XFL New Rules
- Thread starter Knownothing
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Here is how the Cardinals got their name:
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arizona-Cardinals
As far as history goes, I don't know how you can beat being the oldest team in the entire NFL.
And, no, I am not a Cardinals fan.
Hey now -- SECOND-tier.
At least we have no Hartford Yard Goats or Rocket City Trash Pandas on our hands here.
Technically every NFL team has a story behind its name -- even the generic ones, like the Bears being an up-gunned Cubs, the Eagles being named as such because Bert Bell liked FDR so much, and the cardinal jerseys behind the Chicago Cardinals.
That being said, what is particularly Arizona about "Cardinals?"
It is not even a state fully included in their range!
That is no worse than some generic create-a-team name like the Dragons for Seattle.
Is it better when a team moves to keep the old name or to make up a new name? I guess I'm old enough to remember the St. Louis Cardinals football club. I'm not old enough to remember the Chicago Cardinals.Hey now -- SECOND-tier.
At least we have no Hartford Yard Goats or Rocket City Trash Pandas on our hands here.
Technically every NFL team has a story behind its name -- even the generic ones, like the Bears being an up-gunned Cubs, the Eagles being named as such because Bert Bell liked FDR so much, and the cardinal jerseys behind the Chicago Cardinals.
That being said, what is particularly Arizona about "Cardinals?"
It is not even a state fully included in their range!
That is no worse than some generic create-a-team name like the Dragons for Seattle.
I also know why we have the Memphis Grizzlies, the Utah Jazz and even the LA Lakers in the NBA.
Being in cities that already have NFL teams doesn't sound like a good strategy
I think you have to go where the population is. I'm not sure I would have went to LA though.
The only things I can think of are that there will be action to watch on both ends of the field at the same time and that they'll need to either have a second set of officials ready for OT or they'll need to split the crew between ends of the field.
Those are at least decent team names, colors, and logos compared to the first go around - although the Outlaws and Hitmen did have decent identities.
Remains to be seen if this will play out any differently.
Remains to be seen if this will play out any differently.
I always thought that leaving the franchise history with the city... the SuperSonics still reside in Seattle, technically, and the Baltimore Ravens left the history and identity of the Cleveland Browns behind them... is the best way to do things when moving.
I would much rather have the Houston Oilers still instead of the Texans.
I noticed a funny thing about the NBA. You could make a "loop" with all the nicknames in the wrong places and clean up this silliness for the whole association...
Lakers --> Minneapolis Lakers
Timberwolves --> Toronto Timberwolves (or bring back the Huskies)
Raptors --> Utah Raptors
Jazz --> Memphis Jazz
Grizzlies --> Los Angeles Grizzlies
There are actually lakes in Minnesota. The NBA wanted Huskies for Toronto, but felt it was duplication with the Timberwolves, so fix that problem. "Utah Raptors" is named after an actual dinosaur. Memphis is one of the historical homes of jazz just as much as New Orleans, and the grizzly bear features on the California state flag and works for LA.
Agreed. LA already has two pro football teams they don't give a **** about.
Not true. LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC both have great attendance. Oh, you mean NFL? Yeah, The City of Angels doesn't give a crap.
Well, they're starting a professional football league so I think "good strategy" has already gone out the window.
The St Louis Battlehawks makes me think of an old RPG logo.
I feel like no matter how many times they try this, the oft-overlooked fact is that most people will only follow college football (due to some tie to the university or team) and an NFL team (due to the professional level of competition).
I don't see this attempt succeeding any more than previous ones. I may watch an XFL game as a novelty, but I have zero interest in getting invested in a team for long term. I feel like a majority of people are probably in the same boat. Maybe a lower cost option would appeal to a certain percentage of the market share, but does anyone have any true desire to financially support a watered-down NFL from a fan standpoint?
I feel like no matter how many times they try this, the oft-overlooked fact is that most people will only follow college football (due to some tie to the university or team) and an NFL team (due to the professional level of competition).
I don't see this attempt succeeding any more than previous ones. I may watch an XFL game as a novelty, but I have zero interest in getting invested in a team for long term. I feel like a majority of people are probably in the same boat. Maybe a lower cost option would appeal to a certain percentage of the market share, but does anyone have any true desire to financially support a watered-down NFL from a fan standpoint?
XFL should of just made its own sport. Call it battle ball, have it be a mix of like football/rugby/soccer/basketball/Slamball/quidditch. 7 on 7 skill positions / do away with the lines. Continuous action with no stoppage like soccer but full contact. With a large hoop or quidditch like ring and some strategically placed trampolines, padded playing surface, add in some neon lights, smoke, and fireworks. Let the fans gamble on it and be involved via a XFL app. Fans contribute through usage of app to vote for power ups for their team - foam shields for plowing opposing players/2 minute power play with extra player on the field/foam blasters fans can spray into the field of play. Make a show or mockery outta this thing.
The AAFL drew 19,400 per game in its first few weeks and had TV ratings comparable to the MLS or the NHL. We have all heard the stories about even crappy late season NFL games between the 2-12 Browns and the 3-11 Jaguars or the Toll-Road Travel-Plaza Pizza Dot Com Bowl featuring the Indiana University-Purdue University-Shipshewana Barnbuilders versus the Possum Lake Possums routinely draw better ratings than even featured NBA or MLB regular season games. Football really is a behemoth -- I still think there might be a spring market there.
Not one I want to put my own money into, though.
We played a lot of NFL Blitz in high school, and my buddy actually threw a watch party for the first XFL game.
We were disappointed. Maybe we were expecting what you are peddling.
"XFL rule changes to focus on faster pace, more excitement"
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/28438441/xfl-rule-changes-focus-faster-pace-more-excitement
The XFL's eight teams opened training camp this week and will kick off their 10-week regular season Feb. 8. Most of the on-the-field product will look familiar to fans, but a two-year project to innovate some aspects of the game led to a number of significant changes. They include:
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/28438441/xfl-rule-changes-focus-faster-pace-more-excitement
The XFL's eight teams opened training camp this week and will kick off their 10-week regular season Feb. 8. Most of the on-the-field product will look familiar to fans, but a two-year project to innovate some aspects of the game led to a number of significant changes. They include:
- A kickoff designed to discourage touchbacks and increase the likelihood of a return: The ball will be kicked off from the 30-yard line, but the coverage and blocking teams will line up at the receiving team's 35- and 30-yard lines, respectively. Only the kicker and returner can move until the ball is caught, or three seconds after it hits the ground. A touchback will be spotted at the 35-yard line. Kicks out of bounds will go to the 45-yard line.
- Players can't leave the line of scrimmage on punts until after the kick. Any kicks that go into the end zone or out of bounds will be marked at the 35-yard line or wherever the ball went out of bounds, whichever is better for the receiving team. The idea is to discourage fair catches and "coffin corner" kicks, while providing more incentive to go for it on fourth down.
- Three options after scoring a touchdown: a 1-point play from the 2-yard line, a 2-point play from the 3-yard line or a 3-point play from the 10-yard line. There is no option to kick an extra point.
- A shootout-style overtime: Each team will get five single-play possessions from the 5-yard line. If the game is still tied at that point, the rotating possessions will continue until there is a winner. The XFL hopes that overtimes will be rare, in part because of the multiple options for points after touchdowns.
- A rule that allows two forward passes on one play, providing the first doesn't go past the line of scrimmage. The purpose is to encourage creative trick plays without the risk of losing possession of a lateral or backward pass, which is a live ball if it hits the ground.
- A requirement for only one foot to be in bounds for possession. XFL director of football operations Sam Schwartzstein said the change is easier to officiate quickly. It also is better for player safety, Schwartzstein said, because players take more unbraced falls while trying to place both feet in bounds.
- A total of nine officials on the field, one of whom will be dedicated solely to spotting the ball to minimize downtime between plays. XFL head of officiating Dean Blandino said most XFL officials have experience at the Division I college level. Blandino, the former NFL officiating chief, has been consulting with the XFL for more than a year. He performed a similar function for the Alliance of American Football (AAF) last spring.
- A video official who can intervene on significant non-reviewable plays when involving player safety, or on any calls inside of five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. There will also be booth-initiated reviews of traditionally reviewable plays using Hawk-Eye technology that ingests video directly from the broadcast truck.
- Allowing offensive linemen to be up to 2 yards downfield when a pass is thrown, with the hope of minimizing flags on run-pass option plays.
- A series of tweaks that the XFL hopes will cap game times at 2 hours, 45 minutes. (NFL games typically run about 3:06.) The tweaks include a running game clock that won't stop after incomplete passes or when players go out of bounds, except inside of two minutes in each half. Additionally, there will be a 10-minute halftime, two timeouts per team per half and no coin tosses. The home team will always make the choice to kick, receive or defer to start the game. The visitors will make that choice to start overtime.
I like all of these rules except the punt rule, but that’s just the traditionalist speaking in me. There’s almost no incentive to punt within your opponent’s territory if your opponent won’t get the ball in any worse field position than their own 35 yard line. Then again, how often do we scream for our teams to go for it on 4th down in opponents’ territories?
essentially this league is being set up such that field position doesn’t mean a damn thing.
essentially this league is being set up such that field position doesn’t mean a damn thing.
