Lock-in... lock out...the draft... what's it all about?

The CBA... a lockout... do you know what it all means? 

Let me indulge in a little history lesson made simple.  During the years of the Industrial Revolution, workers worked in unsafe conditions and were often abused and underpaid by their bosses.  This led to the rise of unions and their right to collective bargaining.  This just means that unions have the right to sit down with the employer to negotiate better working conditions.

So the NFL players have their individual contracts with their team, and then they are protected by the umbrella of the CBA.  CBA= Collective Bargaining Agreement.  You can see the parallels right?  The unsafe working conditions? The abuse? Underpaid?  Sounds like the life of an NFL player right?  But I digress.....

The CBA expired and so the NFL player's association met with the commissioner of the NFL Roger Goddell for new terms of their CBA.  They couldn't come to an agreement.... the players want more.

What makes this so complicated?  I guess it's hard for us average Joes and Janes who work hard for a living to possibly live a nice life to understand why the top players in the NFL are looking for more money.  More money?  How much more could they possibly need?  But the truth is that this dispute is more about the fact that, in the eyes of the players, the owners of these teams are making more than their undue share of money when you take into account the amount of TV revenue that they bring in.  Though I have NO DOUBT I would enjoy a live game (I've never been), football has become a popular TV sport.  You get a better view of all the plays, can watch almost any game if you go to a sports  bar (which can help you follow your fantasy teams) and with HD TV, you can literally see every blade of grass on the field(artificial or otherwise). 

So what happens now?  Well, after the CBA expired, the owners "locked out" the players.  What does that mean?  That the players are literally NOT allowed to get to their training facilities, put their equipment in the locker, be seen by a trainer etc... They are locked out!  Additionally, there is no free agency.  So those players whose contracts have expired or are due to expire with their team (to be traded and such) cannot do so!

That's why this draft is so important.  Normally, teams can address some of their immediate needs through the free agency.  For example:  The Carolina Panthers, arguably the worst team in the NFL, need a quarter back.  More often than not, you don't throw a rookie into the starting QB position because many college players take time and grooming to adjust to the different play in the NFL.  So you go to teams like Philadelphia who have Kevin Kolb sitting on the bench and you negotiate a deal for a proven QB.  Then you use the draft to shore up your offensive line, or give your QB a new promising wide receiver.

Instead, with no guarantee that the free agency will open anytime soon, some teams are forced to make tough decisions and take a quarterback in the first round.  If there were a free agency, I would bet that Cam Newton would NOT be in the top 10 picks or maybe even go in the first round at all.  That may be a slight exaggeration however I am not convinced that this guy has what it takes.  But that's going to be Carolina's problem, not mine.

So yes, you heard that the judge ended the lock out....unfortunately there is lack of clarity on what that exactly means and thus far, the free agency is still closed... but technicallly players are going to be allowed back to the facilities?? To what, sit around and watch TV in the players rec room?

Confused yet?  Welcome to the club.  Stay tuned to see where this all goes.