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Is the NFL in decline?

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Rob said:
NFL has been on a decline for years now. Goodell has ruined this league. The rules on and off the field are terrible and seriously ruin the fun of the league and water it down to the point of boredom. There's no accountability. They protect certain franchises and don't give a shit about others. Goodell is essentially a dictator and an extremely shitty one at that. The NFL was so much better 10-15 years ago. I miss Tagliabue. If Cleveland didn't have a team I would not watch at all.
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Everyone in here has brought up some really good points, but this is what hits home for me the most. Goodell has ruined the NFL in so many ways. I'll just toss a list below of my issues...

  • THEY DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT A CATCH IS!!!
  • Inconsistent rulings on penalties/fines/suspensions - this goes with the terrible rules brought up by many and the No Fun League arguments whenever players exhibit any individualism (wearing different cleats) or celebrate a touchdown. It's a sport, for christ sakes, who cares. I miss the days of Chad Johnson holding up signs and TO throwing popcorn in his mouth.
  • Pussification of the league. Yeah, yeah I know it's a dangerous game and they want to make it safer, but I'm sorry... I miss the days of John Lynch and Sean Taylor laying mf'ers out. I miss "JACKED UP" segments on Monday Night Countdown. We're about 10 years away from these dudes wearing flags.
  • Bad fan experience at stadiums. Now, I can only use the Browns as a comparison, but they just dont go above and beyond on game days to make it feel like you're better off being AT the game versus watching from home. I enjoy going to Indians/Cavs games way more than Browns games and it really has nothing to do with the product on the field/court.
  • Multiple overseas games a year (London) with the idea of moving a team there. Hate this.
  • Moving the NFL draft from all day Saturday & Sunday to spread out over Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
  • Lack of parity. This is the biggest one for me. People always bring up "any given Sunday", and maybe on a week to week basis, but over 17 weeks? No way. There's a reason the Patriots, Broncos, Colts, Packers, Steelers, Ravens are always in the Super Bowl. It feels like you watch the same teams battle it out in the playoffs every year, especially in the AFC. It gets old and boring. Franchises like the Browns, Rams, Bills, Jags, Raiders, Lions, etc are pretty much irrelevant. It's always wash, rinse, repeat with the NFL. The MLB doesn't even have a salary cap and there's more parity as far as franchises not having the type of playoff droughts you see in the NFL. Almost half the teams in the NFL haven't even won a Super Bowl. 12 out of the last 13 Super Bowls have had Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Ben Roethlisberger in it. That says all you need to know. Even a franchise like the Colts loses Peyton Manning after a decade and a half of winning and they have ONE bad year and get Andrew Luck in return. Meanwhile, half the league has been searching for a QB for 20+ years. It's just bullshit.
These are just a few examples. I could come up with more if I had the time to really sit and think about it.

Agree with many others here too... if it wasn't for fantasy football it would be hard to have much interest in the league. I can sit and watch pretty much any random college football game (including all the early season bowl games with 6-6 teams that people bitch about) but for some reason I just can't sit and watch some random game between the Bears/Bills or Chiefs/Titans. I just could care less, and it didn't use to be that way.
 
TheLand1287 said:
Everyone in here has brought up some really good points, but this is what hits home for me the most. Goodell has ruined the NFL in so many ways. I'll just toss a list below of my issues...

  • THEY DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT A CATCH IS!!!
  • Inconsistent rulings on penalties/fines/suspensions - this goes with the terrible rules brought up by many and the No Fun League arguments whenever players exhibit any individualism (wearing different cleats) or celebrate a touchdown. It's a sport, for christ sakes, who cares. I miss the days of Chad Johnson holding up signs and TO throwing popcorn in his mouth.
  • Pussification of the league. Yeah, yeah I know it's a dangerous game and they want to make it safer, but I'm sorry... I miss the days of John Lynch and Sean Taylor laying mf'ers out. I miss "JACKED UP" segments on Monday Night Countdown. We're about 10 years away from these dudes wearing flags.
  • Bad fan experience at stadiums. Now, I can only use the Browns as a comparison, but they just dont go above and beyond on game days to make it feel like you're better off being AT the game versus watching from home. I enjoy going to Indians/Cavs games way more than Browns games and it really has nothing to do with the product on the field/court.
  • Multiple overseas games a year (London) with the idea of moving a team there. Hate this.
  • Moving the NFL draft from all day Saturday & Sunday to spread out over Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
  • Lack of parity. This is the biggest one for me. People always bring up "any given Sunday", and maybe on a week to week basis, but over 17 weeks? No way. There's a reason the Patriots, Broncos, Colts, Packers, Steelers, Ravens are always in the playoffs. It feels like you watch the same teams in the playoffs every year, especially in the AFC. It gets old and boring. Franchises like the Browns, Rams, Bills, Jags, Raiders, Lions, etc are pretty much irrelevant. It's always wash, rinse, repeat. MLB doesn't even have a cap and there's more parity as far as franchises not having the type of playoff droughts you see in the NFL. Almost half the teams in the NFL haven't even won a Super Bowl. 12 out of the last 13 Super Bowls have had Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Roethlisberger in it. That says all you need to know. Even a franchise like the Colts losses Peyton Manning after a decade and a half of winning and have ONE bad year and get Andrew Luck. Meanwhile, half the league has been searching for a QB for 20 years. It's just bullshit.
These are just a few examples. I could come up with more if I had the time to really sit and think about it.

Agree with many others here too... if it wasn't for fantasy football it would be hard to have much interest in the league. I can sit and watch pretty much any random college football game (including all the early season bowl games with 6-6 teams that people bitch about) but for some reason I just can't sit and watch some random game between the Bears/Bills or Chiefs/Titans. I just could care less, and it didn't use to be that way.
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How did I forget these? Great points, I miss my all day saturday/sunday beer, wings and pizza fest. Such a PITA that it's three days now.
 
I agree with pretty much everything written so far. For me, everything about Goodell is a huge negative first and foremost. Beyond that, the lack of accountability with officiating is a huge turn-off. When you know that every game could be decided by a horrific missed call and the head of officiating will defend that call, then you just start to get disillusioned.

Also, it doesn't help that almost every NFL team looks undisciplined, sloppy and just plain bad. We're going through what is (in my opinion) the most exciting college football season in a long time between Lamar Jackson, the UT vs ND game, Tennessee, Mich and OSU both running on all cylinders, etc etc. There's no question that a Saturday watching college football is way more entertaining right now than an NFL Sunday.
 
TheLand1287 said:
Everyone in here has brought up some really good points, but this is what hits home for me the most. Goodell has ruined the NFL in so many ways. I'll just toss a list below of my issues...

  • THEY DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT A CATCH IS!!!
  • Inconsistent rulings on penalties/fines/suspensions - this goes with the terrible rules brought up by many and the No Fun League arguments whenever players exhibit any individualism (wearing different cleats) or celebrate a touchdown. It's a sport, for christ sakes, who cares. I miss the days of Chad Johnson holding up signs and TO throwing popcorn in his mouth.
  • Pussification of the league. Yeah, yeah I know it's a dangerous game and they want to make it safer, but I'm sorry... I miss the days of John Lynch and Sean Taylor laying mf'ers out. I miss "JACKED UP" segments on Monday Night Countdown. We're about 10 years away from these dudes wearing flags.
  • Bad fan experience at stadiums. Now, I can only use the Browns as a comparison, but they just dont go above and beyond on game days to make it feel like you're better off being AT the game versus watching from home. I enjoy going to Indians/Cavs games way more than Browns games and it really has nothing to do with the product on the field/court.
  • Multiple overseas games a year (London) with the idea of moving a team there. Hate this.
  • Moving the NFL draft from all day Saturday & Sunday to spread out over Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
  • Lack of parity. This is the biggest one for me. People always bring up "any given Sunday", and maybe on a week to week basis, but over 17 weeks? No way. There's a reason the Patriots, Broncos, Colts, Packers, Steelers, Ravens are always in the Super Bowl. It feels like you watch the same teams battle it out in the playoffs every year, especially in the AFC. It gets old and boring. Franchises like the Browns, Rams, Bills, Jags, Raiders, Lions, etc are pretty much irrelevant. It's always wash, rinse, repeat with the NFL. The MLB doesn't even have a salary cap and there's more parity as far as franchises not having the type of playoff droughts you see in the NFL. Almost half the teams in the NFL haven't even won a Super Bowl. 12 out of the last 13 Super Bowls have had Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Ben Roethlisberger in it. That says all you need to know. Even a franchise like the Colts loses Peyton Manning after a decade and a half of winning and they have ONE bad year and get Andrew Luck in return. Meanwhile, half the league has been searching for a QB for 20+ years. It's just bullshit.
These are just a few examples. I could come up with more if I had the time to really sit and think about it.

Agree with many others here too... if it wasn't for fantasy football it would be hard to have much interest in the league. I can sit and watch pretty much any random college football game (including all the early season bowl games with 6-6 teams that people bitch about) but for some reason I just can't sit and watch some random game between the Bears/Bills or Chiefs/Titans. I just could care less, and it didn't use to be that way.
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i was on my phone when i wrote my initial response, but thank god someone brought up he europe games. I get it, its a gimmick designed to get people in europe involved. But to try and establish a team over there, hell no. It makes absolutely 0 sense, what a fucking stupid idea.
 
The league was better when there was more star power at RB. Now it seems like there an effort to force a QB on you. Also they need to let these teams practice at their own will. If teams want to go full go pads all week then let them. Could you imagine if the NBA only allowed teams to have full court practice only once a week? I know they play more games in a week but imagine if the NBA cut back on how much teams could actually practice. The product would get worse.
 
People were discussing game day experiences as a fan at Browns Stadium or where ever.

You know what? That point is very much valid. I can't speak to say how a game at Lambeau is (looks like a blast, go packers, btw.). But you go to a Browns game and you get a very sterile kinda feel at the place. The beer is overpriced, there's no feeling of any sort of "lore" at that place. I was too young for the Dawg Pound days, so my measuring stick has been experience at other events.

The Muni. lot is awesome. But, beyond that? Good luck.

Progressive Field? Awesome. Relaxed, energetic crowd when the team is good. Doesn't feel like there's the Brownshirts working security when the team is going crazy. Only bad thing is when the opposing teams fans are in town, but that's about it.

The Q.? Ahmaad, the production, the team, the crowd? All awesome. Probably the best home court in the NBA. I really, really believe that.

Clemson? Kyle Field? Energy. Loud. Rowdy. Fans are chill as hell though. Your ears will ring.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Imagine a muni. lot like crowd or what one would experience during a typical college gameday. Anything goes. Awesome. Go to the Indy 500 once in your life. Do it.

Also it feels like there's more assholes per capita in regards to NFL fans. Really loud, obnoxious annoying people.
 
SuperSurge said:
@Randolphkeys probably has a good take on this.
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you can blame rod god dell all u want but football changed because Threat of law suits and Players Onion because Thomas Jefferson said "
The most fortunate of us, in our journey through life, frequently meet with calamities and misfortunes which may greatly afflict us; and, to fortify our minds against the attacks of these calamities and misfortunes should be one of the principal studies and endeavors of our lives. The only method of doing this is to assume a perfect resignation to the Divine will, to consider that whatever does happen, must happen; and that, by our uneasiness, we cannot prevent the blow before it does fall, but we may add to its force after it has fallen. These considerations, and others such as these, may enable us in some measure to surmount the difficulties thrown in our way; to bear up with a tolerable degree of patience under the burden of life; and to proceed with a pious and unshaken resignation, till we arrive at our journey's end, when we may deliver up our trust into the hands of Him who gave it, and receive such reward as to him shall seem proportioned to our merit."
so why bother with a scrape goat right




Read more at http://www.notable-quotes.com/j/jefferson_thomas.html#bP7UfOCgvvmBWStv.99
 
Gonna toss more into this thread if no one here minds.

One of the things I see in regards to a problems in regards to how the NFL is set up versus other sports, is the way events are scheduled.

When one watches at 1 PM? You'll get about 8 or so games going at once. Some fun seems to happen at this time (IF, if you're not watching the Browns) ranging from crazy ass plays to upset finishes.

Then 4:15 rolls around....and the drop off in quality is immediate. Your options are generally down to watching a game featuring the Cowboys or the 49ers or something. There's like 3 games total happening, and it seems kinda rare that the same craziness that is witnessed during the 1 PM games happen.

With the Cowboys they kinda treat them like Notre Dame for whatever reason. it's all but guaranteed that you'll get Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling that game, and it'll be on Fox. I'm also at the point that the NFL would be more wise to just let Dallas be on it's own channel in the same manner that Notre Dame is on NBC at this point. Why not?

Also CBS's coverage of the sport has been a complete embarrassment since they came back in 1999. I'm sure my bias's are all imagined but it seems like the TV guys assigned to call Browns games absolutely dread it. Do I blame them? No, but good lord. Their pregame show also features a former bengal, a former steeler and former raven. Real nice guys.
 
Not a single post about streaming or the Red Zone channel...

I stream tons of shit...by far the most streamed thing out there is the NFL. That's what happens when only one TV service provider gets you access to all the out of market games. People streaming games or people watching the Red Zone channel are eating into ratings numbers.

I pay 20 bucks for a streaming service that gets me every game, Red Zone, NFL Network, archived games, condensed games, All 22 coaches film, etc, and I watch all my NFL stuff with that...I don't count towards their TV ratings, and many others who do what I do don't count towards it either.

I don't think the NFL is declining...I think it's being watched, legally and illegally, in more ways than any other sport out there.
 
I wouldn't judge too much on TV Ratings. The issue here is that Ratings don't account for mobile or live app streams.

With Hulu and Netflix seeing record increases in users. it would seem like a significant amount of people are watching these games on mobile devices/STB's
 
Triple-S said:
Gonna toss more into this thread if no one here minds.

One of the things I see in regards to a problems in regards to how the NFL is set up versus other sports, is the way events are scheduled.

When one watches at 1 PM? You'll get about 8 or so games going at once. Some fun seems to happen at this time (IF, if you're not watching the Browns) ranging from crazy ass plays to upset finishes.

Then 4:15 rolls around....and the drop off in quality is immediate. Your options are generally down to watching a game featuring the Cowboys or the 49ers or something. There's like 3 games total happening, and it seems kinda rare that the same craziness that is witnessed during the 1 PM games happen.

With the Cowboys they kinda treat them like Notre Dame for whatever reason. it's all but guaranteed that you'll get Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling that game, and it'll be on Fox. I'm also at the point that the NFL would be more wise to just let Dallas be on it's own channel in the same manner that Notre Dame is on NBC at this point. Why not?

Also CBS's coverage of the sport has been a complete embarrassment since they came back in 1999. I'm sure my bias's are all imagined but it seems like the TV guys assigned to call Browns games absolutely dread it. Do I blame them? No, but good lord. Their pregame show also features a former bengal, a former steeler and former raven. Real nice guys.
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You make a valid point, and it's something I argue in favor of college football > NFL.

College football does a better job of spreading their product out. You have games on Thursday & Friday night, and then at Noon/3:30pm/7pm/8pm/10-10:30pm all throughout Saturday. With the NFL you get the Thursday night game, Sunday night game, Monday night game, and then 8-9 games all on at 1pm and 3-4 games (mainly west coast teams) all on at 4:30pm. As a Browns fan, who's team is on mainly at 1pm every week, I miss like 80% of the games. Yeah, I know, you can rewatch some of them after the fact, but I prefer to watch sports live. It's been this way for as long as I remember though, so it has nothing to do with any decline in ratings or whatever, but just a general gripe.
 
It seems like there's a lot from die-hard NFLers, so I'll throw in my two cents as a casual fan. @TheLand1287 hit it on the head on his points about not knowing what a catch is and the lack of fun. Too many times you'll see something that, using common sense, looks like a catch. But then it gets overturned because the NFL has such a complicated and detailed ruling on what defines a catch. It's nonsense.

And to parrot his point on no fun, I LOVED when TO would score or Chad Johnson would beat someone on the outside. Now they're fining guys for shooting fake bow and arrows. The sport is literally giving most of these guys brain damage, at least let them show some emotion.

Which actually brings up a third point, and I can only speak for myself on this: watching football sometimes feels kind of, well, gross. The big hits don't seem as cool anymore. If anything, seeing a guy get lit up just reminds me of the shit they'll be dealing with once they retire.

If I ever stop working in sports, I'll probably just stop watching altogether. At the moment, knowing what's going on in the sports world is kind of important.
 
http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2016&wk=6

For reference to what we're referring to earlier, here is this weeks schedule.

Your choices at 1 pm if you don't have NFL Sunday Ticket or RedZone? Browns V. Titans or Eagles V. Redskins. That's it. Good luck. Meanwhile in total? There are NINE Games going on during this time slot.

4:15? Cowboys-Packers (gee what a shock) or Kansas City-Oakland. The other game that most of the country will not be seeing is Falcons-Seahawks. So you get a total of three games here.

You got 12 games that are not worthy of prime time, and 3 on primetime.

How does it make any sort of sense to have 9 games at 1 pm, and 3 games at 4:15?
 
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