biggest problem with the NFL

[PatsFan24]

whats the biggest problem with todays NFL

 

[Isaac]

The lack of a 5-yard ticky-tack version of pass interference. If you don't prevent the receiver from making a play, it should be 5 yards and 1st down.

 

[DarrylS]

Honestly I don't see a lot of problems with the exception of the turn their back attitude of the owners on the high price of tix in the secondary market, i.e. scalping. The inability of the owners to identify who the culprits are and then taking away their season tix makes me think they are complicit. For example, the recent ticket sales for the Pats Season no one if any on this board got tickets, except the scalper companies...tickets are expensive enough without paying the extra.

 

[Pats726]

I see two problems...
One is the officiating. They need to look into innovations that will get plays right, not wait for challenges, but have an ongoing look at the game to be sure the correct calls are made. Use technology even more and make officials full time, so in the odd season they too have to work to improve and to make the correct calls. Pro Football Talk had some interesting points like this after the low point of the NFL, last year's SB.
The other problem I have is the way rookies get treated...large salaries and all. I would rather the rooks have to earn their large contracts and that the vets who ARE the backbone of the league get more money. I find it a bit baclwards that players from college get money thrown at them so much before they have played a down in the league and proved themselves.

 

[smg93]

Biggest problem of the NFL today????


No games.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Biggest problem of the NFL today????


No games.

well said. i agree with you.

no games ? no party...

i'm looking forward for next regular season...

 

[QuiGon]

Honestly I don't see a lot of problems with the exception of the turn their back attitude of the owners on the high price of tix in the secondary market, i.e. scalping. The inability of the owners to identify who the culprits are and then taking away their season tix makes me think they are complicit. For example, the recent ticket sales for the Pats Season no one if any on this board got tickets, except the scalper companies...tickets are expensive enough without paying the extra.

Of course they're complicit... they're getting paid lots of money by these propfessional scalping companies. That's how the team can sell a ticket for greater than face value. Say the Patriots have 10,000 tickets against the Colts available with an average face value of $75. But there is also a scalping company that comes up to them and says "We'll pay you $1,000,000 to be the official 'travel service' of the new England Patriots but in return we want those 10,000 tickets."

 

[patsox23]

The biggest problem in the NFL is that they need to impliment a far lower salary-scale for rookies. They should have to prove themselves over 4 years and save the big $$$ for NFL vets.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I agree with the commemts on rules cum officiating. Given technology there shold be NO question of offsides, ball placement, out of bounds and whether someone crossed the goal line. With the revenue from TV and ticket prices the NFL could saturate stadia with dozens of inexpensive digital video cameras and laser detectors. 'Print' a wireless transponder on the footballs noses.

Put me in the camp requesting a milder PI penalty. The current rules are too arbitrary and too easily game changing upon the whim of an official.
Holding, I have no solution for except maybe requiring a 'hold' to be more blatant. But I don't know how to specify that.

 

[seahawkspatriotschick]

INCOMPETENT OFFICALS!!!!!

 

[rabthepat]

Too many teams.

I don't think the number of skilled QBs has kept up with the number of teams. And if they try to add a new team in LA it will only get worse. We have players starting at QB who should be backups at best. (i.e. Brunell, Bowler, Dilfer, Carr, Harrington, Losman, Ferrotte, Collins, Grossman, Brad Johnson, Favre, Simms & Brookes)

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

WickedPissah is so obviously right about the NFL not using what amounts to very inexpensive technology to eliminate officiating mistakes, especially the laser/transponder idea to make determining TD's fool proof, that we can only assume the league wants to keep us on the edge of our seats by needlessly involving human inaccuracies.

Other BIG PROBLEM? Too many preseason games. If the owners are intent on keeping all four games because of the revenue, then, at minimum, they should add one of the games to the regular season. If a team is going to suffer a grievous injury, at least let it be in game that 'matters.'

 

[Pats726]

I agree with the commemts on rules cum officiating. Given technology there shold be NO question of offsides, ball placement, out of bounds and whether someone crossed the goal line. With the revenue from TV and ticket prices the NFL could saturate stadia with dozens of inexpensive digital video cameras and laser detectors. 'Print' a wireless transponder on the footballs noses.

Put me in the camp requesting a milder PI penalty. The current rules are too arbitrary and too easily game changing upon the whim of an official.
Holding, I have no solution for except maybe requiring a 'hold' to be more blatant. But I don't know how to specify that.

Absolutely true!! There should be NO question at all about spotting..and there should be so many video cameras, the officials (BOOTH officials) should be able to make a ruling quick..NO throw a beanbag and wait balony..keep video running ALL the time so that the right calls can be made. Older officials?? They can man the booths and call from there..get younger and full time officials..so they thev to improve in the offseason. Is there any at all "official training re-training" in the off season?? I think IF they had to officiate dummy games and make wrong calls, it would be easy to "get it right" during the season. This part-time deal is stupid...as if it doesn't take a FULL TIME student of the game to improve. I agree that PI and Holding calls need to be looked at closer..and as a group...and I think a video or some aid is needed..so oficials, players know X and Y will be called...but A and B will not...so that all know where the boundary is and what is and what is NOT going to be called...and there is MORE definitive knowledge decided before hand...The league has so many hours of tape..of what was called and not..get all the officials in...those that will calll the line..OR the backfield and discuss and know. Seems like there should be a want of improvement..and of pushing officials TO improve in all ways...instead, they go their merry way in offseason and learn zilch!!!

 

[Pats726]

WickedPissah is so obviously right about the NFL not using what amounts to very inexpensive technology to eliminate officiating mistakes, especially the laser/transponder idea to make determining TD's fool proof, that we can only assume the league wants to keep us on the edge of our seats by needlessly involving human inaccuracies.

Other BIG PROBLEM? Too many preseason games. If the owners are intent on keeping all four games because of the revenue, then, at minimum, they should add one of the games to the regular season. If a team is going to suffer a grievous injury, at least let it be in game that 'matters.'

I think 4 is OK..I remember whrn there was 6..noe THAT was really ridiculous...4 is OK...3 is just NOT enough to get a good eval of rookies and others..and getting the team ready. Four is just fine..a good balance.

 

[Pats726]

The biggest problem in the NFL is that they need to impliment a far lower salary-scale for rookies. They should have to prove themselves over 4 years and save the big $$$ for NFL vets.

I agree...and what is strange is that the NFLPA gets away with it....One would think that with LARGE groups of vets that they could VOTE in slots of money for rookies..so that a larger portions would go to the players who HAVE BEEN IN the league and MADE the league be what it is....that seems like a far cry from what foes on now. IN ANY other union, those entering would have to pat their dues so to speak..work their way up instead of being treated like kings!! I really wonder why this hasn't happened, given the number of vets...Are they being lied to or are they unorganized?? Is Upshaw having a vote that basically overturns the will of the players?? I just don't understand at all...seems obvious to me...

 

[Miguel]

the other problem I have is the way rookies get treated...large salaries and all. I would rather the rooks have to earn their large contracts and that the vets who ARE the backbone of the league get more money. I find it a bit baclwards that players from college get money thrown at them so much before they have played a down in the league and proved themselves.

While you may have a problem with how rookies are paid, the NFLPA and the NFL does not.

The NFLPA is fine with the current system.
The cap went up by 19%. The rookie pool went up by 5%. So a great portion of the increase will be going to the veterans.
The vet min now equals the min salary for a 3rd-year, not a 4th year player making it even cheaper to keep veterans on the roster.
The NFLPA made it a point to limit the length of rookie deals which tells me that they are uncomfortable with draft picks being so cheap.

The Pats are $16.8 million under the cap.
It will cost them $1.8 million in net cap space (remember the Top 51 rule) to sign their rookies.
After leaving about $2 million in reserve (PS, players 52 and 53,injury replacement), the Pats will have about $13 million in cap room to spend on veterans. How is that a problem?? I can't see how any Patriot can be upset at the money Maroney will be getting before he plays a down in the NFL when the Patriots will still have the cap space to spend money on them.

According to John Clayton the 32 teams have about $270 million in cap space, an average of over $8 million. How is that a problem???

There were 255 draft picks this year. How many of them if they play as one of the best players at their position will actually be paid as one of their best players at their position? Very few.

Why should not Reggie Bush/Mario Williams/be highly paid?? Look at how many of their jerseys have been sold?? Should not Reggie Bush's compensation somehow reflect how he has increased the NFL's coffers before he has even played a down??

I do not see how the rookies are getting paid is a problem for the NFL.

 

[PromisedLand]

Biggest problem of the NFL today????


No games.

You stole the words right out of my mouth, my friend! I was going to say the fact that they only play 4 months a year, but your succinct 2 word answer sums it up better.

 

[Tunescribe]

I think the biggest core problem is free agency. Before free agency, teams held onto players longer and each team had its own distinctive personality and style of play. With free agency, the league has become homogenized. If I had a magic wand, I'd allow free agency but make it much more restrictive and make it in the players' (and teams') best interests for players to stay with one team. I'd also like to see older players valued more, a la George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang."

 

[Pats726]

While you may have a problem with how rookies are paid, the NFLPA and the NFL does not.

The NFLPA is fine with the current system.
The cap went up by 19%. The rookie pool went up by 5%. So a great portion of the increase will be going to the veterans.
The vet min now equals the min salary for a 3rd-year, not a 4th year player making it even cheaper to keep veterans on the roster.
The NFLPA made it a point to limit the length of rookie deals which tells me that they are uncomfortable with draft picks being so cheap.

The Pats are $16.8 million under the cap.
It will cost them $1.8 million in net cap space (remember the Top 51 rule) to sign their rookies.
After leaving about $2 million in reserve (PS, players 52 and 53,injury replacement), the Pats will have about $13 million in cap room to spend on veterans. How is that a problem?? I can't see how any Patriot can be upset at the money Maroney will be getting before he plays a down in the NFL when the Patriots will still have the cap space to spend money on them.

According to John Clayton the 32 teams have about $270 million in cap space, an average of over $8 million. How is that a problem???

There were 255 draft picks this year. How many of them if they play as one of the best players at their position will actually be paid as one of their best players at their position? Very few.

Why should not Reggie Bush/Mario Williams/be highly paid?? Look at how many of their jerseys have been sold?? Should not Reggie Bush's compensation somehow reflect how he has increased the NFL's coffers before he has even played a down??

I do not see how the rookies are getting paid is a problem for the NFL.

I am sorry that you have felt the need to have personalized this argument. Firstly, a question. Are you basically are saying that because the two parties, the NFL and NFLPA, agree about rookies, that it is basically no one else's business?? Iis that your argument?? That is plainly silly from many
viewpoints. I would wonder what fans thought about this as well how it really impacts the league overall. for better or worse.
Certainly, it is very good that it will be easier to keep vets on rosters, I don't think fans have a problem with that at all. As for the "vet min now equals the min salary for a 3rd-year, not a 4th year player", I am not sure how this makes your point at all. Shouldn't a vet have a larger min salary than a 3-4th year player???
Did I mention anything about cap space being a problem?? I don't think I did, whether with the Pats OR any other team.
I'm not sure many, if any rookies can be the best in their position, this year.
I'm wondering how many of those rookies will be paid a lot of money and not play up to that value....in other words busts. Which do you think would be greater?? The rookies who play in the top group of players in a position OR
players paid more than they are worth and not living up to that?? I really am not sure which is greater.
My question on jerseys is, do you wish to base a salary on that itself?? Are you saying hype and visibility is what should drive a players salary and not on the field play??
Can you name one non-sports "union" where those entering into it get paid more than those who have been in the union for years??
I think most NFL fans would be much happier with the salary pie being split differently, with less of a slice given to rookies and more to vets who have proven themselves and are the backbone of the league.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I think the biggest core problem is free agency. Before free agency, teams held onto players longer and each team had its own distinctive personality and style of play. With free agency, the league has become homogenized. If I had a magic wand, I'd allow free agency but make it much more restrictive and make it in the players' (and teams') best interests for players to stay with one team. I'd also like to see older players valued more, a la George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang."

FA has been great for the players. Previously, they were underpaid and held captive by lousy franchises (bosses) for their entire careers.

What I would change is that I would create optional cap relief for teams wishing to PAY long term vets more to retain them until retirement. My 'McGuinest' clause.