NFL Lockout: Mediation Adjourns, Will Reconvene May 16

After just a week after being ordered by Judge Nelson to undergo mediation, the NFL and NFLPA talks have been put on hold until May 16. The mediation sessions only occurred on Thursday, Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There were conflicting reports as to how serious the two parties were about getting an agreement in place, and this adjournment will not quell doubts of losing actual football games.

While this is not good news, it is not complete doom and gloom. Part of the reason for the break was the schedule of Judge Boylan.

What does this mean?

The one thing it almost makes certain that nothing will be in place before the draft. This means no trades for players such as Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb and Kyle Orton. It also means that likely Judge Nelson will make her ruling soon. She said it would be a couple of weeks. 

There is also the possibility that all hell breaks loose. 

Let us consider this...what if Judge Nelson rules in favor of the players early next week and lifts the lockout? Then a flurry of transactions would occur. Free agents would have new homes and player trades would run rampant. 

That is, until the league appeals the court ruling and then everything gets placed on hold again. Then we would be back to square one and having to wait a month or so to have anything possibly resolved. 

Apparently, the two sides were not truly serious about negotiating. You would think that if they were they would be getting back together before the middle of May. 

What this tells me is that this is going to be a long summer in terms of football news. There won't be much in the way of good stuff, at least until the moment a deal is in place. Then it will be crazy.