How long will the NFL stay on top?

[NeverSurrender]

raGEMAN WROTE:

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.

[johnk5150]

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).

There's a lot that comes out of that kid's internet mouth you can't take seriously.

[johnk5150]

I'll place the over/under on Lions that are arrested between now and the start of training camp at 2 1/2.

[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.

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).

There's a lot that comes out of that kid's internet mouth you can't take seriously.

WRONG. The NFL produces far more revenue than any other sports league in the world. They produce 2-3X more revenue than the English Premier league. Look it up. Hence, my statement that NFL is the most popular sports league in the WORLD. The numbers don't lie.

[NeverSurrender]

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).

WRONG. The NFL produces far more revenue than any other sports league in the world. They produce 2-3X more revenue than the English Premier league. Look it up. Hence, my statement that NFL is the most popular sports league in the WORLD. The numbers don't lie.

You said most popular, not brought in the most dough. You raging homo.

[poizond13]

You said most popular, not brought in the most dough. You raging homo.

If they were more popular, they would be making more money, you stupid fuck.

[NeverSurrender]

You said most popular, not brought in the most dough. You raging homo.

If they were more popular, they would be making more money, you stupid fuck.

Holy fuck, you're an idiot.

They aren't the most popular. Did you mean to say "if the brought in the most money, they would be the most popular"?

Because that would still be dumb, just not as dumb as your other quote.

ball licker.

[MickeyG]

It's like comparing apples to oranges really.

[Tenacious_Dio]

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.

The best players in the world don't play in America. Even non-soccer fans know this. That makes the MLS a second rate league, globally speaking. And that won't change, even 50 years from now.

[Kid-Wicked]

there isn't a single player in the nfl that's as well known around the world as david beckham.

there's a trickle down effect with that.

there's more manchester united fans worldwide then there's colts fans worldwide.

sorry to burst your bubble gingerfag.

but i bet you have lots of bubbles so you're probably ok.

[poizond13]

there isn't a single player in the nfl that's as well known around the world as david beckham.

there's a trickle down effect with that.

there's more manchester united fans worldwide then there's colts fans worldwide.

sorry to burst your bubble gingerfag.

but i bet you have lots of bubbles so you're probably ok.

I see a lot of OPINIONS but no facts or numbers. Shocking.

[demolition23]

You said most popular, not brought in the most dough. You raging homo.

If they were more popular, they would be making more money, you stupid fuck.

No. That would only hold true if they were operating in the same markets with the same business model. As they aren't, you can't point to greater revenue as a clear indicator of greater popularity.

NFL are popular in a richer country with a bigger population, but outside of England and the United States, far more people have interest in the premier league and follow the EPL than the NFL. More people internationally have an interest in it. Here, for example, outside of the Superbowl game itself, NFL barely rates a note on anything but specialist sports shows. EPL results are part of the six o'clock news bulletin. Always have been, despite soccer not being the most popular sport here itself.

Also, nobody plays the game anywhere outside of North America. Not really. A few hobby clubs here and there, but nothing you grow up with, so most people aren't getting into NFL until they find it for themselves. Soccer, on the other hand, is played everywhere, so the biggest leagues have a major edge on the international market when compared to the NFL or MLB (outside of parts of asia and latin america perhaps).

Fuck, I like the NFL better, and no doubt it makes the $$$$, but there's more profile internationally for Man U vs Liverpool or Chelsea than there has ever been for any Pats/Giants game that didn't have Madonna singing at half-time.

[johnk5150]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/20 ... er-report/

And people think the NBA is a thug filled league.

[Tymaster]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/20 ... er-report/

And people think the NBA is a thug filled league.

Yes, I do.

http://news.yahoo.com/jason-kidd-arrest ... --nba.html

This is the same guy who got arrested in 2001 for beating up his woman. Now a DUI. He's still in the league and is still a thug.

[NeverSurrender]

Beating on mom. Fuck.

[johnk5150]

The details of Adrian Peterson’s arrest last weekend in Houston remain sketchy. There’s the police report’s story, Peterson’s story, the nightclub’s story and the story Rusty Hardin, Peterson’s lawyer, spent last week telling in public. All the stories will converge in court Aug. 6.

This part of the story is clear. Based on various news accounts and database trackings, the Vikings’ star running back is one of 25 NFL player arrests since Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 5. That was before Sunday's report that Broncos standout Elvis Dumervil was arrested in Miami on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.


So, back to what isn’t clear. Isn’t there a player-conduct policy in the NFL? Isn’t it the basis of Roger Goodell’s reputation as the hard-nosed, no-nonsense sheriff cleaning up the town?

Isn’t the notion of a draconian, overly authoritarian commissioner who’s playing judge, jury and executioner at the heart of the players’ constant pushback against his style of discipline?

With 25 (not counting Dumervil) player arrests in a little over five months, it’s hard to see exactly how hard a punch Goodell and the conduct code really pack.

Granted, it’s hard for numbers like that to get huge public traction in an offseason filled with frantic free agent talk, the usual draft obsession and, this year, Bountygate. Still, individual incidents do bob to the surface. Peterson’s, for one, because he previously had a clean record and reputation. The five arrests of three Lions players have been hard to ignore, too.

According to the respected NFL arrest database kept by the San Diego Union-Tribune on incidents since 2000, over the same time period as this year -- from the 2011 Super Bowl to this date -- there were 27 player arrests. With the lockout starting in March, the bulk of the arrests happened then, and in this space and others, the lack of structure was offered up as an explanation, if not an excuse. There were three more arrests before the lockout ended on July 25.

For 2012, the Union-Tribune list says, there have been 19 arrests between Super Sunday and June 23. Since then, six other players, including Peterson, have been arrested, according to the Arrest Nation website, which has tracked incidents dating back to 2010.

Can’t blame a lockout for that.

Yet if there is any talk about the real effectiveness of the big crackdown by Goodell since taking over in 2006 -- which, you’ll recall, was supposed to reverse the lawlessness of Paul Tagliabue’s final years -- it’s been about the punishments connected to the bounty scandal and to on-field actions.

Spend enough time on that -- whether James Harrison is a victim of historic oppression, and whether Jonathan Vilma is the Nelson Mandela of our times -- and you can overlook 14 arrests involving either alcohol or marijuana, including nine related to drunk or impaired driving. That encompasses players from valued veterans of Super Bowl champions (David Diehl, Giants) to draft picks who hadn’t even signed their first contracts (Justin Blackmon, Jaguars).

Again, just since Feb. 5. That window leaves out the two indictments on drug possession with intent to distribute, for Jerome Simpson and Sam Hurd, in January and December, respectively.

True enough, Goodell laid down the law on Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger. Often it came with the blessing of the players themselves, individually and as a union. Also, the NFL’s rookie symposium got tons of attention last month, mainly because of the presentations by Vick and Jones, telling their cautionary tales to the newcomers.

The idea of “protecting the shield” has been embraced for the most part, except for its inconsistencies.

But in light of 25 arrests since early February, how shiny does that shield really look?

Here’s the problem. If public perception is the gauge, the shield is just fine, thank you, now tell us how much Drew Brees signed for, again?

Despite the mayhem, particularly on our roads with unsuspecting victims in constant danger, the NFL still isn’t the league that’s full of “thugs” and “criminals.” Oh, the Lions might be a problem with their concentrated burst of arrests. The Vikings have a bad track record over the last decade, and the Bengals are still viewed as some kind of halfway house.

But the league itself isn’t catching the heat for harboring this level of activity.

No, the league that catches that, the one with the tainted labels, is ... come on, don’t pretend you don’t know.

The NBA.

In fact, the odds are good that this will be proven again in the next few days, as details emerge of Jason Kidd’s reported arrest for DWI on Long Island early Sunday. He has a history, too, much like the NFL players with multiple marks on their record. His is for a 2001 domestic violence incident.

If Kidd’s arrest, or his entire record, is not viewed through the prism of the entire sport, it will only go against the pattern in places for decades. Even though it is still hard to find much more than a handful of arrests involving NBA players lately.

Kidd’s arrest is at least the seventh involving an active player since June 12, 2011, the last game of the Finals between Dallas and Miami. That includes the lockout from July to December. Seven in 13 months is nothing to be proud of.

But it could be a lot worse.

In that same 13-month time period, according to the two accountings, there have been 52 arrests of active NFL players -- including those 25 in the last 23 weeks.

Years ago, during a previous newspaper column-writing life, the NFL was given this label: the Non-stick Football League.

Well into the big player-conduct crackdown by Sheriff Goodell, the label still fits.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2 ... the-shield

It's worse in football.

[johnk5150]

Beating on mom. Fuck.

I remember when Tank Johnson was arrested for having loaded guns around his 2 year old daughter. People here in Chicago were all 'we need the guy if we're going to win the super bowl'. All I could think was 'get that psycho out of Chicago.

I'd imagine there are meatballs in Texas that can overlook what Bryant did, but I'd hope most of them are good old southern, respect your mama kind of people.

[johnk5150]

Beating on mom. Fuck.

Holy shit. She's 37 and he's 23.

[FullDJacket]

This is a good thread. People quickly forget what really happened.

1995-1996, just 17 years ago the two LA teams had to relocate, the Cleveland and Houston teams folded, the Chicago and NY teams had not been strong and competitive in many years.

The league has been very strong the last 10 years but things can change.

I'm not a high brow football fan. My favorite part of the game is the big hits and kick-offs. They pretty much killed that last season.

And with all the challenged calls, time-outs and commercial breaks it's becoming tedious to watch. Especially the commercial breaks. Was it always this bad? Even 20 years ago? I can't remember.

[NeverSurrender]

This is a good thread. People quickly forget what really happened.

1995-1996, just 17 years ago the two LA teams had to relocate, the Cleveland and Houston teams folded, the Chicago and NY teams had not been strong and competitive in many years.

The league has been very strong the last 10 years but things can change.

I'm not a high brow football fan. My favorite part of the game is the big hits and kick-offs. They pretty much killed that last season.

And with all the challenged calls, time-outs and commercial breaks it's becoming tedious to watch. Especially the commercial breaks. Was it always this bad? Even 20 years ago? I can't remember.

Yep. Agree with everything here. kickoffs sucked and will continue to suck.

[Redman77]

Beating on mom. Fuck.

Holy shit. She's 37 and he's 23.

And a former hooker and crack addict.

[Tymaster]

This is a good thread. People quickly forget what really happened.

1995-1996, just 17 years ago the two LA teams had to relocate, the Cleveland and Houston teams folded, the Chicago and NY teams had not been strong and competitive in many years.

The league has been very strong the last 10 years but things can change.

I'm not a high brow football fan. My favorite part of the game is the big hits and kick-offs. They pretty much killed that last season.

And with all the challenged calls, time-outs and commercial breaks it's becoming tedious to watch. Especially the commercial breaks. Was it always this bad? Even 20 years ago? I can't remember.

Being a Browns fan and living through that...I don't even wanna go there. And the current Browns are almost worse than not having a team at all. That said, from a competitive stand point the league is better now. Parity and free agency have leveled the playing field. Throughout the 80s and into the mid 90s you ALWAYS knew the NFC was going to win the Super Bowl. The question was only which team. Giants, Niners, Cowboys, Redskins, Bears, or Packers? The NFC Championship was the Superbowl. However, I think in some ways the quality has been watered down. You'll never again see teams like the Cowboys and 49ers dynastys. The closest thing we'll ever see is the Pats (still competitive and in the SB race as long as Belichick is around) and the Steelers. As a Browns fan I hate 'em, but they've only had like 5 or 6 losing seasons since 1971. A few 8-8s, but check out their records. They are ALWAYS in the hunt. 7-9 and 8-8 is unacceptable to that organization and those types of seasons are always rectified. It may not always mean they win the Lombardi trophy, but you can bet your ass if the Steelers aren't at least a wild card, they were in the hunt up until the season's end.

[Facedown]

That Toe Turf can be a bitch.

[NeverSurrender]

Peterson never missed 4-6 weeks for turf toe. Must be a Packer fan who made that.

That was his rookie year when he fucked up his knee and missed like a game and a half.

Fucking fags.

[Desslar]

UFC??? I'd be surprised if that gets even 10% of the NFL's TV audience. I can't see families packing stadiums to watch it.

[Tymaster]

UFC??? I'd be surprised if that gets even 10% of the NFL's TV audience. I can't see families packing stadiums to watch it.

It appeals to the same white trash that pack it up and camp out for NASCAR. Yeah, the PPVs do well, and they can charge $15 to let you into a Buffalo Wild Wings to watch UFC, but it's hardly representative of the American mainstream. It's analogous to saying that because Iron Maiden average between 10,000-15,000 fans per show that they are part of the American mainstream.

[FullDJacket]

and btw. hasn't NFL been a kind of a faceless league? They never had a Jordan, Lebron, A-Rod, Barry Bonds or even a Gretzky? Maybe because the season is so short.

Maybe I'm wrong but I'm thinking that Tebow is the biggest media phenomenon that they've had

This is a good thread. People quickly forget what really happened.

1995-1996, just 17 years ago the two LA teams had to relocate, the Cleveland and Houston teams folded, the Chicago and NY teams had not been strong and competitive in many years.

The league has been very strong the last 10 years but things can change.

I'm not a high brow football fan. My favorite part of the game is the big hits and kick-offs. They pretty much killed that last season.

And with all the challenged calls, time-outs and commercial breaks it's becoming tedious to watch. Especially the commercial breaks. Was it always this bad? Even 20 years ago? I can't remember.

Being a Browns fan and living through that...I don't even wanna go there. And the current Browns are almost worse than not having a team at all. That said, from a competitive stand point the league is better now. Parity and free agency have leveled the playing field. Throughout the 80s and into the mid 90s you ALWAYS knew the NFC was going to win the Super Bowl. The question was only which team. Giants, Niners, Cowboys, Redskins, Bears, or Packers? The NFC Championship was the Superbowl. However, I think in some ways the quality has been watered down. You'll never again see teams like the Cowboys and 49ers dynastys. The closest thing we'll ever see is the Pats (still competitive and in the SB race as long as Belichick is around) and the Steelers. As a Browns fan I hate 'em, but they've only had like 5 or 6 losing seasons since 1971. A few 8-8s, but check out their records. They are ALWAYS in the hunt. 7-9 and 8-8 is unacceptable to that organization and those types of seasons are always rectified. It may not always mean they win the Lombardi trophy, but you can bet your ass if the Steelers aren't at least a wild card, they were in the hunt up until the season's end.

That's a good point. I didn't even think about that. The NFL organization has made changes to the league through the years. It was probably a long process. The popularity we see today is a product of changes made in the early 90s really.

[NeverSurrender]

Barry Bonds?

The NFL stresses team. Even with the media and their qb fascination now.

And you must have forgotten about Favre.

[pieceofme]

You said most popular, not brought in the most dough. You raging homo.

If they were more popular, they would be making more money, you stupid fuck.

No. That would only hold true if they were operating in the same markets with the same business model. As they aren't, you can't point to greater revenue as a clear indicator of greater popularity.

NFL are popular in a richer country with a bigger population, but outside of England and the United States, far more people have interest in the premier league and follow the EPL than the NFL. More people internationally have an interest in it. Here, for example, outside of the Superbowl game itself, NFL barely rates a note on anything but specialist sports shows. EPL results are part of the six o'clock news bulletin. Always have been, despite soccer not being the most popular sport here itself.

Also, nobody plays the game anywhere outside of North America. Not really. A few hobby clubs here and there, but nothing you grow up with, so most people aren't getting into NFL until they find it for themselves. Soccer, on the other hand, is played everywhere, so the biggest leagues have a major edge on the international market when compared to the NFL or MLB (outside of parts of asia and latin america perhaps).

Fuck, I like the NFL better, and no doubt it makes the $$$$, but there's more profile internationally for Man U vs Liverpool or Chelsea than there has ever been for any Pats/Giants game that didn't have Madonna singing at half-time.

Well said.

[johnk5150]

Chad Johnson's twitter marriage is over.

Always thought Johnson was a selfish player and probably a prick on the field, but always gave him a pass because he seemed to be a model citizen off the field. Didn't know he pushed his girlfriend around back in college. Thinking of anything more cowardly than hitting a woman. Gonna be hard to root for Brandon Marshall this year because of his history.