Eric Winston wants to change the league

C Mart · 06-28-2010, 12:01 PM

Except for his idea of wiping out the divisons I like his ideas.

[B]Eric Winston wants to change the league[/B]

Posted by Mike Florio on June 28, 2010 11:46 AM ET

Texans offensive lineman Eric Winston takes the reins of [I]Monday Morning Quarterback[/I] this week, during Peter King's hiatus. (Peter already was scheduled to be off while covering the World Cup; last week his brother, Bob, died suddenly, and Peter's family has been in our thoughts and prayers ever since.)

Winston brings his fastball to the keyboard, offering up five ideas for changing the game.

First, he'd move the Super Bowl to Saturday in order to let fans better enjoy the game, since they won't have to worry about work and school the next day. But if the league adds two regular-season games and continues to start the season the weekend after Labor Day, Winston possibly would get his wish, since the Super Bowl would likely land on President's Day weekend, when Monday is a holiday.

Second, he'd make a radical change to the conference format and schedule, dumping the divisions and having each team play the other teams in its conference once, with one game against a rival from the other conference.

We see three potential problems here. First, it would essentially wipe out most interconference play, since each team would play only its assigned rival from the other conference every year. Second, by putting the top six of 16 teams from each conference into the postseason, the subtle genius of giving every team a plausible path to the playoffs by giving them a one-in-four crack at a division crown would diminish the hope that runs rampant throughout every NFL city when each team resides in the valley of 0-0. Third, division rivalries fuel much of the sport's popularity; under this proposal, they'd be gone.

Next, Winston wants a larger roster and a minor league. We agree on both counts. Young players who otherwise sit on the bench would benefit from a chance to use live reps against other NFL-caliber players as a way to improve.

Winston also favors a "sensible" rookie wage scale. He proposed a four-year deal for first-rounders and three-year contracts for rounds two through seven, with no franchise tags or other restrictions. (We'd be shocked if the league ever agrees, unless in exchange for that arrangement all player salaries would be paid in Monopoly money and/or foam peanuts.)

Fifth, Winston believes that overtime should be changed for the regular season, with the first possession determined by something other than a coin flip and both teams getting a crack at the ball before it converts to sudden death. We agree on both ideas -- but the first one becomes far less necessary if the second is adopted.

[url]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/28/eric-winston-wants-to-change-the-league/[/url]

sg3 · 06-28-2010, 12:19 PM

mostly dumb old ideas.

figures the ambulance chaser would like them

doggin94it · 06-28-2010, 12:41 PM

Saturday Superbowl would be awful

WestCoastOffensive · 06-28-2010, 12:45 PM

Let's send Deacon Jones over to head-slap that fool.

Peebag · 06-28-2010, 01:03 PM

[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE]

I actually thought that was the best idea he had.

LockeJET · 06-28-2010, 01:10 PM

Saturday Super Bowl would suck!! Making the Monday after a national holiday should be what they shoot for.

C Mart · 06-28-2010, 01:22 PM

[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE]

Why? Just curious.

SMC · 06-28-2010, 01:22 PM

I didn't like any of his ideas except for the rookie cap.

Everything else didn't make sense at all.

sg3 · 06-28-2010, 01:28 PM

the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday.

Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed

doggin94it · 06-28-2010, 01:48 PM

[QUOTE=C Mart;3635360]Why? Just curious.[/QUOTE]

Because as a religious Jew, I - and many other huge football fans - would have no "Superbowl Day": no barbecue in the afternoon, no setting up the party, no playing football with the kids, no watching the pregame, and I'd even miss the opening kick.

It. Would. Suck.

doggin94it · 06-28-2010, 01:50 PM

[QUOTE=sg3;3635367]the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday.

Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed[/QUOTE]

Also, peace in the middle east is established, world hunger is ended, and that damn scourge poverty is abolished once and for all.

Gastineau99 · 06-28-2010, 01:53 PM

Eric Winston has no pull... no one cares what he thinks. Only reason I know who he is, is because he was an o-lineman when D'Brick and Mangold were drafted and there were 2 other "Winston's" in that O-Line class (Winston Justice and Eric Winston).

Gastineau99 · 06-28-2010, 01:55 PM

[QUOTE=Peebag;3635346]I actually thought that was the best idea he had.[/QUOTE]

Yes, it would be great not to have it on a work night.
:yes:

Jason423 · 06-28-2010, 02:01 PM

Im not a big fan of the scheduling thoughts. I get where he is coming from since he feels his team misses out on the playoffs by being in a perceived tough division, but essentially eliminating all the NFC/AFC games just does not seem right. I really dont like the idea of the Super Bowl on Saturday. Football is a Sunday game. I think it is only right that the season culminates on a Sunday.

I dont mind the rookie scale idea, though there has to be a way for the teams to hold the rights for longer. I think rookie deals should be negotiated with an option in year 4 to extend the contract. The option cant be guaranteed and should be equal to some type of predetermined number based on draft position and position played that is determined in a manner similar to the franchise tag.

As for overtime, if the NFL just pushed the kickoff back 5 yards nobody would ever complain. that is really all it would take.

TheMikeIsHot · 06-28-2010, 04:05 PM

Eliminating the divisions is a really, really, really stupid idea. Rivalries are what drives this game for fans. I would be in favor of reorganizing the divisions and slightly altering the schedule. I'd prefer to see "rivalry games" instead of games between teams ranked in the divisions (1v1, 2v2, ect.) from the previous year.

AFC East: Jets, Pats, Bills, Ravens
AFC North: Steelers, Colts, Bengals, Browns
AFC South: Titans, Jags, Texans, Dolphins
AFC West: Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs, Broncos

NFC East: Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Panthers
NFC North: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings
NFC South: Saints, Falcons, Bucs, Rams
NFC West: 49ers, Cowboys, Seahawks, Cardinals

I also wouldn't mind some sort of minor league system, but I don't think that will happen. Expanding the number of active players for each game would also be nice.

Greensleeves · 06-28-2010, 04:22 PM

[QUOTE=Peebag;3635346]I actually thought that was the best idea he had.[/QUOTE]

Saturday Super Bowl is a great idea. The parties would be ten times better and the younger kids could watch the game and not be zombies in school the next day. People have been complaining about this for years. Major playoff games are on Saturday, it's not a stretch to have one more.

124 · 06-28-2010, 04:28 PM

Playing every team in your conference once + one NFC/AFC opponent is one of the dumbest ideas ever. Totally takes away divisions and that's just dumb.

Screw Winston.

WeskerLogan · 06-28-2010, 05:19 PM

[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE]

+1 they already changed the draft up..leave SUPER SUNDAY baby!:yes:

but yes, we should get off monday...we need to stop living in a world run by CEOs..**** YOU BUDDY I WANT ME SOME FOOTBALL!

FijiJet · 06-28-2010, 11:44 PM

[QUOTE=SMC;3635361]I didn't like any of his ideas except for the rookie cap.

Everything else didn't make sense at all.[/QUOTE]

Agree, the rookie cap seemed to make the most sense. SB Saturday wasn't too bad as well, but the rest seem too redical and hard to implement or justify

Dcat · 06-28-2010, 11:55 PM

[QUOTE=sg3;3635367]the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday.

Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed[/QUOTE]

lots of schools have breaks that week and lots of families travel. Lower ratings. Not going to happen.

06-28-2010, 12:01 PM	#1
C Mart Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,304	Eric Winston wants to change the league Except for his idea of wiping out the divisons I like his ideas. [B]Eric Winston wants to change the league[/B] Posted by Mike Florio on June 28, 2010 11:46 AM ET Texans offensive lineman Eric Winston takes the reins of [I]Monday Morning Quarterback[/I] this week, during Peter King's hiatus. (Peter already was scheduled to be off while covering the World Cup; last week his brother, Bob, died suddenly, and Peter's family has been in our thoughts and prayers ever since.) Winston brings his fastball to the keyboard, offering up five ideas for changing the game. First, he'd move the Super Bowl to Saturday in order to let fans better enjoy the game, since they won't have to worry about work and school the next day. But if the league adds two regular-season games and continues to start the season the weekend after Labor Day, Winston possibly would get his wish, since the Super Bowl would likely land on President's Day weekend, when Monday is a holiday. Second, he'd make a radical change to the conference format and schedule, dumping the divisions and having each team play the other teams in its conference once, with one game against a rival from the other conference. We see three potential problems here. First, it would essentially wipe out most interconference play, since each team would play only its assigned rival from the other conference every year. Second, by putting the top six of 16 teams from each conference into the postseason, the subtle genius of giving every team a plausible path to the playoffs by giving them a one-in-four crack at a division crown would diminish the hope that runs rampant throughout every NFL city when each team resides in the valley of 0-0. Third, division rivalries fuel much of the sport's popularity; under this proposal, they'd be gone. Next, Winston wants a larger roster and a minor league. We agree on both counts. Young players who otherwise sit on the bench would benefit from a chance to use live reps against other NFL-caliber players as a way to improve. Winston also favors a "sensible" rookie wage scale. He proposed a four-year deal for first-rounders and three-year contracts for rounds two through seven, with no franchise tags or other restrictions. (We'd be shocked if the league ever agrees, unless in exchange for that arrangement all player salaries would be paid in Monopoly money and/or foam peanuts.) Fifth, Winston believes that overtime should be changed for the regular season, with the first possession determined by something other than a coin flip and both teams getting a crack at the ball before it converts to sudden death. We agree on both ideas -- but the first one becomes far less necessary if the second is adopted. [url]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/28/eric-winston-wants-to-change-the-league/[/url]

06-28-2010, 12:19 PM	#2
sg3 REX AND THE I-MAN - BACK ON TRACK Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Big Apple, USA Posts: 20,372	mostly dumb old ideas. figures the ambulance chaser would like them

06-28-2010, 12:41 PM	#3
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,409	Saturday Superbowl would be awful

06-28-2010, 12:45 PM	#4
WestCoastOffensive Lying to the Smithsonian Board Moderator Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: SF via Strong Island Posts: 26,646	Let's send Deacon Jones over to head-slap that fool.

06-28-2010, 01:03 PM	#5
Peebag being disappointed since January 13th, 1969 All Pro Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: great midwest -well not so great Posts: 7,110	[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE] I actually thought that was the best idea he had.

06-28-2010, 01:10 PM	#6
LockeJET pooping, but thinking of you! Hall of Fame Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 15,957	Saturday Super Bowl would suck!! Making the Monday after a national holiday should be what they shoot for.

06-28-2010, 01:22 PM	#7
C Mart Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,304	[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE] Why? Just curious.

06-28-2010, 01:22 PM	#8
SMC Day-to-day Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 22,032	I didn't like any of his ideas except for the rookie cap. Everything else didn't make sense at all.

06-28-2010, 01:28 PM	#9
sg3 REX AND THE I-MAN - BACK ON TRACK Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Big Apple, USA Posts: 20,372	the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday. Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed

06-28-2010, 01:48 PM	#10
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,409	[QUOTE=C Mart;3635360]Why? Just curious.[/QUOTE] Because as a religious Jew, I - and many other huge football fans - would have no "Superbowl Day": no barbecue in the afternoon, no setting up the party, no playing football with the kids, no watching the pregame, and I'd even miss the opening kick. It. Would. Suck.

06-28-2010, 01:50 PM	#11
doggin94it Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,409	[QUOTE=sg3;3635367]the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday. Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed[/QUOTE] Also, peace in the middle east is established, world hunger is ended, and that damn scourge poverty is abolished once and for all.

06-28-2010, 01:53 PM	#12
Gastineau99 Section 135 All Pro Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5,344	Eric Winston has no pull... no one cares what he thinks. Only reason I know who he is, is because he was an o-lineman when D'Brick and Mangold were drafted and there were 2 other "Winston's" in that O-Line class (Winston Justice and Eric Winston).

06-28-2010, 01:55 PM	#13
Gastineau99 Section 135 All Pro Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5,344	[QUOTE=Peebag;3635346]I actually thought that was the best idea he had.[/QUOTE] Yes, it would be great not to have it on a work night. :yes:

06-28-2010, 02:01 PM	#14
Jason423 All Pro Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 9,671	Im not a big fan of the scheduling thoughts. I get where he is coming from since he feels his team misses out on the playoffs by being in a perceived tough division, but essentially eliminating all the NFC/AFC games just does not seem right. I really dont like the idea of the Super Bowl on Saturday. Football is a Sunday game. I think it is only right that the season culminates on a Sunday. I dont mind the rookie scale idea, though there has to be a way for the teams to hold the rights for longer. I think rookie deals should be negotiated with an option in year 4 to extend the contract. The option cant be guaranteed and should be equal to some type of predetermined number based on draft position and position played that is determined in a manner similar to the franchise tag. As for overtime, if the NFL just pushed the kickoff back 5 yards nobody would ever complain. that is really all it would take.

06-28-2010, 04:05 PM	#15
TheMikeIsHot All Pro Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 7,043	Eliminating the divisions is a really, really, really stupid idea. Rivalries are what drives this game for fans. I would be in favor of reorganizing the divisions and slightly altering the schedule. I'd prefer to see "rivalry games" instead of games between teams ranked in the divisions (1v1, 2v2, ect.) from the previous year. AFC East: Jets, Pats, Bills, Ravens AFC North: Steelers, Colts, Bengals, Browns AFC South: Titans, Jags, Texans, Dolphins AFC West: Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs, Broncos NFC East: Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Panthers NFC North: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings NFC South: Saints, Falcons, Bucs, Rams NFC West: 49ers, Cowboys, Seahawks, Cardinals I also wouldn't mind some sort of minor league system, but I don't think that will happen. Expanding the number of active players for each game would also be nice.

06-28-2010, 04:22 PM	#16
Greensleeves Veteran Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,132	[QUOTE=Peebag;3635346]I actually thought that was the best idea he had.[/QUOTE] Saturday Super Bowl is a great idea. The parties would be ten times better and the younger kids could watch the game and not be zombies in school the next day. People have been complaining about this for years. Major playoff games are on Saturday, it's not a stretch to have one more.

06-28-2010, 04:28 PM	#17
124 There's NO reason to delay the process. Start Geno Smith. All Pro Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 7,969	Playing every team in your conference once + one NFC/AFC opponent is one of the dumbest ideas ever. Totally takes away divisions and that's just dumb. Screw Winston.

06-28-2010, 05:19 PM	#18
WeskerLogan I think, therefore you're out Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cedar Grove, New Jersey Posts: 6,762	[QUOTE=doggin94it;3635329]Saturday Superbowl would be awful[/QUOTE] +1 they already changed the draft up..leave SUPER SUNDAY baby!:yes: but yes, we should get off monday...we need to stop living in a world run by CEOs..**** YOU BUDDY I WANT ME SOME FOOTBALL!

06-28-2010, 11:44 PM	#19
FijiJet waiting for our pass rush thunderbolt All League Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,436	[QUOTE=SMC;3635361]I didn't like any of his ideas except for the rookie cap. Everything else didn't make sense at all.[/QUOTE] Agree, the rookie cap seemed to make the most sense. SB Saturday wasn't too bad as well, but the rest seem too redical and hard to implement or justify

06-28-2010, 11:55 PM	#20
Dcat I think I see one Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 8,097	[QUOTE=sg3;3635367]the game should be moved to the Sunday of Presidents Day weekend with the already existing Monday federal holiday. Probably will happen when the lockout ends, the Players Association is broken and the 18 game regular season at the same salary, rookie salary cap and limited maximum guaranteed salaries are installed[/QUOTE] lots of schools have breaks that week and lots of families travel. Lower ratings. Not going to happen.