FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell denied players union executive director DeMaurice Smith's claim that the league is taking steps to ensure there will be a lockout of players after next season.
On Thursday, Smith pointed to the extension of the league's TV deals as an example that the NFLprefers a work stoppage becauseit would make $5 billion in 2011 even if the season isn't played.
During his annualSuper Bowl press conference on Friday, Goodell said, "You don't make moneyby shutting down your business." Hesounded more optimistic about a labor agreement than Smith did.
On Thursday, Smith said the chances of the owners locking out the players is "14 on a scale of one to 10."
"I couldn't make that statement," Goodell said Friday. "And I sure hope that doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Goodell spoke about the need to stop with the rhetoric, sit down and negotiate the tough issues.
Both sides better take that advice or else all these people are going to end up killing the goose that lays the golden eggs every Sunday, Monday and sometimes Thursday and Saturday.