Something you love about the NFL--and something you'd change

[RashanGary]

I love the unique blend of stategy and gladiator-like brutality.

I'd change the way tickets are distributed. Season tickets would only be held for up to three years and the owner would have to show photo ID for at least half of the games of the season (to prove they were not jsut being scalped). I think someone had this idea a while back and I like it. I think it woudl get better crowds and make the team more accessable to all the fans.

[Rastak]

I'd agree with your first item


What I'd change? Figure out how to keep the action moving a bit more. Kickoff-----3 minutes of commercials. Somebody gets hurt....3 minutes of commercials. Punt....3 minutes of commercials.

Ends up 60 minutes of actions 60 minutes standing around 60 minutes of commercials.

[RashanGary]

I hear ya there. If they changed that, they'd prolly have to charge us. I think of watching commercials as paying for the game.

[Brando19]

I'd agree with your first item


What I'd change? Figure out how to keep the action moving a bit more. Kickoff-----3 minutes of commercials. Somebody gets hurt....3 minutes of commercials. Punt....3 minutes of commercials.

Ends up 60 minutes of actions 60 minutes standing around 60 minutes of commercials.

Haha....
Madden: "Oh no, a player is injured on the field!"
Michaels: "He has ten seconds to get off the field or the horses will drag him off."

Ras' dream come true!

I love the sport. I love almost everything about the NFL. The only thing I would change is the bitching and moaning for more and more money. There needs to be a league set wage for rookies (assuming the round drafted). Does Vince Young deserve all that money? No.

[Rastak]

" Hoses will drag him off".......LOL



I like your change idea though.

[BallHawk]

Love.....The fact that you always have new teams coming up (save the Lions) and new teams going down. The salary cap allows that you'll never see Yankees-like baseball scenario. I like the fairness of it all.

Hate.....I would of put the overpaying of 1st-round draft picks, but seeing that's already been said I'll take something else. I hate the OT rules. I don't care what statistics are produced, every team should get the ball once with a chance to score. College overtime is exciting and at the end nobody can complain "Well, if we only would of called tails....."

[Jimx29]

Haha....
Madden: "Oh no, a player is injured on the field!"
Michaels: "He has ten seconds to get off the field or the horses will drag him off."

I prefer the way Australian rules football plays out. Break a leg or arm or whatever and the play continues around you.
At least that's how I recall it from back in the 80's when espn used that sport to fill their schedule. Now mind you, the 80's are kind of a haze to me......http://i34.tinypic.com/2ufvvkj.jpg

[Cheesehead Craig]

Like:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b259/abomb8604/Rachel_Watson.jpg

[bobblehead]

Love.....The fact that you always have new teams coming up (save the Lions) and new teams going down. The salary cap allows that you'll never see Yankees-like baseball scenario. I like the fairness of it all.

Hate.....I would of put the overpaying of 1st-round draft picks, but seeing that's already been said I'll take something else. I hate the OT rules. I don't care what statistics are produced, every team should get the ball once with a chance to score. College overtime is exciting and at the end nobody can complain "Well, if we only would of called tails....."

one of the very few things I like about the NBA is that the team that drafted a guy (or last team with his rights) can offer more money than any other team. It allows a build and maintain strategy. Not sure how that could work with a roster of 53 guys though.

[channtheman]

I love the playoff system. It is way better than the college BCS and way more exciting at the end of the season when teams are fighting for their chance to make it.

I would change the penalties for off field behavior and illegal substance abuse by making them more strict. I don't care who you are, one time and you're done. That would put a quick stop to any of that kind of crap.

[Patler]

I long for the "good old days" - leather helmets; two-way players; ball shaped like a flattened basketball. :lol:

Seriously, I would like to see two things:

On the administrative side - a rookie pay scale that reasonably reflects the risk that even a high draft choice will turn out to be a flop in the pros.

On the competitive side - some control over substitutions. There are too many specialty packages right now, 5 receivers, three TEs, nickel, dime, etc.; and too many specialists among the players - 3rd down specialty backs, pass rush specialists, long snappers, punt returners who do little else, kickoff returners who may or may not return punts, or do anything else, etc., etc. Teams have even used kickoff specialists different from their placekicker. This all came about as roster sizes increased. With smaller rosters they would have room for fewer of the specialists, and players would be more well-rounded.

[denverYooper]

On the competitive side - some control over substitutions. There are too many specialty packages right now, 5 receivers, three TEs, nickel, dime, etc.; and too many specialists among the players - 3rd down specialty backs, pass rush specialists, long snappers, punt returners who do little else, kickoff returners who may or may not return punts, or do anything else, etc., etc. Teams have even used kickoff specialists different from their placekicker. This all came about as roster sizes increased. With smaller rosters they would have room for fewer of the specialists, and players would be more well-rounded.

Spencer Larsen agrees.

[sheepshead]

Stole mine Pat:

A rookie salary cap NOW. The first round of the NFL draft is the biggest, most expensive crap shoot in all of sports. I'd love to see a first round boycott one year. Until then, I hope TT trades out every time.

I love how the game has become faster and bigger. Anyone see the 85 packer/bear game a few weeks ago on NFL network? Fridge looked like a full back. No sound system in Lambeau. Zorn looked like...ummm me.

[cpk1994]

Love.....The fact that you always have new teams coming up (save the Lions) and new teams going down. The salary cap allows that you'll never see Yankees-like baseball scenario. I like the fairness of it all.

Hate.....I would of put the overpaying of 1st-round draft picks, but seeing that's already been said I'll take something else. I hate the OT rules. I don't care what statistics are produced, every team should get the ball once with a chance to score. College overtime is exciting and at the end nobody can complain "Well, if we only would of called tails....."The probelm with College overtime is is that you take away the punting game and the field position battle. It turns a great defensive game that could be tied at 17 to a final score of 48-45. I agree with the rest of your post.

[Zool]

Love.....The fact that you always have new teams coming up (save the Lions) and new teams going down. The salary cap allows that you'll never see Yankees-like baseball scenario. I like the fairness of it all.

Hate.....I would of put the overpaying of 1st-round draft picks, but seeing that's already been said I'll take something else. I hate the OT rules. I don't care what statistics are produced, every team should get the ball once with a chance to score. College overtime is exciting and at the end nobody can complain "Well, if we only would of called tails....."The probelm with College overtime is is that you take away the punting game and the field position battle. It turns a great defensive game that could be tied at 17 to a final score of 48-45. I agree with the rest of your post.

That same played great defensive game can be over on 1 poor kickoff return coverage and be 23-17.

[cpk1994]

Love.....The fact that you always have new teams coming up (save the Lions) and new teams going down. The salary cap allows that you'll never see Yankees-like baseball scenario. I like the fairness of it all.

Hate.....I would of put the overpaying of 1st-round draft picks, but seeing that's already been said I'll take something else. I hate the OT rules. I don't care what statistics are produced, every team should get the ball once with a chance to score. College overtime is exciting and at the end nobody can complain "Well, if we only would of called tails....."The probelm with College overtime is is that you take away the punting game and the field position battle. It turns a great defensive game that could be tied at 17 to a final score of 48-45. I agree with the rest of your post.

That same played great defensive game can be over on 1 poor kickoff return coverage and be 23-17.True, but that can be recified with one simple tweak. One that the NFL will never use. Simply give each team a possession in OT. If the game is still tied after those possessions, sudden death rulkes take over. In the case of your example the kicking team would still get their possesion to tie the game. Its too bad the NFL's ego won't make this simple change happen.

[Ballboy]

I would like a mix of both NCAA and NFL overtime rules...mine would work like this:

Both teams will each have a chance with the ball, but instead of just giving it to them, we would still kick-off. The team that receives the ball starts wherever they return the kick too and get the same four downs to get a first and move down the field. They would use all four downs because if you don't get a first down or score, that team would merely kick-off back to the other team.

If no team scores after having one possesion, then the sudden death rule applies. Haven't thought much if you do a coin flip again to determine who gets the ball or just go back to whoever won the toss to begin overtime...

[sheepshead]

I love the unique blend of stategy and gladiator-like brutality.

I'd change the way tickets are distributed. Season tickets would only be held for up to three years and the owner would have to show photo ID for at least half of the games of the season (to prove they were not jsut being scalped). I think someone had this idea a while back and I like it. I think it woudl get better crowds and make the team more accessable to all the fans.

Typical liberal - turn Lambeau Field into Berlins Olympic Stadium circa 1936. Nice!

[dissident94]

I don't like the speed up rules of the game. It used to be where if you went out of bounds the clock stopped until the next snap now that only happens like the last 2 or 5 minutes in the half. The college game is a 60 mintue war where as NFL has shortened it down too much to fit in more commercials.

[Tarlam!]

It used to be where if you went out of bounds the clock stopped until the next snap now that only happens like the last 2 or 5 minutes in the half.

Maybe I'm ignorant, but, if the ball goes out of bounds, the clock stops, no? :?:

[Lurker64]

I'd really like to see two things.

1) A point of emphasis on offensive pass interference. Way too often do the guys on offense get away with things.

2) An end to overtime in the regular season. If teams are tied at the end of regulation, call it a tie and let everybody go home.

[cheesner]

Love: Complex game-time strategies and long term planning/building

Improvement: Electronic surveylence of the game. Visible laser for first down measurements. Chips in the ball, the cleats, helmets, sidelines, goallines, etc. When a player steps out a light goes off. No more wondering when the ball crosses the goal line. Instantaneous knowledge if a firstdown is achieved, or if a player is out of bounds. Have a couple of refs watching the game on TV who can radio in for obvious penalties. No more coaches 'challenges'. The refs in the box are free to change any call if there is any 'indisuptable evidence'.

[sheepshead]

Love: Complex game-time strategies and long term planning/building

Improvement: Electronic surveylence of the game. Visible laser for first down measurements. Chips in the ball, the cleats, helmets, sidelines, goallines, etc. When a player steps out a light goes off. No more wondering when the ball crosses the goal line. Instantaneous knowledge if a firstdown is achieved, or if a player is out of bounds. Have a couple of refs watching the game on TV who can radio in for obvious penalties. No more coaches 'challenges'. The refs in the box are free to change any call if there is any 'indisuptable evidence'.

Go to blockbuster

[packinpatland]

I love the unique blend of stategy and gladiator-like brutality.

I'd change the way tickets are distributed. Season tickets would only be held for up to three years and the owner would have to show photo ID for at least half of the games of the season (to prove they were not jsut being scalped). I think someone had this idea a while back and I like it. I think it woudl get better crowds and make the team more accessable to all the fans.

Typical liberal - turn Lambeau Field into Berlins Olympic Stadium circa 1936. Nice!

I'd love for Sheepshead to like the idea of spreading the wealth(tickets) around.
I hate that rule that makes a ruled fumble unreviewable.

[denverYooper]

Love: Complex game-time strategies and long term planning/building

Improvement: Electronic surveylence of the game. Visible laser for first down measurements. Chips in the ball, the cleats, helmets, sidelines, goallines, etc. When a player steps out a light goes off. No more wondering when the ball crosses the goal line. Instantaneous knowledge if a firstdown is achieved, or if a player is out of bounds. Have a couple of refs watching the game on TV who can radio in for obvious penalties. No more coaches 'challenges'. The refs in the box are free to change any call if there is any 'indisuptable evidence'.

I'm with ya on using available technology to enhance spotting the ball.

[sheepshead]

I love the unique blend of stategy and gladiator-like brutality.

I'd change the way tickets are distributed. Season tickets would only be held for up to three years and the owner would have to show photo ID for at least half of the games of the season (to prove they were not jsut being scalped). I think someone had this idea a while back and I like it. I think it woudl get better crowds and make the team more accessable to all the fans.

Typical liberal - turn Lambeau Field into Berlins Olympic Stadium circa 1936. Nice!

I'd love for Sheepshead to like the idea of spreading the wealth(tickets) around.
I hate that rule that makes a ruled fumble unreviewable.

Nooo, I was keying on the "you have to show up for games idea" So I cant give my tickets to friends, employees, my mom..oh and show a photo id to watch a football game...but not to vote--brilliant!

[cheesner]

Love: Complex game-time strategies and long term planning/building

Improvement: Electronic surveylence of the game. Visible laser for first down measurements. Chips in the ball, the cleats, helmets, sidelines, goallines, etc. When a player steps out a light goes off. No more wondering when the ball crosses the goal line. Instantaneous knowledge if a firstdown is achieved, or if a player is out of bounds. Have a couple of refs watching the game on TV who can radio in for obvious penalties. No more coaches 'challenges'. The refs in the box are free to change any call if there is any 'indisuptable evidence'.

Go to blockbusterOk Gramps.

If you were under 40 you would have referenced 'net flix'.

Why not use something that makes the rulings quicker and more accurate? Additionally, it could be nearly invisible to the fans and seemless to the action. Whats's not to like?

[MJZiggy]

I love the strategy. I wish they'd have fewer commercial breaks during play and make up for it at halftime and post game commentary like they do in soccer. I'm not saying we need a full half with no interruption at all, but a few less than we have.

However, my big wish is that they'd give the refs some sort of tivo option on the sideline, so if the refs aren't sure and they're having a conference, the head ref can just run over, look at the screen and see a replay to make sure they have the call right from the get go.

[sheepshead]

Love: Complex game-time strategies and long term planning/building

Improvement: Electronic surveylence of the game. Visible laser for first down measurements. Chips in the ball, the cleats, helmets, sidelines, goallines, etc. When a player steps out a light goes off. No more wondering when the ball crosses the goal line. Instantaneous knowledge if a firstdown is achieved, or if a player is out of bounds. Have a couple of refs watching the game on TV who can radio in for obvious penalties. No more coaches 'challenges'. The refs in the box are free to change any call if there is any 'indisuptable evidence'.

Go to blockbusterOk Gramps.

If you were under 40 you would have referenced 'net flix'.

Why not use something that makes the rulings quicker and more accurate? Additionally, it could be nearly invisible to the fans and seemless to the action. Whats's not to like?


net flix (netflix)rents video games? just askin? (Einstein)

[Fritz]

What I love: the intensity of the single-game playoff system. It's better than any other sport. Even college bowls are not the same, because there's only one game for the championship.

The biggest change I'd like to see is in the way the games are announced on television. Tony Kornholer is a perfect example of someone who should be taken out back and shot. It really bothers me when the announcers clearly don't know the players or are not interested in the game itself. Thus you get Kornholer in the second game of the season saying that the Cowboys were playing a "must win" game against the Eagles. F___ you, Korny. It's the second game of the season, okay? If you get paid to announce the games, you should know and pay attention to who that backup right offensive tackle is that just came into the game. Don't make me wonder why the hell Tauscher isn't in. And that last game against NO, when we all knew that, despite the fact we were more than half way through the season, somehow someway Kornholer would have to mention Brett Favre. That, to me, is laziness and or lack of interest in the game that is being played.

Madden is the other one who needs to retire, pronto. He's become the master of the obvious: "I think the winner of this game is going to be the team that can score the most points." Oh, okay. Thanks for the insight, dude.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Love - It's fair based on the records. Worst team picks first unlike that damn NBA joke of a draft. Ping pongs balls... whatever.

Hate - Commercials. Let's put an ad or two on the field and have a pop-up on the bottom of the screen for 15 seconds on for advertisers. Have it be the size of bars like ESPN has on the bottom of their channel. The league could easily shave 15-20 minutes off of games this way.

[dissident94]

It used to be where if you went out of bounds the clock stopped until the next snap now that only happens like the last 2 or 5 minutes in the half.

Maybe I'm ignorant, but, if the ball goes out of bounds, the clock stops, no? :?:

Yes it does stop. But as soon as the ball is placed the clock begins again. This never used to be the case. The clock would stop until the next snap. They did this in fear that games were taking too long. But the real reason is to shorten the actual game playing time to fit in more commercials. The NFL game now to me seems too short with less plays. But they tried to get in the same amount of plays by shortening the play clock as well. Everything seems rushed. While in college they have the original rules about clock time and it seems to flow better and the game lasts longer with more plays and more scoring

[DonHutson]

I love that teams are not voted into the championship. I like that the playoffs are relatively hard to get into, compared to the NBA, NHL, and the 30 or 40 bowl games.

I love that every generation makes the game their own through constantly evolving schemes. Baseball is not that different than it was 50 years ago, football is very different. And I further love that in spite of all advancements, the game still comes down to who can move who off the line of scrimmage, and it always will.

I love that there are far fewer fake fields, and even those that are look and play more real than those bright crayola green things of 10 to 15 years ago.

I love the classic uniforms, like those of the Packers, Bears, Colts, Steelers, Raiders, etc. I like the continuity even though the equipment has changed radically.

I like that the NFL seems to have incorporated free agency in such a way that players are free to move, yet most teams are now able to keep their best players if they want to. In a related item, I love revenue sharing.

I would change the frequency with which throwback uniforms are used. They should be used rarely. If you like your old uniforms so much, do what the Giants and Jets did and re-adopt them. Or do what the Chargers did and modernize your retro look. Buffalo, Denver, and Seattle really need to listen to this advice, they have cool former uniforms that could be reinvented into something far better than the clown suits they wear now.

I agree the NFL needs an NBA style slotted payscale for the first couple of years of a player's career. There should be no debate about pensions, medical bills, etc. for players from an era without the money they have now. Just raise the money from the players and the teams and make it happed already.

I would send Al Davis out to pasture. He's ruined a classic franchise.

I would say "Fuck L.A." if they couldn't keep the two teams they had. I don't want the Saints or Vikings or Chargers moving there.

If they insist on charging what they charge for tickets, I would get rid of the blackout rule. If there are still people in Detroit who actually want to watch the Lions every week, let the poor bastards watch. What's the difference?

[BobDobbs]

I love the balance of revenue sharing and free agency, it's hard to really get behind the Brewers when you wonder if they are going to be able to keep their best players. Also, I think it puts a premium on having a really strong organization from top to bottom.

I love that no matter how structured and scientific the game gets that chaos still takes place on every play. Coaches do what they can, but they have no idea how the play is actually going to turn out because there are so many moving parts. And I love how much the performance of the entire unit determines the success of a play. Football is the ultimate team sport.

I was going to say that I hate the overtime rules. I do think that they are better than college rules, because those are too artificial. I love the idea that was given that each team gets one drive before sudden death kicks in. But you would have to get the ball where the drive ended whether it is off a punt or turnover. No starting over with the kickoff if the other team doesn't score. That could mean that one team picks off the ball and then has to receive a kickoff next play. Also, it makes the choice to settle for a field goal on the first drive a risky one.

But you know what I don't really hate overtime rules I just don't like a team losing without its offense getting to touch the ball. It is the blackout rules. I hate that the NFL keeps football games off the air. And if a blackout is lifted they blackout another game to compensate. And then they start a network, televise Thursday night games to half the country, and then blame the cable companies for not paying them enough to do so. Show the games. Two games on each network each Sunday. I'll watch one and I'll be watching football, which is your product. Deal?

[Tarlam!]

It used to be where if you went out of bounds the clock stopped until the next snap now that only happens like the last 2 or 5 minutes in the half.

Maybe I'm ignorant, but, if the ball goes out of bounds, the clock stops, no? :?:

Yes it does stop. But as soon as the ball is placed the clock begins again. This never used to be the case.

Goodness, am I a nerd. I hadn't noticed this. I thought the clock starts at the snap.

[Fritz]

I love that teams are not voted into the championship. I like that the playoffs are relatively hard to get into, compared to the NBA, NHL, and the 30 or 40 bowl games.

I love that every generation makes the game their own through constantly evolving schemes. Baseball is not that different than it was 50 years ago, football is very different. And I further love that in spite of all advancements, the game still comes down to who can move who off the line of scrimmage, and it always will.

I love that there are far fewer fake fields, and even those that are look and play more real than those bright crayola green things of 10 to 15 years ago.

I love the classic uniforms, like those of the Packers, Bears, Colts, Steelers, Raiders, etc. I like the continuity even though the equipment has changed radically.

I like that the NFL seems to have incorporated free agency in such a way that players are free to move, yet most teams are now able to keep their best players if they want to. In a related item, I love revenue sharing.

I would change the frequency with which throwback uniforms are used. They should be used rarely. If you like your old uniforms so much, do what the Giants and Jets did and re-adopt them. Or do what the Chargers did and modernize your retro look. Buffalo, Denver, and Seattle really need to listen to this advice, they have cool former uniforms that could be reinvented into something far better than the clown suits they wear now.

I agree the NFL needs an NBA style slotted payscale for the first couple of years of a player's career. There should be no debate about pensions, medical bills, etc. for players from an era without the money they have now. Just raise the money from the players and the teams and make it happed already.

I would send Al Davis out to pasture. He's ruined a classic franchise.

I would say "Fuck L.A." if they couldn't keep the two teams they had. I don't want the Saints or Vikings or Chargers moving there.

If they insist on charging what they charge for tickets, I would get rid of the blackout rule. If there are still people in Detroit who actually want to watch the Lions every week, let the poor bastards watch. What's the difference?

I'm on board with all of this. All of it. Especially the unis. I like the way San Diego has gone old school but has tweaked the look. Seattle's look is the worst in the NFL.

Good post DH!