If there were ever any doubt about football's unchallenged place as the most popular pro sport in America, consider this fact: more people will watch this Sunday's regular-season showdown between the league's two undefeated teams, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, than watch a typical World Series and NBA Finals game combined.
And the end of this year's Fall Classic and the start of the NBA season shows us part of the reason why: unlike baseball and basketball, the gridiron's most transcendent talents aren't Refrigerator Perry-sized pains in the rear.
After all, while Patriots quarterback Tom Brady assaults the gaudy single-season passing records set by Colts QB Peyton Manning, the defending Super Bowl champ, the best players in baseball and hoops, Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant, are sabotaging their sports with selfishness.
If there were ever any doubt about football's unchallenged place as the most popular pro sport in America, consider this fact: more people will watch this Sunday's regular-season showdown between the league's two undefeated teams, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, than watch a typical World Series and NBA Finals game combined.
And the end of this year's Fall Classic and the start of the NBA season shows us part of the reason why: unlike baseball and basketball, the gridiron's most transcendent talents aren't Refrigerator Perry-sized pains in the rear.
After all, while Patriots quarterback Tom Brady assaults the gaudy single-season passing records set by Colts QB Peyton Manning, the defending Super Bowl champ, the best players in baseball and hoops, Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant, are sabotaging their sports with selfishness.
Frankly, that last sentence is enough to convince me not to read the piece. What is hindering the NBA is years of neglect from Stern re the officiating and baseball just enjoyed its best attendance figures in several years. Anyone who thinks Kobe is destroying the NBA is first, biased, and secondly, doesn't know very much about NBA marketing.
I didn't read the story, but my theory is that football has the right formula.
1 game per week. You have all week to build up and hype the game. Broadcasters can make any game sound like the matchup of the century. All they have to do is use that deep NFL films voice "This Sunday, the St. Louis Rams take on the New York Jets in the biggest must-win game of the season!"
Single elimination playoffs. No second chances. You win or you go home.
Only 16 games per season No ridiculous 82 game seasons, lasting 6-8 months. Simple 16 games. It always leaves you wanting more. I love Hockey, but how can anyone be worried about missing a game, when there are three more played in the same week?
The timing of the games Football doesn't happen during the day except on Thanksgiving, and Sundays. If it happens during the week, it's at night time so the more people can go to the game or at least watch it. Baseball during the day in the middle of the week? Who can take the day off to go see a baseball game? Obviously some people, but not as many as for the night games.
If Hockey were played using the football formula (except for Saturdays, and Wednsday nights instead of Sundays and Mondays) I think the game would really take off.
I'm not going to read the story, like I said, when your piece is flawed from the outset, I am not wasting my time. However, I am willing to bet the author doesn't touch on the fact that there is an area in which the NFL would very much like to emulate baseball and basketball: international appeal. He probably also skips over the fact the the off-field incidents in baseball pale in comparison to the NFL (spare me the steroids saga) and that the NFL is working harder than any other league to price its fan base right out of the game. To be fair, that isn't specific to the NFL but taken in conjunction with its decidedly fan-unfriendly approach, the league is venturing into dangerous territory.
Cowboys 7- Redskins 6 (All we needed was 2 minutes of the 60)
Cowboys 17 - Redskins 0 (Way to NOT show up for the 100th anniversary)
----- TWO EASY -----
Cowboys 7- Redskins 6 (All we needed was 2 minutes of the 60)
Cowboys 17 - Redskins 0 (Way to NOT show up for the 100th anniversary)
----- TWO EASY -----
