‘‘For most of the last few weeks, unless it was on their terms, unless we've had a proposal they don’t seem very interested in discussing the core economics,’’ Steve Fehr said. ‘‘Let’s keep in mind that they are the ones who started this with a request for a 24 percent rollback, which they've inched back a little, in addition to putting proposals on the table that would severely limit and curtail player contracting rights which had the predictable result of provoking players.

‘‘It is further compounded by their strategy of first lock out and then see what happens. That is why we are in this mess today.’’

Daly disagreed.

‘‘We've been down that road a couple of times and it continues to be our belief the union has made one meaningful proposal in this entire process — that was on Aug. 14. Now they have made it three times, and they are suggesting that it is three different proposals. It wasn't,’’ he said. ‘‘Bottom line is it is difficult to understand why we should make a third proposal in their direction.