Posted on 02/02/2014 11:34:17 PM PST by Kaslin
While everyone was paying attention to the demise of the U.S. economy, the U.S. workforce, the checks and balances written into the U.S. Constitution, a terrible tragedy has ensued almost unnoticed.
Yes, while the rest of were working to save the country from galloping Big Government, the most perfect game in the history of the universe has brought itself to the brink of extinction.
The downfall of the National Football League is imminent
There are many signs and symptoms of the NFLs impending doom there for the thinking person to see.
The NFL used to have the problem that there was more demand than there was supply of NFL games. But after a half-a-dozen years of expanding distribution, including game replays, games without commercials, games over the Internet and NFL on demand, theres too much product out there.
And then theres the almost forgotten fact that the average fan wont spend the $500 it costs to go to a game.
But thats not the worst of it.
Their leadership is clueless, too.
Take NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for example.
Heres a man who wouldnt be a bad commissioner if he didnt want to be a commissioner so badly. But he does want to be commissioner so badly that he thinks that HEs the game.
Goodell is the NFLs answer to Barack Obama, a guy who thinks that just showing up and being a rock star is his job description.
Roger Goodell is certainly the worst commissioner the NFL has had in my lifetime. He might be the worst commissioner in all ofsports in my lifetime.
Under his lack of leadership, the play on the field is incompressible, with rules so complex and indefinable that the referees are having a tough time calling a clean game.
Rule changes, like those affecting the part of football that has to do with the footkickoffs and extra pointshave been deemed practically superfluous, without a lot debate, thanks to Goodell.
You gotta get the product right on the field first and foremost, guys.
Thats what the game is about.
But these arent the worst things about the trend of the game.
The NFL has allowed politics to be interjected into the game repeatedly, running anti-2nd Amendment commercials on the one hand during the Super Bowl, and rejecting a commercial from a gun manufacturerwho by the way sells a perfectly legal product, guaranteed by the constitution.
But the sellout doesnt stop there.
It gets worse.
As my friend Bill Rogan, sportscaster for KNUS AM710 Denver has noted: Quarterbacks Kyle Orton, Curtis Painter, Michael Vick, Rex Grossman, Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley, Colt McCoy, Tavares Jackson, Jordan Palmer, Shaun Hill, Scott Tolzien, Seneca Wallace, Josh Freeman, Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel, Sean Renfree, Dominique Davis, Derek Anderson, Jimmy Clausen, Luke McCown, Dan Orlovsky, Thad Lewis, Matt Moore, Pat Devlin, David Garrard, Matt Simms, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez (injured reserve), Tyler Bray, Chase Daniel, Matt McGloin, Terrelle Pryor, Brad Sorensen, Charlie Whitehurst, Tyrod Taylor, Josh Johnson, Zac Robinson, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Alex Tanney, Brandon Weedon, Bruce Gradkowski, T.J. Yates, Matt Hasselbeck, Ricky Stanzi, Blaine Gabbert, Chad Henne and Rusty Smith were all on NFL rosters this past season. But Tim Tebow wasn't.
Well they say Tebow isn't an NFL quarterback. He can't throw. He can't read defenses. He can't play, Rogan continued. I'm glad I watched the video to confirm that this guy can't play. He can't complete a pass. He doesn't do anything to help his team win. What a loser. No wonder he wasn't on an NFL roster. All those guys listed above have proven themselves to be NFL greats with highlight reels hours long. Yep, watch the video. This guy can't play.
He can play. But really he CANT play because hes Christian.
"And just as I feel compelled to call out the league when it comes to injustices like the dearth of minorities in offensive play-calling roles, wrote Yahoo NFL writer Michael Silver last year, the apparent blacklisting of a quarterback who went 7-4 as a starter in 2011 and won a memorable playoff game over the Pittsburgh Steelers doesn't seem kosher to me.
Thats because its not kosher.
Imagine the NFL blacklisting someone who is outspoken about global warming, or anti-poverty programs or womens and minority issues.
They wouldnt dream of doing it.
You can rape and abuse a woman, be an accessory to murder, get nailed for doping and as long your play on the field is acceptable, the NFL has a place for you.
But being a Christian?
Thats where they draw the line.
Of course theyre in trouble.
When the game that helped America kill the color barrier has no more room at the stadium for Touchdown Jesus, the end is near.
(P.s. While I was editing this column a commercial for Scientology appeared during the Super Bowl. Its a good thing the NFL has standards. I rest my case.)
Because I have patience with the overly literal minded— the 2013-2014 season....
At least for now, the NFC is light years ahead of the AFC.
Patriots Defense, terrible, Denver D, middle of the road, Chiefs D, terrible, Indianapolis D, terrible. The best teams in the AFC are pretty much offense oriented. The best teams in the NFC (Seattle, Carolina, San Francisco, New Orleans) are built around great defenses and have QB’s with great skill sets.
The NFC looks like it will win a couple more Superbowls before the AFC catches up to it....
Most people would readily agree that the NFL is at some crisis point with quarterbacks. There’s maybe five quarterbacks in the league of a “A” quality. Then you take a fair step down to the “B” level for another five-to-eight. And then you have the remaining forty-five-odd quarterbacks who are marginal performers, and sitting in the NFL for four-to-seven years. This last group will last until the team drafts up some remarkable quarterback from the NCAA-league, and dump the current player strategy.
I’ve come to believe that a fair amount of Tebow’s issue...is not his religious beliefs...but that he’s a unremarkable guy from the third group, and if you were going to take the risk of dumping your current quarterback....you might as well start with some fresh new NCAA guy. Adding to this...Tebow only has a certain amount of inspiration. So if you had a real loser of a team...the Redskins come to mind with their former coach (recently fired)...even an inspired-Tebow would not be enough to turn the team in a different direction.
Finally, there is this thinking and prospective. You as the owner of a team...with millions invested and a NFL-owner status as the heart of your business empire...don’t want journalists or the news media to focus on your quarterback or the team logo....as a Christian element. You end up in some soap-opera-like world where big fake crosses get dragged out to tailgate parties, local ministers turn into mouthpieces arguing over what Tebow did in the name of Jesus (winning today and losing next week), and the sport gets twisted around into us-versus-Satan’s team.
Sports, I readily admit...has turned into a business venture...not pure sports. For a typical team, there’s at least a hundred million a year that come from franchise gimmick sales (t-shirts and posters), the game tickets, the parking, the beer at the stadium, etc. A owner lives in continual fear that he will draft or sign some idiot who gets the team name mired into some controversy and subtract ten-percent of the team’s profits.
Me personally as an owner? If I was unhappy with my present quarterback, and Tebow was available....I’d ask about the incoming group of NCAA quarterbacks, and see if I could find the “total package” (a quarterback who actually can throw, think, and run). If there wasn’t anything worth discussing over the new incoming crowd....fine, I’d sign Tebow to a one-year contract and settle on him for a brief period. If Tebow had classed himself as a running back....I might be more enthusiastic on his talents, and not think much over his strategy skills or lack of throwing quality.
You noticed that...
You are the first person I have ever read who suggested something that asinine.
The problem is not that he is a Christian, but that he is a WHITE Christian.
If he were Black, everyone would attribute his touchdown prayers as a cultural thing.
I have never cared one whit about the NFL or the AFL or even the AFL-CIO. It appears that I may begin to have some company.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6KaHmBZMhM
I'll say it again. Whatever Tebow still needed to learn for the NFL was minimal and would have been picked up quickly while the major assets he brought to the table are all of the things which a Peyton Manning cannot hope to learn:
This whole thing is BS and I just about have no further use for the NFL.
You noticed that...
Except that Wilson does not have the size advantage which Tebow has nor the rifle arm to put the ball 40 - 70 yards downfield. A receiver like Torrey Smith would be wasted on Wilson.
Manning and the rest of the Broncos ran into a brick wall on the first play and were stunned the rest of the game.
The reason I say it was boring is after a few plays you pretty much knew what was going to happen next.
I like the Seahawks’ coach so Bravo! And I never thought Sherman did anything wrong.
If I were an owner or coach (or a fan of a particular team)I’d want everyone of my Linebackers, Safeties and Corners to play with an enormous chip on their shoulders just like Sherman.
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