And this is one of the major problems with how US professional sports is organized. A regular season which is just a qualification round for the tournament to follow. No motivation for the bottom half, and dwindling interest in all but a few games toward the end of the season.
Contrast that to the European (and pretty much all other) football (soccer) leagues. Winning the regular season means the MOST to teams, ahead of any tournament play and relegation to the lower leagues means the bottom teams are highly motivated. The dominant teams play in the pan-europe leagues (Champions, etc) in parallel to the national league games, and must make strategic choices between that and the domestic league. They often reserve their best for the domestic league, it is so important.
All of that makes it MUCH more interesting. But to do so you would have to break up the cartels which are the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc.
“My” team is based hundreds of miles from here, we won’t travel to see ‘em and if we did we wouldn’t shell out that kinda money for tickets (heck, even the local college tickets run near $100 each). Our TV service can’t reach an agreement with “their” network, so we can’t watch at home unless the OTHER team is televised on some other channel and they’re still… barely… in the hunt for the playoffs. January is long for a whole bunch of other reasons, but NFL playoff season isn’t among them.
Memories . . . way back in college, a buddy of mine had an Ohio State faculty member for a parent. Thus he had access to a pair of tickets for every home game on the 50-yard line.
charliekane 4 months ago
Wake me when spring training starts . . .
gnorth22 Premium Member 4 months ago
And this is one of the major problems with how US professional sports is organized. A regular season which is just a qualification round for the tournament to follow. No motivation for the bottom half, and dwindling interest in all but a few games toward the end of the season.
Contrast that to the European (and pretty much all other) football (soccer) leagues. Winning the regular season means the MOST to teams, ahead of any tournament play and relegation to the lower leagues means the bottom teams are highly motivated. The dominant teams play in the pan-europe leagues (Champions, etc) in parallel to the national league games, and must make strategic choices between that and the domestic league. They often reserve their best for the domestic league, it is so important.
All of that makes it MUCH more interesting. But to do so you would have to break up the cartels which are the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc.
john_chubb 4 months ago
Don’t care about NFL, but these every-other-day snowstorms are sure making Jan drag on!
Free Radical 4 months ago
Is all that NFL stuff done yet? Boooooring
Concretionist 4 months ago
“My” team is based hundreds of miles from here, we won’t travel to see ‘em and if we did we wouldn’t shell out that kinda money for tickets (heck, even the local college tickets run near $100 each). Our TV service can’t reach an agreement with “their” network, so we can’t watch at home unless the OTHER team is televised on some other channel and they’re still… barely… in the hunt for the playoffs. January is long for a whole bunch of other reasons, but NFL playoff season isn’t among them.
cmxx 4 months ago
Memories . . . way back in college, a buddy of mine had an Ohio State faculty member for a parent. Thus he had access to a pair of tickets for every home game on the 50-yard line.
mac04416 4 months ago
I’m a Patriots fan. This is a new experience for me.
VegaAlopex 4 months ago
It’d be easier if one be too busy to follow the NFL or any other sports team.
dalton9529 4 months ago
As a Browns fan, I’m happy to learn what the other kids have been doing during this time of year.
Hello Everyone 4 months ago
Fortunately, The 49ers are going to win this time!…Yeah, I’m sure….100% :)
robertthomasson 4 months ago
Ah, US Sports-ball… enjoy.
gammaguy 4 months ago
Don’t know about the NFL and don’t care. I have no problem with January.
rossevrymn 4 months ago
The Saints will not be gitting rid of their loozer coach, so my January will be lasting 13 months.