Secret meetings. Private jets. Now, this is the kind of NFL Lockout news we can all appreciate. With oral arguments opening in less than 48 hours, a handful of influential NFL owners and the square-jawed commissioner had a private, double secret meeting in the suburbs of Chicago today. Their purpose is unknown, but it's not a big leap to assume that it had something to do with the lockout that's turning fans away in droves.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Roger Goodell met in DuPage, IL or somewhere in the immediate vicinity. That's really about all that's known. An intrepid reporter had some sources camped out the small DuPage County airport, a suburb west of Chicago, where they all flew in on private jets.
All three of those owners have played a big role in the labor negotiations, prior to well-paid lawyers taking over the heavy lifting. Those three owners also represent the range of owner opinions, with Kraft being one of the more moderate owners, Richardson being closer to the hard liners and Jones representing Jones and others with egos that can't be contained by mere celestial bodies. And, of course, there's Goodell, commissioner, ambassador of the game and one-man old fashioned union busting goon squad...for the social media era.
All kidding aside, the hope here is that maybe they're mulling some end to this whole thing, some way for us fans to enjoy the game of football this year.
Yeah, private Gulfstream jets...must be rough out there.