Great American Sport: MLB or NFL?

[WesDawg]

After reading Khris's very insightful article on this topic last week, I posted a reply that I would like to throw out to the forum and get some opinions on.
In the interest of full disclosure, I almost equally enjoy the 4 traditional major team sports, NCAA Football and Basketball, and an occasional foray into the NASCAR world. Not to mention the fantasy leagues that accompany them. If was on a desert island and could only choose one to watch for the rest of my life, I would probably go NFL after lengthy deliberation.
So here was my brief synopsis on the NFL vs. MLB discussion:

I have a few theories on why the NFL has overtaken MLB.

1. No work stoppage since 1987. MLB had the disaster in 1994 that resulted in a World Series cancellation. That started this power shift and isolated most of the casual MLB fans who mostly never returned.

2. Society as a whole lacks an attention span nowadays. The NFL caters perfectly to that fact with a regular season and playoffs that span 5 months as opposed to baseball, which spans almost 7.5 months. Not to mention the buildup for WEEKLY NFL games vs. a virtual daily MLB schedule.

3. High school and NCAA football vs. High School and NCAA Baseball. They don’t play the Texas High School Baseball championship games in Ranger Stadium, but Texas Stadium was almost annually sold out for the state’s H.S. Football Championship games. Same thing with Pennsylvania and Heinz Field. Need I even mention the College Bowl season vs. the College World Series?

4. To piggyback off of point 3, developmental baseball (minor leagues) is reasonably popular, but only on a regional basis. Developmental football (NCAA) is wildly popular and you don’t have to wait 3 years to see your favorite guys playing on Sundays.

5. Roger Goodell suspends players who discredit themselves, their franchises, and the league. Bud Selig uses an exhibition game to determine home field advantage in the World Series. ‘Nuff said.

Obviously those aren't all-encompassing, and I'm certainly not trying to run MLB into the ground. I'm interested to hear what Outlaw Nation thinks about this.

 

[German CTL]

I follow both sports closely and I'll admit that I get quite a bit more joy out of watching a football game as opposed to a baseball game. I think its simply because there is so much more at stake in an NFL game as opposed to an MLB game.

162 games in a season is just too many IMO.

 

[Bayton]

Baseball isn't that exciting because each game win or lose has very little consequence. 4-8 doesn't really matter when you have 150 games to go.

Personally, I think baseball requires more skill than football. Where football requires much greater physical gifts, its a game of organized chaos. Its unpredictability is what makes football so much better to watch in the regular season than any of the other major sports. However, in the playoffs, baseball I find is as if not more exciting than playoff football. This is due to the fact that the weight on every pitch matters, every ground ball has the potential to bite you in the back if you don't make it routine. The pitching match-ups are all that more important. Whether a batter or pitcher is left or right handed makes a huge difference. All the little things in baseball that you can see coming and digest them as they do, allow for greater understanding of how and why the game is going the way it is. You can see a defensive shift. You can see the intentional walk, the steal, the hit and run and if the pitcher is on his game or not.

In football, so much happens at once and the way the game is shown on television makes it hard to truly tell what is going on and what was supposed to happen. For example, when a qb drops back to throw the ball and doesn't get rid of it quick enough, who's fault is it? Did he not see who was open quick enough, did the wr not get any separation, did the wr even run the correct route? We don't know because we can't see all of it on the television.

Its a personal view, but playoff-wise I enjoy the other sports a little more than football. Playoff hockey, in person, is absolutely amazing. During the regular season though, football reigns supreme.

Soccer at its highest level, in my opinion, is the most interesting and exciting of a game on earth.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

Eww, soccer. I can't watch soccer if my life depended on it.

While I agree that baseball playoffs are fun, I don't believe they're as exciting as football playoffs. It's namely because of the seven game series. While it allows for more games, which is nice, I'm more interested in a win or go home situation. MLB, NHL and NBA have the series games. The NFL is one game. That's more exciting to me.

That's why I find March Madness so exciting as well. It's the same concept. If you loose, you're done.

 

[Mike]

I used to follow baseball very closely, but a couple things drove me away. Tom Hicks and his destruction of the Texas Rangers, and Bud Seligs pathetic lack of action regarding steroids. The strike didn't help matters. I went from watching every game I coud catch, going to multiple games every year, and playing in fantasy leauges, to no longer paying attention to it at all other than occasionally checking the box scores. Can't remember the last time I watched a baseball game.

Also used to love college basketball, but allowing freshman to come in and play one year, only to jump to the NBA pretty much ruined it for me. Hard for me to follow my team when I know the top player is only there for one season.

Love college football, but cease to watch during the bowl games now. If I see what I feel is a clear cut battle for a true national championship, I will watch, but since that hasn't happened lately, just quit watching the bowl games. Not interested in a meaningless game.

I started getting interested in hockey just in time to watch hockey disappear. By the time they were playing again, I had already lost all interest I had gained, and never have watched a game since. Probably never will.

the NFL is the one major sport that I have kept extreme interest in through all of this, and even though I am still highly interested, I am not obsessed like I used to be. I can point this slight loss of interest directly to Roger Goodell, who's actions I highly disapprove of, and continual rule changes that turn this into a near offense only highlight show.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

You left out how crappy soccer is to watch, Mike...

 

[Mike]

You left out how crappy soccer is to watch, Mike...

Figured that was a given, LOL. If was fun as hell to play, never could watch it though.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

Oh I agree, I'll go out and play soccer in a heart beat (I was never very good but wth). But I don't even like it when I have to switch past a channel that has soccer on it, let alone watch the damn thing.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

I used to follow baseball almost as closely as I did football but am one of those that did not return after a couple work stoppages.

That said I initially was of the impression Goodell was a good thing for the league holding players accountable but then it appeared he was not going to take a similar approach with teams. I see the NFL heading towards a confrontation with the union and he has not shown anything to convince me he is up to the task of avoiding it taking an ugly turn.

 

[derringer007]

I prefer football over baseball. Must be NFL or MLB dont care much college ball but i will watch the college bowl games. MLB playoffs, World Series will get my attention.

 

[gruntbusters]

I can't stand watching anything other than NFL. I enjoy going to any sports event and watching live, but to sit at home...NFL is hands down my ONLY choice.

 

[catman]

They still play football here?
Seriously, I can understand many people's frustration with baseball. Selig has not been a good Commissioner. His inaction on steriods was unacceptible. Yes, following the labor problems, homers did bring fans back to the games. As the commercial said "Chicks dig the longball". I have said for a long time that Bob Costas would be a good choice to replace him. It is time for Selig to go.