I don’t know about you but I find it hard to make it through a full NFL game these days. The TV ratings are still strong and the NFL is still the #1 professional sports league by a wide margin. But SU has issues with the quality of the product:
- Quarterback play: there are traditionally about 15 QBs who are top tier. If you play Fantasty Football, you know there are a few elite guys like Brady and Aaron Rodgers and then another 10 or so that consistently put up big numbers. But it seems like the performance level drops off dramatically after that and you are left with a lot of Charlie Whitehurst level QBs who struggle to just complete a pass. Once injuries set in (see Tony Romo), the number drops to about 10 – 11 and some games become just unwatchable.
- Injuries: we are at the point where pre-season predictions are silly in the NFL as injuries play a huge part in determining team success. Sure, you can have depth and that helps but increasingly it feels like it’s the luck of the draw whether you have the right guys standing come playoff time. It’s true that teams like the Patriots are there year after year but others come and go based on the health of a few key players.
- 3rd Down Success: SU does not believe that it was so hard to make a 3rd and 7 first down 30-40 years ago. Now, it’s cause for celebration when a team can complete a pass and will actually throw it past the 1st down marker. The blitzes and pass rushers with their intricate schemes make it that difficult.
- Celebrations: enough already. You get a sack and even if your team is down 35-3, it’s a reason to dance wildy. Same for a tackle, breaking up a pass and making a first down. SU says act like you’ve been there before. Hey, score a touchdown and have at it. But at some point, it’s just silly and just constant attempts by playes to draw attention to themselves.
SU admits that I am also starting to feel this way about NBA games. Perhaps I am just getting old or deep down I’m old school and don’t appreciate all the dancing and preening. I am curious if anyone else feels this way.
The Peyton Manning HGH story is out there and he was quick to react. Naturally, we are all skeptical of players who deny the story so vehemently given the track record of those who have come before them (see A-Rod). For me, Peyton falls in the Derek Jeter category when it comes to drug usage – just can’t be right? On the other hand, I am long past the point of being shocked by any story and time will tell if this story has legs. If his wife used it, that’s her business – it’s not illegal if prescribed for the right reasons. And no doubt MLB will be investigating its players that have been mentioned in the story.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
100% agree with celebrating on every play… esoe ially when your team is down by a wide margin. I can only digure that the NFL allows it as it has become oart of the entertainment package. Yuck
Welcome to my world on being so down on 3 of the 4 major sports. I believe the age factor contributes alot toward this. Teams like Golden State are great to watch as the team concept is quite strong here. UConn Womens basketball is quite good as well.
I have tried to watch the Knicks – I am interested in Porzingis. But it seems like he can’t get any touches late in games if it’s close. Even in the game when Anthony was out against Cleveland, he didn’t get a shot off until just a few seconds left in the game. Derek Fisher may be a stand up guy but he’s a lousy coach. He should cut his teeth in a smaller market – not NY.
Couple of points:
1) On Manning: a) why is al jezeera breaking a sports story? Stick to middle eastern politics b) For the love of God, please tell me that Payton is not so stupid as to use his wife’s name to send steroids to his house.
2) On celebrations: totally with you. Everyone whines when a baseball player doesn’t sprint around the bases after crushing a home run and says it’s unsportsman-like to gloat, meanwhile we have no problem when a safety does a dance after a receiver drops a ball near him… Start paying players for team results and not individual performance and most of that crap should go away. No one will spend too much time celebrating a sack when down by 30 points if they are losing $200,000 by not winning the game
Well, free agency and big time contracts do not spell “TEAM.” I can live with that. But players should still perform in the team concept. The comparison with baseball is spot on – such a different mindset there and the pitchers can police it. I would like to see individual performance be measured as part of contracts – why is everything guaranteed in the NBA and MLB? But we won’t see that in our lifetime.
I saw “Al Jazeera” and figured that it wasn’t a very credible source. They should stick to their pro-ISIS op-ed pieces.
I pretty much only watch Knick games these days to see what Porzingis is up to. I’m not sure if they’ll be able to claw into the East playoff mix this year unless they make some useful trade during the season. It is disappointing that they won’t have a 1st round draft pick this year as they might be respectable enough this year to also draw a decent FA to the team. If they had a top 15 draft pick along with that they might have been able to make another decent jump to respectability. Phil seems to have a pretty good plan in place right now though they are lacking in the PG and head coach department for sure.
Mark, you need to focus on the Charlotte Hornets right there in your neighborhood, my go to team for this year with Jeremy Lin. They don’t play great every night but there are stretches where the ball moves and everyone gets a touch on each possession. They are in the playoff mix and trending in the right direction.
Thank you for this. The product that the NFL is putting out there is worse than any time I can remember and that might include some games with replacement players.
You point out the scarcity of QBs which is made more of an issue due to the rule changes that have favored strong QBs over the years.
There’s also a dilution of quality games. You used to be able to sit around for 6 hours on a Sunday and watch your team plus a really compelling game in the other time slot. Now, between Thursday, Sat night, Sunday night, Monday night and flex games, the Sunday afternoon product is a collection of the week’s worst games surrounded by hype that is relevant only to your fantasy team.
The NFL is not focused on the quality of the games. They know that interest is there due to fantasy and celebrity so their primary concern is with the quantity of their content. They want their content on the air for as long as possible. To this end, discussion about injuries, off-the-field problems, scandals and compilation of statistics is just as valuable as on-the-field entertainment. Maybe mores because those discussions can be had 24/7.
With all this being said, I’m shocked by how many games actually end up with exciting finishes. The rule changes and the athleticism have made 4th quarter heroics a regular occurrence.