Saturday XFL thread

gjkoeppen

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I get that but like I said, I’d rather watch 18-21 year olds trying to get drafted than guys who already went through college, the draft, and the NFL and were deemed not good enough. I think a lot of people feel the same way and would watch to see guys their favorite NFL team might end up drafting. It’s just my opinion, but I think the only new league that could work would be one that competes with college football and gets players ready for the draft instead of one made up of guys who had a shot and failed. Whoever starts that league and makes it work would end up a multi billionaire when they finally sell the league to the NFL as a true developmental league.

The NFL has twice tried developmental leagues and they both fail. First there was the NFL Europe and then there was AAF that last only one season.
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Blake

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I get that but like I said, I’d rather watch 18-21 year olds trying to get drafted than guys who already went through college, the draft, and the NFL and were deemed not good enough. I think a lot of people feel the same way and would watch to see guys their favorite NFL team might end up drafting. It’s just my opinion, but I think the only new league that could work would be one that competes with college football and gets players ready for the draft instead of one made up of guys who had a shot and failed. Whoever starts that league and makes it work would end up a multi billionaire when they finally sell the league to the NFL as a true developmental league.

And like I said, the XFL could very well become the destination for several 18-21 year olds trying to get drafted, who also wish to be paid in the process. Gove it time, and many would be college athletes may choose the XFL instead to prepare for the NFL.
 

Cowboys22

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The NFL has twice tried developmental leagues and they both fail. First there was the NFL Europe and then there was AAF that last only one season.
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And they were made up of guys who had their shot at the NFL and failed. No one wants to watch has beens. I’m talking about a league made up mostly of college aged kids that couldn’t get into college, dropped out, got kicked off their team, or decided not to go at all. Basically a whole new avenue to the NFL. I think people would watch that to see the up and coming talent more than guys who already got passed over or cut from the NFL.
 

Cowboys22

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And like I said, the XFL could very well become the destination for several 18-21 year olds trying to get drafted, who also wish to be paid in the process. Gove it time, and many would be college athletes may choose the XFL instead to prepare for the NFL.

I hope it does. What I saw this weekend was pretty good I thought. From some of the different rules to the production value of the product, I was impressed. To be able to bring in the 18-20 year olds, there would have to be an age cut off on the top end. You can’t have an 18 year old fresh out of high school on the field with 25-30 year old grown men. I hope it evolves into a league made up mostly of college aged kids trying to get to the NFL with maybe each team being allowed to have 4-5 players who were drafted within the past 3 NFL drafts. Something like that would hold me as a fan as it would be another way to watch potential NFL players on their way up.
 

gjkoeppen

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And they were made up of guys who had their shot at the NFL and failed. No one wants to watch has beens. I’m talking about a league made up mostly of college aged kids that couldn’t get into college, dropped out, got kicked off their team, or decided not to go at all. Basically a whole new avenue to the NFL. I think people would watch that to see the up and coming talent more than guys who already got passed over or cut from the NFL.

The NFL Europe teams were mostly comprised of players with no more than 1 year on a NFL practice squad and undrafted college players. Each team had to have at least 4 players from Europe and they were allowed to have no more than 4 players that had more than the 1 year on a practice squad and no more than 1 year on a active 53 man roster.who had been released and n ot signed by the start of their league. So the over whelming majority of those players were just out of college or 1 year removed from college. If there are kids that didn't play in college because they couldn't gwet in then they weren't very good because if they were some small school would have offered a scholarship tio get them in and if that's what your lookuing for that would be like watching high school football.

Last night in the Dallas XFL game they had Lance Dunbar, former Cowboys RB and one of the announcers said after one of his runs that if he keeps that up he just might be back on some NFL roster. Talk about has beens. What about the people here that want the Cowboys to sign the old man has been one trick pony Bryant a workout. What a waste of a roster spot.
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Cowboys22

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The NFL Europe teams were mostly comprised of players with no more than 1 year on a NFL practice squad and undrafted college players. Each team had to have at least 4 players from Europe and they were allowed to have no more than 4 players that had more than the 1 year on a practice squad and no more than 1 year on a active 53 man roster.who had been released and n ot signed by the start of their league. So the over whelming majority of those players were just out of college or 1 year removed from college. If there are kids that didn't play in college because they couldn't gwet in then they weren't very good because if they were some small school would have offered a scholarship tio get them in and if that's what your lookuing for that would be like watching high school football.

Last night in the Dallas XFL game they had Lance Dunbar, former Cowboys RB and one of the announcers said after one of his runs that if he keeps that up he just might be back on some NFL roster. Talk about has beens. What about the people here that want the Cowboys to sign the old man has been one trick pony Bryant a workout. What a waste of a roster spot.
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You make my point. No one wants to watch players who had their shot and weren't good enough to make it to the NFL. That includes college players that weren't good enough to get drafted or were cut from a team in camp. That means they had their shot and failed. I would much rather watch college aged kids trying to make it to the NFL mixed with a few recent cuts that have a real shot to get back on a NFL roster with a good showing. A league full of players who have played in college and couldn't make it in the NFL is simply a second rate league. It isn't a true developmental league that will send 20-30 players to the NFL every year which is in my opinion the only type of league which will work long-term. This version of the XFL looks like the best attempt thus far. It was actually pretty good football but 4-5 weeks from now, I doubt I'm still all that interested. If there were 20-30 kids that were going to be eligible to be drafted mixed around the various teams, and that was going to be the case every year, I'd likely invest my time, pick a favorite team, and watch every week. Without that, I don't think it will hold my attention past the first few weeks.
 

coogrfan

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Roughnecks game
You make my point. No one wants to watch players who had their shot and weren't good enough to make it to the NFL. That includes college players that weren't good enough to get drafted or were cut from a team in camp. That means they had their shot and failed. I would much rather watch college aged kids trying to make it to the NFL mixed with a few recent cuts that have a real shot to get back on a NFL roster with a good showing. A league full of players who have played in college and couldn't make it in the NFL is simply a second rate league. It isn't a true developmental league that will send 20-30 players to the NFL every year which is in my opinion the only type of league which will work long-term. This version of the XFL looks like the best attempt thus far. It was actually pretty good football but 4-5 weeks from now, I doubt I'm still all that interested. If there were 20-30 kids that were going to be eligible to be drafted mixed around the various teams, and that was going to be the case every year, I'd likely invest my time, pick a favorite team, and watch every week. Without that, I don't think it will hold my attention past the first few weeks.

Here's the problem I see with this: the majority of 18 year olds aren't sufficiently developed (physically or mentally) to come right in and play FBS football. Typically, kids spend a year or two just hitting the weights and learning the game. How do you propose that pro teams give kids straight out of HS that kind of developmental structure?
 

Cowboys22

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Roughnecks game


Here's the problem I see with this: the majority of 18 year olds aren't sufficiently developed (physically or mentally) to come right in and play FBS football. Typically, kids spend a year or two just hitting the weights and learning the game. How do you propose that pro teams give kids straight out of HS that kind of developmental structure?

I would think it would be similar to college. Many of the 18 year olds may not play as rookies. Many would have a year or two of development. There would also be 19/20/21 year olds as well..The players wouldn't be eligible to be drafted until they are three years out of HS so they would work their way up to being physically able to play. That's one of the reasons I said there would need to be an age limit so that there aren't 250 lb grown men tackling 175 lb 18 year old WRs. I'd give each team a limited number of roster spots for recently drafted players looking for a way back to the NFL but cap the age at 24 or 25. A true development league would get and keep my attention especially if done as well as this weekend's XFL games were. It would almost be like a 2nd college season with more potential draft picks showcasing their talent.
 
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DanteEXT

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You make my point. No one wants to watch players who had their shot and weren't good enough to make it to the NFL. That includes college players that weren't good enough to get drafted or were cut from a team in camp. That means they had their shot and failed. I would much rather watch college aged kids trying to make it to the NFL mixed with a few recent cuts that have a real shot to get back on a NFL roster with a good showing. A league full of players who have played in college and couldn't make it in the NFL is simply a second rate league. It isn't a true developmental league that will send 20-30 players to the NFL every year which is in my opinion the only type of league which will work long-term. This version of the XFL looks like the best attempt thus far. It was actually pretty good football but 4-5 weeks from now, I doubt I'm still all that interested. If there were 20-30 kids that were going to be eligible to be drafted mixed around the various teams, and that was going to be the case every year, I'd likely invest my time, pick a favorite team, and watch every week. Without that, I don't think it will hold my attention past the first few weeks.

Apparently some people do want to watch them, myself included..
 

gjkoeppen

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You make my point. No one wants to watch players who had their shot and weren't good enough to make it to the NFL. That includes college players that weren't good enough to get drafted or were cut from a team in camp. That means they had their shot and failed. I would much rather watch college aged kids trying to make it to the NFL mixed with a few recent cuts that have a real shot to get back on a NFL roster with a good showing. A league full of players who have played in college and couldn't make it in the NFL is simply a second rate league. It isn't a true developmental league that will send 20-30 players to the NFL every year which is in my opinion the only type of league which will work long-term. This version of the XFL looks like the best attempt thus far. It was actually pretty good football but 4-5 weeks from now, I doubt I'm still all that interested. If there were 20-30 kids that were going to be eligible to be drafted mixed around the various teams, and that was going to be the case every year, I'd likely invest my time, pick a favorite team, and watch every week. Without that, I don't think it will hold my attention past the first few weeks.

You're either on drugs and don't remember what you write. You've gone at great lengths now saying you don't want to watch players who had their chance at the NFL and then you say this version of the XFL looks like the best attempt to be the type of league you're looking for. News flash!!!!!!! This version of the XFL is made up on all the teams of players who either spent time on NFL practice squads or there are even some that spent time on the 53 man roster. BTW the first weekend of XFL games were fairly well received by the public.

Now lets look at who you say you want a league built around. You want the players to be predominantly college age kids. Fine but where are these college age kids coming from? Kids that are playing college ball? Kids that never played college ball which means they aren't any good? Next there are more kids that declare for the NFL draft than actually get drafted and they all at least hope to be drafted and the vast majority of them believe they are good enough and they will be drafted. So you think they will end their hope and dreams and take a chance on a new league when new professional football leagues have a bad reputation of not lasting very long. Next the XFL championship game is 3 days AFTER the start of the NFL draft. so they won't even be able to have their own draft for the current college players. Well yes they could but all of the good players will be drafted and all the undrafted players will already be signed by NFL teams so just who are all of these college aged kids that will make up a league that will have 20-30 players that NFL teams will want to draft. Is the NFL going to have a second draft now just for XFL players? NFL teams can't use any of their college draft choices on any of these players because of what happened to the USFL and also the CFL complaining of raiding their leagues and part of the "win" the USFL had gotten when they sued the NFL was the court ordered the league to adopt a rule that states the NFL can not draft any player that is encumbered by a legal contract with another professional football league. So just how will the NFL draft these players that were not good enough to get drafted out of college or be signed as undrafted by teams right after leaving college that you seem to think that could be 20-30 of them that the NFL now want?

The only place where this kind of league with those kind of possibilities you're looking for is in your mind and I think that idea is drug induced.
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Cowboys22

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You're either on drugs and don't remember what you write. You've gone at great lengths now saying you don't want to watch players who had their chance at the NFL and then you say this version of the XFL looks like the best attempt to be the type of league you're looking for. News flash!!!!!!! This version of the XFL is made up on all the teams of players who either spent time on NFL practice squads or there are even some that spent time on the 53 man roster. BTW the first weekend of XFL games were fairly well received by the public.

Now lets look at who you say you want a league built around. You want the players to be predominantly college age kids. Fine but where are these college age kids coming from? Kids that are playing college ball? Kids that never played college ball which means they aren't any good? Next there are more kids that declare for the NFL draft than actually get drafted and they all at least hope to be drafted and the vast majority of them believe they are good enough and they will be drafted. So you think they will end their hope and dreams and take a chance on a new league when new professional football leagues have a bad reputation of not lasting very long. Next the XFL championship game is 3 days AFTER the start of the NFL draft. so they won't even be able to have their own draft for the current college players. Well yes they could but all of the good players will be drafted and all the undrafted players will already be signed by NFL teams so just who are all of these college aged kids that will make up a league that will have 20-30 players that NFL teams will want to draft. Is the NFL going to have a second draft now just for XFL players? NFL teams can't use any of their college draft choices on any of these players because of what happened to the USFL and also the CFL complaining of raiding their leagues and part of the "win" the USFL had gotten when they sued the NFL was the court ordered the league to adopt a rule that states the NFL can not draft any player that is encumbered by a legal contract with another professional football league. So just how will the NFL draft these players that were not good enough to get drafted out of college or be signed as undrafted by teams right after leaving college that you seem to think that could be 20-30 of them that the NFL now want?

The only place where this kind of league with those kind of possibilities you're looking for is in your mind and I think that idea is drug induced.
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I'm talking about an alternative to college, not college players. I understand it won't happen all at once. My point of view is simply coming from what I think could work long-term and keep people interested. Obviously it would take time to cultivate so that some of the best high school players decide not go to college and instead start earning money playing football. I have no idea how the NFL would treat those players and how they would bring them into the league after already being professional players. All of those issues would need to be worked out. While that is the type of league I think has the best chance to succeed, what I said about this past weekend was that is was the best attempt yet. The rules changes were interesting and the production value was very good. It still won't keep my attention for long because it's made up of players that had their shot and didn't make it. I really have no interest in watching the Landry Jones' and Lance Dunbar's of the world play football. I'd simply rather see kids trying to make it to the NFL. That would interest me for the same reason a lot of people watch college football.
 

coogrfan

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I would think it would be similar to college. Many of the 18 year olds may not play as rookies. Many would have a year or two of development. There would also be 19/20/21 year olds as well..The players wouldn't be eligible to be drafted until they are three years out of HS so they would work their way up to being physically able to play. That's one of the reasons I said there would need to be an age limit so that there aren't 250 lb grown men tackling 175 lb 18 year old WRs. I'd give each team a limited number of roster spots for recently drafted players looking for a way back to the NFL but cap the age at 24 or 25. A true development league would get and keep my attention especially if done as well as this weekend's XFL games were. It would almost be like a 2nd college season with more potential draft picks showcasing their talent.

I ask again - how? College programs typically have 100+ players at any given time, roughly half of whom are in the developmental pipeline I described. Not a few of those kids go their whole careers without ever getting on the field. College teams can do that because they aren't paying salaries. Asking a pro team in a league that is fighting for survival to keep a large number of "useless mouths" just seems unrealistic to me.
 

Cowboys22

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I ask again - how? College programs typically have 100+ players at any given time, roughly half of whom are in the developmental pipeline I described. Not a few of those kids go their whole careers without ever getting on the field. College teams can do that because they aren't paying salaries. Asking a pro team in a league that is fighting for survival to keep a large number of "useless mouths" just seems unrealistic to me.

I believe enough of the best high school players would forego college if they could instead make decent money playing football in a league that had a pipeline to the NFL draft. I also think players would leave college to sign with the league. That would give the league plenty of talent in the 18-20 year old range. Once it got going, the league could only accept the best talent ready to play. I don’t have all the answers. It’s just my opinion that these leagues will fail until one follows this model. There are lots of talented kids out there that never go to college due to different factors. Giving HS kids a choice between college or $30-40,000 now to play football and still be eligible for the draft in 3 years and I think in short order, you would get talented players choosing the league over college.
 

gjkoeppen

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I'm talking about an alternative to college, not college players. I understand it won't happen all at once. My point of view is simply coming from what I think could work long-term and keep people interested. Obviously it would take time to cultivate so that some of the best high school players decide not go to college and instead start earning money playing football. I have no idea how the NFL would treat those players and how they would bring them into the league after already being professional players. All of those issues would need to be worked out. While that is the type of league I think has the best chance to succeed, what I said about this past weekend was that is was the best attempt yet. The rules changes were interesting and the production value was very good. It still won't keep my attention for long because it's made up of players that had their shot and didn't make it. I really have no interest in watching the Landry Jones' and Lance Dunbar's of the world play football. I'd simply rather see kids trying to make it to the NFL. That would interest me for the same reason a lot of people watch college football.

Now I know you're on drugs and are probably still in grade school. What you're talking about is a league made up of guys that weren't good enough to even get scholarships at division III colleges and those same players that are that bad are going somehow going to impress coaches who have either college and/or NFL experience that will be the coaches in this new league and then getting that far will impress NFL scouts and GM's to somehow sign them to an NFL contract. Wait there's still two more HUGE hurdles to overcome. First finding a person that is going to invest millions of dollars in a league made up of players that were so bad that not even division III colleges offer scholarships to and two getting ANY TV network to air a league made up of those types of players. None of the 4 major networks air division III games because for the most part they are just like high school games and yet you want to form a league that players who couldn't even get a scholarship at a division III college is going to work?

NFL teams are free to sign players that have played professionally in any football league or any other sport now and always have as long as they aren't still under contract with any other football league. There have been players in the NFL who once played in the CFL and USFL and rugby leagues in Australia although those from down under have been signed as kickers.

Your fairy tall league is never going to happen with the ONLY exception of in your drug infested mind. Also stop changing your criteria after each comment.
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DanteEXT

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I watched also to check it out. It was decent but wont keep my interest very long. I suspect that will apply to most people.

It well be interesting to see how attendance and ratings hold up over the next few weeks.
 

Cowboys22

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Now I know you're on drugs and are probably still in grade school. What you're talking about is a league made up of guys that weren't good enough to even get scholarships at division III colleges and those same players that are that bad are going somehow going to impress coaches who have either college and/or NFL experience that will be the coaches in this new league and then getting that far will impress NFL scouts and GM's to somehow sign them to an NFL contract. Wait there's still two more HUGE hurdles to overcome. First finding a person that is going to invest millions of dollars in a league made up of players that were so bad that not even division III colleges offer scholarships to and two getting ANY TV network to air a league made up of those types of players. None of the 4 major networks air division III games because for the most part they are just like high school games and yet you want to form a league that players who couldn't even get a scholarship at a division III college is going to work?

NFL teams are free to sign players that have played professionally in any football league or any other sport now and always have as long as they aren't still under contract with any other football league. There have been players in the NFL who once played in the CFL and USFL and rugby leagues in Australia although those from down under have been signed as kickers.

Your fairy tall league is never going to happen with the ONLY exception of in your drug infested mind. Also stop changing your criteria after each comment.
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You must have failed reading comprehension. I’ve stated numerous times the league would target top end high school talent, not the kids so bad they couldn’t get a scholarship. I happen to think if offered a decent salary in an established league and a pipeline to the NFL, many kids will choose that over college. There are tons of kids who don’t even go to college but are good athletes. There are even more that only go to play sports. They have no interest in school. It’s just a means to get to the NFL. You can’t be so dense not to know this and not to think that many of those kids would choose to play for money instead of having to go to class as well.

I never said it would happen. I simply stated it’s the only league I think could work long term. Leagues made up of guys who had their shot and failed just won’t hold the attention of many fans for very long. This version of the XFL was done very well but I still think it will fade. What would interest me is if each team had 10-15 players that would otherwise be at big time colleges but are instead using the league to get to the NFL. I don’t think thats hard to understand and it’s just my opinion. If you like 2nd rate football played by has beens and never weres, then good for you. Enjoy it while it lasts.
 

gjkoeppen

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You must have failed reading comprehension. I’ve stated numerous times the league would target top end high school talent, not the kids so bad they couldn’t get a scholarship. I happen to think if offered a decent salary in an established league and a pipeline to the NFL, many kids will choose that over college. There are tons of kids who don’t even go to college but are good athletes. There are even more that only go to play sports. They have no interest in school. It’s just a means to get to the NFL. You can’t be so dense not to know this and not to think that many of those kids would choose to play for money instead of having to go to class as well.

I never said it would happen. I simply stated it’s the only league I think could work long term. Leagues made up of guys who had their shot and failed just won’t hold the attention of many fans for very long. This version of the XFL was done very well but I still think it will fade. What would interest me is if each team had 10-15 players that would otherwise be at big time colleges but are instead using the league to get to the NFL. I don’t think thats hard to understand and it’s just my opinion. If you like 2nd rate football played by has beens and never weres, then good for you. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I don't have a comprehension problem because you keep changing what you're TRYING to say. It started out with COLLEGE age kids and now you say high school age kids. Now here's what anyone past grade school and not doing drugs will tell you about your latest version of using the top high school talent. They are commonly referred to as 5 star talent and all of the 5 star talent get to pick what college they want to go to because they get offers from multiple schools. Many of them get 15 - 20 or more offers of scholarships. Now they know that will be their gateway to the NFL. Now you think that these same kids will just jump at a chance to go to a league that pays even the top players less than what undrafted free agents make in the NFL?

Here's another thought for you. Many of those 5 star players are only 17 when they graduate from high school and therefore need their parents signature on any legal binding contract. Now how many parents are going to sign away their kid's college eligibility so the kid can make what would be parking meter change compared what they could make in the NFL not even mentioning that the kid will at least be given the chance to get a degree. Yes some kids just go to college to complete their sophomore season just to get drafted but that is being drafted by the NFL. The NFL that has been around now for 100 years. The same NFL that pays players more than what their entire family combined will make in their entire lives.

Oh and your kids that are such good athletes that don't go to college, if they have that much talent then they would get offers from at least division III schools and if they don't even get offers from them then they have less than a ZERO chance of ever playing in the NFL.

And then there's are questions I've already asked you plus a some more. How do they get to the NFL? Does the NFL hold a separate draft? Who is going to risk millions of dollars to start this league? How drunk and doped up are they going to have to get network officials to agree to televise this league? What day of the week will these games be played on and what other sports will they be competing against? What stadiums will these games be played? Where will the teams in your fantasy league hold their practices? Will they play by the same NFL rules and as the NFL changes their rules will this fantasy league change theirs too? If a NFL team takes a player but then later cuts him will he be able to return to your fantasy league? What happens if all of these kiddies form a union and demand NFL type money? Where is this fantasy league going to get referees?

Now I never said one way or another whether I liked this new XFL or not. Now the ONLY place your little fantasy league could work long term is in your drug infested grade school mind for as long as it stays there or until you wake up because it will NEVER be anywhere in reality.
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