Just when you thought the Pro Bowl was too easy to write off, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell used the occasion to tell football fans that the league would most likely have an uncapped year and reiterate just how real the possibility of a 2011 without football is. Happy times, huh?
Here's the commish:
The real core message here is that we all want to get a fair agreement, for the players, for the owners, to allow the game to continue to grow. There are conversations going on, that’s a positive step. But we’re all frustrated there’s not more progress.
I don't expect more progress until both sides get much closer to the reality of shutting down a billion dollar business a year from now.
Right now, fans should start bracing themselves for an uncapped season, one that will look much like this past season because of the incredibly tight restrictions on the free agent market. That may be a bit of a drag for fans of the usual cash orgy that takes place every spring, but at least it will keep the rich from getting richer next season.
We looked at some of the implications of an uncapped year for the St. Louis Rams. I still thing the two biggest areas of impact for the Rams next year will be at filling the QB position and using the trade market.
Strange days ahead.