Column: 18-game NFL season is too much

According to Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian, an active member on the league’s competition committee, the idea of an 18-game regular season is essentially “a done deal.”

The news came via Polian’s weekly radio show in Indianapolis.

If there is any way, by hook or by crook, for this outrageous idea to still be prevented, God bless the one who comes through and saves the NFL from one of its worst moves since the league merger.

It’s no secret many front office executives, personnel officials and the players themselves oppose this awful idea, especially when right now it stands that players would have to take a pay cut while suiting up twice more.

Polian summed up the brutality and toll the professional game takes on a person during his weekly radio show a year ago when asked about his team’s condition after the already taxing 16-game season and the stress stemming from the undefeated season controversy.

“The human body is not made to play football twice in five days, at least not professionally,” he said.

There’s also the calendar effect this idea brings to the table.

Two additional games would lengthen the season in terms of the calendar year.

With that would come the most daunting aspect of the season change — the lack of two preseason games.

In other words, it’s a 50 percent reduction in a free agent or late round draft pick’s ability to make his case for a roster spot.

The Colts’ defensive captain and starting middle linebacker Gary Brackett said during camp he remains in favor of keeping all four games.

“I was an undrafted guy who needed every preseason game to put my mark on this team,” Brackett said. “If it was a two-game preseason, then the starters are going to see most of that time because they’ve got to get ready for the season, so if you’re third string, good luck.”

It also takes a toll from the front office’s perspective.

It’s two weeks less to evaluate potential roster spots and undrafted talent, which Polian and Colts owner Jim Irsay would undoubtedly frown upon given how they have built their franchise in the last 12 years.

The most outrageous thing about this is that the idea is still being tossed around given the fatal condition of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and its potential 2011 lockout.

What would the harm be in putting the debate off until the new CBA expires?

The NFL Players Association and the league are on the brink of padding up themselves.

There’s no point in adding to the complications when the move is in no way in favor of the players.

The worst part about this is that all we hear about is how it echoes what the fans say they want. The sob story is this: Who cares?

Too often, you have the wealthiest citizens in the city attending games and having an influence because going out to the game is their Sunday afternoon cup of tea.

What about people who actually know what the players are going through come December and January? I’d like to know where their voice — or the players’ voice, for that matter — is.

The truth is that it’s time for the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell to get their minds out of the bank and get this thing right for not only the legitimate fans, but also, most importantly, the players.

Email: ftherber@indiana.edu