Is an NFL 18-Game Schedule Inevitable?
by Mike Mueller on Jul 14, 2010 11:00 AM CDT
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PrintTalk of an upcoming labor impasse and NFL player lockout by the owners has increased this offseason. Both sides are doing a lot of posturing, finger-pointing, and media games. Of course, money is at the center of everything sports related these days. The union wants a bigger piece of the pie; the owners love it & loathe to give up more of it. John Lopez of SI.com writes about an 18-game season being the solution for both parties.
More regular season games = more revenue...what could go wrong (or right)?
So what's the problem? Why isn't everyone hopping onboard, celebrating an easy agreement and counting up the billions of reasons the NFL is the best sports league on the planet? Three issues, of course, continue to simmer as stumbling blocks.
• The potential for more injuries.
• A watered down product.
• Less time to develop young talent -- specifically quarterbacks.
Obviously when you play more games, it will take a toll on players' bodies. Many a season has been lost to injuries to star players. Would the Bears have repeated in '86 if McMahon stayed healthy? Would the Bears have won in '06 with a healthy Tommie Harris?
To expand on the last point about quarterbacks: the 4 preseason games allow for a Caleb Hanie and a Dan LeFevour to get live action against real defenses looking to knock their heads off instead of pulling up 'cause the QB has the red jersey on. QB's can only develop so much when they KNOW they won't get hit or hurt in practice. By taking away preseason games, they won't see that development.
This argument can also be applied to all young players, mid to late round draftees, and unsigned players looking to crack an NFL roster. If they can't see live action, how can you evaluate them properly?
Step one: Instead of eliminating just two preseason games, eliminate all of them. Play 18 games in 19 weeks, beginning on Labor Day weekend.
Step two: Replace Organized Team Activities with a short-season, eight-team developmental league for young players and backups, similar to the NBA's Developmental League.
Whoa...spring football? Now you're talking!
But a spring-league TV deal would more than make up for lost preseason revenue. Young players would make a little extra scratch. Coaches could better evaluate players. And it would be more interesting, too, particularly if the eight teams' rosters are divided by divisions.
That is, over a four- or five-week spring season, the AFC East would play the AFC West, AFC South and AFC North D-league teams. Likewise, in the NFC. The season would be capped by a one- or two-week playoff among some of the young NFL hopefuls and developing quarterbacks.
I don't think this spring football proposal is even remotely on the owners' or unions' minds right now, but I like it. NFL Europe was a nice way for teams to develop players, but it was not profitable...at all. Having spring football in 8 markets that don't have NFL football now, would also expand the fan base. Think of teams in Milwaukee for the NFC North squad, Memphis for the AFC South, Las Vegas, Orlando, LA, Anaheim, Portland, Hartford, San Antonio, etc.
Obviously, an 18-game schedule is gaining momentum. There would be more money for everyone involved. Complaints about the meaningless 4 preseason games are getting louder. How will it all shake out? I'll keep my fingers crossed that cooler heads will prevail and all of us will see NFL football in 2011 & beyond.
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Spring football?
Who decides which young QB plays on these co-op teams. How pissed would Bears fans be if the NFC North team started the young Packer QB over the young Bears QB?
An 18 game schedule is a terrible idea. Add 1 more week of ad revenue by adding 1 more bye week so each team has 2 byes… an 18 week season, but still 16 games. And that extra week could help some injured players recover.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 14, 2010 11:13 AM CDT reply actions
I don't like the division breakdown of teams either. But...
with rosters of 80 for each team now, that’s 23 players per team who won’t make it come September. This leads me to believe they could probably field 16 teams instead of just 8. Pair up 1 NFC & 1 AFC team together so you don’t get division rivals on the same teams (say Chicago w Indy or Cleveland or Cincy, StL w KC, TB w Mia, Atl w Jax, Was w Balt, etc.). Then 1 team picks the QB (or any position really) 1 year, and then the other partner team gets that slot the following year.
It’s a crazy idea with very little chance of happening; however, it’s better than no football in 2011.
by Mike Mueller on Jul 14, 2010 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
Screw the millionaires/ billionaires
Add 2 games and cut ticket prices!
Or charge $5 a beer instead or $8/ $10
Will they do it, NO. Was it worth a try, YES.
Sorry my commenting on people making millions and still complaining offended your sensitive ears.
Here's my idea
Go to 18 games, but make it a rule that players can only play in 16 (regular season). So even Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have to take 2 games off each season. Players would have to like it, since they actually would play in 2 fewer games per year (if there are only two pre-season games.) This might “water” some games down a bit, but it would also make things pretty interesting.
It is of perhaps interest that our human genetic code is constructed by the exact same four nucleotides as every other form of life on the planet.
My Stroke Of Insight, by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
Since the majority of the game day roster plays in each game
How big will they need the rosters to be?
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 14, 2010 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Would the rosters need to be bigger?
Since 8 of the 53 are inactive for every game anyway, I’m not sure the rosters would have to be enlarged. But it might be OK to do so anyway – the NFLPA would love it, since more jobs is a big part of their agenda.. I’d propose enlarging the rosters by a few, after the initial cutdown to 53, to preserve the parity thing.
It is of perhaps interest that our human genetic code is constructed by the exact same four nucleotides as every other form of life on the planet.
My Stroke Of Insight, by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
Considering how many players play in each game
I’d guess that only about 5 or 6 players each week don’t see the field
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 15, 2010 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions
But
Every game, 8 players (of the 53 man roster) are declared inactive and don’t even suit up.
It is of perhaps interest that our human genetic code is constructed by the exact same four nucleotides as every other form of life on the planet.
My Stroke Of Insight, by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
Yes but if all your players can only play in 16 games
and you use about 40 every single week on offense, defense, and all the backups that play special teams, you’d need about 80 players on hand to ensure enough fresh faces for those 2 weeks
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 15, 2010 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I wonder how that would affect
career starts and things like that
He's a 300-pound man who moves like a defensive back. That's what you're dealing with." — Bears coach Lovie Smith on DE Julius Peppers
by BearNecessities on Jul 15, 2010 4:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Teams can't get through a 16 game season
Adding two games where players will risk being injured is a bad idea imo. The nfl doen’t make enough money??
Since the face been revealed the game got real
by BL3ACH on Jul 14, 2010 11:49 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
18 is better!
An 18 game season is deffinitely better than a 16 game season. Fans get more games to watch, players make for $, owners make more $, advertisers make more $, . . .
If players are scared to get hurt, then they’re in the wrong profession!
The National Rugby League plays a 24 game regular season, and their players play offense & defense, and have no padding (and the players make a small fraction of what the NFL players make)!
by MakeHalasProud on Jul 14, 2010 12:42 PM CDT reply actions
Woot Woot!
Rugby!
"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton
Editor/Writer for WindyCityGridiron.com
by Ashley Czuba on Jul 14, 2010 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions
It’s even funnier if you know anything about rugby because I count three illegal things happening in that photo… :-D
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
"Fellas, what are they, unblockable? Is that the '85 Bears over there?" - overheard at Giants' '06 training camp
~~~ Check my profile for links for SB20 and America's Game: '85 Bears ~~~
I played in college
but it’s obvious what infractions are in those photos. I love the punch….lol.
Jeff from Cleveland wrote- I've figured out the moral of the story: Stay in school. Wade: 3 years at Marquette, Bosh: 1 year at Georgia Tech, the kid from Akron: no college. The most educated guy convinced his dumber friends to come play on his team for less money.
Does this mean
Directv will raise the price on the NFL ticket from rediculous to absurd? Most undoubtedly.
Jeff from Cleveland wrote- I've figured out the moral of the story: Stay in school. Wade: 3 years at Marquette, Bosh: 1 year at Georgia Tech, the kid from Akron: no college. The most educated guy convinced his dumber friends to come play on his team for less money.
by propheteer on Jul 14, 2010 1:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
18 game season
Great idea. I don’t know how you’d evaluate the young kids, but I’m definitely on the side of more football. It would be devastating to the sports world not to have the NFL. There was a good article in the Sporting News NFL preview and much of it centered on the idea of using replacements like in ’87.
devastating to the sports world
Hailing as I do from another part of the world, you might want to redefine “sports world” a little there…..
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
"Fellas, what are they, unblockable? Is that the '85 Bears over there?" - overheard at Giants' '06 training camp
~~~ Check my profile for links for SB20 and America's Game: '85 Bears ~~~
This here's AMERIKA!!
We done go and define us wut’s wut? Durned Brit…
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
I remain a pessimistically hopeful Bears fan.
redefine "sports world"
Don’t you know there is nothing outside of the US that matters??? It’s not like anyone would rather watch soccer. Not really much of a sport.
Ladies and Gentlemen I want you to put your hands together for the David Taylor Soccer Rant!!!!!!!
If Mike Ditka punched you in the face, you'd have to fight off the urge to thank him.
by Ditkavsworld on Jul 15, 2010 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
The only thing that makes me nervous
about the developmental league is that I think it could be abused. Instead of being just a way for coaches to see the talent and the players to show off what they can do – I feel it would turn into a points-driven deal where the coaches would worry too much about winning and only put in “top” developmental players, etc. which would defeat the purpose. (I think I made sense there… it did in my head… hahaha)
"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton
Editor/Writer for WindyCityGridiron.com
Why?
Greed and Accomodation is the only reason for an 18 game season.
I get a kick out of
Players outcry of “this is absurd” while considering 18 games and 4 pre-season
Yet MLB plays plays 162 and up to 30 exhibition (pre-season)
And before the football has more wear than baseball gang comes calling… I admit there is more contact in football, lots more but the wear and tear of having a game everyday/ every other day has to be considered.
If a beer league softball player
can play 4 games a night 4 nights a week, I think the “athletes” in baseball are gonna be fine with the exertion of baseball.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 15, 2010 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions
In that reasoning
If a weekend football player such as myself could play 25 games, then the “athletes” should be able too?
Baseball players take a fraction of the wear and tear of any other sport
It’s not even close. Some games baseball players don’t even break a sweat.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 15, 2010 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
True
But doing something 10x more than the other is going to have some wear.
I don’t care if it is something as simple as walking steps. Have a person do it 10 times and another do it 100 times, there will wear. But back to what I originally said, “I admit there is more contact in football, lots more”.
I just feel that the players “outcry” about 16 vrs. 18 games when other sports professionals do something 10 times more is a bit foolish. Yes, they will want more money and yes so will the owners/franchises but to come out with such opposition before anything is even being seriously discussed seems foolish.
as it is it's rare for players to play all 16 games
And it’s their job… I have no problem with them wanting to keep their job at 16 games.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 15, 2010 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions
they said the same thing...
when they expanded to 14 games, and then again to 16 games. And I dont get the whole debate and trouble with the CBA. The players salaries are determined by a percentage of total league revenue, right? so the owners sa they are losing money and that revenue is down. so if revenue is down then the salaries go down too. If the league revenue goes up then the salaries go up. More games = more money for everyone. More games will lead to larger rosters. larger roster means less money to go around, which will lead to a drop in average salary amount. That is why players are against a longer season, it has nothing to do with wear and tear. And pretty much every player hates pre-season.
CFL experience
The CFL dropped two preseason games and added two regular season games. The effect was the game play for the first couple of games of the regular season is spotty at best.
Extra regular season games will mean a poorer product and shorter careers for some players (they take a beating as it is without extra games added in).
How do I break it to the cat that since he has been declawed, the rabbit he sees in our backyard would kick his sorry butt?
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Jul 16, 2010 12:03 AM CDT reply actions
good point
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 16, 2010 8:57 AM CDT up reply actions
I've already said I don't like the idea of an 18 game season
The quality of the game will go down, there will be more injuries, shorter careers, and some of the young guys will hardly get any time to play in the Preseason.
I’d love to have more football, but I don’t think this idea will work.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad. And don't switch to whichever team wins the Super Bowl each year.
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