Longer season in the NFL ?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4015357

DANA POINT, Calif. -- More games that count, perhaps as early as August 2011? That's exactly what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants.

There are several hurdles before the league can expand its regular season from 16 to 17 or 18 games. Among them is reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the players' union.

Still, the commissioner hopes to present a proposal to the owners in May after the matter was discussed at length this week at the owners meetings.

"It's possible that we could vote in May, but we want to have core discussions on this," Goodell said Wednesday. "Anytime you have change, there is some reluctance. But it's clear we don't need four preseason games anymore."

Goodell said the league has not seriously discussed the subject with its broadcast partners. He couldn't imagine them not being interested in more meaningful games.

"I think the quality of NFL programming, that every one of our network partners would say, if they have the chance to have more regular-season programming, they'd be interested in it," Goodell said. "A key point is the fans also recognize players they want to see are not in those preseason games; that's why they are not attractive. They want to see those players play."

As for those players and their union, Goodell recognizes an expanded schedule will be part of CBA negotiations. Owners opted out of the current deal last year, and it expires after the 2010 schedule, which would be an uncapped season.

"Under the current agreement, additional regular-season games would not be covered," Goodell said. "I think our most important priority after we get done with our internal analysis is talking to our key partners, and that includes the players. I think we want to make sure that the right dialogue takes place before we make any final votes."

DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA's incoming executive director, wants any decision that affects the players to happen collaboratively.

"His hope is that the concerns and interests of the players will be seriously considered," said George Atallah, a director at the public relations firm Qorvis Communications and a spokesman for Smith during his transition. "He was elected by the players to be their advocate on such issues and is more than ready to serve them."

Among the issues team owners must discuss is when the regular season would begin; how many bye weeks would be scheduled; how deep into February the playoffs and Super Bowl would go; and when the offseason programs -- including the combine and the draft -- would be held.

Plus, where would the extra games be played, particularly with 17 of them?

One possibility, an idea Goodell and senior vice president of sales and marketing Mark Waller first mentioned several years ago, would be 17 neutral-site games, including some abroad. That would enable the league to step up its efforts internationally, a particular goal of Goodell's.

Eagles' McNabb didn't know rule - arm-chair quarterbacks whine about him being overpaid lol

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2008/11/18/not_a_real_good_looking_tie/

Thanks to Donovan McNabb, players around the NFL now must know there doesn't have to be a winner or loser in every regular-season game. Yes, there are ties in the NFL. They just don't happen too often.

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A day after the Eagles and Bengals played a 13-13 tie - the league's first since 2002 - the focus wasn't on how poorly the teams performed on the field. Instead, everyone wanted to know how it's possible some pro football players, especially a 10-year veteran such as McNabb, don't know simple rules about overtime games.

"I'm sure there are plenty of rules that guys don't understand, but I don't think that has any factor whatsoever to do with the outcome of this game and how they played in the overtime," Eagles coach Andy Reid said yesterday. "I think that's absurd. You play to win in that time, whether you think you have another overtime period or you don't. And you play your heart out to win it in that time, and that's how we approached it and that's how the players approached it."

The Eagles now have played 12 OT games, including one in the playoffs, since McNabb joined the team in 1999. Yet, the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback didn't know ties were possible until his desperation pass fell incomplete at the end of the fifth quarter.

"I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book," McNabb said after the game. "It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately, with the rules, we settled with a tie."

The overtime rule isn't an obscure one. It was adopted fully by the NFL in 1974 and 17 games since have ended tied. The Eagles have been involved in four of those games.

"I guess we're aware of it now," McNabb said. "In college, there are multiple overtimes, and in high school and Pop Warner. I never knew in the pro ranks it would end that way. I hate to see what would happen in the Super Bowl and in the playoffs."

They keep playing if it's tied in the playoffs or Super Bowl. But McNabb didn't know that, either.