I knew they couldn't be that dumb.

I just knew it.

Rich men like NFL owners usually don't get rich doing dumb things. And players really just want to play football while they can.

Add it up, and it's why we're seeing progress in the labor situation -- however little it may be.

The news that the two sides have spent the past two days talking is great news. The cancellation of the scheduled federal mediation next week is great news.

Now we're waiting for the best news of all: We have the NFL back.

It's been too long. We want trades. We want free agency. We want OTAs (did I just write that?) to help get football back in the forefront of our thoughts.

I want to plan my camp tour. I want to see rookie quarterbacks working with their teams.

I want the NFL back.

I think the news that the two sides are talking sends a big message that the morons on both sides have been way too hardheaded and that it's time to negotiate, not litigate.

I also think the players are restless. I've talked to several in the past two weeks and, almost to a man, I got the sense they weren't truly up on what was going on and seemed antsy to get back to work.

Could that be what is driving these talks?

Or is it that the owners with tons of stadium debt -- men like Jerry Jones -- are realizing that they need games in those stadiums this fall?

Whatever the reason, it matters none.

They're talking again.

It's a step toward getting football back and sending those attorneys back to the boardrooms where they belong.