Unlocked?

In scanning the headlines on NFL.com to get all the first-round draft news (Did Atlanta really trade five picks to draft a wide receiver? What was their GM smoking?) I came across this nugget... "Doors Open Friday."

Seems that the league and it's Clueless Commissioner have decided -- for the moment -- to take the judge's injunction against their lockout seriously and let the players come back to work. That's a positive sign. Players can work out at team facilities, get medical treatment, talk to their coaches. Even shop at Patriot Place. So great. Starting Monday it's believed that teams will even be able to sign free agents and plan for minicamps and do all that other fun offseason stuff.

But don't let Roger Goodell fool you. It's just another PR move in a series of PR moves. The fact that it was announced quietly while the league was holding its big draft party in NYC shows just how serious the owners are about moving forward with the season. Not very. The NFL continues its battle in court and is hoping to have the injunction overturned and the locks put back on the stadiums.

As Goodell, who will one day be known as the man who ruined the NFL, said yesterday: "I think the litigation, unfortunately, could go on for some period of time." Long enough to kill the 2011 season if they don't smarten up.

Brady v. National Football League

Well, we all saw this coming.

The NFL's owners and players -- and the somewhat shockingly clueless commissioner -- drew their line in the FieldTurf last night and put the 2011 season and both parties' incredibly fat cash cow in jeopardy.

No pro football season? Hmmm... I'll check back in with the Pats and the NFL after March Madness, Seger in Atlantic City, buying and moving to a house back in the city, the Masters, my 30th high school reunion, the Bruins and Celts playoffs, my daughter's college graduation, the promising Sox season, a week up in Maine, a week on the Cape... etc.

No NFL? Life goes on. Hear that Goodell? Hear that Kraft? If a 20-year season ticket holder who bothers to waste his time blogging about the experience has a take-it-or-leave-it attitude you might want to think twice about killing this season. You listening Mr. Ponytail? Mr. Mankins? Mr. Manning? See "baseball, strike of 1981." ESPN's Howard Bryant has an excellent column today that shares the same sentiment.

Don't get me wrong. I want the NFL to keep on rolling just as it is now. I would miss it. Tailgating at Gillette this last season was one of the best years ever. I would miss watching to see if Belichick and Brady can get that fourth Lombardi. I would miss rooting for my favorite team. I would miss the months of meat and cocktails consumed in the cold. But mostly I would miss the chance to spend some Sundays with a great group of longtime friends.

It's hard to even listen to the rhetoric coming from boths sides as the rights of teachers and firefighters are under attack in Wisconsin and elsewhere. The owners (Goodell) finally backed off the ridiculous 18-game schedule proposal and offered improvements on the most important issue facing the game -- players' health and longterm medical care. The players said they were willing to make serious financial concessions as long as they got a good long look at the teams' books. The players sued (in what will be known as Brady v. NFL because his name is alphabetically first on the suit) and the owners locked them out. Whatever. Just work it out and get back to making a lot of money and providing entertainment and distraction.

The NFL is like "The Sopranos," "The Wire," "Band of Brothers." I really looked forward to watching them every week for a few months each year. They were riveting drama mixed with brilliant humor. And I was a little bummed when they ended. But there are always things to do that don't involve watching TV. And every now and then I can pop a DVD in and watch an old episode. I have some 300 Pats games on tape. I can always watch one of those whenever I need a football fix. And the Pats will always win. And I can get some stuff done in the fall.

You listening Mr. Kraft?