by David J. Chavez
Daily Lobo
It's hated by many - including players, owners and coaches - and it's loved by few - pretty much the same people who watch the whole day of the NFL Draft.
The long dog days of summer come to an end, as the long dog days of NFL preseason football begin with a bunch of unknown rookies playing before crazed, die-hard fans for a chance to live out a life-long dream.
Every once in a while, a superstar will enter the game just to tease the occasional fan with some meaningful football.
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Sure, the sound of helmets smashing together, the earsplitting sound off by the quarterbacks at the line and the wacky commentators are all welcoming, but is the preseason really needed?
In football's past, and professional sports' for that matter, players needed to get in shape before the season. However, the drinking and cigar smoking in and out of the professional realm is no longer a common issue in terms of conditioning.
With multi-million dollar contracts on the line, the incentives for performance, plus preseason mini-camps, football doesn't need the dreaded preseason games.
Preseason has now evolved into a chance for coaches to pretend like they still don't know who they want on their team for the upcoming season.
For many, the dream of an NFL career or Super Bowl ring is crushed by an injury during a meaningless preseason game. Not only are these games boring, but teams are playing roulette with injuries at stake, and the house always wins.
Many key players have felt the wrath of this year's preseason schedule, including Jeremy Shockey and Clinton Portis. The coaches are criticized and pressured to put the playmakers in by condemning fans who want to have bragging rights over their buddy's team.
The preseason teams are polar opposites from the regular season teams. I haven't seen more scoring since a night Downtown.
So I ask, what is the point of watching if we can't see our favorite players give it their all, or if the games don't reflect the regular season in any way?
Sure, the guards and keepers of preseason football might argue that an evaluation process is needed to fill out the roster, or that injuries sustained in preseason are inevitable, but having a preseason that's 25 percent as long as the regular season is absurd.
There needs to be a compromise, and the MLB is the perfect model for the NFL. The playmakers need to be treated like the stars they are. The big shots should have the option of participating in the full-contact scrimmage we call preseason football.
