The Preseason Debate
 

This seems to be a common debate every summer. Is the preseason too long. From what I've gathered it seems like Illdefined says yes and JWSleep say no. What about the rest of you?

I don't think it's too long.

It's football, it's a rough contact sport and people are going to get hurt. You can't avoid that. It totally sucks that Jon Jansen is out for the year but what if he got hurt week one against Tampa and it took us another 4 games (that count) to get our O-Line to gel. With Jansen getting hurt the first game of the preseason the Skins have nearly a month to get their revamped offensive line in tune. Plus with so many new players you need the game situations, as JWSleep has already pointed out in another thread, for these guys to get in synch under game time situations and speeds. And if not for the preseason you're not really giving guys like John Simon or Gari Scott a chance to show that they can contribute to the team or the coaches a chance to truly evaluate these players without concern to the final score. The preseason was basically when 5th round pick Brian Mitchell got to show what he could do back in 1990 and we all know how that career turned out.

The big problem I have with the NFL preseason, and I know it won't be changed because money talks, is that fans have to pay regular season ticket prices. I think the preseason should be treated as a separate entity from the regular season. Sell the tickets at a reduced price, give more fans an opportunity to see their favorite team.

The preseason should be cut to two games, but they should also let the players come to camp a week earlier. I think that would help it out. Now, one thing I noticed is before pre-season a lot of other teams scrimmaged against neighboring teams. Jets/Giants, Browns/Lions (I think), etc to get warmed up. I think that they should cut down preseason games, but it won't ever happen.

The owners/teams/league gets a good chunk of cash for preseason. They won't let those games go.

i think you need at least 3 games to really get a feel for your depth and players, but agree the prices are too high for crap football...

5 games like the 'Skins have this season is just way too much. They should cut it down to 2 or 3 games tops, but still have a month long camp.

I think the 4 games are fine but they need to lengthen the camps. the reason is because camps are when players can stretch and become limber at there own pace with out the stress of a game, in turn reducing injurys.

[QUOTE=Daseal]The preseason should be cut to two games, but they should also let the players come to camp a week earlier. I think that would help it out. [/QUOTE]

I agree completely. And the NFL seems to be getting closer and closer to doing something about it. They favor cutting it to 2 weeks and adding 2 regular season games. I would not be surprised to see it happen in time for the next round of network contract negotiations - or even in conjunction with them. Of course, I don't know how all the NFL Network programming they get from the preseason will affect that...

Owners LOVE exhibition games because they get full price for tickets and a local TV deal and the incremental cost in terms of salaries is trivial. In some towns, season ticket holders have the option to buy exhibition game tix; in others, they come as a "take-it-or-leave-it" proposition as part of the season ticket deal. In those towns, not only are fans paying top dollar for a mediocre product, they are paying for it several months in advance so the clubs can make interest off the money.

There is a persistent rumor going around that the NFL wants to move the season start back to late September and play the Super Bowl the last week of February and that this will be part of the nonsense surrounding the new TV deal. IF THAT HAPPENS, look for the league to push the players union to move to an 18 game schedule in the next CBA talks and the games will fill in the September weekends that would be "empty" because the season got moved back.

Amazingly, colleges manage to play football without any pre-season exhibition games. I wonder why it works there but not at the NFL level ...?

The first few weeks of the college season are basically preseason games for most of the larger schools, all they do is beat up on the weaker schools.

Plus the college game doesn't match the NFL when it comes to complexity, gameplanning, etc. Just ask the ol' ball coach.

[QUOTE=sportscurmudgeon]There is a persistent rumor going around that the NFL wants to move the season start back to late September and play the Super Bowl the last week of February[/QUOTE]

True, we're already starting to see that the Super Bowl has been moved to February, so that it can be part of the all-important tv sweeps period

college is big money, but its nothing compared to the NFL cash cow.

if its gonna stay 4 weeks, then NO MORE 5 WEEKS for just the 'SKINS. WTF.

it should change. more camp or more reg. season, but less MEANINGLESS but THREATENING games!

Sixteen games is still the shortest pro season around. I hate losing players in the preseason, but this is the way the league has evolved its schedule, and it's the way the players and coaches have gotten used to preparing. I think four games is fine, five if you're picked for the HOF game. Remember, years when we didn't have five games, we always scrimaged someone like the Steelers, home and away. 5 weeks of preparation makes for good, exciting opening day football, not like thoe early season NBA or NHL games. And does anyone even watch baseball before the all-star break (or after it)?

People blow out their knees in practice as well. Should we stop practicing before the season?

As for the money stuff, the NFL will make every dollar it can. Nothing new there. :twocents:

5 games maybe too long. But 4 games in preseason is not. Am I in a room with a buncha pussies? Come on guys we're talking football. Millions of dollars and full contact. Don't change presean, but do something about 20 yr olds making millions without a snap.

rookie contracts are rewards/payment for college really, whether you agree with it or not.

[QUOTE=Luxorreb]Am I in a room with a buncha pussies? Come on guys we're talking football.[/QUOTE]

Actually, no. We just have a different opinion than you. And maybe we've read a little more about it. I am completely convinced that in 2 years, the NFL "pussy" players will be playing 2 preseason games and 18 regular season games. It gives them much higher revenue from the networks and 2 fewer "meaningless" games for their valuable merchandise to be damaged. And this is why the BYE week has not gone away even though there is no longer any need for it - they do not want to LOSE the extra week of TV revenue. THAT is what drives all NFL decisions, and is what will bring about this change. Being compared to female anatomy will have no effect.

It will never happen, but if I were the commissioner, here are a few changes that I would implement:

No overtime in preseason. If it ends in a tie, so what? And don't give me any crap about how important it is for players to get a feel for sudden-death. Once you're in a sudden-death overtime game in the regular season, by that time everyone should know how important it is. Why increase the chance for injury by extending a meaningless game?

Either shorten the games to just a half, or make it two preseason games tops. If you think about it, the starters -- the people everybody knows will make the roster -- are in for about a series or two, with the most extensive action seen in the third exhibition game. So the scrubs who are in for the majority of snaps in every other game can't possibly make it on the team. Essentially, the coaches are throwing guys out there as 'filler' just so they can field a team. 90% of those types of players aren't going to make the team anyway.

You can't tell me that 3rd and 4th string players are honestly getting evaluated with 5 minutes to go in the fourth quarter against a non-division opponent who's also lining up their 4th string. Most of the evaluation happens in camp and practices anyway.

I would also allow the final roster cuts much further into the regular season, say the 4th game. If player evaluation is so important, then extend the final roster cut deadline, and while you're at it, make it a sixty-man roster instead of 53.

No, I'm not a fan of preseason. And yes, injuries happen and they happen in many circumstances, not just an exhibition game. Anquan Boldin, David Boston and Jimmy Kennedy are good examples of guys who got hurt on the practice field. But try explaining that to fans of Michael Vick, Chad Pennington, or Jon Jansen. It's a money making scam that even the most knowledgeable NFL fans fall for hook, line and sinker. Until people stop paying attention, stop attending and stop watching nationally televised preseason games, the NFL and the team owners will never change anything.

I agree with the no OT idea. Call it a tie and call it a night.

Three!
 

Three pre-season games! No OT! Charge less for PS games!
18 Game season.
The idea is to evaluate back-up talent and not get starters hurt. That's why they are pulled out after a series or two in PS!

:dallas:

I think 4 preseason games is good, but 5 is too many. They should just make the HOF game the first pre-season game (out of 4) for the teams involved, a few days before the rest of the games and those two teams will just have a couple extra days in between games....similar to having the regular season kick-off game on Thursday like they do now.
I agree that OT in preseason is senseless. The games don't matter anyway.
As for injuries, they can happen anywhere...practice, games, etc. Jansen's injury happened with no one around him. That is not a good reason to cut the number of preseason games down. The 3rd and 4th stringer do get a good evaluation in the games rather than practice, even if they are going against othe 3rd and 4th stringers. The coaches can see how they react in a real game atmosphere against another team, which can not really be duplicated in a practice.
I think an 18 game season with a 3 game preseason would work well. If that happens, then the rosters should be increased to 60 with 55 active on game-day (from 53 and 48, respectively).

illdefined:

This is not a conspiracy against the Redskins by the evil geniuses in the NFL offices.

Every year, two teams are "invited" to play in the Hall of Fame Game. It becomes a 5th pre-season game for those two teams and the NFL tries to spread it around because some coaches find that extra game a big positive. Teams may decline the invitation; I dont' recall that any have ever done that.

When Carolina and Jax entgered the league, those two teams played in the Hall of Fame Game. That was purely a PR show. The league tries to have one NFC and one AFC team each year, but they do not always find a good storyline to put such a match-up together.

The Broncos being invited made sense because the NFL was "pretty sure" that John Elway would be an inductee to the HoF in this year - his first year of eligibility. So, Denver was a natural invitee. After the blockbuster trade of Portis for Bailey, the Redskins became the logical opponent for the game.

Just remember, Danny Boy and/or Joe Gibbs could have politely declined that invitation if they had chosen to do so.

well they should stop preying on Dan Snyder's ego every year, of course he'll always say yes. or, what THEY SHOULD DO IS INDUCT ART MONK. then we'll play their stupid extra meaningless game..

Good post, CURMUDGEON. Also, I think Gibbs coming back and being in the HOF was key in selecting the Redskins.

ILL, I agree, Monk should be there, but the fact is we played in the game anyhow. GOOD THING, too. Looks like with the rust and new system, they need all the prep they can get!! I am very happy we got the extra opportunity this year.

I'm not a big fan of the current 4 preseason game setup and 5 is even worse, but for once I think this is actually a benefit.

With the new staff, new players and Gibbs coming back after a 12 year absence, I'm sure he likes having the extra game.

you guys seem to forget what happened to Jansen. and Vick last year etc. etc. if we're gonna put these guys under fire, at least let it be a meaningful game. i understand the teams need to practice under game conditions, but most of these guys have played before and 5 games is excessive. enough people get hurt in practice.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. They happen in camp, preseason and the regular season. Even if they were to cut down the preseason to 2 games, that's not going to eliminate injuries.

Exactly right, Matty. And as far Jansen's injury that was mentioned as an argument, there wasn't even CONTACT when it happened. It was apparently an injury "waiting to happen". I love the idea of moving 2 preseason games to regular season (for an 18-game season), and it is extremely likely in a couple years. But that will not cut down on injuries, it will add more!! The 30 minutes with scrubs on the field will be changed to 30 minutes with starters for those two games. And the intensity will defiitely be higher.

FREE BEER TO THOSE UNDER 21 FOR PRESEASON GAMES!

Haha, jk.

Seriously though, I would say cut it down to three games. Really the OT isnt that big a deal to me, cause its all the guys who are 4th string anyways, so if they get hurt, its not gonna kill a team.

And for Admission, take the prices down for christ sakes. They should be charging like 10 bucks for these stupid games.

[QUOTE=Gmanc711]And for Admission, take the prices down for christ sakes. They should be charging like 10 bucks for these stupid games.[/QUOTE]

Boy, THAT's the truth. Unfortunately, the $$ are all that counts, and they have the season ticket holders by the short hairs and make them buy seats at that high price (at least that's the way it was when I lived up there).