What we learned from the NFL labor dispute

Here are a few things we learned from the NFL labor dispute:

ŸAmericans would rather have had owners and players reach a collective-bargaining agreement than the White House and Congress reach a debt-limit agreement.

“Oh, no, we’re going to default! More people are going to lose their homes! The stock market is going to crash! The unemployment rate is going to be 75 percent! The fear of a double-dip recession will give way to the reality of a depression!”

No problem, the Bears will play the Bills in an exhibition game in Soldier Field on Aug. 13.

ŸThe hysteria over the lockout was an estimated 93.7 percent media driven.

So many news agencies are NFL-centric that they needed to convince fans that it was important that minicamps and organized training activities were canceled.

Negotiations started moving in the right direction when owners and players quit belching to reporters about what they had belched at each other.

Maybe a gag order should be imposed on President Obama and Speaker Boehner.

ŸWasn’t the NFL settlement disappointing in that Americans lost the opportunity to get a life this autumn?

You know, like playing with the kids instead of the point spreads … marveling at leaves turning instead of ankles turning … worshipping a higher power on Sunday mornings instead of Terry Bradshaw …

Ah, what the heck, maybe kids, nature and religion are why winter, spring and summer were invented.

ŸWith NFL free agency going wild and baseball’s trading deadline approaching, this week will feature sports’ biggest garage sale ever.

Expect at least one baseball player to be traded for one football player.

Meanwhile, I’ll be disappointed if during the confusing days ahead I’m neither signed by an NFL team nor traded for by an MLB team.

ŸFor some reason, SI.com sent me an email on Peter King’s list of the NFL’s Top 50 free-agent signing he expects later this week.

King had the Bears getting former Raiders high draft pick Robert Gallery, a failure at offensive tackle but reasonably successful at guard.

Of course, I could predict that the Bears will sign Peyton Manning and have as much chance to be correct.

ŸSpeaking of meat markets, aren’t Five Brothers burgers just awesome?

ŸThe biggest recent NFL news had nothing to do with the labor settlement.

It was Jay Cutler breaking off his engagement to reality-TV star Kristen Cavallari, which is good news for the Bears.

Cutler clearly is confident he’ll be able to have a Pro Bowl season and trade up to, say, a hotter babe to be named later.

There’s nothing wrong with a quarterback aspiring to Tom Brady heights, is there?

ŸTommie Harris should be missed this season, not because of his play on the field but his personality off it.

Both his play and sense of humor suffered during his professional trials and personal tribulations, but at his core he seemed to me to be thoughtful, playful and well-meaning.

It was time for Harris to go, so good luck to him wherever he winds up in or out of the game.

ŸIf a divorce from the Bears awaits Olin Kreutz, too, similar best wishes to him.

ŸNow, are you ready for some football?

Of course you are.