Even as a Steeler fan....

[lloydroid]

The flow of the game was atrocious yesterday. 14 penalties is absurd - 2 for intentionally running out of bounds on punts (WTF?). I can personally say that I don't watch the NFL outside of the Steelers anymore. Maybe it's on in the background but last Sunday afternoon I was out and about all day with Pgh off. Probably won't watch much this Sunday either. It's not fun, the rules are not evenly enforced (did the refs have $$ on how many times they could ignore Eagles PI), and 1:00 games lasting until 4:40 - it's death by over analyzing. Just horrid!

But college ball is fantastic. I've watched about 8 hours worth almost every week. Game after game, it's fun. Mid-week I'm checking CNN to see the college schedule so I can plan accordingly to catch the big games.

I have to admit, I am liking the NFL less and less, and liking college more and more. If the NFL keeps going the way of last week's games, I might just stop watching except for Steeler games. And if it stays as horrid as this game, I might even quit watching that. I am serious.

[hawaiiansteel]

I thought the game had a great ending though...

[Djfan]

This is my mantra of late. It kills me to think that Lambert, Deacon Jones, etc., would not be allowed to play like they did. I can't stand the pussified, QB centric nonsense.

The irony is that the ad for the Fearsome Foursome show was shown a million times. They still make money on that stuff, but it's not allowed now.

I swear I am going to lose my NFL love at this rate.

[tiproast]

I have to admit, I am liking the NFL less and less, and liking college more and more. If the NFL keeps going the way of last week's games, I might just stop watching except for Steeler games. And if it stays as horrid as this game, I might even quit watching that. I am serious.

Some pretty good football was played up the street yesterday in Foxboro. I heard that one team ran 89 plays on offense.

I live in California, and the early game out here was the Steelers game. I agree it was sloppy and there were way too many mistakes. As a somewhat neutral observer, I have to say that I didn't see too many flags that I disagreed with. Just two teams that had bad days on the same Sunday - it happens. Weather was a factor, too.

Unfortunately, the late game here was the 49ers-Bills. Too bad the Bills aren't on the Steelers schedule this year - your offense would look pretty spectacular.

[fezziwig]

When are the real refs coming back ?

[papillon]

If the Steelers aren't playing I don't watch the NFL. The only reason I watch the Steelers is because I grew up in the Pittsburgh area and it's in my DNA. My kids are Steeler fans, but only watch football if it's the last resort. They both play soccer that doesn't really stop play for anything and they don't understand how it's entertaining to watch commercials after every series, turnover or review of the play. The NFL has certainly lost them as fans.

Did anyone see the hit on Andrew Luck that was called a penalty? The only reason it was a penalty was because Luck got walloped by an unabated blitzing linebacker, but man the LB gave Luck a good, hard, and clean lick, similar to the one that Ben got from the Ravens linebacker a few years back, almost identical.

Pappy

[fezziwig]

Your right about the commercials and all that stuff. The time table between this and that takes away from the game. I'm sure it's a help to the team and the players but, it's not enough these days to keep young minds occupied.

[ikestops85]

If not for the redzone channel I wouldn't watch many pro games either. Watching the steeler games is irritating enough but trying to watch other teams, because I don't care about them, is impossible. I don't watch Thursday, Sunday, or Monday night games anymore. I'll flip to them every now and then on the off chance they are not on a commercial break or "under the hood" and I'll watch for a few minutes ... which is all it takes for them to get to a commercial break.

The NFL is killing itself.

[Djfan]

The NFL is killing itself.

This about sums it up.

[papillon]

Your right about the commercials and all that stuff. The time table between this and that takes away from the game. I'm sure it's a help to the team and the players but, it's not enough these days to keep young minds occupied.

It's not so much to keep their minds occupied as it is that they play a game that never stops and if you ever watch a Euro soccer match there are zero commercials except halftime and at the end of the game. There are the changing signs along the outside of the field that businesses use for advertising, but that's it. Even when there are fouls or the ball goes out of bounds for the most part the players don't have to wait for a whistle to put the ball back in play. Every play requires the referee to set the ball, blow the whistle, etc.

Of course, soccer doesn't draw any viewership here in the US, so, it hasn't caught on and it may never, but one thing is for sure the game is being played exactly the way it was designed to be played, no stoppage (for the most part), no replays and no commercials. If you're a fan of soccer watching a soccer game is infinitely more entertaining than an NFL game that doesn't involve the Steelers.

Pappy