NFL Burn Out

[BillJasper]

Am I the only one beginning to burn out on the NFL? I've been watching close to the last thirty years and I'm not sure how much more I can watch. Is there anything for me to see going forward that I haven't seen already? Except maybe a Miami Super Bowl victory...

Yes, last season we saw three 5,000 yard passers for the first time in NFL history. But that seems to be more a by-product of rules that handcuff defenses and absolutely atrocious tackling.

I've watched Marino and Montana, Rice and Irvin and Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk and I'm just not sure I'll ever see players that entertaining again.

As the new season approaches, I'm finding it tough to be interested. The fact that games are on Thursdays, three times on Sunday and Monday, the oversaturation of the product is getting tough to stomach.

I may tune in to games this year, but I don't feel the same engagement lately as I have in the past.

[spleen1015]

I'm the opposite. I am looking forward to a lot of things this up coming season. Manning coming back from injury. Luck and RG3 getting their careers started.

I don't think I have looked forward to a season more than this upcoming one.

[lungs]

I felt the same way for several years. Joining a few fantasy football leagues last year got me back into it to a certain degree. But MLB is still pretty well ahead of the NFL in my fandom.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I'm the opposite. I am looking forward to a lot of things this up coming season. Manning coming back from injury. Luck and RG3 getting their careers started.

I don't think I have looked forward to a season more than this upcoming one.

I agree, especially since the expectations for the Lions are higher now than they have been in like 20 years. I am at both very excited and extremely nervous about the upcoming season.

[Logan]

Bite your tongue.

[Antmeister]

Nope...not for me. It is the only sport where it feels like the regular season matters and the one and done in the playoffs are still intriguing to me. Yep and I have watched all of the players mentioned. Heck it is even strange for me to have seen so many careers from the start to retirement. And while there are some consistently successful teams, there is always a new cast of characters in the playoffs that has a chance of winning it all. Can't always say that for any other sport.

The only thing that may keep me away is if they don't make it easier to access their content at reasonable prices. Last year, some PS3 owners could watch NFL Sunday Ticked if they spent about $350 dollars to do this. I settled, instead, for the cheaper NFL Game Rewind, but this didn't allow me to view the games live. Now if you compare this with the MLB or NBA, you would think that the country's most popular sport would want to try to reach as many people as possible.

[MizzouRah]

I'm soooo ready for some college and professional football!

[Grover]

Not for me. For the first time in my fandom, the Bengals have stirred an excitement in me I've never felt for them.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I am completely burned out by this whole Saints bounty story. Enough of it already.

This is just another reason I am eager to get the season underway, so people can stop talking about it.

[booradley]

Am I the only one beginning to burn out on the NFL? I've been watching close to the last thirty years and I'm not sure how much more I can watch. Is there anything for me to see going forward that I haven't seen already? Except maybe a Miami Super Bowl victory...

Yes, last season we saw three 5,000 yard passers for the first time in NFL history. But that seems to be more a by-product of rules that handcuff defenses and absolutely atrocious tackling.

I've watched Marino and Montana, Rice and Irvin and Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk and I'm just not sure I'll ever see players that entertaining again.

As the new season approaches, I'm finding it tough to be interested. The fact that games are on Thursdays, three times on Sunday and Monday, the oversaturation of the product is getting tough to stomach.

I may tune in to games this year, but I don't feel the same engagement lately as I have in the past.

I have to agree. I should really stop labeling myself a Dallas Cowboys fan, because the truth is I really don't give a damn whether they win or lose anymore. Still love the regional rivalries in college football, but of course THAT's going to down the shitter now, too. Sigh ...

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

have a love/hate with sports in general. had a debate recently w/friends, 'how much would it take for you to never watch sports again?'

i said 500 bucks

[Logan]

have a love/hate with sports in general. had a debate recently w/friends, 'how much would it take for you to never watch sports again?'

i said 500 bucks

If that's the case, you should cancel your cable today and you'll come out way ahead of that number in a year.

[MizzouCowboy]

In a way I'd have to say I do have some NFL burnout, simply because I don't HAVE to watch every single game that is on. There was a time when I would watch any game, didn't matter if it was week 14 and both teams had combined for 5 wins, I would watch it. Now, not so much. I still watch my Cowboys religiously, but I'm nowhere what I used to be. Years ago if they lost, I'd be pissed 'till the next week. Now, it really doesn't bother me, but that could be me just kind of expecting them to lose. :banghead: I think a lot of it is I am sick of all the off-field drama.

I have definitely drifted toward baseball more in the last decade. Not really sure why, but it just captivates me more.

Football (soccer) I have found fascinating. I don't watch a lot matches, but enjoy the hell out of the EPL, and look forward to all the matches of the EU2012. I can't wait for the next World Cup.

And the NBA, which I hadn't watched for over a period at most for the last 10 years, has kind of drawn me in during the playoffs. I was sitting around one night with nothing to watch so I turned on a Celtics-Heat game. Watched a bit and decided that it wasn't nearly as bad as I had preconceived. After a few more games, I came to realize that it was good basketball, and entertaining to watch.

I dunno, maybe I'm just getting to old for the NFL and am not there targeted age demographic, or maybe I'm just wanting a new, bright and shiny football text sim. ;)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Short answer, Yes

Long answer...agree with lungs, it's been creeping in for awhile now. I can't really pinpoint one thing. I'm not that old at 36, but I already feel like an old man when I think back, to even 5-7 years ago, about how the games were played.

I'll still watch, and still be somewhat emotionally invested, but not like I was in the past.

[molson]

The only thing that may keep me away is if they don't make it easier to access their content at reasonable prices. Last year, some PS3 owners could watch NFL Sunday Ticked if they spent about $350 dollars to do this. I settled, instead, for the cheaper NFL Game Rewind, but this didn't allow me to view the games live. Now if you compare this with the MLB or NBA, you would think that the country's most popular sport would want to try to reach as many people as possible.

It's kind of a weird thing, there are so many games on free tv or basic cable TV, it seems impossible to watch them all. And access even above and beyond THAT is now available, though like you said, is kind of expensive in some cases (and then there's the blackout stuff).

But I don't think that access makes the game more popular or allows the game to reach more people. Sports did quite well, better in a lot of ways, when they had one the game of the week on NBC. There's something psychological at play there I think, if I can watch ANYTHING, I'm kind of not as excited to watch any of it.

For me, I'm kind of in denial, I record a ton of games, in all sports, that I don't end up watching. And I can't watch anything live anymore. Part of that is just getting older I'm sure but when there's so much access to everything, there's just no hurry to get to it.

[Kodos]

College football has really gained on the NFL for me, partly due to interest in the NFL dipping. They are options 1A and 1B for me. Then college basketball. After that, there isn't much that interests me in sports. Ever since guys like Jordan and Barkley retired, it has been hard to be interested in the NBA.

[Rizon]

Am I the only one beginning to burn out on the NFL? I've been watching close to the last thirty years and I'm not sure how much more I can watch. Is there anything for me to see going forward that I haven't seen already? Except maybe a Miami Super Bowl victory...

Yes, last season we saw three 5,000 yard passers for the first time in NFL history. But that seems to be more a by-product of rules that handcuff defenses and absolutely atrocious tackling.

I've watched Marino and Montana, Rice and Irvin and Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk and I'm just not sure I'll ever see players that entertaining again.

As the new season approaches, I'm finding it tough to be interested. The fact that games are on Thursdays, three times on Sunday and Monday, the oversaturation of the product is getting tough to stomach.

I may tune in to games this year, but I don't feel the same engagement lately as I have in the past.

It's been a few years since I burned out, never really got back into it. I use to watch every game that came on in our market (which some years was almost none cause of the Jokeland Faiders), but now I watch just a few games a year. And don't really miss it all that much, either.

[Icy]

For me becoming fan of a team (Marlins) made me to lose the interest on the whole NFL.

A few years ago, without internet streams, i could only watch 3 games per week, decided by the satellite TV network i subscribed. I was hungry for football, so i watched those 3 games every week, got to know all the teams, all the players and became a huge NFL fan to the point that i stopped to watch soccer, that is a sacrilege living in Spain.

Then three years ago online streams came, so i could watch all the games i wanted, and started to watch only the Dolphins every week as for any reason i felt more sympathy about them. I got happy, angry etc like any other Dolphins fan, but then i realized i was not watching other teams but those who played vs Dolphins, most of new players became unknown for me, and slowly started to lose interest on football and to return to soccer.

Now i'm again a diehard soccer fan as every good Spanish citizen :D

[Lathum]

I love it more that ever, east to do as a Giants fan. I enjoy beiing on the games and playing fantasy football, both add an extra dimension.

One thing I also love is we make football Sunday an event. Most weeks we have friends over for the games, they start early here so we do brunch, everyone brings some food, we drink mimosas then switch to beer and hang out most of the day. Drag a second TV into the living room so we can get 2 games on, let the kids play and generally a good time is had by all.

I think being on the West Coast helps me alot also. The night games end early enough that I can get into bed at my normal time and still watch out usual shows,, so I don't need to sacrifice anything else for the Monday/Thursday games.

[Lathum]

dola- I will say I am burned out on the 24 hour coverage ESPN gives the NFL and the off season. I really don't care that Takeo Spikes has a hangnail

[Honolulu_Blue]

dola- I will say I am burned out on the 24 hour coverage ESPN gives the NFL and the off season. I really don't care that Takeo Spikes has a hangnail

I found a sure-fire way to get over this problem: Don't watch ESPN.

Unless there is a live sporting event and that event happens to be NFL football, college football, a Tigers game or the occassional international soccer game (if I remember it's on), I hardly ever watch ESPN.

I don't need it for sports news. I sit in front of a computer all day at work with constant internet access and have almost equal ease of access when at home between the laptop and iPhone. The only thing watching ESPN (outside of those times mentioned above) adds is loud, annoying people and commercials.

[Kodos]

I really don't care that Takeo Spikes has a hangnail

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!?! :eek:

[Julio Riddols]

I'll never get tired of football completely. I think the whole "burn out" thing can be attributed to getting older and realizing that it isn't worth the emotional investment that you thought it was when you were younger. I still care what happens, and this season will probably be more frustrating when we lose than last season was, but I have realized over time that putting so much of an investment into a team really fucks with my overall well being when my team is the Bengals. I've been slowly weaning myself from living and dying with the stripes and caring so much how my fantasy team plays. I still badly want both to win, but I can let go pretty easy now if things don't go well.

[Abe Sargent]

I found a sure-fire way to get over this problem: Don't watch ESPN.




+1

[DaddyTorgo]

A few years agoi stopped to watch soccer, that is a sacrilege living in Spain.


:eek: NOT OKAY!!!



Now i'm again a diehard soccer fan as every good Spanish citizen :D

:D

MUCH BETTER. WORLD CAN RETURN TO NORMAL NOW!!

[bronconick]

I found a sure-fire way to get over this problem: Don't watch ESPN.

Unless there is a live sporting event and that event happens to be NFL football, college football, a Tigers game or the occassional international soccer game (if I remember it's on), I hardly ever watch ESPN.


Bingo. I haven't seen Skip Bayless or Stephen A. Smith in months.

[MacroGuru]

I lost interest in the NFL a while ago. Moving to Buffalo sparked it again, but it waning due to the BS going on.

I have been a true blue die hard BYU Cougar, I still am...but the fact they are independent and are potentially looking from the outside in on anything coming out now has me worried.

But for me it's going lately...College Football, NHL, Soccer, NFL, MLB, NBA

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

If that's the case, you should cancel your cable today and you'll come out way ahead of that number in a year.
i know. i was internet only for years but when they raised the rates i called to cancel and somehow ended up with phone/internet/cable for 30 a month.

espn's like my 2 minutes of hate anyway

[JonInMiddleGA]

I've been there for years. Manning has been my only emotional investment in the NFL for quite a while now, once he retires (which I've come to wish he had done) I imagine it will become just another NBA to me.

I keep track of the NBA similar to how I've never watched a full episode of Idol but recognize most of the notable names, it's just a pop culture/watercooler kind of thing, pretty close to that with the NFL already.

[Swaggs]

There was a time when I was far more invested in the NFL (could name a lot of the players on every team, watched all day Sunday, stayed up and watched every MNF game, etc.).

Now, I'm mostly just into following the Steelers and will watch a handful of other games during the season.

I think a lot of the stupid coverage (Brett Favre retirements and his penis story, the Saints stuff, etc.), the strike, and mostly my increased interest in college football are to blame. If I had to choose, I would much rather have a free Saturday to spend watching games (and flipping around from 11 AM until midnight) than watching a Sunday with much fewer games (and often times, the non-Steelers' starting time games don't interest me at all).

[Lathum]

I found a sure-fire way to get over this problem: Don't watch ESPN.

Unless there is a live sporting event and that event happens to be NFL football, college football, a Tigers game or the occassional international soccer game (if I remember it's on), I hardly ever watch ESPN.

I don't need it for sports news. I sit in front of a computer all day at work with constant internet access and have almost equal ease of access when at home between the laptop and iPhone. The only thing watching ESPN (outside of those times mentioned above) adds is loud, annoying people and commercials.

I don't want to go all scortched earth. I like espn, I want to follow baseball, some nfl offseason, basketball, etc...

I like to have it on in the background. My office also has TVs in it that have it on all day so I am likely exposed to it more than others.

[Ajaxab]

If I had to choose, I would much rather have a free Saturday to spend watching games (and flipping around from 11 AM until midnight) than watching a Sunday with much fewer games (and often times, the non-Steelers' starting time games don't interest me at all).

This is what makes college football more interesting to me. I like being able to flip around to three or four games at a time on a Saturday instead of being shackled to the two game maximum for one three hour window on a Sunday. Love it or hate it, the BCS has also increased my interest in other games as well. Every game has the potential to affect my team's season. It makes next to no difference what a team in another conference is doing in the NFL.

I've also felt like the NFL is getting more arrogant about its product in recent years. The move of the draft from Saturday to Thursday is one example of this arrogance. "We're the NFL. We don't care if hockey playoffs or basketball playoffs are on. You will watch our draft no matter what night we put it on." Uh, no. I'll watch your draft on a Saturday afternoon before playoff games from other sports start, but I will not watch your draft in prime time. This kind of attitude has me caring more about college football than the NFL.

I'll still watch the NFL, but more because it's there and not because it's necessarily interesting.

[Blackadar]

Nope, still love it. Don't get to watch it much, but NFL Radio is the #1 channel on my Sirius subscription.

[Arles]

There's always a more romantic view of sports when you were younger because you viewed them in a more innocent and hopeful manner. What Aaron Rodgers has done in Green Bay (and Drew Brees as well) has been phenomenal, but I have a much more reverent memory of watching Joe Montana. I'm guessing if I grew up watching Johnny Unitas and then saw Montana when I was 36, I would remember Unitas in a better view.

Sports are never going to mean more, be more exciting or more memorable as you get older. You just are more jaded and understand more about the players and their motives.

[RendeR]

Is it opening day yet???

[Lathum]

I've also felt like the NFL is getting more arrogant about its product in recent years. The move of the draft from Saturday to Thursday is one example of this arrogance. "We're the NFL. We don't care if hockey playoffs or basketball playoffs are on. You will watch our draft no matter what night we put it on." Uh, no. I'll watch your draft on a Saturday afternoon before playoff games from other sports start, but I will not watch your draft in prime time. This kind of attitude has me caring more about college football than the NFL.

.

The numbers would indicate otherwise.

[nilodor]

I'm getting there as well. It's the tv broadcasts that are killing it for me (same with the NBA). Touchdown, commercial, kickoff, commercial. All these 4 man joke fests in the studio, basically just yelling over each other. The final two minutes taking forever in a close game. Also it seems like as players are getting bigger and faster and better that superstars don't stand out that much and it almost seems like the field is too small now. It's crazy if you told me 5 years ago that I would go from watching a couple of games most weekends to not watching a single game and only occasionally checking out the highlights, I would have thought you were crazy, but here we are. I think they're going to have to do something like the NHL did with shortening stoppages to get me back into the fold.

[Logan]

The numbers would indicate otherwise.

The numbers indicate that Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith are our foremost authorities on sports.

Numbers are shit.

[cartman]

dola- I will say I am burned out on the 24 hour coverage ESPN gives the NFL and the off season. I really don't care that Takeo Spikes has a hangnail

What if it was Eli that had the hangnail?

[Peregrine]

I was getting burned out on the NFL for a while, felt like I wasn't connecting with my favorite teams and players like I used to. For me, anyway, quitting fantasy football was what fixed it, since I feel that FF, while a lot of fun, puts all its emphasis on stats and none on your teams. rivalries, etc. So that's what worked for me, but probably not for everyone.

[Radii]

I found a sure-fire way to get over this problem: Don't watch ESPN.

Unless there is a live sporting event and that event happens to be NFL football, college football, a Tigers game or the occassional international soccer game (if I remember it's on), I hardly ever watch ESPN.

I agree with this completely. I salivate over watching as many games as I can every NFL Weekend. The Thursday night games annoy me and unless the matchups are really good I do just opt out of them, but Sundays are NFL days start to finish and I love it as much as ever.

Watching ESPN just overdoes everything for me. A few glances at espn.com, or maybe catching half of PTI a couple days a week is more than enough to figure out what the ESPN talking points are for the day/week, if I keep watching I get burned out, if I just sit back and enjoy the games and seek out just the amount of NFL content that I want during the week and no more, it works perfectly for me and I stay very interested.

[markprior22]

I still watch and follow my team but I don't care for the game like I used to. The rules have moved too far in favor of the offense which probably appeals to a larger group of fans so I definitely understand. The complete hands off the qb and wr are the main changes that have lessened the game in my eyes. It's just a personal preference though as the numbers show it's doing better than ever.

[Crapshoot]

I'm in agreement with HB. I can't remember the last time I turned on ESPN for a non sporting event. Hell, its even gotten to the point that for sporting events, I tune out ESPN (ie, basketball last night - after the game, I kept hoping that TNT was somehow doing a panel instead of the dreck ESPN had).

As for the NFL, I just don't care that much. I had fun going to the playoff games last year, but man, I live and die with the Giants in baseball; I swore in 2010 that a Giants WS victory meant I couldn't care less if any other Bay Area sports team won a title, and I'm ok with it. :D

[Passacaglia]

A little burn out, yeah. As more games are available to watch, and life gets in the way of watching as many, it's hard to be as connected with the league in general. Also, moving to Chicago made it harder to be a Lions fan. Plus, text sims give me more buy-in; a lot of times while sitting and watching one game, I find I'd rather watch a team of my own creation do its thing instead. And having sons raises some questions -- how safe do I feel having them play football at any level, and how much am I encouraging them to want to play it the more I watch?

[Kodos]

I was getting burned out on the NFL for a while, felt like I wasn't connecting with my favorite teams and players like I used to. For me, anyway, quitting fantasy football was what fixed it, since I feel that FF, while a lot of fun, puts all its emphasis on stats and none on your teams. rivalries, etc. So that's what worked for me, but probably not for everyone.

I quite fantasy football years ago because
1. It made me root for players I don't like
2. It made me root for teams I don't like
3. I would be disappointed if the right guy on my team didn't score

[Blackadar]

I said earlier I wasn't, but if they continue to "sissify" the sport much more, I probably will lose interest. It's the intensity of the sport that draws me to it and two-hand touch football doesn't interest me much.

[ISiddiqui]

I felt the same way for several years. Joining a few fantasy football leagues last year got me back into it to a certain degree. But MLB is still pretty well ahead of the NFL in my fandom.

This. I think I haven't been interested in the NFL in like 3 years. I find college football more entaining due to the variety of offensive & defensive styles, while the NFL seems more boring. And same as lungs, MLB is well ahead.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I said earlier I wasn't, but if they continue to "sissify" the sport much more, I probably will lose interest. It's the intensity of the sport that draws me to it and two-hand touch football doesn't interest me much.

I dare you to play one series in the NFL and then come back here and talk about how they continue to "sissify" the sport.

The game is still plenty phsyical if not down right brual at times.

[Logan]

I said earlier I wasn't, but if they continue to "sissify" the sport much more, I probably will lose interest. It's the intensity of the sport that draws me to it and two-hand touch football doesn't interest me much.

You realize that you don't come across as a tough guy, just a fool, when you say stuff like this right?

[britrock88]

I was ready to quit; then the Panthers drafted Cam Newton. The offense wasn't quite as radical as I thought it would be (even by NFL standards), and I thought our 2 good RBs didn't get enough touches, so I'm going to give it one more season to see if Carolina just keeps throwing the ball too much instead of deploying our awesome backfield more effectively in the run game.

[stevew]

For me it is a multitude of factors. I basically never have the ability to see the Steelers live for a price I'm willing to pay. My sister in law has some tickets in her family, but they are like 85 dollars face for midway up the upper level. And the last couple years they have just sold the entire package off to make a few hundred dollars. And don't get me started on all the dumb shit you see year round. Flags on cars, shirts/jerseys everywhere.

I had a much better live experience in Buffalo and Cleveland than Pittsburgh, and that was probably cause I knew that I wasn't spending over $200 for seats for the both of us to go. I might just be having Steeler Fan fatigue.

[Simbo Klice]

I don't think I'd get NFL burnout if the season was year-round, I just love watching football. My Titans have had ups and downs, but even when they're down I still watch. I'll even be recording the preseason games when they show up on NFL Network and watch those.

[Grover]

I might just be having Steeler Fan fatigue.

Plenty of room on the Bengals bandwagon.

[jeff061]

My love for the NFL has killed my love for other sports. They just can't compare.

Granted I'm lucky to enjoy some success with my home team.

[Lathum]

The numbers indicate that Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith are our foremost authorities on sports.

Numbers are shit.

Unless you are the NFL charging massive amount for ad revenue.

Hating on ESPN is the sports version of being a hipster.

[Blackadar]

I dare you to play one series in the NFL and then come back here and talk about how they continue to "sissify" the sport.

The game is still plenty phsyical if not down right brual at times.

Ok, hook me up! Shit, they can pay me the rookie minimum game check too. The game isn't nearly as brutal as it was just 10 years ago. The athletes are bigger and stronger, but the hits and rules aren't what they were. Then again, I'm old enough to remember hits like Atkinson cold-cocking Swann in the 70s and the head-slap. There's nothing int he NFL like that today.

You realize that you don't come across as a tough guy, just a fool, when you say stuff like this right?

I think the game has been adversely impacted by some of the knee-jerk and inconsistent rules in the name of "player safety" all the while ignoring larger issues (like equipment quality, fairness, physics and defender safety). When the game is turned into a track meet that favors the offense, it's not nearly as entertaining.

So fuck off.

[larrymcg421]

You realize that you don't come across as a tough guy, just a fool, when you say stuff like this right?

I'd love to see what would've happened if one of these "tough" players from yesteryear had to take a hit from a 250 lb. guy running a 4.3 40.

[Logan]

I think the game has been adversely impacted by some of the knee-jerk and inconsistent rules in the name of "player safety" all the while ignoring larger issues (like equipment quality, fairness, physics and defender safety). When the game is turned into a track meet that favors the offense, it's not nearly as entertaining.

So fuck off.

Uh oh...he went "bold" on me.

[Blackadar]

Uh oh...he went "bold" on me.

And you went full retard.

You never go full retard.

[chadritt]

Then again, I'm old enough to remember hits like Atkinson cold-cocking Swann in the 70s and the head-slap. There's nothing int he NFL like that today.


Correct me if im wrong, it was before my time, but are you referring to the hit to his head that happened away from the play and knocked him unconscious and kept him out for weeks? Because Im pretty happy that theres nothing like that in the NFL today.

[Lathum]

Correct me if im wrong, it was before my time, but are you referring to the hit to his head that happened away from the play and knocked him unconscious and kept him our for weeks? Because Im pretty happy that theres nothing like that in the NFL today.

This.

The last thing I want to see is someone getting carted off the field while James Harrison foams at the mouth.

[BillJasper]

I think the other thing that bothers me is that no one seems to know what a catch is? And this has been going on for more than a decade now.

[RomaGoth]

Bingo. I haven't seen Skip Bayless or Stephen A. Smith in months.

Man, how I envy you. :(

[sabotai]

I had trouble really getting into the NFL last season. Not watching ESPN and their all-Tebow-all-the-time coverage and their nonstop, annoying catchphrases helped a bit. And oh by the way, STOP SAYING THAT!

But even during the Giants' Super Bowl run, I wasn't nearly as into it as I was for their previous run.

[cartman]

Speaking of Bayless, Mark Cuban put a smack down on him in person.

Mark Cuban Video: Destroys Skip Bayless On ESPN First Take : Court Crusades (http://www.rantsports.com/courtcrusades/2012/06/22/mark-cuban-debates-skip-bayless-on-espn-first-take-makes-him-look-ridiculous/)

[Blackadar]

Correct me if im wrong, it was before my time, but are you referring to the hit to his head that happened away from the play and knocked him unconscious and kept him out for weeks? Because Im pretty happy that theres nothing like that in the NFL today.

I am too, but there's a point that the game is lessened in trying to reduce "violence". Football is a violent game and there has to be some inherent understanding of that. It's like trying to reduce contact in boxing. There ain't but so much you can do.

While Lathum talks about James Harrison "foaming at the mouth", let's use an example from last year. The hit on Colt McCoy was legal just before it took place (McCoy was a runner at that point) and he leads with his arms, not his head. But ok, it's illegal because the result was head-to-head contact. Yet two weeks later Harrison's eye socket is broken from head-to-head contact initiated by an offensive lineman who leads with his head while blocking Harrison in open space. No penalty, no fine. Why? Because that's legal. Inconsistent. Unfair. Absurd.

That's the kind of shit that will make me turn off the sport. As the year went on, defenders were diving out of the way trying to avoid contact, while receivers were ducking their heads trying to instigate it. You could see it in every NFL game. Why is it only one player (QB) can't be hit below the waist but a defender can be cut blocked all day long?

I have zero problem with making rules in the interest of player safety so long as:

1. Rules are made and applied consistently to protect everyone.
2. Rules are made to keep the game level between offense and defense.
3. Rules don't take away from the intensity of the game.

Some of the recent rules meet none of those criteria - it's about image and protecting the glamour players. As a hardcore fan, that sucks IMO. That's what I'm talking about when I mention the "sissification" of the NFL.

---

And a couple of you are so quick to HURR DURR TOUGH GUY HEHEH you don't even get the point of the post.

Would I play in an NFL game if I had the chance? Fuck yes. Not because I think I'd be effective. I wouldn't be. I didn't win the genetic lottery. While I'm a big guy (48" chest), I'm not their size. I can't deadlift 600 pounds. My 40 times last week (because I coach football practice and run the drills myself) were between 5.8 and 6.1 seconds, not 4.5 seconds. My best sport was boxing, but I was nothing more than a fairly slow Super Middleweight with a decent chin. I'm not in their league and I'm far older than any player in the league But I'd give my left nut to run out on that field in a real NFL game. It has nothing to do with being a tough guy. It has everything to do with the realization of a dream, even if I know that I wouldn't be an effective (or even competitive) player.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Speaking of Bayless, Mark Cuban put a smack down on him in person.

Mark Cuban Video: Destroys Skip Bayless On ESPN First Take : Court Crusades (http://www.rantsports.com/courtcrusades/2012/06/22/mark-cuban-debates-skip-bayless-on-espn-first-take-makes-him-look-ridiculous/)

That was quite excellent. Thanks for sharing!

[Logan]

I am too, but there's a point that the game is lessened in trying to reduce "violence". Football is a violent game and there has to be some inherent understanding of that. It's like trying to reduce contact in boxing. There ain't but so much you can do.

While Lathum talks about James Harrison "foaming at the mouth", let's use an example from last year. The hit on Colt McCoy was legal just before it took place (McCoy was a runner at that point) and he leads with his arms, not his head. But ok, it's illegal because the result was head-to-head contact. Yet two weeks later Harrison's eye socket is broken from head-to-head contact initiated by an offensive lineman who leads with his head while blocking Harrison in open space. No penalty, no fine. Why? Because that's legal. Inconsistent. Unfair. Absurd.

That's the kind of shit that will make me turn off the sport. As the year went on, defenders were diving out of the way trying to avoid contact, while receivers were ducking their heads trying to instigate it. You could see it in every NFL game. Why is it only one player (QB) can't be hit below the waist but a defender can be cut blocked all day long?

I have zero problem with making rules in the interest of player safety so long as:

1. Rules are made and applied consistently to protect everyone.
2. Rules are made to keep the game level between offense and defense.
3. Rules don't take away from the intensity of the game.

Some of the recent rules meet none of those criteria - it's about image and protecting the glamour players. As a hardcore fan, that sucks IMO. That's what I'm talking about when I mention the "sissification" of the NFL.

---

And a couple of you are so quick to HURR DURR TOUGH GUY HEHEH you don't even get the point of the post.

Would I play in an NFL game if I had the chance? Fuck yes. Not because I think I'd be effective. I wouldn't be. I didn't win the genetic lottery. While I'm a big guy (48" chest), I'm not their size. I can't deadlift 600 pounds. My 40 times last week (because I coach football practice and run the drills myself) were between 5.8 and 6.1 seconds, not 4.5 seconds. My best sport was boxing, but I was nothing more than a fairly slow Super Middleweight with a decent chin. I'm not in their league and I'm far older than any player in the league But I'd give my left nut to run out on that field in a real NFL game. It has nothing to do with being a tough guy. It has everything to do with the realization of a dream, even if I know that I wouldn't be an effective

Please point me to the rule where there is a distinction made between offense/defense.

What ways do you think the NFL can improve player safety when it comes to "physics"? Besides how they've already banned the wedge so guys aren't running full speed into walls (something that, if kept, would benefit the offense...which you claim is all the league cares about).

[Blackadar]

Please point me to the rule where there is a distinction made between offense/defense.

I already did.

(FYI, there's thousands of rules in the NFL rulebook. Almost all of them have a distinction between offense and defense. Duh.)

[sabotai]

I am too, but there's a point that the game is lessened in trying to reduce "violence". Football is a violent game and there has to be some inherent understanding of that. It's like trying to reduce contact in boxing. There ain't but so much you can do.

I can just imagine the cries of "sissification" that must have occurred when boxing outlawed the rabbit punch, or made the rule that boxers must go to a neutral corner on a knockdown.

[Crapshoot]

You realize that you don't come across as a tough guy, just a fool, when you say stuff like this right?

"". Anytime anyone gets on of the "men were men" or "they aren't tough enough" schpiels...

[Logan]

I already did.

(FYI, there's thousands of rules in the NFL rulebook. Almost all of them have a distinction between offense and defense. Duh.)

Did you? Maybe you can cite it one more time.

Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8 (Unnecessary roughness) in the NFL rulebook

(f) If a player uses any part of his helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/”hairline” parts) or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily. Although such violent or unnecessary use of the helmet and facemask is impermissible against any opponent, game

Feel free to bold the offense/defense distinction.

[DanGarion]

Is this a new game for consoles coming out this year?

[DougW]

Speaking of Bayless, Mark Cuban put a smack down on him in person.

Mark Cuban Video: Destroys Skip Bayless On ESPN First Take : Court Crusades (http://www.rantsports.com/courtcrusades/2012/06/22/mark-cuban-debates-skip-bayless-on-espn-first-take-makes-him-look-ridiculous/)

Haha, good stuff. Thx

[Danny]

I love it just as much, despite being a Raiders fan lol. I usually watch all day Sunday, but not much Monday or Thursday.

[bronconick]

Not gonna lie.

I hate Thursday night NFL football.

Absolutely borks my fantasy football habits, I've gotten used to college if I'm going to bother watching on a Thursday night, and I can't imagine a scenario where I'm ever going to pay enough for TV to get NFL network where it's usually stashed in the sports tier, honestly. I barely justify keeping the lowest # of channels as is.

[stevew]

Plenty of room on the Bengals bandwagon.

Isn't it a paddywagon?

[stevew]

And you went full retard.

You never go full retard.

What do you mean "you people?"

[stevew]

I think I'm done with traditional fantasy football. I wouldn't mind playing some sort of modified week to week game however.

[Danny]

Not gonna lie.

I hate Thursday night NFL football.

Absolutely borks my fantasy football habits, I've gotten used to college if I'm going to bother watching on a Thursday night, and I can't imagine a scenario where I'm ever going to pay enough for TV to get NFL network where it's usually stashed in the sports tier, honestly. I barely justify keeping the lowest # of channels as is.

I agree, I love the NFL on Sunday, but I hate it during the week on thursdays. One of the things I've always loved about the sport is how all the games are on Sunday and then that's it (except for MNF) until the following week.

[Lathum]

I think I'm done with traditional fantasy football. I wouldn't mind playing some sort of modified week to week game however.

Draftstreet FTW

[stevew]

Thx, I couldn't remember the name of that site.

[Senator]

Interesting perspectives. I have been a football addict since birth. The other sports are barely on my radar. When I was growing up, you watched Sunday games, and then Howard Cosell on MNF to hear how the other games went.

Nowadays, I have football practice on Monday, Wed, and Thursdays nights after work. Then I coach with my brothers team on Friday nights. Then Saturday is game day for my son and the team I coach, which eats up most of the day. Then after church Sunday, I do family stuff, and watch the Dallas game on DVR cutting out all the commercials. And that's it. I might catch a Tebow game if he's starting, but the rest I catch up with on a sports page.

I can honestly say I have never watched the Smith and Bayless show. I don't know what happens on the pregame shows at all. Maybe I am missing something, but it doesn't feel like it.

But still like the game, but enjoy my meager participation in it light years more than being an observer.

[RainMaker]

I cut back on it over the years. Still a fan, still do fantasy football, but I don't watch as much as I used to. Part of it I think is just too much exposure, but part of it is also not being a fan of what the NFL game has become. It's arena football now and has become less and less a team sport and more and more about who your QB is.

[Blackadar]

Did you? Maybe you can cite it one more time

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/15_Rule12_Player_Conduct.pdf

Gee, notice the many pages where it says "offense" or "defense". Wow! Different rules! OMG! Heaven forbid!

[Apathetic Lurker]

I burned out about 15 years ago. I basically went from knowing who the 5th string bench warmers were on every team down to watching about 30 minutes a season. Now I have moved back into the casual fan who watches but refuses to buy NFL crap. But I do have 4 ff teams running. So I watch but gave up my fanatasism....

[ColtCrazy]

For me, it depends.

My enjoyment of the Colts hasn't diminished. Heck, with Manning we saw the best football I'd seen since I started attending games. And Luck has given me some optimism about the future. Still love Colts football and I will pay attention to Manning in Denver.

But it used to be that I could sit an watch a matchup of any two teams. Now, it's only particular match ups that interest me. Packers, Giants, Saints, Lions, a few others. If they play each other, I'll watch. Still follow standings, stats and the like and enjoy all the postseason games.

[Crapshoot]

Interesting perspectives. I have been a football addict since birth. The other sports are barely on my radar. When I was growing up, you watched Sunday games, and then Howard Cosell on MNF to hear how the other games went.

Nowadays, I have football practice on Monday, Wed, and Thursdays nights after work. Then I coach with my brothers team on Friday nights. Then Saturday is game day for my son and the team I coach, which eats up most of the day. Then after church Sunday, I do family stuff, and watch the Dallas game on DVR cutting out all the commercials. And that's it. I might catch a Tebow game if he's starting, but the rest I catch up with on a sports page.

I can honestly say I have never watched the Smith and Bayless show. I don't know what happens on the pregame shows at all. Maybe I am missing something, but it doesn't feel like it.

But still like the game, but enjoy my meager participation in it light years more than being an observer.

Wow. Do you have a 40 hr a week job (in which case this stuff makes some sense) or something else? That seems like a heck of a lot of football!

[Sweed]

Been watching since 1969 and yeah I am pretty much burnt out. Usually have games on in the background on Sundays and will watch some prime matchups. If my Rams are on I will watch but that is rare.

My dissatisfaction started with replay coming into the game, though I will admit when first brought up "everyone" was for it. It all sounded so innocent, lets just get the call right. Team A lost because it either was or wasn't a fumble. Sounded great to everyone and then it devolved into the minutia of "what is a catch?", the "tuck rule", "football move"(comes and goes, is it still in the game?) and what appears to me to be "lets just make it up on the fly":(. I have enjoyed the start of many games up to the point where a review comes in. Delay and a lot of replays watched from different angles only to have the ref come back out and still get the call wrong. Consider too that this isn't because my Rams are getting screwed I hardly see them play. It drives me nuts no matter who is playing or who is getting screwed.

Just my opinion on replay but here it is...
Even with replay we still have to live with human error. Team A can still win\lose because of it. And the great part is they may lose because while play #1 was reviewable and they lost a TD, play #2 was not reviewable and their opponent kept a possession that they shouldn't have and scored the game winning FG or TD. The argument "we want to get the calls right" is fine except you can't get all of the calls right because some can be reviewed and others can't. So in the end I'd I'd rather just live with human error and move on. I hope baseball never goes down this slippery slope.

Like some others here I have found the English Premier League and really enjoy soccer. Maybe its because after 40+ years of football soccer is something new? I suppose that is part of it but not all of it. As a comparison baseball has only grown stronger for me while football has faded so it is not just the length of time watching the league.

[BillJasper]

Been watching since 1969 and yeah I am pretty much burnt out. Usually have games on in the background on Sundays and will watch some prime matchups. If my Rams are on I will watch but that is rare.

Wow. You started watching two years before I was born. :D



My dissatisfaction started with replay coming into the game, though I will admit when first brought up "everyone" was for it. It all sounded so innocent, lets just get the call right. Team A lost because it either was or wasn't a fumble. Sounded great to everyone and then it devolved into the minutia of "what is a catch?", the "tuck rule", "football move"(comes and goes, is it still in the game?) and what appears to me to be "lets just make it up on the fly":(. I have enjoyed the start of many games up to the point where a review comes in. Delay and a lot of replays watched from different angles only to have the ref come back out and still get the call wrong. Consider too that this isn't because my Rams are getting screwed I hardly see them play. It drives me nuts no matter who is playing or who is getting screwed.

Just my opinion on replay but here it is...
Even with replay we still have to live with human error. Team A can still win\lose because of it. And the great part is they may lose because while play #1 was reviewable and they lost a TD, play #2 was not reviewable and their opponent kept a possession that they shouldn't have and scored the game winning FG or TD. The argument "we want to get the calls right" is fine except you can't get all of the calls right because some can be reviewed and others can't. So in the end I'd I'd rather just live with human error and move on. I hope baseball never goes down this slippery slope.



I definitely agree with your analysis of replay.

[jeff061]

Hated replay when it was first introduced. Hate it now.

[sabotai]

I'll just throw out a dissenting voice and say I love replay. Even though they can't get everything right, and sometimes they still get it wrong, they usually get it right and "only" fixing 80% of bad calls is no reason to go back to fixing 0% of bad calls.

[Sweed]

Wow. You started watching two years before I was born. :D


That just means you are getting old too:)

[DaddyTorgo]

Replay is fine.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Every time I see this thread at the top of the page, I think NFL Burnout is the name of a new Xbox game.

[RendeR]

Hating on ESPN is the sports version of being a hipster.




This is horseshit.


Espn has sucked for a solid decade.The only time its ever on in my home is when there isn't even a good 1950's black n white film on worth using as background noise.

Their reporting has been crap for longer than a decade. The personalities that made ESPN worth watching are now so full of themselves that its hard to breath in MY house when they're on the screen for them sucking the life out of the universe.


hating on ESPN is not a hipster trend, its a reality check dating back to the previous millennium.

[gstelmack]

Replay is fine.

Once high definition slow-mo replays to the home audience came into being, replay was inevitable.

The only real damage I think it's done is the elimination of the "tie goes to the runner" rule in baseball, because there are no more ties.

[cuervo72]

Hating on ESPN is the sports version of being a hipster.

Does that make loving on ESPN the sports version of being a dudebro?

Interesting perspectives. I have been a football addict since birth. The other sports are barely on my radar. When I was growing up, you watched Sunday games, and then Howard Cosell on MNF to hear how the other games went.

Nowadays, I have football practice on Monday, Wed, and Thursdays nights after work. Then I coach with my brothers team on Friday nights. Then Saturday is game day for my son and the team I coach, which eats up most of the day. Then after church Sunday, I do family stuff, and watch the Dallas game on DVR cutting out all the commercials. And that's it. I might catch a Tebow game if he's starting, but the rest I catch up with on a sports page.

I can honestly say I have never watched the Smith and Bayless show. I don't know what happens on the pregame shows at all. Maybe I am missing something, but it doesn't feel like it.

But still like the game, but enjoy my meager participation in it light years more than being an observer.

Ditto on the first paragraph (I loved those halftime recaps - when I could stay up for them). As far as today goes, I do digest more NFL programming than that, but mostly in the form of games. I haven't watched pregame shows for years (either we are going to church/lunch, or doing something else). I would watch Primetime when that was still on ESPN leading into SNF, but alas, it no longer is. I really don't watch ESPN otherwise, and I don't watch much on the NFLN. I don't need to see Rich Eisen and Co. go over the same headlines time after time after time (if they played more old NFL Films stuff instead, I'd probably watch some).

I'll watch 1-3 games on Sun, MNF (though these games have been lacking the past few seasons) and TNF when I remember.

Oh, other sports. I pay little attention to the NBA, have no rooting interest for NCAA football, haven't kept up with hockey. I'm starting to tune back into MLB, but it's been quite a while since I regularly paid attention to it.

[sabotai]

Does that make loving on ESPN the sports version of being a dudebro?

Nah, loving ESPN is the sports version of being a Nickelback fan.

[Senator]

Wow. Do you have a 40 hr a week job (in which case this stuff makes some sense) or something else? That seems like a heck of a lot of football!

Yes, I get there early. I also have some franchises that supplement me enough to do this stuff for fun and for free.

[Julio Riddols]

ESPN stopped being good when ESPN2 happened.

[stevew]

I'm really tired of this Saints story. I don't really see the justification of suspending Vilma for a whole season, however, I don't feel particularly bad for that asshat.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hating on ESPN is the sports version of being a hipster.

I love it how whenever anyone says that hate or dislike something that is very popular, like ESPN, "Two and a Half Men", or whatever, that person can be so easily dismissed as "being a hipster."

Fuck off with all that noise. Not you personally, Lathum, but just the whole general notion.