How long will the NFL stay on top?

[NeverSurrender]

They are and have been the beiggest thing in USA sports for a long time. How long will this last?

With the way they protect the qbs (certain ones), The Goodell playing Hitler and now he's thinking about a team in London? The thugs. How we seem to talk about everything but football anymore. It's always bounty this, spygate that. I know Troy Aikman came our recently and said they had better be careful, and I agree. I still love this game, and it's my favorite, but some of their moves lately baffle me. And I certainly don't even love it as much as I did even 3 years ago.

Your opinion?

[Crazy Levi]

They are and have been the beiggest thing in USA sports for a long time. How long will this last?

With the way they protect the qbs (certain ones), The Goodell playing Hitler and now he's thinking about a team in London? The thugs. How we seem to talk about everything but football anymore. It's always bounty this, spygate that. I know Troy Aikman came our recently and said they had better be careful, and I agree. I still love this game, and it's my favorite, but some of their moves lately baffle me. And I certainly don't even love it as much as I did even 3 years ago.

Your opinion?

Football will never falter. It's just too damn good. For all the talk about rule changes/pussification etc. nobody gives a fuck. It's still the best and always will be.

Only threat really is something like UFC, if America's descent into lowbrowery continues. But even that is years away.

[Tymaster]

They are and have been the beiggest thing in USA sports for a long time. How long will this last?

With the way they protect the qbs (certain ones), The Goodell playing Hitler and now he's thinking about a team in London? The thugs. How we seem to talk about everything but football anymore. It's always bounty this, spygate that. I know Troy Aikman came our recently and said they had better be careful, and I agree. I still love this game, and it's my favorite, but some of their moves lately baffle me. And I certainly don't even love it as much as I did even 3 years ago.

Your opinion?

Football will never falter. It's just too damn good. For all the talk about rule changes/pussification etc. nobody gives a fuck. It's still the best and always will be.

Only threat really is something like UFC, if America's descent into lowbrowery continues. But even that is years away.

Agreed. MLB hasn't been "America's Game" for decades now. Take a look at attendance across the league. People would rather take their families to Minor League Baseball. The NBA will never have the broad mainstream appeal and its best players have too many character flaws (I'm doing my best too not say the league is full of thugs but you all know what I am saying). The NHL??? I'm not even sure how the US teams make payroll! The UFC's popularity is stunning. It's akin to NASCAR in that it brings out the not-so-brightest and far-from-best in society.

[NeverSurrender]

I wonder if people thought baseball would always be the biggest when it was. Nothing is full proof.

[yeahbuddy]

I'm a huge UFC/mma fan & pretty much could care less about football, but the UFC/mma will never come close to what the NFL does.
The NFL is HUGE!
Favorite sports- NBA & UFC/mma.

[NeverSurrender]

I'm a huge UFC/mma fan & pretty much could care less about football, but the UFC/mma will never come close to what the NFL does.
The NFL is HUGE!

Yep, and it's America's game, which is even better. But people can ruin anything. One thing to me that has improved the last couple of seasons is the constant dancing after every play. That got got really bad about the mid 2000s. I think players started fucking with the ones who were doing it, and that crap slowed down.

I also think the constant passing crap hurts the sport.

[yeahbuddy]

I also think the constant passing crap hurts the sport

Yup,
& also makes the games an hour longer when passes are incomplete or out of bounds.
Also good that the Raiders are out of Los Angeles & all those gang banging assholes that went to the games & made the games unbearable to go to have nowhere to go to except their front porches to cause trouble.

[Tymaster]

I also think the constant passing crap hurts the sport

Yup,
& also makes the games an hour longer when passes are incomplete or out of bounds.
Also good that the Raiders are out of Los Angeles & all those gang banging assholes that went to the games & made the games unbearable to go to have nowhere to go to except their front porches to cause trouble.

Television makes the games MUCH longer. Can honestly say I now love being at a non-televised Ohio U. game more than ever. Takes 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour off the game. Didn't realize what a huge difference tv timeouts made on a game until ESPN signed a deal with the MAC back in 2006. Now ESPN, ESPN 2, 3, or U is in Athens more often than not and it makes for a much longer afternoon or evening. Of course all pro games are on tv so there is no escaping it.

[yeahbuddy]

I also think the constant passing crap hurts the sport

Yup,
& also makes the games an hour longer when passes are incomplete or out of bounds.
Also good that the Raiders are out of Los Angeles & all those gang banging assholes that went to the games & made the games unbearable to go to have nowhere to go to except their front porches to cause trouble.

Television makes the games MUCH longer. Can honestly say I now love being at a non-televised Ohio U. game more than ever. Takes 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour off the game. Didn't realize what a huge difference tv timeouts made on a game until ESPN signed a deal with the MAC back in 2006. Now ESPN, ESPN 2, 3, or U is in Athens more often than not and it makes for a much longer afternoon or evening. Of course all pro games are on tv so there is no escaping it.

Good point on games being televised.

[johnk5150]

The NBA will never have the broad mainstream appeal and its best players have too many character flaws (I'm doing my best too not say the league is full of thugs but you all know what I am saying).

The NBA is global. You can thank the Dream Team for that.

And hasn't had thugs in it for years. You can thank David Stern for that. The NBA is the second most popular sport in the world. It's coming back in the US. It's already taken hold outside of here.

The NFL, in spite of it's major gay ass rule changes is still king in the US. But there are signs of it weakening. The blackout rule has changed from sold out to 85%. Televisions becoming incredibly kickass have incentivized staying home over spending several thousands of dollars on seat licenses and season tickets. People are staying home and choosing to watch in HD instead of attending in several markets. The suicides/serious health issues related to recent discovery of the protein that causes CTE have made me decide to not allow my kids to play football period. When Duerson put a shotgun to his chest to preserve his brain for research I was like, "whoa" and really took notice. When Seau did it, that sealed the deal.

All that said, I fucking love the sport still, so go figure.

[Tymaster]

The NBA will never have the broad mainstream appeal and its best players have too many character flaws (I'm doing my best too not say the league is full of thugs but you all know what I am saying).

The NBA is global. You can thank the Dream Team for that.

And hasn't had thugs in it for years. You can thank David Stern for that. The NBA is the second most popular sport in the world. It's coming back in the US. It's already taken hold outside of here.

The NFL, in spite of it's major gay ass rule changes is still king in the US. But there are signs of it weakening. The blackout rule has changed from sold out to 85%. Televisions becoming incredibly kickass have incentivized staying home over spending several thousands of dollars on seat licenses and season tickets. People are staying home and choosing to watch in HD instead of attending in several markets. The suicides/serious health issues related to recent discovery of the protein that causes CTE have made me decide to not allow my kids to play football period. When Duerson put a shotgun to his chest to preserve his brain for research I was like, "whoa" and really took notice. When Seau did it, that sealed the deal.

All that said, I fucking love the sport still, so go figure.

The NBA, "hasn't had thugs in it for years."


Also, the question was regarding being tops in the USA. Global appeal has nothing to do with it. Using that logic we should be discussing soccer and golf. Worldwide ratings for the NBA Finals could dwarf that of the US but it would never touch the Superbowl in the US.

[johnk5150]

The NFL, in spite of it's major gay ass rule changes is still king in the US. But there are signs of it weakening. The blackout rule has changed from sold out to 85%. Televisions becoming incredibly kickass have incentivized staying home over spending several thousands of dollars on seat licenses and season tickets. People are staying home and choosing to watch in HD instead of attending in several markets. The suicides/serious health issues related to recent discovery of the protein that causes CTE have made me decide to not allow my kids to play football period. When Duerson put a shotgun to his chest to preserve his brain for research I was like, "whoa" and really took notice. When Seau did it, that sealed the deal.

All that said, I fucking love the sport still, so go figure.

The NBA, "hasn't had thugs in it for years."


Also, the question was regarding being tops in the USA. Global appeal has nothing to do with it. Using that logic we should be discussing soccer and golf. Worldwide ratings for the NBA Finals could dwarf that of the US but it would never touch the Superbowl in the US.

I just said the NFL is king here. You brought up thuggery in the NBA which if you did a little digging you'd find is much more prevalent in the NFL.

[Tymaster]

The NFL, in spite of it's major gay ass rule changes is still king in the US. But there are signs of it weakening. The blackout rule has changed from sold out to 85%. Televisions becoming incredibly kickass have incentivized staying home over spending several thousands of dollars on seat licenses and season tickets. People are staying home and choosing to watch in HD instead of attending in several markets. The suicides/serious health issues related to recent discovery of the protein that causes CTE have made me decide to not allow my kids to play football period. When Duerson put a shotgun to his chest to preserve his brain for research I was like, "whoa" and really took notice. When Seau did it, that sealed the deal.

All that said, I fucking love the sport still, so go figure.

The NBA, "hasn't had thugs in it for years."


Also, the question was regarding being tops in the USA. Global appeal has nothing to do with it. Using that logic we should be discussing soccer and golf. Worldwide ratings for the NBA Finals could dwarf that of the US but it would never touch the Superbowl in the US.

I just said the NFL is king here. You brought up thuggery in the NBA which if you did a little digging you'd find is much more prevalent in the NFL.

I never said it wasn't.
You did however say: "The NBA hasn't had thugs in it for years." JESUS CHRIST DUDE WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[NeverSurrender]

I agree John, there are signs of it weakening. Just thev fact i say should mean something. I've been an NFL nutswinger all my life.


But you're not going to allow your boys to play?

[Tenacious_Dio]

I agree that it's weakening somewhat, but what's going to overtake it? Rollerball?

[poizond13]

Hard to say how long it will be on top. Right now it's massive and the most popular sports league in the world. They've truly captured the American public's fascination. It will be that way for some time. The NFL is very smart in the way they've done business since the 80s. However, nothing lasts forever. I see the NFL being on top for a long time, but there are a number of things that could bring them down. The live attendance problem is one. The hundreds of injury lawsuits that they currently have pending against them is another, with more certain to come. That's a HUGE problem that is often overlooked. The NFL is bombarded with lawsuits from former players who feel they've been wronged, or are just out to make a quick buck.

The NFL isn't just changing their rules out of compassion for players. They're doing so because they realize that they need to do something to stop the lawsuits, and eventual government intervention if nothing is done. People are making a big deal about these concussion injuries, and it can become a public relations nightmare for the NFL. They have a tough act to balance, because they have to improve safety, while at the same time not making the game too "soft" for the hardcore fans. Not an easy thing to do.

Besides that, as years go by, people change, societies change, cultures change. No one can say for sure if the NFL will be as popular as it is now in twenty years, much less fifty years. That's impossible to predict. But as big as the NFL is now, I think it's a safe bet that it will be at the forefront of American sports culture for a very, very long time to come.

[Heenan Snuka]

i lose interest in the NFL more and more every year

not sure why, but getting up for games isnt as fun anymore, except some of the sunday/monday night games

in the end it dont matter...most people dont remember the games they watch years down the road...so why waste ur fuckin time on it? even the big classic games, people will only remember the 2 or 3 key plays, and even thats only because ESPN will keep replaying them for years

so really, what good does it do to be hyped about it, to be fascinated by it, when soon after, u wont remember the damn game anyway?

[Crazy Levi]

Hard to say how long it will be on top. Right now it's massive and the most popular sports league in the world. They've truly captured the American public's fascination. It will be that way for some time. The NFL is very smart in the way they've done business since the 80s. However, nothing lasts forever. I see the NFL being on top for a long time, but there are a number of things that could bring them down. The live attendance problem is one. The hundreds of injury lawsuits that they currently have pending against them is another, with more certain to come. That's a HUGE problem that is often overlooked. The NFL is bombarded with lawsuits from former players who feel they've been wronged, or are just out to make a quick buck.

The NFL isn't just changing their rules out of compassion for players. They're doing so because they realize that they need to do something to stop the lawsuits, and eventual government intervention if nothing is done. People are making a big deal about these concussion injuries, and it can become a public relations nightmare for the NFL. They have a tough act to balance, because they have to improve safety, while at the same time not making the game too "soft" for the hardcore fans. Not an easy thing to do.

Besides that, as years go by, people change, societies change, cultures change. No one can say for sure if the NFL will be as popular as it is now in twenty years, much less fifty years. That's impossible to predict. But as big as the NFL is now, I think it's a safe bet that it will be at the forefront of American sports culture for a very, very long time to come.

You sound like a 10-year old giving a report to his class.

[ParaDime77]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

[yeahbuddy]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

Definitely!
Its the first week of April ESPN has hour long shows dedicated to what mini camp will be like for every team. And the way those guys talk. EVERYTHING is the MOST IMPORTANT thought in the WORLD.

[Facedown]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

Pretty sure the NFL Network has the 24-7-365 thing covered.

[johnk5150]

I agree John, there are signs of it weakening. Just thev fact i say should mean something. I've been an NFL nutswinger all my life.


But you're not going to allow your boys to play?

Ever since the Duerson suicide I did a lot of reading on the ECT effects. Bottom line is those proteins aren't found in brains where people aren't hit in the head. I got to know Bob Probert pretty well when he played for the Blackhawks because he lived two door down from one of our bars. There couldn't have been a sweeter man off the ice you'd ever want to meet, but it was OBVIOUS he was going through something even five years before he died suddenly. I'm not saying everyone is going to go through it that takes repeated blows to the head, but the more they study the brains of the football, hockey, soccer players and boxers, I'm going to side with the scientists. Not saying I'm not going to let my children make their own decisions, but I'm not going to tell them if they want to pursue that course it couldn't happen to them.

[NeverSurrender]

I agree John, there are signs of it weakening. Just thev fact i say should mean something. I've been an NFL nutswinger all my life.


But you're not going to allow your boys to play?

Ever since the Duerson suicide I did a lot of reading on the ECT effects. Bottom line is those proteins aren't found in brains where people aren't hit in the head. I got to know Bob Probert pretty well when he played for the Blackhawks because he lived two door down from one of our bars. There couldn't have been a sweeter man off the ice you'd ever want to meet, but it was OBVIOUS he was going through something even five years before he died suddenly. I'm not saying everyone is going to go through it that takes repeated blows to the head, but the more they study the brains of the football, hockey, soccer players and boxers, I'm going to side with the scientists. Not saying I'm not going to let my children make their own decisions, but I'm not going to tell them if they want to pursue that course it couldn't happen to them.

What are the chances your boys get to play at that level? They may not even make in high school, much less a higher level. Nobody gets or very few ever get hurt in pee wee leagues.

I won't tell you how to raise your kids, but i hope you rethink the situation. Also, now it's like other things. We are getting more educated. I'm hoping tehy can make a better helmet. And maybe guys will quit using them as weapons.
I think a lot of today's concussions come from guys throwing their bodies around instead of form tackling, like we were taught.

[NeverSurrender]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

Pretty sure the NFL Network has the 24-7-365 thing covered.

And the NFL network isn't even good, and still miles ahead of EShitPN.

The same Tebow this, Tebow this Patriots this, Manning that. Bounty stfu about it.

Since Michell Beadle left, I haven't watched one hour of that shit. I did watch a Dodger game though.

[demolition23]

The NBA will never have the broad mainstream appeal and its best players have too many character flaws (I'm doing my best too not say the league is full of thugs but you all know what I am saying).

The NBA is global. You can thank the Dream Team for that.

The dream team, and the decade of Jordan both were huge internationally.
However, the game, and the NBA, was already far more global than any of the other American sports - hence interest in the dream-team. Nobody outside of Japan and parts of Latin America would have given much of a fuck about an MLB all-star team showing up at the Olympics. Hell, I knew about Magic and Bird as a 7 year old in New Zealand.

With the expansion of pay-tv here, there's now a much greater awareness of the NFL and, to an extent, MLB, but those aren't games peoples' kids play.

[LAglamrocker]

how long will NBA and MLB hang onto the #2 and #3 spots?

glad boxing is done

[Kid-Wicked]

one guy says it's "america's game" and another says it's the "most popular league in the world".

AMERICA

The "Father of American Football", Walter C. Camp was a football coach and a sports writer and the one who invented football. His name became is legend in the American Football history. He took the rugby game to the next level and invented football. He borrowed term from the rugby game and applied it to football; in rugby, five guys lined-up and are called scrum; in football, he change the five guys to seven guys forming the offensive line, this is called the Line of Scrimmage. Get it? Scrum and scrimmage?

CANADA

Some claims the football is truly a Canadian game and it was a Canadian who invented football. Invented by the replacement for British troops entering Quebec in the 1600's. Canadian Universities then introduced the game to American Colleges. It is said that by the time America first heard of football, Canada already has their professional football league of sorts.

CHINA

Some say that football was invented by Chinese a thousand years ago. The ancient Chinese were said to have kick a ball back and forth for exercise and amusement. It is said that the English only re-invented the sport after explorers visited this far away land. So was it really the Chinese who invented football?

ROMANS

They say it all started in Rome. Romans started playing football quite differently at that time, it is said that they originally toss and throw the pig's head around staking a claim on it. They found it fun and engaging thus it became a sport and thus it was them who invented football.

ENGLAND

It was the English who invented the football, or did they? It has been reported that forms of football were played as early as 1200 in England. As evidence, they pointed out a game seen played in ancient Greece, it is believed to be the predecessor of football. But this game is said to be forbade by The King Henry VI and by the 19th century, it was split into two games; the soccer and the rugby. And because American football evolved from the rugby, the English are basically staking a claim on both football sports.

and the english priemer league is the most popular league in the world which also has the team that's worth the most in the world.

how long will they stay on top?

as long as the money's there and they continue to brainwash the masses with their marketing.

[Kamikaze_Russo]

I agree John, there are signs of it weakening. Just thev fact i say should mean something. I've been an NFL nutswinger all my life.


But you're not going to allow your boys to play?

Ever since the Duerson suicide I did a lot of reading on the ECT effects. Bottom line is those proteins aren't found in brains where people aren't hit in the head. I got to know Bob Probert pretty well when he played for the Blackhawks because he lived two door down from one of our bars. There couldn't have been a sweeter man off the ice you'd ever want to meet, but it was OBVIOUS he was going through something even five years before he died suddenly. I'm not saying everyone is going to go through it that takes repeated blows to the head, but the more they study the brains of the football, hockey, soccer players and boxers, I'm going to side with the scientists. Not saying I'm not going to let my children make their own decisions, but I'm not going to tell them if they want to pursue that course it couldn't happen to them.

I think that with a lot of those guys it wasn't necessarily blows to the head... but rather blows using their head. During the '80s & '90s it seemed like players forgot how to tackle correctly, and preferred to just lead with their helmets. Still, it's a shame what has happened to these guys.

[Rageman]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

Pretty sure the NFL Network has the 24-7-365 thing covered.

Being a soccer fan, I have Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Soccer Plus, GolTV, NFL Network for my Bengals info and MLBTV for my Reds & Angels fix. I haven't watched a complete sports center in over 8 years and have been laughing at how stupid and full of hype ESPN is every time I click over for just a second or two.

Hard to say how long it will be on top. Right now it's massive and the most popular sports league in the world.

Wow.

I mean . . . just . . . wow.

The English Premier League is by far and away the world's most popular sports league and they don't take 7 months off every year (8 months for most teams). La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy and Die Bundesliga in Germany all shit on the NFL in global appeal.

The NFL will rule America for at least two decades but don't be surprised if MLS starts being their first real domestic challenger in 30-50 years. As the clubs continue to get stronger financially, they're signing better and better players and have started up youth academies. Free Agency is different when the whole world is open and in 17 short years, they've already surpassed the NHL and NBA in average attendance and they will continue to sign better and better players pushing those attendance figures even higher.

[Tymaster]

If there is a rapid decline in the NFL the blame should all go on ESPN and their 24-7-365 news coverage of the sport.

Definitely!
Its the first week of April ESPN has hour long shows dedicated to what mini camp will be like for every team. And the way those guys talk. EVERYTHING is the MOST IMPORTANT thought in the WORLD.

Eff ESPN