Goodell says playoffs could expand to 14 or 16 teams

[PatsWickedPissah]

I have a conspiracy theory that I'd like to throw out there....
I now honestly believe that Goodell has resurrected the most ridicules thing he's come up with ever...and has thrown it out there as a smoke screen to deflect attention from Tagliabu's decision to Vacate the Goodell Ruling to suspend the Saints players...and judging from what I'm reading here and nationally and almost bought into myself...that he's doing a good job a the deflection!!! .

Others here have already repeatedly mentioned Goody's "Look A squirrel!" distraction tactic.

Here's the real ploy. Remember how Patsfans were pretty much against the 18 game season when 1st floated? Now just in this thread posters here (except uber bust Simms) have already conceded an 18 game season as an alternative. Masterful move by the NFL owners as they get a 12.5% increase in primetime revenue games.

 

[Deus Irae]

Others here have already repeatedly mentioned Goody's "Look A squirrel!" distraction tactic.

Here's the real ploy. Remember how Patsfans were pretty much against the 18 game season when 1st floated? Now just in this thread posters here (except uber bust Simms) have already conceded an 18 game season as an alternative. Masterful move by the NFL owners as they get a 12.5% increase in primetime revenue games.

Expanded playoffs - really stupid idea
18 game regular season - really stupid idea


Both are instances where going in the opposite direction would make more sense, and both are instances where owners aren't willing to accept that sports is not the same as a normal business. Sports have built in limitations when it comes to the revenue streams. When the owners come to accept that, we'll all be better off.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Not to get too econ 101 geeky but the owners push for expansion (# of teams, length of season, length of playoffs) because they believe they have yet to max out on their marginal return from these changes and they could not care much less about what it does to the product. They'll keep doing this until the growth in revenue stream goes negative and forces their hand. By then it will be too late as they'll be entangled in player concussion lawsuits and possible Congressional intervention.

 

[Chopblock CB]

Others here have already repeatedly mentioned Goody's "Look A squirrel!" distraction tactic.

Here's the real ploy. Remember how Patsfans were pretty much against the 18 game season when 1st floated? Now just in this thread posters here (except uber bust Simms) have already conceded an 18 game season as an alternative. Masterful move by the NFL owners as they get a 12.5% increase in primetime revenue games.

Ahhh yes..the old "Look a squirrel" tactic......I see what you mean.....

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I like the idea of expanding the number of playoff teams more than going to the 18 game schedule.

But, if you're going to expand the number of playoff teams, why not go hog wild about it. Give each division winner a bye and have a wild card weekend round robin where teams 5-12 in each conference play each other for the right to advance to play the division winners. 8 games in total: 1 on Friday night, 3 on saturday and sunday and 1 on Monday night.

The divisional weekend would be 8 games as well played under a similar format. Basically, it would provide 2 weekends of wall to wall playoff football played in the middle of January.

It may sound absurd, but the NFL would probably get more tv revenue from the extra 12 playoff games than it would from 32 extra regular season games the 18 game schedule would provide.

Yes, you can say it would water down the regular season but then think of all the meaningless games played this time of the season between teams who have no chance of the playoffs. Under this format, many of those games would have now have meaning involving seating and home-field advantage.

This weekend there are 16 games being played. Of those, 13 games contain at least one opponent that is attempting to secure a playoff spot or secure improved playoff seeding (yes, even the Jets have a chance if they win). A quick check of next week suggests the same playoff implications for at least one team in up to 14 games.

How about we leave the system as is (which mostly rewards dysfunctional teams with a well deserved, long off season -- and keep the level of play in the playoffs at a higher level), and everyone get DirecTV's NFL package to be able to turn on one of the many games that have meaning??

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Not to get too econ 101 geeky but the owners push for expansion (# of teams, length of season, length of playoffs) because they believe they have yet to max out on their marginal return from these changes and they could not care much less about what it does to the product. They'll keep doing this until the growth in revenue stream goes negative and forces their hand. By then it will be too late as they'll be entangled in player concussion lawsuits and possible Congressional intervention.

Absolutely spot on!
Ultimately, a building full of Arlen Spectre-s, Jerry Jones-s and lawyers/judges guiding the direction the NFL game? That is just depressing...

I also noticed, and agree, when you say "owners". A lot of posters are singling out Roger. While he is the well deserving poster child for the misdirection the NFL is frequently taking, it isn't as if RG is Caesar and the owners are the Senate. The owners have the ultimate responsibility....

 

[Joker]

It's not "look at the squirrel"...it's "Look at the grouse!"...nyuk nyuk nyuk...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iiXcPj6AkXY#t=0s

 

[AzPatsFan]

I heard Bill Polian on Mike and Mike. He said the "Competition Committee" recomended the increase in Playoff games to the owners. He opposes the 18 game schedule, but wants to expand to 7 Playoff teams, with the the # 2, 3,and 4 finishers playing the #7, 6 and 5 teams in wildcard week.

IOW, the #2 seed does not get a Bye, only the #1 seed. He claims that this would give 4-6 more marginal teams potential Playoff hopes in the late season, stimulating interest. It would also emphasize the fight for the now more valuable #1 seed and a Bye among the real contenders.

I doubt it. It would just ensure that many middling teams would "clinch" a Playoff berth sooner, and could relax and play scrubs, late in the season.

If more revenues are needed, I still prefer expanding the rosters, adding a second bye week, and eliminating two useless preseason games. Plus I dislike all the "improvments" that Bill Polian has implemented with his tinkering, such as killing pass Defense.

 

[BananaRepublican]

It is a perfect system right now!

Roger "If it ain't broke, fix it" Goodwrench is at it again.

We have a president that is either golfing or vacationing 30% of the time, but we can't get Goodwrench to STFU for one week?