129 replies to this topic

[Mackus]

Agree that they should do whatever they can to improve helmets. If the kevlar one like Clark wore really is better, then make everyone wear them. I wouldn't be shocked if it isn't particularly safer, though.

I agree that Thursday games increase injury risk, but I do think that's different than making the actual game safer. Obviously it's all about money for those gmaes and a potential 18-game season. I don't think it's inherently hypocritical do make efforts to improve the safety of playing each game while at the same time suggesting more games or more Thursday games. I do really like the idea of an 18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks, and that any Thursday night game must be played after both teams were on a bye week. That gets the NFL two more games per each team plus an extra week throughout the season of TV and limits the physical toll that the Thursday game takes on a team.

[JeremyStrain]

Agree that they should do whatever they can to improve helmets. If the kevlar one like Clark wore really is better, then make everyone wear them. I wouldn't be shocked if it isn't particularly safer, though.

I agree that Thursday games increase injury risk, but I do think that's different than making the actual game safer. Obviously it's all about money for those gmaes and a potential 18-game season. I don't think it's inherently hypocritical do make efforts to improve the safety of playing each game while at the same time suggesting more games or more Thursday games. I do really like the idea of an 18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks, and that any Thursday night game must be played after both teams were on a bye week. That gets the NFL two more games per each team plus an extra week throughout the season of TV and limits the physical toll that the Thursday game takes on a team.

Yeah I agree with this. I never really understood why the players were so upset about the 18 game schedule, they are already playing 20 games (albeit not full games for 3 of those) so playing 18-2 shouldn't be much of a difference from 16-4. I guess the argument is people play harder in real games which bumps up the injury risk, but I would think those guys that have little to no chance of making a team would play more reckless trying to make a team and would be more dangerous. Seems like there are so many preseason injuries every year.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Sounds like a Belli move.

Right when I saw this proposal, he was the first thing that popped into my head.

Very true.

I agree that Thursday games increase injury risk, but I do think that's different than making the actual game safer. Obviously it's all about money for those gmaes and a potential 18-game season. I don't think it's inherently hypocritical do make efforts to improve the safety of playing each game while at the same time suggesting more games or more Thursday games. I do really like the idea of an 18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks, and that any Thursday night game must be played after both teams were on a bye week. That gets the NFL two more games per each team plus an extra week throughout the season of TV and limits the physical toll that the Thursday game takes on a team.

Good points here. Especially w/r/t the bye/TNF scheduling. Hadn't seen that before, but it makes a ton of sense.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Yeah I agree with this. I never really understood why the players were so upset about the 18 game schedule, they are already playing 20 games (albeit not full games for 3 of those) so playing 18-2 shouldn't be much of a difference from 16-4. I guess the argument is people play harder in real games which bumps up the injury risk, but I would think those guys that have little to no chance of making a team would play more reckless trying to make a team and would be more dangerous. Seems like there are so many preseason injuries every year.

And after a fashion, an 18-game schedule means bigger TV deals, more stadium revenue, and thus more shared revenue to the players at the end of the day.

[JeremyStrain]

And after a fashion, an 18-game schedule means bigger TV deals, more stadium revenue, and thus more shared revenue to the players at the end of the day.

Yeah, people actually showing up to those 4 games in the preseason would have to help. I guess its different in other areas, but BAL and WAS draw really well, we never have to worry about blackouts and the like.

[Oriole85]

I haven't heard many good arguments for keeping kickoffs that hasn't immediately devolved into some inane comment about going to touch football or 7-on-7. Very solid arguments against eliminating kickoffs can certainly be made without making ridiculous strawman claims about some slippery slope that doesn't remotely exist. I think saying such things nullifies, or at least lessens the impact of, any good points that are made previously in the argument. Not trying to pick on you, but can't we discuss this without getting into pointless statements about touch football or tee ball?

I'd really like to see the studies the NFL has made that show that kickoffs are more dangerous than other plays. And that kickoffs are so dangerous but not punts. It'd be much easier to get behind the idea of changing some of the basic aspects of the game if the data they are insisting is real was made public. I don't get why they would be protective of that type of data.

I was exagerrating as I'm sure the person who made the t-ball argument was, my point is it's football, it's violent. Sorry you don't like you my argument style!

[Oriole85]

Yeah, people actually showing up to those 4 games in the preseason would have to help. I guess its different in other areas, but BAL and WAS draw really well, we never have to worry about blackouts and the like.

It's hard to worry about blackout when Snyder is cutting down on capacity to prevent blackouts.

[SammyBirdland]

2. As Mike noted, make better helmets. I'm sorry, but if the geniuses on this planet can send a man to the moon or build that hydro-nuclear thingy in Europe, they can make a safe football helmet. (Or, as my friend has been advocating for years...get rid of helmets. They've become more of a weapon anyway. Though, that's a different debate.)

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[JeremyStrain]

It's hard to worry about blackout when Snyder is cutting down on capacity to prevent blackouts.

That capacity was stupid to begin with for an outdoor mid-atlantic stadium. Greedy from the beginning. But yeah, he pretty much did it to save himself buying back the remaining tickets every week. Irony is, if he would have fixed the parking, or lowered concession prices a bit, I bet he would have sold the rest of those seats anyway. At least I know that's a big reason why I don't have them.

[DuffMan]

Getting rid of kickoffs would probably cause me to care less about Football. While were at it, let's change some of the rules to baseball so that in odd innings you need to get 4 outs and in even innings only 2 outs are needed to end the inning.

[Oriole85]

One potential problem (if you want to call it that) I see with the 4-and-15 is if you have under 1-2 seconds left in the half or game, why wouldn't you want to be on offense and just run it out or have an opportunity to score?

I read this whole thread, it's possible someone has already mentioned this, if so, ignore.

[Oriole85]

Getting rid of kickoffs would probably cause me to care less about Football. While were at it, let's change some of the rules to baseball so that in odd innings you need to get 4 outs and in even innings only 2 outs are needed to end the inning.

As long as fantasy football is around, I'll remain pretty interested. Just hate the idea, how football is becoming less football.

[Mackus]

One potential problem (if you want to call it that) I see with the 4-and-15 is if you have under 1-2 seconds left in the half or game, why wouldn't you want to be on offense and just run it out or have an opportunity to score?

I read this whole thread, it's possible someone has already mentioned this, if so, ignore.

I definitely think the 4th and 15 idea has some kinks to be worked out. The exact down-and-distance, the yard line to start from, what happens on defensive penalties and other things all need to considered.

I think the basic idea is you'd want something that more often than not leads to the "receiving" team getting the ball back at roughly the same area where they would after a kickoff but that still gives the "kicking" team a chance at keeping the ball (with that chance having similar risk/reward scenarios as an on-sides kick) if they want to try it.

Perhaps the team should have to declare if they are going for it or punting, and if they punt, it's like the punt after a safety, rather than a typical punt?

[DuffMan]

As long as fantasy football is around, I'll remain pretty interested. Just hate the idea, how football is becoming less football.

That's where I'm at. A tweak here and there is fine, but after a while you've made so many small changes that you've completely changed the original product.

[SammyBirdland]

Getting rid of kickoffs would probably cause me to care less about Football. While were at it, let's change some of the rules to baseball so that in odd innings you need to get 4 outs and in even innings only 2 outs are needed to end the inning.

That gives me an idea. Here's how to cut down on injuries caused by batters getting hit by pitches:

Create a new position called "Designated Pitch Returner". This will be a player on the batting team. After the pitch is delivered, the catcher will hand the ball to the Designated Pitch Returner who will then throw the ball back to the pitcher. The toss will be delivered at whatever speed and location the Designated Pitch Returner deems appropriate.

Should cut down on up-and-in pitches.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Cribbs lashes out - http://espn.go.com/n... ... ntramurals

[DJ MC]

http://deadspin.com/... ... l-offenses

[Adam Wolff]

I'm not a traditionalist at all when it comes to sports, but I've never seen one commissioner trying so hard to put his own stamp on a sport like Goodell is. Do we really need to change rules every single year? Is any other sport 'evolving' (or devolving) like football?

I'm going to avoid a long rant. I think Roger Goodell is a complete jackass and by far the worst thing that has ever happened to the game. If he were the commissioner of baseball, after Brandon McCarthy took a ball to the head, we'd probably be looking at screens in front of the pitcher. Breaking up slides at 2nd base? Too dangerous. Some outfielders get injured running into the walls..maybe we just get rid of the walls, take that out of play.

He's awful for the game and I think it's honestly getting to the point where he needs to go.

[Oriole85]

I'm not a traditionalist at all when it comes to sports, but I've never seen one commissioner trying so hard to put his own stamp on a sport like Goodell is. Do we really need to change rules every single year? Is any other sport 'evolving' (or devolving) like football?

I'm going to avoid a long rant. I think Roger Goodell is a complete jackass and by far the worst thing that has ever happened to the game. If he were the commissioner of baseball, after Brandon McCarthy took a ball to the head, we'd probably be looking at screens in front of the pitcher. Breaking up slides at 2nd base? Too dangerous. Some outfielders get injured running into the walls..maybe we just get rid of the walls, take that out of play.

He's awful for the game and I think it's honestly getting to the point where he needs to go.

You forgot to add collisions at the plate, would've been outlawed!

[Adam Wolff]

You forgot to add collisions at the plate, would've been outlawed!

Oh yeah, that would've been the first one! And players who did it fined heavily. They actually would probably have to use those bases at first base they installed in little leagues, where there's actually a double base..one for the runner to hit and one for the first baseman to touch. Just to avoid any trouble there.