burnet44
07-20-2007, 12:58 AM
Will it die here like FB did in Europe?
Unworldly
J.T. O'Sullivan was selected the Offensive MVP of NFL Europa for 2007 after leading the league in passing and guiding the Frankfurt Galaxy to the World Bowl. Less than two weeks after returning stateside, the Chicago Bears released O'Sullivan from their roster.
And therein lies the problem with NFL Europa. It was being funded by the NFL as a developmental league – but it was no longer developing players to meet NFL standards. That's why the NFL pulled the plug on NFL Europa in late June.
The NFL operated NFL Europa (which was known as NFL Europe until this year) for 15 seasons and had an impressive roll call of success stories. Quarterbacks Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Brad Johnson and Jon Kitna, offensive linemen Marco Rivera and Brian Waters, defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, kick returner Dante Hall, kicker Adam Vinatieri and punter Brian Moorman all went to Pro Bowls following stints in Europe.
But most of those players honed their football skills in Europe in the 1990s. The last true success story was Hall, who starred for Scotland in 2001. That was six long – and expensive – years ago. The NFL was losing $30 million per season in Europe and decided it was no longer getting a proper return on its investment. So NFL Europa is now just another page in football's history book.
Unworldly
J.T. O'Sullivan was selected the Offensive MVP of NFL Europa for 2007 after leading the league in passing and guiding the Frankfurt Galaxy to the World Bowl. Less than two weeks after returning stateside, the Chicago Bears released O'Sullivan from their roster.
And therein lies the problem with NFL Europa. It was being funded by the NFL as a developmental league – but it was no longer developing players to meet NFL standards. That's why the NFL pulled the plug on NFL Europa in late June.
The NFL operated NFL Europa (which was known as NFL Europe until this year) for 15 seasons and had an impressive roll call of success stories. Quarterbacks Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Brad Johnson and Jon Kitna, offensive linemen Marco Rivera and Brian Waters, defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, kick returner Dante Hall, kicker Adam Vinatieri and punter Brian Moorman all went to Pro Bowls following stints in Europe.
But most of those players honed their football skills in Europe in the 1990s. The last true success story was Hall, who starred for Scotland in 2001. That was six long – and expensive – years ago. The NFL was losing $30 million per season in Europe and decided it was no longer getting a proper return on its investment. So NFL Europa is now just another page in football's history book.