Ahh...those three letters invoke serious heart palpitations from many folks, they invoke the notion of football, they invoke thoughts of your favorite team and who they may be playing and drafting this upcoming season, and how those folks will do.
For me, like any other sports aficionado, I love the NFL, it brings folks together on Sunday afternoons after church to relax and cheer on their favorite team, I think it's great. BUT, with the NFL schedule being released and the NFL Network and ESPN having nearly 8 hours of coverage on that alone, and the draft being moved to primetime and being spread out over three days, I wonder something. That something is, is the NFL becoming too big?
My answer is yes. Here is why: they have the biggest television ratings every year, they are becoming a year round type of story, they're taking attention away from the other sports, and next year, what if there is no NFL?.
The TV ratings I can live with, as I know the NFL is big and people love their football, and gambling on it. (I don't necessarily care if you gamble, just don't make it your life's obsession or you'll get burned. I know from experience.)
Then, even though they only play up to 25 times in a calendar year, everything is scrutinized. And even 25 is the absolute MAX any team can play, when including preseason and postseason.
But, with the scrutinization each team faces over their every move, it's ridiculous, because the amount of talking way exceeds the amount of playing any team does. It should only come down to an hour before the game, seeing some matchups and seeing who you think will win and giving a good analysis of the game to a half hour afterwards and see what your team did wrong and what it did right. Then maybe you can talk about the game at work or something. But, to ask hey how do you think Ernie Sims is going to do in Philly? It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, espescially since I never even heard of Sims before he came to Philly.
The other sports are getting more attention derived away from them too, as right now, the NHL and NBA playoffs are going on. The sad part about it is most folks will watch the draft rather than watch something better on TV or a movie with their family, or even spend time with them, or watch the NHL or NBA playoffs. Those things are way more important in the present than to see who your team drafted in the first round. Go out and pick up your local paper to find that out in the morning. Watch the playoffs and see amazing plays, instead of seeing people walk in suits and get presented a jersey.
Finally, with the NFL possibly becoming a locked out league after this season, what will happen to it? Will folks come back? There are still folks who haven't come back to baseball since they went on strike in 1994, hockey fans were enraged that an entire season got wiped out in 2004-05, and they may not come back. What will NFL fans do? Probably come back in droves. But, I consider college football to be the benefactor of it all. They'll get more casual fans from the NFL and the folks who play that, most do it for the fun of the game. Which is great, not for money or sponsorships, just because they love the game.
Some things to think about as the NFL prepares for it's 75th draft this year.
This is a mini preview, thoughts on where Tim Tebow will go as far as team and round, who should the Rams take first, and what the Eagles need most, and who they'll pick.
First, Tebow. Tebow is pretty much an enigma when all the water boils off. He was a great college quarterback who helped Florida win 2 national titles, and he became the first sophomore ever to win the Heisman. But, is he a true quarterback you want for your team down the road? Probably not. Granted, he has worked incredibly hard at getting his mechanics fixed, but can he do it in a real game? I don't know, maybe God will allow him to get everything correct and he'll lead the team to the Super Bowl. I think he'll be a Kordell Stewart type of guy, where he first emerges as an anything type guy. Tight end, wide receiver, running back, fullback, quarterback doing anything he can to help his team win. Then, he'll eventually transform himself into a fine quarterback who will make a pro bowl or two. Where will he go? I say second round to the Vikings. the Vikings have Favre and Tavaris Jackson as their quarterbacks, and I think he'll make them a better team, which is scary.
Secondly, the Rams. Even though the Rams have been giving every indication they will take Sam Bradford first and make him their franchise quarterback, they shouldn't. He gets into many collisions, doesn't slide, and doesn't know how to fall when taking a hit. I think the shoulder injuries he suffered are going to recur in the NFL. Plus, he is a good quarterback with a "pro style" offense at Oklahoma, but I just don't see him to be a can't miss type of guy like a Manning or a Rivers. They should take Ndamokung Suh, who just dominated the Big 12 championship game and almost singlehandedly had Nebraska win that game. Suh I think is that type of can't miss. He is a defensive lineman who will put up better than Albert Haynesworth numbers and will make all of the front seven better.
Finally, the Eagles. I think the Eagles should try and get Taylor Mays the safety out of USC, who is second to Eric Berry in everything safety wise, and he's being compared to Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed, some high praise. Mays hopefully will bring a Brian Dawkins type play to the free safety position and make it a strong point once again for the Eagles.
P.S. I apologize for not putting up a NHL preview blog. But, here's who I would've picked: West: SJ in 6, CHI in 6, LA in 7, DET in 5. East: WSH in 5, NJ in 6, BUF in 7, PIT in 5. I promise I'll put up a comprehensive preview of the semifinal round.
No comments:
Post a Comment