A longer, better NFL season

NFL fans heard the news from the league meetings last night and offered a resounding "about time!"

Commissioner Roger Goodell yesterday announced his support for an expanded regular season, and said he hoped to bring about the new schedule by 2011.

Yes - it is about time. Especially since an expanded regular season will bring about a reduction of the NFL's one truly despised idea - the hideous exhibition games in which fans are forced to pay full price for junk.

Goodell acknowledged as much yesterday.

"A key point is, the fans recognize [that] players they want to see are not in those preseason games," he said. "That's why they are not attractive. They want to see those players play."

There are some bumps in the road, but once the genie is out of the bottle, naysayers won't be able to cram him back in.

Goodell recognized that negotiations must be held with the players' union and with the networks who carry the games.

But he candidly said he couldn't imagine the networks' not wanting regular-season games over exhibitions.

"It's possible that we could vote in May, but we want to have core discussions on this," Goodell said. "Any time you have change, there is some reluctance. But it's clear we don't need four preseason games anymore."

Among the issues the team owners must discuss is when the regular season would begin; how many bye weeks would be scheduled; how deep into February the playoffs and Super Bowl would go; and when the off-season programs - including the combine and the draft - would be held.

There's also a question of where the extra games would be played if the league opts only for a 17-game sked. One option would be to have one conference play nine home games during a season, and the other conference do so the next year.

An 18-game schedule, obviously, would be the best answer, especially since it would mean dropping two preseason contests.

"Fans don't believe preseason games are up to our standards," Goodell said.

Fortunately for the fans, it sounds as if they finally have a commissioner who's on their side.