NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell yesterday repeated the league's "desire to reach an immediate agreement" on HGH with the NFLPA, but he "did not sound optimistic regarding its implementation for the 2012 season," according to Jon Saraceno of USA TODAY. Goodell said that the league and union "met yet again Friday in an effort to resolve their differences." However, he added that there was "no significant progress" made. When asked if a drug-testing plan would be in place for the '12 season, Goodell said, "I tell you, we're sure going to work as hard as we can to get it done." Meanwhile, Goodell said of recent efforts to improve the league's concussion protocol, "I think there are significant improvements because we have more eyes on the field." Saraceno notes Goodell yesterday attended the Texans-Ravens game in Baltimore and was "being shadowed by CBS reporter Steve Kroft for a '60 Minutes' story" (USA TODAY, 1/16).
LOOKING AT SOME FULL-TIME OFFICIALS: In N.Y., Manish Mehta reports Goodell yesterday "admitted that the NFL will consider having about 10 full-time officials beginning in 2012." Goodell told a group of fans that the "proposed idea would bring that select group of officials to the NFL office in New York to study and evaluate calls and review game tapes." The 10 full-time officials "would then be mixed in with game-day crews." All officials currently are considered part-time employees (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/16).
WEATHER OR NOT? In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck reported Goodell "fell well short of endorsing the likelihood that Baltimore might someday host the Super Bowl." Goodell "pointed to the requirement that the Super Bowl city have 25,000 available hotel rooms and left open the question of whether any cold weather area other than New York was worth the trouble." Goodell: "Some people think the game should be played in as perfect weather conditions as possible. Other people think the game should be played in the elements. ... We thought, let's see how it works and what happens after that, we'll make a decision." MetLife Stadium will host the '14 Super Bowl, the first time the game will be played in a cold-weather outdoor stadium (Baltimore SUN, 1/16).
