Talks to end the NFL lockout will resume with the court-appointed mediator in New York on Monday and could continue through Thursday, a person familiar with the negotiations said.
The mediator, U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, originally ordered representatives of the league's owners and players to meet with him Tuesday in Minneapolis. Now Boylan is expected to arrive in New York on Monday to oversee talks aimed at ending the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.
The owners have a special meeting set for Thursday in Atlanta, where they could ratify a new deal -- if one is reached by then. Any agreement also must be voted on by groups of players, including the named plaintiffs in a federal antitrust suit against the league, and the NFL Players Association's 32 team representatives.
More than four months into the lockout, owners and players have made significant progress on the framework of an agreement. But re-establishing the union and figuring out what it will take for nine NFL players -- including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- to settle that antitrust suit are among key issues blocking a deal to end the lockout, people familiar with the negotiations told the AP on condition of anonymity.
The unresolved matters also include how the TV networks case, in which the players accused the owners of setting up "lockout insurance," will be settled.
Cedric Benson is arrested
NFL free agent running back Cedric Benson was arrested in downtown Austin on an assault charge. Travis County sheriff's spokesman Roger Wade said the Cincinnati Bengals' leading rusher for the past three seasons was arrested on a misdemeanor count of assault with bodily injury with family violence.
HOCKEY
Sakic makes $1 million hole-in-oneFormer NHL All-Star Joe Sakic picked a good spot Sunday for his first career hole-in-one -- a $1 million two-hopper into the cup on the waterfront par-3 17th at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe.
