Over here we have a 26-28 game season without and body amour liker two crazy wilder beast. But they don't get paid unlimited money, so i guess that's about right. Oh and the game does not stop unless points are scored or a penalty. (40 minute halves)
I think it's kept that short due to the possibility of injuries. The NFL would make a lot less money if a bunch of the stars went down. Plus, I think, the NFL players association (basically their union) has a lot more sway over the NFL than the players associations of other sports. So since the players don't want a longer season, they won't be a longer season.
There's a difference between how the sport is played with pads on and without them. In the NFL, hits are always full steam. Players seem to think pads are a license to try and kill the opposing team's players. Injuries are high. The game is as physical as it could possibly be. Without pads, there's increased vulnerability. With that comes softer hits and a slightly less physical (while still tough) game. I don't think the NFL has 16 games per season b/c they're spoiled pansies. I think it's about all the players can handle, which says something about the grueling nature of the game.
I absolutely agree. Football is a dangerous game, even with all the pads--Kurt Warner had 3 concussions, Brett Favre took quite the beating in the Saints game, Aaron Rodgers had 50 sacks this year (o-line was NOT great at the beginning of the year, but has since straightened out and gotten better; now if only we could get a few good guys in the draft, a few players here and there, we'd be set), and not to mention the countless other injuries. Football can't go on forever because it's exhausting and hugely physical, not to mention mental as well. They don't go 16 games per season because they're spoiled; like MCWhite said, they can probably only handle that much. Going longer would be physically AND mentally grueling on everybody. And I think the format they have works out fine. I am also eager to see the Winter Olympics. I like both the versions of the Games the same, but in different ways. Watching swimming and gymnastics and running and everything else is fun, but so is watching ice skating and bobsled and luge and all the rest of it. Plus the opening ceremonies are always amazing to watch.
The women's final did not go well at all, so hopefully Murray can make up for it tonight. Regardless, as long as they are both in good shape it should be an excellent match. The Leafs had a 3-0 lead in the 2nd period. They are losing. Goddammit we're bad! This is the part where I demand they fire everyone etc. For reals though Burke, fire Wilson. Maybe quit while you're at it. Edit: They lost. I don't know what else to say, I'll always be a fan but I've just about given up, this year and for as long as they decide to 'retool' something that hasn't even been built, hasn't been built in over half a decade.
I wouldn't say that the players don't completely care about it. Players do put a lot of pride into any game they play and are generally pretty competitive. So they probably don't put as much effort into practice as they would for a normal game, but after the first couple of plays, they really will be trying to beat the other team. If for no other reason than to say, "Hey, see what I can do to the very best that the afc/nfc has to offer?"
A lot of the players playing do care about it--I've seen interviews with Donovan McNabb, Chad Ochocinco, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Nick Collins and several other players who all seem happy to be there. The first and second-time Pro Bowlers seem especially psyched. I don't mind the Pro Bowl being before the Superbowl, or in someplace other than Hawaii--it's nice to get a change every now and then in the system. I'm definitely excited to watch. I'm ready to kick some AFC butt!!
The way I see it, the players are more excited to be included in the unique clique of 'best nfl players' than they are to actually play in the game (and they're prob. equally excited to be in Hawaii!). Often, players are good because they function well within the unit that is the team- it's hard to get the best performances out of players when you shove them all together and say, "go!" Think about it- NFL teams run different offenses and defenses and players are accustomed to their own team's style. On top of that is the worry of injuries- who is going to give their all and risk injury in a game that, frankly, doesn't mean a whole lot? I'll still watch it and expect to see some good performances. This is just my take on it.
I agree. Being called one of the "elite" must be pretty awesome for the players selected, and going to Hawaii (although this year it's Miami--a warm tropical climate, anyway) is probably an added bonus. But it's always difficult to throw a bunch of players who are all adjusted to their own style together. They have to learn their team's strengths, weaknesses, learn how to read them. They obviously play the best surrounded by their usual teammates, and being with other players on different teams on one team is difficult. But it's also what makes it entertaining, to see the best of the best play. But it's also not an all-out game, because nobody wants to risk an injury in a game that, like MC said, doesn't mean very much other than being an honor and a tradition and a fun game to play in the tropics. All the same, it'll be entertaining to watch the best of the best and see how everyone does. Go NFC!
For the most part I agree with you, however, I wouldn't say the game doesn't mean a lot to the players. The losing team pays $22,500 to each player, winners get $45,000 each, plus, smart players get paid for commercial appearances during the week before. Pro Bowl selection increases a player's cash demands when negotiating future compensation packages. And, some "name" players have Pro Bowl bonus arrangements in their present contracts that pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for winning a Pro Bowl and having been selected as a starter. These guys love the game...they also love the money! Add to the capitalist motivation, a week of God-like adulation from fans in some exotic place, during cold winter months, and the Pro Bowl is pretty attractive to most players (especially players living in frigid wastelands like...uggh...Wisconsin) LOL As you said, there is one drawback, that being risk of injury. For that reason, players with nagging season injuries often reject the Pro Bowl invitation as they need the postseason months to get much needed surgery and properly heal before the next training camp begins.
Two huge trades for the Leafs today. I still don't know what I think. I love the Giguere trade, not so much for getting Giguere, as for getting rid of the profoundly useless Jason Blake, and the even worse Toskalol. But I think the Phanuef trade, in the long term, is going to be more significant. I'm very disappointed to see Ian White go, I think he can be an excellent defenseman with the right coaching. Phanuef is better though. Also disappointing to see Stajan go, but he never seemed to fit with Wilson (probably to Stajan's credit) or Burke. I'm just glad to see Mayers go, and to get some value for the talented but extremely unreliable Hagman.
If you're going to the probowl you'll already be making a lot of money. The probowl has turned into to tackle/flag football (If that makes any sense.) and now that people can vote for their favorite players, it's a popularity contest. I still don't understand having the probowl BEFORE the superbowl.
You guys will have to tell me how the pro-bowl went. I didn't realize it was on ESPN. Or I can just wait to catch some highlights on the news...
And offcourse the AFC won. Here's some of the highlights of the game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12kQXKntihc The Ravens players had a pretty good game. Ray Rice averaged six yards a carry, McClain converted a fourth and one, Ray Lewis got four tackles and Ngata got three tackles.
I liked Jones-Drew "crying" after the touchdown, lol. High scoring game- must have been exciting to watch. How about Matt Shaub? I think the Texans have a lot to look forward to next season. The team is really coming together, having only narrowly missed their first playoff berth, and they've got one heck of a QB. Go Texans!
As a proud 'Sconnie, I take personal offense at this! We're not a frigid wasteland though--Wisconsin has just this sheer quiet beauty, a beautiful elegance when blanketed with pure white snow, and when the stars are winking coldly in the dark sky with the bright moon shining.......no better beauty than that. Also, in summer we are awesome as well....and HOT! Seriously, temperatures skyrocket in summer, drop in winter...... I love Wisconsin. The game went downhill after they took Rodgers out. We looked like contenders in the first quarter, but then McNabb dug us into a hole, and leave it to a Cowboy to blow the game, damn Romo....... If they had put Rodgers back in instead of Romo, there would have been a touchdown, not an interception, and #12 could've been MVP. Matthews and Collins played very well, but you could definitely tell they were holding back. I was glad, though. They're excellent players and we definitely need them for the next season, when we go to the Superbowl and bring the Lombardi trophy back where it belongs. A few of the recievers on the NFC did very well, but they had to give us some duds, plus crappy backup for Rodgers--picked an amazing starter and gave him ROMO and MCNABB?! Seriously?!
Amen to NaCl. Thank God the NFL reversed their decision on the whole "Who Dat" drama. It belongs to NO, not the NFL. They need to stop being greedy. I am also excited for The Who (I LOVE The Who!!!!! ) and especially the commercials, which are always amazing. My butt is not moving from my chair for probably 3 hours--great game, great commercials and great halftime show! Seriously, though, the Pro Bowl was great. Fantastic game, and I loved watching it. Excited for next year's Pro Bowl, when the NFC makes the score 21-20.
Yeah, it's sort of sad that I look forward to the commercials almost as much as the game. And The Who should be interesting- though it's getting old (literally) how the NFL refuses to schedule a younger band for the halftime show. I guess the wardrobe malfunction from a few years ago still lingers in their minds, and the planners think young bands = higher risk of... something going wrong.
