Despite the ruling by Federal Judge Susan Nelson, temporarily lifting the NFL Lockout, no players on the Baltimore Ravens showed up at the team's Training Complex in Owings Mills, Maryland yesterday. The NFL owners have already appealed and ask for a "stay" of the ruling and the players representatives will have to respond today to determine whether or not the lifting of the lockout continues or the lockout resumes.
Since the uncertainty of the situation remains to be decided, players on the Ravens saw no reason to cross the threshold of 'The Castle" until they knew something that will last a lot longer than potentially 24 hours or so. According to a story on BaltimoreRavens.com, the team has no players whose contracts include the workout bonuses that come with off season workouts and unless they have them, right now it is essentially worthless to show up until something more definite is decided as early as today.
Of course, front office personnel, coaches and scouts continue to focus on tomorrow's 2011 NFL Draft and while the lockout has upset everyone, the ability to solely focus on the draft has given the team more time than ever before to finalize their draft board and set their War Room up for a long yet exciting weekend. More to follow once the players responses is heard and ruled upon by the judge.