While the NFL and the players await the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision on whether to keep the stay permanent on the injunction that lifted the lockout last week, the same court announced that it will expedite the owners' appeal of Judge Susan Richard Nelson's injunction and hear the case on June 3 in St. Louis.
Additionally, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that it will take 30-45 days for the appeals court to decide on the matter, meaning that we won't find anything out until July.
A decision on a permanent stay is expected later this week, likely on Thursday, May 5. Neither piece of news puts us any closer to having football in the fall, but at least there's something to wait for while the summer gears up. By July, the pressure to avoid lost games and the financial impact on all sides will become a real part of the equation.
Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.