Bruce Arians On Joint Practices
August 16th, 2019
Preseason games not that valuable.
Boy, this is sure going to shoot down the crazy talk from the preseason-games-are-important crowd.
Joe has long lobbied for the abolition of preseason games. They are worthless; they are annoying; they are a shameless con. It is Joe’s job to cover these worthless things but Joe can assure you he puts virtually no stock in them and other than the Bucs, refuses to waste a minute of his life watching any of them.
The NFL is the only level of football with preseason games. They are, to be polite, unnecessary.
(Joe is as big of a footballholic as there is. But with past college games often available on YouTube and past NFL games available on GamePass, there is no need to circlejerk with preseason tripe.)
Wednesday after practice, while Arians didn’t say preseason games are worthless, he did say joint practices with teams are more valuable than preseason games.
“We’re going to shoot for two next year,” Arians said of joint-practices. “We’ll try to shoot for two next year. Like I said, these to me are more important now than games are because we can situationally put our players where we want them.”
If a veteran coach like Arians believes joint practices are more important than preseaosn games, then it’s safe to assume many other coaches do too.
And if that is the case, why is the NFL yanking fans’ chains with preseason games? Well, Joe knows why.
Joe is a capitalist and all for making cash. That’s why the NFL will be better off with an 18-game schedule. Much more revenue and the games count and you are not paying to watch your barber play football.
There is nothing wrong with more football. There is a lot wrong with schlock (preseason football).
August 16th, 2019 at 5:53 am
Okay, so it’s gameday baby! No parody or otherwise less-than-flattering remarks on Bucs players or coaches today here on, no matter how truthful, from me until the game is OVER.
I agree with Joe to an extent. I think two games would be worthwhile. HOWEVER, I’d not be unhappy if they DID ditch them and did all scrimmages and joint practices. Certainly don’t enjoy fighting rainy rush hour traffice to in a stadium at fulf game price where the football is awful. Clearly there is $$$ to be had–what a great country!
August 16th, 2019 at 6:08 am
I concur Joe. At the most, 1 pressing game and scrimmages at least twice.
August 16th, 2019 at 6:09 am
@tmax: concur means agree. No need to google it.
August 16th, 2019 at 6:25 am
They will NEVER ditch the practice games! Why should they? They charge just as much for us to watch guys that though they may have some talent and skill they are just not NFL ready. That is the part that makes me feel ripped off but hey it’s football and it’s great to get back to the stadium for a few hours.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:13 am
“Joe has long lobbied for the abolition of preseason games. They are worthless; they are annoying; they are a shameless con:…..AGREE %100…I’ll record and watch until Jameis goes off the field…I’ll be watching Battle Bots then get out the recording tomorrow fast forward between plays and commercials…the games are NOTHING for the fans, just scripted plays for coaches player evaluation…boring and dangerous to the players
August 16th, 2019 at 7:14 am
The problem is that you can’t buy season tickets without preseason games. Two years ago I watched my LAST preseason game and will NEVER go to another one. It’s a joke. And I’m a HUGE fan.
Simply put, it is an inferior product and a poor substitute for real games.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:15 am
What huge disappointment are we in store for today? Itsabucslife
August 16th, 2019 at 7:16 am
We don’t need 18 regular season games. 16 is good. If they want to get rid of two preseason games I’m all for it but don’t be adding more regular season games. That’s would be way too long of a season.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:22 am
If it wasn’t for the TV rev package it would be cut….breaking out the TV revenue it costs much more to put on a home game than the revenue covers…much less make anything off it…..good luck parking it the mud pits tonight
August 16th, 2019 at 7:44 am
Preseason games are still a good way to evaluate players. For instance SMB didn’t look good and Arians called attention to it. You still need away to separate the good practice players from the players that actually perform well under
pressure in games. That said, its still an exhibition game and it should be a
deeply discounted ticket.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:54 am
I would like to see 2 less pre season games…..start the season a bit earlier and expand the wild card teams……
I also wouldn’t be opposed to an 18 game season…..the players union might agree if the number of players on the roster is expanded.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:56 am
Shout outs to Mike Alstott & Joebucsfan.com on Good morning football this AM NFL network niiiiice
August 16th, 2019 at 7:57 am
Pre-season… all tickets should be $20 and free parking. Season ticket holders get to pick seats before tickets go on sale to the general public.
August 16th, 2019 at 8:05 am
Two preseason games in order to evaluate unsigned free agents. I’m down and I’m sure everyone is with 18 preseason games.
August 16th, 2019 at 8:15 am
Who said preseason games matter? 2 games is good. Starters only play one series anyways and then it’s the 2nd and 3rd stringers. Whomever wins the preseason, typically doesn’t win the regular season. Lions anyone? 4-0 in preseason and 0-16 in regular.
August 16th, 2019 at 8:29 am
I’ll be watching over some pulled pork and chilled beer and I’ll enjoy every minute. But that’s just me…
August 16th, 2019 at 8:30 am
18 game seasons does a lot of things that I would hate to see. It invalidates the record book. All seasons before since the Super Bowl era have been under 14 and 16 game seasons. A 1000 yard runner or receiver has been the standard forever. A 4000 yard passer. That’s gone. Career totals are gone.
Also, quality of play is going to deteriorate over the course of a season. Many more injuries, teams like the Bucs that are out of it by week 6 won’t have to go through the motions for 10 more weeks, but 12. Even if the NFL states that players CAN only suit up for 16 games, what if you’re the unlucky one who buys the ticket to see Peyton Manning and the Colts but instead has to see Jim Sorgi and a band of backups?
This is wrong. No 18 game season. It hurts the sanctity of the game, the quality of the game, and the meaningfulness of games. One of the great things about college vs NFL is only 12 games. Every game counts more. One of the problems with baseball is 162 games, roughly 10X the number of games. Losing one game in baseball is the equivalent to losing the first six minutes of a football game. Losing a football game is the equivalent to a 10 game loss streak in baseball. NFL games are still fairly meaningful. Want to make them more meaningful? Play less games. I’m 100% against 18 games. Do whatever you want with preseason. Keep it, leave it. I don’t have a problem with it but don’t care either way but leave the regular season alone. It is perfect the way it is
August 16th, 2019 at 8:33 am
Fine use of “circlejerk”
August 16th, 2019 at 8:33 am
I agree Joe and it makes sense that joint practices are far more valuable. Pre-season football is pretend football where they must adhere to playing the game. In the practices they can setup and reset anything they want. All that said, I didn’t realize there’s a crowd that says preseason games are important.
August 16th, 2019 at 9:00 am
Joe: Nice shout out to JBF by Kyle Brandt on GMFB this morning while they were doing a segment on tonight’s games.
As for preseason games, I think 2 would be adequate and should come heavily discounted to match the level of play. I personally wouldn’t mind 18 regular season games but definitely think there needs to be two bye weeks per season if they go there.
August 16th, 2019 at 10:53 am
The fact that season ticket holders are forced to pay full price for preseason games is a crime. It’s increasing obvious these games are on the level of the ProBowl and roster decisions have already been made. If the NFL insists on these games offer them to the public at $20 a ticket and families would be able to afford to go and stadiums would be more full. Keep the 16 game schedule, it’s alteady too hard on players bodies and have two bye weeks.
August 16th, 2019 at 11:51 am
Yeah, the problem with attendance is that preseason games are full price. I believe an 18 game schedule is doable, make the season a 20 week schedule with each team getting two bye weeks.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Don’t water down the game with 18 game seasons. Going down that road would be a huge mistake by the NFL. But they will probably do it because it is human nature to ruin everything. We ruin our drinking water, air quality, climate why not football too?
August 16th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Keep the scheduling the way it is and add one game. Each team play 17 games. The 17th game has no predetermined opponent and will be used to settle tiebreakers. If Two teams are tied after 16 no more garbage tiebreakers to decide who gets to the Big Dance. Don’t determine a playoff slot because who beat who in week 3. Let em play for it. Straight up……The old fashioned tiebreaker rule determines who gets home field.
The remaining teams will then face an open schedule and their opponents & homefields determined based on which matchups are most appealing.
August 16th, 2019 at 2:00 pm
@MrMagoo:
What’s it called when half the globe becomes covered with ice? And then eons later that same ice melts? And there’s no people or planes or cars or fossil fuels being used? What’s that called? What’s it called when the Earth has a history of heating and cooling from its creation to keep from exploding? I believe in climate change. It’s always been here and always will be and nothing new.