NFL Lockout To Begin, Long Court Battles Ahead

UPDATE: The lawsuits started flying immediately.

If you're waiting for the Green Bay Packers to repeat as Super Bowl champions, you'll have to wait longer. The NFL and the players couldn't come to an agreement on a new labor agreement, or on an extension of time, and the NFLPA will file for decertification. Let the lawsuits begin!

Jason Cole has a great article predicting what happens as the players sue the NFL for antitrust violations. Now QB Peyton Manning can sue the NFL and the Colts for placing the franchise tag on him and deny him the right to work for the employer of his choice. Cole expects most of the financial information the NFL refused to release will be released anyway during the discovery in a class-action lawsuit. Now the Packers won't be alone as the only team to publicly disclose their financial information.

Sure the fans are losers here, but this isn't stopping me from receiving a pay check, as it will for countless NFL employees and coaches. Or for players who will miss out on signing bonuses that many players need. And I'm not going to boycott the game: I'm a die-hard fan who will come back whenever they get their house in order. But I keep thinking the NFL owners are the big losers as all these private secrets and lawsuits commence.