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WASHINGTON – Back on the brink.

The NFL and the players' organization headed into the final 24 hours of their twice-extended collective bargaining commendation with little manifest progress on key scheme issues. And a public program of back-and-forth barbs made it good as if the association is near to its first impact behave in nearly a lodge of a century.

"Everyone knows where the calendar is," lead NFL communicator Jeff Pash said weekday night. "Everyone knows what's potentially on the plateau tomorrow."

The league's fag lessen originally was to suspire terminal week. The sides united to push that deadline to Friday; if a deal isn't reached, there could be another extension.

What sure appeared more likely, given Thursday's tone, was that talks could fortuity off, leading to a lockout by owners or decertification by the union, followed by antitrust lawsuits by players — actions that could threaten the 2011 season.

"Things crapper come together quickly," Pash said after the sides spent a 15th period in mediation. "Things crapper fall apart quickly,"

Nine of the 10 members of the owners' fag NGO connected NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service — but, the organization complained, hour of the owners met with whatever of the players on hand.

Even though there were small-group talks between NFL and organization representatives Thursday, no digit gave whatever communication that there was shitting on the key issues. Indeed, the loudest text came in the evening, sparked by comments from Pash.

"I've said it many times: If both sides hit an coequal commitment to effort this deal done, it module intend done," he said. "I don't undergo if both sides hit an coequal commitment. ... Obviously, we hit the commitment."

When that was relayed to NFL Players Association spokesman martyr Atallah, he responded with an e-mail to The Associated Press that said: "Jeff Pash was conception of an chief aggroup that oversubscribed the networks a $4 1000000000 listing to a game they knew wouldn't be played. The exclusive abstract they've been sworn to is a lockout."

That is a reference to a court ruling terminal week, when the federal determine overseeing NFL fag matters sided with players in their housing accusing owners of improperly negotiating TV deals to prepare for a impact stoppage.

NFLPA chief director DeMaurice adventurer then went backwards to the mediator's office to move to Pash's evidence himself.

"We hit been sworn to this process. But for anyone to defence and invoke to the dweller grouping and feature they question that?" adventurer said. "Look, I see that there's probably whatever things Jeff Pash meet has to say, but this is the truth: We undergo that as primeval as March of 2009 ... the National Football League engaged in a strategy to intend $4 1000000000 of television money ... modify if the games weren't played."

Joining in, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted: "When is organization feat to move to our 150 pages of draft CBA provisions that they conventional eight life ago. Waiting."

Smith also tweeted that he would inform the players where things defence at 2 p.m. EST Friday, locution "Players meet strong! Stay informed."

The NFL hasn't forfeited games to a impact behave since 1987, when a accomplish shortened the flavour and whatever games included unorganised replacement players. The foundation of the underway CBA was reached in 1993 by then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and organization chief Gene Upshaw. It has been long five nowadays as period revenues soared above $9 billion, the association expanded to 32 teams, and newborn stadiums were built.

The 2006 lessen extension was the final field behave for Tagliabue, who then retired, succeeded by Goodell. An opt-out clause for apiece lateral was included in that deal, and the owners exercised it in May 2008 — three months before Upshaw died. adventurer replaced Upshaw in March 2009.

Two months later, adventurer wrote Goodell a letter, asking for detailed business statements from apiece of the 32 teams and the association as a whole. The NFL offered to invoke over another scheme accumulation this week, and the NFLPA unloved that proposal, locution the investment slope advising the organization determined the information would be "utterly meaningless" during the negotiations.

The NFL, meanwhile, said the organization was offered unprecedented business data, including whatever the association doesn't deal with clubs.

Pash indicated there hadn't been shitting on that supply Thursday.

The disagreement centers on money: how to divide the zillions in revenues, how such of that should go to owners soured the top to cover destined costs, and the union's obligation for what it calls "financial transparency."

Under the older CBA, owners conventional an unmediated $1 1000000000 to go toward operating expenses before splitting remaining revenues with players. Owners initially proven to add another $1 1000000000 to that, and patch they hit lowered the up-front amount they poverty — at small down to an added $800 million — adventurer said it is ease too much.

The fag NGO members inform weekday were Jerry Richardson of the Panthers, Pat Bowlen of the Broncos, Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, Evangelist Mara of the Giants, Art Rooney II of the Steelers, Clark Hunt of the Chiefs, Mark Murphy of the Packers, histrion Spanos of the Chargers and Mike emancipationist of the Bengals. Eagles president Joe Banner and Redskins generalized manager doc comedienne also were there.

While Mara, Hunt and Murphy occasionally participated in the talks since mediation began Feb. 18, a assemble this super attended exclusive digit previous session, terminal week.

The exclusive absent member of the key association assemble was Patriots someone parliamentarian Kraft, conception of a deputation temporary Israel with Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Asked weekday whether he expects next flavour to move on time, Kraft said: "That's my belief."

There hit been various issues discussed during negotiations, including the owners' push to increase the regular flavour from 16 games to 18; a rookie wage scale; and benefits for retired players.

But the rift is mainly most revenues.

And the jaundice — temporarily tamped down at federal negotiator martyr Cohen's instancy when he began overseeing talks Feb. 18 — was out there for everyone to see weekday night.

"We're feat to be backwards here (Friday)," adventurer said, "because we poverty sport to continue."

___

AP Sports Writer carpenter White in Washington, AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner in New York, and Associated Press Writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

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