I got into a facebook discussion about this a few months back which inspired me to do a little research. I forget the exact numbers, but the end result was that teams without cheerleaders are somewhere around three to four times more likely to win the Super Bowl than those who do have them. Wish I could track that post down…
Yeah, I’m not a huge fan of blitzing either, but his analysis isn’t so hot on that point. He tends not to talk about the times when they work, for example. I also tend to skip his Intelligent Design glurge, and his perennial rants about the commercialization of Christmas. He is the most intelligent NFL commentator I’ve found so I put up with a lot from him.
My favorite NFL reading is actually a blog called Kissing Suzy Kolber. If you’re looking for piercing analysis, go elsewhere, but it’s actually hysterically funny.
You’re right, it is actually very funny.
Some guy at my poker game recommended that last night. I’ll have to give it a read.
This, from the whole Ed Hochuli blown-call incident last year, is one of my favorite posts they ever did. NSFW text.
Give a little bit of credit to Terrell Owens this week for taking the high road with the media. This referenced interview was in response to this grilling from the media in the post-game press conference.
The guy is still a head case, but you got to give him a little credit for apparently realizing it and adjusting to it. If I’m Trent Edwards I reward him by forcing some balls his way in practice this week and in the game next.
Couple interesting roster moves.
Jeremiah Trotter is back with the Eagles and that move costs Jeff Garcia his roster spot. The Garcia move is interesting for a few reasons: one that it indicates the Eagles are confident in Kevin Kolb’s ability to carry them (with good reason) and perhaps that McNabb will be back very soon (this week?) and two that Garcia’s decision to go to Philly when teams with much more difficult QB situations where he could reasonably get in position to start were available looks doubly strange. Not sure what the terms of the deal was, maybe everyone involved knew it was a 1 or 2 week deal that paid really well and that he’d still have a chance at landing in Carolina, Cleveland, Miami, St Louis, Washington or Oakland again in week 4 or 5. Trotter coming back is equally perplexing. He’s been out of football since 2007 and had knee surgery in 2008, it’s surprising that the Eagles think he’s a better choice than any of the numerous young LBs out there on the fringes of teams practice squads and free agency. Certainly he knows the system.
Also, the Dolphins send Chad Pennington to IR and trade for Tyler Thigpen from the Chiefs for an undisclosed 2010 pick. I really like this move for the Dolphins. I know the Chiefs have their QB in Cassel but Thigpen looked pretty good in relief last season and perhaps offered some security if Cassel’s recent injury history crops up or if he simply turns out to suck outside the Pats system, seems shortsighted unless that 2010 draft pick ends up being a good one (3rd rounder?). Considering Pennington could be done and Miami has a pretty questionable group in camp in Henne and White, Thigpen could end up the starter before midseason. Hell, depending on what Henne does in the next 2 weeks he might be starting after the bye in week 7. Personally I think Henne will suck, he was never much at Michigan, so this move by Parcells looks genius.
TO has some pretty awful drops so far this season.
That having been said, I do feel really sorry for him. Everyone wants to be the guy who provoked the craaaaaaaaaazy TO soundbite.
Yeah, he hasn’t played well and there were a few deep routes where he just looked like he’d lost 2 or 3 steps, he wasn’t getting any separation. Seems the Buffalo offense want’s to use him a the downfield guy when he’s better suited now to the short interior routes where his size can help him. A skeptic might point out that TO’s hint of modesty?/tact?/self-control? with the media might be influenced heavily by his realization that he’s as much or more of the problem than the QB or OC.
Just in case people here don’t go over to IMHO very often, there is a thread of interest there.
As it turns out, aside from head to head matchups, the Giants and Jets haven’t played at the same time since 1984. So, first time in 25 years.
Just being a contrarian for the sake of being a contrarian, as is one of the most favored doper pasttimes? I can’t imagine this is a serious question.
If it is, you understand that scheduling the Jets and the Giants at the same time means that I am unable to watch the game of a local team, right? Both the Jets and Giants are fully sold out, and I was effectively saddled with a Jets blackout. (Or a Giants blackout if I were a primary Jets fan.)
Luckily I used my DVR to circumvent this and was able to watch every snap of both games. I was even able to avoid Game Break spoilers despite them coming fast and furious in both games. So no harm no foul.
But those of you who brushed this off as if it’s no big deal really missed the point. How would you like it if the NFL decided not to broadcast your sold out home game because of a Jewish holiday?
I know there are a lot of Jews in New York, but that was seriously fucked up. For 25 years the NFL carefully mapped out the schedules to ensure that week after week after week there would never be a conflict. I have yet to see any reason why it was moved; there is no star player, coach, or member of ownership for either team that is Jewish, at least to my knowledge. There were three games played after sundown, so it wasn’t a league-wide thing.
I think you’re the one who doesn’t get it.
There’s a whole shitpot full of Jewish Jets season ticket holders who would not be able to use them because of an afternoon start. They are the aggrieved party here, they spent money on tickets and are the only ones with any standing to be pissed. They get precedence.
Secondarily there are a ton of Jewish Giants and Jets fans who wouldn’t be able to see the conclusion of a late afternoon start.
Thirdly there are New Yorrkers who are fans of both teams and wish to watch both games. This is a subset of New Yorkers.
The first group is the only one that really matters as they are the paying customers, the TV audience is nice but they are basically freeloaders in comparison. NFL blackout rules illustrate this point fairly clearly.
Of the latter two issues, the New york teams have essentially made the statement that the middle group is more important and/or larger than the third group. I can’t argue with this rationale as I wager that that group is the larger of the two in that particular market.
I’m sure there have been hundreds of occasions where the Niners and Raiders, Redskins and Ravens, Jags and Bucs, Chiefs and Rams, Cowboys and Texans etc. have been televised at the same time and they probably have substantial overlap in fanbases all. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard them have a hissy fit about it or get 25 years of special treatment.
You make New Yorkers sound infinitely more entitled and distasteful than they already are. Have some fucking perspective.
Oh give me a fucking break.
The Giants and Jets home markets aren’t near each other like the 49ers and Raiders or Cowboys and Texans. They are the same market. They share a friggin’ city!
Are you honestly claiming that the NFL never expended any effort to keep LA Rams and LA Raiders games on at different times to avoid splintering the market? Maybe the west coast time zone made it more problematic, but I have no doubt they put in effort. It isn’t because of some super-special New York entitlement that the Giants and Jets don’t play at the same times. Sounds to me like you continue to nurse that massive Second City chip on your shoulder about the East coast.
After googling, it seems like no practicing Jew would go to the game at 1:00pm anyway.
Once again your myopic view clouds your understanding of the concept. To distill it down a bit, do you suppose there are folks in Albany, NY who struggle with Bills and Jets/Giants games on at the same time? Would you give them any sympathy if they were to bitch and complain to the league or the local OpEd?
It would be nice if they could watch both. It would be nice if the Jets and Giants fans like yourself could watch both. Shit happens. It happens to New yorkers far less often than it happens to the rest of the country.
I’m sure the expended considerable effort to avoid that. They have spent considerable effort keeping the Giants and Jets from a conflict, your own cite says that it was avoided for 25 years. Yet you still are screaming and whining about the one time that things don’t break your way. New Yorkers have it infinitely better than everyone else in this regard, so forgive me if I point out how silly you sound with this rant. No need to have a chip on ones shoulder to see unreasonable expectations and ingratitude.
This is evidence of something? Was there supposed to be a smiley attached to this?
Regardless, the point isn’t if Jews should or shouldn’t be accommodated. You’re not going to hear me arguing in favor of them getting any special treatment. They are regardless and the Jets obviously see a distinction between a 4:15 and 1:00 start. I’m sure most Jews do to. That isn’t the point of the criticism. The point is that for 25 years you’ve gotten special treatment that no other fan has had the benefit of, yet when it doesn’t go your way you throw a fit.
I thought the point of NFL football on Sundays was to avoid church and religion.
NFL football on Sundays is my religion.
Pop Warner,
Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy turf…
Oakland and San Francisco are thesame market, and I’m pretty sure they’ve had games on at the same time before.