When I think about all the contingencies and possibilities concerning the upcoming NFL season, I'm reminded of the seder song,
Dayenu.
All I want is to be able to watch the Giants play football this Fall. Winning and losing, quality football, that's not as important to me as the simple entertainment of turning on the TV and watching my boys in Blue once a week.
So here's my question: if they determined that the only wise way to put a product on the field with acceptable risk to player health was to limit all preparation to zoom meetings so that the only time the players actually suit up and physically interact is on game day, would it suffice us? Would that be better than no football at all in your mind? My answer is yes.
I understand what it would mean to the quality of the game. I understand that it would put the Giants at a significant disadvantage vs the Cowboys and Eagles (given the new coaching staff and new systems on both sides of the ball). I'm not saying it should be the NFL's plan A or plan B or plan C, but if all those plans are nixed for health reasons and we're left with it as plan Z, I'll take it and I won't complain. It's still football.
If all they do is teleconferencing, non covid health issues will be a concern.
--The owners only care about revenues. Game day is what generates revenues. Practices don't generate revenues.
--Players aren't paid because they practice, they are paid because they generate eyeballs on game day.
So the only thing that is absolutely essential for the NFL to have a season is that the players show up on game day and put on a 3-hour show (not to be confused with a 3-hour tour). That's what gives the advertisers the eyeballs they are willing to pay the networks for and the revenues from the advertisers is what gets the networks to pay billions to the owners who then give half of those billions to the players. Meaning if they ultimately decided to limit player and employee exposure at the workplace to its absolute minimum and still put a product on TV, my plan Z is the way to go.
I'm not saying they should go directly to plan Z, they should first explore the practicality of plans A through Y, but I could live with plan Z if that's what they ultimately agree on. Would such a plan mean more injuries than is typical for an NFL season? Maybe yes, maybe no. It could mean just the opposite for all we know. Injuries occur during practice, too. Lots of them.
So it is more likely they only practice and not play....under you scenario.
So it is more likely they only practice and not play....under you scenario.
If He had led us to East Rutherford in September, Dayenu.
If He had given us the Daniel Jones in prodigious form, Dayenu.
If He had brought us into the Land of Meaningful December Football, Dayenu.
If He hoisted a Lombardi for us amid this fucking shithole of a year, Dayenu.
*Everyone now* dy Dayenu! dy Dayenu! dy Dayenu! Dayenu Dayenu!
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
I think there's plenty of room to have a diminished season that is still very worthwhile. I don't think a season without any in-person practice would qualify.
don't get me wrong. i will watch every giants game even if they suck. but until they give me a reason to be excited for them as a team, i'm tempering my expectations and excitement for them as a team. i am excited to see jones hopefully progress, the new draft picks, and barkley.
i am looking forward to the gambling and fantasy football more than the giants though. i'm in many fantasy leagues. i'm 36. one of my leagues is with all my high school friends and it's really the glue that holds us all together at this point in our lives. i have two others with former coworkers where this is my only interaction with them due to family and work obligations. it's important to me to keep these relationships and fantasy helps with that. so i really want to keep fantasy around this year for that as well as the competition.
and i want some form of daily distraction. i want to be able to read about sports and fantasy. i want something to distract me from all this other crap.
With all that being said there are some things you can do to spread things out. Have offenses and defenses practice on different fields and only interact with each other 1 or 2 days a week. When its 1st string, only the 1st string players are there while 2nd string is on another field. Then they switch. In other words only 22 guys together at once.
If they revolve practice times, they can also separate the offense and defense in the locker rooms as well.
👍. Many people are moving on. Whether you agree with them for doing so, or are appalled, that s what s happening.
Record numbers of Covid cases are being reported. Whether you’re appalled by that because you’ve been respecting others in your community by wearing a mask and practicing social distancing or you’re a selfish person who insists on “moving on” regardless of the impact of YOUR actions on others…that’s what’s happening.
I think a bigger problem than increased injuries will be increased penalties, especially on offense (false starts, illegal motion, illegal man down field, etc). On defense you'll see more blown coverages. Translation: more three-and-outs, more big plays.
That's gonna be the case no matter the solution. New coaching staff, second-year QB, young team overall: the deck is stacked against the Giants this year regardless of the plan, because even the most optimistic plans immensely limit the amount of practice and the number of participants per practice. Being on the smarter side will be more of an advantage this year than in years past. Same goes for veteran experience.
Why bother?
Cancel the season.
No, not better. We will see all kinds of injuries...not worth the risk.
We are going to attempt workouts on grass but kids will have to maintain 6' and staff will be masked. It's not "football practice" just getting the athletes out of their homes.
In 2 weeks, we can add footballs. They can only be handled by players with gloves.
Zoom installs are pretty much it right now.
I am a combat veteran, born in the 1960's and I bleed red, white, and blue. If the NFL isn't a fun escape for me than I will find other ways to spend my time: family, outdoors, volunteering, farming, church, beach, etc.