With all of talk about NFL lockouts and its threat to the 2011 season, it can be difficult to find ways to get motivated for a season that may not exist.  Just when you thought all hope was lost, a guiding light shows through the dark clouds and helps us set our anticipation back on track.

On Tuesday, the league announced the preseason its 2011 preseason schedule.  This helps fans, who have become disenchanted by all of the courtroom talks,  put their focus on the 2011 season, wetting their appitite just weeks before the full season schedule is set to be released. Continue reading this post

Tim Tebow may grace the covers of Madden 12 with a little help from his fans.

With March Madness upon us, EA Sports seems to have caught bracket fever.  The gaming company has put together a fully seeded 32-player bracket, the likes of which the NCAA Tournament Committee would be proud of.  The EA Sports bracket will be used to determine who will be on the cover of Madden ’12.  Each team has a representative, and fans will be able to vote  to decide who will go on to Madden cover glory.  The Denver Broncos will be represented by  Tim Tebow. Continue reading this post

The NFL Players Association received the owners’ final offer Friday and decided to walked away.

Just hours before the collective bargaining agreement was to expire, the union says it faxed paperwork to a Minnesota court so it can dissolve, NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora.  The move is expected to transfer the labor impasse from the bargaining room to the court room.

The owners made a CBA proposal to the union earlier today, but the union did not accept it, presumably because the owners have refused to turn over financial information the union has requested. The NFLPA said that the NFL owners would have to turn over 10 years of audited team financials by 5 p.m. to avoid decertification….They didn’t.

Now that the union has decertified, the owners will likely look to lock out the players. The union, now operating as a “trade association,” would then file an injunction with U.S. District Court Judge David Doty in Minneapolis to block the lockout.

With the dispute now in court, both sides could end up with a deal they don’t like.

Stay tuned as more information becomes available.

Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook.