Isifhan Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Did a search didn't see it posted my apologies if it was. What bugs me about this is that the media is so quick to fry Snyder when he actually does pay guys but then they blast teams for not paying them? I mean which way is it? They lose either way. Personally I prefer Snyders way though http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/02/AR2005090200206.html Nothing to See Here By Michael Wilbon Friday, September 2, 2005; Page E1 BALTIMORE -- The National Football League should be embarrassed to charge people to watch this junk. That's what the league staged last Thursday night , -- junk. Garbage, all of it, each and every game. The fourth and final week of the preseason is worse than the previous three weeks, which were bad enough. Redskins vs. Ravens packed the house last Thursday night; what a waste of time. The primary instruction to the starters, the players worth $100 per ticket, was " Ddon't get hurt." Please don't tell me that watching bench-warmers auditioning to make the team is worth $100 a seat. If I want auditions, I can watch "American Idol." This was junk. Every preseason game, without exception, should be run like a soccer game, on a continuous clock, especially one that goes to overtime as Redskins-Ravens did. There ought to be a law. But the NFL is one American business that can get away with anything. The NFL knows it's the country's only true national sporting passion. You can pass off anything as worthwhile when folks are counting down the days and hours until the start of the regular season, when every other shill with a press pass is screaming that tennis is dead and auto racing is only for hicks, and how nothing matters in sports anymore except the NF of L. As you read this, some dopes in an office are sitting around breathlessly throwing a fantasy draft party. People who wouldn't know Peyton Manning from Carol Channing will spend their money to watch anything resembling the NFL. If they stage it, people will come. They'll pay the freight (69,885 did last Thursday night) even though the players they really want to see were in the game for a handful of snaps. The NFL has convinced them they're seeing something important, just as they it convinced folks they were seeing something worthy back in 1987 in those union-busting replacement games. And what they're really seeing, throughout the month of August, is junk. What they're seeing in the fourth and final game is scream-out-loud awful. The only redeeming thing about the preseason is that it gives Tony Siragusa something to do on a Thursday night that doesn't involve a fork and hot sauce. And to think there sometimes used to be six of these preseason things every summer instead of four. Sam Huff, the Hall of Fame linebacker turned broadcaster, tells the story of having to play virtually every snap of those six preseason games for years because he didn't have a backup when he was starring for the New York Giants. Finally, when the players rallied together and formed a union, they got $50 a game. To keep his players from joining that union, Huff said, Papa Bear George Halas paid his Bears $75 a game. I told Huff he should sue for back wages. He and Sonny Jurgensen and Ozzie Newsome, all Hall of Famers, who were here for Redskins-Ravens, must feeling like throwing up when they watch this. At least in the old days, the final game of the preseason was like a dress rehearsal. That's when starters played, in many cases, half the game to be as sharp as possible for the opener. Now? If you got stuck in the traffic and made it to your seat late, you missed everybody you'd ever heard of. For my money, if you don't see Ed Reed, Chris McAlister, Jamal Lewis, Will Demps, Terrell Suggs , and Ray Lewis, then you haven't seen the Baltimore Ravens. If you haven't seen Clinton Portis, Patrick Ramsey, Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs , and Sean Taylor, then you haven't seen the Washington Redskins. You've seen, pretty much, three hours of junk. There was one play late in the third quarter in which three penalties were called on the Ravens, drawing actual laughter from the crowd when the official announced them. The backup center, Thatcher Szalay, was called for holding. Jason Brown, a rookie lineman, was called for "illegal touching" and the backup quarterback, Anthony Wright, was called for intentional grounding. The game should have been called right then and there. You can make nothing of preseason results, of the fact that the Giants beat the Patriots, 27-3, or that the Jets dusted the Eagles, 37-14. The players who will represent those franchises next week and for the next 17 weeks hardly played, . if they played at all. Don't get me wrong -- I love professional football as much as anything in sports. I'm one of the dopes who not only has DirecTV's "Sunday Ticket" on every set in the house, I've ordered the new "Super Fan" feature that will give me all eight 1 p.m. Eastern games on one screen. Not only that, I can watch the entire game of my choice (the Bears, silly) late Sunday night in a 30-minute, no-commercials, no-frills package. This has to be one of the five great inventions of the 21st century, right after "Desperate Housewives." No question, I'm a fool. I made my mother get "Sunday Ticket" at her house the one Sunday per season I'm there visiting, so I won't miss a game the silly local affiliate might not carry. But what we're seeing this weekend is isn't within a hundred miles of the NFL's best product. It's not even filler or NFL-like. Not only had starters left the Redskins-Ravens game before halftime, by the fourth quarter they had all showered and perfumed up and were chatting amicably with the sideline TV reporter while the game continued. Jon Jansen, the Redskins right-thinking tackle, says the league should go with two preseason games, and if a third one is necessary, make it for rookies and free agents only. Smart idea. Now, if you're simply into praising the league, there's no doubt that 70,000 people attending a preseason game is evidence of the NFL's superiority as a sports-and-entertainment entity. Major League Baseball and the NBA can't do this. The NFL is far and away the most creatively marketed, most in-demand thing in sports. And don't the league's club executives know it. Just look at how teams treat players now. The Eagles are now $15 million under the salary cap. So , the team couldn't give Terrell Owens a couple of mil after he risked his health and career to play the Super Bowl on a busted wheel? They cut Corey Simon, the player they just designated as the "franchise player" like he's some kind of stiff? The Steelers, for the second season, have asked wide receiver Hines Ward to come to camp and negotiate a new deal in good faith, then drag their feet and essentially lie to him? The Bears, the team with the worst offense in football the last 20 years, spend the No. 4 pick on a running back, Cedric Benson, then won't sign him until a week before the season over a million bucks or so? They do it because they can. They do it because, as we used to say, they' re feeling themselves, because they have no peer in sports/entertainment. The NFL, its member clubs and their executives, know the league is the 800-pound gorilla lion that can get away with whatever, whenever, including charging full price to watch for something that at any price other than free would be too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbeskin Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I'm going to the Seattle game tonight, even if the game isn't all that great, it's the atmosphere, more than anything else. Hanging out at a game with your friends and family, is what it's all about. If the game gets real bad, hey, that's what beer's for. He does have a point, that it's crap that they charge full price to see a game that people go half speed in. Glad I don't have to pay full price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkowi Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 blah blah blah, i hate everything, blah blah, chicago, blah blah, snyder, blah blah, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 blah blah blah, i hate everything, blah blah, chicago, blah blah, snyder, blah blah, :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 the point is.... supply and demand, the NFL gets $100 a ticket because fans will gladly pay it, knowing what they are getting..... it is no secret, or carny over hype. Fans love football, even pre-season scrub games... for many it's the only game they might ever see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamSneed36 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 hahaha whats a gorilla lion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 the point is.... supply and demand, the NFL gets $100 a ticket because fans will gladly pay it, knowing what they are getting..... it is no secret, or carny over hype. Fans love football, even pre-season scrub games... for many it's the only game they might ever see. Sorry bubba, but the NFL forces you to get the tickets when you pay for season tickets, then they have to basically give them away so others can go to the game. The owners need to cut the preseason tickets in half, it is crazy to spend that much while watching guys who won't even be on NFL rosters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Sorry bubba, but the NFL forces you to get the tickets when you pay for season tickets, then they have to basically give them away so others can go to the game.The owners need to cut the preseason tickets in half, it is crazy to spend that much while watching guys who won't even be on NFL rosters. But if tickets to those two games every year are that annoying or too expensive, no one is forcing people to buy season tickets. I could go to every regular season game if I wanted...tickets are out there for people who want to buy them...so just don't get season tickets if you don't want the preseason ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Sorry bubba, but the NFL forces you to get the tickets when you pay for season tickets, then they have to basically give them away so others can go to the game.The owners need to cut the preseason tickets in half, it is crazy to spend that much while watching guys who won't even be on NFL rosters. force?..... did they take the money without consent? again if the fans wouldn't stand for it, ..... now get this.... THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR IT! how many times have you heard, I'd like to have that, but I'm not paying that price.... not worth the money... etc force? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One_Mic Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 The only redeeming thing about the preseason is that it gives Tony Siragusa something to do on a Thursday night that doesn't involve a fork and hot sauce. Ok, most of it makes sense, I dont think fans should have to pay so much to see a preaseason game. Theres nothin really on the line except for roster spots. But this part about Siragusa is just funny. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 the point is.... supply and demand, the NFL gets $100 a ticket because fans will gladly pay it, knowing what they are getting..... it is no secret, or carny over hype. Fans love football, even pre-season scrub games... for many it's the only game they might ever see. Bubba, I do not know that I gladly paid full price for my two preseason games. But for the record, there was enough going on during the Steelers game to keep me entertained... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte51Coleman Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 the point is.... supply and demand, the NFL gets $100 a ticket because fans will gladly pay it, knowing what they are getting..... it is no secret, or carny over hype. Fans love football, even pre-season scrub games... for many it's the only game they might ever see. Sort of. The reason they get it, at least in Landover, is because season ticket holders are forced to pay full price for these "practice" games.Yeah, that's right, I said forced . I want season tickets for the regular season. The only way that I can get them is to agree to be gouged for the practice games. No, they are not holding a gun to my head, but the only choice would be to not have season tickets. Imo,THAT is not much of a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OVCChairman Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Hey, i cant stand wilbon, he's the biggest whiner on the planet, and he always has something to say. If i remember correctly, he used to be on the Redskins Report, before he got onto PTI and he used to rave about the preseason, because people were playin for their jobs. He's a baby, i just dont listen to him anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sisko Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 The latter part of pre-season is crap. I think it's only a matter of time before they cut it down to two pre-season games and go to an 18 game regular season. Regardless, there should be no such thing as overtime in a pre-season game. Just call it a tie and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte51Coleman Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Oops, I screwed up. Please post a bunny with a pancake on it's head picture here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNatsFan Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I read the article and it's junk. Why was it ever written or printed? Did Wilbon just wake up to these issues this year? This stuff is nothing new. The word duh comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumodat Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Geeez... Who pissed in his cheerios? Why is the media always trying to convince the fans these games are not worth going to? It is our money! Us fans, Wilbon, like to follow our team. A tremendous part of our team is revealed to us during preseason. If you don't like to watch this "junk," then don't. But don't speak for all fans by saying the NFL is ripping us off. You make us look like idiots who pay for something becasue the NFL convinced us it was important. I think we are all smart enough to decide what is important to us, without you media guys trying to tell us. The fans who go to preseason games, I would guess, want to be there. So enough with your rant on how pointless the preseason is and how us fans are getting duped. Thanks for your concern, but we have it under control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Sort of. The reason they get it, at least in Landover, is because season ticket holders are forced to pay full price for these "practice" games.Yeah, that's right, I said forced . I want season tickets for the regular season. The only way that I can get them is to agree to be gouged for the practice games. No, they are not holding a gun to my head, but the only choice would be to not have season tickets. Imo,THAT is not much of a choice. so "you" choose to pay to get season tickets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 The only redeeming thing about the preseason is that it gives Tony Siragusa something to do on a Thursday night that doesn't involve a fork and hot sauce. I like Wilbon. He is just commenting on the level of play of every NFL team on the last preseason game which is a joke. Digging on Tony was also funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I have direct tv, has ton of channels, I'll never watch, but I have to pay for all the channels even some crappy ones, just to see the dozen I want to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamSneed36 Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Geeez...Who pissed in his cheerios? Why is the media always trying to convince the fans these games are not worth going to? It is our money! Us fans, Wilbon, like to follow our team. A tremendous part of our team is revealed to us during preseason. If you don't like to watch this "junk," then don't. But don't speak for all fans by saying the NFL is ripping us off. You make us look like idiots who pay for something becasue the NFL convinced us it was important. I think we are all smart enough to decide what is important to us, without you media guys trying to tell us. The fans who go to preseason games, I would guess, want to be there. So enough with your rant on how pointless the preseason is and how us fans are getting duped. Thanks for your concern, but we have it under control. True, not like he pays to see the games anyway, he gets to sit in the nice pressbox with the catered buffett. What the hell is he complaining about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illone Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Geeez...Who pissed in his cheerios? Why is the media always trying to convince the fans these games are not worth going to? It is our money! Us fans, Wilbon, like to follow our team. A tremendous part of our team is revealed to us during preseason. If you don't like to watch this "junk," then don't. But don't speak for all fans by saying the NFL is ripping us off. You make us look like idiots who pay for something becasue the NFL convinced us it was important. I think we are all smart enough to decide what is important to us, without you media guys trying to tell us. The fans who go to preseason games, I would guess, want to be there. So enough with your rant on how pointless the preseason is and how us fans are getting duped. Thanks for your concern, but we have it under control. Good points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I just go to selected games, thus I don't have to buy preseason tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowtrain Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Sort of. The reason they get it, at least in Landover, is because season ticket holders are forced to pay full price for these "practice" games.Yeah, that's right, I said forced . I want season tickets for the regular season. The only way that I can get them is to agree to be gouged for the practice games. No, they are not holding a gun to my head, but the only choice would be to not have season tickets. Imo,THAT is not much of a choice. What difference really? Would you be much happier if season tickets were $125/game rather than $100/game and the preseason games came free? It's just a matter of smart accounting. Done this way, since fans feel like they're paying for the actual preseason game (rather than what it is -- a package), fans feel like they don't want their purchase to go to waste. So they show up and spend even more money on concessions, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte51Coleman Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 so "you" choose to pay to get season tickets? It's more like I choose to pay for regular season tickets and bend over and submit to paying for practice games because I have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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