Florio: Canceling Hall Game Would Be 'Slap In The Face'
(WSCR) There have been conflicting reports about whether or not the Hall of Fame Game between the Bears and Rams will actually be played Aug. 7, but Pro Football Weekly's Mike Florio thinks logic suggests it will be played.
"I'm convinced this Hall of Fame Game is going to be played," Florio said on the McNeil and Spiegel Show Wednesday. "It's a glorified practice. The starters make a cameo appearance. We watch it because it's football and because it's on TV. And what else are you going to watch in early August? Last year the rating of the Hall of Fame game tripled the rating of Red Sox-Yankess on ESPN. I think it's going to set a record this year because people are just going to want to see that yes, the NFL is back. So I think yes, Bears-Rams play even if they only have a week to get ready and I think Bears-Rams are probably going to camp by next Friday."
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The league also has incentive to make sure the game gets played.
"That's right, NBC wouldn't have to pay for that game (if it got canceled)," Florio said. "The tickets would be refunded. And you know what? It's a slap in the face to Canton. That's their one big moment of every year. And it's a slap in the face to the new Hall of Famers. You have the induction on Saturday night and the game on Sunday night. You don't just go home. And I think to show proper respect to the men entering the Hall of Fame, they need to play that game."
Still, it's no secret that the Bears and Rams won't be happy about playing the game if they don't have at least two weeks to prepare. Florio, however, doesn't think that's a good enough excuse.
"I know it's going to create some difficulty for the Bears and Rams, but again, it's a glorified practice," he said. "That's all it is. They wear the uniforms so it looks official. It's not official. It's a glorified practice."
