With the NFLPA now decertified and nothing positive on the horizon until the April 6 lockout injunction hearing it appears that the only good thing left in the NFL, the 2011 Draft, is also in jeopardy (sort of). The former Player's Association is currently putting a plan in place to instigate a boycott of the NFL Draft by having the top prospects who will be invited to the draft not attend in order to spite the NFL and its owners.
Now I understand where the players are coming from in this situation because they don't want players entering the Draft to endorse the people who are trying to limit the amount rookies can be paid and are preventing them from even signing a contract once they are drafted. However this from the prospects' perspective not attending the Draft would be a real shame. All of the prospects invited are expected to go in the early parts of the first round and have been waiting for this day for the better part of a decade in most cases. The Draft is also a huge family event and a seminal moment for fans to vocalize their opinion of their team's top choice (just ask Donovan McNabb).
I think this latest issue is indicative of the quickly deteriorating relationship between owners and players. I no longer have any hope for a deal to get done before a judge rules in favor of one side or the other and until that point things are likely to get nasty. It's becoming clear that the leaders of these negotiations basically hate each other which will make it nearly impossible for either side to shelf some pride and give ground. Of course we fans are suffering at the end of that and now we can be joined by NFL Draft prospects.
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