What NFL souvenir most interests you?

June 29th, 2009 12:19 pm
by Pro Set

What connection does the death of Michael Jackson have to the 2009 NFL Season? It reminds everyone that value comes from scarcity. Merchandise and record sales for Jackson’s music have already skyrocketed since his death . So as everyone awaits training camp, here are five pieces of NFL memorabilia that I’d love to have.

  1. Tom Landry’s hat: unfortunately for many younger NFL fans, Tom Landry’s hat is known only through Globex Corp but this hat symbolized the rise of America’s team: the Dallas Cowboys
  2. Lamar Hunt’s chequebook: a basic rule of economics is that monopolies become inefficient, and Mr Hunt, by bankrolling the AFL, drove the NFL to its current omnipotence
  3. Lambeau Field grass: the most storied venue in the League will hopefully never switch to Field Turf
  4. Jerry Rice’s gloves: the greatest receiver in NFL history
  5. Ed Hochuli’s referee shirt: despite Ed’s disaster at Mile High last season, his workouts and explanations are the best in the NFL

Posted in Dallas Cowboys, Game, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, NFL Coaches, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players | No Comments »

NFL 2009: the end of 16 games?

June 29th, 2009 12:01 pm
by Pro Set

NFL Season 2009 is now less than 100 days away. This is the eighth season of the eight division format, adopted with the commencement of the expansion Houston Texans. As fair as this schedule format is (teams within the division have 14 of 16 common games) the NFL may well succumb to the temptation to expand the regular season to 18 games.

Roger Goodell does nothing for his credibility by claiming that an expanded regular season is being proposed in the best interests of fans. It is a simple revenue raising exercise.

Assuming an 18 game regular season, the NFL has one chance to save face: by having two intra conference divisional crossovers. This would mean 16 common opponents and 100% scheduling parity within a division. The NFL has repeatedly stated that precedence must be retained to the importance of winning a division. The only detriment would be the fact that divisional winners would no longer meet automatically in the following regular season, no doubt to the chagrin of the networks.

A hypothetical 18 game schedule (for an NFC East team) under this proposal could proceed as follows:

  • Six divisional games
  • Four intra conference games v NFC North
  • Four intra conference games v NFC South
  • Four inter conference games v AFC East

The intra conference schedule would complete a rotation every three seasons and the inter conference would complete a rotation every four seasons. It’s not as if NFL Game Analysis has not been right before: check out this 2007 vent on the force out rule. The force out rule was abolished in time for last season.

Posted in Houston Texans, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL on television, NFL schedule | No Comments »

Delaware allows NFL wagering

June 29th, 2009 8:24 am
by Pro Set

The NFL is crying crocodile tears regarding Delaware and sports wagering. Very few industries benefit more from gambling than professional football.

Outlawing gambling on football is about as likely to be successful on a public policy basis as outlawing alcohol. Of greater interest here is the possible challenge to the Professional and Amateur Sport Protection Act 1992 (US).

It is high time that the US Supreme Court struck down this ridiculous legislation. No Sovereign State should be prevented from legislating about sports wagering that occurs within its borders. The commerce clause of the United States Constitution, upon which Congress claims the authority to legislate such matters, was never intended to cover activities within a Sovereign State.

American taxpayers fund the salaries of Department of Justice flunkies who couldn’t get a job in the private sector. Sports wagering is a State matter. Is there nothing better for the Washington parasites to do than worry about how American taxpayers spend a Sunday afternoon?

Here at www.nflgameanalysis.com NFL betting will be covered every week of the 2009 season and beyond: let the games begin.

Posted in Analysis, Game, NFL | No Comments »

Breaking News: Brett Favre to coach Australian Rules Football

June 28th, 2009 11:02 pm
by Big Dog

In a shock announcement today Brett Favre’s agent has revealed the quarterback’s intentions to begin a new career halfway around the world, taking on a coaching position with the Australian Rules football team, the Essendon Bombers. Favre said that he had long enjoyed watching the AFL games via satellite and that he had great respect for the skill and toughness required to play that game. “They have the strength and speed of linebackers, with the catching skills of wide receivers and the kicking ability of the best punters – it’s an amazing all-round set” Favre answered when asked what had attracted him to the game.

In response to a question about whether his NFL experience was relevant to entirely different code of football Favre laughed and said “Well I know about reading a game, I understand high pressure situations, and I know how to have fun while doing it. Anyone could learn from that.”

This shock announcement has shaken the NFL world and dismayed fans, players and coaches alike, most of whom thought Favre was destined for Minnesota.

Of course, the preceding paragraphs are entirely made up and have no relation to any persons living or dead. But when the world’s spinning in the grip of yet another year of “What Will Favre Do?” fever, well we just had to have a little fun with y’all. No matter what happens with the great number 4, we hope his recovery from surgery goes well and we’re sure Brett will continue to add lots of excitement to the world of football, on or off the field.

In any case, with no disrespect to Brett intended, I can’t wait for all this speculation to be over and for the season to have begun. There’s been a lot going on, but man I’m ready for some football!

Posted in Brett Favre, Game, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players | No Comments »

50th Anniversary Season for the AFL

June 28th, 2009 10:31 pm
by Big Dog

So the 2009 NFL season also happens to be the 50th Anniversary Season for the original eight teams of the AFL. Of course this will be celebrated in many ways throughout the coming months but the primary format will be a series of matchups being touted by the NFL as “Legacy Games“.

These Legacy Games will involve the original eight teams (or their modern variations) wearing special historic uniforms and will of course provide the opportunity for a great deal more NFL merchandise to be sold. For the die-hard fan of any one of these franchises it will be all but impossible to not buy a commemorative jersey, cap, tshirt, sweatshirt, jacket, cup, cup-holder, giant foam finger and so forth.

Not to appear overly cynical, I think it’s great that the game’s alive and well today, here 50 years later and still going strong, but it does seem to me that the value of any game – “Legacy” or otherwise – can really only be measured in terms of its contribution to the season as a whole.

Why on earth is it more important that the Tennessee Titans Houston Oilers play the New York Jets Titans of New York on September 27 than that Cleveland and Baltimore go head-to-head on the same day?

It’s important to celebrate the evolving history of the game we love, but let’s all remember to keep it in context. And that context is competition. Win your division, win your conference, win the title… but win. It doesn’t matter if you’re facing a legacy team or the high school from the next town over. The game is the game, and it only rewards winners.

So feel free to buy a commemmorative tshirt, jersey, hat, whatever. Just don’t expect it to make one bit of difference to how well your team plays.

Posted in Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Game, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL schedule, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans | No Comments »