Posted on 02/08/2026 11:41:24 AM PST by Rummyfan
Three weeks ago, my beloved San Francisco 49ers were unceremoniously dispatched from the NFL playoffs by the Seattle Seahawks, who are vying for their second Super Bowl championship today. The result didn’t surprise many; the Niners were hobbled by injuries to many of their best players and, frankly, enjoyed more than a bit of luck in getting as far as they did this past season. But every year, the Grim Reaper comes for all but one team, and my guys could not evade his grip.
More alarmingly, in his new book, the writer Chuck Klosterman predicts the Reaper will soon come for all of football, despite its wild popularity. "Football is doomed," writes Klosterman, a self-described huge fan of the sport, and, in the future, people "are going to misunderstand why it once mattered as much as it did." So as you mash your guacamole, ice your beers, and broil your wings in preparation for the big event, be forewarned: America’s favorite game is in trouble.
"Football is so ingrained in American society that it’s hard to visualize an America without it," Klosterman begins. After all, of the 100 most-watched telecasts in the United States in 2023, no fewer than 93 were NFL games—and three more were college football broadcasts. More Americans watch the Super Bowl than election results. And today’s game will be aired in nearly 200 countries.
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
In what way? The gambling?
Sports gambling is illegal in my state, and I've never gambled, so I don't pay too much attention to that.
Why waste 6 hours or so that you can never get back while being insulted. Bad calls, shaved points to make the spread, dropped balls, fumbles, etc.
Not to mention the queer halftime show
I usually watch football but when I don’t it’s always the Super Bowl that I don’t watch.
It will be on my auxillary background screen with no sound.
Kinda like visual Muzak.
My main screen will mostly be four deck Spider Solitaire while listening to classical music.
I think it’s way past time that Americans ignore the NFL and all of its retarded theatrics.
The sport is unrecognizable from it’s heyday in the late 70’s - early 90’s.
The virtue signaling is appalling.
The countless lectures on how bad America is, and was.
The fashion statements these clowns make dressing like circus performers.
The coaches - who can’t coach.
The players - who off themselves (and others) when they screw up.
And you guys (not you personally Rummyfan) sit on the couch eating all sorts of garbage pumped with who knows what Geo-mods that will eventually kill you as they laugh at you and get rich on your demise.
The modern NFL reminds me of Soylent Green.
Mostly the political posturing, the gambling doesn’t help.
The political posturing broke its spell about me watching, following teams. Now I just don’t care!
NLI, team jumping at the collegiate level is reducing my interest in college football. However hard to ignore since I live in a college town.
GO HAWKS!!!!
I get it. To each his own. While some players’ behavior bugs me, I still love the NFL games. Particularly if the Packers are playing, of course.
Those guys are talented. And tough.
And I am going to watch the game. And I’m going to eat junk food, and most likely drink beer after half time (half time show skipped as always). Kind of fun to not give a rip who wins or loses.
Football is no longer fun... that is what is killing it.
It is no longer JUST football, it is a hodgepodge of “entertainment” masquerading as a sport.
Look at the superbowl, it is now just as important for commercial watching and halftime entertainment as it is for actual play.
Halftime used to be for going to the bathroom and eating. Maybe there was some sort of entertainment but it was basically ignored as people talked to each other.
Football is no longer simple. Simple to enjoy, simple to orchestrate. There are too many people involved in the production and each wants to focus attention on THEIR part of the spectical.
Football has become run by people who dont like football. Fans have noticed it.
I guess Rugby has rules because the whistles are always blowing, but it looks like the world’s toughest free-for-all.
Its rules are actually fairly complex.
Bud Lite. Levi’s.
Two American hating DEI sponsors. Kneelers. Trannies and gangsters for half time.
No thanks. One of these years they will have some imam and thousands of muzzles ‘praying’ at the half time show. Anything to keep the pile of feces the NFL dumped on the country growing ever higher.
I’ve skipped the game the last couple years. No interest in another Pats game, or Chiefs game before that.
I would watch a Bears SB, or even the Lions or Colts. Football is a beautiful game, though.
My old roommate was a 10th round draft pick in 1984 and I remember him telling us about his contract. He had a base contract of $60,000 per year but it had incentives for fumbles, interceptions, returns for TDs, making All Star, team making playoffs, Super Bowl, winning SB, MVP of SB etc. it was crazy but it was pretty standard at the time. He was cut without ever playing a down. His signing bonus was $5,000.
I don’t like the individual incentives, because it will encourage players to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do, and cost the team overall.
It’s like if you have an incentive to get $10,000 if you score 40 points in a basketball game, what are you going to do?
The team gets the award for what the team does, period, not for what the individuals do.
He was bottom of the barrel to the point they no longer go that deep with the draft anymore but for him, that was the only way he was going to make serious $$. There were a bunch of team based incentives, but yes I can see why people wouldn’t like the individual incentives. They’re all hired guns. I’ve seen defensive backs wide open to score a touchdown on an interception, lay down so their team can control the bowl but he probably screwed himself out of $50k for doing so. Maybe he got a bonus for not scoring?!?
Monday Night Football was created so the weekend losers could recoup their Sunday losses.
Lot of parents aren’t letting their kids play because of the injury risks. Not worth it.
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