NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

ESPN will sport a new logo for Monday Night Football this fall.

"Every year we go back and analyze the entire show in the offseason to raise the bar and make our presentation even better," said senior vice president and executive producer Jed Drake. "The logo has been a point of focus this spring, developing a new mark that embodies the energy, spirit and tradition of Monday Night Football."

ESPN Creative Services, which is responsible for creating, designing, executing and delivering a variety of products – graphics, music applications, design, animation and advanced technology, was tasked with designing the new logo.

"After exploring a variety of design solutions, we created a bold, symmetrical badge that contains and showcases ESPN, Monday Night Football and the NFL shield," adds creative director Michael Ruddy. "The logo was designed with a sculpted framework that adds strength. The color red dominates the palette, and the stadium lights around ESPN illuminate the badge and exemplify that MNF is in primetime. Metal, rubber and pigskin textures also add tactility."

The logo has a modern and polished appearance, and the "Monday Night Football" in heavyweight font gives it a bold feel. There is also depth and weight to it, almost as if you could hold the shield in your hand.

Even in advertising and printed pieces, the logo will maintain much of the detail of the animated version that will be used during game telecasts.

"We're thrilled with the result," said Drake. "The new MNF logo gives us a strong, identifiable mark and we believe fans will embrace our new look this fall."

According to the 2011 NFL schedule, the season is set to kick off 90 days from now, but we’re in the middle of a lockout, so any future plans are written in pencil, but rumblings indicate that the lawyer-free discussions between owners and players are going so well that, for the first time since the lockout began in March, there’s legitimate hope for a 2011 season.

NFL Network’s Albert Breer, appearing on Friday’s Total Access, explained that while there’s still a long way to go, the two sides have made substantial progress in recent weeks. Here are the highlights of Breer’s conversation with TA host Rich Eisen.

Eisen: “If it’s so good that both sides are talking … then why aren’t they talking around the clock … until this thing is all hammered out?” Breer: “Just like doing a CBA is complex, the negotiating to get there is also complex. There are a couple things at work here. One is, all the talking isn’t happening face-to-face. In fact, I was told that the two sides communicated today so they are communicating outside of the face-to-face negotiations. That’s one thing that’s important to remember. The other thing that’s important to remember is how much work goes into this. It’s going to be about a 300-page CBA when it’s all said and done. A lot of research and study has to go into it from each side, especially after they come off these face-to-face talks. I was told by someone earlier today that about five hours of work goes into every hour they spend face-to-face. So it’s not that they’re not working, it’s just that the format of it is a little bit different in different stages. But they are working a lot of hours to get this thing done and I think that anybody who would view it any other way might be a little off there.”

Eisen: “Normally we see the round-the-clock stuff when it’s the 11th hour. … Should we take this to mean that both sides don’t consider this the 11th hour?” Breer: “It’s not quite the 11th hour yet. … I think what they’re working towards right now is that July 15 deadline … when the holdup in these negotiations could wind up costing them preseason games. I think they want to try to get something done by then.” Eisen: “Do you get the sense, from the people that you’ve been speaking to on both sides, that the CBA must be completed 100 percent … before this lockout is lifted, or perhaps some deal in principle can be struck earlier on … and the lockout ends while the lawyers hash this thing out?”

Breer: “[Both sides] have a lot of work to do, and they’d have to be pretty far down the road, but the truth is it’s always the league’s option to lift the lockout. They could do it now if they wanted to. So I think if they feel like, in good faith, they’ve reached an agreement on the framework of a deal, it would make sense for them to get that administrative stuff out of the way. Have a … short period before free agency for teams to take care of their own house, then have free agency, then have that roll into training camp. If that’s what’s in the best interest of everybody, I’m sure that could happen.”

Former Pats and Browns LB Willie McGinest is thinking about an NFL return. He’s been working out recently with the Lions, and says that if he gets offered a contract, he’s ready to get back on the field in 2011.

Willie McGinest retired three years ago after 15 NFL seasons, but the 39-year-old analyst for NFL Network might be ready to give football another try. “We’re going to see if I get offered a contract now,” McGinest said Friday after taking part in the Lions’ player-organized workout at Birmingham Detroit Country Day. “After I send this tape out to a few teams, we’re going to see.” McGinest, a former linebacker, went through a circuit of heavy ropes and kettle bells with almost 30 Lions on their final day of player workouts, then took part in position drills with defensive linemen Kyle Vanden Bosch, Ndamukong Suh, Cliff Avril, Andre Fluellen and Willie Young.

“Thank God I was in shape and I was able to do all the stuff,” McGinest said. “It was a different type of workout, though. I’ve never experienced something like this with the Art of Strength. It was less football work, but it was a lot of core conditioning, getting the heart rate up. And talking to (trainer Mike Knight), this is one of those workouts they would implement like one or two days a week out of the other regular stuff you do as a change-up, which was good for me.” McGinest commended the Lions for gathering so many players for their workouts — attendance was regularly in the 30s for most of the eight sessions total from last month and this week — and said that camaraderie could serve the team well come fall. “I like them,” McGinest said. “I think they’re a young team on the uprise. I think they did a great job in the draft, they’re adding key pieces that they need. I just think if they can keep everybody healthy, if they can keep everybody on the field they can compete with anybody, especially in their division.” McGinest played for the Patriots in 1994-2005 and the Browns in 2006-2008.

Pro Football Weekly talks today about the Pack being 5.5 point favorites over the Saints in the September 8th opener – that is if it goes on as planned if the lockout gets settled.

Cantor Gaming, which operates four Nevada sportsbooks, released pointspreads for all 256 regular-season NFL games on Friday. The regular season is slated to begin on Sept. 8, with defending champion Green Bay a 5½-point favorite vs. New Orleans at Lambeau Field on Cantor’s line. Of course, whether the season will indeed start as scheduled remains a primary topic of discussion for those connected to the NFL. While optimism about the progress of negotiations between NFL owners and players on a new collective bargaining agreement has increased recently, the lockout continues for now. In the event of an extended work stoppage, some advance wagers would become null and void; one of the rules governing wagers on Cantor’s initial spreads notes that a “(game) must be played within 45 days of (the) original scheduled date for action.” Cantor believes the Raiders, Rams and Lions will be improved this season, Colbert said, but he noted that forecasting this far in advance of the regular season isn’t an exact science.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland strongly hinted the team is taking a look at a Terrelle Pryor who will not be returning to the Buckeyes this fall in wake of his recent scandal and fallout from the Jim Tressel resignation. Ireland told the Sun-Sentinel that he's beginning the process of evaluating an Ohio State player and "maybe a Florida player" who might be entering the supplemental draft.

Of course Ireland couldn't mention names, but only a simple person wouldn't realize he's referring to former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, and Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The former Ohio State leader seems hellbent on playing in the NFL after turning down an offer to join the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.