The NFL and its players are back together in mediation today, meaning we are returning to days of endless speculation and hoping that everyone actually comes to their senses. Courtroom football is back, and we know everyone must be thrilled.

Mediation is back! … After two days of meeting with the NFL and the players separately, everyone will be back under one roof today, under the supervision of Judge Arthur Boylan in Minneapolis. We can only hope that mediation is more thrilling this time around after weeks of reporters standing outside in Washington with little to show for it back in March. Judge Susan Nelson has insisted that decision-makers are present at the mediation sessions, so big guns such as Roger Goodell, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Steelers owner Art Rooney are there today. We likely won’t be getting many details from the sessions with the vow of silence, but we’ll keep hoping that progress is made. As for what to expect, the National Football Post’s Andrew Brandt points out that, ideally, the two sides use mediation as a lifeline before Nelson comes down with an unfavorable ruling against one of them. Of course, mediation has gotten us nowhere before, so [...]