As the Flea Flicker is new and evolving, I am going to try a regular feature on Mondays. Feeding my passion for NFL history, I will be looking to the past on Mondays.
Last week, I described the Pennsylvania Switcheroo. That was nothing compared to the Colts path. Before I start, I must admit that neither the Colts nor the NFL acknowledge this timeline. They can't handle this timeline. Historically, a line can be drawn from the semi-pro team of Dayton, OH during the days of World War I all the the way to the Peyton Manning-led Indianaplolis Colts of today.
Prior to the birth of the NFL (actually called American Professional Football Association the first 2 years) in 1920, there were many semi-pro and professional teams in the midwest and east. The Dayton Triangles were one of these teams. The Triangles were an original NFL team. They were fairly competitive through the '20s, but fell on hard times at the end of the decade. The team was sold and moved to Brooklyn as the Dodgers. Dan Topping bought the team in 1937. Topping decided a name change to Tigers would improve play in 1944. That same year the NFL awarded a team to Ted Collins, manager of singer Kate Smith. He wanted his team to play in Yankee Stadium as the Yankees, but Giants owner Tim Mara refused to relinquish territorial rights to New York City. Collins settled on Boston and called his team the Yanks. Due to struggles, the NFL allowed the Tigers and Yanks to merge a year later. Splitting games between Brooklyn and Boston, the team was simply called the Yanks.
In 1946, The All America Football Conference (AAFC) was born. Topping jumped to the new league with his players. He got what Collins wanted, a New York Yankee team in Yankee stadium.. Collins took what was left and moved his Yanks back to Boston.
In 1949, Collins anticipated the fall of the AAFC. He jumped at the chance to get in the New York market with his new team the New York Bulldogs. He shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants. Topping merged his Yankees team with the struggling AAFC Brooklyn team for the final year of the conference. The new team carried the convenient handle Brooklyn-New York Yankees.
When the AAFC folded, the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts (a team that started it's time in the AAFC as the Miami Seahawks). The Colts were pathetic, but Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall wanted a regional rival. Plus, he received a bunch of money for allowing a team in his territory. The Colts died after one year in the NFL. The Bulldogs and Giants split many of the AAFC Yankees players. Collins finally made it to Yankee Stadium and renamed his team the New York Yanks. It didn't last long. After one winning season, the Yanks collapsed. Collins sold his franchise to the NFL. The league turned around and awarded a franchise to Dallas businessmen. It was a new franchise with the same old Yanks players, uniforms, equipment and losing. Halfway through the Dallas Texans first season, all losses, the owners handed the team back to the league. The NFL ran the team out of Hershey, PA for the remaining 5 games of 1952. The Texans died at the end of that season. In 1953, a group led by Carroll Rosenbloom was awarded a new franchise with the old New York Yanks-Dallas Texans players and stuff. He called the team the Baltimore Colts.
This incarnation won a championship 6 years later. It was smooth sailing until 1972 when Los Angeles Rams owner Robert Irsay and Rosenbloom switched franchises. In 1984, Irsay packed up the Colts and moved to Indianapolis.
It's interesting to note, in a show of sheer dedication, the Baltimore Colts marching band was twice left at the altar. They were dumped after the AAFC Colts folded after one year in the NFL. They were dumped again when Irsay yanked the team from them. This band still marches today in Baltimore.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Rich Eisen and his Network
The NFL Network may not be all Rich Eisen, but he has redefined the role of the sports host. The NFL gave him an opportunity and he has run with it. I was a little skeptical of his selection initially. He just never stood out to me on ESPN. Perhaps, he just hadn't found his place. I was actually a bit skeptical of the entire NFL Network project. I never understood the November debut. I still don't. It all seems so long ago that it matters little now. The Network relied heavily on NFL Films in the early days. That is a terrific place to start as NFL Films defines high quality. There was just so much redundancy in the programming. It was obvious that they were working out the kinks. 24 hours of football seemed to be made just for me. It took a couple of years before it became the product that I imagined. Much of the credit goes to the work of Rich Eisen. He is outstanding. I have never seen a sports host, with no experience as an athlete, have such a strong rapport with athletes. The Total Access crew includes some of the greatest players of their generation. Marshall Faulk, Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson have recently been elected to the Hall of Fame. Sterling Sharpe would be the with them if injuries hadn't ended his career. Great athletes do not always make great analysts or TV personalities. Fran Tarkenton proved that. The NFL Network athletes have shown their talents extend beyond the playing field. I do think that Rod Woodson's move into coaching was a good move for the NFL Network and the Raiders. Most importantly, all of the hosts and analysts seem to have a blast. They know what they are talking about and they are entertaining. I think that they all deserve credit in the evolution of Mike Mayock. He really seems to be having fun now. As long as the NFL Network has the Sabol's NFL Films and Rich Eisen as it's backbone, I'll be watching. Especially now. Their draft coverage is excellent.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Commish
The NFL has benefited greatly from excellent leadership at the top throughout it's history. Joe Carr was the right man during the ragtag early days. Bert Bell was the right man as the league moved from the chaos of post World War II, the "war" with the All America Football Conference and into the increasingly prosperous 1950s. Pete Rozelle led the NFL to unimaginable success. If there was a Mount Rushmore of NFL commissioners (technically Carr's title was President) those would be the three. It would be difficult to add a fourth. That is not to diminish the accomplishments of Paul Tagliabue. His time was highlighted by the kind of labor peace that would bring Rozelle to tears. Roger Goodell has only been on the clock for a few years, but he is the target of the Flea Flicker today.
The Commissioner's office has been filled by a suit for decades. It is refreshing to see Goodell's comparatively laid back nature. He comes across as the guy sitting next to you at the stadium. He could be. He realizes that the success of the NFL now and in the future rests with the fans. That may seem obvious, but it often seems to be taken for granted. Goodell strikes me as a fan. So, he tries to see the big picture from both sides. For the most part, I agree with his vision, but I question the path he has taken.
One of the major responsibilities of the Commissioner has always been to insure the integrity of the game. The fans must always know that the games and the league are legitimate. Gamblers were a huge concern in the early years, but will always worry the league. Performance enhancing drugs are the big threat in sports today. I understand and absolutely agree with the league's stand on the issue. There can be no doubt in the enforcement. Unfortunately, I feel that mistakes were and continue to be made in the case of Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. The big guys had taken the dietary supplement, Star Caps, in order to drop some pounds to meet weight clauses in their contracts. Despite not being listed as an ingredient, Star Caps contained the diuretic bumetanide. This is a banned substance often used to mask the presence of steroids. The league knew that Star Caps contained bumetanide yet never informed the players or banned the use of the supplement. The league's drug hot line was useless. The league has admitted that neither Williams has ever been suspected of steroid use. It has never been questioned whether either player was taking Star Caps for anything other than weight loss. I understand the league's need for an unquestioned drug policy, but they failed to inform the players that there were issues with Star Caps. There is nothing wrong with admitting a mistake. If there is a crack in the policy, fill that crack and do your best to make the policy as sound as possible. This ordeal started over 2 years ago, and it is still being fought. This impacts Kevin Williams, in particular, in ways beyond a suspension and fine. He is in the middle of a potential Hall of Fame career. This could keep him out of Canton forever. In an effort to support the case of Kevin and Pat Williams, I tried to meet with Goodell in 2009. I was thrown out of the NFL offices. I could let this tarnish my opinion of Goodell as the fan's commissioner, but I don't. This is all on NFL security. Goodell didn't even know I was there.
I realize that Goodell and the league want to grow the international fan base. I just don't see an international regular season as the proper route. This takes away a home game from one of the teams. This takes away a home game from the fans of one of the teams. There are only 8 games on the schedule. Expanding at the expense of the fans is a mistake.
My last issue, with Goodell, is the fines that he started to issue this year for unnecessary hits. Again, I understand Goodell's intention. He is trying to improve the safety of the players. Player safety is paramount, as the players are the ones that keep the fans coming back. Goodell has decided that fines are the way to limit unnecessary violence in contact. Personally, I think that better technique in tackling will cure the issue. The problem that I have with the fines is that they are wildly inconsistent. This leads the players to question what is right and what is wrong on the field. The moment a player hesitates on the field is often the moment that something bad happens.
Despite these issues, I like what Goodell is trying to do. Even with the things that I question, I can see the good in what he is trying to achieve. There can be no gray area in the drug policy. The NFL has a solid fan base here, so let's grow it overseas. Improving the safety of the players is a no-brainer. All of these make so much sense. I just question some of the aspects of the path that he has taken. Previous commissioners have truly put the league in a fantastic position. Some people would rest on that. Goodell clearly hasn't. He'll get there. However, if his actions keep Kevin Williams out of his deserving spot in Canton, NFL security will not keep me out his office.
The Commissioner's office has been filled by a suit for decades. It is refreshing to see Goodell's comparatively laid back nature. He comes across as the guy sitting next to you at the stadium. He could be. He realizes that the success of the NFL now and in the future rests with the fans. That may seem obvious, but it often seems to be taken for granted. Goodell strikes me as a fan. So, he tries to see the big picture from both sides. For the most part, I agree with his vision, but I question the path he has taken.
One of the major responsibilities of the Commissioner has always been to insure the integrity of the game. The fans must always know that the games and the league are legitimate. Gamblers were a huge concern in the early years, but will always worry the league. Performance enhancing drugs are the big threat in sports today. I understand and absolutely agree with the league's stand on the issue. There can be no doubt in the enforcement. Unfortunately, I feel that mistakes were and continue to be made in the case of Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. The big guys had taken the dietary supplement, Star Caps, in order to drop some pounds to meet weight clauses in their contracts. Despite not being listed as an ingredient, Star Caps contained the diuretic bumetanide. This is a banned substance often used to mask the presence of steroids. The league knew that Star Caps contained bumetanide yet never informed the players or banned the use of the supplement. The league's drug hot line was useless. The league has admitted that neither Williams has ever been suspected of steroid use. It has never been questioned whether either player was taking Star Caps for anything other than weight loss. I understand the league's need for an unquestioned drug policy, but they failed to inform the players that there were issues with Star Caps. There is nothing wrong with admitting a mistake. If there is a crack in the policy, fill that crack and do your best to make the policy as sound as possible. This ordeal started over 2 years ago, and it is still being fought. This impacts Kevin Williams, in particular, in ways beyond a suspension and fine. He is in the middle of a potential Hall of Fame career. This could keep him out of Canton forever. In an effort to support the case of Kevin and Pat Williams, I tried to meet with Goodell in 2009. I was thrown out of the NFL offices. I could let this tarnish my opinion of Goodell as the fan's commissioner, but I don't. This is all on NFL security. Goodell didn't even know I was there.
I realize that Goodell and the league want to grow the international fan base. I just don't see an international regular season as the proper route. This takes away a home game from one of the teams. This takes away a home game from the fans of one of the teams. There are only 8 games on the schedule. Expanding at the expense of the fans is a mistake.
My last issue, with Goodell, is the fines that he started to issue this year for unnecessary hits. Again, I understand Goodell's intention. He is trying to improve the safety of the players. Player safety is paramount, as the players are the ones that keep the fans coming back. Goodell has decided that fines are the way to limit unnecessary violence in contact. Personally, I think that better technique in tackling will cure the issue. The problem that I have with the fines is that they are wildly inconsistent. This leads the players to question what is right and what is wrong on the field. The moment a player hesitates on the field is often the moment that something bad happens.
Despite these issues, I like what Goodell is trying to do. Even with the things that I question, I can see the good in what he is trying to achieve. There can be no gray area in the drug policy. The NFL has a solid fan base here, so let's grow it overseas. Improving the safety of the players is a no-brainer. All of these make so much sense. I just question some of the aspects of the path that he has taken. Previous commissioners have truly put the league in a fantastic position. Some people would rest on that. Goodell clearly hasn't. He'll get there. However, if his actions keep Kevin Williams out of his deserving spot in Canton, NFL security will not keep me out his office.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Truth or Dare
I just read Michael Oher's book, I Beat the Odds. Many have seen and read Oher's story in the movie and book, The Blind Side. It's kind of nice to get the big guy's side. It is his story. With mock drafts and the Scouting Combine still fresh in my mind, part of Oher's story really struck me. There is so much information, and in some cases misinformation dug up about these kids as NFL teams prepare for the draft.
I had heard of Michael Oher when he was in high school. I knew that he was one of the top offensive linemen in the country, and that Cal had no chance in recruiting him. I knew nothing of his story. That changed when I read Michael Lewis' The Blind Side. Oher was a sophomore at the University of Mississippi at the time, and I mildly followed his college career up until the 2009 draft. Partly out of curiosity, but mostly out of the Vikings need for a tackle, Oher was a player that intrigued me. I don't think that any player moved up and down draft projections quite like he did that year. His talent was rarely questioned, but pretty much everything else was. He's stupid, lazy, a thug. Some of it was actually mean. Even though it was readily available, nowhere was it ever mentioned that Oher had made the Dean's List at Mississippi. Seeing as the Vikings drafted at #22, this misinformation could benefit them. There was no reason for Oher to make it past 10, let alone fall all the way to 22. Another player that was experiencing bad press was Florida WR Percy Harvin. He had made the unbelievably stupid mistake of testing positive for marijuana at the Combine. There were rumors of discipline issues while at Florida. Even though coach Urban Meyer squashed all of them, the rumors persisted. As the draft approached, Harvin and Oher were my favorites for the Vikings. Personally, I preferred Harvin. His offensive skills are astonishing. There was serious joy in the Flea Flicker home when both were still on the board at 22. Harvin was the Vikings choice and Oher went to the Ravens with the next pick. During the 2009 season, it became publicly known that Harvin suffers from severe migraines. Getting high was often his only means for any relief from them. The positive test at the Combine didn't seem like that big of a deal anymore. Everywhere players suffer in draft status due to some rumor. True or false, it rarely matters. Aaron Rodgers' drop in the 2005 draft has always been a mystery to me. The 49ers apparently thought that his mobility was in question, and selected Alex Smith instead. I'd say the 49ers intelligence was in question. Do some work, watch some game tape. Aaron Rodgers was one of the finest college QBs that I have ever seen. All they had to do was watch some game tape. He was just across the bay. I hate to follow the very classy Aaron Rodgers with Randy Moss, but Moss dropped considerably due to character concerns. Moss was also hurt by character concerns in previous players, mainly Nebraska thug Lawrence Phillips. A couple years earlier, Phillips dragged a woman down some stairs by her hair. The Rams rewarded him with a top 10 pick and contract. It was a disaster and may have killed any chance Moss had of being drafted that high. Moss hit a racist with a chair. This was the start to his bad reputation and draft day slide. Now, Moss has since proven to be a bit of a jerk, but in his first stint with the Vikings little of this was ever evident. Joining him with Phillips in any way would be unfair. It was then. It is now.
Since the draft is the backbone of every successful team, a blown pick in the first round can set a team back for years. The draft is such a gamble. No one can predict how a kid will respond to that first big check. No one can predict how a kid will react to the speed and size of NFL players. No one can predict how a kid will respond to NFL coaching and schemes. The best a team can do is take as much of the unknowns out of the equation. Brad Childress solidified the Vikings interest in Percy Harvin by visiting with him and his family in his environment just days before the draft. Childress took out some of the unknowns. Teams have to do their own homework, use their own doctors, their own scouting. Sometimes people forget that these players are just kids. Everyone makes mistakes. Are the mistakes a pattern? Are they of the nature of Lawrence Phillips? Too much is at stake to leave questions unanswered. Mistakes will always be made in the draft, but it should never be due to a lack of accurate information.
I had heard of Michael Oher when he was in high school. I knew that he was one of the top offensive linemen in the country, and that Cal had no chance in recruiting him. I knew nothing of his story. That changed when I read Michael Lewis' The Blind Side. Oher was a sophomore at the University of Mississippi at the time, and I mildly followed his college career up until the 2009 draft. Partly out of curiosity, but mostly out of the Vikings need for a tackle, Oher was a player that intrigued me. I don't think that any player moved up and down draft projections quite like he did that year. His talent was rarely questioned, but pretty much everything else was. He's stupid, lazy, a thug. Some of it was actually mean. Even though it was readily available, nowhere was it ever mentioned that Oher had made the Dean's List at Mississippi. Seeing as the Vikings drafted at #22, this misinformation could benefit them. There was no reason for Oher to make it past 10, let alone fall all the way to 22. Another player that was experiencing bad press was Florida WR Percy Harvin. He had made the unbelievably stupid mistake of testing positive for marijuana at the Combine. There were rumors of discipline issues while at Florida. Even though coach Urban Meyer squashed all of them, the rumors persisted. As the draft approached, Harvin and Oher were my favorites for the Vikings. Personally, I preferred Harvin. His offensive skills are astonishing. There was serious joy in the Flea Flicker home when both were still on the board at 22. Harvin was the Vikings choice and Oher went to the Ravens with the next pick. During the 2009 season, it became publicly known that Harvin suffers from severe migraines. Getting high was often his only means for any relief from them. The positive test at the Combine didn't seem like that big of a deal anymore. Everywhere players suffer in draft status due to some rumor. True or false, it rarely matters. Aaron Rodgers' drop in the 2005 draft has always been a mystery to me. The 49ers apparently thought that his mobility was in question, and selected Alex Smith instead. I'd say the 49ers intelligence was in question. Do some work, watch some game tape. Aaron Rodgers was one of the finest college QBs that I have ever seen. All they had to do was watch some game tape. He was just across the bay. I hate to follow the very classy Aaron Rodgers with Randy Moss, but Moss dropped considerably due to character concerns. Moss was also hurt by character concerns in previous players, mainly Nebraska thug Lawrence Phillips. A couple years earlier, Phillips dragged a woman down some stairs by her hair. The Rams rewarded him with a top 10 pick and contract. It was a disaster and may have killed any chance Moss had of being drafted that high. Moss hit a racist with a chair. This was the start to his bad reputation and draft day slide. Now, Moss has since proven to be a bit of a jerk, but in his first stint with the Vikings little of this was ever evident. Joining him with Phillips in any way would be unfair. It was then. It is now.
Since the draft is the backbone of every successful team, a blown pick in the first round can set a team back for years. The draft is such a gamble. No one can predict how a kid will respond to that first big check. No one can predict how a kid will react to the speed and size of NFL players. No one can predict how a kid will respond to NFL coaching and schemes. The best a team can do is take as much of the unknowns out of the equation. Brad Childress solidified the Vikings interest in Percy Harvin by visiting with him and his family in his environment just days before the draft. Childress took out some of the unknowns. Teams have to do their own homework, use their own doctors, their own scouting. Sometimes people forget that these players are just kids. Everyone makes mistakes. Are the mistakes a pattern? Are they of the nature of Lawrence Phillips? Too much is at stake to leave questions unanswered. Mistakes will always be made in the draft, but it should never be due to a lack of accurate information.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
It All Came Crashing Down
The Vikings 2009 season was dynamite. Since the 1970's, which were damn near Valhalla-like, only 1998 rivaled the thrills and smiles of the '09 season. Unfortunately, like every Vikings season before, it ended too soon. I can go on about how the Vikings outplayed the Saints in the NFC Championship game. They did. The Vikings, however, neglected one very important rule of successful football. Do not give the ball to the other team. This post isn't about the '09 season. It's about the next one.
2010 was supposed to be so great that 2009 would be a bad dream. All 22 starters were returning. Of course, that is assuming Brett Favre was one of them. I always assumed that he would be back, gimpy ankle and all. From the beginning, training camp never felt right. Favre wasn't there. Which bothered me, but didn't seem to bother the players. They knew better than me, so I didn't think much more of it. The surprise of camp was EJ Henderson. His leg was bent all kinds of wrong ways against the Cardinals the previous season. He wasn't supposed to ever play again. He was ready to go. Unfortunately, it would be the first and last good news of the season. Cedric Griffen's torn ACL was in good shape, but they would take it slow. He played in 2 games and tore the ACL in the other knee. Sidney Rice surprised everyone with a hip injury that would keep him out most of the season. Percy Harvin's grandmother passed away. He left camp to be with his family. This seemed to trigger a migraine that kept him out most of camp. I have to say, Harvin is one of the most electric football players that I have ever seen. I dearly hope that he has a long and healthy career with the Vikings. Top draft pick, CB Chris Cook, was dynamite from the first day until he tore the meniscus in his knee. He would get healthy and tear the meniscus in the other knee. Oh yeah, Favre skipped camp. I never really thought too much of Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson and Ryan Longwell jetting down to Mississippi to pick up Favre. It never seemed like that big of a deal. The media sure loved it. They still bring it up. I guess I try to forget how big the circus is when Favre and the media meet. Just before Favre was kidnapped is when a very curious thing occurred. Reports of Favre's fancy little sexting adventure popped up. It was news for a couple of days and then suddenly disappeared. It would, conveniently, pop up again just days before the Jets game, and follow the team the rest of the season. It was really bizarre. At the time, I thought that it would be enough to keep Favre on his tractor. Then it disappeared and Favre was on his way to Minnesota. The Vikings started the season in crappy fashion, got desperate and traded for Randy Moss. Vikings fans were out of their little minds with glee. Moss back in purple. Favre and Moss together. Oh my. I was pretty happy too, I must admit. The offense seriously missed Rice's downfield abilities. Moss could help, and when Rice returned the Vikings would be unstoppable. What actually happened was just a bit different. Moss didn't feel the love from Childress and got pissy. Childress dropped Moss on his own, and basically alienated himself from everybody. A couple of weeks later, Childress is fired. Leslie Frazier took over. The Vikings won a couple of games, and before you know it they were in the playoff hunt. A lot of things had to go their way, but they must have been due for some good things by now. Instead, snow caved in the Metrodome roof. This forced the Vikings to play a home game against the Giants in Detroit. Lost that one. Then they played an outdoor home at the University of Minnesota against the Bears. Lost that one too, although it was a treat to see them play an outdoor game in Minnesota again. There was even snow. The next week the Eagles decided that they didn't want to play in the snow, and moved the game to Tuesday night. With an incredible debut from rookie QB Joe Webb and a tremendous defense, the Vikings shocked the Eagles. This game might have insured Frazier's job status. The Vikings closed the season with a loss to the Lions.
I have seen worse Vikings seasons. Not many, as the Vikings have consistently been a competitive team. I have never seen a season with so much outside crap: Favre waffling, Favre sexting, the Moss trade disaster, Childress firing, and the roof collapse. It was nuts. I can't wait for 2011. The CBA better not hack it up.
2010 was supposed to be so great that 2009 would be a bad dream. All 22 starters were returning. Of course, that is assuming Brett Favre was one of them. I always assumed that he would be back, gimpy ankle and all. From the beginning, training camp never felt right. Favre wasn't there. Which bothered me, but didn't seem to bother the players. They knew better than me, so I didn't think much more of it. The surprise of camp was EJ Henderson. His leg was bent all kinds of wrong ways against the Cardinals the previous season. He wasn't supposed to ever play again. He was ready to go. Unfortunately, it would be the first and last good news of the season. Cedric Griffen's torn ACL was in good shape, but they would take it slow. He played in 2 games and tore the ACL in the other knee. Sidney Rice surprised everyone with a hip injury that would keep him out most of the season. Percy Harvin's grandmother passed away. He left camp to be with his family. This seemed to trigger a migraine that kept him out most of camp. I have to say, Harvin is one of the most electric football players that I have ever seen. I dearly hope that he has a long and healthy career with the Vikings. Top draft pick, CB Chris Cook, was dynamite from the first day until he tore the meniscus in his knee. He would get healthy and tear the meniscus in the other knee. Oh yeah, Favre skipped camp. I never really thought too much of Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson and Ryan Longwell jetting down to Mississippi to pick up Favre. It never seemed like that big of a deal. The media sure loved it. They still bring it up. I guess I try to forget how big the circus is when Favre and the media meet. Just before Favre was kidnapped is when a very curious thing occurred. Reports of Favre's fancy little sexting adventure popped up. It was news for a couple of days and then suddenly disappeared. It would, conveniently, pop up again just days before the Jets game, and follow the team the rest of the season. It was really bizarre. At the time, I thought that it would be enough to keep Favre on his tractor. Then it disappeared and Favre was on his way to Minnesota. The Vikings started the season in crappy fashion, got desperate and traded for Randy Moss. Vikings fans were out of their little minds with glee. Moss back in purple. Favre and Moss together. Oh my. I was pretty happy too, I must admit. The offense seriously missed Rice's downfield abilities. Moss could help, and when Rice returned the Vikings would be unstoppable. What actually happened was just a bit different. Moss didn't feel the love from Childress and got pissy. Childress dropped Moss on his own, and basically alienated himself from everybody. A couple of weeks later, Childress is fired. Leslie Frazier took over. The Vikings won a couple of games, and before you know it they were in the playoff hunt. A lot of things had to go their way, but they must have been due for some good things by now. Instead, snow caved in the Metrodome roof. This forced the Vikings to play a home game against the Giants in Detroit. Lost that one. Then they played an outdoor home at the University of Minnesota against the Bears. Lost that one too, although it was a treat to see them play an outdoor game in Minnesota again. There was even snow. The next week the Eagles decided that they didn't want to play in the snow, and moved the game to Tuesday night. With an incredible debut from rookie QB Joe Webb and a tremendous defense, the Vikings shocked the Eagles. This game might have insured Frazier's job status. The Vikings closed the season with a loss to the Lions.
I have seen worse Vikings seasons. Not many, as the Vikings have consistently been a competitive team. I have never seen a season with so much outside crap: Favre waffling, Favre sexting, the Moss trade disaster, Childress firing, and the roof collapse. It was nuts. I can't wait for 2011. The CBA better not hack it up.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Scouting Combine
I think that I am avoiding the CBA situation.
As with just about everything involved with the NFL, the Scouting Combine has become a prime time spectacle. The initial intention of the Combine was for the medical staffs of the NFL teams to get their hands on the players to give them medical grades and to look for potential red flags. It also gave coaches the opportunity to interview players to evaluate their personality and maturity levels. Those should still be the intention. For some reason, it used to be very secretive. It was all so sinister. Now, with NFL Network on the scene, it is a circus. Players in jazzy outfits running and jumping. It's a mini-Olympics. The whole thing is televised, even the weigh-ins. I can understand the purpose of some of the drills, but none of it should replace what the players have done in 3-4 years of college football. Performance on the football field should always be the basis for judging a player's abilities. The importance of an offensive lineman sprinting 40 yards is very suspect to me. About the only time a lineman will have to run 40 yards in a game is to celebrate with a runningback in the endzone. Too many coaches have been fooled by incredible measurables put up at the Combine. The phrase "looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane" may be sexist, but it can apply to many players. Another questionable aspect of the Combine is that the players essentially "cram" for the drills in the weeks prior. If they have to train to improve their speed and quickness now, what were they doing the last 4 years? Much can be gained from the actual football drills performed at the Combine. Those are the drills that, shockingly, use a football, or has some application on the field and in a game. I especially enjoy seeing how well receivers catch the ball. It's good to see the footwork of the QBs and offensive linemen. The potential success of both are often found in the feet. There is considerable value found in many of the position drills. The performances at the Combine should simply be a supplement to the entire prospect rating process, not the basis for it.
The very best of the Combine can be found at the end. This is the time for Rich Eisen to run the 40. It has become the classic close to the Combine, and it is a treat.
As with just about everything involved with the NFL, the Scouting Combine has become a prime time spectacle. The initial intention of the Combine was for the medical staffs of the NFL teams to get their hands on the players to give them medical grades and to look for potential red flags. It also gave coaches the opportunity to interview players to evaluate their personality and maturity levels. Those should still be the intention. For some reason, it used to be very secretive. It was all so sinister. Now, with NFL Network on the scene, it is a circus. Players in jazzy outfits running and jumping. It's a mini-Olympics. The whole thing is televised, even the weigh-ins. I can understand the purpose of some of the drills, but none of it should replace what the players have done in 3-4 years of college football. Performance on the football field should always be the basis for judging a player's abilities. The importance of an offensive lineman sprinting 40 yards is very suspect to me. About the only time a lineman will have to run 40 yards in a game is to celebrate with a runningback in the endzone. Too many coaches have been fooled by incredible measurables put up at the Combine. The phrase "looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane" may be sexist, but it can apply to many players. Another questionable aspect of the Combine is that the players essentially "cram" for the drills in the weeks prior. If they have to train to improve their speed and quickness now, what were they doing the last 4 years? Much can be gained from the actual football drills performed at the Combine. Those are the drills that, shockingly, use a football, or has some application on the field and in a game. I especially enjoy seeing how well receivers catch the ball. It's good to see the footwork of the QBs and offensive linemen. The potential success of both are often found in the feet. There is considerable value found in many of the position drills. The performances at the Combine should simply be a supplement to the entire prospect rating process, not the basis for it.
The very best of the Combine can be found at the end. This is the time for Rich Eisen to run the 40. It has become the classic close to the Combine, and it is a treat.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Mock Drafts
As my beautiful wife quickly learned, there is no offseason in football. This offseason, or preparation for next season, has a bit of a hurdle with the CBA situation. Typically, the next season starts as soon as the last game ends. The champion might get a couple of days to celebrate, but then it is back to work on a repeat. The same is true for the fans. One of the staples of the "non-offseason" is the mock draft.
I often think that these damn little things were called mock drafts because they mock you. They are mostly pointless. Achieving little but wasting time for those that create them and those that read them. There was a time when they weren't done at all, but there was a time when the draft wasn't televised either. As far as I can recall, Sports Illustrated was the first on the scene with a mock draft. Paul Zimmerman did these, and I greatly looked forward to them. Unlike today when every college football player is surgically displayed to the public, this meager draft coverage revealed many players to me for the first time. As the NFL Draft has evolved into an event, mock drafts have sprouted up everywhere. Some have been updated regularly since August. Now, this is the beginning of where I think that people have gone too far. A mock draft in August is nuts. For one thing, it is impossible to predict where the teams will be drafting, let alone each team's needs. For another, there is no way to accurately determine how college players will perform that season, or which players will even be available for the draft. Mock draft authors go beyond reality when they conjure up drafts 2-3 years early. Pretty soon they are going to take a stab at predicting the draft status of kids yet to be born.
Despite the mock draft insanity, I love them. I have even done some myself. Usually, I just complete it up to the Vikings pick, but if I feel feisty I'll jot down a complete first round. I have had some success predicting the Vikings recent picks, in particular Chad Greenway, Percy Harvin and Tyrell Johnson.
Mostly, I use mock drafts to familiarize myself with college players that I have not seen play and find players that intrigue me. They are often done by people that are less familiar with the Vikings than I am, so I put little weight on their choices for my team.
For pure football giggles, it is tough to beat a good mock draft. They shouldn't be taken too seriously. There is a reason that teams hire people to make those tough draft decisions. Although, with Matt Millen running the show a few years ago, the Detroit Lions should have listened to the mock drafts. Those were sad days for that team. The explosion in the number of mock drafts is shocking, but everyone has an opinion and it has to be thrown into the ring. Plus, it helps pass the time until the real draft takes place. The season never rests.
I often think that these damn little things were called mock drafts because they mock you. They are mostly pointless. Achieving little but wasting time for those that create them and those that read them. There was a time when they weren't done at all, but there was a time when the draft wasn't televised either. As far as I can recall, Sports Illustrated was the first on the scene with a mock draft. Paul Zimmerman did these, and I greatly looked forward to them. Unlike today when every college football player is surgically displayed to the public, this meager draft coverage revealed many players to me for the first time. As the NFL Draft has evolved into an event, mock drafts have sprouted up everywhere. Some have been updated regularly since August. Now, this is the beginning of where I think that people have gone too far. A mock draft in August is nuts. For one thing, it is impossible to predict where the teams will be drafting, let alone each team's needs. For another, there is no way to accurately determine how college players will perform that season, or which players will even be available for the draft. Mock draft authors go beyond reality when they conjure up drafts 2-3 years early. Pretty soon they are going to take a stab at predicting the draft status of kids yet to be born.
Despite the mock draft insanity, I love them. I have even done some myself. Usually, I just complete it up to the Vikings pick, but if I feel feisty I'll jot down a complete first round. I have had some success predicting the Vikings recent picks, in particular Chad Greenway, Percy Harvin and Tyrell Johnson.
Mostly, I use mock drafts to familiarize myself with college players that I have not seen play and find players that intrigue me. They are often done by people that are less familiar with the Vikings than I am, so I put little weight on their choices for my team.
For pure football giggles, it is tough to beat a good mock draft. They shouldn't be taken too seriously. There is a reason that teams hire people to make those tough draft decisions. Although, with Matt Millen running the show a few years ago, the Detroit Lions should have listened to the mock drafts. Those were sad days for that team. The explosion in the number of mock drafts is shocking, but everyone has an opinion and it has to be thrown into the ring. Plus, it helps pass the time until the real draft takes place. The season never rests.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Pennsylvania Switcheroo
As my interest in football, and its history, has grown over the years, I have found many fascinating little nuggets. Some of the most fascinating involve the paths franchises have taken to form the league we know today. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers paths may be the most fascinating of all.
The Steelers, actually called the Pirates initially, and the Eagles started innocently enough in 1933. That innocence would be shattered 8 years later. In the first 2 decades of the NFL's existence, all teams struggled. All teams carried financial concerns. Most teams had performance concerns. The Eagles and the Steelers/Pirates had both. With their decades-long recent success, it may be difficult to think of the Steelers as a struggling team. The first 40 years were about the exact opposite of the last 40. Pirates owner, Art Rooney, had reportedly lost as much as $150,000 over the first 8 years. Perhaps the name was the problem. To hopefully inspire a public connection to the team, Rooney changed his team's name to the Steelers. The Eagles weren't doing much better as the '40s opened. deBenneville (let's call him Bert) Bell was a rich kid with a passion for football. In owning the Eagles, he satisfied the latter at the expense of his father's money. Bert Bell was to become such and important figure in the league's history that it is a bit surprising how close he was to losing it all. Even in those tough early days, Bell made an impact as the players selection draft was his idea.
As Bell and Rooney were facing difficult choices, Alexis Thompson wanted a piece of the football game. Thompson, ironically, was the heir to the Republic Steel Corporation fortune. Preferring Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Thompson first tried to buy the Eagles. Bell passed. He tried the Steelers. Rooney was reluctant. Somewhere, somehow, Bell got the idea of Rooney selling the Steelers and then using that money to buy a half-ownership of the Eagles. According to Rooney, "Bell did all the dickering". Thompson bought the Steelers for about $160,000. Rooney then bought a 50% share of the Eagles for $80,000. Everything seemed fine. However, 4 months later, Thompson had not opened offices in Pittsburgh. It just did not seem that Thompson cared much for doing business in Pittsburgh. Fearful of his hometown losing its football team, Rooney proposed what his son, Dan, referred to as a "switcheroo". Rooney/Bell would trade the Eagles to Thompson for the Steelers. It was more a switch of cities than teams. No cash or other considerations were involved. Thompson clearly preferred Philadelphia over Pittsburgh. Rooney and Bell actually picked their "favorite" players from the 2 teams to form the new Steelers team. Roughly half of each team switched to the other. Both reconfigured teams struggled in their first season, 1941, with the Steelers finishing 1-9-1 and the Eagles finishing 2-8-1. The Eagles won and tied in the match ups of the 2 teams. WWII jumbled the rosters and the league, but the Steelers had their first winning season, 7-4, in 1942. By the end of the decade, the Eagles were a powerhouse, winning championships in '48 and '49.
Franchise movement and changes were fairly common in the first few decades of the league. None as crazy as the Steelers/Eagles, in my opinion. The current Colts history is kind of wacky, but that is for another day. NFL franchises are tracked kind of like pink slips. Franchises are sold to another owner or back to the league (It's been quite a while since this has happened.), but the franchise can be tracked through different cities or incarnations. With that in mind, the team we know as the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of 6 Super Bowls, was the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933-1940. So the Philadelphia Eagles were the Pittsburgh Steelers (actually Pirates) those same years. Fascinating, isn't it?
The Steelers, actually called the Pirates initially, and the Eagles started innocently enough in 1933. That innocence would be shattered 8 years later. In the first 2 decades of the NFL's existence, all teams struggled. All teams carried financial concerns. Most teams had performance concerns. The Eagles and the Steelers/Pirates had both. With their decades-long recent success, it may be difficult to think of the Steelers as a struggling team. The first 40 years were about the exact opposite of the last 40. Pirates owner, Art Rooney, had reportedly lost as much as $150,000 over the first 8 years. Perhaps the name was the problem. To hopefully inspire a public connection to the team, Rooney changed his team's name to the Steelers. The Eagles weren't doing much better as the '40s opened. deBenneville (let's call him Bert) Bell was a rich kid with a passion for football. In owning the Eagles, he satisfied the latter at the expense of his father's money. Bert Bell was to become such and important figure in the league's history that it is a bit surprising how close he was to losing it all. Even in those tough early days, Bell made an impact as the players selection draft was his idea.
As Bell and Rooney were facing difficult choices, Alexis Thompson wanted a piece of the football game. Thompson, ironically, was the heir to the Republic Steel Corporation fortune. Preferring Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Thompson first tried to buy the Eagles. Bell passed. He tried the Steelers. Rooney was reluctant. Somewhere, somehow, Bell got the idea of Rooney selling the Steelers and then using that money to buy a half-ownership of the Eagles. According to Rooney, "Bell did all the dickering". Thompson bought the Steelers for about $160,000. Rooney then bought a 50% share of the Eagles for $80,000. Everything seemed fine. However, 4 months later, Thompson had not opened offices in Pittsburgh. It just did not seem that Thompson cared much for doing business in Pittsburgh. Fearful of his hometown losing its football team, Rooney proposed what his son, Dan, referred to as a "switcheroo". Rooney/Bell would trade the Eagles to Thompson for the Steelers. It was more a switch of cities than teams. No cash or other considerations were involved. Thompson clearly preferred Philadelphia over Pittsburgh. Rooney and Bell actually picked their "favorite" players from the 2 teams to form the new Steelers team. Roughly half of each team switched to the other. Both reconfigured teams struggled in their first season, 1941, with the Steelers finishing 1-9-1 and the Eagles finishing 2-8-1. The Eagles won and tied in the match ups of the 2 teams. WWII jumbled the rosters and the league, but the Steelers had their first winning season, 7-4, in 1942. By the end of the decade, the Eagles were a powerhouse, winning championships in '48 and '49.
Franchise movement and changes were fairly common in the first few decades of the league. None as crazy as the Steelers/Eagles, in my opinion. The current Colts history is kind of wacky, but that is for another day. NFL franchises are tracked kind of like pink slips. Franchises are sold to another owner or back to the league (It's been quite a while since this has happened.), but the franchise can be tracked through different cities or incarnations. With that in mind, the team we know as the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of 6 Super Bowls, was the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933-1940. So the Philadelphia Eagles were the Pittsburgh Steelers (actually Pirates) those same years. Fascinating, isn't it?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Ollie Matson
It is a sad day for the Flea Flicker and for football. Hall of Fame runningback, Ollie Matson, died yesterday in Los Angeles. He was 80.
My father and I could always talk about football. Most times it seemed to be the only thing. I absolutely enjoyed those talks. I hope that he did too. Those talks frequently started with his days as a student at the University of San Francisco in the early '50s. It would be a stretch to say that he was Ollie Matson's friend. They knew each other and often talked before and after classes. It's interesting that those talks rarely involved football. Perhaps that is why Matson enjoyed them. When I started collecting football cards as a kid, I started with the current players of the '70s. I soon targeted the older players from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Through my father, I felt that I knew Graham, Layne, Brown, and Unitas as well as Tarkenton, Bradshaw, and Staubach. Prime among those targets were the players from USF. That team was loaded. Matson was 1 of 8 players to move on to the NFL. There would have been a 9th had Burl Toler not destroyed his knee at an All Star game. Toler still made an impact on the NFL, becoming the first African American official. Five of the 8 earned Pro Bowl honors during their careers. Three have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1972, Matson and Gino Marchetti became the first college teammates to be inducted together. Bob St. Clair has since joined them in Canton. Another future Hall of Famer, Pete Rozelle, was just entering the football world as the school's sports publicist in 1951. It is difficult for me to think of Matson without thinking of this USF Dons football team. They were a team in every sense of the word. Due to his presence there, I have always felt that my father was a part of that team. I suppose, through association, I am too. USF was struggling to support the team. A great team, a great season could save the program. USF had that team and that season. They would go undefeated at 9-0. Cal and Stanford, Rose Bowl teams in '51 and '52 respectively, wouldn't play them. At the time, all the Bowl games were in the South. Those Bowls would only take USF if Ollie Matson and Burl Toler were left at home. That was out of the question. "What I think we should have done," says teammate Joe Scudero, "is send Ollie and Burl to one of those Bowls and leave the rest of us at home. Hell, the two of them could've beaten most of those Southern schools by themselves." The school's best football team was to be its last.
I have been trying to think of a more recent back that compares to Matson. The one that I keep coming back to is one I would rather avoid because of the non-football images he brings, O.J. Simpson. Matson and Simpson actually carry a connection in that both played at San Francisco high schools and at City College of San Francisco. Like Simpson, Matson had great size, speed, and open-field running ability. Matson displayed his speed at the 1952 Helsinki games, earning a bronze in the 400 and a silver in the 1600 relay. Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the first round, he had the misfortune of combining his enormous talents with a horrible team. The Cardinals were almost comical in the '50s. With Matson in the lineup, the Cardinals would punctuate the laughter with some brilliance. In 1959, Pete Rozelle, as General Manager of the Los Angeles Rams, traded 9 players to the Cardinals for Ollie Matson. He finished his career with the Lions and the Eagles. Retiring after the 1966 season, Matson never played on a team that reached the post-season. "I had all the records, but gee whiz, that didn't mean anything to me. I wanted to be on a team where I could go to a championship."
I have long been intrigued by this part of my father's life and this USF football team. The one thing that has always struck me has been the complete lack of bitterness and anger from anyone from this team. "Unbeaten, Untied, and Uninvited" is a slogan that has followed the team. As Matson said in 2001, "I think we were the best team of any college or university in the country that year. It was just unfortunate that we ran across all those situations."
RIP Ollie Matson.
My father and I could always talk about football. Most times it seemed to be the only thing. I absolutely enjoyed those talks. I hope that he did too. Those talks frequently started with his days as a student at the University of San Francisco in the early '50s. It would be a stretch to say that he was Ollie Matson's friend. They knew each other and often talked before and after classes. It's interesting that those talks rarely involved football. Perhaps that is why Matson enjoyed them. When I started collecting football cards as a kid, I started with the current players of the '70s. I soon targeted the older players from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Through my father, I felt that I knew Graham, Layne, Brown, and Unitas as well as Tarkenton, Bradshaw, and Staubach. Prime among those targets were the players from USF. That team was loaded. Matson was 1 of 8 players to move on to the NFL. There would have been a 9th had Burl Toler not destroyed his knee at an All Star game. Toler still made an impact on the NFL, becoming the first African American official. Five of the 8 earned Pro Bowl honors during their careers. Three have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1972, Matson and Gino Marchetti became the first college teammates to be inducted together. Bob St. Clair has since joined them in Canton. Another future Hall of Famer, Pete Rozelle, was just entering the football world as the school's sports publicist in 1951. It is difficult for me to think of Matson without thinking of this USF Dons football team. They were a team in every sense of the word. Due to his presence there, I have always felt that my father was a part of that team. I suppose, through association, I am too. USF was struggling to support the team. A great team, a great season could save the program. USF had that team and that season. They would go undefeated at 9-0. Cal and Stanford, Rose Bowl teams in '51 and '52 respectively, wouldn't play them. At the time, all the Bowl games were in the South. Those Bowls would only take USF if Ollie Matson and Burl Toler were left at home. That was out of the question. "What I think we should have done," says teammate Joe Scudero, "is send Ollie and Burl to one of those Bowls and leave the rest of us at home. Hell, the two of them could've beaten most of those Southern schools by themselves." The school's best football team was to be its last.
I have been trying to think of a more recent back that compares to Matson. The one that I keep coming back to is one I would rather avoid because of the non-football images he brings, O.J. Simpson. Matson and Simpson actually carry a connection in that both played at San Francisco high schools and at City College of San Francisco. Like Simpson, Matson had great size, speed, and open-field running ability. Matson displayed his speed at the 1952 Helsinki games, earning a bronze in the 400 and a silver in the 1600 relay. Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the first round, he had the misfortune of combining his enormous talents with a horrible team. The Cardinals were almost comical in the '50s. With Matson in the lineup, the Cardinals would punctuate the laughter with some brilliance. In 1959, Pete Rozelle, as General Manager of the Los Angeles Rams, traded 9 players to the Cardinals for Ollie Matson. He finished his career with the Lions and the Eagles. Retiring after the 1966 season, Matson never played on a team that reached the post-season. "I had all the records, but gee whiz, that didn't mean anything to me. I wanted to be on a team where I could go to a championship."
I have long been intrigued by this part of my father's life and this USF football team. The one thing that has always struck me has been the complete lack of bitterness and anger from anyone from this team. "Unbeaten, Untied, and Uninvited" is a slogan that has followed the team. As Matson said in 2001, "I think we were the best team of any college or university in the country that year. It was just unfortunate that we ran across all those situations."
RIP Ollie Matson.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Fans & Technology
As a Vikings fan living in California in the '70s, it would take until about week 10 to piece together the entire roster. Through occasional games televised in our market, and a possible TV Guide roster, I would finally get it. Today anyone can get an updated roster with the click of a mouse at any time during the season, training camp too. I can now read Minneapolis columnists in California. The Vikings were frequently on tv in the '70s, rarely in the '80s, sometimes in the '90s. Thanks to DirecTV, I have seen every game in the 21st Century. I would love to attend training camp in Mankato, but thanks to message boards and generous camp-attending fans, I feel like I'm there. In the '70s, I had never heard of Mankato.
Technology has brought the world to our homes. Our teams are so close. Vikings defensive end Brian Robison is even a friend of mine on Facebook. Some athletes have embraced technology and its connection to fans. Chad Ochocinco, in particular, is especially entertaining in this new arena. As the world is drawn in tight through advancements, some of the personal connections are lost. My wife has long been a hockey fan. She watched the Sharks grow from their first days in Daly City. She was regularly in contact with Sharks' players and even attended a fan trip to Hawaii with Jeff Friesen, Ronnie Stern, SJ Sharkie, and some of the Sharks' front office personnel. There's a closeness in the NHL that you can't find in the NFL. The spotlight is simply so bright on football. I have heard stories of the Vikings' players of the '60s and '70s tailgating with fan after games. I don't hear those stories anymore. That is not to criticize the current players. It's just that those things are no longer done. Things are no longer the same. It's interesting that as the protection has evolved for the players on the field, so too has the protection off the field. There was a time when players didn't need an agent, a publicist, a bodyguard, or a wall. The players have moved from the easily accessible leather skull-cap to the current helmet, face mask, and, for some, a dark visor. They can be just as protected off the field.
In all my years, I have rarely had any contact with celebrities in general, but football players in particular. I guess that I haven't been where they are. That has changed a bit with my attendance at the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach the last 3 years. I have encountered Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Harris Barton, Drew Brees, Herm Edwards, and Bill Belichick over those years. They have all been friendly and outgoing. I suppose they wouldn't be there if they weren't. Manning was easily the most comfortable. He's lived his entire life in the celebrity and football worlds. His father was the most prominent Saints' QB until Brees came along. Barton probably shouldn't count as a celebrity, seeing as he was an offensive tackle and all. Just kidding. The grunts on the line are as important, if not more so, than any player on the team. Future Flea Flickers will certainly dive into that. For me, the most surprising of the football personalities was Belichick. He has such an angry and annoyed presence in press conferences and on the sideline. Actually, an annoyed presence in press conferences should be expected. The media is filled with idiots. It is beyond ridiculous that Aaron Rodgers is still asked questions about Favre whenever a microphone is in place. Anyway, Belichick was extremely pleasant, even charming. I encountered Joe Montana at Great America just after he retired. He was trying to enjoy a day out with his entire family and entourage. It was readily apparent that he was not enjoying the day or the attention. Some athletes are never comfortable with their celebrity. Personally, I don't blame them. Alone time in public is near impossible for them. Many say, that is the price they pay for fame. That is true to an extent, but they still deserve some respect. Drew Brees is very engaging with fans, but I hear that you should never approach him when he's eating. Common sense should dictate that.
It's just a different day for fans these days. Technology had brought us closer to the teams we enjoy in so many ways. Yet as we have evolved, and football has grown, we seem to have lost some of the closeness.
Technology has brought the world to our homes. Our teams are so close. Vikings defensive end Brian Robison is even a friend of mine on Facebook. Some athletes have embraced technology and its connection to fans. Chad Ochocinco, in particular, is especially entertaining in this new arena. As the world is drawn in tight through advancements, some of the personal connections are lost. My wife has long been a hockey fan. She watched the Sharks grow from their first days in Daly City. She was regularly in contact with Sharks' players and even attended a fan trip to Hawaii with Jeff Friesen, Ronnie Stern, SJ Sharkie, and some of the Sharks' front office personnel. There's a closeness in the NHL that you can't find in the NFL. The spotlight is simply so bright on football. I have heard stories of the Vikings' players of the '60s and '70s tailgating with fan after games. I don't hear those stories anymore. That is not to criticize the current players. It's just that those things are no longer done. Things are no longer the same. It's interesting that as the protection has evolved for the players on the field, so too has the protection off the field. There was a time when players didn't need an agent, a publicist, a bodyguard, or a wall. The players have moved from the easily accessible leather skull-cap to the current helmet, face mask, and, for some, a dark visor. They can be just as protected off the field.
In all my years, I have rarely had any contact with celebrities in general, but football players in particular. I guess that I haven't been where they are. That has changed a bit with my attendance at the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach the last 3 years. I have encountered Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Harris Barton, Drew Brees, Herm Edwards, and Bill Belichick over those years. They have all been friendly and outgoing. I suppose they wouldn't be there if they weren't. Manning was easily the most comfortable. He's lived his entire life in the celebrity and football worlds. His father was the most prominent Saints' QB until Brees came along. Barton probably shouldn't count as a celebrity, seeing as he was an offensive tackle and all. Just kidding. The grunts on the line are as important, if not more so, than any player on the team. Future Flea Flickers will certainly dive into that. For me, the most surprising of the football personalities was Belichick. He has such an angry and annoyed presence in press conferences and on the sideline. Actually, an annoyed presence in press conferences should be expected. The media is filled with idiots. It is beyond ridiculous that Aaron Rodgers is still asked questions about Favre whenever a microphone is in place. Anyway, Belichick was extremely pleasant, even charming. I encountered Joe Montana at Great America just after he retired. He was trying to enjoy a day out with his entire family and entourage. It was readily apparent that he was not enjoying the day or the attention. Some athletes are never comfortable with their celebrity. Personally, I don't blame them. Alone time in public is near impossible for them. Many say, that is the price they pay for fame. That is true to an extent, but they still deserve some respect. Drew Brees is very engaging with fans, but I hear that you should never approach him when he's eating. Common sense should dictate that.
It's just a different day for fans these days. Technology had brought us closer to the teams we enjoy in so many ways. Yet as we have evolved, and football has grown, we seem to have lost some of the closeness.
Friday, February 18, 2011
A Fan Is Born
For the opening volley of the Flea Flicker, I will tackle fans. If you're here, you're either a fan of some team or sport, or you're family. Maybe both. We become fans for so many reasons. Location is a big one but not the only one. I grew up in northern California, yet fell for the Minnesota Vikings. It helped that my father never pushed me in any direction. He was a San Francisco 49ers fan from the team's early days. My father will be featured often in the Flicker as my football obsession is mostly his fault. His passive nature made it easy to find a team other than the 49ers. The Vikings' success in those days helped me find them. The purple uniforms and horned helmets clinched it. Besides, to this 9-year-old kid, San Francisco seemed as far away as Bloomington, Minnesota. Despite nearly 40 years of frustration, I have never regretted my decision. Many fans simply want to follow a champion. I want that too, so very much, but I have found that the journey is special. Each season I see every Viking that came before in the players I see now. I dream of the day the Vikings bring a Lombardi to Minnesota. I know that I will see it. I wonder what I'll do.
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