NFL = ?

[burleytog]

No Fun League? National Commercial League?

Why does the league and their broadcast partners feel the need to go to commercial after a touchdown, come back for the kickoff, go to another commercial, then back to the game? At least the league is pretty good about completing games in three hours or so.

As for the No Fun League comparisons, I am constantly amazed at the lengths to which the league goes to ensure ocnformity. God forbid someone wore the wrong socks or gloves. IMO over the last 20 years the NFL has gotten too big for their britches.

While I'm on the subject, why not give everyone four games every afternoon? Why must the league restrict broadcasts? Wny not give their fans two games on Fox and two on CBS every Sunday afternoon? The NFL's broadcast rules are more convoluted and inane than the IRS tax code.

Yesterday afternoon was a perfect example. The Tennessee/Pittsburgh game ends, there is only one 1PM game still in progress (Miami/KC). CBS shifts to the Miami/KC game, shows about three plays, then has to cut away due to NFL broadcast rules.

What, exactly, is the harm in allowing people to watch the last minute of a game?

For a league that depends on fans, the NFL (and other professional leagues for that matter) doesn't seem too interested in providing their fans with what they want to see.

I enjoy watching football, but I find myself increasingly dissatisfied with the NFL. I do not like being force-fed games that absolutely do not interest me.

[atx_newbie]

That's what college football is for.  Spend your Sunday's fishing or at the golf course, but every saturday you get:  At least 2 games on ABC, one on NBC (though it'll probably be Notre Dame, and really, who cares), two or more on CBS, at least 2 on ESPN, 2 on ESPN 2, one or two on VS., and another on FSN.

And don't even get me started with the NFL Network.  In the past 2 weeks I've run up about $100 in bar tabs to watch the Saints/Bears thursday night game and the cowboys/ravens saturday game.

[Hookemdown.]

That's what college football is for.

Yep, that about sums it up.

[Daniel A.]

Burley, at least you got the Steelers/Titans game. I got paid programming. What a load of crap.

College football is just as bad when it comes to commercials. Other than that, it's far superior.

[IMPY03]

I feel the same way Burley, myself being a Miami fan and living in VA I have only been able to see 1 game this entire season and about a minute of yesterdays game. I wonder what the flex game will be this sunday? I doubt it will be Miami and New york

If I was a Cowgirls or Deadskins fan it would be perfect for what they broadcast around here.

[Marty]

I'm sure a lot of us agree with some of the complaints you have. But I wouldn't look for a whole lot of change, since the NFL is the most successful sports league in history. If it ain't broke...

Why does the league and their broadcast partners feel the need to go to commercial after a touchdown, come back for the kickoff, go to another commercial, then back to the game? At least the league is pretty good about completing games in three hours or so.

I think it's a matter of networks paying out billions for broadcast rights and they have to get a return on their investment. That's part of the price we pay for getting most of the games for free.

[fathom]

i live in mississippi.

for some reason, the 24-year-old m.b.a. intellectual giants at nfl think i have actually enjoyed watching the atlanta falcons and the n.o saints trod thru the last 30 years.

qvc is looking a lot better.  

[bilgerat]

IMO, for at least 20 years now, pro sports in general has taken great delight in sqatting over the fans and letting it fly. From pricing the average fan out of going to the games in person, to the ridiculous player salaries and the tv deals.

Face it, they don't give a crap about you or your "loyalty." It's all about the $$$ and it will continue that way until people start turning away in droves.

[fishfordollars]

NFL lost me as a fan back in the early 80s. I have always been a huge college fan so I just turn to something else on Sunday.

What's even better I don't have to listen to all the idiot talking heads that do nothing but self promote anyway. If any one of them ever had an original idea it would be the first time.

[cart7t]

You're seeing the same thing in Nascar that you're seeing in the NFL.

Huge prices paid for rights to televise and equally huge prices paid by sponsors to advertise (numerous times) during a telecast to pay for it all.

The programming in either of those series is difficult to watch because of it.

[done]

totally agree man. Also, is it me or does the officiating seem exceptionally inept this year? I mean every year has bad calls, and will as long as humans are involved but this year they just seem to make some horrendous game changing calls.

On top of that, this fart on the quarterback and get a roughing the passer flag is total garbage. I thought this was football. Allof a sudden the quarterback is some pansy made out of glass who you can never ever tough without a flag. At this rate, it will be more like two hand touch in a few years.

[Siebert Outdoors]

DVR.  I just fast forward through all the junk.  

[Daniel A.]

On top of that, this fart on the quarterback and get a roughing the passer flag is total garbage. I thought this was football. Allof a sudden the quarterback is some pansy made out of glass who you can never ever tough without a flag. At this rate, it will be more like two hand touch in a few years.

Preach on!! The NFL is thinking too much like a business...gotta protect that investment.  :

[atx_newbie]

On top of that, this fart on the quarterback and get a roughing the passer flag is total garbage. I thought this was football. Allof a sudden the quarterback is some pansy made out of glass who you can never ever tough without a flag. At this rate, it will be more like two hand touch in a few years.

That is actually one thing about the NFL that I like.  I think that if you are going to err, you should err on the side of overprotection.  But on the subject of erring...

The officiating is terrible this year.  My biggest gripe is with fumbles:  too often a fumble is made, but the ruling on the field is incomplete pass (chargers/broncos) or that the runner was down by contact, meaning that the play was dead, so anything that happens after, like returning the fumble for a TD, is void.  In my opinion, the call on the field should always be fumble, then go to the booth and review it after.  If it actually was an incomplete pass or down by contact, you don't screw anybody.  But if you whistle the play dead, you can't change that after review.

And overtime has got to change to be more like college overtime.  Nine times out of ten, basically it comes down to who wins the coin toss.  Like in my Saints/Bears game earlier this year, the bears won the toss and got ball first.  So the first play, they throw 50 yards downfield, get a spot-foul pass interference call on an (in my opinion) uncatchable pass, which puts them in field goal range.  They then ran three plays, and didn't gain a single yard, but were able to kick a field goal and win, without the Saints offense ever getting a chance to play.  Not fair.  At all.

[roadwarrior]

Although there are always going to be things that could be improved,

the NFL is the "Class" in all of sports. Regardless of what seems to be

continuous commercial breaks, the games are generally completed in

nearly uniform time: 3 hours standard. I think that's remarkable.

The league responds to fans: instant replay is a case in point.

Every game involves "all stars" compared to even the best college

has to offer.

Most importantly, revenue sharing insures competative teams over

time, unlike baseball's "Buy a World Series".

And as far as "uniformity" goes, I like it and most fans do, too!

[Pitchinkid]

On top of that, this fart on the quarterback and get a roughing the passer flag is total garbage. I thought this was football. Allof a sudden the quarterback is some pansy made out of glass who you can never ever tough without a flag. At this rate, it will be more like two hand touch in a few years.

That is actually one thing about the NFL that I like. I think that if you are going to err, you should err on the side of overprotection. But on the subject of erring...

The officiating is terrible this year. My biggest gripe is with fumbles: too often a fumble is made, but the ruling on the field is incomplete pass (chargers/broncos) or that the runner was down by contact, meaning that the play was dead, so anything that happens after, like returning the fumble for a TD, is void. In my opinion, the call on the field should always be fumble, then go to the booth and review it after. If it actually was an incomplete pass or down by contact, you don't screw anybody. But if you whistle the play dead, you can't change that after review.

And overtime has got to change to be more like college overtime. Nine times out of ten, basically it comes down to who wins the coin toss. Like in my Saints/Bears game earlier this year, the bears won the toss and got ball first. So the first play, they throw 50 yards downfield, get a spot-foul pass interference call on an (in my opinion) uncatchable pass, which puts them in field goal range. They then ran three plays, and didn't gain a single yard, but were able to kick a field goal and win, without the Saints offense ever getting a chance to play. Not fair. At all.

I think it was extremely fair. But I'm a bears fan lol But as far as the OT, it is a joke. There should definitely be so reconstructing there. Commercials are ridiculous too. Don'T get me wrong, i love the Doritos girl as much as the next guy, i just cant stand a 3 hour program that can be shown in 2 hours.

[Hookemdown.]

Hey RW:

College Football and MLB > NFL

;D

[burleytog]

You're seeing the same thing in Nascar that you're seeing in the NFL.

Huge prices paid for rights to televise and equally huge prices paid by sponsors to advertise (numerous times) during a telecast to pay for it all.

The programming in either of those series is difficult to watch because of it.

Yes, and my NASCAR viewing has decreased a great deal over the last five years.  I used to watch every race, now I may watch four complete races a year (Bristol, Daytona, Talledega, maybe Martinsville and Richmond).

The NFL and NASCAR are very similar in their corporate structure.

[burleytog]

Hey RW:

College Football and MLB > NFL

;D

In terms of entertainment, you are quite right.

[atx_newbie]

One positive about the NFL though, is that the teams are starting to incorporate some college plays into their playbooks.  The Giants and the Cowboys are both running a spread/shotgun formation draw play very effectively, and Flaco and the Ravens run a little triple option from time to time.

[roadwarrior]

The NFL and NASCAR are very similar in their corporate structure.

Geez...

Watch the money!

The "corporate structures" have nothing in common. Less than half

the field is competative in NASCAR, they're just filler. Money teams

win...Period!

[burleytog]

The NFL and NASCAR are very similar in their corporate structure.

Geez...

Watch the money!

The "corporate structures" have nothing in common. Less than half

the field is competative in NASCAR, they're just filler. Money teams

win...Period!

: :

So the Lions, Seahawks and Rams are all competitive?   :

[bmadd]

Seahawks looked pretty competitive Sunday  :

[roadwarrior]

So the Lions, Seahawks and Rams are all competitive?

Although the Lions have yet to appear in a Super Bowl, the Seahawks appeared in '06 and the Rams in '00 and '02. Miami is an example of how quickly things sometimes turn around. All of the teams in the NFL can be competitive on a given day, but most teams have their "up years" and "down years". Dallas might be the perfect example.

My point is, drafting, trading and retaining franchise players is the key to staffing, each team has approximately the same dollars invested. This is not how other sports operate.

[Hookemdown.]

Tampa outplayed the Yanks, who outspent them drastically.

NFL is just entertainment.  CFB and MLB is played with heart.