No deal in sight as deadline looms

WASHINGTON - Talks between National Football League owners and players were set to resume on Friday, ahead of a deadline that could see America's most popular sport shut down for the first time since 1987.

Federal mediator George Cohen met both sides on Thursday in hopes of brokering a deal after owners and players extended the deadline twice last week, once for 24 hours and then for a week, until 5 pm EST (2200 GMT) on Friday.

National Football League Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith told Sports Illustrated the union will not agree to increase the number of games for each club from 16 to 18 a season.