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NFL Players: Goodell, there’s only one way to get us on board with your rule changes

Corey ScheinerLeave a comment

This week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed his interest in taking kickoffs out of football.

By doing so, he extracts the most dangerous play in the game, where full-speed collisions render concussions expected and commonplace.

While there are those for and against it, the players overwhelmingly dislike the idea, with the mindset, “Don’t change the game we love.”

This discussion comes both during a sensitive time when parents are questioning football’s safety and a year after Goodell moved the kickoff up five yards to induce more touchbacks.

But football is a violent sport played by violent people who don’t stress the long term risks the sport proposes. From a players’ perspective, Goodell is easy to gang up on because he never played the game.

“He doesn’t know how we feel.”

That’s where you hit your roadblock.

In order to get on board with a serious change to the game, the players need anecdotal evidence from former, prominent players of the tangible dangers of football.

Players like Jim McMahon, who’s 15 years in the league have left him with a fraction of the brain function he once possessed.

He talked about his short term memory in this interview with ESPN.

“That’s when the anger comes out. You dumbass, what are you doing, why (did you come) in this room?” he’ll ask himself. McMahon, along with “hundreds” of other players, are suing the NFL for concealing information about the long-term effect of concussions.

While I’m sure McMahon would have suggestions for his 22-year old self, the “McMahon’s” of today just want to play football, giving little attention to long-term risk.

But if in 20 years we see a 47-year old Adrian Peterson hunched back, limping, and talking about his day-to-day dependence, or Jerry Rice pleading with players to run out of bounds more often, you will see a change in mindset.

You need to relate to the players.

Unfortunately, the commissioner has very limited credibility because he lacked a playing career, but if the fathers of the NFL come out and declare the objective dangers of the game, you may see a drastic change to football.

I suggest a mad dash to the ball to start the game. We can learn a lot from the XFL…

#BlakeGriffin

Corey ScheinerLeave a comment

I have never seen a better dunk in my life. What Blake Griffin did to Kendrick Perkins is unreal. My early prediction is that dunk will be remembered forever. His one over Mozgov would’ve been.

Blake Griffin’s dunks are different. Not only does he jump over you, but he pushes you down thus propeling upward. It’s a double edged sword.

Timofey Mosgov got bailed out tonight. He just gave that weight on shoulders to Kendrick Perkins and then some. Mosgov’s legacy would have been “That Russian guy who got dunked on by Blake Griffin.” Now he might just slip through the jokes, be forgotten, and get away with a Perkins’ winning lottery ticket.

And also, that’s the biggest news out right now. Yes ESPN.com should lead with the Clippers Thunder highlight, but I don’t really care who won if it’s overshadowed by something so insane.

The picture’s caption (the picture changed to Blake Griffin in the midst of this post) on ESPN.com’s homepage should say something like “Blake Griffin’s Dunk of the Year Steals the Show” or something newsy-corny like that.

Great tweet by @NBAPlayerlolz: Inside sources report that Kendrick Perkins has approved Timofey Mozgov as his friend on facebook.

On a personal note, seeing that at at 12:56am was a pretty sweet way to start my birthday 🙂

Why the Pro Bowl is Exciting to Watch

Corey Scheiner5 Comments

“The Pro Bowl is a joke” is the near unanimous opinion of the NFL’s All-Star Game. I hear it on ESPN, I hear it on campus, and I read it online. There are few fans who root hardcore one way or the other, there is no effort from the defense, and the players barely care who wins.

I think it’s the season’s most fun game to watch.

Yes, given the nominal effort you can barely call it a football game, however it gives you the opportunity to see things you never see in the regular season.

On the AFC’s first possession, Ben Roethlisberger goes for it on 4th & 4 from midfield. In a sport where violence dominates, it’s refreshing to watch these testosterone based mammoths of men take a step back and have fun. I embrace the 60 minute goof-off game. The players are relaxed and you get to see another side of them.

How often do you see gadget plays, onside kicks, and multiple laterals all in one game? …let alone all in the first quarter.

In sports, the more the players are emotionally invested, the more hype the game gets. It’s one of sports’ few laws. Some examples:

Yankees vs. Red Sox: Geographic and Division Rivals – Major Hype
NFC/AFC Championships: Super Bowl Bid at Stake – Major Hype
Mariners vs. Rays October 4th to determine AL wild card – Major Hype
Mariners vs. Rays October 4th to determine nothing – who cares

Since there’s minimal player emotional investment (a few thousand dollars more for winning), the Pro Bowl roles around and the prequel storyline is “who cares.”

But I look at it from the “what am I going to see next” angle. It makes 4th & longs interesting – there’s a realistic chance I’m going to see 49ers’ punter Andy Lee try to run for a first down on 4th & 17. Who doesn’t want to see Sebastian Janikowski fake a 60 yard filed goal and go vertical. He probably wouldn’t convert, but how cool would it be if he did?

The Pro Bowl is underrated because it elicits a different type of excitement. You won’t see big hits, you won’t see much effort, and you will see a lot of scoring, but Pro Bowl ratings would soar if ESPN heavily advertised “What Will You See This Year?”

The final score yesterday was 59-41 in favor of the AFC. How often do you see 100 points scored in an NFL game?

If you were flipping through channels and you saw the AFC winning 77-23 and driving up the field late in the fourth quarter, would you watch? I probably would.

It’s different, it’s relaxed, and it’s entertaining. Sign me up for next year.

If you completely disagree, let me know in the comments. I want to hear from the other side.