the federal judge in this case seems to be considering forcing both sides to play the 2011 season under 2010 rules while continuing to negotiate a new deal during that time. This does not help the owners as they will lose precious revenue under the terms of the old CBA, which will not make them happy at all. Therefore, it is in their best interests to negotiate fairly with the player's union to reach an accord that both sides can live with for the foreseeable future.