As we watch the NFL Conference Championship games today, we'll be eating good food be comfy inside. The NFL is good for a day like that, when the weathers lousy and there's nothing else to watch with games at 3 and 630 today. I know it's hard to wait till 3 to watch a game when regular season games start at 1. I'm like you, I'd like to see the 1 and 4 o'clock games today, but we won't for one reason only. The NFL doesn't care what you want.
As much as we watch, it's hard at times to patronize a company that cares so little about us. Heck they seem to not even care about their own. They don't care that their constant meddling with dumb rule changes, ridiculous officiating, unending replays and other nonsense have infuriated many fans. They are the kings of TV and as long as that's true, they'll continue to behave this way. The NFL is no longer a sport, it's a TV show. Over the decades it has morphed into entertainment from sport. Very clean fields of play, much of it inside, no mud, all very tidy.
Each year the most watched TV events or shows are NFL games, some with very high numbers. The NFL has an advantage over other sports in the fact there is little else on TV to watch during these months, days and times. They totally own a day of the week and have a large presence on Mondays and Thursdays. And in years ahead, with college football starting to implode, some Saturday nights may be in play.
When weather services strongly advised them to move the Chiefs-Dolphins game to a 1PM start to avoid a -7 degree kickoff temperature at 8pm for the physical safety of fans and players, they said no. They have part time refs officiating the biggest league on earth who continue to butcher games and outcomes with actual lack of rules knowledge, taking no accountability. When the refs decisions clearly cost the Saints a Superbowl appearance a few years ago, it was no big deal.
And what is exactly a "catch" anymore? Every week it seems there is a new "catch" that's not a catch by not "finishing the play." We didn't have this problem for 100 years, now we do. And does anyone know what pass interference is anymore? And can we stop with these pathetic ex-refs on TV defending these officials? They seldom disagree and NEVER call them out and say BAD CALL! Oh, the actual refs are doing this as a well paid hobby. Want to be the next John Madden type? Be the one who will call them out with real passion during broadcasts.
When games start at 820 PM ending at midnight eastern time, they don't care. They also basically got rid of the games most exciting play, the kickoff return. So we'll never have a Josh Cribbs situation again with special teams players getting paid very well. This de-emphasizes special teams players as they now just run down the field, keeping salaries down, and making lower end roster players very expendable. There's a safety element that's true too, but they figured out a way to make that advantageous for themselves.
Football on TV has basically always been free, that too could eventually change. We have forgotten ESPN is pay and many games have moved there and to their own NFL Network. Prime and Peacock are paid streaming and they are in the game now. I have thought for years that the NFL will eventually be a pay thing for everyone and that's not good for anyone - except the owners. Oh, they don't care that you're unhappy about Prime, and Peacock and other streamers that may want to get in. There's just too much money.
Hey I love watching football too, it's sad they won't make these things right when all they have is money and time. Just remember if your team is "performing" today or not - it's not sports anymore.
It's pure entertainment. And we watch and love it.
