What we the NFL be without it's personalities?

I am sure that many of you have noticed the recent increase in media attention being given to the so-called "antics of todays pro athletes namely Warren Sapp...so I pose the question how entertaining would the NFL be without it's personalities...for that matter how good would any league be???


Personally, I like love the continuous banter and actions of a guy like Sapp...the same way I loved it when Deion would strut his stuff or when Neil Smith used to do the baseball swing or Brian Cox would get the fans in an uproar...moving away from football probably the single most quoted and brash athlete of the last 15 years was and continues to be an American Icon "CHARLES BARKLEY" I mean who hasn't laughed at Charles atleast a dozen times in thier lives?
I think it's about itme we the fans put things into perspective and recognize what exactly it is we are witnessing...ENTERTAINMENT!

These guys are not only the greatest athletes in the world the amongst the greatest entertainers...and the same people who give them a forum which to speak to the world masses turn around and berate them when they speak their minds or say something that could be viewed as a derogatory or as socially unexceptable statement. Here is a question...Why is it everytime Warren or someone like him boycotts the media he is viewed as a prima donna jerk...if when he does speak nobody likes what he has to say?
IMO, The powers that be (THE MAN) be it the NFL or whomever want to be dictators which the last time I checked in this country wasn't really popular. What we have is a case of everyday people getting upset with soemthing they created and continue to create. We as the fans have every right not to support these athletes...you don't think people are tunning in to see what warren is going to do next...you don't think that Sapps fine isn't going to provide a ratings boost for a terrible San Fran team vs the Champs??? If you do your crazy...Listen Guys like Sapp are big Kids and will always be big kids...I mean in my oppion it is kinda stupid for everyday Joe's to try and relate with world class athlets who just happen to be multi millionaires...I mean who among the people outside of the private suites and luxury boxes can even relate to these guys on a financial level....Then again how many of us were raised in the projects and then went on to become Pro Athletes...People if you think these guys are just another Jo Smoe your crazier then they are...If you want them to carry themsleves like the fans then stop paying ridculous ammunts of money to see them play or by the products they endorse...Pay them a normal salary and limmit their exposure and then see how boring sports gets....I don't want to see my neighbour on sunday...I want to see the ****ed off millionair freak boy who thinks he is gods gift...Why you ask...Because what's so exciting about noraml everyday life?

[Ibelieve]

Dude, I couldn't of said it better myself.

[LynchPin]

Originally posted by The Champ
What [would] the NFL be without it's personalities?

Major League Baseball???

I guess if you watch the game for its athletic content - hard hitting, great receptions, electrifying runs, heart-stopping drives, great defensive stands, stunning kick-off and punt returns, etc., it would still be great!

On the other hand, if what you tune in for is unbridled buffoonery, ignorance, clownish showboating, grandstanding, taunting and egomanical idiocy you'd be a very unhappy camper.

Which type of fan are you?

[bigcatfan]

Originally posted by NYorkMan
I guess if you watch the game for it's athletic content - hard hitting, great receptions, electrifying runs, heart-stopping drives, great defensive stands, stunning kick-off and punt returns, etc., it would still be great!

On the other hand, if what you tune in for is unbridled buffoonery, ignorance, clownish showboating, grandstanding, taunting and egomanical idiocy you'd be a very unhappy camper.

Which type of fan are you?

couldn't have said it better.

[law1ng2b]

Originally posted by NYorkMan
I guess if you watch the game for it's athletic content - hard hitting, great receptions, electrifying runs, heart-stopping drives, great defensive stands, stunning kick-off and punt returns, etc., it would still be great!

On the other hand, if what you tune in for is unbridled buffoonery, ignorance, clownish showboating, grandstanding, taunting and egomanical idiocy you'd be a very unhappy camper.

Which type of fan are you?

dude, i couldn't have said better myself. i am a fan of #1.

Originally posted by NYorkMan
I guess if you watch the game for it's athletic content - hard hitting, great receptions, electrifying runs, heart-stopping drives, great defensive stands, stunning kick-off and punt returns, etc., it would still be great!

On the other hand, if what you tune in for is unbridled buffoonery, ignorance, clownish showboating, grandstanding, taunting and egomanical idiocy you'd be a very unhappy camper.

Which type of fan are you?

I will tell you what you show me a league in any country in any sport which has the same salary structure and media exposure and have them play up against an existing league like the NFL and see what happens!
Ratings make the world go round and Sapp draws ratings...Just like Deion just Like Barkley just like Barry Bonds...the reality of the world is to be carefull what you wish for because once you get it it may not be what you thought it was...Look at the NHL for example...the league is dying because it went out and tried to give the Fnas whatthey thought they wanted as opposed to just marketing what they have....Now Americans are boared with the game and it is dying because it can't get the ratings...Why NO PERSONALITIES!!!!!! NO Gretzky and any other noteworthy isn't talented enough to carry the league on skill alone. But when the majority of your best player don't speak the language of the country you play in this is what you get.
Think about how much we loved to see Barry play...think about how cheated you as a fan felt when he left without even so much as a goodbye...I mean where is the stroy in this guys retirement, where is the Drama? This is one of the most electrifying athletes of any era and his unasuming nature probably forced him into a retirement he didn't want...Now if he really wanted pout of Det and started *****ing and complaing where would he be today...He would be the poster child for how organizations disrespect the athletes that line their pockets, instead the lions go untouched for cheating NFL fans out of an oppurtuntiy to watch the most electrfying back of all time be forced into ealry retiremnent.
Listen I could do without the spitting and racil slures and such but the last time I checked Sapp was trying to insult anyone he was just a product of what public perception has made him to be and now certain people would like to make him out to be the bad guy.

Originally posted by The Champ
Listen I could do without the spitting and racil slures and such but the last time I checked Sapp was trying to insult anyone he was just a product of what public perception has made him to be and now certain people would like to make him out to be the bad guy.

When Sapp retires he needs to hold a press conference and go out like Tony Montana.

Sapp at retirement press conference:
"Say goodnight to the bad guy! This is the last time you're ever going to see a bad guy like me!"

Originally posted by J Bonez
When Sapp retires he needs to hold a press conference and go out like Tony Montana.

Sapp at retirement press conference:
"Say goodnight to the bad guy! This is the last time you're ever going to see a bad guy like me!"

Fortunatly, he isn't the first and deffinetly won't be the last...it's an inherent behavior for superstar athletes and one that I personally make up alot of the game....Like I said I personally have no interest in watching a PRO VERSION OF THE NCAA!

I agree to an extent with the original post.

I will be the first to say that I don't necessarily like all the talking and taunting and showboating. Like my dad always said "Act like you've done it before."

But it would be pretty boring if they handed the ball to the official everytime or kept their mouth shut at all times. You have to have the loudmouths and the low-key guys. They balance each other out.

They all have a role to play.

[Shaker69]

Originally posted by NYorkMan
I guess if you watch the game for its athletic content - hard hitting, great receptions, electrifying runs, heart-stopping drives, great defensive stands, stunning kick-off and punt returns etc....

that nothing the Giants do....

Originally posted by Shaker69
that nothing the Giants do....

Why do you guys insist on dragging my giants (no caps please) into these discussions?

If you continue to rub this in my face I'm gonna leave. I'm warning you!

Not only in sports but all around us, think about it, can you imagine a world were everyone behaved the same and had the same personality. To think that your way is the only way and other peoples personality or behavior are wrong and should be controled is just what Castro belives and Hitler fought a war over. Being yourself is called freedom.

Originally posted by Ibelieve
Dude, I couldn't of said it better myself.

Very, very true. Their antics and smash-mouth doesn't "hurt" anybody.

Lighten up.

It just makes the games more interesting, and the media something to write about.

And something for the hall monitors to complain about.

So, everybody is happy. LOL

[BucBoss2K1]

Colorful personalities is one thing. And a good thing.

However, some athletes cross the line of colorful personality and ignorant bufoon.

I'm a fan of having personalities in sports, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed. You could look at NASCAR as an example of that this year. When drivers start punching each other out, it's gone too far. I think the NFL was just trying to control the situation before it got out of hand (and was actually pretty late on that, I think.) The guys have a right to talk smack to each other to some extent out there, but after awhile, it gets old and ridiculous. Personally, I was getting a little sick of it. I tune in to the NFL to see what the athletes can do, not to see who has the bigger mouth. Controversy means ratings, but it can also get rather sickening after 25,000 articles get written about it.

However, I do think that other NFL players should be getting fined if Sapp is going to be fined for what he's done. There's plenty of other loud-mouths in the league.

[Dy-nasty D]

You must love professional wrestling too. Some people seem to think that the only people that have "personality" are ones that have bad personalities. Why don't we just set up cameras in prisons and watch all the great antics that go on in there? I bet you there are some real "personalities" in there.

[BucBoss2K1]

Originally posted by gipctech
The CFL !

Ouch! That would be awful.

You mean they would expand the field? j/k

Or, better yet, you could also be the WNBA ... or at least the stuck-up poster of this thread culled from another board I ... uh ... belong to.

Some of the problem is that often when the women athletes are speaking up, nobody wants to listen. They're too busy with the "real important" (read men's) sports. They only pay attention when it fits into some cute little slogan (remember the '96 Olympics-the "year of the woman"?) to boost ratings.

I'd hate to think the women would have to stoop to the trash talking, "me first", grandstanding, unsportsmanlike attitude prevelant in many men's sports just to get noticed. That panders to the lowest common denominator in society, the very kind of person that makes the worst "fan".

Instead of the women stooping to that level, maybe it would be better if the men raised their level. But then that would mean many of them would have to become intelligent, articulate, and polite, which sadly I think is way beyond their comprehension.

If someone wants "drama", let them watch Jerry Springer.

To see the complete thread

I think what is being misunderstood is that the NFL does very little to market itself towards people who know the game or are ex-players or have a history in the sport...From a marketing stand point it would be pretty stupid to do so and a waste of money because the reality is that people who know the game love it and will watch regardless...how the hell else do you explain BUFFALO...I mean I have been to several bills games in my life and they never live up to expectations yet every time I go there are 70 plus lined up...it's crazy...Personally I think the nfl knows it will always have it's history and die hards...the key to good marketing is getting to those who don't follow you product, and the best way to do that is to create a soap opera type atmosphere, face it...our generation for the most part is very voyeristic and any insite or behind the scenes action is appelaing to the general masses...where the game might not neccesairily be.
Some true die hard fans may or my not appreciate the antics of Warren or Deion or whomever...Hell I am pretty sure that id Mike Singletary has his way Ray wouldn't be so epressive...But the fact remains that to alot of die hard football fans all the extra stuff is justr taking away form the game itself...where as the casual fan may have his or her attention grabbed by it.

One question: Is there really that much more "Extra Ciricular Activities" or does the media just try to expose more of it to posistion themsleves with the NFL...The reality is that if ESPN can go back to the NFL and say we experinced a 7% increase in ratings at the end of their term they might be in line for a contract extension...do you realy think that the NFL cares about why they got those ratings? If you do your crazy...They know that without the BAd guys the good guys aren't as appealing so the skip right to the bottom line....RATINGS...That's why NBC lost it contract after all those years...Think back when did you ever see the type of coverage by NBC thatthe current networks provide...I mean truth be told the only way to find out whats wrong with the league is to watch one of the networks not owned by the NFL or go to a web site...you never see NFL.com covering the divorce stories or bar fights or whatever...they may make mention of it but it is anywhere near to the degree of outside parties.

Originally posted by gipctech
The CFL !

Have you ever seen a CFL game?

Trust me these guys make the XFL look reserved, it is common practice after every T.D or Sack to see groups of two to six guys celebrate with a completely rehearsed dance number. It's like they have a half time show everytime someone makes a play...I have seen it first hand...and it can get a little tired after a while...being exposed to both is probably why I don't think the NFL is nearly as bad as the majority when it comes to this stuff.

Originally posted by The Champ
[B]I am sure that many of you have noticed the recent increase in media attention being given to the so-called "antics of todays pro athletes namely Warren Sapp...so I pose the question how entertaining would the NFL be without it's personalities...for that matter how good would any league be???

Back in the day, I couldn't wait to watch football on Sunday. We were lucky, we got two channels with games, one from Philly and one from NY.

I remember Y.A. Tittle handing the ball to Alex Webster, and Sam Huff creaming the opposing QB. I watched the game when Chuck Bednarac (sp?) wiped out Frank Gifford (No16) and that hit made him quit football. I watched Johnny U pick apart defenses, Roger Stauback evade tackles and Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Jethro Pew work like dogs for the Cowboys.

What I never saw, was the disrespect and arrogance we see today. With the ref bumping, sharpie toting, and disprepecting the opposing teams emblems, I see a bleak future for the game I love. I do not believe it will be too long before the NFL becomes the XFL, and its a shame. If I want to be entertained, I'll watch Saturday Night Live. What I want to see is football.

[Dy-nasty D]

If it is all about (bad) personalities, what happened to the popularity of the NBA? Most people got sick of all the (bad) personalities and stopped watching. I know I did.