NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

You can't fight a Social Justice War without expecting some collateral damage.

Outkick the Coverage offers four reasons for the decline in ratings besides turning the NFL into MSNBC with 30% more Repeated Trauma Brain Damage. One of them is the NFL's greed in expanding the game into new hours (the morning London game) and new nights (the Thursday night game, once a welcome once-in-a-blue moon novelty, now a permanent drag).

One of the reasons I used to like the NFL was the specialness of each game, as there were so few. In baseball and basketball, individual games aren't so important; it's winning and losing streaks.

Now, teams don't play more games (the NFLPA resists that, I think: the NFL has entertained an 18-game schedule, I think), but the NFL now has games on Sunday morning, the typical Sunday 1pm game, the 4 pm game, the Sunday night alleged game of the week, the Monday night even more dubious game of the week, and the not-even-pretending-it's-a-game-of-the-week game on Thursday night.

There's just a loss of specialness there.

I think there might also be a Completist Revolt going on too. People with the Completist Bug -- who need to watch every episode, buy every videogame sequel and DLC, etc. -- used to be able to be NFL completists, watching all games available in their markets.

But you can only push a Completist so far before he can no longer even attempt being a Completist and stops even trying. If a Completist football fan now tried to watch all the games available to him, he'd pretty much have to be unemployed and without a family, or he would be after a season of attempting this feat.

That observation may be a stretch too far, but I think it's a factor in bubble markets. As long as you're not trying to extract too much from your Completist types, you can flood the market with product and basically tax them for revenue. They'll pay the tax on their time and money and you'll reap rewards.

But if you flood the market beyond that, the Completists begin abandoning the hobby. Which is bad for business, because you can really milk a Completist for a lot of their time and money. Right up to the point where they give up and tune out.

That said, I think this is mostly about the politics. Conservatives used to love football almost without reservation, not just because of the product, but because of the values (tradition, family, respect for the military) they thought the NFL shared.

Now it's just another SJW TV show with a lot of progressive actors and executives.

Posted by: Ace at 01:26 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1
Top o' the afternoon to you, ace!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 30, 2017 01:26 PM (pNxlR)

2 Thank goodness for a new post. The bro-cuddling was getting heavy.

Posted by: jayhawkone at November 30, 2017 01:26 PM (ZD+J8)

3 Oooh - wait.

Roger Goodell. Pervnado?

Would that be awesome?

Posted by: blaster at November 30, 2017 01:29 PM (jHrzU)

4 College football, baby.

Posted by: Bandersnatch, what is a proud Nitwit Lion at November 30, 2017 01:29 PM (fuK7c)

5 heyo

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:29 PM (wmaTe)

6 hah...couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people. Now if Goddell ends up being fired..it will indeed be a magnificent yule tide season.

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (a0IVu)

7 Burn sportsball, burn

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (xJa6I)

8 I gave up on the NFL a long time ago. First off it became boring. Then the local stations would not cover any of my teams and I refused to pay and extra fee for NFL network.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (mpXpK)

9 Pro Futbol.

FTS

Posted by: Roland THTG at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (xBSm0)

10 Roger Goodell. Pervnado?

Would that be awesome?
Posted by: blaster at November 30, 2017 01:29 PM (jHrzU)

Every store in America would be out of pudding if that were to happen!

Posted by: kathysaysso at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (vkS2Z)

11 I agree with everything Ace said.....
People are feeling jerked around one way or the other...

Posted by: JoeF. at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (7uYFy)

12 NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

It.Moved.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at November 30, 2017 01:30 PM (60v4h)

13 The wife is a yuuuuuuge Seahawks fan. She mostly streams games from her phone now. No TV, not even in the bar.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (xJa6I)

14 I cannot even look at those bench shots they do, when it's all blacks with the dreads and the tats, without thinking they're all gonna take a knee and start singing the BLM anthem.

That's what Kapernic and the kneeing has done for me.

So, if it's not a Steelers game, we don't.

Posted by: Les Kinetic at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (U6f54)

15 There will be new post-game shows featuring the players hugging, kissing and spooning in a demonstration of raw manliness.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (NWiLs)

16
Do not overlook the vaunted parity targeting of the league. "Any given Sunday" tomfoolery results in teams with 7-8 records still being in the playoff hunt during week 17.

I saw earlier this week while perusing old newspapers that the Steelers had won some of their early Super Bowls sometime in mid-January and they had played teams with decidedly winning records to get there.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (pNxlR)

17 does this completist theory explain your blogging schedule?

also, good morning ace!

...It's all coming together now...

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (wmaTe)

18 Finally, no more bromance spooning.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I'm Dreaming of a White Privilege at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (+y/Ru)

19 NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

Roger Goddell: Exactly why I'm worth $50 million a year and a private jet for life

Posted by: TheQuietMan at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (493sH)

20 Yup. Nothing more galling than watching various NFL players in the news for various crimes (rape, domestic abuse, drugs, whatever), then hunkering down for a Sunday game - constantly interrupted by message ads like "Run Like a Girl" and montages of NFL players lecturing you to not beat your GF/wife.
Hard pass!!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (W+vEI)

21 Besides the saturation, the games aren't even entertaining anymore. Too much small ball, too much showboating, and that is even before the players and color guys insult me.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (7ZVPa)

22
Wait.

Theres a BLM Anthem???

What is it??

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (8XRCm)

23 I mean, Football has been a declining product for a while now, just in terms of quality. The games aren't as good, but there are more of them on TV. The officiating has always been a problem. Their desperate attempts at parity make it difficult to really come to like a team with its ever-changing player roster. But this stuff, its like the last straw for many, many people. Huge football fans, just tired of it all.

And on top of that with the new reports on people being hurt (shocking, that huge men crashing into each other are becoming injured!!) its just a waning sport. In the future, it will be a fascinating case study, to show how the most popular sport in America, one of the most lucrative businesses in the world, killed its self.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (39g3+)

24 Conservatives used to love football almost without reservation, not just because of the product, but because of the values (tradition, family, respect for the military) they thought the NFL shared.

Even though the NFL is basically a socialist organization.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (60v4h)

25 19 NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

Roger Goddell: Exactly why I'm worth $50 million a year and a private jet for life
Posted by: TheQuietMan at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (493sH)

*insert my rant about CEOs making millions to fuck up companies here*

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (NWiLs)

26 Sonobi is spooning with the post.

Posted by: Northernlurker, the lurkingest lurker of the north. Still proudly lurking. at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (nBr1j)

27 Anything liberalism infects dies.

Posted by: What's a Seawolf? at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (72PAC)

28 Don't forget the $100M SJW outreach!!!

That's $600M down the hole.

Fellas it's time to talk salary......

Posted by: NFL Suits at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (ymnmz)

29 15 There will be new post-game shows featuring the players hugging, kissing and spooning in a demonstration of raw manliness.
Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:31 PM (NWiLs)

Don't give them any ideas, man.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (xJa6I)

30 The real crash will come when the SJWs insist that the cheerleaders reflect the diversity of the nation. Imagine a line of Lena Dunhams in cheerleader outfits attempting high kicks.

You're welcome.

Posted by: *Mikey NTH - Feel the Rocket's Red Glare with a Lil' Hoister Petard from the Outrage Outlet! at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (hLRSq)

31 for the record, the vikings organization from top to bottom have not partaken in any way with the protest nonsense, and are having a good season

Posted by: muttering vikings fan at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (cGz5Q)

32 I also think some of it has to do with Millennials like me don't give a shit about professional sports.

I think the NFL realizes that, thus their pivot in to SJW-land, which they thought would get me to watch the NFL.

Probably had shitty focus groups.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (wmaTe)

33 I wish people on our side would give it up entirely. I do not begrudge those that do not though. Just a wish.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (Xrson)

34 If a Completist football fan now tried to watch all the games available to him,

-----
The first year I had my own apartment, I did that, with a tiny little black and white TV. Watched every football game, every week, that season. It was all I had to do. Had no money, couldn't go anywhere, couldn't do anything else.

Never watched another football game.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (KdDCu)

35
Theres a BLM Anthem???

What is it??
Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (8XRCm)

"Kill Whitey" by the Menace Clan

Posted by: kathysaysso at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (vkS2Z)

36 I'm done with the nfl, especially after their social justice crap. AND AND AND if men were not trying to get away from their wives for a few hours, NO BODY,and I mean N O B O D Y would be watching that crap anymore. And they have pussified the game so much it is tough to watch anyway.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (5y11N)

37 for the record, the vikings organization from top to bottom have not partaken in any way with the protest nonsense, and are having a good season

Posted by: muttering vikings fan at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (cGz5Q)

Christine Kluwe hit hardest

Posted by: TheQuietMan at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (493sH)

38 Also, what's going on with end-zone celebrations lately?
Saw that they're getting more elaborate, and include some sort of 'dog taking a piss' imagery to insult Trump?

Not sorry to be missing that business.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (W+vEI)

39 we all have a choice to finance the left or not. That they have taken over, college , boyscouts, churches, sports .. All the things we loved,this is our fault, they couldn't do it Without Our help.
but we still can decide NOW to support them or not.

Posted by: willow at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (1ZkQk)

40 I know........ Pink helmets with black power fists on them.!!!

Winning!

Posted by: NFL Suits at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (ymnmz)

41 I try to read every single comment on this blog. I guess this makes me a Completeist.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (60v4h)

42 Official White House statement on Tillerson: he's going nowhere.

I wish he would be gone, but nope. Yet again, the NYT publishes nonsense rumors from an unreliable source.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (39g3+)

43 They'll turn it around by giving $100,000,000 in SJW activism.

/they chose poorly

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (7HtZB)

44 There's really no point in me watching any games this year. Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson are pretty much the entire Packers team, and Rodgers is out. The kid they stuck in there is okay but he's going to need a lot of time, and that isn't going to happen this season. So now I mostly watch to see the Bears lose. That makes me happy.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (lwiT4)

45 30
The real crash will come when the SJWs insist that the cheerleaders
reflect the diversity of the nation. Imagine a line of Lena Dunhams in
cheerleader outfits attempting high kicks.

You're welcome.

Posted by: *Mikey NTH - Feel the Rocket's Red Glare with a Lil' Hoister
Petard from the Outrage Outlet! at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (hLRSq)
They will pull a muscle and end up being carted off.

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (a0IVu)

46 33 I wish people on our side would give it up entirely. I do not begrudge those that do not though. Just a wish.
Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (Xrson)

I'm getting there. If it weren't for a long running fantasy football league, I'd be done with it completely.

Posted by: What's a Seawolf? at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (72PAC)

47 The other thing that happened was that players started switching teams MUCH more often...

So you'd have a player you liked, on your local team... someone you could Identify with...

Now... they are gone next year... to a rival...

Then, have Politics enter the No Politics Zone???

They are done... unless they can somehow resurrect the league, which will not happen under Loser Goddell...

Posted by: Don Q. at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (NgKpN)

48 You can only watch so many 3rd and long plays that end up getting a first down because of defensive pass interference before you stop enjoying the sport.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (KUaJL)

49 Also, what's going on with end-zone celebrations lately?
Saw that they're getting more elaborate, and include some sort of 'dog taking a piss' imagery to insult Trump?

yes not only is it juvenile but it's racist also

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (5y11N)

50 What is it??

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (8XRCm)

The Internationale.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (rorsQ)

51 33 I wish people on our side would give it up entirely. I do not begrudge those that do not though. Just a wish.
Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (Xrson)

Can't give up something I don't watch. But I understand the sentiment. This is not meant to be sneering, I just don't get the deep level of attachment some people have to watching football, especially the NFL.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (NWiLs)

52
Mebbe if we can get Talib and Crabtree to square off EVERY Sunday.

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (8XRCm)

53 ACe's favorite person, Take Japper, rekt some guy on twitter as seen on twitchy based on some asshole liberal making fun of Tom Cotton for being one of the "bad" veterans.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (otbkS)

54
To cord cutters, you know the reward. To those on the fence, the new 'toys' coming out to pipe an OTA (over the air/antenna transmission) into your wifi and then stream it to multiple devices are pretty amazing. No need to run the antenna to every television in every room.

Technology is marching on, while the NFL and ESPN is marching backwards. I know who I'm betting my money on.

Posted by: Ace Tractor Seat Supply at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (ajiE5)

55 Body positive Cheerleaders!

I'm rolling now.

Posted by: NFL Suits at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (ymnmz)

56 Dear God, that list of QBs should drive a nail of despair into the hearts of the NFL owners

Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (yM/Yl)

57 I understand why people love football. I like it, not love it, but I do like it.
One of the reasons I think the popularity of football could decline--apart from the obvious reasons--is that it's not really a recreational sport.
Unlike baseball, hockey and basketball, you don't have recreational leagues fuelling lifelong love for the sport.

That's my unfounded opinion.

Posted by: Northernlurker, the lurkingest lurker of the north. Still proudly lurking. at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (nBr1j)

58 44, Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:34 PM (lwiT4)

Its weird to say this but the LA Rams are kind of entertaining this year. Since they are on the local channels we watch them some weekends.

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (a0IVu)

59 Sonobi is spooning with the post.

Posted by: Northernlurker, the lurkingest lurker of the north. Still proudly lurking. at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM

Do we know how either of them identify? Today?

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (p+Wdc)

60 Goodell is giving $100 million over seven years to Anthem protestor causes. Like that will buy peace.

"once you have paid him the Danegeld
You never get rid of the Dane."

Posted by: Ignoramus at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (cAXIk)

61 The rise of soccer cooresponds to the rise of pervnado. Coincidence?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I'm Dreaming of a White Privilege at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (+y/Ru)

62 30 The real crash will come when the SJWs insist that the cheerleaders reflect the diversity of the nation. Imagine a line of Lena Dunhams in cheerleader outfits attempting high kicks.

You're welcome.
Posted by: *Mikey NTH - Feel the Rocket's Red Glare with a Lil' Hoister Petard from the Outrage Outlet! at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (hLRSq)

The first tranny cheerleader will be on the sidelines before you know it.

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (7HtZB)

63
for the record, the vikings organization from top to bottom have not
partaken in any way with the protest nonsense, and are having a good
season

Posted by: muttering vikings fan at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (cGz5Q)
==================

Yeah, but - Minnesota, so ......

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (lwiT4)

64 Body positive Cheerleaders!

I'm rolling now.
Posted by: NFL Suits at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (ymnmz)

Tranny-phobe!!!!

Posted by: TheQuietMan at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (493sH)

65 49
Also, what's going on with end-zone celebrations lately?

Saw that they're getting more elaborate, and include some sort of 'dog taking a piss' imagery to insult Trump?

yes not only is it juvenile but it's racist also

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (5y11N)

Posted by: cuth at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (ymnmz)

66 52

Mebbe if we can get Talib and Crabtree to square off EVERY Sunday.

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (8XRCm)
Heh...that was entertaining wasn't it? Yank my chain, punk.

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (a0IVu)

67 I mean, the players have become increasingly just criminal thugs. I read a story recently about a major player who was actually running a drug gang while in college. Pimping, drug sales, etc. Dog fighting, beating a woman unconscious on camera, rape, what have they NOT done? The NBA is almost as bad.

Why would anyone want to support and be a part of all that? The game has never been all that interesting to begin with.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (39g3+)

68 NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

Roger Goddell: Exactly why I'm worth $50 million a year and a private jet for life

Exactly. Without Goddell it would have been worse. He singlehandedly is keeping the NFL alive.

Don't ask me how, I don't know, but I watch Barack Obama make that same claim about jobs saved or created; without him, it would have been worse.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (KdDCu)

69 shrugs. this if how they continue to kick us .
we help them or we don't.

Posted by: willow at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (1ZkQk)

70 how much content can the NFL shove down our throats, anyway?

Do i really need a smart phone to keep up to date on this shit? Do I really need corporate synergy? I want the anthem and a fly by. I want the defense to be allowed to play the fucking game. I want QB's to be hit hard.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (otbkS)

71 When the NFL only had players that acted like thugs and reprobates off the field you could excuse it but now you have them acting thugish on the filed and it's become a bridge too far.

Besides, there are way too many things to do with 4-12 hours than waste it watching a bunch of disrepsectful scumbags.

Posted by: Kreplach at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (2JcMg)

72 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff will appease the players.

Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (O7MnT)

73 55
Body positive Cheerleaders!

I'm rolling now.

Posted by: NFL Suits at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (ymnmz)

Should I put a call into Lena Dunham?

Posted by: NFL Marketing Genius at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (jxbfJ)

74 Also, what's going on with end-zone celebrations lately?

I heard they were spooning and hugging.

Posted by: Roland THTG at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (xBSm0)

75 67 I mean, the players have become increasingly just criminal thugs. I read a story recently about a major player who was actually running a drug gang while in college. Pimping, drug sales, etc. Dog fighting, beating a woman unconscious on camera, rape, what have they NOT done? The NBA is almost as bad.

Why would anyone want to support and be a part of all that? The game has never been all that interesting to begin with.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:36 PM (39g3+)

You didn't say "rape" twice.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (NWiLs)

76 Since Sonobi died and then came back, is this Zombie Sonobi?

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (k1TUh)

77 Like I've said before, I started getting tired of the NFL the season before the Kaepernick shit started. The descent into full on SJW just convinced me to even stop watching 'my team'.

Posted by: John Marston at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (SkuXa)

78 Goodell is giving $100 million over seven years to Anthem protestor causes. Like that will buy peace.

What a rancid lefty sack of shit he is. The NFL's death can't come fast enough

Posted by: TheQuietMan at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (493sH)

79 72
I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social
justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff
will appease the players.

Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (O7MnT)

That'll buy a lot of hookers and blow.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM (jxbfJ)

80 Two other things:

1. The Thursday night game is more often a weak affair, in football terms, because the teams played on the previous Sunday and haven't had an adequate amount of time to heal and game plan.

2. Fantasy Football is huge and growing among the younger set (which is not me) and to monitor one's status and success you don't watch every game you watch RedZone.

All in all though, over saturation is the main problem, followed closely by the poorer quality of the product on the field.

Posted by: steve walsh at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (yMQGD)

81 Can't give up something I don't watch. But I understand the sentiment. This is not meant to be sneering, I just don't get the deep level of attachment some people have to watching football, especially the NFL.
Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (NWiLs)

I don't get it either. I really don't.

Like I'll talk to a buddy of mine about, for example, the Patriots and he'll say "well, we had a good game this week, but we need to go on our defense..." and blah blah blah like he's on the coaching staff.

It's weird.

Imagine if people identified with characters from TV shows like that. It'd be bizarre.

Football is just a TV show -- you're watching grown men play a kids game for a few hours. I don't get how someone gets that in to it.

/end rant

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (wmaTe)

82 Even before this kneeling controversy , I had maintained a semi boycott of the NFL and it was cemented by the various stadium deals for these billionaires where the cost was distributed to the taxpayers through fees and other avenues.

That reverse redistribution is crazy.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (Xrson)

83 But next year will be even better!

Just wait until the season tickets are up for grabs.

And no grabbers appear.

They will look with wistful fondness upon a year in which they only lost 500 million.

And on that day they can go spoon themselves in a bromancy sort of way.

Posted by: Lily(former Bronco Superfan) now of AoSHQ assassin in the night at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (IdQUq)

84 Theres a BLM Anthem???

What is it??

*ahem* *grabs crotch*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKXZCbpYgSo

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (tRaq7)

85 What is it??

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM (8XRCm)

The Internationale.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (rorsQ)

That would require them to have a coherent ideology, and I don't think most of them could manage that much intellectual rigor.

Posted by: *Mikey NTH - Feel the Rocket's Red Glare with a Lil' Hoister Petard from the Outrage Outlet! at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (hLRSq)

86 The commercials breaks in the game also completely ruin the pacing. Touchdown. Commercial. Extra point. Commercial. Kickoff. Commercial. Cool, now let's have a few minutes of this drive here. Oh what's that? 2 minute warning. Guess we'll go to another commercial.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (KUaJL)

87 Goodell is giving $100 million over seven years to Anthem protestor causes. Like that will buy peace.

-
He should contribute to the John Conyers Innocence Project.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I'm Dreaming of a White Privilege at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (+y/Ru)

88
it doesn't matter to me anymore, but I always thought the Thurs. game was stupid.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (r+sAi)

89 >>I wish people on our side would give it up entirely. I do not begrudge those that do not though. Just a wish.

Careful. It's not like tennis is immune. You prepared to give that up when the Williams sisters start amping up the SJW bullshit?

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (/tuJf)

90 Mebbe if we can get Talib and Crabtree to square off EVERY Sunday.

++++++++

I like NFL thugs. A bit of swagger and violence, maybe a fight or two. Which is weird because I hate faggy ass end zone celebrations. I get the argument that saying hockey is different for fighting is racist. it probably is.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (otbkS)

91 The other thing that happened was that players started switching teams MUCH more often...

So you'd have a player you liked, on your local team... someone you could Identify with...

Now... they are gone next year... to a rival...
============================

Unless you're a Packers fan. Quarterbacks come with a lifetime guarantee. I think we figured it up the other day - the Packers have had 2 quarterbacks the entire lifetime of my son-in-law.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (lwiT4)

92 If I want to see thuggish black men trying to hurt each other and fight for turf I can drive through a civil rights icon's congressional district for free.

Posted by: Ripley at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (MxEKc)

93 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social
justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff
will appease the players.

that money comes from people like 'us'

Posted by: willow at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (1ZkQk)

94 49
Also, what's going on with end-zone celebrations lately?

Saw that they're getting more elaborate, and include some sort of 'dog taking a piss' imagery to insult Trump?

yes not only is it juvenile but it's racist also

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 01:35 PM (5y11N)

I noted this on another willowed thread. During the Sunday Night Game. Steve Grogan the commentator basically read a script about how all this new fun antics in the end zone are great for the game. No more of that awkward politics n stuff.
Then Gronk was interviewed after a game and said something to the effect of "We were told not to talk about it. All the end zone stuff is totes spontaneous"

Posted by: Cuthbert the Witless at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (ymnmz)

95 The ridiculous, choreographed, over the top TD celebrations are not helping. They need to get back to "hand the ball to the ref and act like you've been there before".

Posted by: Steve Kondo at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (+EXum)

96 If I want to see thuggish black men trying to hurt each other and fight for turf I can drive through a civil rights icon's congressional district for free.
Posted by: Ripley at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (MxEKc)

Just find Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and watch for a few minutes.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (NWiLs)

97 You didn't say "rape" twice.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM

I don't think he likes rape.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 30, 2017 01:39 PM (p+Wdc)

98 to clarify, one guy acting like a fucking n word after a TD is annoying but the new endzone celebs of groups doing fun things like line dancing or whatever is kinda fun. sue me.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (otbkS)

99 I wait patiently for the full contact bikini curling and hockey league to take off.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (r9UYA)

100 Careful. It's not like tennis is immune. You prepared to give that up when the Williams sisters start amping up the SJW bullshit?
Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (/tuJf)

why yes, yes i would, also i would toss my shoes and clothing designer lines out,

I'm sick of digging my own childrens camps@!

Posted by: willow at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (1ZkQk)

101 NO idea how valid this is or if there's any support, but a sexually abused model Kadian Noble is accusing Oprah Winfrey of basically pimping her out to Harvey Weinstein. Its in a British Tabloid, but theirs are slightly more reliable than the US ones.

Model Naomi Campbell keeps coming up in these stories as well. I even read a story that she visited Pedo Isle, but I can't run down any proof of that.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (39g3+)

102
To be fair, most of the elaborate end-zone celebrations have come from the 10-1 Philadelphia Eagles who have never won a Super Bowl. You gotta cut them a little slack for having excessive exuberance.

Posted by: Ace Tractor Seat Supply at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (ajiE5)

103 Careful. It's not like tennis is immune
--------------------

People watch tennis?

Posted by: John Marston at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (SkuXa)

104 Yes, I heard on the radio yesterday about the SJW donations that came about after the talks with the players union.

They said there was no "quid pro quo." But they were HOPING it would resolve the anthem thing.

For $100M, I am thinking I want some fucking quo for my quid.

Posted by: blaster at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (jHrzU)

105 >>I mean, the players have become increasingly just criminal thugs.

That paired with the belittling and mockery of Tim Tebow.
They don't want the good-guy role models, they want the hip-hop style posers.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (W+vEI)

106 95 The ridiculous, choreographed, over the top TD celebrations are not helping. They need to get back to "hand the ball to the ref and act like you've been there before".

They don't make men like the great Marv Levy anymore.

He always instructed his players, when they reached the end zone, to act like they've been there before.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (s/EUv)

107 The death of the NFL would be good for football in a lot of ways. For one, it would go back to being a sport, rather than an industry. Plus which, the demand for spectacle is a driver of the concussion problem; the public demands harder, more spectacular hits.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (O7MnT)

108 Like I'll talk to a buddy of mine about, for example, the Patriots and
he'll say "well, we had a good game this week, but we need to go on our
defense..." and blah blah blah like he's on the coaching staff.

It's weird.
====================

I talk like that all the time. Probably more with baseball than with football though. Did I mention my baseball team?

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (lwiT4)

109 Has anybody started a petition to the owners demanding that they fire Gooddell?

Posted by: Northernlurker, the lurkingest lurker of the north. Still proudly lurking. at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (nBr1j)

110 I knew the NFL was doomed years ago when they started the end zone Moon Walk shit.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (r9UYA)

111 Which team was it that had that weird end zone celebration where they all sat down in a circle and pretended they were eating dinner? Was it the Eagles?

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (a0IVu)

112 103 Careful. It's not like tennis is immune
--------------------

People watch tennis?
Posted by: John Marston at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (SkuXa)

I don't. If you just listen to the sound on women's tennis it sounds like really rough lesbian sex.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (NWiLs)

113 IMHO: the NFL, in pursuit of higher scoring, moved the game away from the college game. This resulted in fewer colleges playing a similar offensive style - thus producing fewer good QB prospects. The end result is crap.

Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (yM/Yl)

114 Football? What's a football?

Posted by: Ralphie wanting an assault BB gun for Christmas at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (O2RFr)

115 As some very smart people (not me) of the Horde have written at least eleventy bazillion times in the various threads: Fuck em. Die NFL Die...

Posted by: NALNAMSAM at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (lwKRt)

116 Half a billion here, half a billion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (Ktb8D)

117 That said, I think this is mostly about the politics. Conservatives used to love football almost without reservation, not just because of the product, but because of the values (tradition, family, respect for the military)they thought the NFL shared.

The NFL lost me forever no matter what they do once I found out they charge the military for their presence at the games.
Fly-over, Honor Guard, etc.

Fuck the NFL. Forever.

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (6bmev)

118 Imagine if people identified with characters from TV shows like that. It'd be bizarre.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (wmaTe)

Ha ha! I clearly remember some women identifying with soap opera characters and going on and on about who was having an affair with whom on their preferred shows. I think there is a contingent of women who are equally emotionally invested in Housewives of Whatever or Kardashian dreck.

Posted by: kathysaysso at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (vkS2Z)

119 I talk like that all the time. Probably more with baseball than with football though. Did I mention my baseball team?

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:41 PM (lwiT4)

well, I don't know. But unless you own a professional sports team, are on the coaching staff, or are a player on said team.... it just sounds odd to me.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (wmaTe)

120 Goodell is giving $100 million over seven years to Anthem protestor causes. Like that will buy peace.

Your core audience doesn't give a shit about that.

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (O5Q3r)

121 >>That paired with the belittling and mockery of Tim Tebow.
They don't want the good-guy role models, they want the hip-hop style posers.

To be fair, Tebow was an awful NFL player. College, great. NFL, awful. And I like the guy.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (/tuJf)

122 >>
to clarify, one guy acting like a fucking n word after a TD is annoying
but the new endzone celebs of groups doing fun things like line dancing
or whatever is kinda fun. sue me.

I haven't been watching - only heard about the doggie stuff.
If it's fun and adding to the game, then that's great.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (W+vEI)

123 Yup, it's 99% political..... then the Snowball Effect to hold, where people realized that there really was life without football!

The NFL is in serious shit.

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (jjaLl)

124 I think end zone celebrations can be fun but yeah, I mean.... that's your job. Its like celebrating when you sell something as a store clerk. That's why you're paid. You didn't do something extraordinary, you fulfilled the terms of your employment.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (39g3+)

125 Imagine if people identified with characters from TV shows like that. It'd be bizarre.

-
I identify with the zombies on The Walking Dead. We've had a rough couple of seasons but we'll be eating Rick's brains before you know it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I'm Dreaming of a White Privilege at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (+y/Ru)

126 NFL Partner-Networks to Lose $500 Million Due to Declining Ratings

------

BlaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!

Spoiled millionaire felons can kneel all they want. Doesn't matter anymore. Kneel for your anthem, stand for the Mexican one, there's nobody left to care.

At least when you're unemployed you'll have your millions in savings, which from what I can see, will you last about six months. Then you can return to the day-to-day thug life you were originally destined for, and eventually get your name in the paper one last time.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (aoT/r)

127 Sinn Sage meets Tennis?

I would totes be down for a play by play commentary on her oeuvre.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (xJa6I)

128 104 Yes, I heard on the radio yesterday about the SJW donations that came about after the talks with the players union.

They said there was no "quid pro quo." But they were HOPING it would resolve the anthem thing.

For $100M, I am thinking I want some fucking quo for my quid.

Posted by: blaster at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (jHrzU)

And that is called paying the Dane-geld
But we've proved it again and again
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (NWiLs)

129 As Pokey mon said, you gotta catch 'em all.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (/qEW2)

130 "I will never watch another NFL game." - Vin Scully

Posted by: Bea Arthur's Dick at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (jWe5r)

131 We're on trajectory for an oil embargo of the NORKs, with our without China.

Anyone know how that'd work? Embargo ships at sea? Blow up pipelines?

Posted by: Ignoramus at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (cAXIk)

132 Pornhub makes it easy to be an anal completist. All you need is the time.

Posted by: Les Kinetic at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (U6f54)

133 I identify with the zombies on The Walking Dead. We've had a rough couple of seasons but we'll be eating Rick's brains before you know it.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, I'm Dreaming of a White Privilege at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (+y/Ru

ha, I love it.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (wmaTe)

134
I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social
justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff
will appease the players.

Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM

----------------------------------

Mr Goodell, you misunderstand. That is just this month's installment.

Posted by: SJW-Mafia at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (pMGkg)

135 I wouldn't want to assume too much, because I'm rapidly becoming not their target audience, but this reminds me of the superhero/comic book movie craze. I was never a comic book fan, but could enjoy the Superman/Batman/Spiderman/X-Men, etc series... if there weren't too many of them, too often.

Now I've completely given up.

The NFL, I SHOULD be their target audience, but they left me cold and dry, not from saturation, but from greed and avarice on the part of owners, followed by this SJW nonsense. So good riddance.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (9chmE)

136 121 >>That paired with the belittling and mockery of Tim Tebow.
They don't want the good-guy role models, they want the hip-hop style posers.

To be fair, Tebow was an awful NFL player. College, great. NFL, awful. And I like the guy.
Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (/tuJf)

He took Denver to the playoffs. He wasn't terrible, just uneven. He needed mentoring/seasoning. What he got was a Coke bottle broken off in him.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (xJa6I)

137 They don't make men like the great Marv Levy anymore.

He always instructed his players, when they reached the end zone, to act like they've been there before.

St. Tom, the Landry.
3 piece suit and hat. On the sidelines. Always.

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (6bmev)

138 "QUICK!!!

Hand these thugs that are destroying our business $100 million for black SJW organizations!!"

NFL

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Profoundly Unserious at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (3BFzK)

139 I work in an office filled with Broncos fanbois and fangurls. The non-work related conversation invariably turns to football. Bores the ever-lovin' snot out of me. I sort of follow the Vikings (tepidly-if they win, cool. If they lose, eh, whatever). But even were I more into the Vikings, I would never spend time talking about them on Monday morning. I've never bought a jersey, was never even remotely interested in doing so.

Posted by: Pug Mahon at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (sGSvK)

140 He always instructed his players, when they reached the end zone, to act like they've been there before.

I doubt any coaches really have any control over their players like that any longer. These guys are really acting like they think they are King stuff, on top of the world, everyone owes them more than they get, and nobody better tell them anything.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (39g3+)

141 I think the NFL peaked with the two Steelers/Cowboys super bowls back in the 1970s. Down hill ever since - entertainment value wise.

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (LilNs)

142 >>To be fair, Tebow was an awful NFL player. College, great. NFL, awful. And I like the guy.

Sure. But he was mocked for who he was, not only for his performance. The year he was at the Broncos you could see the team perform better, and it was nice to see him interact with the fans, particularly the sick kids, etc. He's no Peyton Manning, but it was nice to see someone admirable on the field.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (W+vEI)

143 That homo Gomer Pyle was always trying to sneak a peak in the showers in the barracks.

Posted by: Zombie Sgt. Carter at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (OD2ni)

144 131 We're on trajectory for an oil embargo of the NORKs, with our without China.

Anyone know how that'd work? Embargo ships at sea? Blow up pipelines?
Posted by: Ignoramus at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (cAXIk)

I thought they already embargoed oil on their own.

...Or maybe it's just that they have no money.

But yeah, we can't actually do a real, full fledged embargo since China (and probably Russia) has porous borders with the NorKs when large amount of money is involved.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (wmaTe)

145 I think there is a contingent of women who are equally emotionally invested in Housewives of Whatever or Kardashian dreck.
Posted by: kathysaysso at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM (vkS2Z)

I've watched maybe five total minutes of each of those shows. They're just horrible, vain, self-centered, narcissistic and toxic people, and I'd give anyone emotionally invested in those creeps a very wide berth.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (NWiLs)

146 Like when Cincy lost the playoffs push a few years ago because Pittsburghs thug coach mouthed off to players on the field and Cincy players lost their shit and got penalized and started doing penatlies on ensuing plays?

yeah, that was great. sue me.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (otbkS)

147 well, I don't know. But unless you own a
professional sports team, are on the coaching staff, or are a player on
said team.... it just sounds odd to me.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:42 PM

With wins characterized as "we won" and losses as "they lost". Odd, indeed.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (p+Wdc)

148 I admit I was wrong. I predicted the NFL would try to do some cheesy, over-the-top gesture of patriotism to try to win back "those dumb hicks." But it appears they are going all-in on social justice, Kaepernick style.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (O7MnT)

149 Definitely part of ot was them thinking there can't be too much of a good thing.Thought they could put games on every day and the rubes would watch them.

Posted by: steevy at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (LiyEm)

150 for the record, the vikings organization from top to bottom have not
partaken in any way with the protest nonsense, and are having a good
season

Posted by: muttering vikings fan at November 30, 2017 01:33 PM (cGz5Q)
==================

Yeah, but - Minnesota, so ......

Well, the Cubs did win the World Series, so.....

Anything can happen

Posted by: Pete Seria at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (lJW6d)

151 Also, wouldn't it be fun if Colin Kaepernick ran for Dianne Feinstein's senate seat?

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (O7MnT)

152 >>to clarify, one guy acting like a fucking n word after a TD is annoying but the new endzone celebs of groups doing fun things like line dancing
or whatever is kinda fun. sue me.

Touchdowns would be more entertaining--and precious--if the celebration in the winning team's endzone was offset by a ceremony in the losing team's endzone: a quick, tidy execution of a member of the defense responsible for allowing the score.

"High-scoring game," indeed.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (Bdeb0)

153 For $100M, I am thinking I want some fucking quo for my quid.

Posted by: blaster at November 30, 2017 01:40 PM (jHrzU)

And that is called paying the Dane-geld
But we've proved it again and again
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane
Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (NWiLs)

Yeah.... so they are loosing money... loosing ad revenue... stadiums are empty...

but he has 100 Million to pay off a bunch of protesting millionaires?

Posted by: Don Q. at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (NgKpN)

154 If the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl, I'll tune in to watch them lose.

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (7HtZB)

155 He took Denver to the playoffs. He wasn't terrible, just uneven.

Yeah Tebow wasn't terrible, he just wasn't good enough to be an NFL starting quarterback. He's Kaepernick level talent: not quite good enough.

He is hitting okay in the minors but I don't think a guy with that big a strike zone starting this late in baseball has any real shot at the show.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (39g3+)

156 For $100M, I am thinking I want some fucking quo for my quid.

----

Ah.... The "Jessee Jackson" gambit.

Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:47 PM (8XRCm)

157 To be fair, Tebow was an awful NFL player. College, great. NFL, awful. And I like the guy.

Sure. But he was mocked for who he was, not only for his performance. The year he was at the Broncos you could see the team perform better, and it was nice to see him interact with the fans, particularly the sick kids, etc. He's no Peyton Manning, but it was nice to see someone admirable on the field.
Posted by: Lizzy

As a Steeler fan, I'll note - he's won more playoff games then most the active QBs

Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:47 PM (yM/Yl)

158 Brattleboro is not happy Trumps tax cut because only persons of coloe should get them.

Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Brattleboro at November 30, 2017 01:47 PM (u54O2)

159 I mean, I get it, it's not 1963 where Johnny Q Football wore buzz cut and acted like he'd been to the end zone before...

cool, yeah, good old days.

nah, it's a violent game, we like some swagger. I think there should be room for goody two shoes and also Joey Porters.

"They shot me in Denver"

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:47 PM (otbkS)

160 Nice league ya got there, be a shame if sumpin happened to it. . .

Posted by: the audience that cares about what the flag stands for at November 30, 2017 01:47 PM (1Foki)

161 151
Also, wouldn't it be fun if Colin Kaepernick ran for Dianne Feinstein's senate seat?

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (O7MnT)
Ye gawds, think of us stuck here in Cali..Kamala Harris and Colin Kaepernick as our elected officials is too painful to contemplate.

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (a0IVu)

162 Here are some other factors:

Red Zone - I have no idea how Red Zone viewership is factored into the ratings but if there aren't any games that look interesting in my market, then I just put on Red Zone. That shows all the interesting stuff without the filler.

Fundamental changes to play - Does anyone know what a catch is? Anyone? Bueller? Because it sure as hell seems like the rules as to what does and does not constituted a catch change constantly and no one, most particularly the refs, seems to know what those rules are.

Constant penalties - It seems like every other play has a flag for some reason or another. Besides slowing the pace of the game to glacial levels, those flags seem to be thrown more or less at random. There's a reason people think the refs are told who should win the game and thus they penalize to make sure that happens.

Tackling - This is a subset of the fundamental changes to the game. You can't tackle anyone anymore. Look, I'm not saying head hunting should be allowed and I understand the legitimate concerns about injuries. But this is supposedly tackle football. Let the players actually freaking tackle people, yes, including Tom Brady.

You know what's the NFL's greatest sin? They've made the game *boring*.

Toss in the protests and why should I watch?

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (mf5HN)

163 St. Tom, the Landry.

3 piece suit and hat. On the sidelines. Always.

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (6bmev)
==================

Tony Dungy was a classy guy too.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (lwiT4)

164
Yeah.... so they are loosing money... loosing ad revenue... stadiums are empty...

but he has 100 Million to pay off a bunch of protesting millionaires?
Posted by: Don Q. at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (NgKpN)

Shrewd financial management.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (NWiLs)

165 >>He took Denver to the playoffs. He wasn't terrible, just uneven. He needed mentoring/seasoning. What he got was a Coke bottle broken off in him.

Marc Sanchez took the Jets to the AFC title game. Twice in his first two years. And now he is barely holding on to a backup job in his 4th city.

One good streak does not make a guy good and Tebow was not good. I used to watch him a lot with the Jets and he has a tremendously inaccurate arm.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (/tuJf)

166 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social

justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff

will appease the players.

Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:37 PM

----------------------------------

Mr Goodell, you misunderstand. That is just this month's installment.

Posted by: SJW-Mafia at November 30, 2017 01:44 PM (pMGkg)

Lemme see if I have this straight: You already pay players tons of money. You cowtow to the SJW crowds, who have no money... and the people who DO have money, your former fans... you're giving us nothing and expecting this to work...how?
Yeah, no. Blackmail. Like a loaded weapon, you have to point it in the correct direction, or you're going to get results not to your liking.

Posted by: BurtTC at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (9chmE)

167 >>I doubt any coaches really have any control over their players like that any longer. Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (39g3+)

The absence of pain collars. A shortcoming in so many aspects of life.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (Bdeb0)

168
NFL is old and busted.
The new hotness is youtube and the unbelievable, miraculous, you can't believe your eyes, fantastic, never seen before scoring goals in soccer.

You won't believe what you see, you'll be mesmerized, you will watch for hours as unbelievable feets of athletic ability play out on your computer screen.

Seriously, skip all the running back and forth, and the fake injuries. Just watch the goals being scored.

There is a whole class of youtube video showing amazing feats of athletic ability.

and the misery of da feet. and animals.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (KdDCu)

169 Did we take their tax exemptions away yet?

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (r9UYA)

170 I love football. But my season revolves almost exclusively around helping coach my son's youth team.

It wasn't always so.

My interest started to fade as Don Q noted when you couldn't keep track of the roster from season to season (mid 80s?). Then came the showboating over a 3 yard drive for a second down (Walter Payton caliber sportsmanship almost extinct). That got me 90% gone. The final 10% has been the anthem bullshit.

Posted by: Keith at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (USf3s)

171 But this is supposedly tackle football. Let the players actually freaking tackle people, yes, including Tom Brady.

You know what's the NFL's greatest sin? They've made the game *boring*.

Toss in the protests and why should I watch?
Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (mf5HN)

Well, no, don't tackle the GOAT, Tom Brady. We want him to live to be 50.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (wmaTe)

172 Football is dead to me.

Posted by: 1921 C DRUM at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (h7sWp)

173 167 >>I doubt any coaches really have any control over their players like that any longer. Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (39g3+)

The absence of pain collars. A shortcoming in so many aspects of life.
Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (Bdeb0)

Mr. Kaepernick, your agonizer please.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (NWiLs)

174 I do admit to chuckling when I see that one Pepsi end zone celebration ad where the guy is doing the Charleston.

Posted by: Pug Mahon at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (sGSvK)

175 Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (/tuJf)

I do not watch womens tennis but I would give up mens tennis if they pulled similar bs. Right now the US Davis Cup is still USA USA USA!!!

But I will admit that the ATP out of necessity has become more Eurocentric.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (Xrson)

176 I'm predicting a Steelers-Iggles SuperBowl. will the skirmish line be down 81 or 99

Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (yM/Yl)

177 Like when Cincy lost the playoffs push a few years ago because Pittsburghs thug coach mouthed off to players on the field and Cincy players lost their shit and got penalized and started doing penatlies on ensuing plays?

----

Yeah, that wasn't actually what happened. Porter was on the field, but according to Burfict, he wasn't badmouthing him. The thing was entirely Jones' fault.

Link in nic

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (KUaJL)

178 141 I think the NFL peaked with the two Steelers/Cowboys super bowls back in the 1970s. Down hill ever since - entertainment value wise.
+++++++

bring back the insanely large shoulder pads!

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (otbkS)

179 91---... I think we figured it up the other day - the Packers have had 2 quarterbacks the entire lifetime of my son-in-law.
Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:38 PM (lwiT4)
---------------------
Eh. Big deal.
Since you're 29, I figure you're daughter can't be more than 15. Therefore,.....
Oh, wait. Age of daughter doesn't matter.
Son-in-law could be 73 for all I know.

Never mind.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (0jtPF)

180
This is our big chance.

Posted by: Soccer viewership. at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (t6XCL)

181 The CBA with the union is up in 2020. That's when this REALLY gets interesting.

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (O5Q3r)

182 They don't make men like the great Marv Levy anymore.

He always instructed his players, when they reached the end zone, to act like they've been there before.
=========
he stole that from Paul Brown. who stole it from somebody else. . .

Posted by: simplemind at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (pPdjz)

183 Yeah, that wasn't actually what happened. Porter was on the field, but according to Burfict, he wasn't badmouthing him. The thing was entirely Jones' fault.

++++++++++

it was still great, whatever it was

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (otbkS)

184 Seriously, skip all the running back and forth, and the fake injuries. Just watch the goals being scored.

I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (6bmev)

185 >>Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

Says who?

Posted by: Barack the Magnificent at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (W+vEI)

186 148 I admit I was wrong. I predicted the NFL would try to do some cheesy, over-the-top gesture of patriotism to try to win back "those dumb hicks." But it appears they are going all-in on social justice, Kaepernick style.
Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at November 30, 2017 01:45 PM (O7MnT)

They figured double-downing works for Trump so it will work for them, too. But they're too nuanced and sophisticated to understand they're on the wrong side of the issue.

Posted by: kathysaysso at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (vkS2Z)

187 180
This is our big chance.
Posted by: Soccer viewership. at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (t6XCL)

If you start a lingerie league.

With chicks. I shouldn't have to be that specific, but these days...

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (NWiLs)

188 Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM (KdDCu)

I hate to say it, but soccer is definitely a better "bar game" then football.

You can sit at a bar, talk to some people, and casually watch soccer being played on the TV while enjoying a beer.

Unlike football, where 3/4 of the game is commercials, interspersed with penalties and the occasional movement of the ball downfield. As in, you actually have to watch the game.

It's not a very social thing to do.

90% of soccer is just dudes running back and forth -- easy to zone in and out on it.

Hockey's similar. I'm ok with hockey, too.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (wmaTe)

189 Go Vikings

but the league will likely die about the time they are poised to win it all

Posted by: Rick in SK at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (FZYNt)

190
I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.
Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (6bmev)

SCOTT STERLING!!!

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (NWiLs)

191 I like that Carson Wentz is a genuinely nice kid.

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (hMwEB)

192 I've never bought a jersey, was never even remotely interested in doing so.
====================

*quietly glances at browser window open to sweatshirt with Packers Hall of Fame across the chest*

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (lwiT4)

193 Okay on second thought I do watch a little bit of womens tennis depending on who is playing and what outfit is barely covering them up.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (Xrson)

194 Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 01:48 PM

And speaking as one who has no idea what the rules of pro football are, why is something called 'pass interference' a penalty? Isn't stopping the other team from getting the ball pretty much the whole freakin' point?

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (p+Wdc)

195 NFL Profits Suffer Career-Ending Concussion

Posted by: zombie at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (42M22)

196 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff will appease the players.

Spoiler Alert: That's not how blackmail works.

I really wish the NFL wanted to actually solve the problem. They could start by telling the truth to the kids who look up to them. "There's nothing wrong with being an athlete, but we in the NFL are the exception, not the rule. You're more than likely not going to be doing what we do for a living, so you'd best plan appropriately."

They need to start telling kids that the "thug life" and being a "playa" is a crock of shit that turns you into a useless imbecile and that if you do that you're asking to be shot by a cop or spooned in jail by Bubba.

They also need to start telling inner-city kids to pull up their pants, speak proper English and pick up a book and educate themselves.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (tRaq7)

197 I like that Carson Wentz is a genuinely nice kid.

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (hMwEB)
======================

Is he the one who baptized one of his teammates in the hotel pool right before a game?

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (lwiT4)

198 NLF is dead to me and many others that I know. People just want to be entertained yet Hollywood and Sports have to interject their SJW viewpoints when all we want is to sit back and escape for a while.

Ingraham's book: Shut Up and Sing

Posted by: Cheri at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (oiNtH)

199 >>182 They don't make men like the great Marv Levy anymore. Posted by: simplemind at November 30, 2017 01:50 PM (pPdjz)

They clearly still make men like the great Marv Albert, though...

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (Bdeb0)

200 Both the NFL owners and the NFLPA do not believe that the customer is always right.

Posted by: mercenary13 at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (0dXaM)

201 Just the idea that anyone could write a check for 100 million is really something. And pretty casual like, going to God knows what.

Posted by: washrivergal at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (tcwn1)

202 Football is no longer an escape or unifying. It's irritating and divisive.

The NFL can fully attribute that to pissing on our flag and calling both law enforcement and our citizenry racists.

"I'll offend a majority of our viewers and nothing will happen", said no sane person ever.

The problem with opening the kimono is it destroys any illusions that mostly engaged you in the first place and exposes the truth.

Sometimes that truth is ugly. Like a 300 pound linebackers hairy fat rolls.

In this case, we finally discovered the subject of our fiction is mostly a bunch of under-educated, SJW types who spew sophism and hate like some mildly retarded adolescent blowing pop out of his nose.

Nobody needs that crap, and that's why I am done for good. It's not like they are going to replace all these people with others who feel differently. They'll just simply camouflage it when the financial burn gets too severe.

No thanks.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (VpIIl)

203 The whole football system treats players like they are gods, and so they think they are gods. They're over paid, protected from their misdeeds, coddled, and then people are surprised they act like they can do anything they want? If I was a 16 year old boy who got given free stuff and naked teens to woo me to go to a college where sorority girls do my homework when they aren't wiggling on my lap and I'm paid under the table with free stuff and preferential treatment at every establishment within 200 miles, then got to my main job at hundreds of thousands of dollars a year... yeah my head would be a mess, too.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:53 PM (39g3+)

204 IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF NFL PLAYERS ARE BIG IGNORANT DICKS AND, I SHOULD KNOW.

Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (r9UYA)

205 And this SJW escapade is now costing the league $89m directly to fund some PR Social Engineering Effort (tm).

But by all means, Goodell deserves at LEAST $50m/year. Failing CEOs are worth every penny...

Posted by: BetaPhi at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (ueZaz)

206 163: heavy on the WAS grammie. now, he's just a race baiting, sjw, pimp. screw everything about the nfl.

Posted by: chavez the hugo at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (KP5rU)

207 They need to start telling kids that the "thug life" and being a "playa" is a crock of shit that turns you into a useless imbecile and that if you do that you're asking to be shot by a cop or spooned in jail by Bubba.

They also need to start telling inner-city kids to pull up their pants, speak proper English and pick up a book and educate themselves.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 01:52 PM (tRaq7)

That's called "selling out," becoming an "Uncle Tom" or "house n*gger," "acting white" or any combination thereof.

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (NWiLs)

208 162 Here are some other factors:

Red Zone - I have no idea how Red Zone viewership is factored into the ratings but if there aren't any games that look interesting in my market, then I just put on Red Zone. That shows all the interesting stuff without the filler.

++++++++++

right? The NFL's looking for so many ways to syngerize their content that they end up giving it away, making the stadiums' unbearable experience unnecessary and, at times, making even watching the games unnecessary.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (otbkS)

209 >>>>>>I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.

Scott Sterling is Awesome!!!!

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (jjaLl)

210 Center passes to Wing, back to Center, back to Wing, back to Center, Center holds it, Holds It, HOLDS IT!!

Posted by: Grump928(C) at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (QQ+il)

211 >>Sure. But he was mocked for who he was, not only for his performance. The year he was at the Broncos you could see the team perform better, and it was nice to see him interact with the fans, particularly the sick kids, etc. He's no Peyton Manning, but it was nice to see someone admirable on the field.

I think there was a lot of resentment toward him from Day 1 cause a lot of people only thought he got drafted in the first round because of his intangibles. Sure, there are people who mocked him for his religion, there are always idiots, but I think most of it was the overblown hype that followed him everywhere. Not his fault but it put a huge bullseye on him.

When the Jets traded for him after Denver they held a press conference in NYC that was bigger than when they brought in Farve.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 01:55 PM (/tuJf)

212 Hockey's similar. I'm ok with hockey, too.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes

St. Louis Blues FTW!

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 01:55 PM (6bmev)

213 209 >>>>>>I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.

Scott Sterling is Awesome!!!!
Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (jjaLl)

*cough*see190*cough*

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:55 PM (NWiLs)

214 204 IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF NFL PLAYERS ARE BIG IGNORANT DICKS AND, I SHOULD KNOW.
Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER

having a big dick doesn't make you a big dick

Posted by: Peter North at November 30, 2017 01:55 PM (FZYNt)

215 I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.

-

Scott Sterling's got a volleyball clip as well.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (KUaJL)

216 He took Denver to the playoffs. He wasn't terrible, just uneven.

Yeah Tebow wasn't terrible, he just wasn't good enough to be an NFL starting quarterback. He's Kaepernick level talent: not quite good enough.

He is hitting okay in the minors but I don't think a guy with that big a strike zone starting this late in baseball has any real shot at the show.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:46 PM (39g3+)

Cheering for Tebow online is probably the last entertaining thing about the Goodell Football League because he made the SJWs lose their shit any time he achieved anything. Those dumbfucks were so easy to troll that I almost felt sorry for them.

Posted by: Captain Hate at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (y7DUB)

217 197 I like that Carson Wentz is a genuinely nice kid.

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (hMwEB)
======================

Is he the one who baptized one of his teammates in the hotel pool right before a game?

+++++++++
+++++++++

really? that's cool./ There area coupla good Churchy players like Brees(ithink) and phil rivers

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (otbkS)

218 Maybe the NFL needs more new stadiums, you know Billion dollar stadiums. Of course paid for by the tax payers and tourists who stay in hotels and rent cars...

Posted by: Colin at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (OgZzW)

219 I learned how to bounce back from tough blows in life by watching Mark Bavaro spring back up after getting LEVELED by Ronnie Lott.

The game's lost that toughness. That's what I miss the most. The anthem thing is a straw breaking the camel's back, to be sure, but ultimately the problem is:

The game is crap to watch if you pretend to care about player health.

And don't get me started on "the concussion protocol!" Does anybody REALLY think the starting QB is EVER going to be pulled out of the Super Bowl after a hard hit?

Posted by: Oschisms at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (Y/y3J)

220 I hate to say it, but soccer is definitely a better "bar game" then football.

Sure, its uncluttered with ads, nothing much is going on in the field for 90% of the game, so you don't miss anything while talking, and you don't really need to hear what is being said because its just dudes kicking the ball around a gigantic open area. There are so few goals that they replay the thing like 7 times, so you won't ever miss it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (39g3+)

221 The Scott Sterling video is a must-see......

https://tinyurl.com/kv92yed

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (jjaLl)

222 one guy acting like a fucking n word after a TD is annoying

Oh that was well done.

It's like completely not racisty when you say fucking n word instead of n*gger.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (fuK7c)

223 The real crash will come when the SJWs insist that the cheerleaders reflect the diversity of the nation.

I saw that at first hand at an San Diego State basketball game against a UC team.

SD State cheerleaders were gorgeous. The UC cheerleaders were ... uh ... looking for something good to say ... diverse, but at best average in appearance.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (YqDXo)

224 163: heavy on the WAS grammie. now, he's just a race baiting, sjw, pimp. screw everything about the nfl.

Posted by: chavez the hugo at November 30, 2017 01:54 PM (KP5rU)
======================

Really? Wow - I'm sorry to hear that. I think my son has a book he wrote a while ago. That's too bad.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (lwiT4)

225 We will never know if Tebow could have continued to win or how good or bad he was. He was never given the chance.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (Xrson)

226 At the beginning of the season, I found myself more or less disinterested in the NFL. As Rush so eloquently put it, the mystique was ruined and you just can't repair that. But then, the Eagles kept on winning. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in...

Posted by: Biggs Darklighter at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (mynhJ)

227 176 I'm predicting a Steelers-Iggles SuperBowl. will the skirmish line be down 81 or 99
Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (yM/Yl)

Believe it or not, 78.

Posted by: Hikaru at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (9TK8E)

228 *cough*see190*cough*

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 01:55 PM (NWiLs)

LOL!!!

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (jjaLl)

229 This link is over two weeks old. That's what you get for lifting it from Driscoll, who posted it yesterday on Instazon.

Posted by: Born Free at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (kpllD)

230 "Still, I guess people want an answer: If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never."

Posted by: Paul Krugman at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (3BFzK)

231 NFL announced that they are going to spend 100 million dollars on SJW projects.

$100,000,000.

Guess who will be paying for that? Yep, the fans, viewers and those of us held hostage (stadium taxes - against our will).

Now the NFL is taxing football fans to pay for the destruction of their country - outright.

Why is any conservative still watching the NFL? What's their excuse now?

Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (ILs+b)

232 I tend to be a broken record on this, but I think Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk deserves a lot of the blame. PFT used to be a fun, slightly irreverent site in the early 2000's but Florio let his full SJW colors fly starting with the rise of Obama. Florio even made a big deal on PFT about Obama's 2008 DNC speech and claimed it was NFL related since it was at the Broncos.

Florio is a relentless SJW and grinds and grinds every progressive issue, and then grinds some more. After his partnership with NBC, be got much more influential and much more insufferable. Also, the Deadspins and others like it modeled their coverage based on Florio's success. Moreover, since journalists are lazy, ESPN and others get their news ideas and spins from Florio. Thus, any SJW cause Florio focuses get amplified. Redskins, gun control, anthem protests, alleged discrimination by cops, you name it and you find Florio as a major driver of the agenda.

Posted by: Benji Carver at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (OD2ni)

233 I like the goalie who stops like a dozen penalty kicks with his face.

--

Saw one just last night where the goalie made 5 or six saves back to back; blocked kick, another kick, blocked, kick, blocked, another. Bing, bam, boom, boom, boom, boom.
incredible.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (KdDCu)

234 I just don't watch anymore, no nfl TV, no nfl merch, haven't bought a ticket in years and I will not in the future. Lots of people like me. The Anthem protests just put the nail in the coffin for me. Nothing will bring me back at this point. I'm done with the nfl. I do not care if the stay in business. I'm done, no more fucks to give.

Posted by: USNtakim prfoundly deplorable! at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (0OmEj)

235 I was shocked to see the stupid NFL overtime rule in the super bowl last year- what a load of crap - mickey mouse rule
-Whoever wins the coin flip gets the ball first -and first team to score wins - the other team doesn't get a chance to score if 1st team with ball scores. I say whichever team gets the ball first with those bs rules should have to start play on their own one yard line.

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (LilNs)

236 230
"Still, I guess people want an answer: If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never."

Posted by: Paul Krugman at November 30, 2017 01:58 PM (3BFzK)
Heh...never gets old. Wonder what that genius is thinking right now looking at the markets today..

Posted by: IC at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (a0IVu)

237 Yup, it's 99% political..... then the Snowball Effect to hold, where people realized that there really was life without football!

The NFL is in serious shit.
Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 01:43 PM (jjaLl)

It's something akin to an epiphany ---like the old joke about the stones at a Dead concert when they ran out of weed admitting that "the music sucks." Once politics reared it's ugly head, you noticed the product sucked.
Then when you skipped a week or three, you realized you COULD live without it....

Posted by: JoeF. at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (7uYFy)

238 Tiger Woods -1 after 9.

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (O5Q3r)

239 that was bigger than when they brought in Farve.
============================

In Wisconsin, it's spelled Favre.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (lwiT4)

240 How can the NFL be worried about money? They pay barely educated men tens of millions of dollars per year to play a kids game, they get the taxpayers to pay for their stadiums, and they get the concessions to charge about nine bucks for a beer.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (7ZVPa)

241 We'll be on top forever!

Posted by: The Makers of White-Out at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (sLvAU)

242 Too much "black" and politics in the NFL.

If it needs to be explained, you will never understand.

I denounce myself.

Posted by: nip at November 30, 2017 01:59 PM (VqJRJ)

243 I tend to be a broken record on this, but I think Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk deserves a lot of the blame.

----------

Not sure if he is cause or symptom, but an astute comment nonetheless. He drives a lot of NFL conversation - mostly for the negative - though good for his personal career.

Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (sX1BW)

244 176 I'm predicting a Steelers-Iggles SuperBowl. will the skirmish line be down 81 or 99
Posted by: Jean at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (yM/Yl)

There needs to be an NFL bylaw that says if Pittsburgh and Philly are playing in the SB together, that it has to be held at Beaver Stadium in State College. It would be awesome and/or the state might explode.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (KUaJL)

245 ESPN - "The NFL and a group of players reached an agreement in principle late Wednesday night to partner on a plan to address social justice issues considered important to African-American communities, ESPN has learned. The unprecedented agreement calls for the league to contribute nearly $100 million over seven years to projects dealing with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education."

Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (ILs+b)

246 >>221 The Scott Sterling video is a must-see......

That is hilarious. Still laughing.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (r9UYA)

247 Remember when one watched basketball?? Bird and Magic?? Or Russell and Cousy ?? Anyone watch Basketball anymore??

Posted by: jay hoenemeyer at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (4Mm1l)

248
Is the no taxpayer subsidies for a new stadium still in the President Trump's tax plan?
Excellent if it still is.

Posted by: YIKES! at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (t6XCL)

249 222 one guy acting like a fucking n word after a TD is annoying

Oh that was well done.

It's like completely not racisty when you say fucking n word instead of n*gger.
Posted by: Bandersnatch

+++++++

the rules are complicated but the short version is "you are always wrong"

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (otbkS)

250 Yeah, they downplay the protests. Like all these dumb article writer "experts" do. Just parroting their NFL overlords. Nothing to see here.

But isn't it funny that this ratings thing wasn't an issue UNTIL the protests. Hmm. Yeah, okay, you sports experts keep telling yourselves that the protests aren't the problem. Yup.

Posted by: Agent Cooper at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (oyCqX)

251 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff will appease the players.

Probably going to defense attorneys.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (YqDXo)

252 His face is like a brick wall! A brick wall that can feel pain and cried a lot!

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (NWiLs)

253 I'm guessing ticket/merchandise prices will need to go up to cover that
$100 million, since salaries definitely not be going down. That will go
over well with already irritated fans, who are also sick of the high
prices. Even though it is s small amount per person, just knowing the NFL is pissing away that money to please their SJW millionaires will not go over well.

Posted by: Ripley at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (MxEKc)

254 Transgender cheerleaders.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (Bdeb0)

255 I'ver never really watched football, but my father (like 90+% of American fathers) did for his whole life. But now? He's seemingly bored with the whole thing. Not sure why. Since he's a moonnbat, it isn't the politics. Might be the "flooding the market" endless over-saturation that Ace mentions. But I think the real reason is the teams have really ceased to have "personalities" they way they used to. Back in the Classic Football Era, you could really tell the difference between the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears and so forth. Each team was unique, not just geographically, but group-personality-wise.

But now, the teams just seems all interchangeable, and they no longer have ANY connection to their local area (i.e. the players come from random places all over the country), and players and also constantly traded back and forth so that there is no allegiance to any one person. One season you're supposed to idolize this guy and cheer for him, then next season he's traded to an opposing team and now we're supposed to hate him. ANd then back again.

Anyway, after all these decades, my dad (along with many similar people) has apparently just become bored with it all. He still sometimes has the game on in the background on TV, but he no longer pays much attention to it. Maybe once every 45 minutes he'll look up and ask, "What's the score?" then go back to whatever else he was doing. In the old days, he'd be on the edge of his seat for every play.

Posted by: zombie at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (42M22)

256 Also, the emphasis on the passing game and scoring has ruined the sport:

There ain't but 10 franchise QB's in humanity at any one time.

Taking the advantage away from the defense and the running game turns every draft into even more of a QB lottery than it already is. Makes the game harder to cover on TV. (Though modern cameras have mitigated that) Gives the handful of teams with franchise QB's an even bigger advantage.

This passing-centric version of the sport is ruined by the fact that most teams don't have the talent to play it properly.

Posted by: Oschisms at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (Y/y3J)

257 Our customers will never leave us!

Posted by: Polaroid, Inc. at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (sLvAU)

258 243 I tend to be a broken record on this, but I think Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk deserves a lot of the blame.

_____________

florio is a self-satisfied retard.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (otbkS)

259 btw - my wife rarely watches sports -but she kind of enjoyed the rugby match between England and Tonga - they rarely stop except for scrums etc -just keep the ball moving - instead of tedious huddles timeouts two minute warnings -the clock running but no action on field etc

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (LilNs)

260 We will never know if Tebow could have continued to win or how good or bad he was. He was never given the chance.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:57 PM (Xrson)

As much as I hate Belichick, I think he honestly gave him a shot because he would've loved to have shoved him up the asses of the rest of the league. Weird Bill loves quirky type players like Flutie with the drop kick.

Tebow just didn't have the pro skill set. Kurt Warner was a once in a lifetime type player.

Posted by: Captain Hate at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (y7DUB)

261 >>We will never know if Tebow could have continued to win or how good or bad he was. He was never given the chance.

I don't believe that at all. He was the lowest rated passer in the league that one year with Denver, he didn't even complete 50% of his passes. And he couldn't even get on the field with the Jets and that is one low bar.

During training camp he would routinely hit people on the sidelines because his throws were so far off target. Even doinked a couple reporters.

He's a good guy and he's working really hard for the Mets in the minors and is single handedly drawing record crowds but he just didn't have the talent to be an NFL QB. If he did, some team would have given him a job. It's not like the league is overburdened with talented QBs right now.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (/tuJf)

262 The unprecedented agreement calls for the league to contribute nearly $100 million over seven years to projects dealing with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education."
Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (ILs+b)

Education? They're going to teach calculus?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (YqDXo)

263 Sure, its uncluttered with ads, nothing much is going on in the field for 90% of the game, so you don't miss anything while talking, and you don't really need to hear what is being said because its just dudes kicking the ball around a gigantic open area. There are so few goals that they replay the thing like 7 times, so you won't ever miss it.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 01:56 PM (39g3+)

Exactly.

And that's about my level of engagement with any sport.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 30, 2017 02:02 PM (wmaTe)

264 That's called "selling out," becoming an "Uncle Tom" or "house n*gger," "acting white" or any combination thereof.

Yep. It could be changed, tho'.

Our national culture has been changed for the worse by the media. It's too bad we can't harness it for something positive for a change.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:02 PM (tRaq7)

265 The future looks bright!

Posted by: Phonograph Needle Makers at November 30, 2017 02:02 PM (sLvAU)

266 No practices, players get 50% of the profits, DNC gets 25%.

Posted by: NFLPA in 2020 at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (SkuXa)

267 Goodell is giving $100 million over seven years to Anthem protestor causes.

I'm a multi millionaire.
I get to use a jet.
I am the commissioner of a league that consists of millionaires and multi millionaires.

I hate the thought of honoring five dead cops.I took action to stop anyone from honoring them.

I kept my big mouth shut when keperdick wore' cops are pigs' socks. I did nothing.

Where are you going?

Posted by: Commissioner Clueless at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (326rv)

268 Speaking of stupid:

Disney Debuts First Boy Princess in Star vs. the Forces of Evil

Another American Icon committing suicide

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (5y11N)

269 I predict the pendulum will swing and the NFL will start allowing spiked gloves and battle hammers soon.

Posted by: Roland THTG at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (xBSm0)

270 Our customers will never leave us!

We make the best typewriter in the world!

Posted by: The IBM Selectric at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (O5Q3r)

271 Taking the advantage away from the defense and the running game turns every draft into even more of a QB lottery than it already is. Makes the game harder to cover on TV. (Though modern cameras have mitigated that) Gives the handful of teams with franchise QB's an even bigger advantage.

This passing-centric version of the sport is ruined by the fact that most teams don't have the talent to play it properly.

----------

Agree completely.

Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (sX1BW)

272 The only way I would return to watching is if one team was armed with lances and the other with morning stars.

Tiebreakers would be decided with trebuchets, shot from the end zones.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (VpIIl)

273 Hey, anyone read about that CT Community College worker who stole the conservative speakers (Gateway Pundit) notes for his speech at UConn and created a riot at UConn? They should fire her ass.....she's not even charged with anything...

Posted by: KWDreaming at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (PafTy)

274 And the owners are on board with this left wing balckmail?

Fuckin Idiots...then get what they deserve

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (5y11N)

275 But I will admit that the ATP out of necessity has become more Eurocentric.
Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 01:49 PM (Xrson)

Yup which isn't a bad thing, per se.

IIRC, the men's player's association actually owns a piece of the ATP which means that their money is on the table too. It's amazing the difference having your money at stake means.

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (mf5HN)

276 245 ESPN - "The NFL and a group of players reached an agreement in principle late Wednesday night to partner on a plan to address social justice issues considered important to African-American communities, ESPN has learned. The unprecedented agreement calls for the league to contribute nearly $100 million over seven years to projects dealing with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education."
Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (ILs+b)

because too many of the NFL players are in jail

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (7HtZB)

277 Transgender cheerleaders.
Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (Bdeb0)

That wouldn't be so bad if they would keep their balls in their Daisy Dukes.

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (6bmev)

278 The NFL is also what funds News divisions like NBC and CBS. It was their cash cow.

That is another reason Trump is trolling the NFL. He knows NFL viewers are paying the salaries of a lot of the democrat urinalists.

He's attacking killing the media through the NFL.

Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (ILs+b)

279 We're unstoppable!

Posted by: Pets.com at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (sLvAU)

280 259
btw - my wife rarely watches sports -but she kind of enjoyed the rugby
match between England and Tonga - they rarely stop except for scrums etc
-just keep the ball moving - instead of tedious huddles timeouts two
minute warnings -the clock running but no action on field etc

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (LilNs)

She'd love the NHL then. I've pretty much given up on the NFL, which is admittedly pretty easy as my Giants are completely horrible anyway. I watch the Rangers now. So far the SJW disease has mostly left Hockey alone. For now...

Posted by: Agent Cooper at November 30, 2017 02:04 PM (oyCqX)

281 Scott Sterling and his face of steel have won it all!

Posted by: Insomniac - Nobody in Particular at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (NWiLs)

282 We're an American Classic!

Posted by: Radio Shack at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (sLvAU)

283 The future looks bright!

Posted by: Phonograph Needle Makers at November 30, 2017 02:02 PM (sLvAU)
====================

Actually, the younger set has informed me that vinyl is making a comeback. Son even went out and bought a record player. He said he couldn't believe the difference between vinyl and Pandora.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (lwiT4)

284 272 The only way I would return to watching is if one team was armed with lances and the other with morning stars.

Tiebreakers would be decided with trebuchets, shot from the end zones.
Posted by: Marcus T at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (VpIIl)

Each team gets one real life version of it's mascot to use as it sees fit. I want to see a grizzly bear run down the 50 yard line and get its eyes gouged out by an eagle.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (KUaJL)

285 These frequent "off-normal" game times have to kill ticket revenue. If you look at the stadium shots during many of the Sunday night/Monday night/Thursday night games, the stands are a lot emptier. If you go to one of those games in person and it's in the Eastern time zone, the game is over at 11:30pm or later, plus you have the time involved to get out of the parking lot and get home.

Posted by: Mark at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (ZQ8wS)

286 269
I predict the pendulum will swing and the NFL will start allowing spiked gloves and battle hammers soon.

Posted by: Roland THTG at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (xBSm0)

heh

Posted by: Johnathon E at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (cGz5Q)

287 >> "The NFL and a group of players reached an agreement in principle late
Wednesday night to partner on a plan to address social justice issues
considered important to African-American communities...

It's a shame United Way had some financial shenanigans, because at least back when they were partnering with the NFL, it was all about *the players* working to build better local communities. Now it's all about getting someone else to pay for it, I guess?

Posted by: Barack the Magnificent at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (W+vEI)

288 Ace, as a lifelong Redskins fan I still love NFL football and watch it. As being something close to a completist, I can watch the reruns of important games on NFL channel in an hour. They typically focus on the better games to rerun. The reason I do this is (1) to evaluate teams of note and (2) cause there is nothing of interest on any other channel.

Personally, I think the NFL, like the DEM Party, is being consumed by its firm investment into Resentment Studies and the Flying Monkeys this investment spawned. For the NFL this first began when ESPN went full tilt Keith Olbermann. It has finally progressed to suicide.

The antidote to this problem is to simply move the NFL Headquarters out of Manhattan to somewhere in mid-America - I'd recommend Cincinnati or Iowa City. Do that and you can quarantine football for real Americans. Nothing good comes from Manhattan.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (YV+SU)

289 Too big to fail!

Posted by: Sears at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (sLvAU)

290 Tebow got drummed out of the NFL because he was (and is) a good man. Nothing more.

Crappy QBs don't win two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (tRaq7)

291 Our customers LOVE shopping in our stores in the malls - who needs this mail order thing anyway?

Posted by: Sears Roebuck Inc at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (EBwPV)

292 Also, commercials!

They always sucked, but now that most kickoffs don't have returns- they were exciting, but unsafe for players- the sequence is as follows:

Team scores touchdown
Commercial
Team kicks extra point
Commercial
Scoring team kicks off, kick is downed in the endzone for a touchback
Commercial
Finally! Some uninterrupted football! Oh, wait, it's the two minute warn-
Commercial

Posted by: Oschisms at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (Y/y3J)

293 269 I predict the pendulum will swing and the NFL will start allowing spiked gloves and battle hammers soon.

++++++++

America's HR ruling class has a perverse set of incentives:

1. safety and bubblewrap everfything in a sterile sexless but extremely gay friendly package of baby googoo gaga

2. sell America the NFL with promises of violence but, ahhh, safety first, and also behave, boys.

3. use Christmas to sell EVERYTHING without getting all Jesusy because yuck, obviously.

4. Sell movies with action and stuff but not with any reference to any bad guys that fit the world we live in.

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (otbkS)

294 284
272 The only way I would return to watching is if one team was armed with lances and the other with morning stars.

Tiebreakers would be decided with trebuchets, shot from the end zones.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM (VpIIl)

Each team gets one real life version of it's mascot to use as it
sees fit. I want to see a grizzly bear run down the 50 yard line and
get its eyes gouged out by an eagle.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 02:05 PM (KUaJL)

THIS WEEK, ON GAME OF TOUCHDOWNS.....

Posted by: Agent Cooper at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (oyCqX)

295 We'll be around for ever.

Posted by: flash bulbs at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (r9UYA)

296 He's a good guy and he's working really hard for the Mets in the minors and is single handedly drawing record crowds but he just didn't have the talent to be an NFL QB. If he did, some team would have given him a job. It's not like the league is overburdened with talented QBs right now.
Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (/tuJf)

He may have been good as a TE or other position, but not a QB.

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 02:07 PM (7HtZB)

297 Losing $500 million in a year is a sign of a strengthening market. It shows that the "kneelers" are on the right track to grow the NFL product. The fact that the NFL will donate $100 million to the most worthy black social justice programs also indicates that the owners know that losing $500 million this year could lead to the NFL losing $1 billion next year and that shows enthusiasm for the NFL product and steady but powerful growth trend.

Posted by: Paul Krugman at November 30, 2017 02:07 PM (3BFzK)

298 And the owners are on board with this left wing balckmail?

It's the Jesse Jackson Gambit. Give them what they want and they'll go away.
The problem is that they aren't going away.

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 02:07 PM (O5Q3r)

299 The unprecedented agreement calls for the league to contribute nearly $100 million

I'm raising the ticket prices again. And the parking. And the watered down beer.

Get back here you peasants.

Posted by: Commissioner Clueless at November 30, 2017 02:07 PM (326rv)

300 290 Tebow got drummed out of the NFL because he was (and is) a good man. Nothing more.

Crappy QBs don't win two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy.
-------------------
Loved Tebow the story. Hated his throwing motion. He would never had been able to carry a team as a QB. As a Tight End he would have been stunning.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:08 PM (YV+SU)

301 Any NFL completist should be enamored by the Cleveland Browns. They're a perfect complete failure.

Posted by: Lebron Horowitz at November 30, 2017 02:08 PM (UFgOG)

302 I rarely read--don't like to give links to--the Weakly Standard, but I did read this piece that is a pretty good catalog of how the NFL has gone wrong...and probably cannot be saved.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-nfl-is-dying-heres-why/article/2010649

Posted by: Lawrence Larson at November 30, 2017 02:08 PM (d/r2I)

303
#251 What are the odds?

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 02:09 PM (KdDCu)

304 Yet another Redskins game airing too late for watching. If Goodell can't bully Snyder into changing the hate-filled name of the team, he'll make it difficult for the racist fans of those Redskins to watch the game.

I want a new sport.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:09 PM (Bdeb0)

305 Basketball is still pretty popular, although with the same two teams being in every finals the last three years its got to be getting boring. The players are thuggish, the protests are happening there too, and the sport isn't very interesting. A dunk is only fun the first few times, after a while it gets really dull.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:09 PM (39g3+)

306 The new hotness is youtube and the unbelievable, miraculous, you can't believe your eyes, fantastic, never seen before scoring goals in soccer.

I detest soccer, passionately, desperately, fervently, and strongly suspect that most of the action takes place in the shower room afterwards.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:09 PM (YqDXo)

307 There's still plenty of room on the Eagles bandwagon. Carson Wentz is one of the most likable players in the league; the kind of classic All-American boy that football romantics would love to have on their team. He's a franchise QB and only in his 2nd year.

Furthermore, there hasn't been any kneelers. Yes, there's Malcolm Jenkins doing the raised fist thing and Howie Long's kid with his insufferable white savior ally shtick, but that's still much better than what most teams are dealing with.

It helps that they're 10-1 and blowing teams out

Posted by: Biggs Darklighter at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (mynhJ)

308 >>He may have been good as a TE or other position, but not a QB.

Jets tried him at TE. First pass hit him right in the face mask.

There are lots and lots of players who are great at the college level but don't have the skills for the NFL. It isn't a conspiracy. There are also lots of Christians in the NFL and joint prayer sessions after the games were a thing for many, many years.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (/tuJf)

309 He may have been good as a TE or other position, but not a QB.

-----------

Well as someone said earlier - there are really only a handful of good QBs in the game. The middle tier are all about the same. And the bottom 10 are just dreadful. I would have rather had Tebow (and a packed house and excited fanbase) than whatever it is the Browns or Jaguars throw out ever year.

Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (sX1BW)

310 Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 02:01 PM (/tuJf)

What do you mean you do not believe that. His last season as a starter he led his team to the playoffs and a playoff win. He was not given the chance to see if repeat that season. I know of no other player except Flutie in which that occurred. Actually Flutie was eventually given a chance.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (Xrson)

311 304 Yet another Redskins game airing too late for watching. If Goodell can't bully Snyder into changing the hate-filled name of the team, he'll make it difficult for the racist fans of those Redskins to watch the game.

I want a new sport.

++++++++++

you know how I know you're gay?

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (otbkS)

312 I think they paid off the grievance mongers because the Super Bowl will be coming up, they will be forced to play the Anthem, and they're scared what will happen live on national TV.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (lwiT4)

313 One of the few heroes I had from the NFL was Pat Tillman.

Most of the rest can go light themselves on fire.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (VpIIl)

314 They've been running local tv ads for Seahawks merch lately. Don't every remember seeing that in previous years.

Posted by: Jimmy-Steve at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (AkTSb)

315 117 . . . The NFL lost me forever no matter what they do once I found out they charge the military for their presence at the games.
Fly-over, Honor Guard, etc.

Fuck the NFL. Forever.
Posted by: rickb223
_______________

Let's ban the military from paying for that crap. How hard can that be?

Posted by: Furious George at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (j+dfT)

316 The leftwing sports media has played a huge role in putting the NFL into a death spiral.

Posted by: Northernlurker at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (nBr1j)

317 the rules are complicated but the short version is "you are always wrong"

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (otbkS)

Allow me to disabuse you of the notion that you understand the rules.

You broke them.

Don't do it again.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (rorsQ)

318 Our customers will never leave us!

We make the best typewriter in the world!

Posted by: The IBM Selectric at November 30, 2017 02:03 PM

------------------------

No one has ever been fired for buying an IBM mainframe.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (KdDCu)

319 As long as Marvin Lewis still has a job, the NFL is bullshit.

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (O5Q3r)

320 >>I detest soccer, passionately, desperately, fervently, and strongly suspect that most of the action takes place in the shower room afterwards.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:09 PM (YqDXo)

This sounds correct. The word 'soccer' actually comes from the ancient Greek for 'homosexualist whiners.'

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:12 PM (Bdeb0)

321 You can't win an argument with "fake" facts.

Blacks are NOT being hunted down by the police. Whites are, in fact, more likely to be shot. Read the statistics.

Whites do NOT attack blacks more often than vice versa. Blacks attack whites at four times or more percentage-wise based upon their numbers in the community.

I don't think blacks are vengedul attackers. I blame the media and the Democrat Party because of their desire to up their numbers and money.

All of we average people are concerned about enough food, roofs over our heads, and our childrens' well-being to follow each and every headline. Many rely upon what used to be a more honest assessment of facts.

Now we are preyed upon by many in both the media and in political office.

Republicans share the blame. It's ALL of them, greedy for power and cash.

Posted by: True the Note at November 30, 2017 02:12 PM (HLTe8)

322 The worst part of the NBA (and this can also apply to football) is that the last 60 seconds of a close game can last 30 minutes. Ball is inbounded, foul. Foul. Foul. Foul. Foul.

Posted by: John Marston at November 30, 2017 02:12 PM (SkuXa)

323 Destruction of the NFL is part of the War on Masculinity which is disguised as the war on women.

The NFL, while an entertaining distraction for the masses, promotes Masculinity, when within the masses is a threat to the ruling class.

Posted by: davidt at November 30, 2017 02:12 PM (cGz5Q)

324 Here's the Sterling Volleyball highlights.....

https://tinyurl.com/hsg9322

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (jjaLl)

325 I think I'll watch rugby instead.

Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (AsYZM)

326 >>314 They've been running local tv ads for Seahawks merch lately. Don't every remember seeing that in previous years.

Posted by: Jimmy-Steve at November 30, 2017 02:11 PM (AkTSb)

I will never call Beacon Plumbing. Just what I want, numerous thugs in Seahawks Jerseys coming crashing through my walls to fix my plumbing. Pig ignorant commercial.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (r9UYA)

327 Roger Goodell is going to get his in time.
Why did he hire Cathy Lanier, the D.C. Chief of police as NFL chief of security? She went from making $253,000 to over $2 million. Typically that job goes to ex military or ex intelligence. It was in September of 2016. Lanier was very involved in democratic politics. Payback comes in many ways. Could her $2 million reward, facilitated by roger Goodell, be for obstructing the Seth Rich investigation?

Posted by: Flowerbelle at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (AkAvN)

328 The NFL could have saved its self last year. Some rule changes, a new commissioner, and forcing Kaepernick to stand rather than kneel and the problems could have been reversed. But they chose poorly and now its too late.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (39g3+)

329 304 Yet another Redskins game airing too late for watching. If Goodell can't bully Snyder into changing the hate-filled name of the team, he'll make it difficult for the racist fans of those Redskins to watch the game.

I want a new sport.
---------------------
The Redskins are the second or third most profitable franchise in the NFL. Goodell knows this. It was Harry Reid who repeatedly cancelled the Redskins copyright whenever he needed to deflect Sparky's or his incompetence.

90%+ of American Indians like the Redskins and Chiefs.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:13 PM (YV+SU)

330 I haven't watched a Pro basketball game since Steve Kerr retired.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (lwiT4)

331 I pushed for nude women's soccer.

Posted by: Hope Solo at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (3BFzK)

332 Loved Tebow the story. Hated his throwing motion. He would never had been able to carry a team as a QB. As a Tight End he would have been stunning.

They didn't want a QB coach to improve his throwing motion, which could've been easily fixed and wasn't that bad to begin with. Again, two NatChamps and a Heisman. That's not too bad a technique.

He would've also made a good running back: he was big and could run. Nobody in the SEC looked forward to trying to tackle him when he had a head of steam running at you.

I've seen to many other crappy QBs in the NFL to validate my opinion of Tebow. They didn't want him because of his squeaky-clean image and wholesome lifestyle. He was a better man than anyone on the field.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (tRaq7)

333 Problem with hockey is my wife cannot see the puck -doesn't understand what is going on. Plus they are covered up -rugby players show their muscles. Personally ice hockey is my fave spectator sport -especially the play offs. My team is Dallas Stars - my real fave team in ice hockey was the Dallas Blackhawks (Chicago farm club) back in early to mid 70s.

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (LilNs)

334 than whatever it is the Browns or Jaguars throw out ever year.
Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:10 PM (sX1BW)

The Jags are good this year, 7-4 tied for first in the AFC South. I've seen some of their games and it's a good team.

As far as the Browns, it's just ludicrous how badly the team is run right now and that's by running the Browns standards. There was a story earlier this week about the USC quarterback denying that he was staying in school to avoid going to the Browns and my response was hey, on behalf of Browns fans everywhere, RUN RUN AWAY SAVE YOURSELF! IT'S TOO LATE FOR US!

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (mf5HN)

335 >>I detest soccer, passionately, desperately, fervently, and strongly
suspect that most of the action takes place in the shower room
afterwards.

And you want to talk about corruption and racism, just look at the behavior of the FIFA, soccer hooligans, and the raaaacist chants heard at international soccer games.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (W+vEI)

336 From the first week of this I've whined about ending the DOD support for anything NFL. Fly-overs, color guards (where that's under DOD control, isn't always), etc. And, especially, DOD/armed services advertising on NFL TV.

Do it, Mad Dog. Not one of your real priorities, legitimately, but come on. Would be so sweet.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 30, 2017 02:16 PM (OkKDg)

337 a true sport measures quantity and distance

Posted by: Peter North at November 30, 2017 02:16 PM (FZYNt)

338 If you want a sport filled with filthy Skandis and ugly Russians, you can't go wrong with hockey.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 30, 2017 02:16 PM (lwiT4)

339 I'd watch nude women's soccer!!

Posted by: Sally Kohn at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (3BFzK)

340 The Jags are good this year, 7-4 tied for first in the AFC South.

---------

They'd be 9-2 with Tebow.

j/k - don't know. Maybe. They are 7-4 due to their RB - not QB.

Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (sX1BW)

341 >> I pushed for nude women's soccer.
Posted by: Hope Solo at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (3BFzK)

A Female Prolapse League will never make money.

Posted by: garrett at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (YdCt8)

342 Our Reich will last 1000 years!

Posted by: Hitler, CEO of the Prussian Football League and Invasion Force at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (sLvAU)

343 As far as the Browns, it's just ludicrous how badly the team is run right now and that's by running the Browns standards. There was a story earlier this week about the USC quarterback denying that he was staying in school to avoid going to the Browns and my response was hey, on behalf of Browns fans everywhere, RUN RUN AWAY SAVE YOURSELF! IT'S TOO LATE FOR US!

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (mf5HN)

You know which quarterback has the most all time wins at the Cleveland browns Stadium?

Ben Roethlisberger

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (KUaJL)

344 >>339 I'd watch nude women's soccer!!

Posted by: Sally Kohn at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (3BFzK)

So would I.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (r9UYA)

345 >>333 Problem with hockey is my wife cannot see the puck -doesn't understand what is going on. Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (LilNs)

I've read somewhere (maybe here) that the key to watching hockey is to watch the players, not the puck. Sounds sensible.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:17 PM (Bdeb0)

346 a true sport measures quantity and distance

Posted by: Peter North at November 30, 2017 02:16 PM (FZYNt)

-------------And girth.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Profoundly Unserious at November 30, 2017 02:18 PM (3BFzK)

347 Favre still more of a man than Brady. That is all.

Posted by: Auscolpyr at November 30, 2017 02:18 PM (suO/a)

348 339 I'd watch nude women's soccer!!
Posted by: Sally Kohn

as long as their breasts were the size of soccer balls

it would be a bruising sport

Posted by: Rick in SK at November 30, 2017 02:18 PM (FZYNt)

349 Replace Goodell with Condaleeza Rice. It's her self-professed "dream job".

On the subject of super-cool conservative women doing awesome things: Nikki Haley would make a much better SoS than whatshername. But I would surely miss all those verbal smackdowns at the U.N. Dayum, girlfriend's got some big clanging brass ones.

Posted by: Shopgirl: #raisedRoyal at November 30, 2017 02:18 PM (jrxFC)

350 Yeah grammie, that's him.

alsob(delete space)

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2017/10/23/ emotional-carson-wentz-boy-cancer/

http://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/07/12/ eagles-wentz-launches-foundation/

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (hMwEB)

351 I detest soccer, passionately, desperately, fervently, and strongly suspect that most of the action takes place in the shower room afterwards.

Ahh, kickball. Where your team can lose and still advance in playoffs.

Perfect for 5-to-8-year-olds.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (tRaq7)

352 Who would have thought that a lot if not the majority of Americans don't like their flag disrespected and all that it stands for including our military.

How f*cking stupid do you have to be not to have seen what the consequences would be? A kid running a lemonade stand would have better sense.

Posted by: Cheri at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (oiNtH)

353 The NFL and a group of players reached an agreement in principle late
Wednesday night to partner on a plan to address social justice issues
considered important to African-American communities

So the nfl now is only an exstension of the naacp and al sharpton?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (5y11N)

354
162 You know what's the NFL's greatest sin? They've made the game *boring*.

Which wouldn't necessarily be so bad, but they no longer switch to the cheerleaders when boring stuff is going on.

Posted by: Anachronda sometimes misses the '80s at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (v3pYe)

355 In other news, candle and book sells were up $500 thousand.

Posted by: goodluckduck at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (yqvys)

356 There is another factor here that can't be proven.

Nudging (a nice way of putting it) results.

Do you really think an industry that takes in billions of dollars, controls every second to get as much advertising dough as possible is above 'nudging' the games so that the most profitable outcomes occur?

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have eyeballs on the games for longer periods of time? Wouldn't it be nice if the most lucrative narratives we script play out like we want them to be?

The NFL is an entertainment business not a sports business. All 32 teams (aside from the Cowboys) share revenues. They are more communist than capitalist. At the end of the season they split the revenues. No one loses except the fans.

Don't you think that all those teams would want the outcome that made them the most money not whether their team won or not?

Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (ILs+b)

357 347 Favre still more of a man than Brady. That is all.

+++++

I love FAvre, but he's a gunslinger. upsides and downsides. Brady is something else.

Like comparing the different samurai from the Seven Samurai movie...

Posted by: porg herder at November 30, 2017 02:19 PM (otbkS)

358 nfl wise I have no clue what is going on and no desire to find out. Like I said before they could shut down and I would not care the nfl is dead to me.

Posted by: USNtakim prfoundly deplorable! at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (0OmEj)

359 >>Could her $2 million reward, facilitated by roger Goodell, be for obstructing the Seth Rich investigation?

Recall that Joe Lockhart, a former press secretary and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, became the new executive vice
president of communications and top public relations official for the NFL in February, 2016. Joe Lockhart is also the guy renting his DC mansion to Barack Obama.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (W+vEI)

360 And you want to talk about corruption and racism, just look at the behavior of the FIFA, soccer hooligans, and the raaaacist chants heard at international soccer games.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (W+vEI)

Here's a fun argument:

Which is more corrupt? The IOC or FIFA?

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (mf5HN)

361 The thing to understand about fantasy sports leagues is that they aren't made up of fans of the sport. They like it okay, but they don't really give a crap about teams or even the playoffs. There's no points in post season.

They care about individual stats, not even players. They aren't fans of a player, they are fans of the stats of the players for the most part. NFL fantasy leagues are made up of stat crunching gamblers, not football fans. They don't even care about the game, only what their guys managed to put up in terms of numbers.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (39g3+)

362 >>Favre still more of a man than Brady. That is all.

Crocs v Ug*s

Posted by: garrett at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (YdCt8)

363 What else are you idiots going to do, read a book? How stupid can you be!?!?!

Posted by: Scott Van Pelt at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (SkuXa)

364 Goodell is just the front-man for the owners.

Posted by: davidt at November 30, 2017 02:21 PM (cGz5Q)

365 Any truth to the stories about Goodell and the ficus?

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at November 30, 2017 02:21 PM (7ZVPa)

366 They didn't want him because of his squeaky-clean image and wholesome lifestyle. He was a better man than anyone on the field.
------------------
Nonsense. The Manning boys, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz... are all squeaky clean. No NFL Franchise will bet the farm on a sketchy player - remember Michael Vick and the Falcons?

Tebow would never have become a starter. Same problem you saw with RGIII and Kaperdick. They are inaccurate passers who trust their legs first. None of these guys are in the game for a reason.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:21 PM (YV+SU)

367 ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL???

I AM!!!

Posted by: The Burning Times at November 30, 2017 02:22 PM (be0vm)

368 I know it's easy to say this with no way for anyone to verify it, but I really did finally give the NFL up completely this year. I was one of those stereotypical guys who sat down on Sunday morning and watched football all day. I even watched the Monday and Thursday night games.

I LOVE having my weekends back! Looking back now, I was so intensely involved with it, it was like having a second job. Even if the political BS stopped completely tomorrow, I don't think I'd go back.

I'm an OSU grad so I did scratch the football itch by watching their games on Saturdays this season. But just their games, not all-day Saturday viewing.

Posted by: Biergood at November 30, 2017 02:22 PM (57HKF)

369
#251 #324

Something about that Steve Sterling.

Posted by: Theo Last at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (KdDCu)

370 ...the NFL is about "over-reach"; ; we've become "Woke", while we screw L.A., St. Louis, Oak., SD. We care about "social justice", while we abandon cities for more money-increased profitability, for our billionaire owners. Wall Street sux, while we destroy Main Street-amazing...

Posted by: pahound at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (QkHmF)

371 Problem with hockey is my wife cannot see the puck -doesn't understand what is going on.

She's not alone there. I like hockey as far as I can follow it, and the ability to skate like that astounds me, its barely human. But I have a very hard time following the action.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (39g3+)

372 Remember when ESPN sacked Hank Williams Jr. for comparing Obama to Hitler? Good times.

Posted by: Fritz at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (2Mnv1)

373 Same problem you saw with RGIII and Kaperdick. They are inaccurate passers who trust their legs first. None of these guys are in the game for a reason.
Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:21 PM (YV+SU)

Cam Newton ain't much better. Great athlete, pretty shitty passer when push comes to shove

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (5y11N)

374 And you want to talk about corruption and racism, just look at the behavior of the FIFA, soccer hooligans, and the raaaacist chants heard at international soccer games.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (W+vEI)

Yep. The funny thing is that American soccer moms think soccer is so sophisticated - it's European, doncha know? - whereas in Britain (especially) it's more of a working class sport. The upper classes are fans more of cricket.

Living in Europe, I used to dread local soccer games, because fans of one team or the other would lock arms, march down the middle of the main street, blocking traffic, aggressively singing, daring anyone to get in their way, and itching for a fight. It's not uncommon for soccer hooligans to be armed with Stanley knives, either.

Nice. But soccer is so sophisticated, per soccer moms.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (YqDXo)

375 >>Which is more corrupt? The IOC or FIFA?

Can I apply the power of "and" to that one!?

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (W+vEI)

376 Problem with hockey is my wife cannot see the puck -doesn't understand what is going on.

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (LilNs)

Some tennis matches on clay have that same problem. Often it's impossible to see the ball, in which case it's useless to even try watching the match. That's why some clay tournaments tried to use different colored clay ... but the players and "tennis connoisseurs" complained like little babies. They'd rather have a game that was unwatchable.

Some networks and tournaments also don't understand that the thing that many like most in a tennis match is being able to see the serve speed. It doesn't matter if it's into the net or out, people still like to see how fast the ball is being served. ESPN tends to frame tennis matches so that the speed gun reading is just out of the frame, which is annoying as all get-out.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (8gDQu)

377 >>She's not alone there. I like hockey as far as I can follow it, and the ability to skate like that astounds me, its barely human. But I have a very hard time following the action.

You gotta go see a few live games.

Once you can recognize 'off-screen' positioning, it gets easier to follow.

Posted by: garrett at November 30, 2017 02:24 PM (YdCt8)

378 The biggest problem with the NFL was their arrogance. The arrogance in thinking they will always be the top sport. Nothing lasts forever. Every bubble is built on arrogance.

Posted by: SH at November 30, 2017 02:24 PM (sX1BW)

379 Afterthought: soccer moms also do not know that soccer games in Europe are attended almost exclusively by men. Women and children would have to be crazy to attend.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 30, 2017 02:24 PM (YqDXo)

380 I read yesterday where the NFL is going to give almost $100M to social justice (i.e. left-wing radical) organizations in hopes that the payoff will appease the players.
_________________

So the NFL gives money to BLM, which kills some more cops, which causes cops to get more nervous and trigger-happy during stops and they shoot some black criminal whose mama goes on t.v. and says he didn't deserve it and was trying to turn his life around, and then the NFL players protest cops killing blacks and demand more "social justice," and the NFL gives more money to BLM, and . . . . . . . . . . .

Posted by: TrivialPursuer at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (fqUgw)

381 Which is more corrupt? The IOC or FIFA?

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:20 PM (mf5HN)

They're bastard twins separated at birth.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (8gDQu)

382 As far as the Browns, it's just ludicrous how badly the team is run right now and that's by running the Browns standards. There was a story earlier this week about the USC quarterback denying that he was staying in school to avoid going to the Browns and my response was hey, on behalf of Browns fans everywhere, RUN RUN AWAY SAVE YOURSELF! IT'S TOO LATE FOR US!

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM

----

The John Elway gambit. He didn't want to go to the Colts, threatened to play b-ball and then the rest is history.

Posted by: Auscolpyr at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (suO/a)

383 Yet another Franken accuser is coming forth, an elected Democrat official who says Frankengroper tried to french kiss her unasked at a political event. She went in for a ceremonial light hug and he stuck his tongue in her mouth.

Posted by: Barack Obama is a bad, bad man at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (ylUqT)

384 Ace's point about completionists is a good one though, and its broader than just football. Comic books about killed themselves through the same stupidity: collectors and fans wanted everything... until it was too much to get and the became annoyed. 14 variant lenticular covers and foil covers and alternate covers while the interior content began to suffer and you lose fans.

Its kind of the Long Tail theory. Where you have these rabid, totally committed fans who love your stuff and they are the core of your product. Because they love your work, they willingly promote it and sell it for you, for free. They bring in fans by their excitement.

Lose them, and you lose everyone.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (39g3+)

385 Remember when ESPN sacked Hank Williams Jr. for comparing Obama to Hitler? Good times.

I think he's back. Part of the NFL's Red Neck Outreach Program.
That's it. Hank Williams. No 100 million for you!!!

Posted by: tu3031 at November 30, 2017 02:26 PM (O5Q3r)

386 As a "Completionist" in video games, I can fully agree with the following sentiments:
1) Once Started, you want to finish everything
2) If they add more, you also want to collect/finish those (see: DLC)
3) If you know ahead of time that something is inherently incompleteable, it is a *STRONG* disincentive to even start.

And related to #2 and #3, if something they add or change makes it extremely difficult, time-consuming, or just-plain boring to do, you'll get to a point that you "Break". Basically, that obsessive-compulsive behavior you have? You go, "What the **** am I doing?", and finally take a break from it. And once there is a long enough break, the need for that next 'hit' of doing it again has severely diminished.

As an example, the recent posting about changes at Marvel had me noting the closure of Marvel Heroes Omega. It was slated to be closed at the end of 2017. It didn't even last a week or two longer than the announcement, right around Thanksgiving, with no official warning. The game had a broken 'Achievement' (an Xbox-level tracked goal) that was never fixed. Rather than completing what I could get, that last little percentage of completion kept me from ever starting it up. And now it's completely gone.

Posted by: Another Anon at November 30, 2017 02:26 PM (OcYSE)

387 I stand by my man...cowering.

Posted by: Ms. Franken at November 30, 2017 02:27 PM (r9UYA)

388 Add in the complete disdain for the fans. In the last year, along with everything else, you've seen the NFL crap on St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland. Fans in many other cities realize it's not about a two-way loyalty, as in Green Bay. It's solely about how much money the NFL can milk from the suckers in the seats and the cities who are held hostage for new stadiums. It's enough and people are finding better things to do with their Sundays.

Posted by: RS at November 30, 2017 02:27 PM (CNQqJ)

389 Up viewership? I have the answer. Body positive trans gender cheerleaders doing a haka before the game.

Posted by: Quilter's Irish Death at November 30, 2017 02:27 PM (qFkYf)

390 Some tennis matches on clay have that same problem. Often it's impossible to see the ball, in which case it's useless to even try watching the match.

Yeah but in Tennis there are only two players interacting with the ball, so its a lot easier to follow.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:27 PM (39g3+)

391 Cam Newton ain't much better. Great athlete, pretty shitty passer when push comes to shove
----------------------
Cam's game is simple, he's bigger than everyone else. He can throw fairly well and in the red zone he is unstoppable. The Panthers style is brute force with simple plays.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (YV+SU)

392 >>383 Yet another Franken accuser...he stuck his tongue in her mouth. Posted by: Barack Obama is a bad, bad man at November 30, 2017 02:25 PM (ylUqT)

Coffee is for closers, Franken, you fucking faggot.

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (Bdeb0)

393 Local TV used to show hockey games back when all we had was a 13" Zenith Black and White. I used to think that you had to play the game to watch it because you couldn't tell the puck from the static.

Nowadays I can actually see the hockey puck. If you think about it, we are privileged to live in an amazing time: Technology is allowing me to see things better at a faster rate than my eyesight is deteriorating from old age!

Posted by: Oschisms at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (Y/y3J)

394
Hockey: played by tough blue-collar types. Lots of Canadians, Europeans and Russians who aren't going to
take a crap in their Wheaties.

Baseball: played by hungry young boys. Lots of Latinos, Orientals. White and Hispanic fans. No SJW stuff likely.

Basketball: mostly black fans and black players. Shenanigans likely but not alienating to fan base.

Football: increasingly played by spoiled boys. No foreign contingent or replacements. Mostly white fans. In trouble if fan base is alienated. Doing a good job of doing it right now.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (BWL+E)

395 Problem with hockey is my wife cannot see the puck -doesn't understand what is going on.

Posted by: Glenn John at November 30, 2017 02:14 PM (LilNs)

Some tennis matches on clay have that same problem. Often it's impossible to see the ball, in which case it's useless to even try watching the match. That's why some clay tournaments tried to use different colored clay ... but the players and "tennis connoisseurs" complained like little babies.

Remember the hockey puck "tail"?

Posted by: rickb223 at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (6bmev)

396 290 Tebow got drummed out of the NFL because he was (and is) a good man. Nothing more.

Crappy QBs don't win two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:06 PM (tRaq7)

Eh. His style is very different from the Pro-Style offense and Pro-Style QB that the NFL loves. So those QBs that are outside the mold are special cases and don't always work out.

Honestly for Tebow to have been successful he would have needed a coach that would be willing to change the offense to more fit him, and that might have taken a lot of time but might have worked. RG3 had similar problems of Tebow, but Tebow didn't seem to be made of glass like RG3.

I would have liked to have seen what would have happened with him as the starter for an entire season, and just see if he was one of those instances where no matter what you see of him in practice when its actually game time there's a switch that flips and he makes those plays you keep saying he can't do in practice.

Posted by: buzzion - guess my sign at November 30, 2017 02:28 PM (cAnNx)

397 Don't talk to me about complete-ism :

I built over 160 feet of shelving this summer and I have no space left!

Posted by: garrett at November 30, 2017 02:29 PM (YdCt8)

398 Can I apply the power of "and" to that one!?
Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:23 PM (W+vEI)

Nope. The rules of this game are you must only pick one of them as the most corruptest and you can't cheat and go with whichever one had the most members arrested for corruption this morning.

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:29 PM (mf5HN)

399 In the meantime college ball is going like gangbusters, and the money reflects it.

OSU's Mike Gundy was just offered $42 million for five years at Tennessee. He turned it down.

Posted by: Cloyd Freud, Unemployed at November 30, 2017 02:29 PM (398bZ)

400 Nonsense. The Manning boys, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz... are all squeaky clean. No NFL Franchise will bet the farm on a sketchy player - remember Michael Vick and the Falcons?

Yeah, but you just made my point: Vick vs Tebow for image. Play, prison, play. What a great image. That's what the NFL wants.

I've seen too many bad QBs lately to think that he couldn't have been a starter with the right coaching staff. It's happened before.

They just didn't want to work with him.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at November 30, 2017 02:29 PM (tRaq7)

401 That new stadium thing. Every sport does it. Pay for my place of business because its good for taxes and brings in revenue!

Yeah, it brings in revenue when you pay for it too. I'm not building the new Nike complex either. Screw you, build your own damn business, mr multi billionaire. How much did you pull in from ticket sales alone last year?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:30 PM (39g3+)

402 I only watch ice hockey for the fights

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 02:30 PM (hMwEB)

403 >>389 Up viewership? I have the answer. Body positive trans gender cheerleaders doing a haka before the game.

Have Beyoncsay do another Black Panthers tribute at halftime. That should win over some new viewers.

Posted by: Under Fire at November 30, 2017 02:30 PM (r9UYA)

404 Tillerson out at State, Pompeo in?

Posted by: Zod at November 30, 2017 02:30 PM (Bdeb0)

405 Pineapple. Sideways. Repeatedly.

Goodall is a worthless cowardly cuck, destroying what used to be fun to watch on occasion.

When I go for therapy (shooting pool) at a local sports bar and a game is on, I avert my eyes from the game lest I be exposed to an advert and ask those watching how they can support overpaid anti-US/military entertainers that essentially spit on the flag and only "knee they should take" is one to the face or nuts. Response is usually a knowing shrug and "but, but, still okay to watch some, right?" look on their faces.

Posted by: oddnot has come to hate the Left, viscerally at November 30, 2017 02:31 PM (g1MTt)

406 I don't know that Tebow would have been much worse than Johnny Football.

Posted by: Barb the Evil Genius at November 30, 2017 02:31 PM (FQKBL)

407 Went to the Husky/Stanford band. Why's the stadium half full? Halftime, Stanford band goes on a tirade over Trump, spells out USSR. What? Stanford fans not cheering. Even though the Trees won, fans not happy.

Didn't get out of Palo Alto until midnight, which is happening a lot in college games.

Posted by: Mike Pitzler at November 30, 2017 02:31 PM (fSf/G)

408 I remember when Fox showed NHL games, and they made the puck glow, and it had a comet tail. Dennis Hopper remarked "What's the big deal? The puck always looked like that to me!"

Posted by: josephistan at November 30, 2017 02:32 PM (7HtZB)

409 Remember the hockey puck "tail"?

I actually liked that, it really helped me enjoy the game. I can see why hockey fans would hate it, but with smart TV there's no reason they couldn't let people activate it or not by their choice. I think hockey is cool, its just baffling and difficult to watch. So much action in such a small area, with the walls blocking off part of the activity on the ice.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 30, 2017 02:32 PM (39g3+)

410 The Jags are good this year, 7-4 tied for first in the AFC South. I've seen some of their games and it's a good team.

As far as the Browns, it's just ludicrous how badly the team is run right now and that's by running the Browns standards. There was a story earlier this week about the USC quarterback denying that he was staying in school to avoid going to the Browns and my response was hey, on behalf of Browns fans everywhere, RUN RUN AWAY SAVE YOURSELF! IT'S TOO LATE FOR US!

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:15 PM (mf5HN)

I suspect the top college QBs wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with their last memory of the nightmare being "And for their first draft pick the Cleveland Browns select Quarterback..."

Posted by: buzzion - guess my sign at November 30, 2017 02:32 PM (cAnNx)

411
I only watch ice hockey for the fights

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 02:30 PM (hMwEB)

Meh. Not as good now as they were in the 1970's. No bench clearing brawls, no pulling the other guy's sweater over his head and beating him bloody.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 30, 2017 02:33 PM (BWL+E)

412 Nood.

Posted by: alexthechick - Ragebunny. Hopping all around. at November 30, 2017 02:33 PM (mf5HN)

413 Heh. Well, you've all covered the ground pretty well.

I'm so old I remember when only game-winning touchdowns were celebrated.

Now a mundane tackle requires a dance troop and high kicks.

The first blow was free agency. Too much trading around ruined the player continuity. You had a hero, until he signed with your rival within your division.

The long replays that often result in everyone saying "How the hell did they get that call?" didn't help either.

Too much emphasis on passing hurt too. There aren't enough competent passing quarterbacks.

Water under the bridge. The NFL will continue it's slow deterioration until it reaches a level it can sustain. That may be close or far away from where we are now.

The NFL, killed by stupidity.

Posted by: Meremortal, no proseccutions, no peace! at November 30, 2017 02:34 PM (3myMJ)

414
Saw on the local news that the revenue of the Texas A&M football program is some $200 million. Cost to the university: $0.00.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 30, 2017 02:35 PM (BWL+E)

415 ...hockey is basically soccer; with half the players. Same plays-blue line, icing, offsides makes "non-fans" think its way more complex, then it is...

Posted by: pahound at November 30, 2017 02:36 PM (QkHmF)

416 >>What do you mean you do not believe that. His last season as a starter he led his team to the playoffs and a playoff win. He was not given the chance to see if repeat that season. I know of no other player except Flutie in which that occurred. Actually Flutie was eventually given a chance.

I'm saying he wasn't good enough which is why the Broncos brought in Manning and actually won a Super Bowl not just got to the playoffs and he couldn't keep a job as a backup even with the lowly Jets and none of the other 30 teams wanted him.

I don't know why this is so hard to accept. He's a great guy, a terrific college QB but he did not have the skill to be a NFL QB. The NFL is not college and lots of guys can't make the transition, particularly at QB which requires a much better and more accurate throwing ability than is required in college.

Not everything is some grand conspiracy.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 30, 2017 02:36 PM (/tuJf)

417 They just didn't want to work with him.
---------------------
If you mean they is John Elway, then you are right. Elway knows something about QBing.

Posted by: Puddin Head at November 30, 2017 02:36 PM (YV+SU)

418 >.Yeah, but you just made my point: Vick vs Tebow for image. Play, prison, play. What a great image. That's what the NFL wants.

Exactly. Just looking at who/what the NFL and its media orbit embrace tells you who they are.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 30, 2017 02:36 PM (W+vEI)

419 I don't have real sports fan cred because I do root for laundry. Whoever shows up in my teams' uniforms is my guy, but this "Tebow got blackballed for being a good guy" stuff is nonsense.

I had a passing interest in Brady Quinn because he moved next door to my pledge brother and he and the pledge brother wife bonded over dog walking. Whatevs. Major league college stats do not make a pro athlete. It's a different game at a different level.

I don't think that the NFL is pro-dog abuse. Michael Vick got to play again because he could carry that team on his back and drag them to wins. If Tebow could do that they'd forgive him for being Christian.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at November 30, 2017 02:39 PM (fuK7c)

420 Interesting read:

- Brian Tuohy
The Fix Is In

"While we call these leagues "sports," they are in fact businesses. Their business is entertainment. The NFL, for one, has actually argued this fact before the Supreme Court as recently as 2010. Being "entertainment," the leagues are legally entitled to do what is needed to entertain their audience, such as the creation and promotion of certain "storylines." Despite arguments to the contrary, this makes the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL on par with Roller Derby and Professional Wrestling."

Posted by: All That Glitters at November 30, 2017 02:40 PM (ILs+b)

421 Memeorandum is full of stories that Trump has dementia or is otherwise insane; Kushner is meeting with Mueller; Ivanka plagiarized herself; the CIA is hugely upset at getting Cotton, because waterboarding, and State is in despair over Pompeo; Ezra Klein is practically openly calling for regime change in D.C. by any means necessary; Teresa May is waiting (patiently I hope) for an apology; April Ryan was barred from the Christmas party because she is black, and not because her CNN bosses told her she couldn't go; and twenty years ago some guy claims Trump told him he likes "first rate pussy".

So that's the American center-left. I'm kind of afraid to go look at DailyKos.

Posted by: Barack Obama is a bad, bad man at November 30, 2017 02:40 PM (ylUqT)

422 OT-Poliical cartoon on Trump Derangement Syndrome. I thought it was pretty clever:

https://tinyurl.com/y7haaefu

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 30, 2017 02:43 PM (8+Ozj)

423 I quit playing fantasy football and my viewership stopped. Huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Getting rid of gambling access i bet is a big problem for the league also. I never did gamble or use FanDuel or Draft Kings or any of that, but lots of folks do. making it harder to do that is going to cause you lose viewers. I don't miss it. Not at all.

Posted by: tbird at November 30, 2017 02:45 PM (dv73D)

424 I think the Completist angle is spot on and how to exhaust a Completist, Ace. I was a YUGE NFL fan (all day Sunday, Monday night) and my interest was almost gone before the social justice Kapernicking.

Same Completist exhaustion with baseball cards in the early 90's. Back when it was Topps only, I'd blow my allowance on packs, trade with friends until i completed the set ( paying the tax on their time and money and you'll reap rewards.) Score, Donruss, Fleer got tiresome. Upper Deck ruined the hobby. $5 for a pack of 4 cards. Who knows how many sets. I was done.

Posted by: Danintexas at November 30, 2017 02:53 PM (Hykx7)

425 Ask the media professionals, and they have a thousand different reasons for the decline in ratings this season. Oversaturation, bad games, retirement of big-name players, Thursday Night Football, London, LA, etc. They pretend that if the NFL just tweaks the schedule and does a better job marketing, they can right this ship.

Ask any man who works with his hands, and he will tell you why he is avoiding the NFL this year. It is the protests.

Posted by: Gridlock at November 30, 2017 02:53 PM (GW7H6)

426 247 Remember when one watched basketball?? Bird and Magic?? Or Russell and Cousy ?? Anyone watch Basketball anymore??
Posted by: jay hoenemeyer at November 30, 2017 02:00 PM (4Mm1l)

I think the NBA is doing pretty well. BTW this morning I was reading an article about the recent sale of the Rockets to Tilman Fertitta. Fertitta was saying how messed up the NFL is with these stupid anthem protests, which the NBA prohibits. His star player James Harden agreed with him that there are better ways and places to express your opinions.

This commenting community is odd to me in not liking basketball. NTTAWWT
Everyone I know in meatspace loves basketball and football, but not baseball or hockey.

Posted by: stace at November 30, 2017 02:54 PM (6HFDU)

427 It's pretty obvious that with the SJW stuff, the concussion and CTE stuff, and the fact that the up-and-coming millennial generation does not like it, the NFL has no future and is in its death throes. It'll be kinda fun to watch it go down though.

Posted by: Random Thought Generator at November 30, 2017 02:56 PM (iOKfQ)

428 I like that Carson Wentz is a genuinely nice kid.

Posted by: votermom pimping great books! at November 30, 2017 01:51 PM (hMwEB)

On 'bye' week he went home to his home state ( a red state ) and went hunting. Pretty close to a shoe-in for league MVP.

While the league is headed in one direction, he's taking it in another.

Posted by: Ace Tractor Seat Supply at November 30, 2017 03:00 PM (ajiE5)

429 Last sentence says it all. It is, indeed, The View - with pads.

Posted by: RobM1981 at November 30, 2017 03:09 PM (dFemX)

430 Boy howdy, Ace, you could say the same thing about the comics industry. When every year means the next summer crossover epic, it becomes too easy to just turn away. And that began before the SJW invasion.

By the way, thank you for the link to the Shooter interview.

Posted by: Weak Geek at November 30, 2017 03:12 PM (Apbdw)

431 Yes the football experts thought Rob Johnson was better than Flutie. They thought Kurt Warner should be stocking shelves and then they did not learn from their mistake and thought he was washed up. For gosh sakes, the Steelers traded Johnny Unitas.

My point is , unless you give a person a chance you cannot definitively say for they would be a failure.

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 03:23 PM (Xrson)

432 Posted by: Bandersnatch at November 30, 2017 02:39 PM (fuK7c)

You are familiar with the last season Tebow played right?

Posted by: Roc Ingersol at November 30, 2017 03:25 PM (Xrson)

433
ace,

Do you want to seriously effect the NFL???

Start calling the "kneelers" what they actually are: Flag SQUATTERS.

I go even further than that. I call those motherfuckers: FLAG SHITTERS.

But I also realize that won't do for the public air ways.
"Flag Squatters" on the other hand is a perfectly acceptable term for prime time.

Here's what I have discovered: those who support the Flag Squatters become apoplectic when you call them that. They hate it beyond words.
Once I realize that I'm dealing with an infuriated Flag Squatter supporter, I begin to elide into the Flag Shitting metaphor.
Now, you would think that they would go even more ape-shit.
But they don't.
They give up.
The image is too crude. And they have no answer. I say: "Yeah, look at Kaepernick - his expression. Looks like he's taking a dump right on Ol' Glory."
BOOM. End of discussion. They. Have. No. Response.

So, ace, I implore you: start with Flag Squatter.
And then - whenever feasible - 'escalate' from there.

Posted by: Cold Civil War at November 30, 2017 03:27 PM (Z2PYk)

434 My husband used to be a Completist. But the Thursday night game has beat him. On Thanksgiving, we didn't even watch one minute of the third game - it was another viewing of "Open Range" for us.

Posted by: You heard me at November 30, 2017 06:21 PM (BooNj)

435 Theres a BLM Anthem???

What is it??
Posted by: fixerupper at November 30, 2017 01:32 PM

Sure there is! And it goes like this:

I'm black y'all
And I'm black y'all
And I'm blackety-blackety black, y'all
And I'm black y'all
And I'm black y'all
And I'm blackety-blackety black, y'all

and it goes on like that for about 6 minutes.

Posted by: Dr. Mabuse at November 30, 2017 06:33 PM (alIcn)

436 SJW - Yeah!
SJW - Da Man!

*2018 cap salary number comes out and instead of increasing 5%, it is decreased by 1%, to reflect the loss of NFL income in 2017.*

WTF? Raccisss! We dindu nuffin!

Posted by: LeftCoast Dawg at November 30, 2017 07:50 PM (UsCnO)

437 70
how much content can the NFL shove down our throats, anyway?

Someone need my expertise?

Posted by: Al Franken at November 30, 2017 07:55 PM (UsCnO)

438 I have never given a damn about football, but I do know about being a Completist. I used to be a Bob Dylan Completist. Then, a few years ago, he started issuing a new hundred or more dollar box set every year. Fuck it.

Posted by: WLD at December 02, 2017 09:05 AM (62Q7L)

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