Arena The Official NFL Discussion Thread (Now Featuring Time's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift!)

The Falcons have signed Terrell Pryor.

 

Former Seahawks HC Chuck Knox dies at age 86.

 

DeAngelo Hall is retiring.

 

How I know I am old? DeAngelo Hall is retiring. I feel like it wasn’t that long ago I was watching play in college at VT as it was only a few years after I graduated from college. Then I look and see that was indeed 15 years ago!

 

The Supreme Court ruling today btw about sports books is going to change the NFL (and college football) more then any other sport since nothing lends itself better to gambling then football. Also helps too that football is the sports most adaptable to TV as well.

 

The NFL released a statement about it, talking about the 'integrity of the game'. Lol. Once they find a way to make money off of it they'll change their tune.

 

If they cared about the integrity of the game, they would do something about their officiating.

 

The NFL does care about the integrity of the game in this situation, as they stand to lose a ton of money if people lose faith in it and start to think that the outcomes are controlled, or even just affected, by organized gambling.

It happened to boxing.

 

@CT-867-5309

Again the odds of it being fixed were more likely to happen when gambling happen behind closed doors and was controlled by the mob then in the open internet age. The NFL is just upset that others might profit from it even though they in the long run are going to make so much more money because of it. There is a decent chance that every single major sports franchise in this country will see it's value double over the next 10-15 years if this plays out like it should. Every. Single. One. But because others will be able to make some $$$ off it, the old angry NFL owners are in a huff over it.

And speaking of NFL owners, looks like Davis Tepper is going to get the Panthers:

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23509278/david-tepper-sign-carolina-panthers-purchase-deal

 

The NFL already has an official partnership with a betting organization, or has had: Draft Kings. Yes daily fantasy is clearly betting. So I don't buy anything they say about being worried about this.

As for game fixing, I highly doubt it will happen. This isn't boxing. It's a team sport with 53 players. It would be pretty hard to fix, and anyone who did would be permanently banned. I'm pretty sure most NFL players aren't dumb enough to throw their careers away for something that's really hard to pull off and wouldn't get them more money than they already make.

 

Wait. Gambling on sport teams is illegal?

Like state lotteries and the end of the alcohol prohibition, I don't expect things to change, expect for more advertising to place bets during sporting events. At least, now that it's legal, the government will be cut in on the action with Federal and local taxes, just like marijuana.

I wonder if the NFL or any of the other organizations will allow their players to bet on games in their league.

 

Sith_Sensei__Prime

Which I am 100% for the government getting a cut of it. Gambling and pot should be a business just like another business therefore it should be tax like a business should be.

NFL Insiders @ ESPN are saying the Browns are the most improved team right now from last year:

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23474032/nfl-insiders-predict-best-worst-teams-free-agency-draft

Well considering the fact they are 3-37 over their last 40 games (you read that right) as a franchise including 0-16 last year they be really hard pressed to not be the most improved team in the league especially considering the fact their draft stash and having the most cap space among NFL teams. The Browns could increase their win total by 400% next year and still wind up with the top pick in the draft (or at least Top 5) with a 4-12 record.

 

0 x 4 = 0

 

Sorry, not sorry to laugh about the Browns being the most improved team. Being a 49ers fan and starting the season like 0-9 last year, I could feel the Browns fans pain. But saying the Browns are the most improved team after have like a 0-16 record is pretty much a backhanded compliment as there is truly only one way to go.

However, I'll be interested in the development of Baker Mayfield because comparisons to Johnny Manziel.

 

In related news, Hue Jackman says he'll pay up on his promise to jump into Lake Eerie on June 1st.

 

You mean Hue Jackson? Because I don't think Wolverine is jumping in any lakes for an NFL team.

 

The Browns are going to be on Hard Knocks.

*Insert jokes here*

 

Well, only a moderator can insert jokes into your post, @Juliet316.

But on the subject of jokes:

A man was on his way to the Browns football game. He stopped at a convenience store to fill up, leaving his two tickets on the dashboard. When he came out, he saw that his car had been broken into, and...two more tickets left in addition to his own.

 

That joke makes more sense for a town that didn't have its team ripped away to Baltimore and yet still fills the Dawg Pound through 93424 bad QBs

 

So, the Jets, then?

 

jets were third in the league in attendance last year. since it's lloyd you should have picked on the bengals.

 

Well, Johnny Football Manziel is officially signed for 2 years to my hometown Canadian Football Legaue Team the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

http://ticats.ca/former-nfl-quarterback-heisman-trophy-winner-manziel-signs-with-tiger-cats/

No word if he's the starter yet (a few months ago his agent was saying that he needed to be paid starter wages to get on there) the Cats starter was the backup last year but then our QB lost like 9 in a row so the backup became the starter and we set the other guy packing. Honestly, this club has a history of bouncing between starters intentionally throughout a season so you never know. (they put up manzel jerseys at the shop and already sold out)

Apparently he's cleaned up now so, honestly, just be good at football-ing and I'll be happy. And it's 3 downs! 3 downs! So only 2 downs to move the damn ball!