NEW YORK, N.Y. – Union executive committee member Brian Dawkins(notes) believes NFL owners and players have a sense of urgency to avoid a lockout because they don’t want to alienate fans.

“I would think common sense would say at the end of the day, after all the fighting and after all the words are said, we understand who butters our bread,” the veteran Denver Broncos safety said Tuesday. “That’s where the urgency comes in at.”

Dawkins and fellow NFL Players Association executive committee member Mike Vrabel(notes) alternated between optimism and expressing frustration with the league’s proposals during a conference call about negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.

via NFL players, owners sense urgency in talks – NFL – Yahoo! Sports.