Waning interest in the NFL

[GeorgeStreet]

I love college football. For a very long time, I loved NFL football equally well, but that is beginning to change. Perhaps it is the bombardment of game-interrupting commercials. Maybe it is the increased awareness of the terrible brain trauma suffered by career players. It could be the disgust of watching the absurd prices, salaries and profits continue to climb beyond all reason. Perhaps it is failure of the NFL to contribute anything to the college teams that prepare players for the NFL.

For me, what has replaced interest in the NFL is a growing interest in Premier League and Champions League soccer. The games are never stopped for commercials. If the run of play is interrupted by injury, that time is actually added back on to the clock. The commentators usually stick to calling the on field play-by-play instead of meandering smalltalk. The motion is constant, the players fit enough to run almost continuously, often sprinting at top speed for two 45 minute periods split by a 15 minute halftime.

Many guys I've talked with are beginning to feel the same way about the NFL.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

As far as I'm concerned CFB has been, is and will always be >>> the NFL. While I'm at it NCAA MBB and Baseball >>> the NBA and MLB

There's something way better about rooting for a team of a place you attended than over paid primadonas who think they matter more because of athletic prowess

Yes I am fully aware that said college boys populate the pro ranks...but while still in college, it makes sports watching special...

 

[RUich]

In some ways, I am starting to feel the same way about Div. 1 college football. Unlike the pros, where any team can become a contender with the draft, we see the small group of elite college programs that can recruit virtually any national player at will which will never happen at the rest of the school. Add in the rampant cheating that permeates so many of these top programs and you have a very uneven playing field.
On too many campuses, the football program and the HC are the people in charge. We normally expect the CEO's of any business to be the top paid guy/gal. Compare what the HC's make vs. the Presidents of the schools.

 

[mikemarc1]

Ratings are best they've ever been.

So long as fantasy football, betting, pools, etc. remain..interest is just going to keep going up.

 

[BuckRU]

I agree with almost everything the OP says. The only thing that has rekindled my interest in the NFL in the last 2 years is when I discovered that my cable package has NFL Red Zone. It jumps around to give instant action and highlights from all the Sunday afternoon games. And the best thing... NO commercials! Commercials really are ruining the product. (I watched the tape of Super Bowl III last week. The entire game took less than 3 hours!)

 

[FanuSanu52]

Yeah, my interest in the NFL has had an inverse relationship with my rising interest in CFB. Used to watch all NFL and little to no CFB, but when RU started giving me a reason to follow CFB, got way more into that.

Cfb has so many more games and really good match-ups every week, so those three often-crappy NFL games on Sunday are a big letdown. Saturday is where it's at.

 

[ScarletKnightRider]

They only show like 3 nfl games per sunday. Cfb you could watch all different teams all day and night.

But I disagree that the NFL is becoming less interesting. To me it's more interesting than ever. Cfb has become super predictable, and this past bowl season as a whole was a joke. I still love them both though.

 

[RutgersSam]

Ha, interest is maybe waning for the OP. Not for the rest of the country.

 

[lilphilw]

Good for you guys but nfl still trumps college footba for me. And it's not close to be honest. Maybe it's becAuse I never actual went to rutgers? Not sure but the quality of game is much better proffessionally. Also collegd is becoming a lot more commercialized and there's plenty of commercial breaks too. Not as much but it's getting there

 

[AreYouNUTS]

If not for FF I wouldn't watch non-Giant regular season games. I can watch 30 college games/week no problem.

 

[KingHigh]

NFL is so much better than college. Otherwise the NFL would be like college and give all of the first round draft picks to the two Superbowl teams from the previous year. The worst teams would not get a draft pick until round 6 and they can grab some undated free agents.

 

[PatrickRU92]

completely agree. After experiencing college sports first hand intimately for a long time, you just realize that pro sports is completely meaningless, but college sports means everything!

 

[lilphilw]

completely agree. After experiencing college sports first hand intimately for a long time, you just realize that pro sports is completely meaningless, but college sports means everything!

I'd love to hear more about this because I honestly don't get it.

 

[PatrickRU92]

I'd love to hear more about this because I honestly don't get it.

There is much more of an emotional/personal attachment to my school then there is to a bunch of frankly overpaid millionaires playing for nothing but TV revenue. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Not to mention I have my own financial stake. I donate to RU every year. Can you imagine donating money to the Jets (which is who I root for in the NFL)?

 

[lilphilw]

No I'm sure you're not the only one but I don't agree with it. There's also a bunch of people playing just for themselves and their nfl future in college or a free ride. Also once players get in the nfl it's not like they all lose passion and only play for money. There's some but same can be said for college

 

[RUScrew85]

I find my interest waning too. Up until last year I would never record and watch a game. I'd watch them live. Now early in the NFL season I'm still playing golf so I'll record and sometimes watch the Eagles. Sometimes I just don't bother.

Thugs and assholes like Keshawn, Irvin, Dieon Sanders and Ray Lewis made the face of the league on TV has further turned me off.

What are we cheering for in the NFL? Egomaniac owners, primadonna players that celebrate a 1st down when down 21 points, colored laundry?

Meh. I'd rather play golf.

ETA: Oh yeah and the commercials Ugh.

 

[j10oreo]

I'm starting to lose interest in the NFL as well. I will not speak for anyone else as it is my own opinion. I just question the politics of the NFL in general. Player celebrations are being minimized, can barely do anything without getting flagged. The rule book has been inflated to the point where it feels penalties are more inconsistent than before. For safety reasons and attempts to reduce the amount of lawsuits from retired players, the rules lean heavily in favor of the offense and now there are even fewer defenses worth watching play. Also, the team I happen to be a diehard for has a 30-some year old running the franchise and everything he says only reminds me of how shitty of an owner he is. Plus, seeing RU rise has been more exciting to see than any NFL game. This season has been a bump in the road but you can see RU is trying and I look forward to seeing what Ash can do.

 

[NickyNewark51]

I love college football. For a very long time, I loved NFL football equally well, but that is beginning to change. Perhaps it is the bombardment of game-interrupting commercials. Maybe it is the increased awareness of the terrible brain trauma suffered by career players. It could be the disgust of watching the absurd prices, salaries and profits continue to climb beyond all reason. Perhaps it is failure of the NFL to contribute anything to the college teams that prepare players for the NFL.

For me, what has replaced interest in the NFL is a growing interest in Premier League and Champions League soccer. The games are never stopped for commercials. If the run of play is interrupted by injury, that time is actually added back on to the clock. The commentators usually stick to calling the on field play-by-play instead of meandering smalltalk. The motion is constant, the players fit enough to run almost continuously, often sprinting at top speed for two 45 minute periods split by a 15 minute halftime.

Many guys I've talked with are beginning to feel the same way about the NFL.

I'm terrified we've become ''soft'' as a culture and FB is becoming 2 hand touch....concussions my behind...then maybe we should avoid danger like the military ''at ALL COST'S'' and hire MERC's...in the Corps we played tackle w/o any equipment as a diversion between our sworn duty for PLAY....no education,books etc...pay...just the joy...wheres this leading...bring back the Deacon Jones headslap or more clothesline tackles...i love the gladitatorial aspects of our modern day coliseum sport of FB....THATS why there paid millions...to play a kids game in their prime...no one ever promised them a rosegarden and its a choice...and if its too rough..leave it to the men..dinged is now a no no...protect them...yes...pamper...no..

 

[RAA-1]

CFB > > > > > NFL

 

[Vol$]

I find my interest waning too. Up until last year I would never record and watch a game. I'd watch them live. Now early in the NFL season I'm still playing golf so I'll record and sometimes watch the Eagles. Sometimes I just don't bother.

Thugs and assholes like Keshawn, Irvin, Dieon Sanders and Ray Lewis made the face of the league on TV has further turned me off.

What are we cheering for in the NFL? Egomaniac owners, primadonna players that celebrate a 1st down when down 21 points, colored laundry?

Meh. I'd rather play golf.

ETA: Oh yeah and the commercials Ugh.

Yet no mention of Romanowski, Rothlisberger, Manziel, Ryan Leaf etc. Interesting...just "thugs" as you say. Hypocritical, myopic, and clownish.

 

[NickyNewark51]

I'm starting to lose interest in the NFL as well. I will not speak for anyone else as it is my own opinion. I just question the politics of the NFL in general. Player celebrations are being minimized, can barely do anything without getting flagged. The rule book has been inflated to the point where it feels penalties are more inconsistent than before. For safety reasons and attempts to reduce the amount of lawsuits from retired players, the rules lean heavily in favor of the offense and now there are even fewer defenses worth watching play. Also, the team I happen to be a diehard for has a 30-some year old running the franchise and everything he says only reminds me of how shitty of an owner he is. Plus, seeing RU rise has been more exciting to see than any NFL game. This season has been a bump in the road but you can see RU is trying and I look forward to seeing what Ash can do.

RU rising is thrilling...i wish the kids could see what we can potentially be..

 

[Plum Street]

I agree with almost everything the OP says. The only thing that has rekindled my interest in the NFL in the last 2 years is when I discovered that my cable package has NFL Red Zone. It jumps around to give instant action and highlights from all the Sunday afternoon games. And the best thing... NO commercials! Commercials really are ruining the product. (I watched the tape of Super Bowl III last week. The entire game took less than 3 hours!)

The commercials are ruining the game watching experience . I know the networks need to make their money but it's overkill.
They say the college games last too long. Well , because there are too many commercials.

 

[scarletschuyler]

To me, there's something more interesting about the unpredictability of a 19 or 20 year old making both great and bone-headed plays and the difference in offenses found in college than the cookie-cutter styles found in the pros. Exception: I despise the Seahawks, but will watch Russell Wilson any time.

 

[formerlyknownasrutgers100]

Yet no mention of Romanowski, Rothlisberger, Manziel, Ryan Leaf etc. Interesting...just "thugs" as you say. Hypocritical, myopic, and clownish.

Interesting how Deion sanders and Keshawn are thugs with no criminal history but Rutgers is okay with all of the robberies / beatings the players were apart of this year.

 

[MadRU]

Interesting how Deion sanders and Keshawn are thugs with no criminal history but Rutgers is okay with all of the robberies / beatings the players were apart of this year.

Who was ok with it?

 

[yesrutgers01]

I have too much first hand knowledge of the NFLband it has killed it for me. Once I realized that there is no connection to myself and any NFL team vs the almost personal connection to a school, I just lost interest.
If Eli were to get another SB ring, how does it really mean anything to me. If Rutgers wins, it's our school, our State and our players for 3-4 years at a time.

 

[NickyNewark51]

Who was ok with it?

or maybe he's speaking for himself..

 

[miketd1]

I find my interest waning too. Up until last year I would never record and watch a game. I'd watch them live. Now early in the NFL season I'm still playing golf so I'll record and sometimes watch the Eagles. Sometimes I just don't bother.

Thugs and assholes like Keshawn, Irvin, Dieon Sanders and Ray Lewis made the face of the league on TV has further turned me off.

What are we cheering for in the NFL? Egomaniac owners, primadonna players that celebrate a 1st down when down 21 points, colored laundry?

Meh. I'd rather play golf.

ETA: Oh yeah and the commercials Ugh.

Chip Kelly cratered the team.

Bunch of unlikable mercenaries now.

As they go back to home grown talent and win a lil more, I think we'll get sucked back in.

Go birds.

 

[formerlyknownasrutgers100]

Who was ok with it?

He doesn't have a waning interest in Rutgers football

 

[RUScrew85]

Yet no mention of Romanowski, Rothlisberger, Manziel, Ryan Leaf etc. Interesting...just "thugs" as you say. Hypocritical, myopic, and clownish.

You see racism when I talk about the face of a league that is 80% black? You're really reaching.

I totally agree Rape-lisberger is a horrible thug and a rapist. Manziel is a loser so far. I forget Romanowski's crime - steroids? Leaf is just a loser.

Where does the NFL and its TV coverage force those four white examples of yours down our throat? You're trying so hard for a racial gotcha you missed the point there, Al Sharpton junior.

Closeminded, Racist and Reaching. Can't even give you a "nice try" there.

 

[RUScrew85]

Yet no mention of Romanowski, Rothlisberger, Manziel, Ryan Leaf etc. Interesting...just "thugs" as you say. Hypocritical, myopic, and clownish.

Oh and your first post to take a "Racism" shot at me? Who's troll account is this? Someone from my ignore list? Someone from Ohio maybe? Still a douche.

 

[Purple-Ed]

:popcorn:

 

[brgossRU90]

The nfl is becoming ever more like arena football, and as a result were seeing the same teams win over and over the same way because they have the best qbs suited for it and game rules are tilted in favor of passing. At least in college football you have wildly varying offensive styles that can create interesting match ups.

 

[RUScrew85]

Chip Kelly cratered the team.

Bunch of unlikable mercenaries now.

As they go back to home grown talent and win a lil more, I think we'll get sucked back in.

Go birds.

Ya know I think there are guys on defense I can get behind Cox is awesome and that rookie MLB that got hurt played outstanding.

Chip killed that roster giving away great talent for nothing. Jackson, Shady... That did not help my motivation nor did years of Andy Reid's attitude. Now it's that unqualified kid back to working as GM.

Ya know another thing is Free agency. I support it but I miss the days when you could cheer an entire career of a guy. Now I'm supposed to cheer for the guy who was the starting RB for the Cowboys the year before? Ugh.

 

[DJ Spanky]

I find the commercialization too much to take nowadays. I mentioned a while back in another thread that I was at the gym warming down after a workout while watching Monday Night Football. In a 7 minute period, they kicked an extra point after a score, had around 3 minutes of commercials, came back as the ball was being kicked off and ended up out of the endzone, then another 2-3 minutes of commercials. Just absolutely killed any interest in watching the game.

Oh and your first post to take a "Racism" shot at me? Who's troll account is this? Someone from my ignore list? Someone from Ohio maybe? Still a douche.

Well, he's taking a vacation now. Unacceptable for their first post on our board.

 

[RUScrew85]

Interesting how Deion sanders and Keshawn are thugs with no criminal history but Rutgers is okay with all of the robberies / beatings the players were apart of this year.

No Dieon and Keyshaun were a-holes that put themselves ahead of their teams. Hell Dieon was scared to tackle when he played on D. If these guys are guys you want to support and think are good faces for the NFL that says more about you than it does about me.

Where did Rutgers come from in this discussion or are you too trying real hard to make this racial?

 

[RUScrew85]

I find the commercialization too much to take nowadays. I mentioned a while back in another thread that I was at the gym warming down after a workout while watching Monday Night Football. In a 7 minute period, they kicked an extra point after a score, had around 3 minutes of commercials, came back as the ball was being kicked off and ended up out of the endzone, then another 2-3 minutes of commercials. Just absolutely killed any interest in watching the game.

Well, he's taking a vacation now. Unacceptable for their first post on our board.

Shortest career ever.

 

[RU#1fan]

CFB > > > > NFL

I lost interest in the NFL three years ago.
It's CFB for me 24/7 from late August to December .

 

[formerlyknownasrutgers100]

No Dieon and Keyshaun were a-holes that put themselves ahead of their teams. Hell Dieon was scared to tackle when he played on D. If these guys are guys you want to support and think are good faces for the NFL that says more about you than it does about me.

Where did Rutgers come from in this discussion or are you too trying real hard to make this racial?

The other guy who quoted your post was the one who mentioned the white guys not me but there's plenty of kids in college who are above their teams too just doesn't seem like a valid argument why the nfl is better than college. Look at Matthieu from lsu a few years ago or the d end on Baylor or Blount when he was at Oregon or the byu Memphis brawl in the bowl game last year, plenty of that stuff goes on in college, not to mention that a lot of schools pay players and you have players like JG for example who allegedly aren't even high school teamates. To think the college game is so selfless and pure is asinine in this day in age.

 

[SanFranRutgers]

The NFL and the FBS are both cesspools.