NFL Lockout Almost Over? Premature Report Gives Hope

Last night a report surfaced from Bill Burt of the Eagle Tribune in Massachusetts saying "a deal to end the National Football League's lockout is almost complete, according to an NFL source."

Initially this report actually stated that the lockout had ended, but the writer went back and edited his column with the above quote because it apparently set off the panic alarm between the NFL and NFLPA. Both George Atallah and the Greg Aiello almost broke their fingers in their frenzy to deny the report via Twitter.

After all that, another report came out by Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly discussing the premature report by the Eagle Tribune but also stated the following:

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A league source told PFW that the story of the lockout ending was "premature." However, the same source also added that things "could move quickly" toward a resolution.

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Even though the initial report about the lockout ending was "premature," the mere fact that a league source used that particular term gives us hope that a settlement is near. When you combine that with all of the not-so "secret meetings" between key owners, Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith, maybe the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

We can only hope that our football famine will soon come to an end. Things are looking positive at the moment, so the visions of training camps and free agency can still dance in your head. If the lockout ends in time to where it doesn't impact the most important aspects of the offseason (or the in-season for that matter), all I will say is...hallelujah!