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a 3rd next year and a 5th this year? are you joking?

I also agree with Ryman, it's hard to see how you put the genie back in the bottle. I think Al has it right though. Rules changes that subtly make the more violent aspects of the game less rewarding,heavily penalize big hits, reduce exposure to defenseless players, emphasize speed over size, etc... may over time reduce the incentive to build teams with huge players who deliver those kinds of hits. Mass injuries (and probably more importantly, the glorification of the more violent aspects of the game) are hurting interest in the NFL, especially with younger fans imho.

Oh boy...I agree with everything you say....but you let the genie out of the bottle Boone. So, I'll say it quickly and then move on to the next apartment in search of a nice place to rent for a while: more violent aspects or an effort to reshape what it means to be a man? And with that, I will scuttle off before anyone has a chance to answer the knock.

It will be fun...that first game. Will we be able to recognize a sea change right off the bat? I don't think so. Not because I'm conditioned to doubt this team, but because I think we just don't know where Haskins is in his development and whether he needs a strong support structure (top flight o-line and skill position players) to perform well. i.e., he is not likely the sort to carry a team. we shall see.
 
The longevity we saw from the 1980’s Redskins was incredible. You see some modern era linemen and backers like Julius Peppers that play extended careers but he is the exception rather than the rule. Running backs even good ones seem to last a heartbeat in the league. QB seems to be the one position where longevity has been enhanced.

Brady, Brees, Rivers, Rodgers. Manning played until his arm fell off literally.
 
Oh boy...I agree with everything you say....but you let the genie out of the bottle Boone. So, I'll say it quickly and then move on to the next apartment in search of a nice place to rent for a while: more violent aspects or an effort to reshape what it means to be a man? And with that, I will scuttle off before anyone has a chance to answer the knock.
Well-executed passive-aggressiveness. :)

Since you opened the door ... why not define the context? And what do you think it "means to be a man?"
 
Does anyone want me to talk about the offensive tackle from Michigan - a pretty good prospect in next year's class? He is not the size of Mekhi Becton - he's bigger! 6'8", 400. Yeah, I know. Is this a new trend? Joe Jacoby started a new trend of tall, massive 300 pounders and look where we are today.

Anyway, here is an interesting article. Not really related to the conversation here, but it is relevant.
 
Ry...are the injuries more serious? The medical treatment/healing process is infinitely better these days....to the point it's hard to believe.

I agree with your thought on size/speed commanding a premium. That said, Injuries aside, my thought is that the real driver in all of this is going to be the continual rules changes (e.g., holding, passing game, QB hit zone, helmet to helmet, kickoffs, etc.).
I think that there have always been hideous injuries, but the rate at which the really harsh ones happen is increasing. my last season play DT I sacked a qb it was a relatively benign looking hit but I landed on top of him after coming through almost untouched, he popped his hip out of joint, broke his pelvis on what looked like a normal fall, but he was 6-2 200 and I was 6-4 335. my last season playing at all, a guy from the FT mac team sacked a qb landed on him and he had almost the exact same injury. those injuries don't happen when you dont have 330 pound men landing on much smaller men. I have seen in the NFL, many more serious injuries that take much longer to heal and return. yes better medicine, and better treatments, yet we still have guys going on IR ay crazy rates.
 
I also agree with Ryman, it's hard to see how you put the genie back in the bottle. I think Al has it right though. Rules changes that subtly make the more violent aspects of the game less rewarding,heavily penalize big hits, reduce exposure to defenseless players, emphasize speed over size, etc... may over time reduce the incentive to build teams with huge players who deliver those kinds of hits. Mass injuries (and probably more importantly, the glorification of the more violent aspects of the game) are hurting interest in the NFL, especially with younger fans imho.
I think if they go too far, you lose what makes football football. already they have made so many changes to how teams play defense that its almost unrecognisable to me. I get why they did but honestly I wouldnt be able to play in todays game as a dlineman, I was taught 3 points of contact, my head, and my hands would hit the Olineman at the same time, now thats illegal. watcing dlinemen and olinemen in the past 3 seasons, the entire game has changed, dlinemen dont use club and rip moves as much, its all about "hand scissors" and simple bullrusnes without rips, because almost everyone uses zone blocking and seals rather than the old school BOB OIL that teams used right up until the late 90's and early 2000's (big on big, on, inside, linebacker)
 
The NFL is less popular with younger generations - a lot less popular. There are a lot of cultural factors at play there. I liken it to off-color jokes, or sexual harassment... things that people wouldn't blink an eye at 20 years ago are serious issues now. Football is a violent sport. Most parents don't want their kids playing it. And that naturally results in fewer kids being long-term fans. The NFL has also bungled a lot of high profile issues, particularly those related to domestic abuse, which has turned off many existing fans. 'Evolved' Americans don't want anything to do with some of the things the NFL seemingly represents. And one of the biggest negatives the NFL is currently navigating is the problem it has with brain (and other horrific injuries) and CTE. Not only will fans find it increasingly abhorrent, but there could come a day where the NFL risks financial disaster if former players seek legal recourse and compensation on a wide organized basis for concussion-related disabilities. The federal government could even conceivably get involved in regulating what kinds of risks players are subject to - as they do with every other industry.

I think if the NFL (and correspondingly, college, high school, and even pee wee league football) doesn't change significantly, it will see it's popularity plummet down the road. That sounds preposterous if you look at the enormous popularity of the league today. But more and more folks will discourage their kids from playing a violent game that could permanently injure them. And a lot of potential future fan generations won't want to be involved in rooting for a sports league that is based on violence and brutality and a lack of respect for accepted social norms.

It's a lot bigger problem for the NFL than I think most realize.

So, in my opinion, it doesn't matter how fans 'feel' about any potential future changes in how the sport is played. Let's be honest. If the NFL were a flag football league, it would still be hugely popular. I'm not suggesting they have to go that far. But they do have to reduce the more violent aspects of the game where possible, and largely eliminate routine concussions and brain injuries if they want to survive and thrive over the next 100 years.
 
Partially disagree Boone. Any sport can atrophy - just like any business. It's happening to the golf industry as leisure tastes change. Not for deep discussion, but I'm becoming less interested in pro-fotoball as the social justice lecturing amps up - same thing is happening in golf (specifically the communications components owned by NBC). It's not just violence. It's not just "evolution". NFL football has been under attack in an orchestrated fashion. My prediction is that this golden goose is enduring a slow roast - it has alraady passed through its zenith.
 
This is a generational issue. And the issues you find irritating reflect a younger generation that has different ideas and values than the existent core NFL audience. I'm also not sure what brain injuries and CTE and how players, society, and the NFL deal with those things down the road have anything to do with social justice?

There are a lot of factors that could undermine the sports popularity. But the primary two are a decline in interest in the NFL in younger generations and the challenges of preventing/protecting players against long-term injury. Maybe the NFL can mitigate those risks, but they will not be able to ignore them.
 
I can sense some of this. A lot of parents talking about their kids playing soccer mention that soccer is global and ties us in with leagues of interest around the world.

These late Gen X parents and early millennials seem to want to avoid sports that show American exceptionalism.

That’s the paradigm that has changed.

Years ago that specialty of American football was viewed as a strength and symbol of pride.

I actually had a parent say that about baseball until I informed them that many countries play baseball and have for decades.

But those are the mindsets and orientations of these folks.
 
I was in a zoom gathering (hahah millenials) and one of my buddies kids went off about how racist football is. My buddy (who happens to be black) said " yeah tell me about it, there is not a single white cornerback in the NFL!" we all laughed and said " where is the next Jason Seehorn"? my buddies kid stomped off and left the chat lol. honestly im so done with the sjw nonsense that permeates everything, almost every Tv show and movie pushes this nonsense to the point where I cant enjoy anything anymore.
 
And Boone.....I'll just say that values aren't that malleable; new values can be more damaging than what they replace; and the behavior patterns belie the declarations.

Either way, why should pro-football be the soap-box?

But, let's close the door on that one.
 

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