18 game season proposal....

[sa_butta]

League owners and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell want to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18 and cut the preseason from four games to two. The NFL presented the NFL Players Association with its first detailed proposal covering that issue at a bargaining session Tuesday in Washington.
Goodell has pointed out that the old CBA already left room for the league to extend the regular season, but he also says he wants to work on any such switch with the union.
The 2006 contract says the NFL would need to give the NFLPA 90 days notice in writing before increasing from 16 games to as many as 18. That agreement also says the league would have to negotiate "with the NFLPA with regard to additional compensation to be paid to players for additional regular season games."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81aef091/article/players-presented-first-detailed-proposal-for-18game-season

[MannyIsGod]

They'd better take out preseason games to do this, IMO.

[sa_butta]

They'd better take out preseason games to do this, IMO.
Will be much harder on coaching staff to evaluate players on the bubble.

[J.T.]

They'd better take out preseason games to do this, IMO.


well ever since they've been talking about going to 18 games the deal has always been -2 preseason games, +2 regular season games.

[Dex]

Will be much harder on coaching staff to evaluate players on the bubble.

True, but four games still seems excessive. The first two are usually meaningless aside from auditioning standpoints, the third is a dress rehearsal, and the fourth they rest the stars to get ready. And as physical as football is, it just increases the chances of key players getting injured during meaningless game.

I'd just be glad to have two extra games a year to care about.

[MavDynasty]

tbh there goes all the historical records

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

0-18 has a nice ring to it

[MavDynasty]

:tu

[IronMexican]

Hope this doesn't happen. All past record tarnished, as MD mentioned.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

The NFL has played a 12/14 game schedule just about as long as they've played a 16 game schedule.

None of the records accrued during the 16 game schedule are considered tarnished, are they?

[duckz]

this only make availability for anderson to play shit for two more game

[pawe]

Not a fan.
More teams will be able to snatch a playoff position when let's say a star player goes down to injury.
The allure of the game will be ruined since the 1st few games will be played half assed because the mindset of the team will be "we will catch up later with our more rested players".
With the recession still looming (although its not going to be forever) fans will have to shell out 2 more weeks of expensive tickets, drinks and food.

[leemajors]

more meaningless games/injuries, awesome. shouldn't the owners be concerned about the home games they already are blacking out in their cities because they can't sell them out?

[monosylab1k]

There's already a huge problem with player injuries, concussion, and guys having and incredibly painful post-retirement life because of the punishment they take. And now they want to add 2 more games? Goddamn owners are greedy as fuck. I mean players are too, but at least they're the ones putting themselves out there.

[JamStone]

They should cut the regular season by 2 games.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Normally I disagree with them, but Dungy and Polian make a great point about preseason games. Dungy said they woulda never found a Gary Brackett or a Melvin Bullitt if they only had two preseason games, and that's a huge reason why they need to keep it the way it is. Another example is a few years ago the Saints saw enough outa Colston in the preseason that they were able to trade Stallworth away for quality return. Maybe the fans don't enjoy the preseason a bunch but they need to understand it's part of the process and it gives a bunch of low draft picks and undrafted players a chance.

Adding 2 regular season games is enough of a stupid idea in and of itself, the fact that the side effect is compromising a huge tool coaches use to evaluate talent and fill out the roster properly makes it even dumber. I guess as a fan I should be happy but I just can't agree with this.

[HeatBurn305]

The NFL has played a 12/14 game schedule just about as long as they've played a 16 game schedule.

None of the records accrued during the 16 game schedule are considered tarnished, are they?

Dis, with the good, par the course.

Your finest hour, Dis.

[JamStone]

Normally I disagree with them, but Dungy and Polian make a great point about preseason games. Dungy said they woulda never found a Gary Brackett or a Melvin Bullitt if they only had two preseason games, and that's a huge reason why they need to keep it the way it is. Another example is a few years ago the Saints saw enough outa Colston in the preseason that they were able to trade Stallworth away for quality return. Maybe the fans don't enjoy the preseason a bunch but they need to understand it's part of the process and it gives a bunch of low draft picks and undrafted players a chance.

Adding 2 regular season games is enough of a stupid idea in and of itself, the fact that the side effect is compromising a huge tool coaches use to evaluate talent and fill out the roster properly makes it even dumber. I guess as a fan I should be happy but I just can't agree with this.

It's a decent point. But it's risk versus reward. I'm sure it's the case that some coaches/teams find diamonds in the rough in the pre-season games. There are undrafted free agents and journeymen who get a first or second or third shot to get noticed. I get that. But I'm sure there are players that get unnecessarily injured because of the four pre-season games. Maybe the "starters" only play one series in the fourth pre-season game and then you see one of the starters on the O-line get injured and is out for the season.

You can say some teams and the league in general might lose some of those players like Gary Brackett. But you can also say cutting the pre-season games also saves some important players from getting injured or allowing the toll of all the hits to accumulate over the course of the season so players are in better condition at the end of the season and for the playoffs.

There's obviously a cost-benefit analysis with the number of games, pre-season, regular season, overall. But it does seem like the owners are still using the driving force of the dollar to push for these added games with much less consideration for the players and their health.

[symple19]

-2 preseason games, +2 regular season games.

Do it now, Hurry...DO IT!

http://www.treehugger.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-body-building.jpg

[Texas Chili Dog]

It is fine as is. Why change it to 18 unless there is an expansion? I'm pretty sure the NFL changed from 12 to 14 and from 14 to 16 games soon after new teams came along.