With the NFL season just past the halfway point, several media pundits and players chimed in on issues the league has faced to date and what it may need to address going forward:
OFFICIAL STANCE: In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported the NFL did not give ESPN’s Sean McDonough with "any negative feedback" following his criticism of officiating during the broadcast of last month's Jets-Cardinals "MNF" game, suggesting that the league "agreed with his take." McDonough said, "I don’t think what I said (that night) was particularly courageous." He added, "I’m not in the business of haranguing people over and over again ... I’m not out there making a statement to call attention to myself or hammer the league.” It is "tough questioning the truth" even for the NFL (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/13).
KING RICHARD: Seahawks CB Richard Sherman said of things he would change to make the game better, “A simplification of the rules would be great. You have the referees out there doing quantum physics. ... Obviously, a relationship between the players and the league would be fantastic but that's not something that seems reasonable in the near future, with the way things have gone" ("Football Night in America," NBC, 11/13).
MOVE THE CHAINS: In Boston, Ben Volin wrote the NFL could "certainly stand to pick up the pace of play." The league could also improve game broadcasts by airing "one commercial break per touchdown." Games should also be kept "moving," and on a change of possession, "allow no more than one minute of commercials." There should also be "direct input from the league office on instant replays" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/13).
SUGGESTION BOX: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal wrote there are "too many games on TV, too many mismatches" and too many "blown officiating calls." The pace of the games is also "too slow." Meanwhile, fans have been "sensitized to the dangers of head trauma in the hits they used to love" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/13). Former NFL coach Dan Reeves addressed the league's dip in ratings, saying, "You’re getting a little overexposure. It’s sort of like when you’re eating -- after a while, you get enough” (AP, 11/11). In San Diego, Nick Canepa wrote the NFL has "misunderstood exactly what its patrons want." It is in "danger of losing its true fans, the fans who not only love football," but who "love all of football." NFL teams "don't practice right or enough anymore," and "poorly played close games are not exciting" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/13).
STORM THE CASTLE! Redskins CB Josh Norman last week "offered one suggestion" on how the NFL's on-field product could be improved, saying that it is "time for some turnover at league headquarters." Norman: "Get the people who are in there out. Whoever’s making the rules, just get ‘em out. We have a new president; have a new NFL commissioner" (AP, 11/11).
LIST OF COMPLAINTS: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth wrote on a scale of 1-to-10 on how DirecTV's "Red Zone" channel affects ratings, he gave it a "5 perceived/2 realistically." Otherwise, the nets "would be squawking for it to be unplugged by now." Meanwhile, he wrote fans streaming games on their phone or tablet is an "8 and growing." The amount of commercials is a "4 perceived/6 realistically." Meanwhile, the league’s "ongoing issues with concussions, anthem protests and off-the-field issues could bring viewer fatigue." This is a "2" for Hoffarth, but it can "provide a tiebreaker if a husband and wife are making an argument to watch" a Thursday night contest or not (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 11/13).
