The title is pretty self explanatory; I'm losing interest in the NFL. This is as a whole, and has little to nothing to do with the Bengals' current woes. The product, to me, has drastically worsened and has become stale.

I'm really curious to hear from you guys if you feel the same, and if your reasoning mirrors mine. Fwiw, here's a list of reasons and a synopsis explaining my issues.

1.) The rules and officiating. (Big surprise, huh?)

It's just awful. The game has become almost unwatchable. I'm almost surprised when I don't see a flag on any play that is even remotely exciting. I'm left waiting for the flag on every run over 10 yards, every long return, every quarterback hit, etc. The new rules contribute most to my frustration.

I understand they need to keep players safe. I don't understand flagging a defensive player for "driving a QB into the ground" on a clean sack (AKA falling on them). I'm not sure how a player is supposed tobmake these plays, short of hitting the QB and then magically levitating off of him.

I understand not cheap shotting the kicker or punting. I don't understand a guy trying to make a play on a block and barely rolling into the punters foot being flagged. This type of play, along with the previously mentioned, and many others should be based on intent IMHO. Was it malicious, did the guy go out of his way to commit a foul? In many of these cases it seems there's nothing else, short of not making the play, the defender can do.

I understand wanting to get calls right. I don't understand delaying the game for minutes at a time for reviews that should take 30 seconds. It's just too much, and worse is the fact they still don't get it right all the time.

It's 2019. Why do we have an official walking over to a 8in monitor and reviewing it for 5 minutes when you could have a crew upstairs reviewing on 60in screens, with multiple angles? The time it takes the ref to even walk to the monitor and back is too long. If you can't make a decision in under 1min then the play should stand as called. Period.

I'm rambling, moving on...

2.) The players.

A lot of them just aren't that likeable. Take your pick: Antonio Brown, Tyreke Hill, Ritchie Incognito, Richard Sherman, Baker Mayfield....

And maybe this just me aging, and pulling an Abe Simpson and yelling at a cloud, but a lot of these guys just suck as people. And I know the league has always had its share characters but this most recent era just seems so much worse. It's a combination of bad character and obnoxiousness.

Yeah, Michael Irvin and the Cowboys (They even wrote a book about it) weren't saints but they didn't strike me as unlikeable as a lot of what I'm seeing now.

OBJ wearing a 300k watch during a game and then complaining about it... Sherman making up stories about Mayfield... Mayfield in general... Jalen Ramsey missing practice because he's sick, then he's got a bad back... Antonio Brown trying to fight his GM... guys demaning trades... guys dancing on EVERY play. A routine tackle, down 20 points, let's do a little jig.

Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time rooting for a lot of these guys. They're turds. And the worst part is, the turds get all the coverage. AJ Green and Julio Jones get little coverage on the various shows, yet I get bombarded with Antonio Brown and OBJ discussion.

Want to watch a primetime game? Guess what? Its the Browns and you'll "OBJ" about 75 times. isn't that so cool? Its his initials and he wears Lamborginisvon his wrist, lets say "OBJ" 75 times. Who cares if he's never won squat, is/was a team cancer, his team sucks, and he has the emotional and intitectual maturity of a 10 year old? Yeah, he's a garbage human being but he makes cool one handed catches and has a 3 letter nickname! Let's cover him to death!!!

The Coverage.

This issue is probably more about modern technology (internet, podcasts, programming) and it is self inflicted.

By the time the games finally roll around I'm already almost burnt out. I'm a sports nut so I watch a lot of ESPN and NFL Network. Toss in some youtube vids, a podcast or two, local talk radio, the newspaper, etc... I'm overloaded before the pre-game starts. And don't even get me started on those. I used tonlove the pre-game but now I can't wait to get stale arse Terry Bradshaw , Howie Long and Jimmie Johnson off my screen. "Enough fluff, start the game!"

Again, this is mostly self inflicted but I do think the league is over-covered and has become more entertainment than sport. It seems like overkill to me.

The Patriots

It's been 20 years, guys. Can someone figure out how to stop these guys. Players have come and gone, coaches have come and gone, position groups have gone from elite to below average and eveything in between, Tom Brady is 42. What gives? Can someone figure how to outcoach Belichick?

I'm getting real tired of these ***** being good.

The Champ is Here commercial

You know the one, they just repeat "the champ is here" about a dozen times before some stupid little rap. It airs about 30 times a game. I HATE it. I HATE so, so, much.

So, how about you? Are you losing interest in the product? Why or why not?

Looking forward to some matchups this weekend so I guess not. Check outside. Some kid just stepped on your lawn !

(10-11-2019, 02:20 PM)John Shaft Wrote: Looking forward to some matchups this weekend so I guess not. Check outside. Some kid just stepped on your lawn !

Personal insults because you don’t agree with him? He’s not too old, you’re just too cool!

Yes I am losing interest in the NFL because of similar factors that you listed like coverage, players dance after every play and make issues of himself.

I HATE too many freaking commercial! They break for commercial frequently and mention upcoming shows on station like 20 times.

When there is a slight wind here in Dayton, the station adds "Wind" warning, flood warning, tornado watch, tornado warning, storm warning, fog warning, closings, community announcements; just about every warning known to mankind. Add, the in game trackers, scores, time, scoreboard, it's like watching a news feed channel!

I really hate most announcers except for Romo. I cannot stand Collingsworth. I cannot stand the pre game shows.

But the real reason I am losing interest is the Bengals are going to suck, maybe for quite a while...

Your not alone. I agree with most everything you said, but for me it began last year with the kneeling. Sports are traditionally known as the "opiate of the masses" but lately the NFL hasn't been delivering my"fix."
That being said I am going to my first NFL game this Sunday to watch the Bengals in Baltimore with my 8 month pregnant wife. Maybe that will recharge my NFL spirit... or...

(10-11-2019, 02:24 PM)Circleville Guy Wrote: Personal insults because you don’t agree with him? He’s not too old, you’re just too cool!

Wow. That's referred to as an "insult" these days ? If thats the case, please avoid any All in the Family, Sanford and Son or Jeffersons episodes. You may end up in the fetal position overwhelmed by sensitivity.

I'm losing interest because the team I root for is about to tie the second-longest number of consecutive losing seasons it has ever had.

How about these horrible halftime "concerts" on MNF. All the other fluff takes away from the game. Why have an in depth breakdown of the first half when we can have Kid Rock perform a bad video.

Agree with everything but the Patriots. I sit in awe at their dominance and have thoroughly enjoyed them stomping Pittsburgh dreams for a decade.

Since we are venting I have to admit that I never really cared for Led Zeppelin.

I still love the game.

I remember when Billy "White Shoes" Johnson and Mark Gastineau were ruining football for the old stick-up-the-ass crowd. That was forty years ago. Nothing changes.

Slowly been losing interest over the last few years. Partially due to the Bengals simply being boring for many years. But mainly the NFL for the things listed above. And this is coming from someone that started playing fantasy football before the internet age.

(10-11-2019, 02:48 PM)A-Train Wrote: Your not alone. I agree with most everything you said, but for me it began last year with the kneeling. Sports are traditionally known as the "opiate of the masses" but lately the NFL hasn't been delivering my"fix."

Last Year?

That was 2016.

I still love football. It isn't the same tho when the Bengals are losing as it relates to the powerrankings and gameday/morning highlight shows etc.

I tend to skip all those during these bad seasons.

I think I love football a bit more every year. Fantasy plays a big part of course. But I enjoy the battle between the coaches, watching star athletes, the game of predicting good players coming out of the draft.. just so much fun. Yeah Bengals losing sucks, but I can get past it at this point.

(10-11-2019, 03:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Last Year?

That was 2016.

Thanks. That about summarizes my attentiveness.

(10-11-2019, 03:34 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Since we are venting I have to admit that I never really cared for Led Zeppelin.

That is freaking blasphemy

I've grown tired of the non-stop hype that tries to convince us all that these are all the greatest athletes the world has ever known and every game is more important than any possible event that could possibly ever happen including WWIII. 
"We interrupt the launching of every nuclear weapon aimed at every city on earth to tell you about the latest important developments and news about Antonio Brown!"
Ok, a tad hyperbolic there, but I think you might get the point..
Baseball's world series is right around the corner and I could care less. The Reds ain't in it. But it's not just baseball. Only the biggest cities and largest markets are permitted to win. Everyone else is just there to fill in time until THE BIG GAME that almost none of us cares about.. I'm firmly convinced they're all rigged now to favor only the largest markets..end of story. 

WHAT? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CORRUPT SPORTS!  They all take an oath!  (Well, they actually don't, but let's pretend they do and it's so utterly binding and uncorruptable to make it impossible.)

My interest in the NFL has waned ever since the playoff loss to Shittsburgh in 2015. That game took a lot out of me as a fan.

Also doesn't help that the Bengals have been ass for the last 3+ years.

(10-11-2019, 04:09 PM)grampahol Wrote: I'm firmly convinced they're all rigged now to favor only the largest markets..end of story. 

Jets have not made the playoffs in 8 years.

Giants have not had a winning season in 6 years.

Last year was Chicago's first winning season in 6 years.

(10-11-2019, 03:56 PM)A-Train Wrote: Thanks. That about summarizes my attentiveness.

The NFL paid a pretty penny to blacklist that guy out of the NFL and you don't seem very grateful.