NFL Decides to Cancel the 2011 Rookie Symposium Due to the Lockout

The first real event that rookies usually participate in during the offseason after they're drafted is the league hosted Rookie Symposium. Because of the ongoing labor dispute between the owners and players, the league announced on Tuesday that the 2011 Rookie Symposium will be crossed off all calendars, as it's the first official event to become a victim of the lockout.

The Rookie Symposium is a yearly event in which recently drafted rookies gather with league personell, coaches and veteran players to learn some of the finer points of being a professional athlete. They are taught how to manage the large amounts of money they'll be making, how to act as a professional and stay out of the back of police cars, how to keep from being taken advantage of and, in general, how to act on and off the field as a representative of one of the 32 NFL teams.

League spokeman Greg Aiello said Tuesday the decision was made because of "the uncertainty of the labor issues we are facing and the logistical challenges of conducting the symposium."

"The symposium is a large, complex event involving many professionals and others," he added. "In fairness, we could not continue to keep the commitment on hold."

The symposium was supposed to take place on June 26 and was going to be held in Canton, Ohio, where the NFL Hall of Fame is, for the first time. Veteran players have said that the symposium was a positive step in their transition from being a college football player to a professional football player.

Yet another example of how it will be the 2011 rookie class that has the least amount to do with the current lockout and will suffer the most.