NFL season 2012

[Gritt23]

Just to take your point a bit further Sten, there are rumblings (although don't get carried away, it won't happen, but is an interesting viewpoint) that the best way to reduce the brain injuries, and long-term degenerative injuries suffered would be to do away with helmets altogether. That way, players will learn to tackle in a more regulated way, and you won't see the likes of James Harrison (sorry to pick on him, everyone does) clattering into opponents in teh way he does, if he didn't have a helmet on.

The counter-argument given is always that you can't take the big hits out of the game, because that is so central to it.

Personally, I don't get this "NFL is soft" business from Rugby fans. Both are incredibly physical games, played by incredible physical specimens (more League than Union) but as far as pointing at another sport and saying "oy softee" why point at each other when we see footballers rolling around and screaming when someone brushes against their foot.

 

[terryberry1]

It's certainly not as instantly accessible as football, but if you spend enough time watching it to understand what's going on and the tactics behind it it's a great game.

Incidentally, the padding is because the contacts are so intense that there would be deaths without it. The players get a run at each other and pretty much any kind of tackle (aside from hair and testicles!) is fair game, so the contacts are massive. This is different to rugby, say, where the manner of physical contact is carefully regulated so as to avoid serious injuries and punishing contact.

There's an article on the Guardian website at the moment about the nature of brain injuries suffered by American football players as a result of the ridiculous physicality of the game.
The NFL star and the brain injuries that destroyed him | Science | The Guardian

Ok, maybe not a ladies game then. I have tried to get into it but just cant. There are way too many stoppages for me and just cannot understand the tactics and formations. I suppose the Yanks are in the same boat with watching soccer. Anyway, rant over

 

[Gritt23]

The "stoppages" is a funny one, as I've got a mate of mine who just completely rules out the idea of even trying to watch NFL because it's so stop.start ..... and yet he (like me) loves cricket. He can spent 8 hours watching 540 balls being delivered, with stoppages between each and every one of them, but the idea of watching 3 hours of stop/start NFL has him running for cover.

Each to their own. Personally though, NFL is my absolute no.1 sport, ahead of cricket and certainly ahead of football.

 

[willyfantastic]

ESPN: Fantasy Football - Video - Creativity Online

 

[Shooting Star]

The "stoppages" is a funny one, as I've got a mate of mine who just completely rules out the idea of even trying to watch NFL because it's so stop.start ..... and yet he (like me) loves cricket. He can spent 8 hours watching 540 balls being delivered, with stoppages between each and every one of them, but the idea of watching 3 hours of stop/start NFL has him running for cover.

Each to their own. Personally though, NFL is my absolute no.1 sport, ahead of cricket and certainly ahead of football.

Absolutely this. Anyone who watches cricket cannot entirely base their arguments against the NFL based on the stop and start nature of it. American Football is a pretty hard game to get into, but once it clicks, it's one of the most rewarding sports to watch and follow IMO. Definitely my No.1 sport.

 

[pauldcpfc]

Absolutely this. Anyone who watches cricket cannot entirely base their arguments against the NFL based on the stop and start nature of it. American Football is a pretty hard game to get into, but once it clicks, it's one of the most rewarding sports to watch and follow IMO. Definitely my No.1 sport.

Took me a year to fully get into it. Last few years i'm addicted all through the year. And since the Draft ending and the lockout restarting, it has been hell.

 

[Gritt23]

Took me a year to fully get into it. Last few years i'm addicted all through the year. And since the Draft ending and the lockout restarting, it has been hell.

Well, it's back now, and should be pretty hectic from here on. Just take a look at the amount of Free Agents and Restricted Free Agents.

http://www.nfl.com/transactions?transactionMonth=7&transactionYear=2011&transactionTeamAbbr=&prevTransactionMonth=0&prevTransactionYear=0&prevTransactionTeamAbbr=

We'll have 2 or 3 days of teams frantically re-signing names off these lists, and signing Rookies up, as camps open up, and then by the end of the week (I haven't seen a date issued anywhere yet) Free Agency will open, leaving those who haven't re-signed to their current team to "test the market".

It'll be frantic, and fantastic. Let's ROCK!

 

[Starry]

brilliant to see everyone reporting for training camp, the superbowl and draft seem like a long time away.

i've been following adam shefter and jason la canfora on twitter - they've been brilliant at updating all the free agency, who's moving where etc. slow start to things at chicago but with the 5pm on friday contract thing i hope it's just us not wanting our contract structure bandied around in public before we get others to commit rather than the morons in our front office dallying around twiddling thumbs as usual.

planning our trips over now. can always tie one in with a 'work' trip in september so maybe packers and panthers (only time the whole season we have two home games on the bounce), then the bears come to london at the end of october.

 

[Gritt23]

Some surprising moves (and non-moves) so far.

DeAngelo Williams - I never thought he would stay in Carolina. The fit at the Broncos just looked ideal. Following John Fox there, would add much needed support to Moreno, who doesn't appear strong enough to carry the load on his own. Meanwhile, the Panthers could hand the reigns to the younger man in Stewart, with capable support from Goodson.

Sidney Rice - to Seattle. Wow, that's a move I wasn't expecting. I thought there would be bigger and better teams come in for him than the Seahawks. The fact that Hasselbeck has gone, and they've brought in Rice's teammate, Tavaris Jackson, at QB makes it even less attractive as far as I can see. Strange, I really though Rice would get a much more exciting move than that.

Reggie Bush - to Miami. That is a trade of some sort, which seems odd, as surely he would have been cut any day now anyway, as he's on far to much money this coming season at the Saints. So why give up anything in a trade? Maybe they wanted to jump the market by taking him now, but I was still surprised. Also, he's not teh guy to share the load with teh rookie in Miami, so presumably they have a mind to hang on to one of the Free Agents that everyone was assuming was leaving. More likely Ricky Williams than Ronnie Brown I'd suggest, as Brown is more likely to be on a bigger salary for next season.

Exciting times though. The urgency of re-signing, cutting, trades, and Free Agency is great fun. Maybe they should have this short (and late) window every off season.

 

[Eggman]

Yes. NFL is back.

As an Eagle fan I am still awaiting the much muted trade of Kolb to the Cardinals. Look like it will be for Rogers-Cromartie and a draft pick. I'm happy with that.

It would seemingly take Philly out of the race for Nmandi.

Heard the Jets are front runners. Pairing Nmandi with Revis. WOW. Thou shall not pass.

I also see the Birds picking up Fat Albert from the Skins.

Anyone know when Sky schedule their games?

 

[Hotchilidog]

Fat Albert has left the building, huzzah!

Can't believe the Skins managed to find anyone to take him off their hands, least of all a team that also plays a 3-4 D! A real test of Belichecks coaching and management skills methinks.

 

[Eggman]

Nmandi to the Eagles. WOW. Get in!!!!

 

[Starry]

the eagles are looking good for next year.

as usual there is nothing exciting to report from the bears. roy williams and vernon gholston?!
williams knows martyz well but really we shouldn't be building a team around martz's calls. williams will be good when we're under pressure deep in the red zone or cutler needs to hand off quickly after another of those ridiculous seven step drops that we should not keep doing, but other than that williams is nothing much. and gholston - i think he was in the wrong system at the jets, but i don't think he has a footballing brain in his head. he is an offensive linemans dream to be up against, no moves, nothing, just a beast and being beastly doesn't win you games.

between the bears and leeds things aren't rosy for me on the sporting front. ha.

also, the bills were out at 33-1 last week so i have had a little flutter on them for the division (stop laughing) those are ridiculous odds in the division.

really excited for the season now. can't wait. roll on september 11th.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

After languishing in jail for 21 months Plaxico Burress, who caught the game winning TD against the Pats in SB XLII, decided not to return to Big Blue but instead sign for their rival the Jets. The Jets offered a better package than the Giants and money talks.

 

[willyfantastic]

I enjoyed that live draft Gritt23, however may have made some massive errors due to watching Back to the Future part 2 at the same time (and missing the first 4/5 picks completely.) Although I'm happy with my smattering of College faves. But I'm sure to finish last.

 

[Gritt23]

I enjoyed that live draft Gritt23, however may have made some massive errors due to watching Back to the Future part 2 at the same time (and missing the first 4/5 picks completely.) Although I'm happy with my smattering of College faves. But I'm sure to finish last.

I was hurtling back from Brighton, and getting very frustrated in M23 traffic in the run-up to it, and missed by first 3 picks myself. It's a marathon not a sprint, and whatever anyone had drafted at this stage last season, they could have won their League by a mile if they had picked up the likes of Arian Foster and Peyton Hillis off Free Agency. That's the key, spot the break-out candidates and they are probably available right now.

 

[Gritt23]

Quiz Question for you all :

There are 2 players in NFL History who have scored TDs by 6 different methods.
Rushing TD
Receiving TD
Punt Return for TD
Kick-off Return for TD
Fumble Return for TD
Interception Return for TD

Not many would have heard of the first man to achieve this, Bill Dudley, but who is the other one?

 

[Stat Brother]

Neon PrimeTime Deion Sanders?

 

[Gritt23]

Neon PrimeTime Deion Sanders?

You win!!

His NFL debut - he returned the kick-off for a TD - came 5 days after he'd hit a home run for the Yankees. What a guy.

 

[elninobonito]

Cannot wait for this. Now Cards have Kolb, surely playoffs should be wispered amoung the UOA stadium?
Good luck to my good buddy Korey Hall, just been drafted to the Saints from the Pack.