Faceoff Factor

Professional Problems segment 3 – NHL vs. NFL

Mike Wilson | National Hockey League

Aug 12, 10:05 AM | Hype this story!

For any references to rules or information regarding the National Hockey League, click here.

National Football League

History: The predecessor to the NFL is considered to be the Ohio League, which was a weak assembly of teams scattered across the state of Ohio. The league has supposedly been dated back to the 1890s and has had a championship since 1903. In 1920, the American Professional Football Association was formed (named changed to National Football League in 1922). Two charter teams are still in existence today: the Arizona Cardinals (then Chicago Cardinals) and the Chicago Bears (then Decatur Staleys). The oldest team never to relocate is the Green Bay Packers, who have been playing since 1921 (though founded in 1919). The first annual college draft was held in 1936. The league was also the first to have a team on the west coast when the Cleveland Rams moved to Los Angeles in 1945. In the 60s, the NFL and American Football League would have their champions play each other in a game later known as the Super Bowl. The two leagues fully merged under the name “National Football League” in 1970.

Expansion and number of teams: Major expansions in 1921 (though few of those teams are still in existence) and 1960, but most other franchises entered during various years. There are currently 32 teams in the league.

Major problems: Athlete criminal activity, substance abuse, and old quarterbacks not knowing when to retire.

Commissioner: Roger Goodell

Trophy/Game: Vince Lombardi Trophy/Super Bowl

Manner of division: Two conferences – AFC and NFC, four divisions a piece

Regular Season Games: 16 games over 17 weeks (including a bye week)

Game pace: Medium

Common Ground

History: NFL-x NHL-0

This point is given to the NFL for the same reasons that it was given to MLB two segments ago. It’s based around a sport that has been there for America when it needed its mind eased in the most troublesome times. While the NFL never really developed the deep rivalries that the NHL has over their longer history, they have managed to create such a large fan base that stretches far from each team’s home city. And, more impressively, they accomplished this nationwide with more teams than the NHL (not to mention over less square mileage since no teams reside in Canada…yet).

More importantly most of the teams in the NFL have such rich and long histories individually. In fact, 26 of the 32 teams currently in the league were formed either up to or before 1970, 21 have been members up to or before 1960, 11 since 1950 and earlier (the Chicago Cardinals first played in 1898 as an amateur city club team). The NHL did have more teams before the Great Depression, but only six survived and played from the 1920s until 1967, when the league doubled its size from 6 to 12.

Expansion: NFL-x NHL-0

Some of this reasoning was mentioned above. Football spread farther and faster. The game of football is a lot easier watch and, more importantly, play. The NFL was also the first league to expand to the Pacific coast with the Los Angeles Rams in 1945, something the NHL didn’t accomplish until 22 years later with the arrival of the L.A. Kings and California Seals in 1967.

For that matter, all of the current NFL teams west of the Mississippi River, except the Seattle Seahawks, have been existence since before 1967 (the Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, and New Orleans Saints are included in that statistic as well).

Major Problems: NFL-x3 NHL-0

That’s right, I gave the NFL three points for this category. When a league has so little problems, they deserve to get a point for each that they actually do have. The NFL has such stability that it virtually has no major problems via league operations. The major problems they do have can barley even be considered as that.

Severe criminal activity is really only linked to Dallas cornerback and return specialist Adam “Pacman” Jones. Jones has been arrested in the past for assault, felony vandalism, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, obstruction of justice, marijuana possession, and speeding. He was also related to, though not charged for, two different shootings in Atlanta and Las Vegas. As far as illegal substance abuse goes, it’s usually nothing more than the occasional lesser-known player getting caught with marijuana or other depressants then receiving a hefty fine and suspension.

“Old quarterbacks not knowing when to retire” is directed toward one in particular. Brett Favre had a chance to leave the NFL with his head held high and a great career with the Green Bay Packers. Now, he has chanced it all by returning to the league after a few months of retirement at the age of 38. For those not aware (which is unlikely considering it was all over every news program in the world), Favre is now with the New York Jets. Though this problem isn’t related to the NFL directly, league commissioner, Roger Goodell, was the one who allowed his re-instatement.

The NFL does not share the problems of the NHL. They already have a huge fan base, stable teams, and strong league management. And, unlike the NHL, these are things they have had for a while.

Commissioner: NFL-x NHL-0

This point goes to the NFL for two reasons. One: Roger Goodell is a part of a long line of NFL commissioners who have such a tight hold on their league and team owners that practically nothing can go wrong. Two: Gary Bettman does nothing mentioned in the previous sentence. When a league is running well, the commissioner is a big reason why. When a league is running poorly, the commissioner is a big reason why.

Trophy/Game: NFL-x NHL-x

This is also similar to the NHL/MLB showdown. However, this time, both trophies are very prestigious. The NFL’s high honor was first named the “World Championship Game Trophy” and was awarded to the winner of the AFL-NFL World Championship (later known as the Super Bowl). Its name was changed in 1967 in remembrance of legendary Green Bay Packers’ coach, Vince Lombardi.

Like MLB, the NFL has had many memorable championship moments. Namath vs. Unites, the Dolphins and Steelers of the 70s, 49ers of the 80s, Cowboys of the 90s, The Bills losing 4 consecutive Super Bowls, Elway and Favre (Packer Favre, not Jet Favre)…those are only a few things can’t be overlooked.

Manner of division: NFL-0 NHL-x

The NHL is divided geographically by both conference (east and west) and division (North, Atlantic/Pacific, and South). The NFL is only geographically divided by divisions (north, south, east, and west) and its conferences (American and National) overlap.

Regular Season Games: NFL-0 NHL-x

One thing the NHL does very well is feeding its fans’ hunger for hockey. Its 82-game schedule over a span of 8 months (not including playoffs and pre-season) provides fans with constant action while giving its players time to recover from game to game. The only thing the NFL has going for its 16-game weekly schedule is anticipation for the next game. However, even that has been intruded on with Monday Night Football becoming so important, the occasional Thursday game, and constant daily coverage on sports networks.

Game pace: NFL-0 NHL-x

This one is, again, dominated by the NHL. While hockey barely stops, football stops after every play to allow their players time to catch what breath they lost over the course of that play and regroup for the next one. There’s no time for that in the NHL, everything is done spur of the moment, which makes for a much faster game.

The final tally

Not surprisingly, the NHL loses this one with a score: NFL-7, NHL-4.

Now some of you might be saying to yourself “If you didn’t give the NFL three points in one category, it wouldn’t look so bad.” Exactly. If I got you to think that then I did my job well. The NFL is so stable that it literally deserves that much more credit than the NHL (or in this case, three more points). If the NHL was more like the NFL, then my job would be harder, but, in this case, it’s not.

So, while the NHL keeps its dignity through game integrity and appeal, the NFL rightfully pulls ahead with its large fan base, stable environment, and healthy future.

Current rankings:
1 NFL
2 NHL
2 NBA
4 MLB
5

Next week, the NHL “faces off” (pardon the pun) with its trans-Atlantic rival, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).