There Are Two Too Many NFL Preseason Games - @Kevin_Payne
by KevinPayne on Mar 11, 2010 9:24 AM CST
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I'm still runnin' my eyes over the questions you guys left me last week, and I've found another I wanna respond to. This one comes "JackHammerBM." He asks...
"Hey Kevin. I have a question about the possible addition of 2 more regular season games & subtraction of 2 pre-season games. Just curious to hear it from an NFL players perspective. How do you feel about that?"
Preseason games present coaches with the perfect opportunity to evaluate players and determine which ones will be able to have the biggest impact on the team's pursuit of a winning season. So, from a coaches standpoint, yeah... I'm sure they'd love to continue having four games, instead of two. Granted, I can't speak for all the coaches, on that front, but I think it's safe to assume that they'd want to hold onto them.
Personally, though -- as a player -- I'd absolutely love to see the NFL add two games to the regular season schedule, and here's why...
Not everyone realizes this, but playing in preseason games pays less than regular season games do. And - I'm sure we can all agree on this - who doesn't wanna get paid? It doesn't matter whether or not those two games appear on the regular season schedule or the preseason schedule, we're still going to go out there and play our hearts out, no matter what. Personally, and I can't speak for everyone else in the NFL, but I play preseason games with the same intensity as a reg season game, so -- obviously -- I'd like to be compensated accordingly for the effort I put into them.
And, like I said above, no matter whether these two games under consideration come during the preseason or regular season, we're still going to play the same amount games over the course of our year. And for people, like myself, who put their all into preseason contests, you take a huge risk in potentially injuring yourself in a game that doesn't even go towards your win/loss record. I know a lot of players who have gotten hurt and wound up on the DL for the entire year, because of an unfortunate play in a preseason game. And when this happens, your season not only suffers on a personal level, but it also hurts your team, as a whole.
So -- JackHammer -- yeah, man -- I wanna tack on an extra two to the regular season. We're already out there on the field grindin' and bullying our bodies, so let's go ahead and make it to where our efforts actually count for something.
(JackHammer... Email me a secret phrase and your mailing address to KevinPayneNFL at G Mail dot com, and then type that same phrase in your SBNation profile's "About Me" section. I'll match them up to verify you, so I can mail an autograph your way. Thanks, man.)
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Thanks bro
Thanks for the brutally honest answer. I agree—there’s no way you’re going to play less games, so the ones you do play might as well carry their weight.
Do you think they should be extra conference games? One NFC and ONE AFC?
I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule. -Randal Graves
Writer at windycitygridiron.com -/-I http://www.twitter.com/kdoggers
i agree
2 or 3 preseason games and yes u can do that bring back the bears/bucs rivialery. ahhh the days of the nfc central
as long as we host them
if memory serves me right, the bucs were something horrible whenever they played in below-freezing weather
by Steve Ronkowski on Mar 11, 2010 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
Thy're terrible in above-freezing temps too.
At least last year.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Yes! Please, please, please come to Tampa every year!
The last game I got to attend was the end of the Mighty Quinn and the beginning of the short-lived Craig Krenzl era. Guh. First play of the game was a screen (surprise) to Thomas Jones, who promptly broke it for 70+ yards and a TD. It was negated by everyone’s favorite 1st round receiver, David Terrell, who decided to make a blatant and completely unnecessary hold, since it was nowhere near the actual play. Goddamn Wolverines.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
my god
a quinn reference. my eyes!!
worst qb that i can remember seeing play at a professional level.
by reefermadness3 on Mar 19, 2010 8:02 AM CDT up reply actions
We could have a little fun with this:
Email me a secret phrase and your mailing address to KevinPayneNFL at G Mail dot com, and then type that same phrase in your SBNation profile’s “About Me” section.
And the password is...
Droppopotamus.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
I agree, I want to get paid!!!
I wouldn’t mind seeing 2 more games, more chances to watch the whole team play for the whole game. I totally understand guys getting hurt in preseason, any time that happens I feel for that guy. I know you are a true professional but it does have to be somewhat difficult to get yourself up for a game that means nothing. How do you mentally prepare yourself before a game?
And thank you for playing hard all the time.
Just call me Mr. 3000.
True
But that’s only a small portion of the team that is trying to make their way onto the roster. Everyone else is just biding their time for the regular season
It's also a good time for established players to have their season ended
by unproven players looking to make a name for themselves. It also leads to fans and media-tards and grumbling through the season that “We need to play so-and-so because he looked really good for two minutes in the second pre-season game.”
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Of course there are.
But I think those players can usually be found in camp, practice, and scrimmages, not just in preseason games.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
OK but...
are two preseason games enough to evaluate talent in a “live” setting? By adding two regular season games would that encourage a dominant team that has clinched a playoff spot to rest their starters, such as ’09 Colts, for even more games?
It seems to me that more regular season games increases the chance of injury to the starters because they would be on the field more than they would in preseason games.
Thanks for posting! It’s so cool having you stop by. We really appreciate you layin’ it out there for us, on the field and off!
"More cowbell" - Bruce Dickinson
"More bell cow" - Lovie Smith
you have to work in punishing that
injuries are an unfortnate part of football, some will agree with me, some won’t.
but tax the FA rights, or draft picks, the players wanna play, let em play
"If I were a food critic being asked to write about the meal and experience at Waffle House, I would provide a drawing of two happy fat people giving each other a high five."
by BearNecessities on Mar 11, 2010 11:49 AM CST up reply actions
I'm all for more regualr season games but...
ONLY if they are coupled with an expanded roster, say 58-60 players to help account for the increased injuries.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
I like that idea
Walter Payton lives on!!!
by monsterman34 on Mar 11, 2010 5:50 PM CST up reply actions
It'd also address in a way the fewer preseason games to evaluate talent...
With more slots on the roster you could eval more in practice, maybe even up the practice squad number by a slot or two as well.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
Sounds good
Two preseason, 18 regular season games. Add an extra bye week. You’re increasing regular season games by 1/8th so increasing the roster by that ratio bring us to an even 60 players. More openings for players should keep the union and agents from objecting too much.
One phrase sums it all up .......
………. FEWER PREASON GAMES !!!!!!!!!!!!!
by MidWayMonster54 on Mar 11, 2010 4:53 PM CST reply actions
KP..who did you grow up idolizing in the NFL?
I grew up watching and idolizing Walter “Sweetness” Payton. Like the overwhelming majority of Bears fans, he was my hero growing up. Well, him and my dad.
Walter Payton lives on!!!
Who I idolized as a kid..
Growing up as a kid I idolized Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders & Deion Sanders. I enjoyed all of their highlights, but what I really loved the most was their will to win.
If I have to $117 for each ticket for those
terrible preseason games then I would love to make them regular season games. At least I wouldn’t feel like I am wasting my money on that last game of preseason..
" We get off the bus running! What do you mean we are a passing team? you don't agree with how I do things? You're fired!"
- Lovie Smith-
I think it was
mentioned here before but wasn’t Knox on his way to getting cut before those final
preseason games last year?
if you're a vet yes its too many, for a rook, not enough
Once again, its all bout perspevtive …
Vets want more $ and less chance to hurt themselves. Makes sense to me
Rookies want as many chances to prove themselves and reach their dream of playing in the NFL on Sundays, to come true as possiable… Makes sense to me
Fans want meaningfull football so they want less preseason games, damn this makes sense too
I say keep the same amount of games but only play starters for a quater in games 1 & 2, and 3 quarters in game 3. Game four should be all about new guys getting a chance and 2 & 3rd stringers getting better with a little playing time. Much like it is but I would be very very stern about the pt for my starters. They have to be ready and it is football so injuries are part of it. However limiting exsposure to possible injuries is only smart
18 game season
Thanks for answering my question man. not sure what you mean by secret phrase but I’ll email you. Appreciate it.
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