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

[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!