Think the NFL is happy the Cowboys missed the playoffs?

[Mad_max]

Could be, give me a list of all the places you've been.

Bunch of us here, old timer.

 

[CouchCoach]

Mr. Bean would be a hoot calling a game. Hahaha.

Yeah, I could dig Foster Brooks too.

 

[CouchCoach]

Bunch of us here, old timer.

Yep, I am digging that a lot and I hope everyone gets the word to come here when they're ready to talk football ans=d anything else, mostly anything else.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I love the live broadcast . The commercials give me time to look down check my phone, look over at other games which I have several tv’s on at the same or relieving myself, retrieving nourishment and refreshments .

I have 5 TV’s going at the same time usually pending how many games are on in my cave. Two are on Sunday Ticket and other 3 on what I call Free TV. I’m doing all I can to help the ratings. That doesn’t include the TV my wife watches in living room and one I keep on in bedroom so I can listen while in bathroom .

Dam dude, you got 5 TVs going plus another one in the bathroom?

That's hardcore bro, you must really love the NFL.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Yeah which shows how laughable it is to read the NFL hates the Cowboys conspiracy theories around here.

Not saying there is a conspiracy, but the league does the Cowboys no favors.

Be it going after and suspending one of the Cowboy's star players based on very little actual evidence or going nearly half the season without a single holding call against the Cowboy's opponents (which was last in the league by a WIDE margin) or not calling obvious penalties (such as Dak getting hit in the head repeatedly with no flag), this does tend to call into question just how much the league actually wants the Cowboys to be successful.

Now to be clear, I am not saying there is a conspiracy and Jason Garrett has cost the team way more games than the refs ever have, but......I can understand how some people could come to that conclusion given the Zeke suspension, questionable officiating, ect.....

 

[GenoT]

I suspect TV ratings are declining for various reasons. Here’s a few potential ones off the top of my head:

•Too many TV games per week
•Too many night games on work/school nights (Sun, Mon, Thu — which affect EDT and CDT viewership)
•The games are too long with too many interruptions (commercials and play reviews)
• Competition from other TV sports
• Competition from other forms of TV entertainment
• Competition from social media and other internet activities
• Competition from live entertainment/activities
• Conflicts with viewer work schedules (more people are now working Sundays/nights and weeknights — especially in the service industries)
• A growing viewer disassociation with wealthy, boorish athletes
• Concerns (valid or not) about the integrity of the league and fair competition
• Parental concerns about the violence of football and its effect on young TV viewers

I’m sure there’s more...

 

[Quickdraw]

I think you covered most of them Geno.

My issue fits in your examples. The game to me has become somewhat boring over the years. It's probably because I grew up in the era where there were dominant teams who remained dominant (a.k.a. our beloved Cowboys). There's very little of Goliath against Goliath and more the original story line of David and Goliath.

I remember the Cowboys and 49'ers rivalry in the championship game was bigger than that actual Superbowl. What would have helped the league back then would have been to combine both conferences and let the big boys battle it out instead of the lopsidedness they had. Parity may not have had to happen if they did that.

The other thing that kills it for me is the announcing. When the Cowboys play the Packers, every other word out of Bucks mouth is Rodgers this and Rodgers that. I swear the guy has a man crush on Rodgers. I make fun of him to my wife and call out his name like a parrot. rODgers! rahhh! The guy is definitely annoying. And as much as I like Aikman as the Cowboys QB, I can't take him as an announcer. He points out the obvious way too much. Just announce the game. Most people watching it know enough about the game where they don't have to have the obvious pointed out to them on every.... single.... play...

 

[Diehardblues]

Dam dude, you got 5 TVs going plus another one in the bathroom?

That's hardcore bro, you must really love the NFL.

Yes but I love football . I do the same on Saturday’s for College football and try to attend a high school game on Fri night

 

[guag]

I know commercials help fund the game we love, but sometimes they go overboard. For example, when a play is under review or being challenged, the networks will often squeeze in a commercial. Much more interesting to see the re-plays from different angles, and hear a discussion about the relevant rules. The maximum possible number of commercials is not the optimal number.

Agreed, and welcome to the Zone my friend.

 

[maryquality]

I think you covered most of them Geno.

My issue fits in your examples. The game to me has become somewhat boring over the years. It's probably because I grew up in the era where there were dominant teams who remained dominant (a.k.a. our beloved Cowboys). There's very little of Goliath against Goliath and more the original story line of David and Goliath.

I remember the Cowboys and 49'ers rivalry in the championship game was bigger than that actual Superbowl. What would have helped the league back then would have been to combine both conferences and let the big boys battle it out instead of the lopsidedness they had. Parity may not have had to happen if they did that.

The other thing that kills it for me is the announcing. When the Cowboys play the Packers, every other word out of Bucks mouth is Rodgers this and Rodgers that. I swear the guy has a man crush on Rodgers. I make fun of him to my wife and call out his name like a parrot. rODgers! rahhh! The guy is definitely annoying. And as much as I like Aikman as the Cowboys QB, I can't take him as an announcer. He points out the obvious way too much. Just announce the game. Most people watching it know enough about the game where they don't have to have the obvious pointed out to them on every.... single.... play...

Totally agree about Buck's constant infatuation with A. Rodgers!! It's annoying as heck!!

 

[CPanther95]

If Goodell was really controlling the outcome to maximize ratings, he'd have the Patriots beat the #1 seeded Jets in the AFCCG and the Cowboys beating the #1 seeded Giants in the NFCCG. Then before the Super Bowl airs, video would surface from MetLife stadium showing Tom Brady rescuing a litter of puppies the split second before Jerry Jones is about to crush them with his George Halas trophy.

 

[DogFace]

Individual refs and the NFL are two different things.

Guys who want to ref games likely are fans of the game. More fans hate the Cowboys than any other team.

There’s a bias among refs that affects their ability to be completely fair. It may be subconscious It may also have to do with going out of their way not to seem partial to the most popular team as Blandino was accused of doing. That must’ve clouded his already questionable judgement on the Dez catch.

It’s hard for me to believe a fair minded person could miss the tackle hold on Irving on the second to last play of the playoff game vs the Packers considering a ref was less than 10ft from the play.

The no holds for 9 games or whatever despite several screen shots of players being tackled or their jerseys being stretched out 3 feet is hard for anyone to explain. The two on here that try look bad in their weak half hearthed attempts and offer no similar examples because there aren’t any.

 

[condoin125]

I think you covered most of them Geno.

My issue fits in your examples. The game to me has become somewhat boring over the years. It's probably because I grew up in the era where there were dominant teams who remained dominant (a.k.a. our beloved Cowboys). There's very little of Goliath against Goliath and more the original story line of David and Goliath.

I remember the Cowboys and 49'ers rivalry in the championship game was bigger than that actual Superbowl. What would have helped the league back then would have been to combine both conferences and let the big boys battle it out instead of the lopsidedness they had. Parity may not have had to happen if they did that.

The other thing that kills it for me is the announcing. When the Cowboys play the Packers, every other word out of Bucks mouth is Rodgers this and Rodgers that. I swear the guy has a man crush on Rodgers. I make fun of him to my wife and call out his name like a parrot. rODgers! rahhh! The guy is definitely annoying. And as much as I like Aikman as the Cowboys QB, I can't take him as an announcer. He points out the obvious way too much. Just announce the game. Most people watching it know enough about the game where they don't have to have the obvious pointed out to them on every.... single.... play...

So your idea of exciting football is a few teams that dominate the rest of the league instead of a league where just about every team is capable of winning every week? Yeah makes total sense. I bet the fans of those smaller market teams just loved those days. I bet you love college football then...you can watch Ohio St play teams like Indiana so they can get in their best highlights for their draft profiles. The salary cap added necessary balance to the league....teams shouldn't have unfair advantages through money that can't be overcome. There's a reason why baseball is so screwed up at the moment and I don't want to see the NFL go the same route just so your favorite team can have an advantage over other teams.

 

[Jake]

I know commercials help fund the game we love, but sometimes they go overboard. For example, when a play is under review or being challenged, the networks will often squeeze in a commercial. Much more interesting to see the re-plays from different angles, and hear a discussion about the relevant rules. The maximum possible number of commercials is not the optimal number.

The thing is, soccer leagues around the world - the ones in Europe make a ton of money* - manage to only run commercials before games, after games, and during halftime. A 90 minute game is over in 2 hours. We're lucky to squeeze a 60 minute one in 3 and a half hours. (*The English Premier League is the 3rd richest sports league on the planet)

I'll take a chevy logo on the jersey and ad boards around the stadium if that's what it takes to get rid of the TV time outs. I suspect we'll get those logos soon, but they'll still keep the commercials because we're used to them.

 

[mahoneybill]

Good work there, but as far as the length of the game being an issue, that's all about utilizing the modern tools you have available.
The DVR ... on game day, I usually set it to record the Cowboys game, and I purposely avoid watching the game for about 30 minutes,, fast forward through most of the commercials.
God Bless the DVR.

Use the same technique, a real time saver if you have the patience to not check the score in any other manner

 

[mahoneybill]

God, I hate that. I had to work Sundays for about 2 years, and every coworker knew not to talk to me in specifics about the game because I was recording it to watch it later. But of course, there were always those select few who thought it was hilarious to drop little hints about what's happening. I wanted to choke them

Lived in Belgium for a few years, and watched Boys on Armed Forces Network. Games would end at 6 am local time. Could VCR them in those days. Unwritten rule was no telling final score until those who had recorded it could watch it.

Since there were only a few of us it usually worked.... You had to keep from even a hint of a smile if the team had won

 

[sean10mm]

What I find kind of confusing is the decline in coaching quality. Right now there is just Belichick, and people Belichick made look stupid as hell from 2001-present. Seems like the 80s and 90s had a lot more guys who were widely seen as genuinely good coaches. Heck, both Belichick and Coughlin really started as head coaches in the 1990s themselves, Parcells coached into the 2000s but mainly made his mark in the 80s and 90s, Carroll too (and Carroll is not a HOFer based on his current resume.)

 

[condoin125]

The thing is, soccer leagues around the world - the ones in Europe make a ton of money* - manage to only run commercials before games, after games, and during halftime. A 90 minute game is over in 2 hours. We're lucky to squeeze a 60 minute one in 3 and a half hours. (*The English Premier League is the 3rd richest sports league on the planet)

I'll take a chevy logo on the jersey and ad boards around the stadium if that's what it takes to get rid of the TV time outs. I suspect we'll get those logos soon, but they'll still keep the commercials because we're used to them.

But aren't there a lot more soccer games than there are football games? We need to remember that due to the violent nature of this sport, the league has less games than every other sport and will make less money from that perspective.

 

[condoin125]

What I find kind of confusing is the decline in coaching quality. Right now there is just Belichick, and people Belichick made look stupid as hell from 2001-present. Seems like the 80s and 90s had a lot more guys who were widely seen as genuinely good coaches. Heck, both Belichick and Coughlin really started as head coaches in the 1990s themselves, Parcells coached into the 2000s but mainly made his mark in the 80s and 90s, Carroll too (and Carroll is not a HOFer based on his current resume.)

There was far more patience during those times with a coach. Today everyone is too impatient and coaches are fired after one season.

 

[CouchCoach]

Dam dude, you got 5 TVs going plus another one in the bathroom?

That's hardcore bro, you must really love the NFL.

Naaaaahhhhhhhm his wife put them in there so he'd leave her alone. That's like 6 tires in the chimp cage.