You gotta love the NFL - the fact that they’re even debating wether or not to cancel games for one weekend should tell you all you need to know about this organization.
"While it’s easy to offer up a knee-jerk pronouncement, there are legitimate arguments to be made on both side of this sensitive issue. And the NFL is wisely taking the time it has to read the situation carefully. The league has to balance the proper respect for the loss of lives and the mood of national mourning against the desire to show that terrorism does not bring America’s society to a standstill. "
Well, this knee-jerk pronouncer feels it is callously inappropriate to hold games in the midst of the calamity the we’re facing right now. The best arguement they seem to make is that it would shorten the season unfairly for some teams:
“That would, of course, create competitive disadvantages in that some teams would have eight division games, while other teams within that division would have seven.”
Well, boo-fucking-hoo. How could I sleep nights knowing the Chargers got shorted because of some stupid tragedy?
I’m not a football fan. Hell, I barely understand the game. I don’t care if some teams are shorted a game. But I think the games should go on. We shouldn’t let these terrorists dictate what we do. We as Americans need to recover and go on with our lives. In fact, I think it will be an incredible demonstration of American pride and resolve. Canceling them just proves that they got a little more victory in their attack.
(Though realistically, I doubt the games will go on.)
The NFL really wants to be certain before they make a decision. Back in 1963, after Kennedy was assinated, NCAA cancelled their games for at least that week. The NFL did not, and they took a great deal of flak for it. On ESPN last night a commentator said that the decision to play those games in '63 was regretted by Pete Rozelle until the day he died.
I agree with Jet, that cancelling the games is giving another victory to the terrorists. Play the games to honor the fallen. I think it would make an outstanding statement to have 70,000 in the Meadowlands sharing a moment of silence and the national anthem. I really don’t care who wins the games, or how good the games are, I just want the terrorists to know they have not beaten our spirit.
I usually don’t care much for watching football beyond my own Denver Broncos, but I don’t want them to pull the games. Right now I am saturated with the news of the attacks. I have so many horrible images in my mind that I haven’t slept…I don’t want to watch anymore. I am overwhelmed with the horrendousness of it all and frankly, would welcome a diversion. I want to see something other than exploding planes, piles of rubble, and lines of people outside of hospitals and morgues looking for missing loved ones.
I am not concerned that some teams might get shortchanged or whatever…I just think it might help some people feel better to know that as irrevocably changed as America is after this, that there are still some normal things that go on. Maybe that’s lame or insensitive but I want something to make me feel like these terrorists didn’t get the better of us. They’ve shut down NY and killed thousands of innocent people and scared hundreds of thousands more and I want to prove to them that it doesn’t matter…that America will always be America no matter what they try to do.
Well, I certainly understand and I empathesize with elements on both sides, but I’m disappointed.
I’d like to show the putrid refuse responsible for the murders that we’ll carry on despite their hate and, frankly, I need a break from the trauma of the week. The memory of those fallen would be the primary element in the minds of all those playing and watching this week. I seriously doubt the competitive element of a shortened schedule played any role in that decision. If you had a prior beef with the NFL, fine, but don’t let it get in the way of the rest of us trying to come together in comfort and support now.
I reread your post and see that it was a quote so I’ll respectfully take back the last of my statement above. Sorry.
I’d heard that a lot of the players just wanted to be with their families right now, especially the ones from New York, and weren’t going to travel with their team if asked to play. Maybe the NFL was trying to circumvent what would obviously be a very difficult and devisive situation.
Well, they could have had the games but donated ticket proceeds or something to the disaster relief. That’s what some of the college conferences are doing.
I really wish so many sporting events weren’t cancelled, if only because that’s exactly what the terrorists wanted. Not just to kill innocent Americans, but to disrupt our whole country. Yes, it was right to cancel events that very and and for a few days after out of sensitivity to the victims and because of the logistics of travel (they couldn’t have played even they wanted to, probably). But the Government opened the still-smouldering Pentagon as a show of strength, and I wish that more sports leagues would have done the same. I applaud the SEC for going ahead with their football schedule, because I am certain that the playing of the national anthem and the moment of silence will be stirring moments. While we do have to honor and mourn those who died, the rest of us have to be strong. We can get things back to somewhat-normal in this country without dishonoring the memory of those who died. And I think the best way to start is to resume everyday stuff. And Rundogrun is right. We could really use a brief diversion to relax. Not to forget, to relax.
I think the NFL made the right decision.
Of course, NFL games don’t help me relax-I have other ways to do that. I still think it would have been terribly callous to have games played. Come on-it’s only one weekend, and there’s 10,000 body bags heading for NYC! It’s not letting the terrorists win, it’s called respect for the dead.
No matter what decision is made, you are going to have people to disagree with it.
On one hand, you have the “get back into the routine, don’t let the terrorist disrupt us – that’s what they wanted” camp,
and also the “show some respect for the dead and injured” camp.
Both have very valid points, and I wouldn’t have faulted either decision made. In fact, getting upset either way about this seems a little bit petty, considering everything else, IMO.
I heard one player say something like, “where would the police officers be needed most, providing extra security at a football game, or helping look for survivors? Especially in New York.”
That’s just paraphrasing, but I’d agree. Pete Rozelle said if he could do one thing over regarding his tenure as NFL Commish, he wouldn’t have allowed the games to go on the Sunday after Kennedy was assasinated. Maybe Tagliabue is learning from his predecessor’s mistake?
It doesn’t matter much what their thought processes are or how long it took to figure out the right answer. As someone who needs to write out arguments for and against doing something, I understand the need to wait and think a bit.
That said, I’m glad they made what I think is the right decision. Years from now, no one’s gonna care about the response, but it’s right for right now.
I think this is really stupid, IMHO. Cancelling football games in respect for the dead? Yeah, there was a foreign terrorist attack on New York, when the Oklahoma City Bombing took place, did the world stand still? No, we mourned, we got over it, and we moved on.
“We all have to die a little bit in respect for the dead.”
Yeah, let’s punish everyone in the country who wasn’t directly affected by the attack by taking away some form of distraction. It would be taking my valuable time spent watching one of my favorite sports away from repeats of old news on CNN. That’s all every station is playing anyway, “Breaking news, this happened 5 days ago, but we’ll get new reporters to give you in essence the same crap you’ve been hearing the whole time. Stay tuned for more.”
ladyfoxfyre, the players are people too. It sounds like you’re forgetting that. I haven’t been able to focus on much these past days, I think it’s understandable if the players don’t want to play this weekend.
And I think everyone was affected directly by this attack. Even if you’re in a bunker in Idaho, you are directly affected by this. Someone came into our country and killed our people. If you’re a citizen of the US, you were directly affected.