The Pro-Bowl in the olympics!

[Dudeman]

Watching the olympics this year has made me wonder. Why isn't American Football in the olympics? Furthermore, what better way to fix the pro-bowl than to make it part of the olympics?

Think about it. The pro-bowl sucks, and everyone knows it. A lot of players hold out on it, and Super Bowl participants can't play. If it's after the Super Bowl it's moot, and if it's before the Super Bowl its merely an appetizer for the big show.

Bringing the pro-bowl to the olympics brings integrity to the game as a whole. The players would be able to take pride in not only representing their team but the country as well. Sure it may only take place every 2-4 years depending on if they play just winter games or summer games as well. But the season is short anyways, and some one year wonder types wouldn't really make the team.

So what say you? How do we spread the word on something like this if it is a good idea?

[Purple Nurple]

Can you imagine Team USA vs Team Micronesia?

I just dont think its possible unless you plan for it WWWAAAAYYYY down the road. The world is not ready for what our team would do, lol.

[BloodRaven]

We should turn this thread into a discussion about how to make football a truly global phenomenon. Imagine the goldmine of potential athletes in places like Africa, the Pacific Islands and eastern Europe.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1343662879' post='1106575']
We should turn this thread into a discussion about how to make football a truly global phenomenon. Imagine the goldmine of potential athletes in places like Africa, the Pacific Islands and eastern Europe.
[/quote]

Just start kidnapping the worlds best rugby players, take them to a secret re-programming island, and release them back with nifty little media kits about the wonder of American football. It has to work.

[hawkprey]

How can the Pro Bowl be part of the olympics when America is on both sides and it's played 4 times more frequently than the summer olympics?

[cursona pirate]

Most players are American. Our toughest enemy would be either Canada or Britian. But we would still smoke them. Like we could have the worst qb in the league still kick their butts.

[PurpleCorsair]

[quote name='cursona pirate' timestamp='1343665734' post='1106622']
Most players are American. Our toughest enemy would be either Canada or Britian. But we would still smoke them. Like we could have the worst qb in the league still kick their butts.
[/quote]

And that's why American Football isn't part of the Olympics. It's not an international sport.

[jus'_crAzy]

[quote name='PurpleCorsair' timestamp='1343666007' post='1106624']
And that's why American Football isn't part of the Olympics. It's not an international sport.
[/quote]
And even if it was, how long would it take to create that level of parity in between all those teams. Basketball still hasn't done it, though it's a lot better in recent years.

[arnie_uk]

To one sided, its the same reason they removed softball, USA cleaned up.

It would be so one sided it wouldnt even be worth watching to be fair

[The Raven]

I'd love to see it, but we'd kill every team. They wouldn't stand a chance.

[Clutch Ravens]

Yeah, this would be even more lop-sided than the Basketball (NBA all-stars vs International Nobodies).

Even if it was the rest of the world against the USA the Pro-Bowlers would probably be up by 3 figures at half time.

Hell, I saw "Finals Day" over here in the UK and the top players here would barely make the cut at Water Boy for NFL teams.

[T3hRaven]

I doubt football will ever be able to encroach upon soccer's territory. Canada and Australia have their versions of it, but no country would be able to compete with the US in the sport. You'd think it would be able to take over the rugby crowd, but thus far it hasn't.

[Dudeman]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1343661388' post='1106555']
Can you imagine Team USA vs Team Micronesia?

I just dont think its possible unless you plan for it WWWAAAAYYYY down the road. The world is not ready for what our team would do, lol.
[/quote]

I know, I thought of the same thing. It would be a bit of a process to be realistic. But just like basketball the talent level will rise, and competition never hurt anyone.

[TheRavenouseD2008]

actually it was mentioned during the opening ceremony that American football can be added the next time we host the games , that is going to be interesting and yes Football is played on almost every continent trust me if we had troops there some one taught them football at somepoint lol

[Malkavian Raven]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]I know it's not popular, but the Olympics (IMO) have become nothing more than another money making machine. They are doing away with real sports (like baseball) and bringing in things like BMX and pole dancing... Not to mention all the rule changes every year, all the scandals of players cheating or using performance enhancing drugs, referees and their bias decision making... It's almost laughable anymore.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]However, I think American Football could and should be an Olympic sport -- but the world seems to be doing away with sports that the Americans have dominated for the last 20 years. So, it will never happen.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]Whenever Michael Phelps decides to hang it up, I will probably stop watching the Olympics.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]~ Malkavian Raven[/font][/i]
[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]It's all sad but true...[/font][/i]

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='TheRavenouseD2008' timestamp='1344576742' post='1115993']
actually it was mentioned during the opening ceremony that American football can be added the next time we host the games , that is going to be interesting and yes Football is played on almost every continent trust me if we had troops there some one taught them football at somepoint lol
[/quote]
When did they say that in the opening Cermony?

[Ozzsome]

The problem about adding Football to the Olympics is that the Americans would flat out destroy everybody who gets in their way and this wont change in some years or maybe even decades

There are only a handful of professional leagues in the World. In the USA there are some professional leagues, in Canada, in Japan is one and I think in Mexico but I'm not sure. With the NFL being by far the most competitive league in the World. So adding Football to the Olympics would get the USA and I think Canada into the Final, with Mexico and Japan batteling it out for the bronze medal, just like in last years IFAF 2011 Football World Championship.

The top teams from Europe, Austria, France and Germany, wont ever be as competitive as the ones in Northern America and in Japan just for the one reason that they are in no professional league

I, for example, am 19 years old and play in the AFL, the Austrian Football League, which may be the best league in Europe, as we constantly have 2 or more teams in the top 5 of EFAFs top 20 teams in Europe Ranking, the other teams coming from Germany or France. And I as a player have to pay my team a monthly fee so that my team can afford the training ground and the "stadium" to play games in.
We for sure have some guys over here in Europe that have the talent to play at a Division 1 College, but Colleges dont necessarilly want players coming from abroad and if they don't get a chance they won't ever be as good because in Europe they have to go to work while playing football
So what I am trying to tell you guys, is that football can't be as competitive as for example Soccer, because players in Europe don't have a pro league and need to go to work or to school while they try to become the best football players they could be

But if you want to watch the USA Team play against other countries, last year was the IFAF World Championship and this year there was the U-19 IFAF World Championship, in which the USA is participating

[codizzle]

We could use high school teams from Texas and they would wreck everyone

[arnie_uk]

it would need to be like u20s for usa only or something

[cursona pirate]

[quote name='codizzle' timestamp='1344625088' post='1116591']
We could use high school teams from Texas and they would wreck everyone
[/quote]
I prefer Alaska!

[BmoreRav]

It's not going to happen for a long time if it does. Surely there's not enough Countries that could enter a team to make it worthwhile! The Olympic committee are not going to sanction a sport that only a handful of Countries would/could enter.

[BMORElegacy]

American Football will never be in the Olympics. It's not a globally recognized sport. The number of fans pales in comparison to a sport like futbol.

Even if American Football was in the Olympics we'd never assemble a team. Do you guys honestly think that these players would play for FREE!?! Add to the fact that they'd be risking injury and I doubt the big names would ever agree. These guys are all about getting paid and their agents and teams would probably forbid them from participating.

While its a novel idea, the notion of getting these athletes to risk injury without monetary incentive is naive at best.

[Dudeman]

[quote name='BMORElegacy' timestamp='1344744562' post='1117380']
American Football will never be in the Olympics. It's not a globally recognized sport. The number of fans pales in comparison to a sport like futbol.

Even if American Football was in the Olympics we'd never assemble a team. Do you guys honestly think that these players would play for FREE!?! Add to the fact that they'd be risking injury and I doubt the big names would ever agree. These guys are all about getting paid and their agents and teams would probably forbid them from participating.

While its a novel idea, the notion of getting these athletes to risk injury without monetary incentive is naive at best.
[/quote]

I agree that American football is not as globally recognized as soccer or even basketball. It may never be an olympic sport because other countries don't support it financially nor mine for talent with scouts and agents. The money simply isn't there as our Austrian football player pointed out.

But your logic is flawed about players not playing for free. That is absurd, and I think deep down you know it. If the only reason olympians played was for money then there wouldn't even be an olympics! People play for pride, people play for country, people play to test themselves. Furthermore, the endorsements these athletes make privately IS a big deal.

Again, maybe American football is light years away from being compeitive around the world. Maybe it's unrealistic to think it ever could be. Yet maybe if we give other countries a chance to play this game on a big stage that they will develope their own leagues and give us some games the likes we have never seen.

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='Dudeman' timestamp='1345045671' post='1119518']
I agree that American football is not as globally recognized as soccer or even basketball. It may never be an olympic sport because other countries don't support it financially nor mine for talent with scouts and agents. The money simply isn't there as our Austrian football player pointed out.

But your logic is flawed about players not playing for free. That is absurd, and I think deep down you know it. If the only reason olympians played was for money then there wouldn't even be an olympics! People play for pride, people play for country, people play to test themselves. Furthermore, the endorsements these athletes make privately IS a big deal.

Again, maybe American football is light years away from being competitive around the world. Maybe it's unrealistic to think it ever could be. Yet maybe if we give other countries a chance to play this game on a big stage that they will develop their own leagues and give us some games the likes we have never seen.
[/quote]With the exception of super Olympians like Michael Phelps and Hope Solo, the vast majority of American Olympic athletes don't get big endorsement deals. And many have to fund-raise just to afford the trip to the games and buy good equipment so they can compete at the highest level. Many Olympians have to work to pay their way since most of their sports are either obscure or require amateur status to compete.

I just don't see these football players who don't attend camp and hold out over a couple of million of dollars and refuse to practice to reduce their exposure to injury to play for FREE. Yeah, I'm sure a couple would, but I can already see all 32 teams and every single agent forbidding their players and clients from participating in such an event. It all comes down to money my man.

[ravensfan160]

I'm pretty sure something like 50 nations have to vote in a sport before it can be in the Olympics. It would be next to impossible to find half that I think.