NFL Football

[Vrede too]

... Meanwhile, players have received less than a 4-game suspension for intentional cheap shots that cost another guy a season.

Not saying it's right, but somehow ball deflating feels sleazier, and dumber when the perps are caught.

I can see not going with fines for an SB QB married to Giselle. Fines don't come big enough, only suspension hurts. However, hurting without adequate evidence is also dumb.

Indy got trounced, even they don't look any better after all this. Baltimore before them, though . . .

Maybe the ball deflater will get a payoff sometime.

[O Really]

Agreed that fines can't realistically be enough to make much difference to somebody that makes as much as Brady (or the Pats, or the NFL), but it's still appropriate. The "crime" itself may be sleazy and even middle-school, but it's not very significant in the overall scheme of things. I'm not much of a fan of NASCAR rules and rulings - pretty much a clown car of make-it-up-as-you-go-along comedrama - but I think they've got the right approach on cheating. Some think "if you're not cheating, you're not trying" and NASCAR does seem to expect teams to push and sometimes exceed the limits of the rules. So mostly they take away practice time, issue some fines, put some drivers or crew chiefs on "probation", take away points, but rarely if ever totally ground a team or keep a driver out of the car. They'll sometimes "suspend" a crew chief, but probably don't try to monitor Skype usage.

My whole view on "deflategate" isn't determined on whether or not Brady "did it" or whether or not what he did was cheating. It's that even if Brady did everything he was accused of, it's still not that big a deal, and the NFL (Goodell) handled the entire thing in the worst possible way.

[Vrede too]

Things that question the integrity of the games' outcomes makes a lot of gamblers and others nervous, billions and billions are at stake.

[O Really]

Things that question the integrity of the games' outcomes makes a lot of gamblers and others nervous, billions and billions are at stake.

Sure, but still there are waaaay more significant variables than a slightly flat ball. Like injury manipulation for example.
Not to mention dumb calls like not giving the ball to Beast Mode.

[Vrede too]

Not that I'm happy about it but despite the months of distractions and uncertainty Brady went 25 of 32 for 288 yards, 4TDs, no INTs. Damn.

[Vrede too]

NFL star Junior Seau suffered from brain disease

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for two decades, suffered from a degenerative brain disease often associated with repeated blows to the head when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health said in a study released Thursday...

As we learn more about this I wonder if we are in the last years of football as we know it.

So Many Sports, So Little Time: Texas High School Athletes Opt Of Out Football

... GOODWYN: Football is alive and well in the Lone Star state. But for the first time in Texas's history, the number of high school football players has actually gone down over the last five years. And according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, that's true for a majority of other states too.

In Texas, the decline is small, not quite 3 percent. But really, there shouldn't be any decline at all. Texas is growing so fast it can barely build enough schools to keep up.

Dr. Julian Bailes is a neurosurgeon, a founder of the Brain Injury Research Institute and head of the Pop Warner Football advisory committee. Bailes believes one reason for the decline is concern about concussions in developing brains.

JULIAN BAILES: You know, Pop Warner's participation dropped in 2012, 2013 a few percentage points. I think in general, we can say that participation is down a little bit, and it's probably concerns for concussion or brain injury....

[Vrede too]

Worst! Call! Everrrrr!
A yard away from two consecutive SB's; three downs to get it in. Best running back in the league who lives up to his "Beast Mode" name. Is there anybody anywhere from backyard to Pop Warner to any other NFL team that wouldn't call in the largest line guys you had and give the ball to the Beast? Of course the Pats "were in a goal line formation." It's the goal line, fool! Arrrrrrrgh!

Ironic game ender in their very next game:

Needing a yard, Seattle hands off to Marshawn Lynch - and he's stuffed

[O Really]

Worst! Call! Everrrrr!
A yard away from two consecutive SB's; three downs to get it in. Best running back in the league who lives up to his "Beast Mode" name. Is there anybody anywhere from backyard to Pop Warner to any other NFL team that wouldn't call in the largest line guys you had and give the ball to the Beast? Of course the Pats "were in a goal line formation." It's the goal line, fool! Arrrrrrrgh!

Ironic game ender in their very next game:

Needing a yard, Seattle hands off to Marshawn Lynch - and he's stuffed

Yeah, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been on the receiving end of a message like yours. But it only goes to show that if the chances aren't 100%, then something can go wrong. And if you believe Murphy...

But I still say the odds are way better with Beast Mode to pick up the one yard than a pass.

[Vrede too]

Not necessarily, according to -

There are also a couple of arguments from the statisticians - all season long, no previous pass was intercepted when the ball was on the one; Beast had 5 chances from the one during the season and only made one of them....

Anyhow, I was just noting the irony in consecutive games, not claiming proof of anything.

[O Really]

Yeah, I know. If football or life were always predictable it would be a lot less interesting.

[O Really]

Not necessarily, according to -

There are also a couple of arguments from the statisticians - all season long, no previous pass was intercepted when the ball was on the one; Beast had 5 chances from the one during the season and only made one of them....

.

There are some downsides to being a Libran lawyer who can argue both sides of anything.

[Vrede too]

Another reason to hate both of them -

Brady says he hopes Trump can win presidency

[Vrede too]

Aaron Rodgers, since 12/2012 587 passes without an INT at Lambeau, not 588 - tipped ball, nice diving pick by an LB. 2 plays later, GB INT.

[Vrede too]

Weird season.

Undefeated Pats leading the AFC East, no surprise, but the Jets are right behind them.
Bengals leading the AFC North, undefeated.
Old Peyton leading the AFC West, undefeated, no one else over .500.
The AFC South & NFC East suck.
Panthers leading the NFC South, undefeated, Falcons right behind them.
Cardinals leading the NFC West, no one else over .500.
Only the undefeated Packers leading the NFC North feels normal.

[Vrede too]

Undefeated Pats, Bengals and Panthers, first time ever for three 8-0 teams.

I like the only socialist team (Green Bay), too.

Yep, Mrs. Doc is a shareholder.

Bummer, I hope Mrs. Doc gets her banner back.

Owner of banner confiscated by Cam Newton notified police, wants it back

[Vrede too]

Go Panthers, the only undefeated team in the NFL! They face the 4-7 Saints, the 6-5 Falcons twice, the 5-6 and tied for the NFC East lead (!) Giants, and the 5-6 Bucs, could realistically go 16-0 or even 19-0.

Who sucks more, the NFC East or the AFC South? The only other division with a race for the division champ is the NFC North.

The leaders for one of the NFC and both of the AFC wildcard slots are all 6-5. Weird.

Dallas, as always, sucks.

[Vrede too]

I like the only socialist team (Green Bay), too.

Yep, Mrs. Doc is a shareholder.

Unbelievable, not just the last play but the entire final 20 minutes leading up to it. Hope y'all stayed up to watch.

[Vrede too]

Stolen: "the etroit Lions"

Get it?

Spoiler:

No "D"

[Vrede too]

NFL history! First ever extra point blocked and returned for 2. Saints 16, Carolina 13 instead of a tie at 14. Cool, even though I'm rooting for the Panthers.

[Seth Milner]

NFL history! First ever extra point blocked and returned for 2. Saints 16, Carolina 13 instead of a tie at 14. Cool, even though I'm rooting for the Panthers.