Goodell says playoffs could expand to 14 or 16 teams

[Chopblock CB]

As a season ticket holder forced to pay full price for pre season tickets, I'm all for the 18 game season but NOT for expanding the playoffs out. This season seemed to be a parity season up until Thanxgiving. With the exception of a few teams...pretty much 75% of the league were playoff contender for a while.. I can see what they are trying to do in expanding the playoffs...adding a bit more competition later into the season much like MLB did by adding a wildcard team. But at what cost?
IMO...all Goodell is doing is the continuation of his administrations "Wussification" of the NFL using the "Protecting the player" mantra and "Adding better Competition to the league" as smokescreens to ...in the end...make more money for the league and owners at the expense of the players..... as much of an expense that can effect muti millionaires

 

[aluminum seats]

So scary when horrible ideas are driven by money, because that means they'll likely happen.

What kind of support would this get if put in a poll here? 2 percent? Something negative maybe? Just awful.

Look, even NOW the first weekend of the playoffs features teams that really don't belong there. It's the following week that usually is the best football weekend of the year: 2 games on Saturday and Sunday, 8 teams that deserve to be playing.

Leave the schedule at 16, leave the playoffs how there are. Actually, Goodell, why don't you just go home and leave us alone?

 

[Sicilian]

I don't like it. Right now there's good symmetry with the playoffs format: 2 bye teams, 2 other division winners, 2 wildcards. We already had a team make the playoffs at 7-9 a few years ago, we need less of that not more.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Goodell was elected based on the belief that greedy and/or self absorbed owners needed both a front man to protect them from fan and media ire and from themselves as well as each other. What happened today is owners discussed what some of them want to do and Roger takes the heat for floating their trial baloon.

In the words of a Pats HOFer, "Bingo!"

We've all heard our beloved owner wax poetic about a team in London. Somehow though when we decry the concept it's all Goodell's idea. In a way it reminds me of how our coordinators and position coaches are portrayed annually as incompetent idiots working for the greatest HC in a generation...

Double bingo!


I have no problem blaming Goodell for idiotic things he actually does (like the Cameragate penalties). But stuff like an expanded season, expanded playoffs, teams in London, etc. are either coming from the owners in the first place or are blessed by the owners. Ranting about Goodell in the context of those things and ignoring (or worse yet, excusing) the owners is counterproductive and only makes it more likely the garbage will happen.

 

[aluminum seats]

I have no problem blaming Goodell for idiotic things he actually does (like the Cameragate penalties). But stuff like an expanded season, expanded playoffs, teams in London, etc. are either coming from the owners in the first place or are blessed by the owners. Ranting about Goodell in the context of those things and ignoring (or worse yet, excusing) the owners is counterproductive and only makes it more likely the garbage will happen.

I see what you're saying, but Goodell is the commissioner, and as such is the visible face of these things. Congress might be behind shaky legislation, but if the president's out there suggesting it, he'll get blasted for it, and rightly so.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

In the words of a Pats HOFer, "Bingo!"



Double bingo!


I have no problem blaming Goodell for idiotic things he actually does (like the Cameragate penalties). But stuff like an expanded season, expanded playoffs, teams in London, etc. are either coming from the owners in the first place or are blessed by the owners. Ranting about Goodell in the context of those things and ignoring (or worse yet, excusing) the owners is counterproductive and only makes it more likely the garbage will happen.

Goody is chartered by the owners to take the $9 billion a year NFL to over $20 billion this decade. This cannot happen without more teams and more games and expanded playoffs. This will seriously change the competitive environment and what I find most uniquely entertaining about the NFL vs other pro sports. The other threat to the sport is more medical data on the effect of concussions and the looming lawsuits which have the potential to radically change the way the sport is played on the field. Another money driven issue masquerading as player health.

The only solace I take in this is that much of this destruction of what we now love about the NFL and the Patriots' meritocracy will happen after TFB and BB are gone. With the Pats eventual regression to the mean, I can save tens of hours per week by abandoning time wasted on the formerly captivating NFL for worthwhile pursuits.

So lets enjoy this season and the next few with the wonderful cast of characters that are so worthwhile rooting for.

 

[reflexblue]

Apparently you slept through 2006 when the league was on the verge of a lockout because owners were infighting over revenue sharing and finally signed a lousy CBA they opted out of 2 years later.

Tagliabue was the classic back room lawyer commissioner. One of the reasons he has no support for the HOF is the belief he did little (unless you count ignoring growing concern over concussions) more than babysit the game. Most of his time in office and all of Rozelle's came before the internet age of 24/7 media coverage and fan discussion of what went on behind the scenes.

Goodell was elected based on the belief that greedy and/or self absorbed owners needed both a front man to protect them from fan and media ire and from themselves as well as each other. What happened today is owners discussed what some of them want to do and Roger takes the heat for floating their trial baloon.



We've all heard our beloved owner wax poetic about a team in London. Somehow though when we decry the concept it's all Goodell's idea. In a way it reminds me of how our coordinators and position coaches are portrayed annually as incompetent idiots working for the greatest HC in a generation...

i do agree that goodell is the face of the greedy owners. Its just easier for me/us to go after him, but still we never saw any of this meddling with how the game was played until he was elected. I didn't see taggs face on tv or in the papers once a week. I don't think the ownership has changed much at all since goody was elected so was it that taggs refused to be the mouth piece for the owners? Something has changed.Personally i don't came about back room deals as long as they don't screw with the game i grew up watching. These aren't back room deals involving state or federal politics. i.e. greasing the palm of a politician for granting an easement etc. Like i posted in the last reply goodell the honest cop seems to make his own rules up to some extent. A case in point N Suh. it was determined that it couldn't be determined if he intentionally tried to kick Matt Stafford so he wasn't suspended but he was still fined $40.000 dollars. But if Suh didn't do anything wrong why was he fined? Goody seems more like the cop that will take a bribe, not Goody Two Shoes. Now while goody two shoes doesn't issue the fines hes still the person that can stop them from being collected and he didn't step in to stop the league from collecting the forty grand

 

[PatsFan2]

I hope thats shot down...leave it the way it is.

 

[Tunescribe]

Roger has the good of the game at heart ...

 

[brdmaverick]

This would be a terrible idea. Even the current system is somewhat flawed where a 7-9 Seahawks team gets a home game or an 11-5 Patriots team watches the 8-8 Chargers participate in the playoffs.

BUT the current system IS STILL very good. Do not make a mockery of the league by including more teams. Why diminish the regular season?

Right now playoff seeding is CRITICAL! There is a huge difference between being sixth (in playoffs) and eighth (out of playoffs). There is a huge difference between being second (bye week) and third (no bye week). The bye week is a CRITICAL incentive.

In the current version, there is even a big difference between the 1 and 2 seed. After all, a 1 seed only needs to win ONE game to guarantee a home game during conference championships. In a 16 team playoff both the 1 and 2 seeds would have to win two games each to reach the championship and to realize the true value of being the higher seed.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

i do agree that goodell is the face of the greedy owners. Its just easier for me/us to go after him, but still we never saw any of this meddling with how the game was played until he was elected. I didn't see taggs face on tv or in the papers once a week. I don't think the ownership has changed much at all since goody was elected so was it that taggs refused to be the mouth piece for the owners? Something has changed.Personally i don't came about back room deals as long as they don't screw with the game i grew up watching. These aren't back room deals involving state or federal politics. i.e. greasing the palm of a politician for granting an easement etc. Like i posted in the last reply goodell the honest cop seems to make his own rules up to some extent. A case in point N Suh. it was determined that it couldn't be determined if he intentionally tried to kick Matt Stafford so he wasn't suspended but he was still fined $40.000 dollars. But if Suh didn't do anything wrong why was he fined? Goody seems more like the cop that will take a bribe, not Goody Two Shoes. Now while goody two shoes doesn't issue the fines hes still the person that can stop them from being collected and he didn't step in to stop the league from collecting the forty grand

That wasn't Goodell. And the QB was Schaub. And the fine was $30K. People seem to think he arbitrarily handles the weekly fines too. He doesn't. There is a process. And the fines or potential suspensions are scheduled in the CBA. Suspensions are appealable and not to Goodell. Reed's suspension a few weeks ago was reduced to a $40K fine on appeal. They are announced as by the league, ergo people assume it's just Goodell going off...

How NFL fines and suspensions for illegal hits are decided | masslive.com

 

[STFarmy]

All I'd like to say is:

Go to Hell Goodell @ Dirty Coast

 

[patfanken]

I'm not reading all 8 pages, but add me to list who think this would be a HORRIBLE idea. I would much rather have an 18 game schedule (with only 2 preseason games) than expand the playoffs past 12. The only way I'd support expansion would be if they added another 8 teams to the league.

 

[everlong]

You're making it like the NHL or NBA where over half the teams make the playoffs. This is purely a money maker and I hate it.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Why is Goodell (owners) always looking to tinker with and change the most popular and successful professional sport in America???
Ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LEAVE IT ALONE, Rog.

 

[thenepatsrule]

I think he knows this is the only way his JESTS can be in the Playoffs and hopefully be the first team to play the SB in their home (feb 2 2014 ).Man how boring would the NFL become if they expanded the POfs to 16 teams, All a team would need to do is win its first 5 or 6 games then rest its starters so that they are fresh for the playoffs and then go on to win the SB .........

 

[Dr Pain]

How about if the wildcard teams have to play in the other conference’s playoffs. That way theoretically any two teams could meet in the super bowl. If we are going to come up with stupid ideas that mess up a good thing then why not this?

 

[Sicilian]

I think he knows this is the only way his JESTS can be in the Playoffs and hopefully be the first team to play the SB in their home (feb 2 2014 ).Man how boring would the NFL become if they expanded the POfs to 16 teams, All a team would need to do is win its first 5 or 6 games then rest its starters so that they are fresh for the playoffs and then go on to win the SB .........

I'm against the playoff idea, but any team that coasted for the last 10 weeks of the season wouldn't make it out of the first round. The NFL is about improving your team over the course of the season. You can get away with resting your starters for a game MAYBE two at the end of the season, but teams NEED the practice of the regular season or they'll be steamrolled when the playoff intensity hits.

 

[Chopblock CB]

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!!! .

 

[ralmat55]

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.