2016 NFL Offseason

[Luminesa]

But we still don't have a Leia!

Packers should have him wear his hair like that during games...especially around Halloween...

Yes...Now I just need to learn to braid hair.

[The Ben Boys]

Why are we sending our worst teams over to London? Seriously. This is why non-Americans laugh at our sport.

Actually, gridiron is gaining some of traction in the UK. There are a lot of Dolphins and Jets fans there I'm told. The way they view sports there is... different to say the least. They don't like commercial breaks (ever seen a soccer game with more than like five?) and aren't about geographic relations (everyone there is a "well travelled fan"). I'm inclined to think that can extend to winning/"good" teams.

[Idzequitch]

Why are we sending our worst teams over to London? Seriously. This is why non-Americans laugh at our sport.

Actually, gridiron is gaining some of traction in the UK. There are a lot of Dolphins and Jets fans there I'm told. The way they view sports there is... different to say the least. They don't like commercial breaks (ever seen a soccer game with more than like five?) and aren't about geographic relations (everyone there is a "well travelled fan"). I'm inclined to think that can extend to winning/"good" teams.

Soccer games actually typically only have one commercial break (I guess you could call it two. One on each end of halftime). Once the clock starts, it doesn't stop for anything except halftime and the end of the game. So I can see how they need to adjust to that facet of American football.

[Osarius]

They [...] aren't about geographic relations

Who told you that? I'd estimate half of all fans support the team they support because they're local or it's their hometown. Otherwise teams like Newcastle (only "major" club in a large city) wouldn't have large fanbases, and teams like Birmingham City (smaller club in a large city with two "bigger" clubs within four miles) would have even less fans.

And "well traveled" is a kind of redundant phrase here too, since you can travel the entire length of the country in about 8 hours. Being a Newcastle fan living in Cornwall is nothing like like being a Chargers fan living in New York, for example. We're all kind of resigned to the idea of traveling across the country, but it's not a big deal because it's so comparatively small anyway. Traveling to Russia for a Europa League game, though? Good luck with that. UK fans are absolutely about geographic locations.

NFL games at Wembley sell out for the novelty of being at an NFL game, not because of the teams involved. Like how a lot of people who don't really care much for the sport will watch the Super Bowl. But I reckon if you sent the Patriots over, tickets would sell out quicker than ever, because they seem to be the most popular team among fans I've encountered.

[Trumpostan]

Why are we sending our worst teams over to London? Seriously. This is why non-Americans laugh at our sport.

Because the best teams refuse to give up home games for that sort of thing, and rightfully so. There should be no games at all in London, if they want to see American Football, they should start their own league.

[Bythyrona]

Why are we sending our worst teams over to London? Seriously. This is why non-Americans laugh at our sport.

Because the best teams refuse to give up home games for that sort of thing, and rightfully so. There should be no games at all in London, if they want to see American Football, they should start their own league.

They had that already.

[Osarius]

Because the best teams refuse to give up home games for that sort of thing, and rightfully so. There should be no games at all in London, if they want to see American Football, they should start their own league.

They had have that already.

FTFY

The problem is that all the best players are in the US. Even if we were to produce our own particularly talented players, they would still be years behind their American counterparts because we don't have a solid grassroots gridiron football infrastructure. If by some miracle we produced players on par with Americans of a similar age and experience level, they'd just get signed to play in the US in some league or another anyway.

It's like how the best American soccer players pretty much all played in Europe until recently. The growth of MLS is partly due to larger European clubs being willing to go over there and play matches in front of an American audience, helping to build a fanbase for their own teams and the sport in general. The NFL acknowledges this and is doing the same thing.

We don't have a professional league here because there's no money in it. With the NFL showing that the sport has a viable fanbase and return on investment may actually be worth it, now there's a chance we'll start moving toward that. It's a slow process.

[Trumpostan]

They had have that already.

FTFY

The problem is that all the best players are in the US. Even if we were to produce our own particularly talented players, they would still be years behind their American counterparts because we don't have a solid grassroots gridiron football infrastructure. If by some miracle we produced players on par with Americans of a similar age and experience level, they'd just get signed to play in the US in some league or another anyway.

It's like how the best American soccer players pretty much all played in Europe until recently. The growth of MLS is partly due to larger European clubs being willing to go over there and play matches in front of an American audience, helping to build a fanbase for their own teams and the sport in general. The NFL acknowledges this and is doing the same thing.

We don't have a professional league here because there's no money in it. With the NFL showing that the sport has a viable fanbase and return on investment may actually be worth it, now there's a chance we'll start moving toward that. It's a slow process.

There is a huge distinction between some soccer (European football) teams playing friendlies in the US, and American Football (gridiron) teams playing actual league games in London.

This is not 'doing the same thing', it would only be the same thing if some English clubs played actual league games in the US, which they won't because as I understand it, the soccer (football) authorities forbid it.
Its fine for some NFL teams to play a pre season game or two in London, but not actual league games. That should not happen and I have opposed it from the start (not that that matters, because neither I nor any other NFL fan gets a say).

And of course, if that miserable a**hole Goodell is for it, I am against it.

[The 5-Stars Federation]

I can understand why a lot of teams doesn't want to play regular season games in London, but i can also see why the NFL wants them to play. Football is a growing sport out of the U.S, but it'll only explode if the NFL brings the actual game to other countries.

For example, i live in Brazil and football is actually surpassing volleyball and Formula One as second most favourite sport, considering that only people with cable TV can watch it (only ESPN and a channel called Esporte Interativo broadcasts the NFL. ESPN broadcast MNF, TNF, SNF and 2 games on Sunday afternoon; EI broadcast TNF, SNF and another game on Sunday). But the level of brazilian football league are, literally, amateur. If Godell and even americans wants the game to explode here, we need to see a real match, not 3rd string of the Titans against undrafted cornerbacks of the Bucs. That's why we're hearing a lot here that the NFL will bring to Brazil the Pro Bowl. Americans don't care to it, but Brazil, UK, Germany, Mexico...every other country would love to see a friendly with JJ Watt, Tom Brady, Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones, Peyton Manning, Richard Sherman, Aaron Rodgers, Darell Revis, etc.

Actually, i wrote all of that just to say 3 things: Brazil also likes the NFL, i want to see the Pro Bowl and the Packers will win SB L

[New Jerzylvania]

Why are we sending our worst teams over to London? Seriously. This is why non-Americans laugh at our sport.

To start a debate in the House of Commons about banning the NFL from the UK. Goodell is such a genius.

[Luminesa]

I can understand why a lot of teams doesn't want to play regular season games in London, but i can also see why the NFL wants them to play. Football is a growing sport out of the U.S, but it'll only explode if the NFL brings the actual game to other countries.

For example, i live in Brazil and football is actually surpassing volleyball and Formula One as second most favourite sport, considering that only people with cable TV can watch it (only ESPN and a channel called Esporte Interativo broadcasts the NFL. ESPN broadcast MNF, TNF, SNF and 2 games on Sunday afternoon; EI broadcast TNF, SNF and another game on Sunday). But the level of brazilian football league are, literally, amateur. If Godell and even americans wants the game to explode here, we need to see a real match, not 3rd string of the Titans against undrafted cornerbacks of the Bucs. That's why we're hearing a lot here that the NFL will bring to Brazil the Pro Bowl. Americans don't care to it, but Brazil, UK, Germany, Mexico...every other country would love to see a friendly with JJ Watt, Tom Brady, Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones, Peyton Manning, Richard Sherman, Aaron Rodgers, Darell Revis, etc.

Actually, i wrote all of that just to say 3 things: Brazil also likes the NFL, i want to see the Pro Bowl and the Packers will win SB L

Heheh...we send the Bills and the Jags to London and the Packers and the Giants to Rio.

[Bythyrona]

They had that already.

FTFY

The problem is that all the best players are in the US. Even if we were to produce our own particularly talented players, they would still be years behind their American counterparts because we don't have a solid grassroots gridiron football infrastructure. If by some miracle we produced players on par with Americans of a similar age and experience level, they'd just get signed to play in the US in some league or another anyway.

It's like how the best American soccer players pretty much all played in Europe until recently. The growth of MLS is partly due to larger European clubs being willing to go over there and play matches in front of an American audience, helping to build a fanbase for their own teams and the sport in general. The NFL acknowledges this and is doing the same thing.

We don't have a professional league here because there's no money in it. With the NFL showing that the sport has a viable fanbase and return on investment may actually be worth it, now there's a chance we'll start moving toward that. It's a slow process.

nope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Europe
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... opa-closes
http://www.footballdb.com/nfl-europe/

had.

[The Ben Boys]

-snip-

A friend of mine who lived in the UK explaining why the NFL probably wouldn't work there, but I guess I'm wrong on that one.

I have the impression from a good chunk of articles that it has a good amount of traction there, though they don't really want a team there.

[FutureAmerica]

The Panthers are the dark horse for now.

[Luminesa]

The Panthers are the dark horse for now.

Naw, I think the Rams are the dark horse.

[Outer Sparta]

The Panthers are the dark horse for now.

Naw, I think the Rams are the dark horse.

Yay Lions! Tank! Tank! Tank! Tank!

[New Jerzylvania]

The Panthers are the dark horse for now.

Naw, I think the Rams are the dark horse.

Jets.

[Tiami]

Can't wait until tomorrow....

[Bythyrona]

Well, RIP San Diego Chargers.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13956 ... es-january

[Osarius]

FTFY

nope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Europe
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... opa-closes
http://www.footballdb.com/nfl-europe/

had.

You know there is actually a league here now, right? If not, I'm wondering wtf I've been playing in for the past three years.

This is not 'doing the same thing', it would only be the same thing if some English clubs played actual league games in the US, which they won't because as I understand it, the soccer (football) authorities forbid it.
Its fine for some NFL teams to play a pre season game or two in London, but not actual league games.

This stance completely ignores two things:
1. pre-season preparations in american football are entirely different in nature to those in soccer
2. the reason they want regular season games overseas is because everyone knows pre-season games in american football are essentially exhibition games that nobody takes seriously; if your best players are hardly on the field, it's hardly a great advertisement for your sport.

The Premier League wanted to have a 39th game played overseas, btw. And it's something they will keep pushing. FIFA can't actually stop it from happening, AFAIK. Though it might not be necessary if the bigger European clubs agree to create a "World League" or something... so back to my original point; it's basically the same thing. Yeah you might not like it -- we generally don't particularly like the idea "game 39" or a "world league" either -- but in business terms, it all makes sense. That's why it's happening.

[New Jerzylvania]

Can't wait until tomorrow....

Hey, you had projected Andy Dalton benched by week six.

Week seven he gets a bye. I think he'll be starting in week 8. Care to revise that prediction?

[Luminesa]

Well, RIP San Diego Chargers.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13956 ... es-january

Awww, I was hoping the Raiders would relocate.

[Ameriganastan]

Well, RIP San Diego Chargers.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13956 ... es-january

...We're supposed to care, right?

[Luminesa]

Naw, I think the Rams are the dark horse.

Yay Lions! Tank! Tank! Tank! Tank!

*Calvin Johnson rolls over Outer Sparta in a Lion-shaped tank.*

Johnson: Erm...uh-oh...*Looks under the tank.*...Oops.

Stafford: You know, if you'd just have turned into a truck this wouldn't
have happened.

Johnson:...*Sigh.*...Matt, we've gone through this 100,000,000 times.
OPTIMUS PRIME IS THE TRUCK. I'M MEGATRON. MEGATRON IS THE BAD GUY!!!

Stafford:...Well, then, what does Megatron turn into?

Johnson: Calvin Flipping Johnson, that's who. Now help me to pull-out...whatever
I just squished under there.

Stafford: *Sigh.* Fine...

[Bythyrona]

nope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Europe
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... opa-closes
http://www.footballdb.com/nfl-europe/

had.

You know there is actually a league here now, right? If not, I'm wondering wtf I've been playing in for the past three years.

The BAFL/BAFA National Leagues?

I was talking about an NFL-sanctioned league.