So Long NFL Europa!

[attengineer]

This from www.profootballtalk.com

ADIEU, NFL EUROPA?

An industry source tells us that this weekend's World Bowl is expected to be the last act for NFL Europa, before it is flushed down the Toilet Bowl.

If that happens, it will mean the end to an experiment that began back in 1991, named the World League of American Football. The league, which was initially run by the guy who pulled the trigger on the Herschel Walker trade, originally had 10 teams, with six in the U.S. and four on foreign soil (Montral, Barcelona, London, Frankfurt).

We recall being mildly fascinated by the helmet cam, but thoroughly disinterested in the on-field product.

By 1995, the league went fully European, and eventually picked up the brand-building moniker "NFL Europe." In 2007, a local flair was added to the title, with the "Europe" becoming "Europa," thereby giving heterosexual American men yet another reason not to pay attention to it.

Perhaps the best evidence of the coming NFL Europa euthanasia is the fact that (as one reader points out) the Yello Strom World Bowl XV will be held this weekend, and there's not a peep about it on the NFL's official web site.

So why isn't it mentioned? If no one knows about it, no one will watch it, and the league's anemic ratings will be even lower, making it easier to justify putting it out of our misery.

Besides, who needs watered-down NFL football in Europa when the real thing is coming in 2007? With the league fully committed to hitting the pads overseas, and with Fins owner Wayne Huizenga recently suggesting that London could end up with three or four regular-season NFL games per year, there's no reason to export a lesser product.

Finally, the developmental benefits aren't as compelling as they used to be. Players allocated to NFL Europa miss out on their teams' entire offseason program, during which upwards of 90 percent of the offense and defense is installed in advance of the coming season. So while the allocated players have more "live" game reps come August, they're woefully behind the other guys with whom they are competing for roster spots.

Think about it -- at one point a list of European success stories could be rattled off pretty quickly (Brad Johnson, Kurt Warner, etc.). We can't think of the last guy who starred in Europe before becoming a big deal in the States.

So adieu, NFL Europa. We can't say that we'll miss you, because we barely even noticed you.

[zanetdaniels]

Thats too bad! I never watched it, but I always like the fact that the NFL was willing to give players the chance to make the NFL the hard way. I guess this just goes to show that the NFL is the ONLY football league in the entire world. I say bring back the XFL....."He Hate Me." HAHA

[calell83]

The XFL coudl of worked if ran by someone more interested in having a football game then a television production

[Buckeyehitman]

[quote user="calell83"]The XFL coudl of worked if ran by someone more interested in having a football game then a television production[/quote]
coughvincemchmahoncough.
The worst thing he did was have him and his shrill daughter on there. If he would've been a silent owner/league official, it wouldn'tve suffered from the "it's a work" curse.

Hi there, you can't begin to imagine what it means to a german football fan to lose the only pro football league we had. My 13-year old son, who inherited my love for the game, and who now plays flag football on both sides of the ball (CB and WR) actually broke down and cried when we heard the news. Living in Hamburg, Germany, we were so happy when we were given a NFLE-Team (Hamburg Sea Devils) in 2005, who in their 3rd year of existence won the World Bowl in Frankfurt in front of 48000 fans. We were there, and it was unbelieveable. Afterwards, the team was invited to the city hall to be honored by the mayor of Hamburg. One week later, the owners pulled the plug.Think about what it would be like for you if suddenly there was no season to look forward to...We're really sad - and adieu, NFL Europa - we'll miss you like crazy.

[Bengaltime]

Sorry to hear about that 12. Maybe someday an NFL game will be played in Hamburg, Germany!

Yeah well, we would go - but it's not the same as having a team to identify with. And what is one game once in a while, compared to a 10-game-season? Man how I envy you...

[attengineer]

[quote user="TwelveMonkeys"]Hi there, you can't begin to imagine what it means to a german football fan to lose the only pro football league we had. My 13-year old son, who inherited my love for the game, and who now plays flag football on both sides of the ball (CB and WR) actually broke down and cried when we heard the news. Living in Hamburg, Germany, we were so happy when we were given a NFLE-Team (Hamburg Sea Devils) in 2005, who in their 3rd year of existence won the World Bowl in Frankfurt in front of 48000 fans. We were there, and it was unbelieveable. Afterwards, the team was invited to the city hall to be honored by the mayor of Hamburg. One week later, the owners pulled the plug. Think about what it would be like for you if suddenly there was no season to look forward to... We're really sad - and adieu, NFL Europa - we'll miss you like crazy.[/quote]
Sorry to hear about that. I wouldn't know what to do if all of a sudden the NFL shut down.

Thx for your consideration, West Tx.. actually, there once was such a thing called "European Football League". It didn`t work out, they closed the thing in the mid-90s. Let's face it, there's not enough talent around in europe to play football on an attractive level. Even though the league never sent their best players over, it was by far the best football we could ever hope for. We do have a GFL (german football league), but their playing is amateurish at best. Another thing I find deeply saddening is the fact that NFLE games were fully blown family events. In the last regular season game against Frankfurt Galaxy (the last there will ever be, but we didn't know it at that time), I was sitting right next to a Galaxy fan. Halfway through the game, we started complimenting each other on the nice plays of our respective teams. Ever heard of hooligans at soccer games? In football, we had the "Fans are Friends" slogan - and every body kept to it. I WANT MY LEAGUE BACK!



Center: My son Tarik with the Sea Pearls, the Hamburg Sea Devils Dance team

[Buckeyehitman]

[quote user="TwelveMonkeys"]Thx for your consideration, West Tx.. actually, there once was such a thing called "European Football League". It didn`t work out, they closed the thing in the mid-90s. Let's face it, there's not enough talent around in europe to play football on an attractive level. Even though the league never sent their best players over, it was by far the best football we could ever hope for. We do have a GFL (german football league), but their playing is amateurish at best. Another thing I find deeply saddening is the fact that NFLE games were fully blown family events. In the last regular season game against Frankfurt Galaxy (the last there will ever be, but we didn't know it at that time), I was sitting right next to a Galaxy fan. Halfway through the game, we started complimenting each other on the nice plays of our respective teams. Ever heard of hooligans at soccer games? In football, we had the "Fans are Friends" slogan - and every body kept to it. I WANT MY LEAGUE BACK!



Center: My son Tarik with the Sea Pearls, the Hamburg Sea Devils Dance team
I WANT YOUR CHEERLEADERS!!!!

[/quote]

Since there's no more football team in Hamburg, I guess you can have them. Where do you want them delivered?