Has NBC Made Matters Even Worse for Leno?

By the time you read this, Conan O'Brien may be a free man. After taking a hard line with The Tonight Show host, and even reportedly threatening to bench him for the duration of his contract if he didn't accept a 12:05 a.m. time slot, NBC is suddenly said to be on the verge of a deal that would cut O'Brien loose and send him on his way with a substantial wad of cash.