I propose football run all year long

[Newc]

And here's how it would work.

January: Final NFL Championship games to determine Superbowl matchup. Canadian football is in regular season, playing 2 games each week, since the NFL only has 2 games in January left to play.
February: NFL Superbowl, Canadian football nears the end of their regular season, with Championship playoffs coming.
March: Canadian football playoffs. 2 games a week.
April: Arena football starts their 2-week pre-season, Canadian football post-season continues with one game per week.
May: Canadian football final 2 games to determine who goes to the CSB (Candian Superbowl), Arena football is in regular season.
June: Canadian Superbowl to be held in an Arena (climate control, and doesn't interfere with baseball). Arena football regular season continues.
July: Arena football regular season games, 2 per week.
August: Arena football enters post-season.
September: NFL pre-season begins, Arena football playoffs continue.
October: NFL regular season starts, Arena football reaches final 2 games to determine who goes to the ASB (Arena Superbowl).
November: NFL regular season in full-swing, Canadian football pre-season, Arena Superbowl.
December: NFL post-season begins, Canadian regular season begins.

Before anyone says the NFL won't allow it, the Canadian and Arena leagues don't need to get approval from the NFL to rearrange their schedules to do this, and they can sell their game broadcasts to any US stations without the NFL's interference. While they probably can't use the "Superbowl" name for their final game, it's the same concept. 2 teams enter, one wins, and they're the champs of the league.

[VitaminG]

it already does, if you follow different codes. Northern hemisphere summer is Southern hemisphere winter.

Actually, if you watch rugby or soccer, it is on year round because when Australia, New Zealand & South Africa's domestic competitions are resting over our summer (probably Argentina's too, although I've never seen their regional comp), the English & European leagues are playing.

I always thought the Superbowl a stupid concept. Why don't the best two teams in the competition playoff for national champion, instead of each conference champ playing? The best team in a weak conference can get steamrolled by the other side, whereas the 2nd best team in the nation (who miss out because they were also second in their conference) would have made the Superbowl a real contest, not to mention a spectacle. The best teams and best athletes in the nation, head to head for the biggest prize in the sport. Look out how lopsided the contest has been for Superbowl's entire history. The dominate conference wins every Superbowl for a decade at a time.

[toejam]

Rugby is the only type of football worth watching.

[Alvin_Wilson]

I love Arena Football. I have been a season ticket holder for the Georgia Force since their first season in Atlanta. We are not doing so well this year, but we still love the game and the atmosphere.

[atomic charvel guy]

good luck.
the NFL preseason started two nights ago with the draft.

[Newc]

NFL pre-season doesn't count until I see two teams in full gear in a stadium playing to win. The Draft is just picking teams.

Rugby won't catch on in America like Arena and Canadian football would, mostly because those two look more like NFL or College ball (or even High School). Rugby is an entirely different set of rules, and no pads. It looks more like hockey, or soccer.

[VitaminG]

NFL pre-season doesn't count until I see two teams in full gear in a stadium playing to win. The Draft is just picking teams.

Rugby won't catch on in America like Arena and Canadian football would, mostly because those two look more like NFL or College ball (or even High School). Rugby is an entirely different set of rules, and no pads. It looks more like hockey, or soccer.

sure it is.

It's much more like NFL than you think. Certainly not like hockey or soccer at all.

[atomic charvel guy]

NFL pre-season doesn't count until I see two teams in full gear in a stadium playing to win. The Draft is just picking teams.

Rugby won't catch on in America like Arena and Canadian football would, mostly because those two look more like NFL or College ball (or even High School). Rugby is an entirely different set of rules, and no pads. It looks more like hockey, or soccer.

tell that to the early weight training and mini camps that are run by many teams.

[atomic charvel guy]

especially with your saints and the feds-lol

[Jayster]

I may have had some whiskey, this is fact! However the horseshit I read makes me need 7 more to forget about it... The NFL is a ridiculous whore(kinda like the one who represents Jackson... Hmmm). I like Jacksons, hell I love 'em, I don't care if our spokeswhore has had a 'Hambone' reconstruction

This is just my humble opinion, but football needs limitations for 2 reasons....

1)To get us interested again after our favorite team gets treated like your buddies little sister after prom...
2)Because of overpaid pussies with a union...




BUT, mostly number 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnQgFXXwdY0

[Newc]

All the rubgy I've ever seen on TV includes punting the ball off to another player like a volleyball (by hand), and they're dressed more like soccer players than NFL players. Not sure if that can be done only in two directions (lateral or backwards like the NFL) or if it can be done in a forward angle like with soccer or field/ice hockey.

NFL would still be interesting since your favorite NFL team woudn't play all year. You might have to find a favorite Canadian and Arena team during those seasons, but you'd never see the Dallas Cowboys playing the Ontario whateverthefucks or New Orleans Voodoo, so yeah, your NFL teams get their down-time and training and draft and whatnot (the stuff that doesn't have a theme song and Al, Frank, and Dan hosting it on Monday or Thursday or Sunday nights i.e. the real pre-season/season/post-season i.e. the only playtime that matters).

If the whiny pussies in the players union annoy you that much, don't buy tickets.

[VitaminG]

All the rubgy I've ever seen on TV includes punting the ball off to another player like a volleyball (by hand), and they're dressed more like soccer players than NFL players. Not sure if that can be done only in two directions (lateral or backwards like the NFL) or if it can be done in a forward angle like with soccer or field/ice hockey.

That sounds more like Australian Rules football, in which you can punch or kick the ball in any direction. Love the sport, my favourite form of football actually, but not much like rugby (or NFL). It is more like soccer in that the ball can move in any direction and players from either team can stand anywhere on the field. Although unlike soccer, there is no off-sides rule in Aussie Rules.

Rugby similarities to the NFL
* play is linear, each team faces the other to progress the ball up the field to cross the goal line (or attempting to stop their opponents from doing the same in defense)
* additional points can be scored with a kick after a try or touchdown
* both full contact collision sports, players attempt to stop their opponent by knocking or dragging him to ground

major differences
* no helmets or heavy padding
* all players play offense & defence
* no limit on number of tackles, maintain possession of the ball for as long as you can
* ball is still in play after a tackle
* no forward passes. The ball can be kicked forward & regained by the kicking team, and often is done to gain tactical advantage
* no blocking
* the ball must be grounded over the try (scoring) line. If the defence can prevent the ball from touching the ground, even if the player has crossed the line, it's no score
* stoppages only occur with a penalty or a ball leaving the field of play (or referees call, eg. an injured player is in the direct line of play)
* because of the lack of stoppages, a televised game can be watched in under TWO HOURS!

AND
* if you don't turn pro, you can still keep playing full contact rugby at a local club level after school, until your tired old body can't take it no mo'!

Here's some light reading for ya! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...nd_rugby_union

FWIW, the US & Canadians teams were quite entertaining to watch at the last World Cup. They're a long way back from the top tier teams, but against the second tier, they were very competitive and play a good brand of football.

[Newc]

Well, there ya go, the Major Differences list are all the key elements of why it won't gain the NFL fans. We're used to seeing it done a certain way, and if we ever like it differently, then we'll want it all the same and will sue and march in protest until it is