It's not over yet. That's the message fans should remember with the announcement that the NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement Saturday to end the lockout that has stretched out now for over 100 games.
↵There's still some ground to cover, as owners have to approve it via a vote. The bigger issue is that the players have to reform as a union, collectively bargain some things like drug testing (much like what happened in the NFL) and then approve the deal via a simple majority among its 430 players.
↵The deal seems a step back from what the hard-line owners wanted and may not be as game-changing as the owners wanted overall, but it's probably a good deal to put in place to keep the season alive.
↵The biggest disappointment for me is hearing exactly what got bargained out. If the compromises were made like are being reported, that means this could have gotten done without any time missed. Both sides were too stubborn to come to a deal earlier and only the threat of a lost season caused either side to blink.
↵What a shame.