Texans players share feelings on potential lock-out

While NFL talks between players and owners are continuing, the likelihood of a lock-out come midnight Thursday appears extremely high. The league and its players have until midnight Thursday to reach a new labor deal or the NFL will become dormant until there is a settlement. There is a remote chance that the two sides agree to extend the deadline, but various players in the Houston area sound ready for the news that they have been locked-out by the owners. Texans tackle Eric Winston, who is also the team's assistant player representative, is holding out hope that an agreement can be reached at the last hour. But he also admits that a lock-out appears imminent. "My gut feeling is yes (there will be a lock-out)," said Winston. "But I'm still hopeful. I'm not in the room so there might be significant progress being made in there that they're not talking about. That's very possible. Until it happens, I'm hoping for the best." Once the March 4 deadline passes, the urgency to reach an accord may fade. That could mean a prolonged process that delays the start of the season. "That's always the worry," Winston said. "I'm hoping we can get something in the next couple of days and we're able to finish the deal off." Since NFL players are paid only during the regular season, if the dispute erases games, players will miss checks. "As far as my family, we're ready for it," said Texans safety Bernard Pollard. "We're ready for the worst." Pollard, too, is concerned that once the current deadline passes, negotiations could linger. "I think it could take a long time," said Pollard. "I think it could run over into the season. I just really believe that we, as players, have to stay together. Everybody is assuming what's going on. Nobody knows. Guys have to save money because you don't know what's going to be going on. Do I think the whole season is going to be gone? No. I do think if this thing continues, it will go into the season and there will be a couple of games that will be missed." Meanwhile, Texans fullback Vonte Leach is in talks with the team, even at this late stage, to get a contract prior to the deadline. But Leach is not optimistic that a deal with the Texans can be reached. "I don't know. It's still up in air," Leach said. "I want to be a Texan. I want to retire as a Texan. Hopefully we can get a deal done. But, once we get this labor agreement done, I'll be playing football somewhere." Several NFL players live in Houston during the off-season, including Travis Johnson of the Chargers. Johnson played for the Texans from 2005-08. "Right now I'm not worried," said Johnson. "It's the nature of the business. Fans need to know that it's not that we don't want to play. I guess the numbers aren't right so the owners don't want us to play. It's a business. I'm not really worried at all." Johnson says he is not concerned about the potential of losing game checks if the season is decreased. "I was fortunate that I took care of my money and the Lord blessed me to make a lot of money early," said Johnson. "I'm prepared but I'm hoping we can get it taken care of so we can play ball." The union may also chose to decertify as a legal maneuver. Patrick Thornton, a professor of sports law at Rice and South Texas College of Law, says decertifying is a legal strategy that would enable to sue the NFL. "It would allow players to individually sue the league on anti-trust claims," said Thornton. "Unions can't sue their employers for anti-trust violations because all the rules have been collectively bargained. (Decertifying) essentially would say the union no longer exists, everything is off the table and the players could sue the owners for anti-trust violations." The NFL players decertified during a dispute with the owners in the late 80's and then re-unionized in the 90's.