The NFL lockout could be coming to an end shortly, but it might claim one victim near and not especially dear to the hearts of St. Louis Rams fans—the annual Hall of Fame Game they were scheduled to play against the Chicago Bears in Canton, Ohio on August 7.
The Hall of Fame Game, the first game of the NFL preseason, would come just a week after teams are rumored to be returning from the lockout, which would lead to sloppy play at best and potentially dangerous situations at worst for players who are undertrained and perhaps underconditioned.
The NFL continues to deny the cancellation through a spokesman, but the game is, at this point, entirely contingent on the lockout ending in the next several days. After that it won't matter whether the Rams, the Bears, the NFL, and the Hall of Fame all expect things to go on as scheduled—there just won't be enough time.
If Henny Youngman ever said one useful thing about the NFL lockout, though, it was this: Take the preseason—please!