Metaphors made an overly broad (and erroneous on its face) claim and Mo agreed with him. I simply pointed out that they were in error.
I used a metaphor (go figure) to illustrate the importance of having the lockout continue. Just because you didn't get the picture I was painting, it doesn't make it in error.
Metaphors came back and clarified his position, both by making concessions and by expanding his earlier post.
I removed the metaphor and explicitly explained my point. Didn't concede anything. I agreed with you that the litigation isn't over. That wasn't my point. Having the lockout in place is a killer for the players' strategy:
Step 1 - Eliminate lockout and resume football business
Step 2 - Kill the owners slowly in the courts while still taking their paychecks
Step 2 doesn't work without step 1 since the paychecks won't be there. Could the players still get rid of the lockout? Possible, but unlikely. The June 3rd hearing is in front of the same 3 judges. The players can petition for the whole court to hear their case, but they don't have to accept (and likely won't). Even if they did, the makeup of the 8th circuit is more aligned to the owners' position. Supreme Court? Doubt they touch it and there isn't a more pro-business group on the planet (5 of them at least) even if they do.
This means there is no football until there is a settlement. Swap "settlement" for "CBA" and that is the exact situation the players were in months ago. The lockout suit wasn't just a key part of their strategy...it was THE key part of their strategy. The players have 2 options now:
1) Settle the suit, which would form the basis for the next CBA
2) Stick to antitrust litigation (which they will win), flush 1 to 2 seasons down the toilet and gain very little of long-term value in the penalty phase. The players don't want the league to act as 32 separate, competing businesses. They could win monetary damages...but then they will be back to negotiating with the owners for contracts. I kinda think the owners would deduct the damages from their salary budgets.
The players gambled and it looks like they lost, barring a Hail Mary in the courts. Now they have to negotiate after getting slapped down by the courts and they have precious little time left before paydays start being missed. If you don't like "neutered", pick your favorite term to describe what the court's likely decision will do to the NFLPA's nether regions.