18 game season?

The discussion on whether or not the NFL should increase its regular season to 18 games has been circling around for awhile now. It is one of the key issues that is being presented in the new collective bargaining agreements and if implemented could change the NFL as we know it forever (Although the NFL seems to change dramatically each year anyways; Defenders aren't even allowed to hit offensive players anymore.) The other day, Colts president Bill Polian believes that the move to an 18 game season is a "fait accompli" which is unnecessarily fancy for--its a done deal. He later back tracked but all signs point towards Rodger Goodell and the rest of the owners getting the longer season that they so desire. Why do they want this? Money of course. As it stands under the current CBA the players make about 59.6 percent of the profits and the owners want to reduce that number to around 40%. They argue that they do not make enough money and are whining about their investments into their own stadiums and the NFL network. Here is my take:

If you don't want to invest in your team (i.e. funding a stadium, paying for game-day operations) then don't become an owner. Sure, the owners are taking financial risks all the time when they are running their respective teams but these are men who know money, and had to take risks to make it in the first place. The one thing they are not risking is their bodies and lives. The players are the ones whose lives are at stake here. We have seen what damage has been done to a multitude of retired players, especially from head trauma. This sport can literally ruin your life. It can leave you both physically and mentally crippled and in not-so-few cases, dead. 16 games plus 4 preseason games is hard enough. This sport is unlike any other in the world in terms of the brutal physical punishment a man's body endures (Yes, this includes rugby). How often do we see players go down with an injury and then not see them for many times, the rest of the season. Some never make it back to the playing field. If the season is expanded to 18 games we are going to see more and more players get hurt.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello is quoted by the AP  as referring to other football leagues such as the CFL or USFL as having 18 game seasons as justification for the NFL's move. If they move to an 18 game season, the NFL will be using CFL players by seasons end and we mine as well not watch. Countless star players will go down and we will be forced to watch inadequate backups and other players not worthy of an NFL roster spot. What will the NFL do to counteract this? Impose more disgraceful penalties on defenders for touching the QB or other "defenseless players." Pretty soon the only way the NFL will be able to keep its Tom Brady's and Peyton Manning's on the field is by making contact with the quarterback "2-hand touch."

Finally, I know a lot of veteran players don't like to play in preseason games, and the NFL thinks that by only playing 2 a year it is creating a balance but its not. The point of preseason games is to allow for your experienced players to shake off a little rust, but more importantly, its for the young rookies and free agents to develop and have a shot at making the roster. The preseason games are a necessity of the NFL.

Despite some of the bogus rules that at times can take away from the game, the NFL is a well run machine. It works. We all love to watch it, and it is by far the most popular and watched sport in America. The NFL as a company makes over 8 billion dollars annually. That is a staggering number. I understand wanting more money but look at how much your already making! For all of Roger Goodell's actions in gesture of "protecting the integrity of the game," he might want to look beyond just the players conduct in the end zone or off the field. The NFL thinks that it has problems looking after its retired players health care now? Just they wait.