The Good Old Days of the NFL

To me, watching the NFL is fun. I enjoy it very much and on Sundays I just plant myself in front of the tv for 8 hrs. and watch the NFL. Now I know in this day of hearing about how we should eat right and exercise, watching 8 hrs. of football straight for 20 weeks (including playoffs) might not be the healthiest thing in the world to do. But you know how I look at it. I just think its enjoyment and fun. The drama of an NFL game shows you why its the number 1 sport in the world.

With that being said, even though I love the NFL, there are certain things I miss about the NFL. I think thats like that with all things, no matter what it is. It could be sports, television in general, soap operas, game shows, movies, food, strip malls etc. I know people would like things the way they were when they were going up. Who wouldnt want to get a hamburger for 25 cents like in the old days? Who doesnt want the old days of television where there wasnt any reality shows and no end credit crunch or off the clock programming? Or how about the days when there wasnt any computers or I-Pads or I-Phones and people were just as happy without those things?

The NFL has changed. Now, Im not talking about the basics. 7 pts. is still a touchdown, 3 pts. is still a field goal and its still takes 4 downs to get 10 yds. Im talking about the stadiums. I remember growing up and listening to Pat Summerall and John Madden on CBS with that epic CBS theme music. I also miss the days of when Summerall and Madden would do the games from RFK Stadium or Giants Stadium or Veterans Stadium. Sadly, those stadiums are gone and Summerall and Madden are retired. I miss days like that. I mean the Giants still play the Redskins and the Eagles still play the Redskins but its not the same. Now, despite great games and drama and huge ratings, its different. Now, you have graphics and what not all over the screen, more television timeouts and the scores of the games by the second. Remember, "The CBS Sportswire" or "The 10 Minute Ticker"? Those are the only times where you would get updates of the games. Now, its by the second.

Its not just the NFL. Everything has changed. Where you live, where you eat, what you watch are all sky high now. The sports have changed. I watched a documentary of Vince Lombardi, this morning and sometimes I wonder if the NFL was better in the old days with Lombardi at the helm. When Monday Night Football was Cosell, Gifford and "Dandy Don". The days of "Jimmy the Greek". I wonder if the days of Bradshaw and Namath were the best. You know, the good old days of the NFL.

But I wont lie to you. On Feb. 5, I'll be one of the millions watching Super Bowl XLVI. And when people, including yours truly, think and realize why the Super Bowl is so big. We can think of the good old days of the NFL.