NFL Referees Association Exec Dir Tim Millis said Friday that he is "hopeful the organization and the league will complete a new labor deal before the upcoming season." In DC, Mark Maske noted the current agreement "expires at the end of this month." The NFL has "taken a first step toward identifying possible replacement officials who would work games if an accord is not completed." But Millis said that there are "no insurmountable issues in the negotiations," and he is "optimistic a deal will be struck." Maske noted talks on a new deal "began in October." Millis said that he "expects another negotiating session to take place this month." NFL Exec VP/Labor & General Counsel Jeff Pash is "in charge of the negotiations for the NFL" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/11).
POLITICAL PUSH: In New Orleans, Ed Anderson notes the Louisiana Legislature wants the NFL to “reconsider the sanctions it imposed on the New Orleans Saints, its coaches and players in the wake of the bounty scandal." A resolution proposed by state Rep. Cameron Henry "urges the league to reconsider the penalties imposed.” Henry's resolution states the suspensions "will likely have a negative economic impact across the Crescent City and the state as a whole" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 5/15).
SOUTHERN CHARM? SI.com's Cary Estes noted while NASCAR has "branched out in recent years to glistening new facilities in such distinctly non-Southern locales as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago, NASCAR still keeps one foot planted firmly in the South." However, the place where NASCAR has "lost much of its Southern accent is on the racetrack." There are a "handful of Sprint Cup regulars from North Carolina, Virginia and Florida," but drivers seemingly have "disappeared from the Deep South states -- Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky -- that once produced many of the sport's stars." There currently are as many full-time Sprint Cup drivers “from Tasmania (Marcos Ambrose) as there are from those five states combined" (SI.com, 5/11).
DOUBLE STANDARD: FOXSPORTS.com's Greg Couch criticized PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem’s recent stance on playing at Augusta National under the header, "Finchem Can't Have It Both Ways." Finchem was asked last week “how golf views Augusta National’s 'discriminatory policy' of not having women members." Finchem "explained it away by trying to justify why it was OK to throw away the tour’s morals and ethics for the Masters,” at one time saying, “They are not doing anything illegal.” Couch: "Illegal? Who said anything about it being illegal? The PGA Tour’s policy wasn’t about following the law, but rather about following a conscience. What a statement that was from Finchem. The tour has taken a moral stance since 1990, when it made that policy not to play at clubs that exclude. And Finchem says it is followed 'carefully.' Except at the Masters” (FOXSPORTS.com, 5/14).
