NFL Mulling Over Idea Of Letting Players Race In The 40 At The Combine

[Ccat]

I wish I could race someone when being timed for the 40. I run faster under competitive circumstances. just can't get myself to go as fast when im just running for a stopwatch.

[Paintballr]

So it's ok to have competition with players that aren't signed by teams yet, and not change the pro bowl and not have competitions cause your scared they will get hurt?

Fix the pro bowl first instead of the combine..

[rainwater]

Maybe next year they can release a polar bear at the starting gate and see if the players can out run it. I mean this combine thing is all about getting tv ratings isn't it? Forget the stupid scouts.

[The_Mango55]

If they turn it into a race it means the players will have to start at the same time, which means instead of starting whenever they want there will have to be a signal.

That means they have to react to the timekeeper, instead of the other way around.

Everyone's 40 time will be slower.

[Doyle]

I still don't understand why linemen still run 40 and not 10.

Because the field is not 10 yards long.

[csx]

I like PackPanther's suggestion and agree with Biscuit as well.

I just don't see how having players race against each other would be beneficial to their performance.

And how do you pair them? Do you make it like a tournament? I just don't see how that wouldn't hurt the players mentally.

Look at last year for instance... What if Cam raced against Andy Dalton? How is that even fair, lol. It could put an unhealthy emphasis on the competition for numbers and have more of a negative impact on players than if they just went out and ran bad by themselves.

Football is a competition. If they are playing college football then they aren't scared of it.

That being said, it probably shouldn't be televised at all and that is the only reason they are suggesting the races.

[Proudiddy]

Football is a competition. If they are playing college football then they aren't scared of it.

That being said, it probably shouldn't be televised at all and that is the only reason they are suggesting the races.

I get that, but they earned their way to the combine through their hard work up to this point. Why alienate some of them and get them laughed at by putting them in ridiculous races.

The combine works as-is. And last time I checked it did fairly well on TV and fans love to follow it as it is currently constructed.

[bleys]

I think racing would be a disservice to the players... I mean you're already racing the clock, but to add the pressure of another guy there, might throw off timing etc. But I get it that the NFL wants more people watching...

Hey, here's an idea... get off your ass NFL and work out a deal with TWC to get NFLN on... then a LOT more people would watch... f**kin' assholes the lot of 'em.

the true assholes are the ones keeping TWC in business.. BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!

[csx]

I get that, but they earned their way to the combine through their hard work up to this point. Why alienate some of them and get them laughed at by putting them in ridiculous races.

The combine works as-is. And last time I checked it did fairly well on TV and fans love to follow it as it is currently constructed.

Newton ran a 4.56 and Dalton a 4.82 so it's not like it was some huge embarrassing blowout. It's less than 3 tenths of a second. I don't think it would have shattered his ego.

I do agree it's stupid but for a different reason. It's just moving it's focus from something that's supposed to be useful to something being more of a spectacle.

[Snake]

I wonder if they will consider adding Clowns and a Magic act as well.

[Proudiddy]

Newton ran a 4.56 and Dalton a 4.82 so it's not like it was some huge embarrassing blowout. It's less than 3 tenths of a second. I don't think it would have shattered his ego.

I do agree it's stupid but for a different reason. It's just moving it's focus from something that's supposed to be useful to something being more of a spectacle.

I agree with you on that point as well, which is kind of what I was getting at. It's turning it more into a superficial event then an actual useful evaluating tool.

And no, Dalton's time isn't a bad time for a QB, but in 40 yards, 3 tenths of a second is a huge difference, especially if they're running side by side. Whether people think so or not, I believe it would have some kind subconscious effect on the scouts as well.

I like it the way it is.

[beastson]

Cool

Dont go too crazy though. I miss those challenges at the Pro Bowl