Hines Ward rarely looks forward to late December and early January, when his shoulders sometimes ache so badly they hurt on every pass reception and his legs start rebelling after multiple games on unfriendly artificial turf surfaces. He can’t imagine what it might feel like if those games, now the 15th and 16th of an already long NFL season, start arriving sooner as the 13th and 14th games of an 18-game season. The very thought of playing two more games that count each season led Ward to predict the days of players spending a dozen seasons in the league would quickly end. “I’ll probably be the last double-digit guy,†said Ward, the Steelers’ career receptions leader who is in his 13th season. “The 10-year guys you won’t see any more, except for your quarterbacks. The running backs, you’re really going to see a short lifetime span. The season’s just too long (already)." Any player who lasts eight seasons—and Ward doubts there will be many— could play as many games as a current nine-season veteran. That player also will have played far more games than the NFL players who experienced 12-game schedules in the 1950s and 14-game schedules in the 1960s. Source: Yahoo! Sports
its two games, its 2 weeks, its not that big of a deal...not like they are making it a year round sport
actually it is a big deal for those grindin it out every week I like what Ray lewis said when he said we are not machines were human!
If they add an extra bye week I wont mind that aspect of it, I still mind only 2 pre-season weeks to evaluate young talent though.
2 extra games is a lot. 120 extra minutes before the playoffs is a lot of beating these players will take, they'll have to add players to the game day roster, to the practice squad and adjust the way players are signed off the practice squad. Ward is absolutely right. They almost have to add another bye week and I agree...the lack of the final two preseason games doesn't give teams enough to evaluate talent. If they only had two preseason games this season...no way Jonathan Dwyer makes the team.
they are making so much money at our expense though to entertain us, extending my entertainment makes me happy. when i think about my least favorite time of year....its when theres no football, when i think about my favorite time of year its when there is football.....extending my happiness at the cost of these athletes that for the most part would be too dumb to function in society and yet make wayyyy more money than most of us can imagine....i wont lose sleep over breaking down their bodies, im sure they dont mind non athletes having to bust their butt paycheck to paycheck if ray lewis cant handle it, he can retire his old ass add the extra bye and make the superbowl the sunday before presidents day....monday off....YEAH
It's going to take a toll on the players but I'm all for it as well for the exact same selfish reasons! I love the idea of having off the Monday after...
Today's players are so much bigger, faster and stronger that the game is far different than it was during the 14-game seasons. Extending the season (full out for two hours) is only going to get players injured that otherwise might not. True, it is only two games, but the violence of each collision and the speed at which they take place takes a toll on the human body that the decision makers may be failing to understand....IMO. I wonder what will happen if Peyton Manning suffers a severe concussion in week 18 or 19.
One thing I don't like about making it an 18 game season is that it'll make it a lot easier to break some of the old records.
Careers will certainly be shortened by this and with the additional injuries to each playoff team, the postseason will not have players playing at their best. Those games will become a lot less exciting. I care more about the product that I'm seeing more than how many times I see it.
I've said it before but when they do make the switch to 18 games there are going to be a lot of good players who just say 'Screw it' and retire having played their whole careers in the 16 game era. Personally I'm cool with 16 games and having the cheerleaders go topless in the preseason.
There are too many teams and the league is saturated with mediocre players. Go ahead and expand the rosters so the coaches can start holding out marquee players in week 10. Then you will have to give away your late season tickets because no one will buy them. Black outs are not working and Joe Lunchpail is the odd man out. TV Networks will soon balk at exorbitant costs of the contracts and that leaves us with this. PPV. I said it years ago. Roger has hecked this whole thing up. Dana White is no freaking dummy. It's a shame Roger wants to be Gordon Gekko.
you wouldnt stop wathing cause maybe one player got injured in week 19 with everything on the line.....players play harder when it means more and 18 games would spice up a 32 team league....so would shortening it by 10 games, but who the hell wants that? extending football season just allows for more football, 2 more weeks isnt gonna ruin careers. if it does who cares, we get to watch other players become great
ward's just using the negotiating stance that the nflpa will take............... there will still be 20 games a year. they will just replace 2 of the pre-season games with 2 regular season games. but even if there is a little more wear and tear on star players, it will only reduce their career by a year or 2 .................. so favre could have only played 28 seasons instead of the 30 he will play ............ big heckin' deal
