NFL Season 2010

[Leebo33]

Loving the NFL Network programming this week. Just watched the 2008 Steelers season video with Tomlin, Polamalu and # 7 interviewed throughout. Great stuff all week so far.

Me too! I watched the Packers beating the Steelers in The Super Bowl on Total Access 10 times. Great stuff indeed!!

[Danimal]

34 just saw this tweet.

"Rams are releasing FB Mike Karney. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels plans to use a lot of a no-fullback, spread offense."

I don't know much about Mike Karney but if I were a Rams fan I would be scared. McDaniel's not only let Cutler go but also Peyton Hillis probably one of the best fullbacks (now turned halfbacks) in the league. Hillis is so versatile I wish the Bears had picked him up. I question McDaniels ability to judge talent.

[wco81]

I'm 100% with the players. The owners argument for adding two games is often that ticket holders complain about paying full price for preseason games. I find it obnoxious that their solution is to add two regular season games when the obvious, rational adjustment would be to charge less for non-competitive games.

Also for many years now, the owners have been very aggressive in finding ways to make money off of their stadiums that is not subject to revenue sharing. For any 'premium seat' like club seats or luxury boxes, only a small percentage is subject to revenue sharing. Also the PSLs are not subject at all to revenue sharing. This ia why the newer stadiums like the cowboys and giants stadiums have so many club seats, nearly the entire lower bowls. Pete Rozelle and Wellington Mara are surely turning over in their graves about how these new owners have abandoned the revenue sharing model that made this league grow into what it is today. Add in that they make you agree to long term 5- 7- or 10-year contracts for your tickets, and there is plenty for a long time season ticket holder to get angry about.

The players deserve more. For every ridiculous peyton manning or Albert haynesworth contract, there are 30 players who leave their jobs to go to training camp, make a small pro-rated amount of the league minimum and are cut or worse get hurt and then get cut and get no more paychecks from the team. Most players do very well, but there are a ton of guys who make up a core segment of thr league that dont really make all that muh money. Not to mention how little the league does for retired players' medical bills or pension (as if!).

The players claim 'if you need us to take less, then show us your books and prove t us that you are making less money,' but the owners flat out refuse to open their books. I'm sorry but there's only one way I can interpret that.

And finally, the league will get paid by the TV networks if there is no season, and that is just flat out wrong on every level.

Well put Zeppo. After the financial records for MLB teams were leaked and showed even small market teams making significant profits, I imagine the NFL books would undermine the owners' profitability arguments even more.

Given the physical demands of pro football, I tend to believe the players are entitled to everything they make and then some. If the fans are going to get gouged on everything from PSLs to concessions, I'd rather see that money going toward the men actually putting their bodies on the line than to white-collar Napoleons like Dan Snyder.

If there are canceled games, the backlash may fall on the players, even though they have the merits on their side, because they're visible, doing dumb things (like Cromartie saying he can't afford not to get paychecks for his 6 baby mamas or whatever the number is). Of course, while millionaire players may do and say stupid things which are broadcast all over, the billionaire owners will quietly collect money from the networks even if the season is canceled because losing the NFL to a competing network is unthinkable (we've had cases of CBS and NBC crawling back after ditching NFL temporarily).

In the mean time, we wonder why our TV bills keep creeping up, even if you don't subscribe to Sunday Ticket, because ESPN and other networks are extracting higher and higher fees from cable and satellite companies.

[Jackdog]

Loving the NFL Network programming this week. Just watched the 2008 Steelers season video with Tomlin, Polamalu and # 7 interviewed throughout. Great stuff all week so far.

Me too! I watched the Packers beating the Steelers in The Super Bowl on Total Access 10 times. Great stuff indeed!!

Sorry bro. Just going after the guy that posted the most s*** about the Steelers in the last 2 weeks. Haven't seen him in here since the game.

[XXXIV]

34 just saw this tweet.

"Rams are releasing FB Mike Karney. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels plans to use a lot of a no-fullback, spread offense."

I don't know much about Mike Karney but if I were a Rams fan I would be scared. McDaniel's not only let Cutler go but also Peyton Hillis probably one of the best fullbacks (now turned halfbacks) in the league. Hillis is so versatile I wish the Bears had picked him up. I question McDaniels ability to judge talent.

As a Ram fan, Im always scared of something so McDaniels is just another thing to worry about.

Karney was a good blocker and a dependable player but he wasnt being used much as it was. Six carries all last year and out of the line up on most plays as Shurmur like to spread the field himself.
The weird part was that after he spread the field he went with 2-5 yard pass routes. Was very strange. The offense was hardly ever trying to stretch the defense. So for those reasons Im willing to give crazy a shot

[ScoopBrady]

Not a good day for current or former safeties.

Colts release Bob Sanders. Can't say I blame them with how often he gets injured and how much he gets paid.

85 Bear Dave Duerson was found dead in his Miami home. R.I.P. double D. : (

[Inuyasha]

85 Bear Dave Duerson was found dead in his Miami home. R.I.P. double D. : (

WTF. As a former Bears fan I am saddened. He seemed like a nice guy, on that 85 Bears team. just 50 yrs old too. Was it foul play or natural/innatural causes? Do they know yet.

Who would have thunk that Fridge Perry would outlast most of these guys.

[ScoopBrady]

The cause of death is not being reported yet.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/n ... FHeadlines

[Jackdog]

The cause of death is not being reported yet.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/n ... FHeadlines

Sad news. RIP.

[XXXIV]

WOW!

Too damn young.

s***...I remember making fun of him when he tried doing the sports on channel 5. Its not funny anymore.

R.I.P. double D.

[Jackdog]

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/grizzly ... 39023.html

Wow. Makes me think twice about letting my son play. Between boxing and football he's taken quite a few shots to his head at 15. Baseball has never looked better.

RIP DD. God only knows what you were dealing with.

[Rodster]

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/grizzly ... 39023.html

Wow. Makes me think twice about letting my son play. Between boxing and football he's taken quite a few shots to his head at 15. Baseball has never looked better.

RIP DD. God only knows what you were dealing with.

In the Tampa Bay area we get 620 WEDA AM Ron and Ian Show (Ian Beckles) former Tampa Bay Bucs lineman. As Ian put it, the human body is not designed for football. He remembered when he rolled over a rookie and watched his eyes roll up into his head that made him understand what the body can't take, which scared the crap out of him. When playing football, boxing, MMA etc, those types of sports the body is not capable of withstanding to that type of punishment.

[Inuyasha]

Man that is totally f***ed up.

My son was wanting to get into peewee football this year as well but one of the kids got a concussion in one of the games and we decided f*** that. Kids getting concussions at 6 is not a good sign for the game. I think we'll stick with Soccer or Basketball.

f***in Goodell better drop that 18 game season s*** right now. I think these NFL Guys have so much $$$ in these shitty 80s technology helmet companies that they'll never do the right thing and spend $$$ in developing new technology to help players.

34 - I too remember Double D trying the NBC anchor thing way back when. Good Memory. Did you also always notice that whenever he was doing a tv or radio interview post playing days, he ALWAYS had to remind all the Chicago fans and media how he WON A SECOND SUPERBOWL with the Giants. Hehe. Back then I thought he was being a dick when he did that, but nowadays with all those egos on that team (DD included), he probably loved giving a shot at some of those pompous dickwads from that 85 team, especially DA KOACH, who's still living off that SB win 25 years later.

It's amazing that after 85, that whole Bears squad never won or even got to another SB. Pathetic. Happens when those Bear players were more concerned about competing with their fellow player in getting endorsements than winning games.

f***in Lew Barns , f***in Ditka, f***in cheap ass Halas/Mcaskey Bears

[pk500]

f***in Goodell better drop that 18 game season s*** right now. I think these NFL Guys have so much $$$ in these shitty 80s technology helmet companies that they'll never do the right thing and spend $$$ in developing new technology to help players.

Blows my mind that the NFL's deal with Riddell is so air-tight that Aaron Rodgers couldn't name of the brand of the helmet he wears -- Schutt -- during the playoffs this season, as he thought the Schutt helmet saved him from a concussion.

There should be no exclusive licensing agreement on safety. If Schutt makes a safer helmet, then it should be screamed from the mountaintop, not hidden.

[JRod]

f***in Goodell better drop that 18 game season s*** right now. I think these NFL Guys have so much $$$ in these shitty 80s technology helmet companies that they'll never do the right thing and spend $$$ in developing new technology to help players.

Blows my mind that the NFL's deal with Riddell is so air-tight that Aaron Rodgers couldn't name of the brand of the helmet he wears -- Schutt -- during the playoffs this season, as he thought the Schutt helmet saved him from a concussion.

There should be no exclusive licensing agreement on safety. If Schutt makes a safer helmet, then it should be screamed from the mountaintop, not hidden.

Probably the reason why there is an airtight agreement to protect anything negative about concussions, helmets, and the NFL in all of this.

[toonarmy]

Hopefully all of this brings even more discussion about the safety of the sport. Helmet technology definitely has to improve because the players are only getting faster and stronger and there is a limit to how many rules changes can be made and have the sport remain physical and exciting. The problem I see is a financial one. The NFL will be able to afford hi-tech helmets that offer the best in protection if such a helmet is devised, but it may be tricky for high school level and small college level players to be able to afford them. Head injuries are a big problem at all levels of football. Hopefully some company can come up with something safer and affordable at the same time. The NHL also is seeing increasing numbers of head injuries, so they could benefit as well from new technology.

[vader29]

This is hilarious!

[Rodster]

Federal judge sides with players union in TV revenue dispute
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/f ... ?eref=sihp

The ruling is considered a major victory of the union because, at least for now, the owners can't count on having the money to use as lockout insurance. Judge Doty will hold a hearing with both sides, at an undetermined date, to consider the award of monetary damages and equitable relief to the players -- which could include an injunction that would prevent the owners from being able to use the television revenues.

"This ruling means there is irrefutable evidence that owners had a premeditated plan to lockout players and fans for more than two years," said George Atallah, the NFLPA's assistant executive director for external affairs. "The players want to play football. That is the only goal we are focused on."

[wco81]

The interesting thing is that owners may have been preparing to lock out for 2 seasons, which is a big chunk of the average NFL career.

It might be the end of some marginal players or even some star players who are getting up in years. Even a 1 year lockout might have broken the will of a lot of players, missing out on those paychecks.

[GTHobbes]

Hope to see the union decertify and sue the league on antitrust grounds tomorrow. Maybe it'll then get very interesting.

[ScoopBrady]

In typical NFL fashion I received an invoice for my season tickets that is due at the beginning of April. If there is no season or there is a shortened season I can choose to get a refund or apply the difference towards next season. There was also a $6 increase per game.

I just want my football so the owners and players better get their s*** together, and fast.

[Rodster]

No Deal !

Players file papers to decertify. Can't believe these guys are blowing up the NFL when it has everything going for it.

[Rodster]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... gotiating/

John Mara said:

"Their position has basically been ‘take it or leave it,’ and they’ve in effect they’ve been at the same position since last September.

“We made an offer to them today to basically split the difference between the two sides. We made that approximately at 12 o’clock, and at 4 o’clock they came back and said that it was insufficent and they apparently have decided to decertify."

[Lancer]

I guess it's time to plan for another sport during the Fall/Winter.

When does MLS start up? Or women's soccer? Don't they have a pro lacrosse league during the fall?

I always enjoyed Australian Rules football. I think that would be a perfect NFL replacement sport for me.

[10spro]

No Deal !

Players file papers to decertify. Can't believe these guys are blowing up the NFL when it has everything going for it.

Nine billion $$$ to burn and they can't decide how to split it? Just pathetic.