"It's not exactly the Hatfields making peace with the McCoys, but in the contentious world of National Football League labor negotiations, what's happening right now is a pretty significant step.

DeMaurice Smith, the National Football League Players Association executive director, asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to speak at the NFLPA rookie symposium, and Goodell agreed.

The commissioner's appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sarasota, Fla. The symposium, titled The Business of Football: Rookie Edition, is being held at the IMG Academy in nearby Bradenton, Fla.

Goodell and Smith, in Minneapolis on Tuesday for the first of four days of labor meetings, left the Twin Cities on the same flight Tuesday night. The plan is for Goodell to speak at the symposium around 8 a.m. Wednesday, then Smith and Goodell immediately will fly back to Minneapolis and reconvene meetings with Judge Arthur J. Boylan after lunchtime."