Over the last almost four months there has been some uncertain thoughts about whether the NFL Players Association with DeMaurice Smith, the team owners and Roger Goodell would be able to come to an agreement on the collective bargaining agreement.
But finally after 135 days the nightmare for many people including the NFL and fans all over the world, including myself, is over!
When it came down to it you knew that it was going to end, but then again there is always that chance that the two sides may not agree, especially when just a few weeks ago it seemed that the two sides were so far apart that Vince McMahon was thinking about getting his clowns together and starting the XFL again.
On a serious note, these next few days will be the most exciting and crazy days in the history of the NFL. There are so many free agents, whether they are restricted, unrestricted or rookies who were not drafted.
Other transactions to take place include signing the rookies who were drafted back in April and trades of all sorts. The main trade that we should keep an eye out for is the Kevin Kolb trade – it is not will he be traded – it is more when and where will he be traded to.
The chain has been removed and the NFL Lockout is over after 135 days
I am also excited to see where players like Nnamdi Asomugha, Chad Ochocinco, will end up DeAngelo Williams, Sidney Rice and Santonio Holmes will end up – just to name a few.
I will be glued to the television over the next five days and doubt I will sleep much, just so I can keep up with all of the transactions all over the league.
Drew Rosenhaus might want to go buy a couple more cell phones or higher a few assistants because without that he as well as other player agents, because they are not going to get any sleep anytime soon, and if there was a camera present, you might even catch them passing out from being so tired as if they were Thurman Thomas or LaGarette Blount on their draft days.
As far as transactions go it all starts tomorrow and I am so excited. Maybe that is why I chose to a sports journalist, because there is nothing more exciting then this.
Starting tomorrow the madness begins when teams can start talking trades and contracts with the free agents and rookies both drafted and undrafted – the signings can be submitted to the league on Friday. On Thursday teams can begin to cut players.
Later this week starting on Wednesday teams will begin starting training camp with 10 teams starting on Wednesday and another 10 on both Thursday and Friday and then the final two teams on Saturday.
I wish I could be sitting outside in the sun with many of these teams this weekend and hear the sound of whistles, pads cracking, players grunting and all of the great things that I miss from my days of playing the game I love so much.
The timing of the end couldn’t be any better – after all it is the all-time great Walter Payton’s birthday and it also comes days after Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft’s wife passed away.
Now he will have time to mourn his loss without the stress of the lockout.
I believe that Colt’s center Jeff Saturday said it right at the press conference when he mentioned that the lockout would still be around if it wasn’t for Kraft, and to see Kraft give Saturday and big hug and say thank you was an emotional moment and a perfect way to end this nightmare that was the NFL Lockout.
Alan K. Fox can be reached at alanfoxjr@gmail.com and on Twitter @alankfox
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