Tuff shit,Phil 
As the NFL closes in on a labor agreement that will start the 2011 season, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Thursday that the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams has been canceled.
That means the Bears will not play an extra fifth preseason game Aug. 7. They were scheduled to face the Rams that night at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio, before an NBC national television audience.
Elections But the Bears and Rams originally were scheduled to report to their respective training camps Friday and hold their first practices Saturday. That won’t happen now.
Owners have voted to ratify a tentative agreement with the players for a new collective bargaining agreement, but the players have yet to hold a vote and it remains unclear when the lockout will be lifted and when the new league year will begin.
Goodell expressed hope that training facilites could open Saturday, with the league year beginning Wednesday if the players complete their union recertification process. Camp openings could be delayed until next weekend.
Olivet Nazarene University spokesman Gary Griffin told the Tribune earlier Thursday that the school is expected the Bears as soon as next Tuesday or Wednesday, but that was just a hunch. The team has yet to formulate plans for training camp.
One of the concerns for the NFL had to be player safety. Without the standard 15 days to prepare for the first preseason game, the Bears and Rams players could have potentially been at risk.
Now, the Bears’ first preseason game will be Aug. 13 vs. the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Former Bears defensive end will not have the support of the entire organization in person at his induction ceremony into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Aug. 6 in Canton.
bmbiggs@tribune.com
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