The NFL and NFL Players Association held a negotiating session on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on Friday, the Associated Press reports.

Afterward, an NFL spokesman said that there was "nothing to report".

The AP notes that talks between the two sides have been infrequent since the owners opted out of the 2006 CBA in 2008. Giants owner John Mara remains confident that a deal will get done.

"The differences are not insurmountable," Mara said. "We have had no stoppages since 1987 and I am optimistic we will be able to reach agreement prior to the 2011 season. Both sides have too much at stake and realize that. But I can't say we're in the same ballpark right now.

"My experience in labor negotiations is that often times a deal will not get made until both sides feel a lot of pressure to get it done. The owners are all convinced a deal will get done and we have the opportunity to get a deal that works for everybody. Nobody is looking forward to a work stoppage. Nobody wants that."

My gut feeling is that a deal will happen not in the 11th hour, but a few days after the 2011 league year is set to begin. The 2006 league year was delayed by a few days to reach a new agreement, and I fully expect a 2011 season to occur, just not when it's currently scheduled to.