Each week around Tuesday or so, I begin to think about potential blog topics for the week. This week was no different. I was tossing around potential topics with my wife (my primary sounding board). Some were pretty good, and there were some that didn’t make much sense at all. Then I had a stroke of brilliance (at least I thought so). I said to her, maybe I should write about Matt Millen. She then asked, “What would you say about him?” I responded by explaining how terrible he is as an NFL executive and laid out a laundry list of the stupid decisions that he has made during his tenure with the Lions. She thought about it for a minute and then said that she thought that would be a good topic. Then on Wednesday the Detroit Lions completely stole my thunder and FIRED MATT MILLEN. Don’t get me wrong, I never want to see a person lose their job, especially in today’s economy. However, I simply planned to point out the fact that he was grossly under-qualified for such a position and ill-equipped to be successful. Also, I don’t feel too bad about him being removed from his position because he did a terrible job (the case could be made that he was the worst executive in the NFL) in leading the Lions to a stellar 31 – 84 record (that is a .270 winning percentage for those scoring at home) and is walking away with reportedly $50 million of the Lions money. You gotta love America. The place where doing a good job is appreciated but incompetence gets rewarded. That being said, is anyone still wondering why our economy is in shambles?
Believe it or not, I would rank the fans of the Detroit Lions as the fifth most faithful, loyal, dedicated, and devoted fan base in the NFL. In my opinion they trail only the fans of the Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, and Browns. You may not believe me, but trust me on that. You have to have a great fan base to consistently draw over 60,000 fans a game, even when your team probably wouldn’t crack the college football Top 25 in most years. Further proof lies in the fact that I have Sirius Satellite Radio (the best radio on radio) and trust me the Lions fans are out there in full force. They love their team. I don’t know why and I do question their sanity. I know one thing for sure, I wouldn’t want to get into a fist-fight with a Lions fan. You could never win because they have such a high tolerance for pain (after watching this team for so many years) that your punches wouldn’t hurt them one bit.
Now the genius that is Matt Millen has left the building (he was escorted out kicking and screaming). Lions fans everywhere are rejoicing and dreaming about better days to come. Truth be told, if history is any indicator the chances of them becoming a top-tier or even a consistently mediocre franchise are slim to none. However, those slim chances did increase when Millen left the building. I am sure that some of you reading this don’t follow the Detroit Lions very closely and don’t know much about Millen. Don’t worry, you have come to the right place. I will give you a short summary of Millen’s tenure in Detroit. HE ABSOLUTELY SUCKED!!!! Was that short enough?
Actually Millen has been a disaster as a CEO and defacto General Manager since the day the Lions hired him out of the TV booth. Prior to being a color commentator for television and radio broadcasts of NFL games, Matt was an NFL linebacker. During his playing career, he played for 3 teams (Raiders, 49er’s, and Redskins) and won 4 Super Bowls. He even played in a Pro Bowl (1988). Guess what, playing and commentating talent doesn’t always translate to the front office. As a matter of fact it rarely does.
Following the 2000 season in which the Lions finished with a 9 – 7 record and missed the playoffs by only one game, Matt Millen was hired as the team’s President and CEO of football operations. Although Millen had no previous experience in anything that remotely resembled this position, fans were optimistic because he was a “football guy” who had proven through his previous work that he knew and understood the game. That optimism quickly went away once Millen made a litany of stupid decisions that set the already eternally doomed franchise back even further than they were. Some of Millen’s brilliant (or at least he thought so) decisions were:
Drafting Joey Harrington with the third overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft (Passed on such players as Ed Reed, Dwight Freeney, Clinton Portis, and Brian Westbrook. If they really wanted a quarterback, David Garrard was available until the 108th pick.)
Drafted four 1st round picks at the same position (The position was wide receiver. He did find two studs in Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams, but missed big time on Charles Rogers and Mike Williams.)
Did not draft suitable offensive line help or defensive players that could actually play. The Lions scouting and player development staff has to be among the worse in the league.
Hired Mary Mornhinweg as the Head Coach (All I’m going to say about this idiot is that he won a coin-toss in sudden-death overtime and DECIDED TO KICK!!!! HE ACTUALLY GAVE THE OTHER TEAM THE BALL FIRST IN SUDDEN-DEATH OVER TIME. Guess What, to his surprise the other team scored first and they lost the game. Yes, Millen did think that someone with that thought process was the right man to lead the Lions.)
Oh, let’s not excuse the latest coach that Millen hired, Rod Marinelli. He is the former Defensive Line and Assistant Head Coach in Tampa Bay and is well-respected throughout the league. However he cannot be absolved from blame for their current 0 – 3 start (which include losses to Atlanta and San Francisco). He is steadfast in his belief that they must run the ball, although their roster and talent says throw it early and often and make every game a shootout. HELLO, THEY DO HAVE CALVIN JOHNSON AND ROY WILLIAMS. I mean New England could throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game with Troy Brown and Reche Caldwell as their primary receivers and Philly has done it year in and year out with the get-along-gang they have at receiver. I know that Jon Kitna isn’t Brady or McNabb, but he is good enough to get the ball to the two Pro Bowlers if the game plan is schemed correctly.
Built a joke of a defense. The defense has three decent players, linebacker Ernie Simms, cornerback Leigh Bodden, and cornerback Brian Kelly (who is as old as Julio Franco). After them, everyone else should be playing in Canada. The defense has been a joke throughout Millen’s tenure. This is unacceptable considering that they have drafted 18th or higher (six times they have drafted in the top ten and three times they had a top five pick) each year that Millen has been there. It’s funny because four of those picks were spent on one offensive position (Wide Receiver) and only ONE WAS SPENT ON DEFENSE (Linebacker Ernie Simms). GO FIGURE!!!!
Even the most optimistic person in the world would have to admit that Matt Millen was an absolute failure no matter what criteria you measure him by. He is now gone, which means that the Lions will continue the rebuilding process that has been going on since 1993 (the year of their last division title) under new leadership.
I truly feel sorry for Lions fans because they know going into each season that they don’t have a chance at being any good, yet they still support their team. I’m all for being loyal to your team, but I also believe that loyalty goes both ways. If your team refuses to do everything in their power to be competitive then they don’t deserve your loyalty. I knew the Lions weren’t trying when team owner William Clay Ford Sr. gave Millen a five year contract extension after the 2005 season in which the Lions were 5 – 11. It took 25 more losses for Mr. Ford to see the errors in his ways. Note to Mr. Ford, you know your GM is bad when fans at NBA, NHL, and college football and basketball games are chanting “Fire Millen.” Rasheed Wallace even joined in the chant during a timeout of a Pistons game. There were even protests and parades around the city, all in an effort to make you open your eyes and see the terrible leadership that led your miserable team.
Now the questions is, “Who’s Next?” Honestly, I don’t know. This is a bad job that will not be able to attract people who have other options. The best they can hope for is to find a bright young Assistant GM or Scouting Director who is looking for their opportunity to sit in the big chair. Much like the Atlanta Falcons did with Thomas DImitroff. On the other hand, it might be a good job because no matter what, you will be considered the King of Detroit because you will be an improvement from Millen by simply sitting on the plane to Detroit. You also know that ownership is patient to a fault and pays very well whether you succeed or fail.
GOOD LUCK LIONS FANS, I AM PULLING FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE BETTER!!!!
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 37 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
I KNOW IT’S EARLY, BUT….
Football season is now in full swing. The “kiddies” have been playing for about four weeks and we are in Week 3 of the NFL season. MAN, I AM LOVING LIFE RIGHT NOW!!!! After watching a lot of football over the past month, I have made several observations and have some interesting opinions about what I have seen thus far. Below you will find my opinions and observations (in no particular order) about the college and NFL football seasons thus far. This list was put together as ideas and thoughts popped into my head, so the college and NFL comments are mixed together. Feel free to chime in on any of them and let me know if you agree, disagree, or have other opinions and comments of your own.
DeSean Jackson is the biggest idiot in sports right now. Don't believe me? Here's proof!
Apparently he didn’t just become an idiot, he was also one in High School. You still need proof? Alright, here you go!
DeSean Jackson cost everyone who started Donovan McNabb a lot of fantasy points, but gave those who started Brian Westbrook a freebie.
No disrespect to Jerry Rice, Chris Carter, Art Monk , Steve Largent, or even such greats as Andre Rison, Freddie Mitchell, or Peerless Price, but the BEST TWO RECEIVERS TO EVER PLAY IN THE NFL ARE RANDY MOSS AND TERRELL OWENS!!!!
I really enjoy every agonizing Notre Dame loss (Shout Out to Ty Willingham).
Last week’s Monday Night Football game was the best football game that I have ever seen (and just think it was regular season Week 2 game). I LOVE THE NFL!!!!
Watching Adrian Peterson’s running style reminds me of Eric Dickerson, minus the “Jheri Curl” and “Rec Specs.”
Knowshon Moreno is the best running back in college football.
Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs might serve as the tie-breaker for the #1 overall draft pick. That is unless the Rams have something to say about that.
LSU’s defense is better than at least six NFL defenses right now.
Ohio State should stop playing non-conference games against teams from other BCS conferences. It’s starting to get embarrassing.
Georgia’s Matthew Stafford should be the first quarterback selected in the 2009 NFL Draft if he decides to leave school a year early.
I am still waiting on my consulting fee from Georgia Tech for the Paul Johnson hire.
Ron Jaworski & Pat Kirwin are the most brilliant football minds in America.
Every NFL fan should have Sirius NFL radio (The Best Radio on Radio).
The Saints (everyone’s pre-season favorite to win their division) better watch out for the Panthers & Buccaneers in the NFC South.
DeAngelo Hall is not an elite corner. His mother doesn’t even think so anymore.
Jay Cutler is the truth.
Vince Young will be out of the league soon.
At this point in their careers, I would take Aaron Rogers over Brett “Diva” Favre (Looks like the Packers made the right decision).
The Dallas Cowboys are the most impressive team in the NFL entering Week 3.
The Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t have benched Tavarris Jackson. They are making him the scapegoat. Although he hasn’t played great, he isn’t the sole reason they are 0 – 2.
Matt Cassel won’t finish the season as the Patriots’ starting quarterback.
Hey Minnesota, If Gus Frerotte’s the answer, I would love to know what the question is.
Note to Daunte Culpepper: You can’t retire from a league that you are not a part of.
This is a bad week to play the Chargers (Good Luck Mr. Favre).
Chase Daniel (University of Missouri quarterback) is a great “college quarterback”. I hope they pay well in Canada.
The Washington Redskins (I hate that nickname, it’s really offensive) are a really good football team. They will make the playoffs as long as their coach stays out of the way.
The New York Giants aren’t as good as everyone thinks.
Cleveland, Jacksonville, and San Diego are the three most disappointing teams in the NFL right now.
The Kansas City Chiefs started their third different quarterback of the season in Week 3. That’s never a good sign.
After predicting that it would happen for 5 straight years, it finally looks like the Arizona Cardinals have a shot at winning the NFC West.
These are just MY early observations and opinions about this football season. Chime in and let me know what you think. Also, feel free to add any of your own observations and opinions.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 44 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
DeSean Jackson is the biggest idiot in sports right now. Don't believe me? Here's proof!
Apparently he didn’t just become an idiot, he was also one in High School. You still need proof? Alright, here you go!
DeSean Jackson cost everyone who started Donovan McNabb a lot of fantasy points, but gave those who started Brian Westbrook a freebie.
No disrespect to Jerry Rice, Chris Carter, Art Monk , Steve Largent, or even such greats as Andre Rison, Freddie Mitchell, or Peerless Price, but the BEST TWO RECEIVERS TO EVER PLAY IN THE NFL ARE RANDY MOSS AND TERRELL OWENS!!!!
I really enjoy every agonizing Notre Dame loss (Shout Out to Ty Willingham).
Last week’s Monday Night Football game was the best football game that I have ever seen (and just think it was regular season Week 2 game). I LOVE THE NFL!!!!
Watching Adrian Peterson’s running style reminds me of Eric Dickerson, minus the “Jheri Curl” and “Rec Specs.”
Knowshon Moreno is the best running back in college football.
Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs might serve as the tie-breaker for the #1 overall draft pick. That is unless the Rams have something to say about that.
LSU’s defense is better than at least six NFL defenses right now.
Ohio State should stop playing non-conference games against teams from other BCS conferences. It’s starting to get embarrassing.
Georgia’s Matthew Stafford should be the first quarterback selected in the 2009 NFL Draft if he decides to leave school a year early.
I am still waiting on my consulting fee from Georgia Tech for the Paul Johnson hire.
Ron Jaworski & Pat Kirwin are the most brilliant football minds in America.
Every NFL fan should have Sirius NFL radio (The Best Radio on Radio).
The Saints (everyone’s pre-season favorite to win their division) better watch out for the Panthers & Buccaneers in the NFC South.
DeAngelo Hall is not an elite corner. His mother doesn’t even think so anymore.
Jay Cutler is the truth.
Vince Young will be out of the league soon.
At this point in their careers, I would take Aaron Rogers over Brett “Diva” Favre (Looks like the Packers made the right decision).
The Dallas Cowboys are the most impressive team in the NFL entering Week 3.
The Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t have benched Tavarris Jackson. They are making him the scapegoat. Although he hasn’t played great, he isn’t the sole reason they are 0 – 2.
Matt Cassel won’t finish the season as the Patriots’ starting quarterback.
Hey Minnesota, If Gus Frerotte’s the answer, I would love to know what the question is.
Note to Daunte Culpepper: You can’t retire from a league that you are not a part of.
This is a bad week to play the Chargers (Good Luck Mr. Favre).
Chase Daniel (University of Missouri quarterback) is a great “college quarterback”. I hope they pay well in Canada.
The Washington Redskins (I hate that nickname, it’s really offensive) are a really good football team. They will make the playoffs as long as their coach stays out of the way.
The New York Giants aren’t as good as everyone thinks.
Cleveland, Jacksonville, and San Diego are the three most disappointing teams in the NFL right now.
The Kansas City Chiefs started their third different quarterback of the season in Week 3. That’s never a good sign.
After predicting that it would happen for 5 straight years, it finally looks like the Arizona Cardinals have a shot at winning the NFC West.
These are just MY early observations and opinions about this football season. Chime in and let me know what you think. Also, feel free to add any of your own observations and opinions.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 44 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
YOU WILL MISS HIM WHEN HE’S GONE
How would you feel if you were a Hall of Fame caliber NFL quarterback and your organization gave you Ren & Stimpy or Beavis & Butt-head as your starting wide receivers? To make matters worse, your fans and local talk-radio hosts are constantly trying to run you out of town because you haven’t won a Super Bowl. Well boys and girls, welcome to the world of Donovan McNabb.
The Hate-Hate relationship between Donovan McNabb and the city of Philadelphia got off to a stellar start on Draft Day 1999. The Eagles selected McNabb with the #2 overall pick and he was immediately greeted by tremendously loud BOOOOOOSSSSSS!!!! by the Philly fans (Fans of the Miami Dolphins didn’t complain one bit when they drafted Ronnie Brown 2nd overall in 2005, Go Figure). That was a ridiculous reaction to have for a fan base whose current quarterbacks were Bobby Hoying and Koy Detmer. Well, no one has ever said that Eagles fans were the most knowledgeable fans in the NFL. The truth of the matter was that the fans wanted the team to draft Ricky Williams. Do you think the team made the right decision? Although the very passionate fan base wanted Williams, Andy Reid & company realized that the running backs on the roster were serviceable (Duce Staley & Charlie Garner) and that they really needed a quarterback. Since this was a stellar year for first-round quarterbacks (tongue-in-cheek) they decided that they should pick one with their first round pick. The only thing left was for them to decide between McNabb, Akili Smith, Cade McNown, and Daunte Culpepper. These were their choices only because the great Tim Couch was selected #1 overall and was therefore off the board. So, do you think they made the right pick?
****COMMERCIAL BREAK****
The Hate-Hate relationship between Donovan McNabb and the city of Philadelphia got off to a stellar start on Draft Day 1999. The Eagles selected McNabb with the #2 overall pick and he was immediately greeted by tremendously loud BOOOOOOSSSSSS!!!! by the Philly fans (Fans of the Miami Dolphins didn’t complain one bit when they drafted Ronnie Brown 2nd overall in 2005, Go Figure). That was a ridiculous reaction to have for a fan base whose current quarterbacks were Bobby Hoying and Koy Detmer. Well, no one has ever said that Eagles fans were the most knowledgeable fans in the NFL. The truth of the matter was that the fans wanted the team to draft Ricky Williams. Do you think the team made the right decision? Although the very passionate fan base wanted Williams, Andy Reid & company realized that the running backs on the roster were serviceable (Duce Staley & Charlie Garner) and that they really needed a quarterback. Since this was a stellar year for first-round quarterbacks (tongue-in-cheek) they decided that they should pick one with their first round pick. The only thing left was for them to decide between McNabb, Akili Smith, Cade McNown, and Daunte Culpepper. These were their choices only because the great Tim Couch was selected #1 overall and was therefore off the board. So, do you think they made the right pick?
****COMMERCIAL BREAK****
Be sure to check out regular STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! reader and commenter Anthony “Pharaoh” Goolsby on BET’s Somebodies. He will be appearing in the episode that will be airing Tuesday, September 30th at 10:30 pm.
****NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM****
I applaud the Eagles organization for realizing the special talent that Donovan McNabb was during his time at Syracuse and using the #2 overall pick in the draft to acquire him. However, I don’t understand how you draft a quarterback to build your team around and refuse to give him the needed weapons to be successful. Let’s take a moment and reflect. During McNabb’s tenure in Philadelphia he has thrown passes to James Trash (sorry, I meant to say Thrash), Freddie Mitchell, Torrance Small, Charles Johnson, Chad Lewis, and Todd Pinkston (or should I say Stinkston). Oh, and let’s not forget his current cast of Pro Bowlers. He now has Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, Greg Lewis, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, and DeSean Jackson. I am sure that this group strikes fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators all over the NFL. I’m sorry, there was one glaring omission from his list of receivers. That would be the one-man team killer himself, Mr. Terrell (I LOVE ME SOME ME) Owens. As much as I hate Owens (almost as much as I hate Kobe Bryant), he is an absolute beast as a wide receiver. He is a legit number one receiver and he is one of the three best receivers in the NFL today. Does anyone remember what happened when Donovan got a chance to play with a legitimate NFL receiver? That’s right, he led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for the McNabb and the Eagles the Terrell Owens experiment was only successful for one season. By his second season in Philly, the one-man team killer earned his nickname, and single-handedly killed the team. It is really a shame because they were great together. It’s also a shame that the Eagles haven’t given McNabb a competent receiver since.
Even with the talentless group of receivers that he has been forced to play with, McNabb has managed to lead the Eagles to six playoff appearances, four NFC Championship Games, and 1 Super Bowl. This apparently isn’t good enough for Eagles fans. They are constantly trying to run this guy out of town, for not being a winner. There were actually some that were saying this off-season that the team would be better off starting Kevin Kolb instead of McNabb. Are you serious? If you are reading this and you are one of those fans, please SLAP YOURSELF!!!! If you think that Kevin Kolb gives you a better chance to win than Donovan McNabb, you really need to have your medications adjusted. I just have one thing to say to Philly fans. You can hate him all you want, but YOU WILL MISS HIM WHEN HE’S GONE.
While exchanging text messages with Anthony “Pharaoh” Goolsby earlier this week, we both realized that Donovan McNabb simply does not get the credit and respect that he deserves from NFL fans (especially Eagles fans). I then decided to put his greatness in perspective and let people know that we are fortunate to be witnessing greatness before our eyes. Peyton Manning, Brett Favre (the Diva), and Tom Brady (for a minute, it looked like they were going to cancel the season when Brady got injured) are held in such high regard in NFL circles. Truthfully, I view McNabb as their equal. Every NFL player is always one play away from having his season, or even worse, his career end. Before it is over for McNabb, do yourself a favor and enjoy his greatness. He is arguably the most complete quarterback in the game today and is the best run/pass threat the league has ever seen. He should definitely be celebrated as such, and I am willing to start the party.
****PROOF THAT LIFE ISN’T FAIR****
Journeyman Quarterback Jon Kitna has had the great fortune of playing with such receivers as Chad Johnson & TJ Houshmandzadeh in Cincinnatti and now he has Calvin Johnson & Roy Williams in Detroit. Future Hall of Famer Donovan McNabb on the other hand has been playing with “insert scrub here” basically his entire career.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 51 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
WE ARE NOW 51 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
FOOTBALL SEASON IS IN FULL SWING!!!! This is by far my favorite time of year because I am such a big football fan. The perfect fall sports weekend for me would consist of watching one or two college football games on Saturday followed by watching every possible NFL game that I can all day on Sunday and then on Monday night. Although I like college football quite a bit, I definitely prefer the NFL.
I know and have met a lot of people who are huge football fans. Some of them are college and professional fans, but the majority of them prefer one or the other. Although there are some exceptions, the majority of the die-hard college football fans that I have met do not like the NFL at all. While on the other hand, most of the NFL fans that I know (including myself) like college football also but simply likes the NFL better. Although they are both share the name football, these are definitely two very different games. With that being said, I will evaluate what I feel are the differences between the two games. Hopefully this will explain why each game attracts the type of fan that it does.
GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE
The differences in the atmosphere at an NFL game can’t be compared to that of a college game. The atmosphere for a big game between two major college football teams is among the best in sports. If you don’t believe me, tune-in next Saturday night for the game between USC and Ohio State. The stadium will be electric and you will be able to feel the excitement through your television screen, especially if you are watching in High Definition. By far the coolest thing to witness in all of football (especially in High Definition) is the “White Out” by Penn State fans when they play a big home game at night. College tailgating is also much better than tailgating at NFL games. The main reason for this fact is that most college games are played on Saturday, and most people don’t work on Sunday, so they can get as drunk as their body will allow. On the other hand NFL tailgaters have to be careful because they have to be able to make it home and get ready for work the following day.
The main difference between professional and college crowds is “THE STUDENT SECTION.” This section is filled with drunk college kids who are at the game simply to continue the party from tailgating that morning and getting ready for an after party that night. More often than not these students know very little about football, but go to the games because it is the thing to do on campus and they are a lot of fun. The rest of the stadium is filled with alumni, locals, and fans of the other team who are all dressed up and ready to yell and scream in support of their team for 3 ½ hours. At the schools that have top tier college football programs, each game day is an event, and it is just an amazing experience. Especially when ESPN’s College Gameday broadcasts live from their campus.
In contrast, NFL tickets have gotten so expensive that the average fan can’t afford to go to the games. It’s getting to the point that NFL stadiums will soon have more luxury suites than regular seats. The seats in the lower sections of the stadiums are beginning to look more and more like corporate shareholders meetings and less like football games. However, the average fan can still afford the upper level tickets (just barely) in NFL stadiums. That really takes away from the atmosphere of the game, when the majority of the die-hard fans are sitting so far from the field, strictly due to the economics of the game. I think it is funny that the NFL stadiums that have the best “atmosphere” like Kansas City and Denver are thought to be so great because they have a college-like atmosphere.
RIVALRIES
In my opinion, this is by far where college football has the advantage over the NFL. There are some great rivalries in the NFL, such as Colts – Patriots, Giants – Cowboys, Chiefs – Broncos, and Packers – Bears just to name a few. Although they are usually very good games that cause a lot of excitement, they can’t hold a candle to the traditional college rivalries. Think about Michigan – Ohio State, Georgia – Florida, Auburn – Alabama, Florida State – Miami, Texas – Oklahoma, and USC – Notre Dame. No matter the state of the programs or the records of each team going into these games, when they meet you can throw out the records. These games excite their fan bases more so than any game does for NFL fans.
STYLES OF PLAY
The college game offers a variety of styles of play, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. There are teams that run the “Spread Offense,” the “Option,” the “Pro-style Offense,” the “Triple Option,” the “West Coast Offense,” the “Shot-Gun Offense,” and a variety of other styles or systems. It makes for some very interesting games. The phase, “Styles make fights,” which is often used in boxing also applies to college football games.
On the other hand, in the NFL everyone basically runs a form of the “West Coast Offense,” a heavy “Shot-Gun Offense,” or the traditional “Pro-style Offense.”
UNIFORMS
As a whole college football teams have much cooler uniforms than NFL teams. Don’t get me wrong there are some really cool uniforms in the NFL, such as the Falcons, the Chargers (powder blue throwbacks), the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals, just to name a few. However, Nike really works hard to keep the college teams looking good. The University of Oregon has so many different uniforms that they never have to wear the same combination twice during a season. I have noticed that the new NFL uniforms are starting to look more and more like the college uniforms.
Jersey numbers are also much cooler in college football. The NFL has absolutely ridiculous rules that dictate the jersey numbers that a player can choose according to their position. That rule is about as stupid as the NBA age-limit. Who cares what a uniform number a player chooses. Personally I like to see defensive ends and linebackers wearing single digit numbers. I think it looks really cool. The NFL even fines players for not wearing particular socks or having a tinted helmet visor. They have to have something better to worry about than Clinton Portis’ choice of socks.
POST SEASON
The worst thing about major college football is the fact that they have this stupid Bowl System instead of a playoff system. In college football voters and computer calculations decide who gets to play for the championship. That is the stupidest thing in sports. This is a flawed system on so many levels. By not letting things be decided on the field, you open the door for constant whining by fans, players, and especially coaches. It was an absolute embarrassment for the sport when Auburn was left out of the National Championship game following the 2004 season. They were passed over for Oklahoma, who was beat like Rodney King by the USC Trojans. It is a shame that although all three teams were undefeated, Auburn was passed over because they started the season ranked lower.
I almost forgot, you can’t get rid of the bowl system and implement a playoff system. If you do that, we will no longer have the GMAC Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Smurf-Turf Bowl, or the all-important Emerald Nut Bowl. What on Earth would we do without all of these games between six and seven win teams?
The NFL on the other hand has the best playoff format in all of sports. It is very simple. If you win your division, you are in the playoffs. There are also two wild-card spots per conference, which gives teams that can’t win the division something to continue to play hard for.
COACHING
Do I really need to go into any detail here? I will simply make one statement. THE VAST MAJORITY OF COLLEGE HEAD COACHES (EVEN THE “GENIUSES”) CAN’T CUT IT IN THE NFL. If you don’t believe me, think about Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Butch Davis, and Lou Holtz just to name a few. NFL coaches are simply more knowledgeable about the game and work harder to be successful.
TALENT
The talent gap between major college football and the NFL is ridiculously wide, as it should be. The fact that there are approximately 120 Division 1 college football teams with 85 scholarship players each compared to 32 NFL teams with 53 player each should explain the talent gap. Over the years there have been many college football players that people thought were great that just couldn’t cut it in the NFL. I am sure that you remember the stellar NFL careers of Jason White, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Andre Ware, and the GREAT GINO TORRETTA. Oh, you don’t? Me either, and all of these players won the Heisman Trophy, which allegedly makes them the best player in college football.
The size and speed combination of NFL players is absolutely ridiculous. There are defensive ends in the NFL that are fast enough to catch such speedsters as Reggie Bush and Michael Vick from behind (given the proper angle). There are wide receivers in the NFL that are big enough to be defensive ends in the college game.
The talent is also more evenly distributed in the NFL than in the college game. Colleges build their teams through recruiting. This basically means that it is possible for a couple of teams to amass all of the talent and leave the programs with less money to pay their players with the scraps. This talent gap means that there will be a lot of 65 – 14 games over the course of the season. These types of games even take place within the same conference. Watch the USC v/s Arizona game. The average margin of victory in Division 1 college football is close to 20 points per game, as opposed to an NFL of slightly more than three points. Due to the fact that the talent is so close among NFL teams, any team can win on ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!!!!
Although we all have NFL players that we think are terrible (think Brodie Croyle, Fred Smoot, Fred Thomas, Alex Smith, Rex Grossman), we must remember that everyone in the NFL is a good football player. The things that they can do on the football field are simply amazing.
QUALITY OF THE GAME
The quality of play in the NFL is so much better than that of the college game, that they really shouldn’t both be called football. This is of course due to several of the factors that were mentioned earlier. First of all, the quality of the coaching In the NFL is so much better than that of the college game. The NFL game is usually a more crisply played game with fewer penalties, which can be attributed to the fact that the players are professionals. The routes are very precise, the hits are much harder, the backs hit the hole much quicker, the blocks are more devastating, the plays are more intricate, and the game is so detailed. When it comes to precision and execution, the NFL is head and shoulders above college football. For instance, a receiver in college football is considered open when he has three yards on a defender. On the other hand, an NFL receiver is considered open when he has one step on the defender. The NFL quarterback then has to be able to get the ball to that receiver, while keeping it away from the defender.
THE STUPIDEST THING ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Although this entry is about comparing college football to the NFL, I must get off the subject for a second and rant about what I believe is the stupidest thing about college football. I don’t understand PRESEASON RANKINGS!!!! How in the world can you rank teams before you see them play? Two things have happened this week that don’t make any sense to me. First East Carolina started the season unranked. Apparently this was a mistake because they have proven to be better than Virginia Tech (ranked 17th at the time) and West Virginia (ranked 8th at the time). After these two victories the Pirates have finally proven worthy of being ranked, they are 14th in this week’s poll. How do you explain this? The other thing that leaves me puzzled is that fact that Georgia started the season ranked number one and won their first game rather convincingly, yet they were jumped in the polls by USC. Basically the same people who thought they were the best team before the season, punished them a week later for winning like they should. Now I am by no means a Georgia fan, but this is ridiculous. I know that all college sports have pre-season rankings, but they are especially stupid in football because more often than not you final poll position is affected by your starting poll position. Remember there is no playoff system, so it will not be decided on the field. Also, remember that the voters do not always watch the games. They simply read box scores or watch SportsCenter. What a way to decide who is better!
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME
As I stated earlier, the college and NFL games are very different and everyone is entitled to have their preferences. These are the two most popular sports in America (NFL is #1 followed by College Football at #2), so we know that a lot of people really enjoy both of them. Personally I like college football, but I absolutely LOVE THE NFL. Based on my observations of football fans that I have come across, I feel as though college football fans are usually people who love the experience of the game, while NFL fans are people who love football!
Which do you prefer, THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
****NOTE (on a totally different subject)****
I found it rather amusing that Daunte Culpepper retired from the NFL. I wasn't aware that you can retire from a league when you are not currently in the league (he was not on a roster). If the knee injury suffered by Tom Brady is serious and he is out for the season or an extended portion of this season and the Patriots call Daunte Culpepper, do you really think that he is going to tell them, NO THANKS, I'M RETIRED? I don't think so, which means that he is not retired, he is simply not on a team.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 58 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY!!!! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? IF NOT DO SO TODAY!!!! STAND UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
I know and have met a lot of people who are huge football fans. Some of them are college and professional fans, but the majority of them prefer one or the other. Although there are some exceptions, the majority of the die-hard college football fans that I have met do not like the NFL at all. While on the other hand, most of the NFL fans that I know (including myself) like college football also but simply likes the NFL better. Although they are both share the name football, these are definitely two very different games. With that being said, I will evaluate what I feel are the differences between the two games. Hopefully this will explain why each game attracts the type of fan that it does.
GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE
The differences in the atmosphere at an NFL game can’t be compared to that of a college game. The atmosphere for a big game between two major college football teams is among the best in sports. If you don’t believe me, tune-in next Saturday night for the game between USC and Ohio State. The stadium will be electric and you will be able to feel the excitement through your television screen, especially if you are watching in High Definition. By far the coolest thing to witness in all of football (especially in High Definition) is the “White Out” by Penn State fans when they play a big home game at night. College tailgating is also much better than tailgating at NFL games. The main reason for this fact is that most college games are played on Saturday, and most people don’t work on Sunday, so they can get as drunk as their body will allow. On the other hand NFL tailgaters have to be careful because they have to be able to make it home and get ready for work the following day.
The main difference between professional and college crowds is “THE STUDENT SECTION.” This section is filled with drunk college kids who are at the game simply to continue the party from tailgating that morning and getting ready for an after party that night. More often than not these students know very little about football, but go to the games because it is the thing to do on campus and they are a lot of fun. The rest of the stadium is filled with alumni, locals, and fans of the other team who are all dressed up and ready to yell and scream in support of their team for 3 ½ hours. At the schools that have top tier college football programs, each game day is an event, and it is just an amazing experience. Especially when ESPN’s College Gameday broadcasts live from their campus.
In contrast, NFL tickets have gotten so expensive that the average fan can’t afford to go to the games. It’s getting to the point that NFL stadiums will soon have more luxury suites than regular seats. The seats in the lower sections of the stadiums are beginning to look more and more like corporate shareholders meetings and less like football games. However, the average fan can still afford the upper level tickets (just barely) in NFL stadiums. That really takes away from the atmosphere of the game, when the majority of the die-hard fans are sitting so far from the field, strictly due to the economics of the game. I think it is funny that the NFL stadiums that have the best “atmosphere” like Kansas City and Denver are thought to be so great because they have a college-like atmosphere.
RIVALRIES
In my opinion, this is by far where college football has the advantage over the NFL. There are some great rivalries in the NFL, such as Colts – Patriots, Giants – Cowboys, Chiefs – Broncos, and Packers – Bears just to name a few. Although they are usually very good games that cause a lot of excitement, they can’t hold a candle to the traditional college rivalries. Think about Michigan – Ohio State, Georgia – Florida, Auburn – Alabama, Florida State – Miami, Texas – Oklahoma, and USC – Notre Dame. No matter the state of the programs or the records of each team going into these games, when they meet you can throw out the records. These games excite their fan bases more so than any game does for NFL fans.
STYLES OF PLAY
The college game offers a variety of styles of play, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. There are teams that run the “Spread Offense,” the “Option,” the “Pro-style Offense,” the “Triple Option,” the “West Coast Offense,” the “Shot-Gun Offense,” and a variety of other styles or systems. It makes for some very interesting games. The phase, “Styles make fights,” which is often used in boxing also applies to college football games.
On the other hand, in the NFL everyone basically runs a form of the “West Coast Offense,” a heavy “Shot-Gun Offense,” or the traditional “Pro-style Offense.”
UNIFORMS
As a whole college football teams have much cooler uniforms than NFL teams. Don’t get me wrong there are some really cool uniforms in the NFL, such as the Falcons, the Chargers (powder blue throwbacks), the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals, just to name a few. However, Nike really works hard to keep the college teams looking good. The University of Oregon has so many different uniforms that they never have to wear the same combination twice during a season. I have noticed that the new NFL uniforms are starting to look more and more like the college uniforms.
Jersey numbers are also much cooler in college football. The NFL has absolutely ridiculous rules that dictate the jersey numbers that a player can choose according to their position. That rule is about as stupid as the NBA age-limit. Who cares what a uniform number a player chooses. Personally I like to see defensive ends and linebackers wearing single digit numbers. I think it looks really cool. The NFL even fines players for not wearing particular socks or having a tinted helmet visor. They have to have something better to worry about than Clinton Portis’ choice of socks.
POST SEASON
The worst thing about major college football is the fact that they have this stupid Bowl System instead of a playoff system. In college football voters and computer calculations decide who gets to play for the championship. That is the stupidest thing in sports. This is a flawed system on so many levels. By not letting things be decided on the field, you open the door for constant whining by fans, players, and especially coaches. It was an absolute embarrassment for the sport when Auburn was left out of the National Championship game following the 2004 season. They were passed over for Oklahoma, who was beat like Rodney King by the USC Trojans. It is a shame that although all three teams were undefeated, Auburn was passed over because they started the season ranked lower.
I almost forgot, you can’t get rid of the bowl system and implement a playoff system. If you do that, we will no longer have the GMAC Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Smurf-Turf Bowl, or the all-important Emerald Nut Bowl. What on Earth would we do without all of these games between six and seven win teams?
The NFL on the other hand has the best playoff format in all of sports. It is very simple. If you win your division, you are in the playoffs. There are also two wild-card spots per conference, which gives teams that can’t win the division something to continue to play hard for.
COACHING
Do I really need to go into any detail here? I will simply make one statement. THE VAST MAJORITY OF COLLEGE HEAD COACHES (EVEN THE “GENIUSES”) CAN’T CUT IT IN THE NFL. If you don’t believe me, think about Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Butch Davis, and Lou Holtz just to name a few. NFL coaches are simply more knowledgeable about the game and work harder to be successful.
TALENT
The talent gap between major college football and the NFL is ridiculously wide, as it should be. The fact that there are approximately 120 Division 1 college football teams with 85 scholarship players each compared to 32 NFL teams with 53 player each should explain the talent gap. Over the years there have been many college football players that people thought were great that just couldn’t cut it in the NFL. I am sure that you remember the stellar NFL careers of Jason White, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Andre Ware, and the GREAT GINO TORRETTA. Oh, you don’t? Me either, and all of these players won the Heisman Trophy, which allegedly makes them the best player in college football.
The size and speed combination of NFL players is absolutely ridiculous. There are defensive ends in the NFL that are fast enough to catch such speedsters as Reggie Bush and Michael Vick from behind (given the proper angle). There are wide receivers in the NFL that are big enough to be defensive ends in the college game.
The talent is also more evenly distributed in the NFL than in the college game. Colleges build their teams through recruiting. This basically means that it is possible for a couple of teams to amass all of the talent and leave the programs with less money to pay their players with the scraps. This talent gap means that there will be a lot of 65 – 14 games over the course of the season. These types of games even take place within the same conference. Watch the USC v/s Arizona game. The average margin of victory in Division 1 college football is close to 20 points per game, as opposed to an NFL of slightly more than three points. Due to the fact that the talent is so close among NFL teams, any team can win on ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!!!!
Although we all have NFL players that we think are terrible (think Brodie Croyle, Fred Smoot, Fred Thomas, Alex Smith, Rex Grossman), we must remember that everyone in the NFL is a good football player. The things that they can do on the football field are simply amazing.
QUALITY OF THE GAME
The quality of play in the NFL is so much better than that of the college game, that they really shouldn’t both be called football. This is of course due to several of the factors that were mentioned earlier. First of all, the quality of the coaching In the NFL is so much better than that of the college game. The NFL game is usually a more crisply played game with fewer penalties, which can be attributed to the fact that the players are professionals. The routes are very precise, the hits are much harder, the backs hit the hole much quicker, the blocks are more devastating, the plays are more intricate, and the game is so detailed. When it comes to precision and execution, the NFL is head and shoulders above college football. For instance, a receiver in college football is considered open when he has three yards on a defender. On the other hand, an NFL receiver is considered open when he has one step on the defender. The NFL quarterback then has to be able to get the ball to that receiver, while keeping it away from the defender.
THE STUPIDEST THING ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Although this entry is about comparing college football to the NFL, I must get off the subject for a second and rant about what I believe is the stupidest thing about college football. I don’t understand PRESEASON RANKINGS!!!! How in the world can you rank teams before you see them play? Two things have happened this week that don’t make any sense to me. First East Carolina started the season unranked. Apparently this was a mistake because they have proven to be better than Virginia Tech (ranked 17th at the time) and West Virginia (ranked 8th at the time). After these two victories the Pirates have finally proven worthy of being ranked, they are 14th in this week’s poll. How do you explain this? The other thing that leaves me puzzled is that fact that Georgia started the season ranked number one and won their first game rather convincingly, yet they were jumped in the polls by USC. Basically the same people who thought they were the best team before the season, punished them a week later for winning like they should. Now I am by no means a Georgia fan, but this is ridiculous. I know that all college sports have pre-season rankings, but they are especially stupid in football because more often than not you final poll position is affected by your starting poll position. Remember there is no playoff system, so it will not be decided on the field. Also, remember that the voters do not always watch the games. They simply read box scores or watch SportsCenter. What a way to decide who is better!
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME
As I stated earlier, the college and NFL games are very different and everyone is entitled to have their preferences. These are the two most popular sports in America (NFL is #1 followed by College Football at #2), so we know that a lot of people really enjoy both of them. Personally I like college football, but I absolutely LOVE THE NFL. Based on my observations of football fans that I have come across, I feel as though college football fans are usually people who love the experience of the game, while NFL fans are people who love football!
Which do you prefer, THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
****NOTE (on a totally different subject)****
I found it rather amusing that Daunte Culpepper retired from the NFL. I wasn't aware that you can retire from a league when you are not currently in the league (he was not on a roster). If the knee injury suffered by Tom Brady is serious and he is out for the season or an extended portion of this season and the Patriots call Daunte Culpepper, do you really think that he is going to tell them, NO THANKS, I'M RETIRED? I don't think so, which means that he is not retired, he is simply not on a team.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 58 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY!!!! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? IF NOT DO SO TODAY!!!! STAND UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
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