Re: Replacing the KO
 

I don't think Goodell is seriously considering this. I think this is one of those cases where he threw an Idea out there to gauge the public reaction

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=SmootSmack;971942]I don't think Goodell is seriously considering this. I think this is one of those cases where he threw an Idea out there to gauge the public reaction[/quote]

If so, the reaction has been clear: it isn't popular.

As I stated above, I actually like the idea, not so much because it gets rid of kick-offs, but because it gets rid of onside kicks. Onside kicks are ridiculous. They remind me of penalty kicks in soccer: something that is a very small part of the game becomes a major determining factor in the outcome of the game. The NFL should replace onside kicks with the 4th and 15 scenario for no other reason than onside kicks are dumb, fluky plays while the 4th and 15 scenario taps into the fundamental spirit of the game.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

Having no Kickoffs would be better than watching a commercial, then a kickoff go to the back of the endzone which takes 5 seconds and then an other commercial.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction, but he doesn't throw that out there without some tendency of wanting to seriously move in that direction. Otherwise, he would never have mentioned it. If you want to make the game of football safer, put your investments toward the technology that's going to make the safety equipment protect the players better. Football is a dangerous, vicious, contact sport. That's just the way it is. Don't like it? Don't play it. Don't watch it.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=donofriose;971975]Having no Kickoffs would be better than watching a commercial, then a kickoff go to the back of the endzone which takes 5 seconds and then an other commercial.[/quote]

Trust me, advertisers will get their commercials in someway, you'd still have commercial breaks - they would just work them in at some other annoying point during the ball game.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=skinsguy;971997]Trust me, advertisers will get their commercials in someway, you'd still have commercial breaks - they would just work them in at some other annoying point during the ball game.[/quote]

What I think would happen is there would be longer commercial breaks after at a team scores. Which I am ok with. It is like Hulu where you can sometimes get the option to watch all the commercials at first then watch the entire show commercial free. I like the second option.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=skinsguy;971996]I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction <snip>.[/quote]

Goodell doesn't give a fark about public opinion.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=RedskinRat;972001]Goodell doesn't give a fark about public opinion.[/quote]

LOL, true! But then again, I could see him asking for public opinion just so he could smugly do the exact opposite just because he's the commish.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

interesting out of the box thinking. I still want some help for our defense on 3rd down conversion ratio.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=skinsguy;971996]I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction, but he doesn't throw that out there without some tendency of wanting to seriously move in that direction. Otherwise, he would never have mentioned it. If you want to make the game of football safer, put your investments toward the technology that's going to make the safety equipment protect the players better. Football is a dangerous, vicious, contact sport. That's just the way it is. Don't like it? Don't play it. Don't watch it.[/quote]
Exactly. Improve the equipment...don't change the game. Right now the NFL has the most popular sport in America. Why change the game? Did Goodell work for Coca Cola long time ago?

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=skinsguy;971996]I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction, but he doesn't throw that out there without some tendency of wanting to seriously move in that direction. Otherwise, he would never have mentioned it. If you want to make the game of football safer, put your investments toward the technology that's going to make the safety equipment protect the players better. Football is a dangerous, vicious, contact sport. That's just the way it is. Don't like it? Don't play it. Don't watch it.[/quote]

Back in the 90s Tagliabue used to float out talk of NFL teams in Europe in interviews. Maybe it happens one day but it's so many years away. Same with this

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=53Fan;972013]Exactly. Improve the equipment...don't change the game. Right now the NFL has the most popular sport in America. Why change the game? Did Goodell work for Coca Cola long time ago?[/quote]

They can't improve the helmet much more in a practical sense. Apparently to improve helmets to the point of drastically reducing concussions they'd have to make the helmet so much larger that it would cause more neck injuries. There's always the notion too that the helmets only serve to promote more head injuries since they provide a sense of invulnerability that is dangerous.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

I'm pretty sure it's been mentioned but now the competition committee (headed by John Mara) is giving serious thought to making cut blocks illegal. Nothing like 400+ rushing yards in two games to speed the process up eh John? Luckily only a fraction of our plays use the cut blocks so it's not like we're doomed without them but as always interesting timing.

As for kickoffs. I guess you could do it so long as you were allowed unlimited onside kicks within the last 6 minutes. In high school I had the worse job on Kickoff team...wedge buster. That basically meant line up next to the kicker and run full speed down the field into a group of 3 or 4 guys who half the time were holding hands.

[QUOTE=SmootSmack;972015]Back in the 90s Tagliabue used to float out talk of NFL teams in Europe in interviews. Maybe it happens one day but it's so many years away. Same with this[/QUOTE]

I say not before supersonic commercial flights become the norm. No one can deal with that schedule though. I mean for goodness sakes, prime time Champion League games in Europe are broadcast live in the states at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

[quote=FRPLG;972025]They can't improve the helmet much more in a practical sense. Apparently to improve helmets to the point of drastically reducing concussions they'd have to make the helmet so much larger that it would cause more neck injuries. There's always the notion too that the helmets only serve to promote more head injuries since they provide a sense of invulnerability that is dangerous.[/quote]

It's hard to believe they used to play in those leather helmets. Seems like there would have been guys laying all over the field after every play.

Re: Replacing the KO
 

People don't seem to realize that you don't need to hit your head to get a concussion. A high speed collision that jars your head and body enough to cause your brain to hit inside of your skull is all it takes. People get concussions all the time in car accidents, even when your head doesn't hit against anything.

Taking off the helmets is not going to get rid of concussions.

A collision sport like football is always going to have to live with a concussion problem to a degree.