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 NFL’s 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, there’s too much product out there.
And then there’s the almost forgotten fact that the average fan won’t spend the $500 it costs to go to a game.
But that’s not the worst of it.
Their leadership is clueless, too.
Take NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for example.
Here’s a man who wouldn’t be a bad commissioner if he didn’t want to be a commissioner so badly. But he does want to be commissioner so badly that he thinks that HE’s the game.
Goodell is the NFL’s 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 foot—kickoffs and extra points—have been deemed practically superfluous, without a lot debate, thanks to Goodell.
You gotta get the product right on the field first and foremost, guys.
That’s what the game is about.
But these aren’t 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 manufacturer—who by the way sells a perfectly legal product, guaranteed by the constitution.
But the sellout doesn’t 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 CAN’T play… because he’s 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.”
That’s because it’s not kosher.
Imagine the NFL blacklisting someone who is outspoken about global warming, or anti-poverty programs or women’s and minority issues.
They wouldn’t 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?
That’s where they draw the line.
Of course they’re 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. It’s a good thing the NFL has standards. I rest my case.)
I wouldn't go that far...Seattle was just about flawless yesterday. But I don't think they would've been humiliated on the field.
Peyton Manning had his "win" by beating Tom Brady in the playoffs. I was disappointed that the Pats didn't try harder to keep Teebow for the season. Wonder how the Pats would've done with Tebow still on the roster.
That’s why I enjoyed the Superbowl commercials with Tebow in them,,,,they were so in the NFL’s face!
I think everyones missing the point. It was not his christianity that got him banned. It was his anti abortion commercial run during the superbowl. He and his mom ran an effective anti abortion commercial which struck at the heart of liberalism(abortion on demand). It was after this that they destroyed him.
There are a whole bunch of Christians on the Seahawks’ team who are outspoken Christians. I saw a video of them last week. Russell Wilson was one of them.
I’m going to whack the hornets’ nest here.
Please understand, I’m a huge fan of Tebow the young man. I still have a #15 Broncos jersey in my closet. And I’m not saying there’s no anti-Christian bigotry in the media, because there clearly is. That being said:
Tebow isn’t quarterbacking in the NFL because he couldn’t play the pro game. There are throws you have to be able to make to execute a pro game plan, and he couldn’t. Period. His mechanics were awful, and he took way too long to go through his reads.
Several teams offered him the opportunity to stay in the league if he’d take a pay cut and switch to tight end. He refused. He’s not drawing an NFL paycheck anymore because he decided he’d rather do commentary than catch passes and block. It’s really that simple, and people shouldn’t try to make anything more out of it.
Tebow took the Broncos to the playoffs, what do you want?
If the Pats kept Tebow on the roster and he never left the sidelines they would have finished the same as they did. If Belichek actually started him over Brady they would have finished behind Buffalo in the standings, and Belichek would have been fired. This whole Tebow conspiracy theory is just crazy. The guy is a great person, but a bad quarterback. Go back and really examine his play with Denver, it wasn’t pretty. He is a running quarterback who cannot throw the ball on the NFL level, who also commands a large salary. Maybe he is better than some on the above list, but most of those QBs are salary cap friendly.
Denver’s defense took them to the playoffs that season, plus if they guy from Chicago just stayed in bounds, Denver would have been out of the playoffs.
I don’t mean that Tebow would’ve replaced Brady; of course not. I thought that the Pats had offered to keep Tebow, but in a backup position other than quarterback. I wish they had done a better job of getting Tebow to accept that.
True, when Bettman allows them to play. As I pointed out, Bettman is the only commissioner in sports who shut down the league THREE times, including a full season. Fat lot of good the hockey network did. Might as well watch a test pattern.
On the other hand, with the long term concussion issues plaguing NFL players with early dementia starting in their forty’s...God may have saved Tebow to be of service for him well into his 80’s and shall I dare say it...his ninties?
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.”
Dawg has obviously never played the game. “Read Defenses?” You only know what the writers tell you. how many of the above flat out “suck” Tebow is not the best passer but was okay. He could turn and run people over, which many can not. I would add more to the list above. RGIII is a complete bust. he can’t pass and is limited because they know he will run. Ran the skins into the cellar and it only cost $millions. Jay Cutler had a so-so career. Won a few games and just got a hugh contract. The worst team in the NFL(JAX) announced they didn’t want anything to do with Tebow despite it being his hometown. Me thinks they protest too much.
” I am sure that the Broncos would today be Super Bowl Champions.”
Pretty hard to see how any quarterback could have much effect; when the defensive players are in his face 1/2 second after the ball is snapped.
The Broncos got rid of him after he "went 7-4 as a starter in 2011 and won a memorable playoff game over the Pittsburgh Steelers". After that he got picked up, but not played.
Its hard to keep winning games when you aren't on the roster.
To not be picked up due to lack of talent, he would have to have been worse than all 32 quarterbacks and the 32+ second string quarterbacks. Are you buying that?
This. Christian activism got Tebow in trouble, not Tebowing. Great point.
Being a Browns fan in the 80’s and 90 before the Raven’s I loved the game last night!
Last night was the Schadenfruede Bowl and my toes were curling. Denver shiuld have kept Tebow and bought a defense.
The problem i was Tebow’s mechanics, they just did not lend themselves to being an accurate quarterback. But that has radically changed since this summer. Go do a Youtube search of “Tim Tebow Trent Dilfer” Dilfer did a special report on Tebow’s workout since being released by the Pats.
Tebow has been spending months working with Tom House, one the best throwing mechanics coaches in sports. He has spent 10 hours a day, six days a week working on adjusting his throwing motion and his footwork. He puts in over 100,000 reps a day. His mechanic doesn’t even bare a resemblance of his former self. He now throws the ball with zip and accuracy.
Dilfer evaluated Tim Tebow 2.0 and projected him to be a very good starting NFL QB. Now how does that translate when the bullets actually start flying??? Who knows. But given his ability to win and make plays in the clutch (unlike Peyton Manning), I think NFL teams would be foolish not the give him another look.
Yancy
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