Cris Collinsworth of NBC is predicting that the NFL labor dispute will end up causing games to be missed, and that the NFL season won't start until around November 1st. That is a scenario no one really wants, and you have to hope Collinsworth is wrong.
In Collinsworth's prediction, a deal is finally reached on a new collective bargaining agreement some time around the end of September. Training camps open around Oct. 5 and regular-season games around Nov. 1. That leaves, realistically, a half-season with the Super Bowl pushed back a week.
Matt Bowen of the National Football Post said of Collinsworth's prediction: "this might be the best option we will see."
Right now it is hard to be optimistic that Collinsworth will end up being wrong. Both sides can argue about "irreparable harm" if they want, but no one has truly suffered anything approaching it yet. That won't happen until players start missing game checks and owners have empty stadiums not producing any revenue.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know if you think Collinsworth is right.