"National" Football League

[Twoo]

I don't know if this bothers anyone else... but every time I hear someone refer to a Superbowl winning team as a world champion I want to punch them. Last I checked it's the [b]NATIONAL Football League[/b]. Since when is National... World wide? It isn't the International Football League.

I know, it's silly- but it drives me nuts. Sure, we play games in London and soon in Canada as well, but every NFL team is based in the USA. Not any other country.

The 2000 Ravens, 2003 Patriots, 2006 Steelers, etc, etc, etc weren't world champions. They were national champions.



[img]http://chicagoist.com/attachments/chicago_benjy/2006_03_sports_superbowl_ring.jpg[/img]
[img]http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/super-bowl-ring-1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.luxist.com/media/2008/06/nygiantsring.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.jimmckay.org/ravens-ring.jpg[/img]

[robbcs3]

I don't understand it either, seems odd. We have played games in Canada too, but with no international teams it doesn't matter.

[Gremraven]

I would guess it is because we are the only ones to use the NFL rules.CFL follows CFL rules,we may never know.

[Ed_Reed20]

I hate the term too but I guess the pros don't want to sound like college kids by saying "National Championship".

[hawkprey]

I'm pretty sure they do it just to make it sound more important. "National Football League" is a business term so it can't be incorrect. "Super Bowl" and "World Champions" are both just self-aggrandizing.

[D-Rey]

Plus I challenge any team in the world to take on the NFL Superbowl champs (not that they will win). No takers, there you have it folks the World Champs by default.

[flaccopoe]

It reminds me of the World Series. All of the competing teams are in North America, and all but 1 are American. The MLB and NFL should name it somethinng like the North America Bowl. FIFA does that with all their regional tournaments.

[jaege]

Does any other country actually have a football league, besides Canada? They are more like a JV league anyway.

[flaccopoe]

BTW, I must say that the Ravens ring looks kind of stupid, what with the dot for an eye and evrything. It looks like the Raven is starstruck.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291524457' post='559542']
BTW, I must say that the Ravens ring looks kind of stupid, what with the dot for an eye and evrything. It looks like the Raven is starstruck.
[/quote]
I've always thought the Ravens ring is GROSS!! [Size=1]I'd take one, though....[/size]

[kagejb]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291524335' post='559538']
It reminds me of the World Series. All of the competing teams are in North America, and all but 1 are American. The MLB and NFL should name it somethinng like the North America Bowl. FIFA does that with all their regional tournaments.
[/quote]
They were called the World Series because back then, only the US played baseball.

[Twoo]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291524457' post='559542']
BTW, I must say that the Ravens ring looks kind of stupid, what with the dot for an eye and evrything. It looks like the Raven is starstruck.
[/quote]

Seriously. Silliest looking ring ever. The dot totally ruins it. But, I'd still kiss it and call it my precious.

[MagicianCamille]

If any other country wishes to contest the title they are free to do so.

[Ravenglenn]

...maybe because it sounds somewhat better than Middle Earth Champions?

[True]

I thought this was about how TV analysts (especially former players) always say "the National football league" instead of simply NFL. Never understood why they have to say the whole abbreviation when I've never heard anyone pronounce the whole name from people of other major sports.