Football in July

[jbisset]

OK...I am ready for some football….....Anyone has any ideas how the NFL could start training camp in June and the season in August...Maybe add two more games to the season....and give every team two weeks off during the season...Or is there something to be said for starting the season in September - Fall rather than summer. Is summer too hot for football? Would to over do a good thing?

[lordofgun]

I would love 18 regular season games.

[Earthquake Enyart]

They should dump 2 of the exhibition games and they should also start Labor Day weekend.

[Jan Reimers]

I'm with log and EE. Go to 2 preseason and 18 regular season games, which would start the regular season 2 weeks earlier.

[G. Host]

Re: Football in July

Originally posted by jbisset
Is summer too hot for football?

Yes - Summer is too hot for Football - imagine playing football in Pee Pee Park in Summer. Look what happened to that Vikings lineman and imagine it happening 10 times. Baseball players stand around most of the time in summer weight uniforms while football players are in pads and heavier unforms.

NFL could move season earler but would have to switch to late afternoon / night games in my opinion. They could take away a preseason game or two. Summer games would allow more people from outside of area to attend games. Summer ratings are poor on tv so it would help ratings.

But NFL moved it back because summer per-Labor Day ratings are poor hurting selling of ad time which we all know is the primary motivation for entire NFL. I do not think it will happen.

[Bufftp]

I think they should play 12 mos. a year.

[WG]

I think they should play 5 times a week and have 80 or so games like the NBA and NHL.

16 games is good. I'd be fine w/ eliminating all PS games. Just have some scrimmages. Most coaches don't really change any key positions anyway. We'll be told that certain players are competing for spots, but let's get real, 19 or 20 of the 22 starters on O and D are already predetermined. Ss and maybe a FB are up in the air. Sullivan will start even though they've said "he'll need to compete."

[northernbillfan]

PRe season gives us a taste of what's to come. Allows team to finalize some plays, and schemes.

I'd also go for the 18 game sked.

EE said it best when he mentioned they shoud start on Labor Day.

[SABURZFAN]

Re: Re: Football in July

Originally posted by G. Host


imagine playing football in Pee Pee Park in Summer.

wouldn't it be better than Doo Doo Park?

[JefftheBillsfan]

i dont mind the 16 game structure. there are enough injuries as it is. Besides, every game would still mean more. Look at last year, almost every week 17 game had playoff implications. Had you added two more games, that number would have been drastically reduced IMO

[OpIv37]

2 more games would allow more play outside the division- that's always a good thing. I've never understood why they didn't start Labor Day. At least there's college ball, but it's not the same.

It's probably just a weather thing- Like G. Host said, it's too hot in summer with all of the equipment and the intensity of the games (everyone will see this year since we have 2 Florida games in September). And going the other way would push the Super Bowl back until February, plus no one goes to games in winter (it would be pointless to add two games if it just meant two blackouts in Buffalo).

The only real way to get to 18 would be to start on Labor Day and eliminate the bye-week, and you'll have to break some kneecaps to make the players' union go for that.

[R. Rich]

Re: Re: Re: Football in July

Originally posted by SABURZFAN



wouldn't it be better than Doo Doo Park?

That won't be an issue; didn't they tear down the old Cleveland Stadium?

[venis2k1]

Originally posted by OpIv37
...plus no one goes to games in winter (it would be pointless to add two games if it just meant two blackouts in Buffalo)

People would go if they had playoff implications, i say play March through January, and have the draft in Feb.

[Typ0]

I'd like to see a couple teams located in the US play in NFL Europe. I think this is a progressive way to look at the future and I do see the NFL expanding oversees before any other league because they only play once a week. There are a lot of factors like medical science and conditioning that are extending the players careers. It would be nice to see NFL Europe get stocked with better and better players that are being mentored to play in the NFL.

[MDFINFAN]

I would only go for July footaball if we could play all of the AFCE twice, then take a 6 weeks break and then play the rest of the league...