NFL wins right to prevent opening books; Somewhere, Benson is smiling

There's more news on the antitrust lawsuit from Ohio against the Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL. After being told to open up its financial books,the NFL was on the beneficial end of a determination by a federal judge, who decided that the league should not turn over its financial information (or that of its teams, including the Saints) until a mediation hearing takes place. That mediation hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, July 27. Somewhere, I imagine Tom Benson was smiling with the NFL's big-money lawyers and their rock solid delay tactics. I'm guessing there will be a settlement and the books will never see the light of day.

(PS - An apology to those of you who saw my earlier report that the NFL had been forced to open its books. Though I'm usually good about this, I missed the dateline of the newspaper story that noted the magistrate's decision to force the NFL to open its books and those of its teams. The story I saw was from late June - not late July - and thus was old. I acknowledge the error.)