Comments on: PRESEASONED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE http://markhasty.com/archives/2003/08/25/preseasoned-for-your-convenience/ E AHO LA'ULA Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:15:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: bryan http://markhasty.com/archives/2003/08/25/preseasoned-for-your-convenience/#comment-93 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2003/08/25/preseasoned-for-your-convenience/#comment-93 1. I think the preseason is already little more than glorified scrimmages. And the high-profile losses of Vick and Pennington are going to make coaches less likely to use their star players. 2. Not every TV has the option of switching games - espn and MNF are both obligated to one game (they only *play* one game at that time). 3. I don't even know that I'd get rid of *all* preseason games, but certainly 1 or 2 would be enough to figure out what's working and not. 4. I think the NFL AS A WHOLE loses when Vicks and Penningtons are taken out by stupid injuries in meaningless games. Rooting for the jersey will only take you so far. You have to have star athletes. The NFL - as much as any sport - thrives on stars. Again, I'm not talking about injuries to second string tackles, but injuries to superstars. 1. I think the preseason is already little more than glorified scrimmages. And the high-profile losses of Vick and Pennington are going to make coaches less likely to use their star players.

2. Not every TV has the option of switching games - espn and MNF are both obligated to one game (they only *play* one game at that time).

3. I don’t even know that I’d get rid of *all* preseason games, but certainly 1 or 2 would be enough to figure out what’s working and not.

4. I think the NFL AS A WHOLE loses when Vicks and Penningtons are taken out by stupid injuries in meaningless games. Rooting for the jersey will only take you so far. You have to have star athletes. The NFL - as much as any sport - thrives on stars. Again, I’m not talking about injuries to second string tackles, but injuries to superstars.

]]> by: Harry http://markhasty.com/archives/2003/08/25/preseasoned-for-your-convenience/#comment-94 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2003/08/25/preseasoned-for-your-convenience/#comment-94 The biggest problem with the preseason games is the hype they're given by the league and the networks. A preseason matchup between Tampa Bay and Oakland is not a rematch of the Super Bowl, and shouldn't be presented as such. More than anything, preseason games are a chance for late-round draft picks, free agent signees, and veterans attempting a comeback to show that they have the ability to play in the NFL. Take away the preseason, and you've made it much more difficult for those guys to make their case. If you don't play these games, I think you'd just see the injury rate in the first couple of regular season games skyrocket. Those players are just as unavailable to their teams, but the teams have had less time to see potential replacements in action. The biggest problem with the preseason games is the hype they’re given by the league and the networks. A preseason matchup between Tampa Bay and Oakland is not a rematch of the Super Bowl, and shouldn’t be presented as such. More than anything, preseason games are a chance for late-round draft picks, free agent signees, and veterans attempting a comeback to show that they have the ability to play in the NFL. Take away the preseason, and you’ve made it much more difficult for those guys to make their case.

If you don’t play these games, I think you’d just see the injury rate in the first couple of regular season games skyrocket. Those players are just as unavailable to their teams, but the teams have had less time to see potential replacements in action.

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