Missing Nfl Europe?

[MKdave]

I for one am, for really the first time, missing NFL's european league. Were it still around, we'd have storage for some of our undrafted or late round rookies that show promise. As it is, we only have 8 Practice squad places, and there is restricted eligibilty for them. Now we'll probably have to waive the likes of Will Johnson, Willie VanDeSteeg (although I think he might actually make the full roster), Dannell Erbelle, Eron Riley and Jason Cook when it seems like atleast a few of them could become contributors for us. Football's now really the only major team sport that doesn't have an affiliated sub-league, which isn't good for fans, teams or fringe players in my opinion.

[darklight1216]

Why is this in Raven's talk?

We do have minor league football, several of them I believe. There is also college football, which in someplaces is even more popular than the professional teams.
I do think that someone should make up a European league; that way all the American games can stay in the USA.

[Ravnet]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='195995' date='May 30 2009, 08:20 AM']Why is this in Raven's talk?

We do have minor league football, several of them I believe. There is also college football, which in someplaces is even more popular than the professional teams.
I do think that someone should make up a European league; that way all the American games can stay in the USA.[/quote]

Where else would this post go?

I don't miss NFL Europe because very few players actually came out of that league; a baseball/minor league comparison isn't appropriate.

[MKdave]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='195995' date='May 30 2009, 01:20 PM']Why is this in Raven's talk?

We do have minor league football, several of them I believe. There is also college football, which in someplaces is even more popular than the professional teams.
I do think that someone should make up a European league; that way all the American games can stay in the USA.[/quote]
But they're not affiliated with NFL teams. You can't just put a player on a minor league team and then call them up whenever you like, as is the case with the D-league with the NBA or minor league with MLB.
And drafting players out of college is incredibly competetive and you can't send them back to college after you've drafted them.

[MKdave]

[quote name='Ravnet' post='195996' date='May 30 2009, 01:23 PM']Where else would this post go?

I don't miss NFL Europe because very few players actually came out of that league; a baseball/minor league comparison isn't appropriate.[/quote]

I think a reason for the comparative dropoff in quality players coming from the sub-leagues from baseball (and to a lesser extent the NBA) is because young talented players in football will make the roster, whereas baseball sees more need to give them plenty of playing time, even if that means against inferior opposition. I guess they can afford to because baseball careers are so much longer, and can you imagine the uproar if a first round pick got severly injured playing against some scrubs in europe? That's not anywhere near as much of a risk in baseball.

[UnitasGuy]

I only watched NFL Europe when they had their Championship games and if someone called to do something else I was gone. To your point, I'd have to say college football would have to be considered the NFL's minor league. Football is such a different sport than the rest, small window of playing time. There are exceptions but their body's take such a beating. I'm looking forward to the upcoming RAVENS season but for now I'm "exercising" my patients...

[Ravnet]

[quote name='MKdave' post='195998' date='May 30 2009, 08:31 AM']I think a reason for the comparative dropoff in quality players coming from the sub-leagues from baseball (and to a lesser extent the NBA) is because young talented players in football will make the roster, whereas baseball sees more need to give them plenty of playing time, even if that means against inferior opposition. I guess they can afford to because baseball careers are so much longer, and can you imagine the uproar if a first round pick got severly injured playing against some scrubs in europe? That's not anywhere near as much of a risk in baseball.[/quote]

It's also a physical thing as baseball players are drafted right out of high school and, obviously, can't be thrown in against fully mature 28 year old men.

There are also just more spots on a football roster for reserves than in baseball.

[JEEPercreepermd]

I'm not really missing NFL Europe at all. I think College Football games are a lot better then that league anyway. I do however think it would be a good idea for the NFL to have some sort of minor league that is affiliated with it. Your number 1 or number 2 picks typicly wouldn't go there to develop because they would be able to contribute to the team right away but it would also give players time to develop against better competition then they would face in college normally while still playing meaningful games. The NHL does this wonderfully, as well as MLB and NBA. We have had plenty of players who would have probably benefited greatly from a system like that (ie:kyle boller among others)

[Corvus]

NCAA is NOT the same a an NFL Europe/sub league...huge differences in the collegiate and professional levels of competition. Its not an issue of college games being "better", its a issue of having somewhere to keep these guys who are not gonna make the active 53 man roster simply due to size constraints. I see what MkDave is saying and agree, I just don't know how or when another such league would be created. An 8 man practice squad is pretty small...

If the league does go to 17 or 18 regular season games in a few years, that 53 man roster will HAVE to be raised though to around 60-65 players I would imagine.

[MKdave]

[quote name='Corvus' post='196018' date='May 30 2009, 04:04 PM']NCAA is NOT the same a an NFL Europe/sub league...huge differences in the collegiate and professional levels of competition. Its not an issue of college games being "better", its a issue of having somewhere to keep these guys who are not gonna make the active 53 man roster simply due to size constraints. I see what MkDave is saying and agree, I just don't know how or when another such league would be created. An 8 man practice squad is pretty small...
[b]
If the league does go to 17 or 18 regular season games in a few years, that 53 man roster will HAVE to be raised though to around 60-65 players I would imagine.[/b][/quote]

I agree, And I'm thinking maybe an extra bye week aswell.

[Moderator 2]

I miss it.

[McBurks]

Yeah! I loved the Frankfurt Galaxy.

[Slappy]

I t was entertaining, it also allowed very little known players to be viewed by fans; only increasing our knowledge of the players featured. It could give you an idea as to whether they have any shot in the league. Plus, it was football.

[#1 D]

yea, i miss it. it was a chance for:
1. the people in europe to be more exposed to football (as some people already are) and expand the sport, a bit.
2. players who may not be good/young enough for NFL football could have gone there and still make a good living.

[Beninato]

I always preferred the CFL to NFL Europe. It's a more wide open game, and people actually go to the games. I remember watching NFL Europe games and there were like 4000 people in the stands.

[Ravnet]

They should have just made it NFL Germany; wasn't the league dominated by German teams in the final few years?

[Strangebru]

[url="http://cfl.ca/schedule/year/2009/time_zone/0"]Pre-season starts June 17[sup]th[/sup].[/url]

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Ravnet' post='196260' date='May 31 2009, 06:00 PM']They should have just made it NFL Germany; wasn't the league dominated by German teams in the final few years?[/quote]
Yeah it was like 5 of six teams or six of eight teams were based in Germany.

[b-morebrotha]

Don't fret the Commish want's to discuss a D-league with the owners so keep hope alive brethren