The labor issues in the NFL have been well-documented.
In 2008, the league opted out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) causing 2009 to be the last capped year and, in 2010, no salary cap. If no new agreement can be reached by the start of the 2011 season, there won't be football.
It's a major battle that, for the most part, has been played in the media. Apparently, the two sides aren't talking much and even when they do, you get things like this:
"At this point, we are as far apart as I could imagine," Batterman told the Hofstra Chronicle in a recent interview.
Batterman is Bob Batterman, one of the NFL's lawyers brought in for these labor talks. Batterman's name is familiar because he represented the NHL during the longest work stoppage in sports history. Some have nicknamed him the "lockout lawyer".
The two sides have already committed to the uncapped year in 2010. There will also be a draft in 2011.
After that, it's up in the air.
Nothing can be done until the two sides sit down for an extended period of time and hash out the issues. Judging by Batterman's words, they have a lot of work to do.