Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Matt Rhea's specialty is soft tissue injuries. We have not had very many of those this year. He can't control the other injuries but we need to find somebody who can! The folks we have doing it are not getting the job done!

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

I maintain a less-contact based preseason has made guys softer.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Ideally the NFL would want a different team to win it all every year. Even with absolutely parity there are other factors that will always cause some teams to rise up and others fall down with injuries being a major one of those factors. One team winning it all every year becomes just as deflating as every team finishing at 8-9 or 9-8.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Yes, we have had a run of serious toe injuries, high ankle sprains, and concussions. Actually, most teams have. Really none of these have to do with any sort of strength or conditioning. Equipment in the case of the toe injuries could be a factor. Or playing surface could be the issue. The high ankle sprains cannot be prevented nor can the concussions beyond what they league is already doing. It's just dumb luck. It just like the Rams losing Kupp to the ankle this past week along with their starting LT and RG for other reasons.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Perhaps. But I believe it has more to do with the players becoming bigger, stronger, and faster every year. Football has always been a violent game, but it is becoming more and more violent every year just based upon the players themselves. Just look at games from 40 years ago. They were not flying around at every position they way they are now. It's a different game.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Why would this be ideal? The league is trying to sell itself globally. They want the common big names to win. Not unknown cities. The Ideal Super bowl for them is a big East Coast city vs a big West Coast city with a little bit of old guard Packers/Stealers/Dallas thrown in. The hardest thing for them to sell is a matchup between the Saints and Titans for SB.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

They are already selling it. Or well on the way. The global market has no predefined ties to older successful franchises. The NFL has an international marketing plan that ties specific franchises to different global areas. They call it International Marketing Rights.

Regardless, the Super Bowl sells itself. It will always be the most watched broadcast every year just as it has been for years and years. To the international market it just the NFL and they are starved to watch it. Or at least that's the take on most every article I have read about it.

Don't forget that arguably the worst franchise in the league, J'Ville' sells out every game in Europe.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Here's another article on International Marketing Rights.

NFL awards international marketing rights to 18 teams in eight countries

My understanding is that the individual teams have to apply for the rights. Apparently New Orleans hasn't completed the process yet.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

Ok, but weather or not people watch the super bowl is not the same as saying they want a different team to win each year. That’s BS. I don’t care what propaganda they put out that’s not true. The Mayor of NYC said it himself when he said New York is a brand. Kansas is not a brand.

There is no doubt that a world series of Yankees vs Dodgers draws more viewers than a WS of Royals vs Rockies. NFL is the same.

Re: Saints fans launch petition asking team to fire Dennis Allen
 

I know they are planning for France to be a location for games in the future. Maybe that's where the Saints want to market.