NFL Draft now Prime Time

[DeToxRox]

Thusday night is round 1, Friday are rounds 2 and 3, and Saturday is the rest.

I understand why they're doing it but I hate it. I'll miss blowing my entire weekend on the couch.

[RendeR]

Umm, DVR?

or umm....why watch? Its interesting and all but 99% of the telecast is just ESPN sucking its own dick nowdays. There isn't any real valuable talk by the time the draft actually happens.

[jbergey22]

I think this is a horrible idea. Doesnt the NFL realize how many people planned draft day parties on the weekend because of how the draft used to be set up? Uhhh, Who likes being hungover on Friday?

[Logan]

Thusday night is round 1, Friday are rounds 2 and 3, and Saturday is the rest.

I understand why they're doing it but I hate it. I'll miss blowing my entire weekend on the couch.

Everyone saw this move coming with the switches they made to the process this past year, but I think it was expected to be Friday night for round 1, with the rest to follow during the weekend. Kinda surprising they'd do it this way.

Umm, DVR?

or umm....why watch? Its interesting and all but 99% of the telecast is just ESPN sucking its own dick nowdays. There isn't any real valuable talk by the time the draft actually happens.

Umm, you're really trying too hard to be the dick of the board. Neither of your points make an ounce of fucking sense, so get out of the thread.

[RendeR]

Everyone saw this move coming with the switches they made to the process this past year, but I think it was expected to be Friday night for round 1, with the rest to follow during the weekend. Kinda surprising they'd do it this way.



Umm, you're really trying too hard to be the dick of the board. Neither of your points make an ounce of fucking sense, so get out of the thread.



OK, first off, wtf crawled up your ass and died? I simply made a statement, it was neither dickish nor insulting to anyone(unlike your response).

My view is if you are someone whose going to watch the draft, then you've already watched 100+hours of pre-draft analysis and you know 90% of the first 2-3 rounds already.

If you don't like my opinion, fuck you too, I can state it if I wish. There is nothing rude, insulting or malicious in my post, I offered a reasonable alternative to watching the draft in prime time and went on to wonder why anyone really bothers watching the draft live anymore anyway? My suggestion that ESPN self fellates itself has plenty of basis in fact so I'm not sure what your problem really is.

Stop being an asshat.

Thank you, carry on.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I say put one round on per evening, with the start time varying. Begin the draft on a Tuesday, then skip two days, then have half a round followed by the completion of the round the next afternoon. That evening the next round can commence, with a break of three days depending on religious holidays. The completion of the draft must be within two weeks of the start, unless it is a leap year with a new moon beginning with the first round. Then the draft will be held in reverse order, skipping Thursday afternoons.

[Julio Riddols]

A lot of the new ideas the NFL has or is having recently are starting to push me away from the sport. I don't want teams playing meaningful games overseas, I don't want an 18 game season, and I don't want the draft to be fucked up to where my friends and I can't get together and do our thing.

Wow. Goodell has done fine maintaining his hard line against players who give the league a bad name, but he may be hurting far more than helping with these other dumbass ideas.

[Fidatelo]

I simply made a statement, it was neither dickish nor insulting to anyone(unlike your response).

I think using the "umm, blah blah blah?" phrasing like you're Chandler Bing is what took your paragraph from 'statement' to 'dickish'.

[Galaxy]

A lot of the new ideas the NFL has or is having recently are starting to push me away from the sport. I don't want teams playing meaningful games overseas, I don't want an 18 game season, and I don't want the draft to be fucked up to where my friends and I can't get together and do our thing.

Wow. Goodell has done fine maintaining his hard line against players who give the league a bad name, but he may be hurting far more than helping with these other dumbass ideas.

I agree with you (expect the 18 game slate). The whole international expansion, the draft, the greed of players, the way the league sucks taxpayers for it's stadiums, ect.

The draft became a joke this year with ESPN ruining every pick before hand.

[DaddyTorgo]

The draft become a joke this year with ESPN ruining every pick before hand.

that's very true. there was really no reason to watch the actual draft.

[Cringer]

This sucks. Nobody cared if I spent Saturday in front of the TV all day watching the draft. Now I need to schedule two nights just for the first three rounds? Boo.

And the draft is still on ESPN? NFL Network is the way to go for me. :) And don't respond that you can't get it, I know some can't.

RendeR, keep on keeping on. Don't let 'The Man' keep you down.

[Cringer]

Just complaining about this to my wife and something else popped into my head. This REALLY kills the players' draft parties eh? The whole family/friends/neighborhood is over for draft one.....ah crap, come back tomorrow night folks I fell to round two, hope the cameras come back as well.....

[k0ruptr]

I agree this is stupid imo. is it just for more marketing / advertising opps? and ratings or what?

[stevew]

horrible, horrible move.

First off, I thought when it was more bunched, the teams that were better prepared were rewarded.
Also it kills the draft parties.

re: the 18 game schedule-
I could see liking it a lot, but only if they actually implement some sort of regional rivalry element. For instance, the Niners/Raiders should play every year. Steelers/Eagles(this game would be great at Penn State). Jets/Giants. Seattle/AFC West historic rivalries

But I'm guessing that it'll be something dumb, like the top 2 in each division play the top 2 in the 2 other conference divisions(that they aren't playing in already).

[Cringer]

18 games a season locks in more international games IMO, so that is the big reason I would prefer for it to not happen.

[RendeR]

I think using the "umm, blah blah blah?" phrasing like you're Chandler Bing is what took your paragraph from 'statement' to 'dickish'.



Oh, well see it wasn't a sarcastic Umm//....whatever, it was m...umm...well what else could we do to avoid prime time?

*shrugs* semantics ruin internet posts in so many ways.

I was just offering other ideas, if I were trying to be a dick I'd have been far more specific about what he could do and to whom he could do it. ;)

[stevew]

18 games a season locks in more international games IMO, so that is the big reason I would prefer for it to not happen.

Yeah, international games are dumb. Unless they are in Canada or Mexico City.

Neutral field games in places like LA or large college stadiums I can deal with, however.

[Julio Riddols]

All I can think is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". 16 games feels right. It breaks down into groups of 4. There are 4 quarters in a game, 4 quarters in a season.. Injuries are no worse now than they ever have been, and with the medical technology they do less permanent damage than they used to.. The preseason, if shortened to 2 games, gives you no time to evaluate new talent that you have not seen in game situations. If the league goes to 18 games, I think they should also institute a D league for young players to play and show their promise when they otherwise cannot get on the field. All you would need is 8 teams with one team for each division, 14 players from each team on the squad. This increases your practice squad for the longer season length, and helps get those younger players the experience they need to keep the quality of the product as high as it is and to give their team the best chance to win.

The international (Overseas, that is) games thing is just retarded, IMO. The NFLE was perfect for that, and regardless of how the teams are compensated for going overseas and losing a scheduled home game, the fans are punished more by not getting the chance to see their team as many times as they could have. Mexico City games for the teams near the Mexico border and Canadian games for Buffalo and the teams near the Canadian border are not as bad, because in most cases, the amount of travel is minimally cumbersome to undertake. (I.E. driving a couple hours rather than flying over an ocean) - If you want to play games internationally with major stars, have the pro bowl scheduled somewhere different every year.

The draft though.. That is just mind boggling.

[Thomkal]

I think this decision was not well thought out. You're going to start the draft on a Thursday, perhaps the most popular day to watch TV with potentially the likes of Survivor, CSI, The Mentalist, Bones, Fringe, the Office, and Grey's Anatomy to compete with? How many wives are gonna let their husbands watch the draft that day? How many fans are going to be there during the work week to watch?

[albionmoonlight]

Stupid.

ESPN/the NFL have people who get paid a lot more than I do to decide how to maximize eyeballs, so I guess I can give them the benefit of the doubt. But this strikes me as short term smart and long term foolish. You are overworking the goose that laid the golden egg.

As for 18 game seasons--I think the same thing. Football is so popular, in part, because it is rare.

Why the NFL does not just add in a second bye week for each team, I don't know. That gives you an extra week for the season, and the players get an extra week to rest their bodies in the middle of the season. I know that on the Saints bye-week, I am still watching the NFL. It isn't like people don't watch football if their team isn't playing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I say put one round on per evening, with the start time varying. Begin the draft on a Tuesday, then skip two days, then have half a round followed by the completion of the round the next afternoon. That evening the next round can commence, with a break of three days depending on religious holidays. The completion of the draft must be within two weeks of the start, unless it is a leap year with a new moon beginning with the first round. Then the draft will be held in reverse order, skipping Thursday afternoons.

WTF !!! OMG !!!

How did you get your hands on the plan for the next TV contract?

[Julio Riddols]

Stupid.



Why the NFL does not just add in a second bye week for each team, I don't know. That gives you an extra week for the season, and the players get an extra week to rest their bodies in the middle of the season. I know that on the Saints bye-week, I am still watching the NFL. It isn't like people don't watch football if their team isn't playing.

They actually did this in 93 I think. It didn't last. Not sure why.

[Capital]

I actually like the first round on Thursday. I haven't been able to watch the draft the last few years due to weekend / family commitments. However, part of that might be my fault because I didn't make it a priority due to the fact that the first round was 15 minutes between each pick. I know it's 10 minutes now, but it's still long.

The NBA draft is on a weekday night and I seem to watch it every year.

[Logan]

The NBA draft is on a weekday night and I seem to watch it every year.

That's because the only interesting part takes about 45 minutes.

[Passacaglia]

Man what a horrible idea. I guess it's for the best, though -- the draft is too close to my exam, so this makes it easy to not bother watching it. Way to go, NFL.

[Kodos]

Umm, DVR?

or umm....why watch? Its interesting and all but 99% of the telecast is just ESPN sucking its own dick nowdays. There isn't any real valuable talk by the time the draft actually happens.

I can certainly understand why a Bengals fan wouldn't have good feelings about watching the draft.

[lordscarlet]

This whole plan sounds insane to me. I don't get it at all.

I think this is a horrible idea. Doesnt the NFL realize how many people planned draft day parties on the weekend because of how the draft used to be set up? Uhhh, Who likes being hungover on Friday?

Really? Thursday is a very popular night for going out drinking.

[PackerFanatic]

This whole plan sounds insane to me. I don't get it at all.

Agreed.

[Kodos]

Can't say I like this idea either. I didn't like how they changed things last year either. I want it starting around noon on Saturday and running through the whole weekend.

[Samdari]

They actually did this in 93 I think. It didn't last. Not sure why.

The networks made them change it back. Too many weeks without marquee teams available.

[Galaxy]

As for 18 game seasons--I think the same thing. Football is so popular, in part, because it is rare.



Here's the problem. The NFL, and American football, doesn't draw internationally like it other sports. The NFL seems bent on risking it's loyal market in order to add a few hardcore fans abroad.

[Capital]

That's because the only interesting part takes about 45 minutes.

Maybe and hour and a half but I get your point...

[chesapeake]

The NFL is in the business of money, and I expect that moving the draft into weeknight prime time and stretching it out over 3 days will provide them a nice boost in revenues for the event. And, although I agree with RendeR's rather graphic description of ESPN's hyperventilation leading up to and during the draft, a big part of their audience eats that junk up.

Anyone know what the union is saying about the 18 game schedule? My sense is getting their agreement would be the major obstacle to that happening.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Maybe and hour and a half but I get your point...
It takes an hour and a half for Brandon Jennings to bust in on Earl Clark's moment?

I thought that was the interesting part...

[Galaxy]

Not to mention the NFL's desire to take the Super Bowl international.

The NFL is starting to remind of path that F1 is heading down.

[Julio Riddols]

And the advertisements slowly inching their way onto jerseys is already happening.. If I see the Gold Star Chili Bengals play in the regular season..

Ugh.. Its like Goodell was great for the NFL while he was focusing on cleaning up the image of the league, but his other ideas suck the proverbial balls.. So I don't even know how to have faith in him.. And the new Players Association leader seems like hes a little bit.. well.. He just seems kinda dumb. I'll admit I haven't seen much, but from what I have seen, the guy reminds me of the crazy soldier character from the Manchurian Candidate. The one that gets Denzel Washington to believe he had stuff done to him while they were in the desert.. And I don't know why a former player isn't heading the union.

[BigDawg]

18 game season? realy?

So the Lions do have a chance to break their own record , 0-18 BABY !!!!

Why not just go to 20 game season playing everyother week so the season can streach from Aug to March than have the draft the whole month of april.

9-10 month football season , I am starting to get a WOODIE :banana: