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venom
06-16-2010, 08:54 PM
NEW YORK -- NFL and union officials discussed adding two games to the regular season when they met Wednesday for their first negotiating session since February.
Teams still would play a total of 20 exhibition games under the proposal. The league would go from four in the preseason and 16 in the regular season to two and 18.“
"This is an idea that is really gaining momentum, particularly with the owners," Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy said during a conference call.
The current collective bargaining agreement will expire in March, and that could lead to a work stoppage during the 2011 season.
In quotes released by the NFL Players Association, Tom Brady and Ray Lewis expressed concern about the damage that two extra regular-season games could do to players' bodies.
"I've taken part in several postseason runs where we have played 20 games," said Brady, the New England Patriots' quarterback. "The long-term impact this game has on our bodies is well documented. Look no further than the players that came before we did. Each player today has to play three years in order to earn five years of postcareer health care."
Murphy said he frequently hears Packers fans complain about the quality of exhibition games, as starters now play sparingly during the preseason. With offseason training, he said, players come into camp in good shape and no longer need four games to prepare.
"Part of it is really providing more value to our fans," Murphy said. "The quality of our preseason has really deteriorated over time."
Murphy suggested that more regular-season games would mean more revenue -- which means more money distributed to players. The earliest season with an expanded schedule would be 2012.
"I know our fans may not like preseason games, and I don't like all of them," said Lewis, a Baltimore Ravens linebacker, "but swapping two preseason games for two end-of-season games -- when players already play hurt -- comes at a huge cost for the player and the team."
Murphy said the league would look into how players train during the offseason and season to try to reduce injuries. The size of the active roster and practice squads also could be increased; that would have to be agreed to in bargaining.
The NFL could expand to 22 games -- four exhibition, 18 regular season -- under the current CBA, subject to financial negotiation with players, but Murphy said the league would not make a change without an agreement from the union.
He floated the possibility of creating a developmental league to make up for the experience lost by younger players with the reduction in preseason games.
"If you look across most professional sports, we're the only league without some type of minor league or developmental system to develop players," Murphy said.

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Nadroj 20
06-16-2010, 08:58 PM
Goodell is screwing around with in game rules to make the players "safer"....yet he wants to add two more games onto the regular season? That wont add more strain to their bodies and present more chances to get hurt?

:doh:

salamander
06-16-2010, 09:06 PM
NO! Keep the schedule the way it is.

Go to Hell, Goodell!

steelerdude15
06-16-2010, 09:15 PM
I say keep it how it is.

venom
06-16-2010, 09:22 PM
What I kinda see happening is that the NFL to extend it to 18 games so the Super Bowl can be played on the Sunday during Presidents Day 3 day weekend in Feb. Most people are off that Monday from work . It would be nice to see the game and not worry about going to work the next day.
http://www.musingmisanthrope.com/data/Image/shrug.jpg

Nadroj 20
06-16-2010, 09:23 PM
What I kinda see happening is that the NFL to extend it to 18 games so the Super Bowl can be played on the Sunday during Presidents Day 3 day weekend in Feb. Most people are off that Monday from work . It would be nice to see the game and not worry about going to work the next day.
http://www.musingmisanthrope.com/data/Image/shrug.jpg

simple solution

push week 1 back two weeks....dont add two whole games

venom
06-16-2010, 09:26 PM
They wont do that , It makes too much sense

Nadroj 20
06-16-2010, 09:28 PM
They wont do that , It makes too much sense

:chuckle:

You're right!

SteelCityMom
06-16-2010, 09:40 PM
Only problem I really see with it is that there are 2 fewer preseason games. Coaches use those games to determine who to keep and who to cut.

Other than that, I don't see a real issue with extending the regular season. Hell, it's the only contact sport to play so few games. Hockey players are much tougher IMO. Could you imagine some of these guys having to play 82 games (plus playoffs if they make it)? I don't think going from 16 to 18 regular season games is a big deal at all.

MasterOfPuppets
06-16-2010, 09:50 PM
Goodell is screwing around with in game rules to make the players "safer"....yet he wants to add two more games onto the regular season? That wont add more strain to their bodies and present more chances to get hurt?

:doh:

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steeldevil
06-16-2010, 09:51 PM
keep it the way it is!! if its not broken dont fix it!!

steelpride12
06-16-2010, 10:35 PM
Don't screw with the schedules idiots.

BPS3akaWirels3
06-16-2010, 11:34 PM
I was actually hoping for a few more games per season.. NFL goes 6 months, MLB goes for 8 months or so, NHL goes for 9 months or so and NBA goes for 8 months... Why not add a few games??

kmsteelerwr15
06-17-2010, 12:06 AM
I don't think we need two more regular season games. Now I love as much football as anyone, but like mentioned before the two preseason games are important and it will not help player safety which Goodell is so damn focused on. I also think ti will cause the players to ask for even more money since they have to play two more games and they will want to be paid for the 18.

Galax Steeler
06-17-2010, 04:05 AM
I am 50-50 on this. If they added two more games that means I could enjoy watching the Steelers more. On the other hand if they did play two more that would be more ware and tear on the players and would mean more injuries.

Nadroj 20
06-17-2010, 10:16 AM
Only problem I really see with it is that there are 2 fewer preseason games. Coaches use those games to determine who to keep and who to cut.

Other than that, I don't see a real issue with extending the regular season. Hell, it's the only contact sport to play so few games. Hockey players are much tougher IMO. Could you imagine some of these guys having to play 82 games (plus playoffs if they make it)? I don't think going from 16 to 18 regular season games is a big deal at all.

At the end of the season going two more REAL games ( preseason games are not the same so thats why i empasize real) does make a difference to these players bodies. Now i have no doubt they CAN do it, i just do not think its the best idea though

I do not know how often but its possible for a hockey player to go an entire game and never take a direct hit from someone....unlike football were when you are on the field, you need to be hitting someone. I am not degrading the toughness of hockey players at all, hell id never play hockey lol, but there is a difference between the two types of "physical" aspects of the two sports.

SteelerEmpire
06-19-2010, 11:36 AM
I say lets go for 18 reg. season games. The pre-season is too long and boring. Some say the pre-season is a "rookie season" to help evaluate new recruits, but the opponents in pre-season are playing rookies as well so it is not a true measurement of a rookie. In addition. Every player on each team has been playing the game of football all their lives so we already know that they can play football...

Whats also of note... I don't keep up with many other sports, but I think the NFL is THE ONLY SPORT WITH A PRE-SEASON...

silver & black
06-19-2010, 12:51 PM
Bring the 18 game season on... hell, make it 20 games. I honestly don't care about wear and tear on their bodies. For the kind of jack they get paid, they can handle a few more games.

They all know the risk involved when they sign up for the mega payday.

silver & black
06-19-2010, 12:52 PM
I say lets go for 18 reg. season games. The pre-season is too long and boring. Some say the pre-season is a "rookie season" to help evaluate new recruits, but the opponents in pre-season are playing rookies as well so it is not a true measurement of a rookie. In addition. Every player on each team has been playing the game of football all their lives so we already know that they can play football...

Whats also of note... I don't keep up with many other sports, but I think the NFL is THE ONLY SPORT WITH A PRE-SEASON...
Baseball plays pre-season games, as well as Basketball, I believe.

SteelCityMom
06-19-2010, 01:36 PM
Baseball plays pre-season games, as well as Basketball, I believe.

As does the NHL.

xX-TSK-Xx
06-19-2010, 11:51 PM
I love football but, even as a fan the, 16 game regular season starts to wear on you. The playoff itch starts around week 13/14 for me. I say leave it as is.

NCSteeler
06-20-2010, 12:02 AM
I'm against 18 games from a player injury perspective. Who wants to go to 2-3 more end of season meaningless/pull your players/ disrespect the fan games at the end of each year? They are no better than preseason for the ones complaining about having to buy the preseason tickets

@SCMom.... the commish has proposed a minor league farm system to help the evaluation of young players. I think they need this anyhow. I know I would go see a local Minor league game played on NFL rules, much more likely than going to see AFL.

If they do go to this 18 games they need to add an extra bye week for player health and rest, trim how much a team can do in March/April with Vets.

In the end we all know it's about the $$$ the league knows the NFLPA wants more money, so they add 2 more highly paid tv contract games/ give players enough of a cut to please them, while they are the ones extending all the risk. The NFL /owners extend no risk over lengthening season.
NFLPA estimates the average career for all players lumped into one category is 4 years, which is currently 64 games which cuts it to 3.5 years under an 18 game system.

Butch
06-20-2010, 12:12 AM
I'm all for expanding it the season is to short already. As for the rosters let's increase them a little to make up for the extra games and fewer pre-season games. Just like any other season there will be teams that have to play all their players all the time but just like now there will be those that don't so two more games is just fine in my book.

Yes it is all about the MONEY for godell.

xX-TSK-Xx
06-20-2010, 12:29 AM
If you expand to 18 games you pretty much have to expand the roster size also. Could go up to 58 or maybe 60.

The Duke
06-20-2010, 12:59 AM
If you expand to 18 games you pretty much have to expand the roster size also. Could go up to 58 or maybe 60.

Exactly

I am fine with 16 games, but if they are going to expand there has to be an increase in roster size, and active gameday players

Wouldn't surprise me if Goodell left it as it is though....