Let's Make A Deal

Two weeks into the NFL season, TV ratings are at a record high. Why? True, the games have been interesting, but has the season really been better than those in recent memory? Maybe. Maybe not. So why are NFL fans tuning in like never before?

Because there might not be an NFL next year.

Whether we're in stage 1: Denial or stage 2: Anger it seems we'll all have to come to terms with the idea that Sundays might not be the same a year from now.

There's a lot going on in regards to negotiations, and we'll talk more about that as collective bargaining agreement discussions heat up. But in the end, it comes down to exactly what you'd expect: money. The NFL owners think the players are getting too much, and, if recent trends continue, NFL teams will be consistently operating at a loss because of player obligations. The players, though, are no so eager to take pay cuts.

The situation is out of control. All we can do is tune in every Sunday and watch each game a little more closely. Maybe we'll have football next year; maybe we won't. But we sure have it right now, and only a fool would take that for granted.