The 2010 Sport You’re Most Thankful For Debate… Hope Springs Eternal in the NFL

November 24, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Babe Ruthless.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is without a doubt my favorite holiday (and that is only PARTLY because of the feasting)! Personally, I have been very blessed over the past year, and have much to be thankful for. The list of those things I am thankful for includes all the staples – family, friends, health, and the like… as well as some unique privileges that I am very grateful for, such as sharing this space each day with a group of people who are not only great writers, but who have also become great friends.

What can I say? Things are nice at Casa del Bleacher Fan!

So as I tuck in to a little lot of deep fried turkey (yes, it really is THAT good) with all the fixin’s, let me tell you why I am thankful for the NFL…

First, from a personal standpoint as a fan of Cleveland sports, this was a tough year for basketball and baseball. The Indians decided after about only 15 games that they were going to just mail in the 2010 seasons. And as for basketball, well, I’d rather not talk about it (although I must admit that there is something cathartic in the knowledge that LeBron James isn’t having any fun). But then the Cleveland Browns season started, and it became a wonderful distraction from all the other garbage.

It is not a distraction because the Browns are successful on the field. In fact, they are only 3-7 right now. The reason why the Browns are able to provide a distraction to Cleveland fans is the very same reason why fans across the country should be thankful for the NFL.

Unlike baseball or basketball, where seasons can essentially be scripted before the first actual play ever unfolds, the NFL is the one sport where “Worst-to-First” is not only possible, but it is actually PROBABLE. You see, every season in the NFL is a fresh start for every team. It doesn’t matter that your team only won four or five games last season because, in the NFL, last season is ancient history. THIS season, your team is just as good as last year’s Super Bowl champion.

Take a look at the NFL standings. Of the eight division leaders, four finished last season with losing records (Kansas City, Jacksonville, Seattle, and Chicago), and NONE of those teams that won the division last season are currently sitting atop the leader board.

Likewise, two of the pre-season favorites to contend for a Super Bowl bid, the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, share a combined six wins, while last season’s worst team, the St. Louis Rams, are only one game out of first place.

Now, compare that parity to the NFL’s college counterpart. In the NCAA ranks, a team must not only win games to be successful, it has to also convince voters. So a team like Boise State, which has not been beaten since December of 2008, could still miss out not only on the national championship game, but may not even get a BCS invitation if TCU also continues to win games.

Or compare it to a sport like Major League Baseball, or the NBA, where championships can be bought and sold like commodities on the free agency market.

But as the countdown to the 2010 NFL season continued over the summer, who could have guessed that Michael Vick would be the most exciting quarterback in the league, that the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks would be leading divisions, or that the head coaches for two different pre-season Super Bowl contenders would be unemployed before Thanksgiving?

The NFL system provides a proving ground where all 32 teams enter the fray on truly equal ground. With each season comes the mystery of the unknown. As each season plays out we are treated to a rollercoaster of surprises, excitement, and drama that is unparalleled in the fan experience for any other sport. Every fan can enter a fresh season with legitimate hope that, “This will be the year.” There is no subjectivity, and wins are the only currency that can buy a team a shot at the championship.

So, from a jaded, beaten, and broken down Cleveland sports fan, I say “THANK YOU” to the NFL! With each new game and each new season you give every fan, regardless of the team they follow, a reason to tune in and watch. That is an accomplishment no other sport can duplicate.

Thank you, NFL, for giving me hope!

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The 2010 Mid-Season NFL Coach to Go First Debate… Down and Out in Dallas

November 4, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer.

Wade Phillips has lost all semblance of control over the Dallas Cowboys. To allow him to coach one more game is an insult to both the players and fans in Dallas.

His continuing ineptitude at the helm causes more damage and scarring to the culture of an utterly defeated team. The 35-17 drubbing at the hands of the pedestrian Jacksonville Jaguars is proof enough. The Jags are currently ranked last in the AFC South with a 4-4 record, but last Sunday they looked like they were a conference powerhouse playing against the Cowboys.

Dallas’ usually vaunted defense allowed David Garrard to utterly embarrass the Cowboys and at home at Cowboy Stadium, no less. Garrard completed 17-21 attempts for 260 yards and four touchdowns. Keep in mind those stats are not coming from Drew Brees, Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning… but David Garrard. The Cowboys allowed him to go 10-10 in the first half. The worst part is the ‘Boys weren’t any more effective at stuffing the run either. Maurice Jones Drew ran wild on the Cowboys for 135 yards on 27 touches, which means he was averaging five yards a carry. There is no way anyone can be convinced that Phillips’ Cowboys haven’t completely given up when they are allowing the equivalent of a first down on every other carry throughout a game.

Things got even uglier when the Cowboys had possession of the ball. Whether backup quarterback Jon Kitna was tossing interceptions or Marion Barber was getting stuffed on the goal line, the only thing the Cowboys had to offer was highlight reel blunders. Phillips’ incompetence was on full display last week and that cannot be allowed to continue. Rich Eissen made the sad but fair assessment that even, “The Texas Ranger have more wins in October than the Dallas Cowboys.”

While firing Wade Phillips mid-season is not a miracle solution that will somehow magically catapult the Cowboys from the cellar of the NFC East into playoff contention, it is a declaration to the players, fans, and the rest of the league that Dallas is committed to competing.

Dallas must fire Wade Phillips on general principle alone. The Cowboys, after all, have a reputation to maintain.

Dallas has built a rich legacy which suffers every week Phillips is allowed to continue with his charade of leadership. The Cowboys are now in the elite company of teams like the 0-7 Buffalo Bills, who are last in the AFC, and 1-6 Carolina Panthers, who are tied with the Cowboys for the dubious honors of being the worst team in the NFC.

It is absolutely shocking that Jerry Jones has allowed for this to continue for as long as it has. Watching “America’s Team” be humiliated by a host of underwhelming opponents (yes, I mean you Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears) is slowly eroding the legacy that the Cowboys have fought to establish all these years. Jones should, and with any common sense will, make a stand and show that he is committed to winning starting right now. Anything less would be second best, and we know that won’t fly for long in Texas.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The 2010 Mid-Season NFL Coach to Go First Debate… The Niners Want A Winner… And It’s Not Singletary

November 4, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Sports Geek.

As is the case seemingly every season, there are a lot of coaches on the hot seat in the NFL. My two colleagues are taking two high profile coaches today, and those guys are definitely on the hot seat. But so is San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary.

One of Singletary’s first “rants” as a head coach two years ago was directed at tight end Vernon Davis. In his very FIRST game back in October of 2008, Singletary went off in the now famous tirade, demanding that he wanted winners. He also stated that, “He would rather play with ten people and just get penalized all the way until we gotta do something else rather than play with 11 when right now that person is not sold out to be a part of this team.” Well, Mike, let me tell you. I like you… I like the old school mentality you have, and the intensity you always seem to have in your voice. But, you don’t have winners right now , Mike. Sometimes, it looks like the players on the 49ers have thrown in the towel. And despite the win last week over another disappointing team, the Denver Broncos, I believe that Mike Singletary should be the first coach to be given the boot!

In roughly two and a half years as a head coach, Singletary’s record stands at 15-18. On the surface that really isn’t all that bad. But keep in mind that the NFL is a “Win Now” league. And this season many, Loyal Homer not included, expected the 49ers to compete for a division title. That just hasn’t happened as Singletary and his boys currently sit at 2-6. What’s really disturbing about some of their losses is the way they have finished games. The Saints beat the Niners on a walk off field goal in week two. They had the Falcons beaten in week four, but thanks to a bonehead play by Nate Clements, the Falcons got an extra possession and eventually won the game. And how do you lose to Carolina, who was winless at the time? Have any of you seen Carolina play? Yikes! (That’s for you, Babe Ruthless).

A year ago, who would have thought that of the two Bay Area coaches, Mike Singletary’s seat would be hotter than Tom Cable’s. Wrap your head around that! But that’s exactly what has happened. And the thing is, the 49ers have talent. Maybe not at the quarterback position, but look at running back (Frank Gore), tight end (Vernon Davis), wide receiver (Michael Crabtree), and the linebacker position (Patrick Willis). The young pieces are there to build around. They just need a coach. Mike Singletary isn’t that guy, unfortunately. He’s an assistant coach playing the role of a head coach. He’s in over his head and it’s time for him to go… now!

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The Time To Panic Debate… Big D is in Deep Trouble

October 17, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Loyal Homer.

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2010 season with great expectations. With Cowboys Stadium playing host to the Super Bowl this season, Dallas wasn’t just playing to make the playoffs but to secure home field advantage in the NFL’s most important game. As lofty a goal as that may have seemed before the season, it seems even more improbable now that the Cowboys are off to a 1-4 start. Now the Cowboys are merely trying to get out of the cellar of the NFC East.

This would be a bad start for any franchise in the NFL, but it is even worse for the Dallas Cowboys. Just like the old adage, “Everything is bigger in Texas!” Their abysmal start has pretty much killed the dreams of a playoff appearance. But I would say that it is also indicative of a much bigger problem… or should I say problems.

The Cowboys need a new vision. They need a new coach. And they need a new running game. In short the Dallas Cowboys need a Texas-sized overhaul.

The current game plan isn’t working for the Cowboys. They are a one dimensional team that the rest of the league has figured out. Their “pass, pass, and if all else fails pass” approach just does not work without the right personnel (i.e. Peyton Manning). Looking at the stats. The Dallas Cowboys boast one of the most potent passing games in the NFL, but that claim is somewhat misleading. The Cowboys excel at the pass because they must. The team lacks any semblance of balance. The Cowboys have an incredible wealth of receiving talent in Miles Austin, Jason Whitten, Dez Bryant, and Roy Williams, but their ineffective rushing attack leaves them vulnerable.

Marion Barber was at one time among the most capable backs in the NFL, but not any longer. He isn’t even the most effective rusher on his own team, as Felix Jones was posting better yards per attempt than Barber through week six. Thus far running backs in Dallas have only scored one rushing touchdown. That definitely does not pose a threat to opposing defensive coordinators, and until something changes, opposing defenses can focus on shutting down the passing game.

Adding to the dysfunction in Dallas is the team’s lack of discipline. The team ranks in the top third of the league in number of penalties and penalty yardage. Similarly, turnovers have been a problem as the Cowboys rank near the very bottom of the league in turnovers lost compared with takeaways. These problems are fixable, but they are matters of personnel and coaching. Since we all know Jerry Jones isn’t about to relinquish managerial control, the the Cowboys must do something about the latter.

The time has come for the Cowboys to cut some dead weight, starting with the head coach. Wade Phillips is not the coach Dallas needs right now. Obviously he is somewhat effective having led the Cowboys to the playoff twice in three full seasons as head coach, but that really isn’t good enough. In Dallas the expectation isn’t to simply make the playoffs, but to WIN. Phillips has taken the team as far as one victory in the wild card round in the 2009 post-season, but that’s it. After dropping four of the first five games it looks like this season isn’t going to pan out either. His inability to win the big games and address the sloppy play that continues to be the albatross around the Cowboys neck should show Jerry Jones it is time to move on from Wade Phillips.

But, the most obvious and frustrating aspect of the Cowboys failures is the lack of a running game. A successful rushing attack would certainly open up the pass. Obviously the team should capitalize on its strength – passing. But, the lack of effective rushing is one of the things hold the Dallas back. Obviously every team wants to rush the ball well, but the Cowboys should be in a position to do that. Jerry Jones is a competitive owner who is not afraid to throw money around in order to get the players he wants, but it seems since Emmitt Smith led Dallas the running backs haven’t been a top priority target. There were difference making players that were available this off-season – most notably LaDainian Tomlinson – as well as players available via trade during the season – like Marshawn Lynch – if the Cowboys felt they needed another back. Instead it appears that Dallas will stick with Barber and Jones and hope something changes. This approach doesn’t seem reasonable for a team that wants to compete and be the best.

It’s definitely panic time in Dallas. Jerry Jones should break out the broom and clean house. He can hang onto a few key guys – Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and DeMarcus Ware – but the rest can go. The Cowboys need top down reform. They need a new coach with a different, more balanced vision. They need fresh players who can breathe some new life into a storied franchise suddenly fallen on hard times, and sweeping reform is the way to go.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Best Game of THIS Week(end) Debate – Huge Game for Wade Phillips

December 18, 2009

Read the arguments from Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan.



The past few years the NFL has scheduled a Saturday night game on its own network, the NFL Network, during week 15. This year, we are fortunate enough to have a great Saturday night week 15 matchup when the reeling Dallas Cowboys travel to the Bayou to take on the undefeated New Orleans Saints. The undefeated Indianapolis Colts survived a road trip to Jacksonville with a thrilling come from behind victory last night. Can the Saints survive unscathed as it awaits America’s team in a huge game for the Cowboys?

We all know the Saints’ story. It has been well-documented. Quarterback Drew Brees has had a monster season, and, with each passing week it seems he has a stronger grip on that NFL MVP trophy… though I’m guessing he would tell you that at the end of the season he would much rather have that Lombardi Trophy. While the Saints have not lost yet, they have definitely had some close calls, including a come from behind overtime victory two weeks ago in Washington, and a 26-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons last week. Looking at the Saints’ schedule it is clear the team has thoroughly dominated some teams, much more than the Colts. The bad news for the rest of the league is that Reggie Bush, who has underachieved as a pro, may be on the right track, finally. He scored two touchdowns last week. It is already tough enough stopping Sean Payton’s high-flying offense… imagine the nightmare for opposing defenses if Reggie Bush shows the elusiveness he showed in college.

Meanwhile, over in Dallas, things are not as rosy. The good feelings presented by the 8-3 start have subsided due to losses the past two weeks to the Giants and the Chargers. Now, instead of being in excellent shape to win the NFC East, the Cowboys are struggling to stay in contention for the wild card. At this point, with a tiebreaker over the Cowboys, I am giving Green Bay that first wild card spot. That leaves the Cowboys competing with the Giants and other teams for the second wild card spot. Keep in mind that the Giants, while currently 7-6, also hold the tiebreak over the ‘Boys. I would not necessarily call Saturday night’s game a must-win for the Cowboys, but it’s darn close. Lose Saturday, and Dallas loses the ability to control its own playoff destiny. Lose Saturday, and Wade Phillips’ seat, which is already warm (which I addressed back in July), becomes smoking hot!!! What a disaster it would be for Jerry Jones to sit and watch the playoffs from the comfort of his million-dollar mansion (which really isn’t so bad) when he spent over a billion dollars on the new stadium. However, a win Saturday eases the tension in Dallas and would be a huge momentum boost.

Many of you do not have NFL Network. Fortunately, Loyal Homer does and has made plans to invite people over to watch the game. You should make plans to watch the game, too!

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The 2009 Toughest Division in the NFL Debate – The NFC East is the Beast of the NFL

August 31, 2009

Read Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan’s arguments for which division in the NFL will be the toughest in the 2009 season.



We are less than two weeks away from the start of the NFL season. The anticipation is building. Some starting positions have been decided, while others are still up for grabs. Once those are all settled the teams can focus on the season and made that seventeen week push to the playoffs. Some will have more difficult roads than others, due in large part to where they play – which division. For example, the NFC West and AFC West appear to be down once again. But several other division races are sure to be exciting up until Week 17. After evaluating all of the divisions, I have decided that the NFC East is the overall best division in the NFL.

One element that makes this race interesting is that all four teams are in cities that are in the top 10 in television markets. These teams do not lack for attention and it sure helps that all four are competitive. I am not sure that you can look at any other division and realistically say “Any team in that division can make the playoffs.” Last year, the four teams all had at least a .500 record. The only other division that could say that was the NFC South.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who made the playoffs last year as a wild card and advanced to the NFC conference championship, return a strong nucleus. Granted, some of the stars like quarterback Donavan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook are getting older. But they added some potential playmakers by drafting wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy. Plus, you may have heard that they also picked up a backup quarterback. Some guy by the name of Michael Vick.

The New York Giants, the reigning division winner, struggled down the stretch without Plaxico Burress. I am not convinced they have addressed their offensive concerns in the offseason. Running back Derrick Ward left via free agency. The wide receiving core is young and inexperienced. Not to mention that last season’s defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, left to become head coach of the St. Louis Rams. With that said, the Giants are just two years removed from a championship, and they still have to be considered a threat to win the division. Eli Manning also has a new contract, so he will be itching to prove his worth and prove the critics wrong who say the Giants overpaid.

The Dallas Cowboys are America’s team, and this year they are America’s team without society’s newest reality TV star Terrell Owens. This is a big year for head coach Wade Phillips, too. Missing the playoffs is a real possibility, especially in this division. You know general manager Jerry Jones will be looking for a scapegoat if the Cowboys do not make the playoffs in their first year of playing in beautiful new Cowboys Stadium. Fortunately, plenty of weapons return. The key to the Cowboys is whether or not wide receiver Roy Williams can step up and become the number one receiver the Cowboys expect him to be. The playoffs are a realistic goal.

The Washington Redskins, after getting off to a very strong start, limped to a 2-6 finish. We all know Redskins owner Daniel Snyder refuses to sit still, and he proved us right again by giving an extremely big contract to defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Perhaps no quarterback in the league is facing more pressure than Jason Campbell. After flirting with acquiring Jay Cutler and trading up to draft Mark Sanchez, the Redskins decided to stick with Campbell who is entering a contract year. Campbell is popular in the clubhouse, but it is his responsibility to get the Redskins back to the playoffs. Finishing 8-8 was the worst record in the division, which says a lot about the strength and the parity in the division.

All four of these teams can realistically make the playoffs. Can any other division say that? Maybe the AFC East. Maybe!! But the NFC East has a much stronger case and overall, from top to bottom, the teams are better. The division is the class of the NFL!

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The NFL Head Coach Hot Seat Debate, Training Camp Edition – Wade Phillips Is Feeling The Heat

July 24, 2009

Read Sports Geek’s argument that Brad Childress is on the hot seat and Bleacher Fan’s argument that Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat .



As The Sports Debates has mentioned several times this week, we sure are ready for football to start. We’re ready for the bone crushing hits. We’re ready for pin-point passing accuracy. We’re ready for a breakway run. Heck, we’re even ready to see Ed Hochuli flex his muscles on the field. Expect to see a lot of football debates in the coming months. In fact, we might as well talk football today. It’s a favorite water cooler topic of any fan in any sport. So I ask you, which coach do you think opens the season with the most to prove? Who is on the hot seat the most?

I really like the coach I am arguing for. He seems like a good guy. He’s had to put up with a lot of crap, but unfortunately it goes with the territory. The coach who I think is on the hot seat right off the bat this training camp season is Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips.

It’s not that Phillips has been a bust in Dallas. He has posted a 22-10 record in the regular season. That would be exceptional anywhere else. Heck, he’d be in the conversation when discussing the coaches in the upper echelon of the NFL. But, he’s not coaching just any team. He’s coaching America’s Team.

Two years ago Dallas went 13-3 and had home field advantage in the playoffs. Their second round matchup was against the division rival New York Giants. The Giants won 21-17, deflating the hopes of all Cowboys fans. Much of the blame fell, unfairly, on Phillips. Forget the fact that he led the team to 13 victories. He couldn’t win in the playoffs, which is something Dallas hasn’t done since 1996. Last year, the team fell to 9-7, including a blowout loss to Philadelphia to close the season. It’s a game that put egg on the face of the entire organization for the entire off-season. It’s a game that led to Phillips’ seat getting warmer. There was even speculation that Cowboys owner (as if you didn’t know who the owner is) Jerry Jones was going to bring in Mike Shannahan. But, Phillips withstood the storm and he’s still there.

How long he’s there remains to be seen. The Cowboys are moving into a luxurious new stadium and the Cowboys need to win! Badly! Terrell Owens, the alleged cause of much of the drama last year, has packed his drama and left for Buffalo. But, he also took his big play potential with him.

The onus is on Wade Phllips to get the job done, now. Going 9-7 isn’t going to get the job, and it’s quite conceivable that just making the playoffs won’t be enough to save his job. With the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins in the division it’s going to be tough to get to the playoffs. But, that’s what it is going to take to have a chance to save his job.

No pressure Wade!

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The NFL Head Coach Hot Seat, Training Camp Edition – Who Dey… Think is Going COACH the Bengals?!

July 24, 2009

Read Sports Geek’s argument that Brad Childress has the most pressure to perform early, and Loyal Homer’s argument that Wade Phillips is the man in the crosshairs.



I feel like a kid trying to go to sleep on Christmas Eve! We are just a few short days away from the opening of NFL Training Camps, and while the old adage that ‘every team is undefeated’ may hold true for now, there are several coaches in the league who already find themselves on the “hot-seat.”

Loyal Homer will argue that Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys is the man with the target on his back, and Sports Geek will argue that it is Brad Childress whose head is first on the chopping block.

As for Bleacher Fan, I believe it is Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals whose number has finally come up!

The fact that he’s been able to avoid speculation this long is astonishing to me. Let’s be honest, it’s not like the Bengals were a well regarded team when he took over the reigns from Dick LeBeau in 2003, but to say that the team has actually REGRESSED under Lewis’ tenure is a dubious honor that I’m sure he won’t be writing home about any time soon!

Sure, his first three seasons with Cincinnati showed promise. He took the team from a 2-14 record in 2002 and turned in records of 8-8, 8-8, and then 11-5 respectively. The 2005 season also marked the first division championship AND playoff appearance for the Bengals in 15 years. Things were looking promising for Lewis.

Something changed, though, following the knee injury to Carson Palmer in the 2005 Wild-Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals came into the 2006 season full of promise, but that promise never materialized into success.

Their records for the following three years plummeted, dropping from 8-8 in 2006 to 7-9 in 2007, before finally bottoming out at 4-11-1 last year. All told, in six seasons as the Bengals head coach, Marvin Lewis has only turned in one season with a winning record, and his career record in Cincinnati is 46-49-1 (.486).

Accompanying that severe decline in performance came a string of legal charges against players within the Bengals organization that made Lewis look like the NFL’s real life version of Nate Scarborough. Then came the icing on the cake – Chad Johnson (I refuse to call him by his “new” name). I will give the man his due, he is a top-tier receiver, but he has turned his existence in the NFL into a media circus that has created far more controversy than it has touchdowns. Between the off-field drama around Johnson’s “happiness” with the organization, and his antics on the field, he has become more of a distraction than anything else.

So where does that leave Marvin Lewis? When you consider the personnel issues, compounded by the lack of success on the field DESPITE having players like Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (who isn’t even a Bengal anymore), it gives off the appearance that Lewis has zero control over the players within his organization. He comes off as a hapless victim, rather than the leader of a professional football team.

Fast forward to the 2009 season, and this year’s training camp… what is Lewis’ solution to these problems? He welcomes even greater public scrutiny by allowing his Bengals to be the focal point of the HBO mini-series Hard Knocks. That means that every decision he makes in the preseason, and every incident that occurs during training camp, will not only be scrutinized by Bengals fans, beat-reporters, and the Bengals organization, but will actually be scrutinized by a national television audience!

How has that worked out in the past? During the return of the series in 2007, the show watched Herm Edwards as he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a record of 4-12 (Edwards was subsequently fired in early 2009). In 2008, the series travelled to Dallas, where they witnessed the preseason hype around the Dallas Cowboys, preseason favorites to be NFC Champions, and who subsequently melted down mid-season and missed the playoffs altogether. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips barely escaped the season with his job, and his job-security is still very tenuous, as Loyal Homer points out in his argument today.

Between the increased public scrutiny over his every move in this pre-season, the inability to maintain control over the players within his organization, and the abysmal performances turned in on the field over the past three seasons, Marvin Lewis will need to come out of the gates with guns blazing if he wishes to stay employed in the Queen City much longer.

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The NFL Practice Jersey Debate – This Post Brought To You By Carl’s Jr.

June 5, 2009

I think it’s funny that this is even news…

Do I have a problem with the fact that the NFL is allowing teams to place patches containing sponsors on their practice jerseys? Absolutely not! Nobody is going to see these patches except for the few hundred people who actually go watch training camp anyway.

The beauty of a capitalist society like America is that organizations have the right to do whatever they want in order to make money, as long as it doesn’t infringe upon the rights of anyone else. Who cares if the Packers or Texans want to have a “Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator” patch on their sleeve while they do calisthenics in front of a crowd of boy scouts and fantasy football addicts? (MAN do I miss football!)

I visited the Cleveland Browns’ Training Camp many times, and there’s already sponsorship crap everywhere! From spinning the banking wheel to signing up for health insurance, the whole scene is littered with slogans and “Official Team Sponsor” verbiage. Why should a player’s jerseys be any different?

People visit Training Camp to get a pre-season look at the talent on their beloved teams. They get to enjoy some warm, summer air and resume their football conversations about which team has really made the move to contend, etc. Now, there’s just going to be a patch on a player’s practice jerseys to go with it.

I understand that the NFL is already a money-making machine that really doesn’t need to invent new ways to earn income, but is it hurting anyone?! What if this is how the Packers and Texans intend to offset the need to raise ticket prices? Would it really make a difference?!

I do think the NFL should keep this new advertising opportunity limited strictly to pre-season practice. I don’t need to see what appears to be two NASCAR pit crews rolling around on the gridiron on a cold November Sunday. I also don’t need to hear Eric Mangini as he hoists the Vince Lombardi Castrol GTX Motor Oil Trophy over his head (prediction?!), screaming “This one is for the fans, and for the good, hard working people at UPS, and for the Home Depot, and Valtrex, and Oops, I Crapped My Pants adult diapers!”

There is a lot of pride and history in the appearance of each team’s uniform and helmet. The logo means something, the colors mean something, the numbers mean something, and I don’t want to see a StayPuft Marshmallow Man logo slapped on the back of any helmets to take away from that tradition. Other than that, advertise away!

Why don’t we talk about the REAL problem of appearance at NFL training camps… guys like Romeo Crennel, Bill Parcells, and Wade Phillips running around in sweat-soaked tee-shirts and shorts that are a little too short for comfort. That’s just disgusting!!!

(Site note: Debate links: Intro, Loyal Homer, Bleacher Fan, Sports Geek).

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