Yesterday U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson heard arguments form the NFL and players, on the legality of the owners lockout. She indicated that her ruling could take " A couple of weeks", and advised the parties to resume negotiations. She stated that, "both sides are at risk and this is a very good time for you to come back to the table."
Of course it appears unlikely that her advice will be taken. The sides have not met since March 11, and cannot even agree to terms for resuming negotiations. In fact so trenchant and polarized are the two parties, they even disagree on what Judge Nelson (insert your own Judd Nelson joke here) meant when she advised the parties to resume negotiations.
David Boies, the NFL’s attorney said after court, "These kinds of matters ought to be settled at the collective bargaining table and not in a federal court,"
But players attorneys maintain the judge meant, "litigation settlement discussions, not collective bargaining."
Regardless of what side the judge's ruling favors, the other side is expected to file an immediate appeal.
The league also has a claim with the National Labor Relations Board to investigate their contention that the players union decertification was invalid. Boies suggested that the judge was obligated to wait on the conclusion of that investigation, before reaching her decision. A suggestion the judge seemed to dismiss.
SB Nation Chicago will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they become available.