I promised to leave the CBA issue alone until there was some actual news to talk about; I didn't want to find myself on the merry-go-round of mashing various "angles" of the negotiations to death.


And though Duane's update at the 24th Minute today isn't official news (I trust Duane's chops and his sources by the way), it does give us some insight on where things stand roughly twenty four hours until the negotiating extension expires tomorrow. Guaranteed contracts? Apparently that's been settled, though in what way we have no idea. A salary cap bump? Check, though of all of the issues up for debate, that was the one everyone seemed to think would be agreed upon most easily.


One issue left then, and it's the toughest pill for the League to swallow: free agency. There would certainly be some salary inflation if the players were given free agency, and that's the eventuality that MLS is hoping to avoid.


If there is a middle ground, one in which players have to hit certain thresholds of service (a la the NFL) before they get true free agency, then we might actually get some good news tomorrow. If the League is resistant to even that, then it will take a full on retreat by the players on the issue for a deal to be done. The former I'm okay with, the latter not so much; but I am tired enough of the process and the uncertainty to care a lot less about it than I did even a month ago.


I've been hopeful, hell, even convinced, that a deal would get done before any of the season was threatened by a work stoppage. I still believe that, though I wonder if this last sticking point might cause another negotiating extension. It won't be fun to have to sit though another week without a deal, wondering and waiting while neither side talks.


I will promise you that my CBA talk moratorium will immediately go back into effect the moment a new extension is announced.


I guess we'll find out tomorrow.