NFL to Open Doors on Friday

After their latest appeal was denied, it looks like NFL owners have no choice but to open their doors to the players.   In a memo released late Thursday morning, the league will start allowing players to come in to work out, get treatments, study their playbooks, etc.

Word will also come on Friday about when the 2011 league year will start, which will clear the way for player transactions (FREE AGENCY AND TRADES!!!) but it doesn’t appear anything will happen before tonight’s draft.

This makes for some interesting and awkward moments while players and owners wait for further rulings and/or a new CBA to be reached.

Given two consecutive losses, the owners have lost a lot of leverage in their negotiations and barring a drastic change from the legal system, it looks like we should have the makings for the start of a football season.   I can’t quite start booking my tickets to New Orleans for the Bears’ Week 2 matchup with the Saints just yet, but I can at least start pricing out flights.