IX - Of the 32 teams in the NFL, only one has given season ticket holders the option of waiting until; a new Collective Bargaininag Agreement is in place before making payments on their 2011 tickets. That team is the New York Giants. The Pittsburgh Steelers meanwhile have informed patrons that payments are due in full by May 2nd like they are each year. In a letter to fans, Art Rooney II mentioned that refunds would be paid in full in the event of games being missed during the 2011 season, but the Steelers team president doesn't believe that will be necessary.
"As we begin our preparations for the 2011 season, unfortunately there is the potential of a league-wide work stoppage," Rooney said in his letter. "We remain confident that owners and the players' association will reach an agreement before the 2011 schedule will be impacted."
X - The NFL's communications arm has done an impressive job throughout the whole CBA negotiations process. Letters sent out to fans and the media within hours of big decisions being made. The players have been a bit slower with their communications, but that I suppose is to be expected. Anyway, the players did finally submit their official response to the memo sent by Roger Goodell to them on March 17th. As I suspected when the NFL shared its summary of proposals rejected by the NFLPA, there was much more in play than what the owners would have liked outside observers to believe.
XIII - Bob Smizik provides the highlights from Sports Illustrated's recent article about NFL financial data. Included is information on the league's wealthiest owners, the stadiums with the least amount of private financing, money earned from various broadcasting mediums, to name but a few.
XIV - Dale Lolley comments on one of the young men scheduled to visit the Steelers in the near future, Cal defensive lineman Cameron Jordan. You can familiarize yourself with Jordan more thoroughly here.
XL - Mike Pouncey 'steals the show' at Florida's recent Pro Day according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com. That's too bad for Steelers fans I suppose, as Pouncey moving up draft boards means he'll almost certainly not be available when the Steelers pick at No. 31.
XLIII - A little puff piece to conclude? Why not. If you have a youngster in your household and live in the region, have them apply to be one of the Steelers' ball boys. Sounds like it was the experience of a lifetime for Somerset high school student Tyler Funa.