First Flexible Schedule

[DG_ThenNowForever]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/foot...s.ap/index.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Chicago Bears' game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands on Nov. 12 was switched Tuesday by the NFL from an afternoon to a night game, the first under the flexible scheduling format implemented in the new television contract.

Chicago (6-0) is one of two unbeaten teams in the NFL and will be favored to be 8-0 when it goes to Giants Stadium. The Bears' next two games are at home against San Francisco (2-4) and Miami (1-6).

The Giants (4-2) have won three straight, including Monday night's 36-22 win in Dallas, and lead the NFC East. Their next two games are at home against Tampa Bay and Houston, both 2-4.

As part of the schedule shuffle, New Orleans' game at Pittsburgh will be moved from a 1 p.m. EST start to 4:15 on Fox.

[PaperAirplane31]

That game is going to be even more awesome now.

[NJTank]

yeah thats great under the old system they'd be stuck with Titans and Ravens or something like that.

[DEAD!]

yeah thats great under the old system they'd be stuck with Titans and Ravens or something like that.

That wouldn't be so bad this season. Steve McNair would play, against his old team and Vince Young. It would also be fun to see Ray Lewis sack Young about 4 times.

[winters in buffalo]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/foot...s.ap/index.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Chicago Bears' game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands on Nov. 12 was switched Tuesday by the NFL from an afternoon to a night game, the first under the flexible scheduling format implemented in the new television contract.

Chicago (6-0) is one of two unbeaten teams in the NFL and will be favored to be 8-0 when it goes to Giants Stadium. The Bears' next two games are at home against San Francisco (2-4) and Miami (1-6).

The Giants (4-2) have won three straight, including Monday night's 36-22 win in Dallas, and lead the NFC East. Their next two games are at home against Tampa Bay and Houston, both 2-4.

As part of the schedule shuffle, New Orleans' game at Pittsburgh will be moved from a 1 p.m. EST start to 4:15 on Fox.

That's great for TV viewers, but I'm sure it sucks for more than a handful of fans that plan to attend the game.

[Sproullie03]

I have a kind of strange idea that i am sure most people wont like but here it is.

You have 32 teams and 17 possible monday night games and 17 possible sunday night games. Why not have each team play one game on Monday and one on Sunday nights each year which takes 16 weeks with no team having a primetime home game twice a year except for week 17 where you pick the two best games (or with the most meaning) and move those to Sunday and Monday nights. And one year a team has a home monday night game the next year a home Sunday night game.

I know it will never happen but i dont think that would be such a bad idea. What do you guys think?

[Guest]

I have a kind of strange idea that i am sure most people wont like but here it is.

You have 32 teams and 17 possible monday night games and 17 possible sunday night games. Why not have each team play one game on Monday and one on Sunday nights each year which takes 16 weeks with no team having a primetime home game twice a year except for week 17 where you pick the two best games (or with the most meaning) and move those to Sunday and Monday nights. And one year a team has a home monday night game the next year a home Sunday night game.

I know it will never happen but i dont think that would be such a bad idea. What do you guys think?

That's a terrible idea. The reason we have flex scheduling is precisely to avoid the marquee game of the week being Baltimore vs. Jacksonville because it's "their turn."

As for "kudos to NBC," come on. It's Chicago versus New York. How are they not going to pick that?

[slapshot]

It's possible the Chicago-New England game may also move to NBC.

[Guest]

Unless Fox protects it, that absolutely has to go to Sunday night. It'd be pretty dopey to choose anything else.

[VandyDelphia Mike]

Is it too early to speculate that Eagles at Colts the Sunday after Turkey Day will get moved to the Sunday night slot?

P.Manning versus McNabb - how can you pass that up?

[Guest]

Is it too early to speculate that Eagles at Colts the Sunday after Turkey Day will get moved to the Sunday night slot?

P.Manning versus McNabb - how can you pass that up?

A losing record for the Eagles would be one way.

[Sproullie03]

That's a terrible idea. The reason we have flex scheduling is precisely to avoid the marquee game of the week being Baltimore vs. Jacksonville because it's "their turn."

I think that Baltimore vs. Jacksonville would be a great marquee game . . . I don't care how bad a teams is they still should all get a turn on Monday and Sunday nights. And if a team really is that bad pair them up with a good team. No matter what I gaurentee that a lot of people from at least 2 cities would watch the game. I hate the Browns but how many times have they been on Monday night since they came back into the league? Every team deserves a primetime game

[Guest]

That's a terrible idea. The reason we have flex scheduling is precisely to avoid the marquee game of the week being Baltimore vs. Jacksonville because it's "their turn."

I think that Baltimore vs. Jacksonville would be a great marquee game

Try thinking like a TV executive.

I don't care how bad a teams is they still should all get a turn on Monday and Sunday nights.

Try thinking like a TV executive.

And if a team really is that bad pair them up with a good team. No matter what I gaurentee that a lot of people from at least 2 cities would watch the game.

Well, yeah, that's generally what happens with football games, but these are national broadcasts. These need to appeal to more than two mid-sized cities, and a Carolina-Houston blowout does not do that. You need to be showing Super Bowl contenders (Colts), teams with huge national fanbases (Packers), or both (Bears).

I hate the Browns but how many times have they been on Monday night since they came back into the league? Every team deserves a primetime game

No, they don't deserve them.

[Sproullie03]

That's a terrible idea. The reason we have flex scheduling is precisely to avoid the marquee game of the week being Baltimore vs. Jacksonville because it's "their turn."

I think that Baltimore vs. Jacksonville would be a great marquee game

Try thinking like a TV executive.

I don't care how bad a teams is they still should all get a turn on Monday and Sunday nights.

Try thinking like a TV executive.

And if a team really is that bad pair them up with a good team. No matter what I gaurentee that a lot of people from at least 2 cities would watch the game.

Well, yeah, that's generally what happens with football games, but these are national broadcasts. These need to appeal to more than two mid-sized cities, and a Carolina-Houston blowout does not do that. You need to be showing Super Bowl contenders (Colts), teams with huge national fanbases (Packers), or both (Bears).

I hate the Browns but how many times have they been on Monday night since they came back into the league? Every team deserves a primetime game

No, they don't deserve them.

According to you they dont but what about fans of the Browns they might care? A perfect example is Arizona Cardinals the only reason they were on MNF was because they have a new stadium to show off.

[Guest]

Yes, and that's the only reason they should be until they start putting together winning records with Matt Leinart, if that even happens. They're a historically pitiful organization, and Phoenix is a city of transplants that doesn't have overwhelming support for the team. The Cardinals used Monday night to prove both of these, as the Bears yanked away Arizona's 20-point lead to the joy of the substantial contingent of Bears fans. The league owners and their broadcast partners are playing to win, too. Nationally televised Arizona Cardinals games are not in the gameplan. As for the Browns, they probably should get a Monday night game thrown their way against the Ravens or something, but on NBC, no freaking way.

[FiddySicks]

According to you they dont but what about fans of the Browns they might care?

Ok, but noone other than people from Cleveland give a flying fu*k about the Browns.

[paynomind]

These need to appeal to more than two mid-sized cities, and a Carolina-Houston blowout does not do that.

I dunno.. I sure would like to watch Houston beat Carolina by 30 points or more. I'd tune in.

[rams80]

That's a terrible idea. The reason we have flex scheduling is precisely to avoid the marquee game of the week being Baltimore vs. Jacksonville because it's "their turn."

I hate the Browns but how many times have they been on Monday night since they came back into the league? Every team deserves a primetime game

I seem to recall the Rams playing the Browns on MNF a couple of years ago.

[infrared41]

I have a kind of strange idea that i am sure most people wont like but here it is.

You have 32 teams and 17 possible monday night games and 17 possible sunday night games. Why not have each team play one game on Monday and one on Sunday nights each year which takes 16 weeks with no team having a primetime home game twice a year except for week 17 where you pick the two best games (or with the most meaning) and move those to Sunday and Monday nights. And one year a team has a home monday night game the next year a home Sunday night game.

I know it will never happen but i dont think that would be such a bad idea. What do you guys think?

This week on Football Night In America it's the 1-9 Cleveland Browns vs. The 2-8 Detroit Lions.

Any questions?

EDIT: Oh and I forgot to mention I am a Browns fan and I wouldn't care. I would much rather get the inevitable beating out of the way early than wait around all day for it.

[BB61]

That's great for TV viewers, but I'm sure it sucks for more than a handful of fans that plan to attend the game.

Baseball fans have to deal with it all the time with those Sunday night games. I know this is a different beast, but it's the same thing.

At least they're only moving one or two games. In the National Rugby League, they don't schedule games until six weeks ahead of time, and the games are usually anywhere between Friday and Monday night.