With the NFL and NFLPA seemingly quite a ways apart in their negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement right now, the general consensus among Pride of Detroit readers is that a lockout will happen. The majority of POD readers also believe a new deal will be in place before any games are threatened, and Lions kicker Dave Rayner agrees with that sentiment.
"I was telling my dad (the other day), I would be shocked if we don't play football next year," kicker Dave Rayner said. "I mean, I'd be shocked. I don't think they'll get everything done by March 3 or even by the time we start off-season workouts, but I would hope we would get it done in the next month or two. I just think there would be so much of a loss for everybody if we don't play."
Eric King, who was released earlier this week by the Lions, agrees with Rayner. King said that he doesn't think anything will be done in the next couple months, but he is "confident there'll still be football in 2011."
Hopefully POD readers, Rayner and King are right. A lockout does seem unavoidable at this point, but there's still plenty of time before any football games are in jeopardy of being missed. Hopefully if there is still no agreement by the time summer rolls around, the two sides will get things ironed out and there will be a season in 2011.