If GEICO ever sold a policy to insure the 2011 NFL football season…that policy has expired.
The NFL has won another round in the court fight with its players.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday decided that the league’s lockout of its players should stay in place until a full appeal is heard on whether it is legal, which means until at least the first week of June and possibly much longer.
The 2-1 decision mirrored a similar decision last month from the same panel, including a lengthy dissent from the same judge.
The 8th Circuit has scheduled a June 3 hearing in St. Louis on the legality of the lockout.
The decision came on the same day that NFL owners and their locked-out players resumed court-ordered mediation behind closed doors. It was the fifth day of talks in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, but the first since April 20.
Hall of Famer Carl Eller, representing retired players in their federal antitrust lawsuit against the league with the current players, said as he left the courthouse that his side was waiting on a proposal from the owners.
“It’s been a long day, and we’re still working on it,” Eller said at the seven-hour mark of the day’s talks.
The 8th Circuit has been seen as a more conservative, business-friendly venue for the NFL than the federal courts in Minnesota.
In my humble opinion, if the lockout continues into mid- or late-June, as it now looks like it will without some serious settlement negotiations happening first, then this 2011 season could be lost for good.
But I take heart from this suggestion from a fan poster at Ravens.com, known as “Raven Wild Man”, who says it best:
“This might sound crazy, but…Why don’t the players and the League agree to allow “business” to continue during the litigations and negotiations?—they could do it under the shadow guidelines of the old CBA…”
“They could agree to this temporary truce at least as long as it takes for the first scheduled pre-season game to arrive… If by then no resolution has occurred which both sides can live with, then—and only then—call off the season until further notice.”
“This way, old-style free agency, coaching and training practices, and the local team economies, can continue at least until the drop-dead point. Makes sense to me. Just a thought…”
It makes sense to me, too, Wild Man!
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