Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com did an excellent job at taking Cornwell’s words and giving a brief summary of the attorney’s statement.

As Cornwell explains it, the league and the union will negotiate to impasse in March 2011, and the league then will invoke a provision of federal labor law that allows the owners to impose new rules relating to wages and other terms of employment. Under federal labor law, the rules must be substantially similar to the last offer made by the league.

The union could then strike. The more likely outcome is that NFLPA would decertify and sue the league for violations of the same antitrust laws at issue in the American Needle case. That’s why the union has been writing editorials for guys like Drew Brees in connection with the American Needle case, and it’s why NFL general counsel Jeff Pash tiptoed around my recent questions regarding whether the league believes it’s a “single entity” for labor purposes.

If Cornwell is correct, NFL fans everywhere will be rejoicing. It just doesn’t seem possible for the most popular sport in America to have a strike. Many cannot even begin to imagine a year without football. Cornwell’s confidence regarding the matter is very refreshing and it brings a hope that many analysts are not giving at the moment.

Let’s all just cross our fingers and hope Cornwell is on to something.

Johnson also broke Marshall Faulk’s NFL record for yards from scrimmage in a season. He finished the 2009 season with 2,509 yards from scrimmage.

The Pro Bowl back is now looking for a reward.

“I think I deserve to be the highest paid running back in the league, or even the highest paid offensive player besides the quarterback,’’ said Johnson. He is only two years into a five-year $12 million deal.

Johnson is only set to receive $560,000 in 2010, but don’t expect him to make a fuss in the media.

“But it’s not like I am not going out in the media saying, ‘Pay me, I want a new deal now.’ I am just saying, if they were to pay me, I want that. Hopefully they want that, too.’’

The 2009 Offensive Player of the Year has not had time to consider options. When asked if he would consider a holdout Johnson said, “I haven’t even thought about that. I am playing football. All that new deal stuff, that is between my agent and the Titans. I’ll leave that to them.’’

His agent, Joel Segal, did not want to answer questions about numbers or a possible contract extension. There have been no talks with the Titans at this point.

“If you look at it, you can make the determination” that Johnson deserves a new contract. “There will be a time for that, just not now.’’

The Titans will be in no rush to negotiate a new deal for Johnson. He is under contract until the 2012 season.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office said Novacek’s body was found in the bedroom of the home in the 7700 block of FM 1902 just after 9 a.m. The 911 call came from Novacek’s mother, Sandifer said. Novacek, 45, lived in nearby Joshua.

Police said they are awaiting the medical examiner’s ruling on a cause and manner of death.

“It appeared no foul play, so we’re waiting for the medical examiner’s findings,” Sandifer said.

Novacek was drafted by the Cardinals and become a member of the Cowboys in the early 1990’s. He contributed to the teams three wins in four seasons.

Novacek was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and he was a five-time Pro Bowler.

Steve McNair's sons Trenton, lower left, and Tyler, middle, with Titans Vince Young, Kevin Mawae, and Chris Johnson. JIM WYATT / THE TENNESSEAN

Often times professional athletes are in the news for all of the wrong reasons.

Whether it be arrests, controversial remarks, complaining over their million dollar contracts or simply running their mouths just to be on television. It is nice to focus on the positive side of the players every so often.

This weekend kicked off Super Bowl week with the Pro Bowl being played in Miami. Early headlines were stolen when Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie skipped practices. He was ultimately dismissed from the NFC squad.

A story that deserved much more attention has flown under the radar. Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young invited the sons and widow of his mentor, Steve McNair, to join him for the Pro Bowl festivities. McNair suffered multiple gunshot wounds was found dead on July 4, 2009.

Vince Young was effected by the tragedy and it was unkown how he would respond. Young has shown great maturity this past season and when he entered the Titans line-up this season he gave them a new hope for the postseason. Young’s play even earned him a playoff berth.

Young has been taking McNair’s sons to the beach and treating them as his own.

“Those are my little brothers, my boys,” Young said. “And I would do anything for them and as long as they’re smiling and happy.”

McNair’s sons, Trenton and Tyler were also present for some of the AFC all-stars practices.

“We’re having fun. He’s surprising us with a lot of stuff,” said Tyler. “He has been great to me and my brother. I think it’s because he cares for us and he loves us like we love him.”

It is always refreshing to see a professional athlete give back and do a good deed. Young deserves to be applaud for his actions — even though he did everything without the expectation of being praised. Young did what he felt was right and it was an incredible way to show respect and to honor his fallen mentor.

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Plano steroids trafficker David Jacobs told the paper before his death that he was Michael Vick’s supplier while Vick was a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

A newly released document shows that federal agents and prosecutors questioned Vick about steroids and human growth hormone while investigating his dog-fighting ring in the fall of 2007. Vick denied using the drugs.

Agents asked Vick about an alleged encounter at the Falcons’ 2006 Christmas party. Details of that encounter relayed by an informant to the Drug Enforcement Administration are similar to what Jacobs told The News after he began cooperating with federal agents and NFL investigators.

Vick was never implicated in the Jacobs steroids case. Vick was released from home confinement in late July after being sentenced to nearly two years in prison for his role in a dog-fighting ring. He then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Contacted Friday for this story, Vick’s agent said he could not speak right then but said he would call back. He did not, nor did he return subsequent calls or a detailed e-mail.

According to authorities, Jacobs ran one of the largest doping networks in the country before he was arrested in May 2007.

Jacobs had stated he was at a party with Matt Lehr, who was then an Atlanta Falcon. It was then that Lehr introduced Jacobs to his brother and Michael Vick.

The newly published report also includes a statement that a DEA agent overheard Vick talking about steroids and human growth hormone. Vick was overheard saying that he “liked the product.”

Vick is not the only Falcon to be named in Jacobs’ report.

Names, other than Vick’s, were redacted from the government summary, so it’s not clear whether the DEA informant referred to was Jacobs.

But in several interviews with The News that took place in the months before authorities say Jacobs killed himself and his girlfriend in June 2008, Jacobs said that at that 2006 gathering he was with Vick and other players who used his drugs.

We will have to see where this story goes and if anything new will come out about Michael Vick and his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. One thing is for sure… NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be paying attention.

Click to enlarge

It is common knowledge that Pete Carroll is leaving his job at the University of Southern California to head up north and coach the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll’s charity – A Better LA — will be staying and the organization is has taken to one of the Internet’s top comedy websites, FunnyOrDie.com.

A Better LA and Carroll have teamed up for this video which also features Rob Riggler from The Hangover and Funny People’s Aubrey Plaza. The video is to promote a comedy benefit for A Better LA that will include the likes of Will Ferrell, Nick Swardson, Demitri Martin, Tenacious D and others. 100% of the ticket revenue will go to the American Red Cross to aid in Haiti relief efforts.

Missouri had to play Oklahoma again (in the Semi-Finals) and they lost for the third straight time. The first round had some upsets with Florida, LSU, USC and Hawaii all getting bounced. Ohio State got the best of Georgia to advance to the Championship game. They ended up beating Oklahoma in the final.