NFL Commissioner Visits Colts Camp with Labor Situation In Mind

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell completed his eleven-stop training camp tour in Anderson. No pictures and no video from training camp of course per the Colts team policy.

Bill Polian and Goodell walked together from the podium to the stadium to watch Indy’s first scrimmage of the year. Polian declined fan autographs saying “we have to get the field.” Goodell on the other hand reached his hand out to sign a fan’s Colts helmet. In fact, the classy commissioner even took time out of his busy schedule to sign autographs after practice for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, the uncertain labor situation and possible lockout was the hot topic.

“It’s a work in progress, there’s a lot of stuff still to be figured out,” Colts linebacker Gary Brackett said. “Just wanted to make sure that the owners, from his point of view, and the players were on the same page.”

The NFL Players Association has been gathering opinions from players throughout the league. Colts representative Jeff Saturday believes the two sides can come to an agreement. “We just have to know what we are really compromising, what are we really negotiating. I don’t think the players know yet. We’ve heard from ownership we don’t like the agreement, but we haven’t seen any difference.”

In the players meeting with the commissioner, the players argued for fairness in negotiating deals in hopes of getting paid what they deserve. Goodell also touched on adding two regular season games, HGH testing, and a rookie pay scale.

“You have money going to an individual that hasn’t demonstrated on an NFL field. I think you have to see the players performed on that field over there are the ones that should be rewarded,” Goodell later said to the media.

Despite the numerous rumors and worries about a possible lockout, defensive back Melvin Bullitt understands the importance of coming to an agreement. “We gotta get it done, we gotta get this thing going and make sure that football keeps going and everybody stays happy. I think it will happen, this is American’s game right now, and we gotta keep this whole football thing going.”

If no agreement is made, the 2012 Superbowl could be in jeopardy but Goodell says “I do believe there’s going to be a super bowl in Indianapolis in 2012, yes. If not we’ll deal with it then, but right now we’re working under that assumption.”

The NFL is such a powerful business that would lose billions should a lockout happen. Too many parties rely on the NFL and what it brings each week. The NFL union, players and owners realize the implications of no deal…and they can’t let it happen.