Other NFL News

[BridgeTroll]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/19021659/nfl-expected-pass-rule-prohibiting-leaper-block-attempts-field-goals-extra-point-attempts

NFL bans leaping block attempts on field goals, extra points

PHOENIX -- NFL owners formally banned players from leaping over the line of scrimmage to block kicks and approved a plan to centralize replay review decisions to the league office, highlighting a flurry of votes Tuesday at their annual meetings.

The league's competition committee joined players in expressing concerns about the safety risks of the leaping strategy that proliferated last season. Although it didn't happen in 2016, they feared a player could be flipped in the air by blockers as they rose from their stances and land awkwardly. The strategy will be expressly barred in the 2017 NFL rule book.

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, who has perfected the leap over the line to block kicks, tweeted Tuesday night on the rule change.

We are creative. We will find another way pic.twitter.com/p04yNBzDk5

— Bobby Wagner (@Bwagz54) March 28, 2017
Teammate Kam Chancellor also tweeted of his disapproval:

No Fun League...
How can you entertain if you are governed by people who never broke a bone before? #TheyDontUnderstand #NFL

— The Enforcer (@Kam_Chancellor) March 28, 2017
The final say for replay decisions will rest with senior vice president of officiating Dean Blandino or a member of his supervisory staff, all of whom watch games from a command center in New York. Referees will follow the conversation on a video tablet rather than using a sideline "hood" -- a move that, in reality, is a formalization of the process the league has used since the command center was established to aid referees in 2014.

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that estimates given to league owners showed that the new centralized replay system can save 1.5 minutes per game.

Owners completed the on-field portion of these meetings at midday Tuesday by clearing their list of playing proposals. A bid to shorten overtime from 15 to 10 minutes was tabled. Owners rejected a proposal by the Washington Redskins to place touchbacks at the 20-yard line if the ball went through the uprights after kickoffs. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, a member of the competition committee, said he thought the idea was "gimmicky."

In other business Tuesday, the NFL:

• Approved a rule prohibiting teams from committing multiple fouls on the same play in an effort to manipulate the game clock, thwarting a strategy used last season by both the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens.

• Made permanent a rule to automatically eject players from games after they commit two of a certain type of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

• Approved for one more season the experiment to put touchbacks at the 25-yard line after kickoffs.

[I-10east]

Khan and Lamping really won't know what they have in terms of local revenue until the team starts winning. I'm honestly impressed with how many people shell out thousands for season tickets to watch a perennial loser. At some point the venue quality is irrelevant...

I have to agree. Especially how many people in this small market that show up for so many struggling teams. The Jags are also greatly helped out by visiting fans that come down to sunny FL and watch their team play. I'm a diehard, but just telling it like it is.

The one game that stuck out as I was stunned on how many Viking fans came here; I've never saw anything like that (no GB, PIT etc bandwagon team didn't have that many to my knowledge). The Vikes fans basically took over the stadium. Now of course if we start winning, issues like that will drastically change.

[I-10east]

What do yall think is the worst stadium (post SD and OAK)? IMO it's more than likely BUF.

Personally, I haven't been to many stadiums to have a 1st hand opinion, but if you're insinuating what I think you are, based on what I read, Jacksonville is probably about 10th in line.  In no particular order and off the top of my head I would say that: Tampa, Carolina, Cleveland, Buffalo, New Orleans & Nashville will all need major renovations/new stadiums before we do anything else truly major.

Yeah, I only been to three NFL stadiums; the old school Mile High when I was in the service, Ray J, and of course Everbank Field. IMO one doesn't have to be a globetrotter to find important GENERAL info on stadiums. When exactly stadiums have been renovated says a lot. How up to date their scoreboards, ribbon boards, and how many amenities like premium seating etc?

Sure seeing the inner bowels of a main concourse is best judged first hand with visiting, but with info, pics etc etc concerning a stadium's bowl area, it really isn't the case. If the scoreboards look like crap (like Qualcomm), than the concourse more than likely is too.

Info like if the stadium is too large (like IMO BUF and JAX both share that problem)? Of course the FL/GA game, and even getting the Jags here influencing the size of Everbank Field has been talked about ad nauseum. IMO that's Everbank's only notable flaw right now (which will never change). Other than that, the stadium is very good.

[FlaBoy]

They will try for a major overhaul with a Miami-like canopy in a few years without a doubt and a slight seat reduction in the upper deck.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

They will try for a major overhaul with a Miami-like canopy in a few years without a doubt and a slight seat reduction in the upper deck.

I was thinking the same thing.  And call me crazy, but I'm wondering if that was already in the long-term plan when they drastically changed the design of the amphitheater structure?

Sure, getting rid of all of the radius work cuts costs (a lot more than people probably realize), but I think the it would be easier to maintain an overall continuity, from the structured beams to the light diffusing roof membrane, from the practice structure to a future canopy.

Thoughts?

[DrQue]

They will try for a major overhaul with a Miami-like canopy in a few years without a doubt and a slight seat reduction in the upper deck.

Thoughts?

I think you're on point. I would hope that for investments of this size and scale, long term continuity is being taken into account.

[FlaBoy]

They will try for a major overhaul with a Miami-like canopy in a few years without a doubt and a slight seat reduction in the upper deck.

I was thinking the same thing.  And call me crazy, but I'm wondering if that was already in the long-term plan when they drastically changed the design of the amphitheater structure?

Sure, getting rid of all of the radius work cuts costs (a lot more than people probably realize), but I think the it would be easier to maintain an overall continuity, from the structured beams to the light diffusing roof membrane, from the practice structure to a future canopy.

Thoughts?

Makes sense. The canopy at Hard Rock apparently cost $160 million in the end to get done.

Hillsdale sued SFS, Hunt and an engineering firm, contending they are refusing to pay for the more than $160 million Hillsdale spent on the roof canopy at Hard Rock Stadium. But SFS and Hunt countered in a different lawsuit that Hillsdale had agreed to accept any additional costs of the work, even if those costs went beyond the initial $77.7 million subcontract.

The Dolphins, an SFS affiliate, had hired Hunt Construction to manage construction and Thornton Tomasetti Inc. to manage engineering for the stadium renovations in 2015. Hillsdale received a $77.7 million subcontract for work on steel for the roof canopy.

https://www.law360.com/articles/858932

[Wacca Pilatka]

What do yall think is the worst stadium (post SD and OAK)? IMO it's more than likely BUF.

Personally, I haven't been to many stadiums to have a 1st hand opinion, but if you're insinuating what I think you are, based on what I read, Jacksonville is probably about 10th in line.  In no particular order and off the top of my head I would say that: Tampa, Carolina, Cleveland, Buffalo, New Orleans & Nashville will all need major renovations/new stadiums before we do anything else truly major. 

Washington is a much worse stadium than Jacksonville as well.  I know from personal experience.  Generic appearance, inaccessible setting surrounded by nothing, poor lines of sight.  I think they did recently upgrade their video boards, which were so archaic that fans compared them to Lite Brites.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

What do yall think is the worst stadium (post SD and OAK)? IMO it's more than likely BUF.

Personally, I haven't been to many stadiums to have a 1st hand opinion, but if you're insinuating what I think you are, based on what I read, Jacksonville is probably about 10th in line.  In no particular order and off the top of my head I would say that: Tampa, Carolina, Cleveland, Buffalo, New Orleans & Nashville will all need major renovations/new stadiums before we do anything else truly major. 

Washington is a much worse stadium than Jacksonville as well.  I know from personal experience.  Generic appearance, inaccessible setting surrounded by nothing, poor lines of sight.  I think they did recently upgrade their video boards, which were so archaic that fans compared them to Lite Brites.

I didn't list them because they're on the list of 'prospecting' a new stadium, but I don't have a clue what kind of timeline they're on.

[FlaBoy]

What do yall think is the worst stadium (post SD and OAK)? IMO it's more than likely BUF.

Personally, I haven't been to many stadiums to have a 1st hand opinion, but if you're insinuating what I think you are, based on what I read, Jacksonville is probably about 10th in line.  In no particular order and off the top of my head I would say that: Tampa, Carolina, Cleveland, Buffalo, New Orleans & Nashville will all need major renovations/new stadiums before we do anything else truly major. 

Washington is a much worse stadium than Jacksonville as well.  I know from personal experience.  Generic appearance, inaccessible setting surrounded by nothing, poor lines of sight.  I think they did recently upgrade their video boards, which were so archaic that fans compared them to Lite Brites.

I didn't list them because they're on the list of 'prospecting' a new stadium, but I don't have a clue what kind of timeline they're on.

Why would Tampa, Cleveland, Carolina, and Nashville need updates before Jax? They are all same era stadiums that are a little newer than Everbank actually. I know Raymond James Stadium underwent a $100 million face lift recently. They deal with the heat issue much like we do.

[JaxAvondale]

It looks like Dallas is going to host the 2018 NFL Draft.


http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/19081264/dallas-cowboys-emerge-favorite-host-2018-draft-new-training-facility

[JaxJersey-licious]

I think the trend will be a combination of whoever has the best facilities AND are willing to shoulder a big burden of the auxiliary costs are going to be "rewarded" the chance to host the draft. If Jacksonville is willing to take care of all the infrastructure, security, blocking of streets for things like the NFL Experience to bring in the few thousand people on a Thursday to a arena half-filled with Jags fans to watch not a sporting event but a goddam player draft, then more power to them.

My issue is not how silly the event is, but I'm concerned the NFL (who has all this money despite being a non-profit) would encourage cities fighting to the death to get these events in their town offering so much to the league while the NFL provides so little. I don't think they can help themselves; it would be treated no differently than bidding for the Super Bowl, Olympics, World Cup.  Going after a franchise is different because it's supposed to be beneficial long term and THAT may be a stretch however these one-off events with limited regional benefits, maybe in a few years it could be the attention-driving spark this area could reap from...

...just don't forget who you're dealing with here.

[JaxAvondale]

There were 200,000 people who visited the 3 day fan festival in Chicago two years ago. NFL fans from all teams love coming to the draft. It is the only time of the year where every feels optimistic about their team.

[JaxJersey-licious]

There were 200,000 people who visited the 3 day fan festival in Chicago two years ago. NFL fans from all teams love coming to the draft. It is the only time of the year where every feels optimistic about their team.

I would bet that of the 200,000 "visitors" more than half where residents of the Chicagoland area and a good chunk of the rest of them were already there from all the springtime events and conventions revving up. I, being out of state, can't give an honest opinion but if this was such a draw for football fans, how many Jaguar fans did you know packed up their whole family for 3 nights at the Chicago NFL draft? Maybe you know a few bros who made the trip but if their visitor numbers were close to true and all things being equal there should have been more than 6,500 Jag fans there feeling optimistic the only time that year!

I still think Jacksonville holding the NFL draft would be a big positive for the city but my expectations are a bit more tempered. Part of that is because the number of potential visitors may be exaggerated: If JAX were to be awarded a draft, its safe to say other teams chances hosting  would be good too so why would a fan of an out of town team need to come here when they're team had or will be hosting something like this also? Plus there are no gala balls, no Radio Row full of memory-reminiscing autograph-signing stars, or none of the red carpet glitz and fanfare that attracts out of towners like you-know-who.

But more disheartening would be all the damn concessions Jacksonville and the Jaguars would have to make to make this a reality (I double-dog dare Bold Events to charge the NFL the same rate to rent out Daily's Place as they would, say, 3 Luke Bryan concerts). I just feel that it's not worth all the expenses and hassles if this event ends up attracting mostly First Coast residents. That money would be better spent in the community.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Why would people come? perhaps they wanna visit St. Augustine and Disney World also. The state of Florida is a great place to visit and for many it will be their first time.