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The NFL's at it again...


wdm1219inpenna

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The other day, my Mrs. informed me that come May, the NFL Network will no longer be included in our sports package through our cable provider. The cable provider has said, and I have no reason to doubt them, that they've been trying to get the NFL Network to reconsider. As if this league does not already make obscene amounts of money hand over fist!!! This has me outraged.

Now I read where the season expanding to 17 or even 18 regular season games is all but going to be a foregone conclusion. I never thought I'd say this, but to me, "less is more". A 16 game regular season schedule is just right. It works out perfectly with the 32 team, 8 division lineup. Injuries already stack up, and they will even more with 1 or 2 extra games to be played at full-tilt. At this rate, the Super Bowl won't be played until March! I still dislike that they now play it in February, to me, the Super Bowl was always a January event. I realize Super Bowl XXXVI was more or less forced to be played in February, since the season was pushed back a week due to the terrorist attacks in 2001, but it almost seems like the league and/or the network execs came to the realization that "Hey!!! February, sweeps month! Good idea!" Just has always left a sour taste in my mouth, regardless of how much Listerine or Scope I gargle with. And naturally, with an even LONGER season, that will of course require the players to get paid even MORE money, which in turn the league and/or its teams share currently. Couple this with the fact that 23 out of 32 want the salary cap, and 24 are needed, and this spells doom for the league. The ebb & flow of the games on tv are already destroyed, especially right after kickoffs. Commercialism & greed are beginning to ruin for me the NFL, a league I once loved. MLB already lost me, and the NFL is on the brink of losing me too. I suppose the other 2 extra games are wanted so we can play 2 games overseas with each team, I really don't know. In a league with a semi-flawed overtime system, in a league where the officials have been getting worse, instead of focusing on improving the game that is HERE, he wants to add more games, focus only on players' code of conduct, and in essence, export the NFL to the rest of the world. I guess the commish's sentiment is becoming more and more like that of China, and all of our other foreign advesaries and allies, with each passing day, with each passing week, with each passing month and year, America and Americans are becoming less and less relevant, we matter less now, both as a people and as a nation, than ever before.

Thank you NFL, for slowly pushing me away, for slowly alienating me from a once proud game. Thank you very much. And I know for a fact I am not alone in feeling this way either.

With growing disgust, disdain, and sorrow,

Bill

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You'll be back when you realize that as an American you need the weekly catharsis of watching large drug-addled men run into each other. PM me if you're interested in some kick-ass chili recipes.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

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Okay... let's tackle some of this point by point, not in order to instigate argument, but merely to let Bill see that all isn't quite as bad as he may believe. First, there are those back in the 1970's who thought going from a 14-game regular season with 6 preseason games to a 16-game regular season with 4 preseason games as an abomination, and has time has borne out, things worked out just fine. The same will be the case with an 18-game regular season, which frankly I think they should've gone to back in the mid-1980's. An 18-game regular season schedule works out as well, if not actually better, than a 16-game schedule: each team plays the others in its division twice (for 6 games), plays the four teams in two other divisions in its conference on a rotating basis (for 8 games), and plays the four teams in one division of the other conference, also on a rotating basis (for 4 games). Every AFC team would be guaranteed of playing every other team in the conference at least every other year, and every NFC team every fourth year as is the case now.

One misconception you have is that expanding the regular season schedule means more games, more injuries, etc. In fact, as was the case when it went to a 16-game regular season, it simply means eliminating two comparatively meaningless preseason games, replacing them in the 20-week format with regular season games. This if anything is a boon to fans, particularly those who for years have paid full-price for tickets to see their team's 3rd and 4th string players take part in meaningless games. There's no plans to move the Super Bowl further back at this time, though admittedly I'm with you on this - it should return to being a January game, even if it means starting the regular season in early August. The decision to move the Super Bowls to February predates 9/11 actually, but again I'm with you - it should be a January game.

Another misconception is that players will be getting more money as a result of this. In reality, they won't - players are paid for a 20-game total season. It doesn't matter if that 20 week is split 14/6 between regular season and preseason games, 16/4 or 18/2. The pay's just the same. Or, at least it is under the current CBA - who knows what'll happen if they don't extend the current deal.

The overall reality is that, like every other sports league, the NFL is searching for every dime it can make. The only real difference between the current day and the era of Roger Goodell's predecessors is that Goodell is making absolutely no bones about it. Unlike Rozelle and Tagliabue, who each allegedly wanted to "expand the NFL brand internationally and expose the world to the NFL game," Goodell's saying it up front, "We're in this to make money, and we think by taking these steps we can make more of it."

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players are paid for a 20-game total season. It doesn't matter if that 20 week is split 14/6 between regular season and preseason games, 16/4 or 18/2. The pay's just the same.

I thought players were paid a training-camp per diem and that their contracted salaries do not begin until the regular season starts.

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The 18-game-scheduled CFL welcomes all disenfranchised fans to its corner.

But after the exchange rate, your season only lasts about 14 American games.

:flagusa:

"This isn't just the Oregon Ducks, it's Football's Future Turf Soldier War Hero Steel Robot Tech Flex Machine Army." -CS85

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I think the elimination of two pre-season games is a great idea. What I don't like is the rumor that the NFL is looking at the possibility of moving the Super Bowl even later into February. I'm with Mr. Penna on this one. The Super Bowl is a January event. The NFL is inching ever closer the overexposure line. They might want to think about backing off the gas just a little. Right now we have massive exposure right at the time the quality of play and officiating are as bad as I've ever seen it. Throw in the player character issues the league is constantly dealing with and you can see where this could be headed. Just ask The 1990s NBA how that little equation works out.

That said, The NFL dropped to number four on my interest in sports list a while ago. I don't really care what they do. I'm still a fan but I'm nowhere near the NFL fan I used to be.

 

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Maybe the NFL is trying to prove the USFL was right -- Americans want spring football! :)

I favor a switch to an 18 game regular season, but I don't favor pushing the season start further back. The season should begin either the last week in August or Labor Day weekend. If no weeks are added, I don't see the big deal. The NFL has the shortest season of the major American sports and that maybe why people stay interested.

The only way I can see losing interest in the NFL is via a labor dispute and a major change in revenue sharing.

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"One of my concerns is shysters show up and take advantage of people's good will and generosity".

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The jump to an 18 game season I think will boost fan support. The preseason is completely meaningless to fans. No one cares who wins. Not even the players care who wins. Getting rid of two pre season games and replacing them with two regualr season games is a good idea. The pay won't increase for players, at least not under the current agreement. But there in lies the problem. When they start up labor talks and revenue agreements with the Players Union there could be trouble. If the NFL loses fans, the reason will be because of bad labor talks and possible strikes/delays to the season.

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The league has to get approval from the NFLPA, so the players will get more compensation. Players get paid squat for preseason games, so that will certainly change.

Another point in favor of an extra game is a one sport city like Green Bay, where area businesses can't wait for the NFL to make the move.

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"One of my concerns is shysters show up and take advantage of people's good will and generosity".

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eh, gave up on NFL and MLB years ago- haven't watched a single MLB game or even World Series (most boring series on Earth) since around 2003 and the only NFL game I even catch a glimpse of is the Super Bowl- and I don't care who wins.

just a bunch of money hungry punks that forgot where they come from and how they got there. i don't care to spend my time, money, or attention on. college football and baseball is much more worth the time and support.

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just a bunch of money hungry punks that forgot where they come from and how they got there. i don't care to spend my time, money, or attention on. college football and baseball is much more worth the time and support.

That's so funny. It's only college plays that do it "for the love of the game," right? Not one of them has ever seriously considered the NCAA as a launching pad to a pro career.

And calling the players money-hungry makes me laugh too. Why wouldn't they be? They're the ones putting their bodies on the line and averaging a one- to two-year career making far more money for the owners and the league.

The NCAA, NFL, MLB and NBA are all no different -- they exploit the talents of the players that play for them. The only difference is that the pros are somewhat more equitable and the players get to share in the profits.

If you want purity, watch little league.

1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said:

and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags

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just a bunch of money hungry punks that forgot where they come from and how they got there. i don't care to spend my time, money, or attention on. college football and baseball is much more worth the time and support.

That's so funny. It's only college plays that do it "for the love of the game," right? Not one of them has ever seriously considered the NCAA as a launching pad to a pro career.

And calling the players money-hungry makes me laugh too. Why wouldn't they be? They're the ones putting their bodies on the line and averaging a one- to two-year career making far more money for the owners and the league.

The NCAA, NFL, MLB and NBA are all no different -- they exploit the talents of the players that play for them. The only difference is that the pros are somewhat more equitable and the players get to share in the profits.

If you want purity, watch little league.

I hate to carry the cynicism to the bitter end here but...Little League wasn't pure back when I played it and that was in the 70's. It was all politics, ass-wipe adults, and coach's kids playing because their Dad was the coach. It's just the way it was. I can't imagine it's gotten better over the years. (No I'm not bitter. I was an all-star so I don't have an axe to grind. :D)

 

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An 18-game regular season schedule works out as well...
I favor a switch to an 18 game regular season...
The jump to an 18 game season...

While I'm an advocate of an 18-game NFL regular season over an increase to 17 games, don't be surprised if - at least initially - the latter move is made.

Goodell has dismissed concerns over how an uneven number of games would seemingly necessitate that some franchises play more home contests than others: He's said that the additional games could be played at neutral sites, giving the NFL the flexibility to play more games overseas.

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I hate to carry the cynicism to the bitter end here but...Little League wasn't pure back when I played it and that was in the 70's. It was all politics, ass-wipe adults, and coach's kids playing because their Dad was the coach. It's just the way it was. I can't imagine it's gotten better over the years. (No I'm not bitter. I was an all-star so I don't have an axe to grind. :D)

No it hasn't. The town I lived in had the older kids umpire the younger kids little league game. I was 13-years-old at the time (this was about 9 years ago) and was in my first year umping games, I remember showing up to one game, and remember this is a game for 8-9 year olds, and one of the parent coaches had a custom made team uniform on, with the baseball pants and team uniforms (and they weren't named after MLB teams so it's not like he just happened to have a jersey around). As it turns out LL rules don't allow coaches to wear uniforms. The coaches ended up getting in argument with each other over the curfew rules in place and I as a 13-year-old had to get in between these two parents. All this for an 8-years-old game were some of the kids are out in the outfield playing with the dirt.

Parents ruin youth sports.

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just a bunch of money hungry punks that forgot where they come from and how they got there. i don't care to spend my time, money, or attention on. college football and baseball is much more worth the time and support.

That's so funny. It's only college plays that do it "for the love of the game," right? Not one of them has ever seriously considered the NCAA as a launching pad to a pro career.

And calling the players money-hungry makes me laugh too. Why wouldn't they be? They're the ones putting their bodies on the line and averaging a one- to two-year career making far more money for the owners and the league.

The NCAA, NFL, MLB and NBA are all no different -- they exploit the talents of the players that play for them. The only difference is that the pros are somewhat more equitable and the players get to share in the profits.

If you want purity, watch little league.

You're missing my point. I'm looking outside the box here, not at the individual players and what they turn into. College athletics are just more enjoyable to watch and follow in many aspects. We don't have to worry about all the whining and crying that goes on in professional sports nor deal with lockouts or players moving everywhere or teams changing names- too much of a business these days.

As far as professional players, I'm sorry- but 90% are overpaid...WAY overpaid. You show me a few reasons why Alex Rodriguez is worth 300 plus million dollars to do what he does besides being a product of the greedy system that the MLB has become. Lately, a headline mentioning an overpaid MLB player just goes along with any sad attempt for the league to make it sound interesting and worth watching- just doesn't work for me. No person is worth that kind of money...even if they found the cure for a disease. A-Rod can't even find the cure to win a championship while surrounded by a bunch of All-Stars.

The game of NCAA sports is where entertainment, fun, and excitement all mix together. Don't have to worry about the contracts, salary caps, and evil organizations controlling it all. We can sit back and pull for our team and know we can chant the same team name at the game this Saturday...and 1,000 Saturdays from then. Yes, we know the players may go on to become someone we all will hate after being absorbed by the professional system...but there is a whole new class of players coming in each year to start over with- and there are a few things certain: we can pretty much bet they will be with the team in 3 years AND the recruiting process is actually worth paying attention to.

Sorry, but professional sports just stink.

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