But, the game for me is a relief and the ability to escape and pull for my team. I can still do that regardless of the individuals that play the game. To me, whether I agree or disagree with anything outside of the white lines with those players means less than what I get out of the game itself. I guess I am far more invested than most in the game.

As outspoken as I may seem, I let stuff roll off my back. It is almost impossible to ruffle my feathers.

That said, I also enjoy the sport of debate. Not too sporting with a few, but several step up for the game. Y'all each know who you are. Or should. Or are not able.

If you wish to stop watching all NFL then you have that right. But just understand that you are only doing it for you. It is not going to affect the bottom line of the league one bit, nor the viewing pleasure of all of the rest of the fans.

I can only imagine the progress Earth could achieve if only you'd apply your intellectual and highly scientific methods to the basic problems of mankind.

As a former know-it-all myself, I realize what a great annoyance I can be to someone who actually does know it all.

But if we wanted to be intellectually honest, we would not create an informal survey on a Saints super-fan site asking a small handful of invested posters who have dedicated themselves 24/7, years on end (even before your time sir), to painstakingly chronicle every aspect of being a Saints fan...if they would not watch the Saints this year.

There could be a little bias there, but even so, let's give the devil his due.

What I have the most trouble with is the changing motivations and rationale behind the points that you are only trying to prove to yourself.





1. A relief from what, and an escape into what? Terrible traffic...bad hair day? OR maybe the escalating chaos around us that the NFL seems intent on dragging into its broadcasts? Not my idea of tranquil, but I'll give the devil his due. It's entertainment, nothing more, nothing less -- except that it isn't. Goodell has turned your beloved NFL into a repository for human interest stories. I don't care that Joe had 3 car accidents and ate beanie weenies throughout childhood and still became an inspirational figure...I just want football, honest football.

We get around 11 minutes of actual football action...the rest is made up of commercials, penalties, and replays. An escape into 2hrs 50mins of commercials, and penalties. You spend an entire year waiting for the playoffs, and it ends with the NFL saying "we missed that penalty"? Integrity MATTERS. Out of all the ticky tack penalties, you miss THAT? Trust MATTERS.

2. You let stuff roll off your back. This isn't true, and that's ok, I'm sensitive too.

3. "nor the viewing pleasure of all the rest of the fans"...am I not a fan? How are you quantifying "all the rest of em'"? Are you positive you're not applying your own assumptions? It doesn't take a majority of anything to affect the bottom line of anything.

Why do customer service departments exist? Surely, the majority of customers don't complain or return what they buy, do they? It takes an average of 10 repeat good experiences for a customer to return to a previous level of trust after a bad experience with a business, if ever. Even observing plainly that a couple people kneeling on the sideline affected the entire league.

Young people may or may not be replacing an aging demographic, why do you think they're trying to go international and cater to women? To make up for lost demographics. That's a problem. Ask Greece what low birthrate does to an economy. Younger people aren't replacing the aging and retiring work force, so basically pensions are slashed and over 10% of the population lives BELOW poverty level with a total income loss of 70%. Not exactly apples to apples, but decreasing young audience has implications for the future.

Sure, I know this all looks like idealistic ranting, but principle still matters to me, and a little pain now is worth a better future. Of course, I didn't invent football, I don't own it, and have no real claim to demand it to change if it doesn't want to. That's fine too I guess. I gotta go cut grass

I see some are missing my point entirely. The purpose of this survey is not questioning the reasoning behind a few people's personal decision to stop watching the NFL. Not at all. Go for it. The purpose was a response to a couple that claimed that their abstaining would lead to a revenue hit that would hurt the NFL. This survey in a small way demonstrates the tiny percentage of fleeing fans overall.

I am truly happy for your happiness if that's what you get from not watching. Good for you. Just understand, that in the end, your not watching affects no one but you and yours. That is the point I am making. If you no longer get any enjoyment out of the game, then by all means. Stop watching. Good decision. If politics and stuff in and around the game upsets you, then for your health and happiness you need to stop watching. But if it is solely meant to punish the NFL, then you are not going to accomplish your goal.

Throwing the baby out with the wash water.

I can only imagine the progress Earth could achieve if only you'd apply your intellectual and highly scientific methods to the basic problems of mankind.

As a former know-it-all myself, I realize what a great annoyance I can be to someone who actually does know it all.

But if we wanted to be intellectually honest, we would not create an informal survey on a Saints super-fan site asking a small handful of invested posters who have dedicated themselves 24/7, years on end (even before your time sir), to painstakingly chronicle every aspect of being a Saints fan...if they would not watch the Saints this year.

There could be a little bias there, but even so, let's give the devil his due.