The NFL Thread (with added College Football)

[The Situation]

You do not mess with Ray Lewis and the Ravens. The overrated Jets flatter to decieve yet again.

[UK Redsox]

Cowboys v Redskins was an exciting finish!

To both halves !!

That play at the end of the 2nd Quarter had no chance of going for a TD or even getting the 'Boyzzzz into FG range. Either fling it to the endzone or take a knee. Having said that, no one could really have predicted the RB getting the ball ripped away from him.

As for the end of the game, the "hold" wasn't as clear cut for me as the commentators/press have suggested. Orakpo (I think it was him) seemed to be, as we'd say in our football, "looking for the foul".

As for the Lions getting hosed by the Zebras. There's a pretty good analysis here

http://toledoblade.com/article/20100915/COLUMNIST08/9140345/-1/SPORTS01

[pmarachi]

Bear Down, Chicago Bears!

Go Irish! Wake up those echoes! I hope Touchdown Jesus sees a lot of action tomorrow.

Its not me being my normal anti-religious self because I tend to support Boston College. However, there's just something about ND that makes me dislike them intensely.

I hate Notre Dame with a passion. 

But you guys have to realize that there is no "religious" connection to these schools other than the names.  I went to a Jesuit school, St. Joseph's, and never talk a "Jesuit" or "christian" theology class.  Instead I took Islam and Judiac Tradition for my Theology requirement.

The "religion" aspect of a private university is non-existent in anything other than name.


I just hate Notre Dame, because I am a University of Miami fan (another religion based private institution haha), and I think recent history of Notre Dame is incredibly overrated.

I hate Notre Dame.

[UK Redsox]

I hate Notre Dame with a passion. 

I knew you weren't all bad !!

[Dave Cooper please]

Interesting article in The Grauniad today about Glazer's Tampa Bay team getting their lowest crowd for many a year (still stuffed Lerner's Browns though I see!).
The bit that I found most interesting was that there is a TV blackout on any game that doesn't sell out. Never knew that, I just assumed all games were live at least in the local area, America being such a big place and that.

[UK Redsox]

Interesting article in The Grauniad today about Glazer's Tampa Bay team getting their lowest crowd for many a year (still stuffed Lerner's Browns though I see!).
The bit that I found most interesting was that there is a TV blackout on any game that doesn't sell out. Never knew that, I just assumed all games were live at least in the local area, America being such a big place and that.

The NFL doesn't need anyone in the stadium to make money because they get so much TV revenue. However, empty seats don't look good on TV, so they try to encourage/ force fans to turn up.

The major problem they have is that the NFL is one of the few sports which is generally accepted to be better watched on TV, especially since the introduction of services such as the "Red Zone"

http://redzonetv.nfl.com/

Basically its a lot like Sky's "Soccer Saturday" but with live video rather than old pros working on their pension plans

[pmarachi]

a few things:

1) Yes, if a game doesn't "Sell Out", it isn't on TV... BUT, a team can buy thier own tickets and give them away if they want.  But with that said they actually do have to take their money and really buy them.  If it's a few thousand, they all do it (and in certain cities, like Miami they have to do it regularly), but if it is like 15,000, well that is a LOT of tickets to buy from the NFL.  The reason this is kind of a big deal is because even though the Lions suck, Detroit is a big sports city.

2) With HD tv, and the availability of all games at home through Dish Network and cable packages, I think most sports are better on TV.  I go to one eagles game a year, and the viewing aspect is FAR less enjoyable.  Even for baseball, my ticket package has shrunk tremendously over the last few years (keep in mind, I sit in the 203 bleachers for 12 bucks a game), not becuse of price, but because if I actually want to WATCH, it is almost always better on TV.  These sports networks need to fix many things to reverse this (look at the TB sitch), but that's a WHOOOOOLE other convo altogether.

3) Notre Dame is for people who don't like College Football, but feel they should like a team.  8 out of 10 ND sweatshirts I see are on girls.

4) Having re-watched the U game vs. Ohio St. on my DVR, I have come to the conclussion that 3 out of the 4 interceptions that Jacory Harris threw on Saturday weren't his fault.  If he is hitting his rec's on the hands and they can't hold it and it's intercepted, that's not on him.  Perhaps I was too hard on him.  God Bless the almighty University of Miami Hurricanes (and if God isn't into it, I will take the other guy's blessing, I really don't care, I just want them to win)/

[ADVILLAFAN]

From the 18th October onwards I have 9 Mondays off out of the next 10 weeks.

I'll see a lot of American Football this season 

Means I'll still be knackered after watching us against the Cowboys on Sunday though.

[Somniloquism]

From the 18th October onwards I have 9 Mondays off out of the next 10 weeks.

I'll see a lot of American Football this season 

Means I'll still be knackered after watching us against the Cowboys on Sunday though.

Why? 9pm way past your bed time?

[UK Redsox]

Da Bears send the Boyzzzz to an 0 - 2 start to the season.

First half was especially good

[cdbearsfan]

DA BEARS!!! Before the season I would have been happy with 3rd place and us avoiding the humiliation of finishing below the Lions. Now... fuck it! We're going to the Superbowl!

He used to be shite...
Now he's alright...
Walking in a Cutler wonderland!

[ADVILLAFAN]

We actually played pretty damn well against the Cowboys. If only we had a better offensive line.

[The Situation]

Another entertaining and interesting weekend in the NFL.

Miami beat Grandpa's team @ Minnesotta. I don't think many would've predicted that. Great win for Miami, bad loss for Vikes
The Browns... where do we start with Cleveland? Lost again when they should of won. Poor.
Chicago... what a win in North Texas. Great throwing by Cutler after he looked a bit shaky at the start.
The Ravens lose to the Bengals who scored no TD's but make 5 FG's, what an annoying way to lose.
Tampa won again, good for them; they've looking decent.
The Giants sucked bad against the Colts. It didn't help no one was protecting Eli from Freeney.
Michael Vick is still quality and is a better QB than Kolb. Philly will make a mistake if they choose Kolb over Vick.

The AFC East and NFC East are going to be very tight and it's going to be exciting to see how things go. I'd love to see the Dolphins win the AFC East.

[UK Redsox]

Its strange how there was far more was about Vick coming back to the NFL than there was when Ray Lewis returned.

I guess the public are more offended by dog fighting than they are with a player being involved in a murder.

[The Situation]

Ray Lewis did not kill anyone, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time... and hanging around with the wrong people. Just because he was initially charged it means jack... he was cleared because there was lack of evidence against him. Besides, Lewis is a changed man... dedicated both on and off the field. Devout Christian... given a second chance in life and is a future HOF. Awesome athlete and awesome person with all the charitable work he does.

I don't condone what Vick did, but he's been given a second chance like Lewis; I hope he can make ammends, I hope he plays next week... he's too good not to.