I've fallen off the blogging wagon in early January, so decided to indulge myself with a little more football talk. Short subjects though.
Belichick v. Welker - Oh, come on. Belichick is a legendary coach in his own lifetime. Welker is a great receiver, one of the best ever. He played for Belichick until last year. Belichick now accuses him of going out of his way to "take out" a cornerback, one of NE's best defensive players, and who they needed desperately against Denver's awesome offense. Though I generally prefer NE to almost any other team, I am not pleased to hear this. My initial reaction is - "You lost. Shut up. They just played better. Shut up." Welker is a good guy. I can't see him trying to hurt anyone deliberately. He claims he was trying to force Talib out of the action and he thought Talib was trying to do the same, and that he didn't mean to hurt him. I completely believe him. First of all, football, despite the rule changes, is a very violent sport. People are going to get hurt and all the time. Second, these were crossing patterns. Just like when you cross anything, you get collisions. Welker is not six foot tall, not 200 pounds and has had two concussions this season. A few more and his brilliant career is over. It is hard to believe he or his coach would want him taking any dangerous hits. Now, of course, it is just my opinion, but it looked to me like Talib was more involved with initiating the heavy contact than Welker. But, on a larger stage, I can't imagine this being even a conversation last year or any year before. These are football players and they hit each other. It's dangerous.
Sherman v. Crabtree - Seattle and San Francisco were more evenly matched than the Broncos and Patriots. Sherman is a great cornerback, many say the best in the league. Crabtree is a great receiver, certainly one of the best and who has single-handedly made San Francisco a contender this year after his return. It's the end of the game and one play might decide it. Kaepernick throws to Crabtree in the end of the end zone and Sherman makes a great play knocking the ball away. Though fortuitously, it ended up in the hands of one of their linebackers that didn't matter. Game over and Sherman won it. He and Crabtree do not like each other. Sherman claims that Crabtree tried to pick a fight with him at a celebrity gathering last year. Maybe, but few talk trash like Sherman (he calls it "responding"). After the game he gave an interview where he was deliberately arrogant and cruel towards Crabtree. I'm watching his brother and business manager give an interview on NFL Network right now and he insists he is completely different off the field. Maybe. I've met some people who are great guys but put them in a sport become physical and even dirty. I don't get it, but, that's life. I'm sure there are people I've litigated against who don't like me much. Sherman has apologized, but really, I've seen him more than once and his on-field presence is a big part of who he is. Call me wimpy, but I don't like trash talking anymore than I like end zone dancing. Doesn't ruin the game, but it makes it less attractive. For the record, I also don't get all the after play violence and aggression by players. I get that it is violent. I get that it they need to be filled with adrenaline and testosterone to play well. I get it that it is the heat of the moment. But, it seems sometimes like every play, no matter how ordinary, there is after play action going on. Love football. Hate that stuff. Don't know if Crabtree started with Sherman or vice versa. I don't care. Play ball.
Extra-point - They are discussing doing away with the extra point. Perhaps, says the commissioner, they might have a post touchdown play where if the team converts it is 2 points and if they don't it is minus 1. Is that necessary? Sure, extra-points are almost automatic, but every once in a while they aren't. That's what makes it exciting.I don't think so. Prefer they leave it the way it is.
Picks - At the beginning of the season Bear wrote me picking Seattle-Denver in the Super Bowl. He was obviously right. I picked Denver too, and if not them NE. Obviously, that was right. I also picked San Francisco and if not them Green Bay. I was wrong, but actually pretty close. I overlooked Seattle, thinking that San Francisco would beat them again. I guess but for that great play by Sherman, I would have been right. But, that's the way it goes. Despite the fact that San Francisco came on strong at the end of the season and that if Welker was still in NE or Gronkowski did not get hurt, I think NE would be in the Super Bowl, injuries and trades are part of the game and you can do say pretty much the same for almost any team. Denver had their star linebacker for only half the season and not the playoffs. In my opinion, now, the two best teams are in the championship game. I am calling Seattle for the championship. They have a very good offense and a super defense. Denver has an okay defense and a great offense. I think Seattle's offense is a little better than Denver's defense. That's my call. We'll see.
Done.
Belichick v. Welker - Oh, come on. Belichick is a legendary coach in his own lifetime. Welker is a great receiver, one of the best ever. He played for Belichick until last year. Belichick now accuses him of going out of his way to "take out" a cornerback, one of NE's best defensive players, and who they needed desperately against Denver's awesome offense. Though I generally prefer NE to almost any other team, I am not pleased to hear this. My initial reaction is - "You lost. Shut up. They just played better. Shut up." Welker is a good guy. I can't see him trying to hurt anyone deliberately. He claims he was trying to force Talib out of the action and he thought Talib was trying to do the same, and that he didn't mean to hurt him. I completely believe him. First of all, football, despite the rule changes, is a very violent sport. People are going to get hurt and all the time. Second, these were crossing patterns. Just like when you cross anything, you get collisions. Welker is not six foot tall, not 200 pounds and has had two concussions this season. A few more and his brilliant career is over. It is hard to believe he or his coach would want him taking any dangerous hits. Now, of course, it is just my opinion, but it looked to me like Talib was more involved with initiating the heavy contact than Welker. But, on a larger stage, I can't imagine this being even a conversation last year or any year before. These are football players and they hit each other. It's dangerous.
Sherman v. Crabtree - Seattle and San Francisco were more evenly matched than the Broncos and Patriots. Sherman is a great cornerback, many say the best in the league. Crabtree is a great receiver, certainly one of the best and who has single-handedly made San Francisco a contender this year after his return. It's the end of the game and one play might decide it. Kaepernick throws to Crabtree in the end of the end zone and Sherman makes a great play knocking the ball away. Though fortuitously, it ended up in the hands of one of their linebackers that didn't matter. Game over and Sherman won it. He and Crabtree do not like each other. Sherman claims that Crabtree tried to pick a fight with him at a celebrity gathering last year. Maybe, but few talk trash like Sherman (he calls it "responding"). After the game he gave an interview where he was deliberately arrogant and cruel towards Crabtree. I'm watching his brother and business manager give an interview on NFL Network right now and he insists he is completely different off the field. Maybe. I've met some people who are great guys but put them in a sport become physical and even dirty. I don't get it, but, that's life. I'm sure there are people I've litigated against who don't like me much. Sherman has apologized, but really, I've seen him more than once and his on-field presence is a big part of who he is. Call me wimpy, but I don't like trash talking anymore than I like end zone dancing. Doesn't ruin the game, but it makes it less attractive. For the record, I also don't get all the after play violence and aggression by players. I get that it is violent. I get that it they need to be filled with adrenaline and testosterone to play well. I get it that it is the heat of the moment. But, it seems sometimes like every play, no matter how ordinary, there is after play action going on. Love football. Hate that stuff. Don't know if Crabtree started with Sherman or vice versa. I don't care. Play ball.
Extra-point - They are discussing doing away with the extra point. Perhaps, says the commissioner, they might have a post touchdown play where if the team converts it is 2 points and if they don't it is minus 1. Is that necessary? Sure, extra-points are almost automatic, but every once in a while they aren't. That's what makes it exciting.I don't think so. Prefer they leave it the way it is.
Picks - At the beginning of the season Bear wrote me picking Seattle-Denver in the Super Bowl. He was obviously right. I picked Denver too, and if not them NE. Obviously, that was right. I also picked San Francisco and if not them Green Bay. I was wrong, but actually pretty close. I overlooked Seattle, thinking that San Francisco would beat them again. I guess but for that great play by Sherman, I would have been right. But, that's the way it goes. Despite the fact that San Francisco came on strong at the end of the season and that if Welker was still in NE or Gronkowski did not get hurt, I think NE would be in the Super Bowl, injuries and trades are part of the game and you can do say pretty much the same for almost any team. Denver had their star linebacker for only half the season and not the playoffs. In my opinion, now, the two best teams are in the championship game. I am calling Seattle for the championship. They have a very good offense and a super defense. Denver has an okay defense and a great offense. I think Seattle's offense is a little better than Denver's defense. That's my call. We'll see.
Done.
The past several years PAT has been 99.6 percent. That's too high. In college it is lower so it might be worth keeping there. I would like to see a change but am still mulling over what idea I like best. And one I haven't heard but might like is bringing back the drop kick for PAT.
ReplyDeleteDrop kick? This isn't the WWE. I look at it as the touchdown is 7 points, unless you screw up and then it is six. It should be rare. But, rules change all the time and we get used to it.
ReplyDelete