North: Playing NFL games in China is ridiculous
The NFL hopes to play a regular season game in China as soon as the 2018 season.
Well, that's about as ridiculous as asking me to run the United Nations.
It has been reported that 1 in every 100 people follow football in China, so roughly 15 million are interested. There is a lot of skepticism about its projected success, however, and about the logistics of such a decision.
Let's look at the popularity of football in London. The NFL has been shoving football down their throats, and it has been a failure. Now, with a population of 1.3 billion in China, NFL officials just see dollar signs and a chance to grow their brand globally.
Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey, a member of the NFL's international committee, wants to only play all of his home games here in Chicago, and I don't blame him. It's not fair to ticket holders to play one of their eight home games as far away as China.
And how well would it be received?
Let me respond by posing this question: If Manchester United played Liverpool in London on the same day the Super Bowl was being played (in London) how do you think the crowds would compare? Well, the NFL would just be a rumor.
Bringing the NFL to China is like offering a vegetarian a steak. There will be a game there, but that doesn't make it right!
Will LeBron move on?
LeBron James keeps reinforcing his status as a diva.
Now he is holding his one-year deal over the heads of the Cleveland Cavaliers as he deletes teammates from his Twitter account and offers comments that he wouldn't mind sailing in different waters.
I've said all along he would move on again from Cleveland, and maybe that would be a good thing.
The Cavs would not be relevant, at least not right away, but does it look like they will win a championship with him?
The answer is maybe, but if they don't and come back next year, will it be the same song and dance?
Probably yes, as LeBron talks about his "super team" of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade and undermines "The Land" as he calls it.
How would you feel as his teammate if he kept talking about how great it would be to play for someone else? It's one unbelievable quote after another with this guy. And once David Blatt was fired as coach, the nonsense escalated.
the rise of Golden State superstar Stephen Curry has been the burr in LeBron's saddle.
Remember when LeBron was the man? If people still believe that, then they are delusional!
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