Adios, auf wiedersehen, and Wer Will NFL Schoolen Goeth Frome Here?

The NFL's "farm" league, NFL Europa is no more. After 16 years of sending secondary players and aspiring coaches to travel, train and play in Europe , the NFL has cashed in its frequent flyer miles. Considering the sorry state of air travel these days, it seems a wise decision.

NFL fans here in the US of A reached by www.Femmefan.com had this to say about the last call for NFL Europa. "I could give a hoot" "Those folks over there like Futbal or soccer, and we like FOOTBALL!"

"Huh?" "Who cares?" "I always thought it was weird having the NFL playing in Europe , it was even weirder watching the fans cheer on teams with names that sound like some type of video game. Who came up with these names anyway?"

For the un-indoctrinated the teams in NFL Europa were the Amsterdam Admirals, Cologne Centurions, Rhein Fire, Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils, and the Berlin Thunder. Note that there is a small American connection with Hamburgers and Frankfurters. Their championship game was called the World Bowl. Small world isn't it?

So while the NFL makes news in its quest for integrity, parole officers, bail bondsmen, psychologists, humane society workers and counselors, it works diligently to establish a system that produces players without sending them halfway around the world. Of course it isn't so much about developing players as it is about developing NFL fans! Ka-Ching.

If you look at the success of the league based on how many players from NFL Europe actually make it in the NFL it is very apparent that this system isn't working.

The NFL is interested, so we hear, in creating a minor league here in the USA .

Speaking on behalf of NFL fans who suffer NFL withdrawals between February and July, it seems that the NFL has us all by the short hairs and isn't about to let go.

Could it be that the NFL took seriously a challenge to its dominance when Mark Cuban and other billionaires began to formulate a plan for a new football league, the UFL?

I hope so. Any challenge to the status quo is good for fans.

The bottom line question is - does the NFL need a developmental league? One that isn't played in Europe or on a miniature field (the Arena Football League)?

Some say yes, that the caliber of NFL players is diminishing, that the talent pool is dwindling and that NFL fans will only pay to watch only the most elite of athletes.

So how can the NFL solve this problem and develop players for the future?

How 'bout the 32 teams increase their rosters and use the excess players to fill the ranks of the Minor League, let's call it BNFL, baby NFL.

As players get better they join their respective teams, as players age, as players are injured, as players' skills diminish, the babies fill the ranks.

The 32 teams develop their own players and have an available inventory throughout the year.

Hell of an idea, don't ya think?