NFL Lockout Vote: As Score Stands, Players Lose Both Money and PR Battle

When Michael Jordan returned from retirement he did it with two words, "I'm back."

The NFL lockout may very well end the same way.

ESPN's John Clayton reports that NFL owners have been told by league to be prepared to vote on new CBA between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST tonight. Yes, like, today. Sit back and drink that in for a moment. Since March we've been anticipating the beginning of and then end to the ongoing lockout. It could all end today.

While emotions run high and fans start to look ahead to free agency, the preseason and the eventual September 11 season opener, prepare to see tons of articles breaking down who won this thing. It's really not that debatable.

The owners come out way ahead on this one, no matter how you look at it.

Owners retained 52% of all football revenues—the players initially wanted a 50/50 split. This is but one point that really makes me wonder why the lockout was instituted anyway. The players, and information below will show this, basically took the same deal the owners were offering in March.

The owners wanted a rookie wage scale—one will be put in place this offseason. Owners wanted more money for veterans, they got it. What did the players fight for in this lockout? Honestly, someone please tell me what the players won here?

Owners also get to return a product to the field without losing games to the lockout, something that could have cost them dearly in the long run.

The players were in a position to stand up and really fight for what they wanted (less training camps, no more two-a-days, more of the revenue pie, etc.) but in the end they caved in to ownership. They also, along the way, put a sour taste in many mouths by coming across as greedy, selfish and ignorant.

You have four players trying to broker a deal independent from the roughly 1,900 players they were supposed to be representing, players openly lying about the timeline to benefit their agents and attempts at last minute changes in plans...all of this just serves to further alienate the fan base and general public from the players.

While at the end of the day we will all be happy that the lockout is finally over, once the happiness subsides it will be clear the owners won the day.