NFL VII

[Space Bandito]

Guess his "erextion" didn't last four hours. No reason to call a doctor after all. Sorry Bears fans.

[Jaime L]

This has been the roughest four week span as a Redskin fan I can ever recall or imagine for that matter. Their reward for blowing their fourth straight game they led late is a funeral on Monday and the Bears on Thursday. Everything everyone involved is saying and doing is exactly right. Starting with 10 men on defense was a great gesture. A great gesture. You just feel like everyone involved deserved a win after all they went through this past week, but they didn't earn it.

[Lord O' Bones]

Starting with 10 men on defense was a great gesture.

That was one of the cooler tributes I've seen. Really brought it home for a moment. Especially when they gave up 20 yards on the play.

[EHK for Darwin]

That game sucked. Even with the questionable 'overturning' (I'd have no problem if that was initially called a catch, but like the announcers, I didn't think there was enough there to overrule the first call), they still had the damned ball with the lead and could/should have done something with it. They had several opportunities to hold onto the game or even put it away. They were inept when it counted.

Anyway, go Colts.

[Guest]

Jaime L, sorry for your loss and your pain.

EHK, nice win for you guys. J'ville is tough. I think the Freeny loss was devastatning but you're still in the mix big time.

Now for me, please acknowledge that 1/8 of the starting QB's in the NFL are from one glorious state in the Pacific NW that has roughly 1% of the US population. (Yes, I realize none of them are necessarily doing great), but still!

[Jaime L]

That was one of the cooler tributes I've seen. Really brought it home for a moment. Especially when they gave up 20 yards on the play.

Yeah and even then I was proud they did it. If that's the cost of paying proper tribute so be it.

[EHK for Darwin]

EHK, nice win for you guys. J'ville is tough. I think the Freeny loss was devastatning but you're still in the mix big time.

Not really 'my guys'. Primarily a Bears fan (the game I was talking about above), but I'm from Indiana (but much closer to Chicago than Indy) and did my 4 years of college in Indianapolis, so I claim the Colts as a 'secondary' team...and generally cheer for them whenever they're not playing the Bears. (wanted Manning to get his ring...just not last year) So yeah, that was pretty much my abandonment of the Bears for this season and putting all the eggs in the Colts basket.

[Lord O' Bones]

Yeah and even then I was proud they did it. If that's the cost of paying proper tribute so be it.

Agreed.

[Space Bandito]

Yeah and even then I was proud they did it. If that's the cost of paying proper tribute so be it.

It problably brought the coaches and players together. I do think the coverage of Taylor's death is in a tricky area right now. Can they "over" cover it? Close ups of players covering tears. "Experts" giving analysis of how the team is handling the events of the past week. When does it become too much? We are fighting a war? He died horrifically and unjustly, but when does it become a private event and not something for ESPN to milk?

The Patriots lost a player (Marquise Hill) right before training camp. It was kept fairly quiet. Yet it has been mentioned a few times that it still affects the players. One player has even taken on a father figure role with Hill's children.

Don't get me wrong. I am not jealous or demanding news outlets stop covering the Redskins. I do think it is important to show that these players acually have lives and are human beings. However at times, it has felt a bit forced and rushed. Perhaps that is just a reflection of the NFL's schedule. But in my opinion the media needs to back off for a few weeks and just allow events to play out. No need to dramatize this.

[Mexal]

Go Bengals!!

First drive was a thing of beauty. Horrible conditions again but oh well.

[trickster]

Just couldn't resist:

"Manning leads Giants past Bears, 21-16

by Star-Ledger staff

Sunday December 02, 2007, 7:40 PM

The Giants, with Eli Manning at the top of his game in the evening's deciding moments"

[Jaxom 1974]

Well, that was pathetic. Great defense when it counted, Bob Babich.

So, who's ready for the QB and RB competition in Bourbanais?

1. Well, poor officiating and poor run defense killed the Bears today. Wasn't actually Rex's fault (though he could learn to step up into the pocket under pressure).

2. Screw Bourbanais. Pitchers and catchers report in a couple months.

[Jaime L]

It problably brought the coaches and players together. I do think the coverage of Taylor's death is in a tricky area right now. Can they "over" cover it? Close ups of players covering tears. "Experts" giving analysis of how the team is handling the events of the past week. When does it become too much? We are fighting a war? He died horrifically and unjustly, but when does it become a private event and not something for ESPN to milk?

I don't necessarily disagree with this. Everything that the sports media (and especially ESPN) does these days is overblown and after enough of it, it exhausts you rather than moves you.

That said, the difference between Taylor and the Hill example you raised was that Taylor was the Redskins best player; a superior athlete coming into the prime of his considerable abilities and cut down with so much promising future ahead of him. This situation is Len Bias (and it galls me that the Sports Guy can't see it) and just like Bias it reverberates in two communities (DC and Miami whereas in '86 it was Maryland and Boston). There such a profound sense of loss to those affected by this. I haven't seen this city this universally passionate about anything sports related since their last Superbowl.

The other issue is that this is the first time a professional athlete has died in the middle of a season since Thurman Munson I believe.* This is a super rare-occurrence and no-one knows what to expect or how a team deals with it. The funeral's tomorrow. I think it's a one week media deal and I can understand how those in cities not involved would get tired of it. Maybe they should make it more of a local media deal. I know people here are hanging on every little nuance of it.

*Nevermind. Suddenly remembered Darryl Kile. I think what I'm thinking of is first NFL player to die in the middle of a season since the 70s.

[The Wedge]

The other issue is that this is the first time a professional athlete has died in the middle of a season since Thurman Munson I believe. This is a super rare-occurrence and no-one knows what to expect or how a team deals with it. The funeral's tomorrow. I think it's a one week media deal and I can understand how those in cities not involved would get tired of it. Maybe they should make it more of a local media deal. I know people here are hanging on every little nuance of it.

It's happened to the St. Louis Cardinals TWICE in the last 6 years or so. First with Darryl Kile dying in his hotel room in Chicago due to a heart problem, IIRC, and then this past season with the drunk driving death of Josh Hancock.

The Cards still have the number 57 hanging in the bullpen for Kile. Not retired officially, but I don't see anybody wearing it any time soon.

Hancock's situation raised the big questions of drinking in the locker room and then after leaving the stadium. He obviously had a problem, as the truck he died in was a rental due to a lesser fender-bender at an E. St. Louis strip joint prior to that.

The team and town were hit pretty hard in both situations, even as the hoopla subsides in the weeks after.

[Mexal]

I just don't understand how the Bengals can be so bad. I completely blame it on coaching at this point. Hines Ward kills us every game so for once, you think they would actually account for him. Unfortunately, that's too fucking hard to draw up for a game plan so instead, they decide to let him be completely open in the back of the end zone.

I wish I liked another team

[BLU-RAY]

Add to that the fact that it was a violent death, and therefore seems more unfair and surreal. I dunno, I don't really feel like the story has been over-covered.

JL, I didn't want to be rooting against the Redskins today, and that is a really brutal way to lose a game. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

[Jaxom 1974]

I just don't understand how the Bengals can be so bad. I completely blame it on coaching at this point. Hines Ward kills us every game so for once, you think they would actually account for him. Unfortunately, that's too fucking hard to draw up for a game plan so instead, they decide to let him be completely open in the back of the end zone.

I wish I liked another team

Yeah, well, the Bengals still have one of the cooler helmets in football. If that helps at all.

[Space Bandito]

I just don't understand how the Bengals can be so bad. I completely blame it on coaching at this point. Hines Ward kills us every game so for once, you think they would actually account for him. Unfortunately, that's too fucking hard to draw up for a game plan so instead, they decide to let him be completely open in the back of the end zone.

Coaches don't fumble balls or miss tackles.

I see your points Jaime on the Taylor situation. It is just hard for me to grasp it. I guess I watch too much sports shit and it is just getting to me. People are dying everyday around the world, but a football player dies, and it it starting to feel a little Princess Diana to me. What has he done for anyone besides be good at football? What is his legacy?

I just don't see the big picture?

As for the Sports Guy - I don't read him religiously so I have no clue what he said.

[Guest]

EHK, I respect the right to have a 2nd team. I am a conflicted Oregon Duck fan, whose brother ended up playing for Oregon State, so I like both. Question for you though. How does a franchise like Chicago go 25 years without a QB? Seriously, who is your best QB since McMahon? Shane Matthews? Steve Walsch? Rex Grossman? It's so bad...

[Mexal]

Coaches don't fumble balls or miss tackles.

No they don't but coaches draw up game plans that are meant to neutralize the opposing teams best players. Unfortunately, the Bengals always manage to allow the other team's best players to have their best games of the year against them. Ward kills us every game. It'd be nice if they rolled coverage to him once during the game.