The NFL has a year round news cycle due to an off-season that is usually filled with trades, free agency, OTAs, mini-camps, and hype about the upcoming slate of games kicking off in September. Unfortunately, the lockout has already robbed us a few months of the off-season by burying fans in stories based around litigation, appeals, and eight circuits. You never want to spend more time reading about Judge Doty and Nelson, than about what wide receiver your team is attempting to make a move for.
At this point even the stories about the ongoing court battles are running thin. Fans are tired of the rhetoric, so tired that most of them are now directing most of their anger to DeMaurice Smith and the NFLPA* or whatever it technically is these days. Despite personally believing the owners are more to blame, both sides are culpable at this point and are embarrassing themselves by their inability to solve anything through mediation or negotiation.
The lack of stories has led to a healthy chunk of nonsense being played up as NFL news. Pro Football Talk dedicated about 700 words yesterday to Tony Kornheiser calling a Sally Jenkins column "shrew-like" even when Jenkins said she thought the comment was funny because her and Kornheiser were friends. Everyday another mediocre Redskins quarterback claims they should be a starter and it is a major story. Reggie Bush tweets about resting during the lockout and it is the lead story on ESPN.
The top Jets story the other day? Their official website is now selling a Rex Ryan bobblehead. Listen, I'd love a Rex Ryan bobblehead in my kitchen but I can only read so many words about it.
Nobody enjoys a good Eli Manning bash more than me but it is a little crazy how much criticism he is getting for the crappy job he did putting together "Camp Eli" in Hoboken and the low turnout he has seen. The Giants won't lose any games this season because only four people showed up to run routes at a local high school in May. They will lose games because Eli is turning the ball over too much and they are punting to DeSean Jackson with no time left on the clock.
The days keep passing as we inch closer to when training camp should start. June 3rd is now the next court ruling we are waiting on, likely followed by more mediation. I just hope when July rolls around I am reading and writing about free agency and Mark Sanchez's 7 on 7 numbers in training camp, and not speculating about Darrelle Revis getting a reality show.