Football purists versus snot-nosed kids.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about just how bad the NFL has ruined the game we love. We both know that we are old-timers and football purists and that we are a dying breed. We also know that although we despise what the NFL has become, they are making tons of money, so someone must like it.

Is it that the snot-nosed, video game playing, brats who see football as entertainment, will soon rule the world?

Is it that those who watch football simply for splash plays and big hits far out-number those of us who grew up watching real football?

My question is this: Why can't the NFL find a happy medium and produce a product that appeals to real football fans as well as gamers?

 

It's all about fantasy at the moment. Blocks of network programs dedicated to it. Surprised they don't have a 24/7 network dedicated to it yet. Even the players are going this route with the I need the ball now charades...lol...Poor statpadding Ben.

 

We're a dying breed. We're a dying demographic. Those snot-nosed punks are the future of the NFL, not us. We've served our purpose. It sucks, but that's business.

Think about it...30 years ago, WE were the snot-nosed future of the NFL. They catered to us and built their brand around what we responded to.

 

When I read this I instantly started think back to the late 80's and I can't think of anything remotely so dramatic that changed from my dad's days of watching the NFL to mine.

 

If you go back 30 years like I said, that takes you to the early 90's. Go back 30 years before that and you're looking at the 60's. There's a dramatic difference between those eras/generations. The 60's saw the first facemasks (on plastic helmets). There was no bump and run until the 60's. Between 1974 and 2011, the kickoff line was moved 3 times. And in the 70's there were countless rule changes. Many of them were to slow the Steelers' defense.

 

You said 30 years but the examples you gave were 60 years? WTF

 

You mentioned your dad. 30 years ago would have taken us back to young adulthood and the changes in the 80's and 90's. The changes your dad would have seen as a young adult would have been in the 60's. I was trying to demonstrate "dramatic" changes across generations.

 

The difference between the game I watch and the game my dad watched is roughly 30 years. There have been more changes to the game in the last 6-7 years than there were in the last 50 years total......and none of them have to do with football. The leather helmet, the goal post move, the hash mark moves, etc did nothing to change how the game is played.

 

Huh??? The leather helmet didn't change how the game was played? Moving the goal post didn't change how it was played? Moving the hash marks???? Good grief. All of those impacted how the game was played. They aren't high profile, hot button topics, but they definitely changed the landscape. We can get into specific and general changes that each of those brought about if you want. Just let me know.

 

None of those things changed catching. blocking, and tackling. Mike drop!