After just finishing watching my beloved Browns beat
the Bills, I have decided it was a good time for a little essay about
America's TRUE pastime, the NFL. Sadly, most “journalism” is
slanted one way or another, and sports isn't any different. I can
assure you that isn't the case with me. During an Ohio State Buckeyes
game in 2002, the year they won the national championship, they
played a very tight game against Perdue. Sitting on the edge of my
seat throughout I had the displeasure of watching OSU outside
linebacker, Bobby Carpenter, thrust his hand into the throat of a
Purdue player. Whether out of frustration or desperation it was a
disgusting act and made me ashamed to be a Buckeye. Again, you wont
get any bias from me, I don’t call it as I see it, I call it as it
is. The ultimate mediator. So, without further ado, hut, hut, hike!
Let us accept the stereotype that jocks are dumb.
Granted there are plenty of exceptions, like Pat McInally, whom
scored a perfect 50 on the Wonderlic Aptitude Test. (The best I have
ever done was 38) But for the most part jocks are dumb. But that
isn’t relevant. They are playing the sport of football and it isn't
rocket science. Physical strength and conditioning, speed, and talent
are the attributes these athletes are required to posses. But one
position in particular does require a bit more than most. The
quarterback. Between knowing and understanding the playbooks, to
reading defenses, to willing his team to victory. Yes, quarterbacks
SHOULD have a good head on their shoulders.
With that being said, let us get back to tonight’s
Brown's game. Cleveland raised Brown's quarterback, Brian Hoyer, has
electrified the souls of Brown's fans this past two weeks and there
was a great deal of optimism coming into tonight’s game that he was
our salvation from mediocrity. Fans reveled in the fact that finally
we had a player with heart on par with the greatest fans in the NFL.
Fast forward to the early part of the first quarter, Cleveland down
by 7 points, Hoyer gets the snap, watches the pocket collapse, and
without any viable targets, decides to run with it. After scrambling
for 11 yards and a first down, he begins his slide. Then Buffalo
linebacker, Kiko Alonso, commits what should have been ruled a
personal foul, by not only tackling Hoyer after he went into his
slide, but also hitting him helmet to helmet. On this play, Hoyer's
knee was injured, possibly jeopardizing his season, and the hearts of
Brown's fans were ripped out.
Later, midway thru the third quarter, Bills
quarterback EJ Manuel, scrambled for a 15 yard gain and a Buffalo
first down. On this play, Manuel took a shot in the knee and would be
out for the rest of the game. What was a highly exciting back and
forth game became effectively sewn up as a win for the Browns upon
the loss of Manuel for the Bills. And these injuries are why I
brought up the intelligence issue. While I do believe Alonso's hit on
Hoyer was a personal foul, Hoyer's injury is squarely to blame on his
foolish decision. He was NOT running the final play of the Superbowl.
It was the first half of the first quarter and the Browns were only
down by seven. Why even take the unnecessary risk and unnecessary
hit? Why not take 5 yards and slide? Why not just throw the ball away
and punt? Hoyer sacrificed his knee and possibly his season over a
single inconsequential first down. This was not smart football. Then
again, neither was the play involving Manuel. On that play, Manuel
needed around 11 yards for the first down. He got that and then some
and all he had to do was step out of bounds. Instead, he got the
“bright” idea to decide to break a tackle and score a touchdown.
In reality, he almost broke his knee for 3 extra yards, as well as
cost his team the game.
Both of these plays were eerily similar to OSU's
quarterback Braxton Miller's injury during week 2 of this college
season. Miller shot himself in the foot, or should I say knee, by
fighting for an inconsequential first down in a game that they could
not lose even if they had wanted to. Thereby flushing his Heisman
hopes down the drain. Whether it be by a desire to be on ESPN or some
foolish pride, these three centerpieces all risked everything when
there wasn’t even any prize at stake. I personally don’t wish to
see any of these three drop like a sack of potatoes, ala Peyton
Manning, at the first hint of contact. But I do wish to see all of
them have long productive careers. And to that they just gotta play
smart. Just know when to hold em, and know when to fold em.
Well, while I am at it, just some other random
thoughts on the NFL:
- Soccer is the most popular sport in the world,
hands down, not even close. And Nascar is the most “popular”
sport in the USA, according to attendance and merchandise sales.
Baseball consists of 2,430 regular season games, and I only needed
to watch two of them, the Indians and Reds wild-card games, to see
all that I needed to see. This wasn’t our year. But it is the NFL,
and only the NFL, that is capable of bridging the gaps between
races, gender, age and cultures, as well as have the most watched
event, in the world, regardless as to whom is playing. Bottom line:
Football IS America's past-time.
- Another year, another over-ranked San Diego
Chargers team. And why? Because although I have known this for
years, NFL “experts” have yet to catch on. Phillip Rivers SUCKS!
Sure he has the physical tools, height, weight, and a rocket arm.
And sure he is plenty capable of reading NFL defenses. Rivers sucks
because he has no heart, no poise, and no leadership ability. Things
that just cannot be taught. You either have them or you don't. Sure
they can be acquired through maturity, but Rivers will always be a
baby, a cry-baby. Maybe yall can trade him for say, Drew Brees?!?!
- Tim Tebow: OH, Timmy, poor, poor, Timmy. As an
OSU fan I have plenty of reason to abhor this man, but alas I do
not. He won it fair and square. And everyone should admire his
conviction in being able to thwart the countless pairs of panties
that were undoubtedly throw his way in college. But let us face that
he ISN”T capable of being an NFL quarterback. He does not have the
height. He does not have good mechanics. Actually, that was too
nice, his throwing mechanics are ATTROCIOUS! And lastly he does NOT
have the intelligence to be a NFL quarterback. Being a good
Christian doesn't make you smart, or capable of playing in the NFL.
Tebow's only hope would be to play at fullback, maybe.
- Stop hating on my beloved Cleveland Browns. Big
deal if your team has 3, 4, 5, or even 6 Superbowl wins. If tomorrow
they change the name of the Superbowl to “Megabowl” does it
render your team's titles irrelevant? No it wouldn't. The Browns
have 8, yes, EIGHT world titles. 4 AAFC and 4 NFL. And if you are
under the impression that the AAFC was minor league football, so did
everyone in the NFL at that time, at least until the merger. Then
Cleveland came in and dominated the NFL as well. Not to mention an
undefeated season in 1948. Home of the greatest football player
EVER, Jim Brown, and the greatest coach EVER, Paul Brown. Bottom
line: The people who don't respect the Browns get no respect from
me, they don't know squat about football.
Just reading through comments in regards to the
government shutdown, just wanted to share a few of my favs:
Mac from ohio:
This shutdown should be about one thing -- funding
the government or not funding the government. Obamacare is a separate
issue. The Republicans could not get the votes to stop or change
Obamacare, could not get the Supreme Court to reverse Obamacare so
they are punishing the people of this great nation. To hold the
people hostage to try to change a program they could not change
during the political process is dead wrong. If elected officials (
either party ) think this is what you were elected for then you have
no business in office.
*NOTES: Exactly, regardless as to your
opinions of the ACA(Affordable Care Act) was LEGALLY passed,
challenged twice legislatively and once judicially (Supreme Court)
and was upheld all three times. So as a last ditch effort to
circumvent law, the REPUBLICANS, and them alone, are holding America
hostage. Pathetic.
Zeppelin4u:
What is sad is President Obama has changed the ACA
frequently without approval from Congress and exempts the major
unions he gave $60 billion dollars to support Obamacare but yet he
thinks him and Harry Reid can put the burden on the middle class with
this tax. Our representatives are getting subsidies to pay for their
health care and it even provides for abortions which is against
Federal law to fund. What Obama has done without approval from
Congress is illegal and we are supposed to listen to this dictator in
chief.
The President, Harry Reid, and the Democrats Shut
down our government and I hope the Republicans who listened to the
voters to defund Obamacare go on vacation until the President and
Democrats stop doing things that are good for them and bad for the
people.
Thank you Democrats for shutting down the
Government. You should be ashamed but have no conscience.
With this law America is becoming a nation of
Part-time workers and the President could care less that businesses
are cutting employee hours because of this tax.. De-fund it and start
over.
*NOTES: WTF!!! “Because of these
taxes corporations are turning America into a part time work force.?”
Taxes are a necessary component of government, as they have been
since the beginnings of currency. Sometimes they go down, like under
G. Bush Senior, (eye roll), and sometimes they go up. It is a part of
life and it IS fair. What isn’t fair is that corporations offset
these additional costs by cutting hours and benefits to their
employees, usually starting from the bottom. Not only is this
behavior unfair, it should be ILLEGAL. It would be no different than
say a father who's hours were cut coming home from work and eating
the same, (if not more) food for dinner as always, as his wife and
children go hungry. This country is supposed to be of, for, and by
the people, not corporations and stockholders. Profits before people
has been the norm for quite some time and it needs to end. It is
immoral and the anti-thesis of a proclaimed “Christian” country.
Roger-785733
The postponement was a tactic by the Republicans
in hopes of gaining control of the Senate in 2014.. read between the
lines. Guess what, it will not happen now....
*NOTES: Actually, it might happen. That
all depends on which side is more motivated by this. The Republicans
think, although incorrectly, that this is the Democrats fault and
they will certainly show up full force on election day. What about
the Dems? Are black people going to show up to the poles even though
Obama isnt on the ballets?
kkwilson
It's expected that folks being impacted with the
shutdown to be upset however, after they are impacted with ObamaCare
they will understand the very reasons for the actions of the GOP.
More and more people will be losing their healthcare at work in the
next several months and will be paying astronomical premiums to keep
their family coverage. The GOP is trying to halt this or reform it
but the Democrats are opposed to doing anything for the average
American. Sadly, on ObamaCare, the surprises are coming as we have
already been lied to by the POTUS.
*NOTES:
The average American??? Oh these silly republicans, the average
American cannot afford healthcare now!!! Maybe if they were actually
getting paid a livable wage. ($15 an hour X 40Hours) but they aren’t,
so they take a second job, thereby throwing family values into the
toilet, and whatever pittance they make “extra” they end up
losing in food-stamps or daycare. The republicans are NOT fighting
for the average American, they are fighting for the rich and the
corporations. My brother is an average American and he is siding with
the republicans because his hours are getting cut and insurance
premiums are going up. But then again, he is a single man with no
kids and is making $22 an hour, not rich by any means, but in
accordance to the minimum “livable” wage of $9 (eye roll) he is
at 244%, 2 and a half times, the amount of money he “needs” to
live. Shoot, with all that “extra” he should be helping the
seniors, the incapable, and the poor. Seems fair to me.
And although I don’t like contributing to the
childish banter of name calling and buck passing, this one was too
funny not to share:
FZknew
Things you gotta believe to be a Republican today
* Sending racy Tweets and pictures of yourself to
a woman you aren't married to is a much more
serious crime than being a "pro-life"
congressman who makes your wife and your mistress get
abortions.
* Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert, Alan West,
Todd Akin, Joe Walsh, Ted Cruz, and Steve Stockman are intelligent,
rational human beings.
* Willard Mitt Romney lost the election because he
wasn't conservative enough.
* The fact that business leaders can throw
hundreds of millions of dollars at Karl Rove and other
SuperPACs to try and buy the election doesn't mean
they can also afford to pay their employees
living wages with good benefits.
* Obamacare is the reason your hours are being cut
and your pay is not going up; the CEO's $15
million bonus has nothing to do with it.
* Gun ownership is a right. Heath care is a
privilege. If a kids die because of treatable cancer
or a nutcase gunning them down, oh well.
* You support drug testing of welfare recipients,
but oppose criminal background checks and
mental health screening of gun buyers.
* The First Amendment shouldn't apply to TV,
radio, video games, or the Internet because those
things didn't exist in 1787. The Second Amendment
applies to automatic rifles and anti-personnel
ammunition even though those things didn't exist
in 1787.
* You scream for federal disaster aid when your
state catches fire or drowns in a hurricane, but
when it happens somewhere else in the country you
vote against federal disaster aid.
* A guy who once shot his friend in the face,
possibly while being roaring drunk at the time, has
the moral authority to speak out in opposition to
gun control.
* Germany gets more sunlight than California.
* $250,000 a year is "poor", but the
federal minimum wage is too high.
* Actually allowing black people to vote is
"racial entitlement"
* You're a Birther who likes the idea of Ted Cruz
(Canadian) running for President.
The
bottom line is simple, “our” government doesn’t work, at least
not for us. They work for the rich and therefore the corporations.
And they get away with it year after year. And why? Because of
sheople like you. Sheople whom believe that it is the other “side”
causing the problem. Ted Cruz makes a fool of himself by bitching
about something he has never tried and then ready Green Eggs and Ham.
Now republicans want him for president even tho he admittedly wasn’t
born in the United States. (yes, even after all that birther crap!!!)
Anything to avoid siding with “them”. There is no unity. The man
draws IMAGINARY lines in the sand, then demands, choose or die.
Republicans/Democrats, Black/White, Christian/Muslim,
American/Foreigner, what a joke. In reality there is only true two
sides, the haves and the have nots. The 1%ers and the 99%ers. We
should be the majority, unfortunately 99% divided 100 different ways
is only 0.9% and they got all the money to boot. And people wonder
why I cant sleep at night. They call me a liberal, a communist, and a
socialist. Well call me crazy, because I do stand for the liberty of
our society as a cohesive community. I am, after all, a TRUE
Christian. All that we do SHOULD be for the greater good of all, and
by all I mean all of humanity, not just self righteous Americans.
