NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith indicated that the union and the NFL remain far apart on a new CBA, and a lockout in 2011 remains a strong possibility. "None of the simple facts have changed. We are still in a paradigm where the owners have said for various reasons they need $1 billion back from the players. No team has reported a decrease in profit. No team has reported a shortage of cash flow," Smith told SportsBusiness Daily. Smith, who in February said the likelihood of a lockout on a scale of 1-10 was a 14, today said, "It's still there." He again urged the NFL to open its books. "Players operate in the blind because we don't know how much owners make," Smith said. "I still haven't seen any economic information that would justify us going backward [in terms of player compensation]," he added. "It seems to be that given the robust health of the National Football League, the need for better health care, and the need for a more stable life after football's over, you can actually make the argument we should be moving forward not backward." Smith said the union and the league will continue to meet in the coming months. "We've made it clear to the owners that we want to continue to play," said Smith. Source: SportingNews.com
