Players Meeting Now, Reports Say They Will Not Ratify New CBA As Is

Here comes the bucket of ice cold water

The owners have approved the terms of a new CBA. They have laid out a time line for how things will proceed should the players approve the deal as well. The only problem is, reports are emerging that the players are unlikely to ratify the deal.

According to Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated, there is no way the players will ratify the deal the owners just approved.

Via Twitter:

"SI_JimTrotterJim Trotter"

"there were outstanding issues that had yet to be resolved, and the players are not going to ratify the proposal w/o those being addressed."

What is all means (as much as I can tell) after the jump.

What exactly is going on here?

Well, as far as I can tell, it appears that some of the players are viewing this ratification by the owners as a last minute power play designed to back them into a corner and force them to agree to a lesser deal.

Think about it. The owners voted for the deal and scheduled a press conference just about an hour before the players were to meet via conference call to vote on the deal. They laid out a timeline for the return to football and got everyone excited. But they also made it very clear that the ball was in the players’ court.

It seems that some players may view this as a ploy to pressure them. After all, if the players do vote no on the deal, I am sure it is going to enrage NFL fans who are just now starting to think this whole mess is over.

Probably what the players would have liked would have been for the owners to keep quite until after they had a chance to review and vote on the deal. Then, once both sides has approved it, it might have been more appropriate for the press conference and time line layout.

It is now just after 8PM EST. The players are now meeting via conference call. The reports on Twitter and from ESPN are not positive. It seems like the players are going to vote no.

So keep that champagne and beer on ice…and keep it here tonight for updates.