NFL Europe: Help Me Understand

[Perfect72]

In hearing about NFLE World Bowl today, I started thinking:1. Why are there NOT more NFLE players on NFL rosters? At first thought you would think there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters because:A. They are proven college players.B. They have usually spent a year or so on some NFL teams practice squad so they should be bigger, stronger and more aclimated to NFL schemes and the NFLWay of Life (Arrests not included).C. The coaches &quot;Know&quot; them and their abilities to a better extent and this familiarity should give the NFLE player and Edge to make the team over an unproven college player, especially an UDFA.D. Additional game & practice experience against supposedly Higher level competition. That is, SUPPOSEDLY these are all GOOD college players. So why do NFL teams generally keep a draft pick over an NFLE player? Is it because they spent the draft pick?Bottom-Line:The players in NFLE SHOULD have an advantage to make the NFL squad for the above reasons; but generally (With rare exceptions) only serve as additional Camp Fodder until the final cut down and then either go back on the practice squad or get released outright.I understand that NFLE is primarily used to generate interest in NFL football in Europe & to create another revenue and TV market. However, my guess the expectation is that there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters; and that they would be a Safer Bet than other kids right out of college. BUT NFLE SEEMS to be a DISADVANTAGE to these players because they are missing mini-camps and study time with their respective teams playbooks.So, it appears that the NFLE goal of being a Farm System (similar to MLB) for NFL players is NOT working.WHY?Thoughts?</p>

 

[endorPHINS72]

In hearing about NFLE World Bowl today, I started thinking:1. Why are there NOT more NFLE players on NFL rosters? At first thought you would think there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters because:A. They are proven college players.B. They have usually spent a year or so on some NFL teams practice squad so they should be bigger, stronger and more aclimated to NFL schemes and the NFLWay of Life (Arrests not included).C. The coaches &quot;Know&quot; them and their abilities to a better extent and this familiarity should give the NFLE player and Edge to make the team over an unproven college player, especially an UDFA.D. Additional game & practice experience against supposedly Higher level competition. That is, SUPPOSEDLY these are all GOOD college players. So why do NFL teams generally keep a draft pick over an NFLE player? Is it because they spent the draft pick?Bottom-Line:The players in NFLE SHOULD have an advantage to make the NFL squad for the above reasons; but generally (With rare exceptions) only serve as additional Camp Fodder until the final cut down and then either go back on the practice squad or get released outright.I understand that NFLE is primarily used to generate interest in NFL football in Europe & to create another revenue and TV market. However, my guess the expectation is that there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters; and that they would be a Safer Bet than other kids right out of college. BUT NFLE SEEMS to be a DISADVANTAGE to these players because they are missing mini-camps and study time with their respective teams playbooks.So, it appears that the NFLE goal of being a Farm System (similar to MLB) for NFL players is NOT working.WHY?Thoughts?</p>

I've enjoyed NFL Europe as well, but unfortunately, there has been a lot of talk about this possibly being it's last year.

 

[tartan y fronts]

its been a while since i went to a game since the Claymores shut down & especially after they moved from Edinburgh, but the standard was never that good. tbh, the mistakes added a lot of the excitement.

good fun nonetheless, but way below NFL standard.

 

[calmrage]

They need to move NFLE back to the states and affiliate the teams with NFL teams to make it interesting.

 

[Vendigo]

They need to move NFLE back to the states and affiliate the teams with NFL teams to make it interesting.

Why would that be? Yesterday's World Bowl was one heck of a football game - I can't help but wonder why Americans won't bother to watch it just because it's not played in the US. I don't have a problem watching the NFL, either. I just go where the good football is.

 

[NorFlaFin]

A couple of years ago, so of the teams started using NFL Europa as the minors leagues. Much like MLB utilize farm teams, some NFL teams did the same. Consequently with the emphasis on player development and not winning ball games, the quality (as a whole) has gone down.

IF the NFL would treat NFL Europa as a farm system instead of a money grab.........

 

[dolfan_uk]

NFL Europe should be renamed NFL GERMANY! 8 or 9 teams out of the ten or so are German. That league is a waste of time and money IMO

 

[Vendigo]

NFL Europe should be renamed NFL GERMANY! 8 or 9 teams out of the ten or so are German. That league is a waste of time and money IMO

Why do you think they renamed it to NFL Europa? Oh, and it's six teams, five of which are German. At least bother to watch it a couple of times before calling it a waste of time

 

[JSwerdy]

A couple of years ago, so of the teams started using NFL Europa as the minors leagues. Much like MLB utilize farm teams, some NFL teams did the same. Consequently with the emphasis on player development and not winning ball games, the quality (as a whole) has gone down.

IF the NFL would treat NFL Europa as a farm system instead of a money grab.........

actually the league has failed as a developmental league. PFT had a good little ode to it a few days ago, but long gone are the times when successfull NFL players actually emerged from the NFLE (warner, b. johnson) but now the primary problem is that the season eats into the NFL's ota's and ocs's where 90% of the team system is learned. while these players are getting valuable game time, they are missing out on the key times to learn the systems, and therefore come into camp a step behind everyone else and much less likely to make the team.

if the nfl really wanted the E-league to boom as a developmental league they would need to reorganize the schedule, but it would still be too little, too late. the league is done for, the NFL loses 1 mil per team this year (not too bad considering its only 6 teams) but the NFL is now willing to admit this failed

 

[Vendigo]

actually the league has failed as a developmental league.

It has? What about players like Matt Lepsis (starting LT for the Broncos) or Ben Hamilton (starting RG)? Sorry, but the PFT thing was badly researched and at times just plain wrong. See:

but now the primary problem is that the season eats into the NFL's ota's and ocs's where 90% of the team system is learned.

I agree that missing OTAs and OCS' is a problem; however, the claim that 90% of the team's system is learned there is just plain silly.

The thing about the NFLE is that teams that actually used the league (like, say, Kansas City or the Broncos) are getting a pretty nice profit in terms of player development. Most teams just don't use the league sensibly but sign some street FAs to allocate and forget about.

if the nfl really wanted the E-league to boom as a developmental league they would need to reorganize the schedule

I agree here. The schedule is a problem. However, if the league went down it wasn't just because of schedule problems - there are just too few NFL teams willing to put an effort in it. Those that did got their money back big time.

 

[PHINANALYST]

The 'challenge' with NFL-E is that the players you send there are absent from OTAs / OSCs ... and are behind when they get to camp ... they are also 'tired' from playing the season over there - then camp - then the NFL season.

So to meagerly address the 'why teams don't send more players' is that outside of the newly drafted players ... you only really have your practice squad and those 'other' signees that are 'developmental' to send there. They are there to continue their development and get playing time that they otherwise would never get. And that is reason #1 that there isn't a long heralded list of previous NFL-E veterans.

Anyone that you really believe to be a contributor to the team during the season 'generally speaking' will not be allocated to NFL-E. Sam, Mitchell, Vickerson, and Fifita will end up as depth players [Vickerson & Fifita] and STs or PS [Sam & Mitchell] ....

 

[blabla]

In hearing about NFLE World Bowl today, I started thinking:

1. Why are there NOT more NFLE players on NFL rosters? At first thought you would think there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters because:

A. They are proven college players.

B. They have usually spent a year or so on some NFL teams practice squad so they should be bigger, stronger and more aclimated to NFL schemes and the NFLWay of Life (Arrests not included).

C. The coaches &quot;Know&quot; them and their abilities to a better extent and this familiarity should give the NFLE player and Edge to make the team over an unproven college player, especially an UDFA.

D. Additional game & practice experience against supposedly Higher level competition. That is, SUPPOSEDLY these are all GOOD college players.

So why do NFL teams generally keep a draft pick over an NFLE player? Is it because they spent the draft pick?

Bottom-Line:The players in NFLE SHOULD have an advantage to make the NFL squad for the above reasons; but generally (With rare exceptions) only serve as additional Camp Fodder until the final cut down and then either go back on the practice squad or get released outright.

I understand that NFLE is primarily used to generate interest in NFL football in Europe & to create another revenue and TV market. However, my guess the expectation is that there would be MORE NFLE players on NFL rosters; and that they would be a Safer Bet than other kids right out of college. BUT NFLE SEEMS to be a DISADVANTAGE to these players because they are missing mini-camps and study time with their respective teams playbooks. So, it appears that the NFLE goal of being a Farm System (similar to MLB) for NFL players is NOT working.WHY?Thoughts?</p>

1. For some teams it is not so much the development part they care about but more the "I'm not sure about this guy, let's give him a final look" part that keeps them interested in NFL Europe.

2. Mini camps can be moved forward a little and the NFL Europe schedule backward a little, which should motivate the NFL teams to trully send over development players.

3. This year alllowed the NFL Europe coaches to aquire more Free Agents then previous years, which is important for local fan binding with their teams.

4. Don't forget that NFL Europe is not just about players. It produces coaches, referee's, commentators and even front office staff as well.

5. Imo besides the schedule thing they should commit themselves to NFL Europe by extending the league to 16 teams and then bind NFL teams with their European counterparts, make sending over the entire practise squad mandatory. Place players in it that you really want to develop (doesn't hold up for all positions i.e. runningbacks are more a talent position then anything else). Bind one AFC team and one NFC team to each team. Break down the 16 teams into 4 divisions and a playoff system so that they play a maximum of 12 games plus the Worldbowl (13). Host 2 divisions in Germany/Netherlands, one in England and one in Japan. Doing this will increase the level of play and thus the quality returned but will also link the US fans to their counterparts (who doesn't want to see John Beck out on the field). But doing this would require a serious investment and not the half arsed commitment they are showing now (total league cost = 6 million split out over 32 teams that is less then the minimum wage for a single NFL player per team).

 

[blabla]

Some interesting reading on the subject:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10235830
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10230549
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10234001

 

[Gam(e)-is-on]

5. Imo besides the schedule thing they should commit themselves to NFL Europe by extending the league to 16 teams and then bind NFL teams with their European counterparts, make sending over the entire practise squad mandatory. Place players in it that you really want to develop (doesn't hold up for all positions i.e. runningbacks are more a talent position then anything else). Bind one AFC team and one NFC team to each team. Break down the 16 teams into 4 divisions and a playoff system so that they play a maximum of 12 games plus the Worldbowl (13). Host 2 divisions in Germany/Netherlands, one in England and one in Japan. Doing this will increase the level of play and thus the quality returned but will also link the US fans to their counterparts (who doesn't want to see John Beck out on the field). But doing this would require a serious investment and not the half arsed commitment they are showing now (total league cost = 6 million split out over 32 teams that is less then the minimum wage for a single NFL player per team).

I like what you are trying to say, but it will never be fully possible to send over entire practice squads of players for so many games. They face a brutal training camp when they get back, 4 preseason games and then a 16 games schedule with the regular NFL season. It will be physically impossible. But hey, maybe there is a way around it so this could be done in some other shape or form. Would be awesome with some sort of international NFL World Championship that is fed by the NFL. I still remember the original World League of American Football when the teams were these ( I have added the wikipedia links to these teams):

Sacramento Surge - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_Surge

Raleigh Durham Skyhawks - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh-Durham_Skyhawks

Birmingham Fire - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Fire

San Antonio Riders - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_Riders

Montreal Machine - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Machine

Orlando Thunder - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Thunder
(Scott Michell played for Orlando)

Ohio Glory - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Glory

Barcelona Dragons - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_Dragons

New York-New Jersey Knights - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York/New_Jersey_Knights

London Monarchs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Monarchs

and the Frankfurt Galaxy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_Galaxy

I loved it. Not the NFL, but I thought it was great. Little side note is my first time meeting Dan Marino when the Dolphins practiced at St. Thomas University. It was my first football vacation going to Miami from Denmark. The Thursday before the 1993 play-off game vs. the SD Chargers - Marino was wearing grey Birmingham Fire sweat pants. I have it on an old picture next to him that was taken before thier practice.

 

[PMZQ]

Why would that be? Yesterday's World Bowl was one heck of a football game - I can't help but wonder why Americans won't bother to watch it just because it's not played in the US. I don't have a problem watching the NFL, either. I just go where the good football is.

I agree, wonderful game yesterday, but alas many Americans are so self-absorbed that they believe if it is happening outside of the USA, it doesn't really matter. Hence one of the reasons soccer just can't seem to catch on here.