Do you care about the lockout?

[Warner2BruceTD]

BTW Larry.. How can you say the NFL is filled with games that are dull and talk up college football, you know, the system with 8,000 exhibition games at the end of the season and a championship game that's filled mostly with controversy and overall bullshit about the teams that didn't make it over the teams that did?

Yeah I get it.. Bills-Lions probably isn't a very appealing matchup. But thats sports. Every league has bottom dwellers playing other bottom dwellers.. or championship caliber teams playing bottom dwellers here and there. But I can't think of a sport with more meaningless games in it than college football (aside from college basketball probably, and even then come February and March it's filled with dramatic/awesome games). The system created basically makes it to where if you lose a game.. you're out of the championship chase unless your name is "Texas" "Alabama" etc. How's that not dull after awhile?

[NAHSTE]

When college football gets a playoff.. then it will absolutely be better than the NFL.

But until then... nope. Not even close.

FIXED.

I guarantee you, college football will become HUGE if any NFL games are missed. It's already fucking huge, look at the TV deals the networks are throwing out. They are forking over literally billions of dollars to broadcast college games. Already college football has overtaken the NBA and MLB in TV dollars. That shit is like crack to certain sects of America, and on a national scale it's always been great for gambling. The only two things holding it back from being the most popular sport in America, just based on gross number of fans, are the playoff thing and the fact that there is no legit fantasy football structure there yet.

Which is why I say that any NFL games missed will be huge for CFB. All the degenerate gambling and fantasy geek power will be channeled directly into one concentrated form. Sure there are plenty of pro-only football fans who are not totally immersed in the game, either because they have no team allegiance or for whatever reason they just don't give a shit. But if Saturday is your only chance to get your football fix, and subsequently all the excusable day drinking, degen gambling and fantasy geekhood that comes with it, chances are that you eventually hop on board.

College Football is the greatest game on the planet when it's in its top form. There are plenty of warts, but it can certainly overtake the NFL, which has made a number of missteps in fan relations and entertainment in the past 2-5 years.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I agree.

All CFB is missing is a legitimate playoff system in order to challenge the NFL. There are millions of fans like me, who due to the laughable post season structure, just can't commit to the sport beyond casually keeping one eye on it.

I would dive in deep, the same way I follow college hoops, if 90% of the games weren't completely meaningless.

[NAHSTE]

I agree.

All CFB is missing is a legitimate playoff system in order to challenge the NFL. There are millions of fans like me, who due to the laughable post season structure, just can't commit to the sport beyond casually keeping one eye on it.

I would dive in deep, the same way I follow college hoops, if 90% of the games weren't completely meaningless.

We absolutely need a playoff system, we needed it 10 years ago and we still need it. If we don't get one soon, the people should revolt.

HOWEVAH....

There's no comparison between the gameday atmosphere between a huge rivalry or conference college game and your average NFL game. I try to tell all the random Eagles or Giants fans up here who think Rutgers is real college football to head down south for a game at any of the top 8 SEC schools and get their fucking world rocked.

Saturdays shit all over Sundays already, and that's with the worst postseason and championship awarding structure in the entire sporting world. Imagine if that gets fixed, and any of the initial backlash over the NFL lockout lingers, and well, you have the same perfect storm that killed baseball in '94 and led to this NFL-crazed country to begin with.

[Bear Pand]

College hoops has just as many / more meaningless games than College football despite having a playoff system. You could easily tune in when conference championship week comes around and not miss anything.

FWIW I'd say CFB is more accurate about crowning the best team champion than CBB is with MM.

Also a ton of the people who whine about the BCS still watch every saturday.

[Hasselbeck]

FIXED.

I guarantee you, college football will become HUGE if any NFL games are missed. It's already fucking huge, look at the TV deals the networks are throwing out. They are forking over literally billions of dollars to broadcast college games. Already college football has overtaken the NBA and MLB in TV dollars. That shit is like crack to certain sects of America, and on a national scale it's always been great for gambling. The only two things holding it back from being the most popular sport in America, just based on gross number of fans, are the playoff thing and the fact that there is no legit fantasy football structure there yet.

Which is why I say that any NFL games missed will be huge for CFB. All the degenerate gambling and fantasy geek power will be channeled directly into one concentrated form. Sure there are plenty of pro-only football fans who are not totally immersed in the game, either because they have no team allegiance or for whatever reason they just don't give a shit. But if Saturday is your only chance to get your football fix, and subsequently all the excusable day drinking, degen gambling and fantasy geekhood that comes with it, chances are that you eventually hop on board.

College Football is the greatest game on the planet when it's in its top form. There are plenty of warts, but it can certainly overtake the NFL, which has made a number of missteps in the fan relations and entertainment in the past 2-5 years.

Hey I love college football.. and no question they stand the most to gain in the event games are missed (highly unlikely, but I guess still in play as long as there is a lockout).

However.. the moment the NFL comes back, NFL fans will go back. This isn't like the NBA, the NFL will not lose much of anything as a result of this work stoppage. And if they do, the "losses" will only be temporary much like baseball after their strike.

But yeah.. I think it goes without saying that if NCAAF picked up a playoff, it'd become an even more popular sport than it is now.. which makes it that much more mind boggling that the powers that be refuse to go into that.

To get the thread back on track before it turns into a "we need a playoff thread!" .. the NFL will be fine provided the entire season isn't cancelled. That'd cause some damage.. but I can't fathom it getting to that point.. hell I'd be shocked if the lockout isn't lifted next week sometime. And when the lockout is lifted, the NFL will once again be at the forefront of American sports.

[citizenerased]

I care a lot, I love football, and I want to see them play.

I don't care who gets the damn money. Athletes are already compensated way outside of what I would considered a normal salary and owners are douchbags, trying to hoard more than they need. Owners should pay players less, take less money, and let a family go to the fucking football game without paying $80 bucks for nosebleeds plus $20 for parking and another $50 in food and drinks. Unbelievable they are arguing over "what is only fair" when the treatment of the fans IMO isn't fair.

Why should they? They are getting 65,000 people in each week with the prices they are currently charge, no reason for them to change it.

Commie.

[Senser81]

FWIW I'd say CFB is more accurate about crowning the best team champion than CBB is with MM.

And in both sports, after a few years the crowned champions will have to vacate their title due to numerous violations. So it really IS meaningless.

[jms493]

I live in New York and frankly there isn't many Big Football programs up here. If I didn't go to Penn State I probably wouldn't give 2 shits about any school and would just watch the National Championship game. Most NFL fans i talk to around here don't really follow College football b/c they don't have any allegiance to a team. It seem to be huge in the south were is a big football program every 100 miles.

But yeah as you were saying.....most of the games are meaningless and now that there are 30 bowl games they are not meaningless as well. Most people just watch the BCS game and that is it.

It will take a LONG ass time for NCAA to take over NFL.....

[Senser81]

Problems:
1. Without a div1 alma mater how does 1 choose what teams to follow ?

If you didn't go to a division 1 school, then you are probably too dumb to actually follow football.

'Nuff said.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Thats my problem. I think people from syracuse and rutgers are annoying. Hofstra folks are nice but Im not following fuckin Hofstra.

I have no capacity to pick a team as an adult. If I didnt fall in love with the magic of a player or team as a child tough shit for me. I cant do it as an adult.

Hofstra doesn't have football anymore, bruh.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

BTW Larry.. How can you say the NFL is filled with games that are dull and talk up college football, you know, the system with 8,000 exhibition games at the end of the season and a championship game that's filled mostly with controversy and overall bullshit about the teams that didn't make it over the teams that did?

Yeah I get it.. Bills-Lions probably isn't a very appealing matchup. But thats sports. Every league has bottom dwellers playing other bottom dwellers.. or championship caliber teams playing bottom dwellers here and there. But I can't think of a sport with more meaningless games in it than college football (aside from college basketball probably, and even then come February and March it's filled with dramatic/awesome games). The system created basically makes it to where if you lose a game.. you're out of the championship chase unless your name is "Texas" "Alabama" etc. How's that not dull after awhile?

Florida International University v. Toledo in the Little Caesars Bowl > Any NFL Game all year.

[Senser81]

Hofstra doesn't have football anymore, bruh.

If you didn't go to a division 1 school, then you are probably too dumb to actually follow football.

'Nuff said.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I live in New York and frankly there isn't many Big Football programs up here. If I didn't go to Penn State I probably wouldn't give 2 shits about any school and would just watch the National Championship game. Most NFL fans i talk to around here don't really follow College football b/c they don't have any allegiance to a team. It seem to be huge in the south were is a big football program every 100 miles.

But yeah as you were saying.....most of the games are meaningless and now that there are 30 bowl games they are not meaningless as well. Most people just watch the BCS game and that is it.

It will take a LONG ass time for NCAA to take over NFL.....

You are looking at this from a NY perspective. NY is a pro town, always has been, always will. And its also a baseball first town. Nobody will ever care about CFB in NY. Even the Knicks and St Johns when they are good are neck and neck with the NFL. Its not a big football city in comparison to others. Most Giants/Jets season ticket holders are from Jersey and Connecticut. Its Yankees/Mets first all year long.

When I first moved away from Jersey, I was shocked at the sports culture change. Baseball gets no play here. None. At all. CFB is number one. They talk it year round, 24/7. Recruiting, spring games, shit puts me to sleep. But they eat it up. NFL is an afterthought. NBA doesn't exist. College hoops is #2 to CFB. Its 'different' in the south.

CFB owns rural america. Its NY/Chicago/big cities that are pro towns and likely always will be.

[Senser81]

Where do you live?