No, the Professional Bowl was not a take a look at run for the NFL’s future

The NFL ran its Professional Bowl weekend, sinking into the party-theme that it’s at all times been for everybody in any sport actually. It was once that gamers didn’t thoughts the free journey to Hawaii, although when it bought to be they might all simply afford a visit to Hawaii that type of misplaced its appeal. So the NFL made this one in Vegas a week-long carnival of kinds, and it was met with principally optimistic evaluations from gamers and followers.

There are these on the market who would have you ever consider it was a take a look at run for what soccer might seem like someday, when the league offers in on what participant security truly seems like. They’re most likely the identical ones who bitch about each private foul and focusing on name and use phrases to explain it that hyperlink again to the feminine anatomy.

The NFL doesn’t care that a lot about participant security

There at all times had been a college of thought that if the NFL, and soccer as an entire, actually was dedicated to participant security, it could take the helmets and pads off. That they’d make the game look extra like rugby, which isn’t bereft of concussion issues however isn’t fairly on the size that soccer has seen. Eradicating all that safety would power gamers to not launch themselves into one another with the identical violence they’ve earlier than, and must truly deal with one another as an alternative of hit one another.

Perhaps, possibly not. Could be arduous to know with out the sort of testing and experiments we haven’t seen. The actual query is would followers settle for such a model. The urge is to say they wouldn’t. The sport has thrived on the collisions and inherent hazard of the game. All of us hit the correct notes and say our rehearsed strains when one thing really terrible occurs to a participant, however that doesn’t imply an amazing majority need to see nice change. It’s all a part of the dance.

Whereas soccer has leaned increasingly more into the ability a part of the sport (and it’s turn out to be about passing and gamers working free), it’s unlikely it might carry itself to totally flip over into one thing new.

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Fans wouldn’t respond to the sound the same way. No crunching of pads, no banging of helmets, no sound of contact, fans would find it too awkward, even if it were safer. No threat of big hits or a true stuff at the line of scrimmage. It wouldn’t fly. The fact that the game teeters on the edge of madness, and sometimes spills over it, is the unspoken appeal for most.

Removing the pads and helmets may in fact be safer. Fans being able to actually see players’ faces wouldn’t hurt either. Even more freedom for skill positions may be entertaining. But deep down, safer isn’t what fans and the league really want, deep down.

Lou Lamoriello must be tons of fun to play for

The NHL managed to break some news on its All-Star break, with Bo Horvat signing an eight-year extension with the New York Islanders after his trade there from Vancouver. And boy, did Lou sound thrilled to lock down his new #2 center!

It’s not much of a secret that the game has passed Lamoriello by. He’s complained before about there being no contract term limits or salary limits, and has openly bitched about having to pay players more than canned food. His refusal to allow facial hair on players or for anyone to wear a jersey number over 40 are anachronisms.

But mostly, the Isles have sputtered under his watch. The Isles goofed one 100+ point season with a roster not built by Lou and by some Barry Trotz magic, and that’s been about it. They haven’t been close since, and had The Bubble their recent record would look even more heinous. They’re only two points out of a playoff spot but everyone around them has games in hand on them.

No one made Lou pay a career second-line center first-line money. But he did, and he’s already trying to make everyone feel like shit about it. He must be a real gas to work for.

At least one hockey player gets it

In a sea of players who live to not rock the boat and have nothing to say about anything, at least the Canadiens boast one who gets it: