Football never goes away. It's the games that have returned. The first game of the 2013 NFL (pre)season was the Hall of Fame game. The Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins took the field in that game last Sunday. I was there so I know that it happened. I may have been paying more attention to Hall of Fame inductee Cris Carter prowling the sidelines but there was a football game. Cowboys won. The Hall of Fame game has always had a false start feel for me. I've always felt that the NFL's preseason schedule really starts the weekend that all the teams take the field. It's a fairly stupid feeling as all these games are exhibition games. None of them really count. The Hall of Fame game kicked off the new football season on paper. Yesterday's slate of games kicked off the new football season in my little mind.
Six games last night. Including the pairing that many think could be repeated in the Super Bowl. San Francisco 49ers-Denver Broncos. Eight more games tonight. Including the Houston Texans-Minnesota Vikings. That should be a fantastic preseason game. The last two games of the opening weekend of the preseason are tomorrow. Even if is only the preseason, NFL games are back. It's a great thing.
The significance and future of preseason games are often debated. It's become quite obvious that Roger Goodell wants to link these games with his ridiculous dream of expanding the regular season. He sees dropping two preseason games as a fair trade for adding two regular season games. It's a foolish view. Sixteen games that count is enough. I also think that four games that don't count is the right number. I enjoy watching them but I'm likely in the minority. The majority want to see a real football game and that's not going to happen. Preseason games are a coaching tool. They always have been. They are simply meant to be a more intense practice. More intense because your team is finally hitting a team in a different uniform. Coaches need to see many of their players in an environment like that. That is even more true now with the lightened practice rules found in the new CBA. I doubt that there is a coach in the NFL that thinks anything less than four preseason games is enough. Fans just need to try and accept these meaningless games as the more intense practices that they are. Appetizers? Now, I don't think that the owners should charge regular season prices for preseason games. That's just wrong.
The best thing about preseason games is that regular games are near.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Throwback Thursday: Why Canton?
I can't imagine the Pro Football Hall of Fame being anywhere but Canton. I felt that way before I visited the city and the Hall of Fame. I most certainly feel that way now. It's a natural relationship. The reasons always given for the location are these:
a) It was the birthplace of the American Professional Football Association (the forerunner of the NFL)
b) Jim Thorpe first played pro ball in 1915 with the Canton Bulldogs.
c) The Canton Bulldogs had the NFL's first little dynasty, winning titles in 1922 and '23.
The first one is really the only reason that I ever needed to feel great about the location. The city of Canton shows every year that it was the right choice. Really, the only choice.
Still, there were other contenders. The city of Latrobe, Pennsylvania was actually awarded the site of the Hall of Fame in 1947. This was based on the assumption of the historians at the time that the first paid professional had played for a Latrobe football team. That player was John Brallier. It wasn't until the early 1960's that it was discovered that William "Pudge" Heffelfinger had been paid to play football for the Allegheny Athletic Association a few years before Brallier. It didn't really matter as Latrobe was never able to get the project off the ground.
On December 6, 1959, the Canton Repository issued a Hall of Fame challenge to the city of Canton. The newspaper's headline read: "Pro Football Needs a Hall of Fame and Logical Choice is Here." Canton answered the challenge. In particular, H.H. Timken Jr., chairman of the board at the Timken Roller Bearing Company, was intrigued. On January 25, 1961, at the NFL's owner's meeting in New York City, Canton made a formal bid for the Hall of Fame. Detroit and Pittsburgh were in the running but Canton was too far ahead. The Canton representatives estimated the cost of the Hall of Fame to be three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The city of Canton would donate two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, while Timken himself would donate one hundred thousand dollars. The NFL owners listened when they learned others would pay the bills. Three months later, Canton was selected as the site of the Hall of Fame. A fund raising campaign was started on December 7, 1961. In less than three months, the city raised $378,026 through community pledges.
On April 4, 1962, the Hall of Fame made a brilliant move by hiring Richard (Dick) McCann as its first director. McCann resigned as the general manager of the Washington Redskins, a job that he'd held for fifteen years. It was his responsibility to collect the football memorabilia that would help trace the history of the game. It was his innovation and dedication that made the Hall of Fame a success from the very beginning. Ground was broken on August 11, 1962. NFL. The building opened to the public on September 7, 1963, with the enshrinement of 17 charter members. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio was on it's way.
More than 10 million fans have visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame since its opening fifty years ago. The attendance pace was slow at first but saw a dramatic increase in the 1970s. That increase is actually quite curious. The greatest attendance numbers in the history of the Hall of Fame are found in the decade of the '70s. I guess that the 1971 Class of Vince Lombardi, Jim Brown, Y.A. Tittle, Andy Robustelli, Norm Van Brocklin, Bill Hewitt, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard kicked started some interest. That is quite a class.
After seeing first hand the way that the city of Canton embraces the Hall of Fame and the annual inductions, I'm convinced that there could be no better location. I only saw a fraction of all that Canton does and it was amazing. From the parade to the volunteers to all the pageantry that we see on TV, it's a beautiful experience to see a city showing that it truly cares about the Hall of Famers and the Hall of Fame. I want to go back as often as I can. Thank you Canton, Ohio. It's a wonderful thing that you do.
a) It was the birthplace of the American Professional Football Association (the forerunner of the NFL)
b) Jim Thorpe first played pro ball in 1915 with the Canton Bulldogs.
c) The Canton Bulldogs had the NFL's first little dynasty, winning titles in 1922 and '23.
The first one is really the only reason that I ever needed to feel great about the location. The city of Canton shows every year that it was the right choice. Really, the only choice.
Still, there were other contenders. The city of Latrobe, Pennsylvania was actually awarded the site of the Hall of Fame in 1947. This was based on the assumption of the historians at the time that the first paid professional had played for a Latrobe football team. That player was John Brallier. It wasn't until the early 1960's that it was discovered that William "Pudge" Heffelfinger had been paid to play football for the Allegheny Athletic Association a few years before Brallier. It didn't really matter as Latrobe was never able to get the project off the ground.
On December 6, 1959, the Canton Repository issued a Hall of Fame challenge to the city of Canton. The newspaper's headline read: "Pro Football Needs a Hall of Fame and Logical Choice is Here." Canton answered the challenge. In particular, H.H. Timken Jr., chairman of the board at the Timken Roller Bearing Company, was intrigued. On January 25, 1961, at the NFL's owner's meeting in New York City, Canton made a formal bid for the Hall of Fame. Detroit and Pittsburgh were in the running but Canton was too far ahead. The Canton representatives estimated the cost of the Hall of Fame to be three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The city of Canton would donate two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, while Timken himself would donate one hundred thousand dollars. The NFL owners listened when they learned others would pay the bills. Three months later, Canton was selected as the site of the Hall of Fame. A fund raising campaign was started on December 7, 1961. In less than three months, the city raised $378,026 through community pledges.
On April 4, 1962, the Hall of Fame made a brilliant move by hiring Richard (Dick) McCann as its first director. McCann resigned as the general manager of the Washington Redskins, a job that he'd held for fifteen years. It was his responsibility to collect the football memorabilia that would help trace the history of the game. It was his innovation and dedication that made the Hall of Fame a success from the very beginning. Ground was broken on August 11, 1962. NFL. The building opened to the public on September 7, 1963, with the enshrinement of 17 charter members. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio was on it's way.
More than 10 million fans have visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame since its opening fifty years ago. The attendance pace was slow at first but saw a dramatic increase in the 1970s. That increase is actually quite curious. The greatest attendance numbers in the history of the Hall of Fame are found in the decade of the '70s. I guess that the 1971 Class of Vince Lombardi, Jim Brown, Y.A. Tittle, Andy Robustelli, Norm Van Brocklin, Bill Hewitt, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard kicked started some interest. That is quite a class.
After seeing first hand the way that the city of Canton embraces the Hall of Fame and the annual inductions, I'm convinced that there could be no better location. I only saw a fraction of all that Canton does and it was amazing. From the parade to the volunteers to all the pageantry that we see on TV, it's a beautiful experience to see a city showing that it truly cares about the Hall of Famers and the Hall of Fame. I want to go back as often as I can. Thank you Canton, Ohio. It's a wonderful thing that you do.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Guard Speaks
"She cooked two chickens, french fries. Baked me a cake. And gave me a 40-ouncer. I knew then. That was my wife."
-Hall of Fame guard Larry Allen
Allen had his audience rolling when he spoke of the first date with his future wife. This might have been the sound bite of the 2013 Hall of Fame induction speeches. As one that has never been comfortable speaking in front of others, I've always been nervous for others with the same issues. Most offensive linemen prefer to stay anonymous. If they perform their on-the-field job to perfection, they are rarely mentioned. Of the 2013 Hall of Fame inductees, I figured that Larry Allen would have the most difficulties with that speech. When his nomination was announced in February it seemed that he'd prefer to be a million other places. In the months since he's been in front of the camera more than he ever has. I'd be surprised if he enjoyed any of it. When it came time for him to be on stage, in front of millions, he was ready. It was clear how much this honor meant and he did a fine job of showing his appreciation for all those that helped get him to that stage. I saw a side of Larry Allen that I'd never seen before.
I didn't know much about Allen before he was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys in 1994. Playing at Sonoma St. will do that. He played a quiet position at a quiet college. That college got my attention and his play on the football field sealed it. Allen proved early that it didn't matter where he played football in college. He could play in this league. His ability to play all over the line was incredible. He could have been all-pro at all four tackle and guard spots. An amazing talent. He simply dominated his opponent. He really had no weakness in his game. His out-of-this-world strength set him apart but it was just a part of his overall game. He was technically sound. He had quick feet. He was fast for his 6'3" 350 lb size. He was fast for a 280 lb man. Basically, he was so strong, so quick, so completely overpowering that I imagine opposing defensive coaches conceding that they will get little to nothing attacking that area of the Cowboys offense. The defensive tackles, ends, and linebackers that entered his area were in for a very long, frustrating, humbling day. As an observer, unless you specifically followed him all game, you'd likely see very little excitement. On the field and off, it's quiet around Larry Allen. So, I worried a little about his speech. I shouldn't have. He did a fine job. As NFL Network's Rich Eisen stated, it was likely the first Hall of Fame speech to have mention of a "40-ouncer." His speech spoke well of a player that always let his game do his talking.
-Hall of Fame guard Larry Allen
Allen had his audience rolling when he spoke of the first date with his future wife. This might have been the sound bite of the 2013 Hall of Fame induction speeches. As one that has never been comfortable speaking in front of others, I've always been nervous for others with the same issues. Most offensive linemen prefer to stay anonymous. If they perform their on-the-field job to perfection, they are rarely mentioned. Of the 2013 Hall of Fame inductees, I figured that Larry Allen would have the most difficulties with that speech. When his nomination was announced in February it seemed that he'd prefer to be a million other places. In the months since he's been in front of the camera more than he ever has. I'd be surprised if he enjoyed any of it. When it came time for him to be on stage, in front of millions, he was ready. It was clear how much this honor meant and he did a fine job of showing his appreciation for all those that helped get him to that stage. I saw a side of Larry Allen that I'd never seen before.
I didn't know much about Allen before he was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys in 1994. Playing at Sonoma St. will do that. He played a quiet position at a quiet college. That college got my attention and his play on the football field sealed it. Allen proved early that it didn't matter where he played football in college. He could play in this league. His ability to play all over the line was incredible. He could have been all-pro at all four tackle and guard spots. An amazing talent. He simply dominated his opponent. He really had no weakness in his game. His out-of-this-world strength set him apart but it was just a part of his overall game. He was technically sound. He had quick feet. He was fast for his 6'3" 350 lb size. He was fast for a 280 lb man. Basically, he was so strong, so quick, so completely overpowering that I imagine opposing defensive coaches conceding that they will get little to nothing attacking that area of the Cowboys offense. The defensive tackles, ends, and linebackers that entered his area were in for a very long, frustrating, humbling day. As an observer, unless you specifically followed him all game, you'd likely see very little excitement. On the field and off, it's quiet around Larry Allen. So, I worried a little about his speech. I shouldn't have. He did a fine job. As NFL Network's Rich Eisen stated, it was likely the first Hall of Fame speech to have mention of a "40-ouncer." His speech spoke well of a player that always let his game do his talking.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Hall of Fame Thoughts
Wow! Four days in Canton was the dream that I expected it to be. Incredible. 122 of the 162 surviving Pro Football Hall of Famer returned for the 50th Anniversary of the Hall. It was a fantastic turnout for a fantastic event. I had to find my way to Canton to honor Cris Carter and his much deserved induction. I'd like to make the visit every year.
I wasn't the only Minnesota Vikings fan to make the trek to Canton. There was a bunch. The Baltimore Ravens had nice representation to honor Jonathan Ogden but Vikings purple ruled the day. I've never before been surrounded by so many of my own kind. It was terrific.
I met Pro Football Hall of Fame president Stephen Perry. Asked him about employment opportunities.
I also saw Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith strutting through the Hall. The funny thing about that appearance was the slim numbers that actually recognized the man. One guy even took a picture with Smith and then asked who he was. That was a bit of a puzzle. I really think that people should recognize one of the most significant people in football today.
I met Alan Page. Boy howdy, that was a wonderful moment. I still have chills. Carter and Page are my two favorite Minnesota Vikings players. I was there for one and met the other.
As we were searching for the plaque marking the site of that first meeting of the NFL founding fathers, we found a parade. I had forgotten about the Hall of Fame parade. The Hall of Famers were riding in fancy cars. Another Vikings player, Chris Doleman was the first player that I saw. Steve Young, Lynn Swann, Lenny Moore, Ken Houston. Oh my. I even saw Gale Sayers zip by, faster than the rest.
I saw Willie Lanier, Ronnie Lott, Raymond Berry, another Viking, Carl Eller.
Jerry Rice, in a snappy hat, with quarterback Young speeding by in a golf cart.
Heroes of the game were everywhere.
I saw Willie Brown, Randall McDaniel, John Hannah, Marv Levy, and Lem Barney.
And, we haven't even set foot in the stadium for the Induction Ceremonies.
I saw the NFL Network crew Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci with the Hall of Fame friends Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin.
I saw Jon Gruden and Jerry Jones.
Jim Brown was there, fercryinoutloud.
Bobby Bell, Ted Hendricks, John Madden, Bob St. Clair, Tom Mack, Howie Long, Jack Ham, James Lofton, Mel Blount, Floyd Little, Troy Aikman.
My goodness, it was amazing to be there for the Induction Ceremony. It was amazing to be walking around some of the greatest to ever play the game.
I met Green Bay Packers great Forrest Gregg at the airport as we tried to find our way home after a beautiful weekend.
As I was in Canton, I was saddened to hear that the number of surviving Hall of Famers dropped by one. Baltimore Colts great defensive tackle and NFL funnyman Art Donovan passed this weekend. Donovan was one of the most entertaining former players. Not many former players in any sport have moved from the playing field to entertaining talk show guest. Affectionately known as "Fatso", Art Donovan will be greatly missed.
I haven't even spoken of the amazing exhibits found in the museum.
I'll likely be talking of this weekend for a while as football winds through the preseason schedule.
The Flea Flicker says, "get to Canton."
I wasn't the only Minnesota Vikings fan to make the trek to Canton. There was a bunch. The Baltimore Ravens had nice representation to honor Jonathan Ogden but Vikings purple ruled the day. I've never before been surrounded by so many of my own kind. It was terrific.
I met Pro Football Hall of Fame president Stephen Perry. Asked him about employment opportunities.
I also saw Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith strutting through the Hall. The funny thing about that appearance was the slim numbers that actually recognized the man. One guy even took a picture with Smith and then asked who he was. That was a bit of a puzzle. I really think that people should recognize one of the most significant people in football today.
I met Alan Page. Boy howdy, that was a wonderful moment. I still have chills. Carter and Page are my two favorite Minnesota Vikings players. I was there for one and met the other.
As we were searching for the plaque marking the site of that first meeting of the NFL founding fathers, we found a parade. I had forgotten about the Hall of Fame parade. The Hall of Famers were riding in fancy cars. Another Vikings player, Chris Doleman was the first player that I saw. Steve Young, Lynn Swann, Lenny Moore, Ken Houston. Oh my. I even saw Gale Sayers zip by, faster than the rest.
I saw Willie Lanier, Ronnie Lott, Raymond Berry, another Viking, Carl Eller.
Jerry Rice, in a snappy hat, with quarterback Young speeding by in a golf cart.
Heroes of the game were everywhere.
I saw Willie Brown, Randall McDaniel, John Hannah, Marv Levy, and Lem Barney.
And, we haven't even set foot in the stadium for the Induction Ceremonies.
I saw the NFL Network crew Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci with the Hall of Fame friends Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin.
I saw Jon Gruden and Jerry Jones.
Jim Brown was there, fercryinoutloud.
Bobby Bell, Ted Hendricks, John Madden, Bob St. Clair, Tom Mack, Howie Long, Jack Ham, James Lofton, Mel Blount, Floyd Little, Troy Aikman.
My goodness, it was amazing to be there for the Induction Ceremony. It was amazing to be walking around some of the greatest to ever play the game.
I met Green Bay Packers great Forrest Gregg at the airport as we tried to find our way home after a beautiful weekend.
As I was in Canton, I was saddened to hear that the number of surviving Hall of Famers dropped by one. Baltimore Colts great defensive tackle and NFL funnyman Art Donovan passed this weekend. Donovan was one of the most entertaining former players. Not many former players in any sport have moved from the playing field to entertaining talk show guest. Affectionately known as "Fatso", Art Donovan will be greatly missed.
I haven't even spoken of the amazing exhibits found in the museum.
I'll likely be talking of this weekend for a while as football winds through the preseason schedule.
The Flea Flicker says, "get to Canton."
Friday, August 2, 2013
Canton
Ah, Canton. Since my first days as an itty-bitty football fan I've wanted to be here. It's taken a while but I'm glad that Cris Carter brought me here. Well, I brought myself here. Carter likely doesn't know. My great appreciation for his football skills is why I'm here.
Every step in this area of Akron and Canton is a step in football history. Even without stepping into the Hall of Fame. This is the birthplace of professional football as we know it. Massillon-Canton football wars. Ralph Hay's old Hupmobile dealership is where Joe Carr, George Halas, Carl Storck and the boys met to kick start a professional football league. I never knew what a hupmobile was but I bet was grand. The Frank T Bow building now stands where the football founding fathers met. I'd like to find that building. I could lose myself in football history without even finding my way to the "Juicer", the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The unique shape of the Hall of Fame has always intrigued me. I can't wait to see it. I can't wait to see all that is inside. Fortunately and unfortunately, I'm here to see Cris Carter inducted into the Hall of Fame. I won't have near enough to time to investigate all the "goodies" in the building. Maybe, I should use this as a scouting trip. Scouting for my next trip. Maybe, for Adrian Peterson's induction. Hopefully, that won't be for quite some time. He still has a whole lot of football left to play. After all, he has to catch Emmitt Smith. Peterson will still be well represented in the Hall now.
Oh, by the way, there are six other football greats that will be honored this weekend. The 2013 Hall of Fame class is a great one. Actually, all Hall of Fame classes are great. I just really like this one. I like that it's loaded with big guys. Carter is actually the only little guy. Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Curly Culp, Dave Robinson, and the coach Bill Parcells. Great, fun class.
Every step in this area of Akron and Canton is a step in football history. Even without stepping into the Hall of Fame. This is the birthplace of professional football as we know it. Massillon-Canton football wars. Ralph Hay's old Hupmobile dealership is where Joe Carr, George Halas, Carl Storck and the boys met to kick start a professional football league. I never knew what a hupmobile was but I bet was grand. The Frank T Bow building now stands where the football founding fathers met. I'd like to find that building. I could lose myself in football history without even finding my way to the "Juicer", the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The unique shape of the Hall of Fame has always intrigued me. I can't wait to see it. I can't wait to see all that is inside. Fortunately and unfortunately, I'm here to see Cris Carter inducted into the Hall of Fame. I won't have near enough to time to investigate all the "goodies" in the building. Maybe, I should use this as a scouting trip. Scouting for my next trip. Maybe, for Adrian Peterson's induction. Hopefully, that won't be for quite some time. He still has a whole lot of football left to play. After all, he has to catch Emmitt Smith. Peterson will still be well represented in the Hall now.
Oh, by the way, there are six other football greats that will be honored this weekend. The 2013 Hall of Fame class is a great one. Actually, all Hall of Fame classes are great. I just really like this one. I like that it's loaded with big guys. Carter is actually the only little guy. Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Curly Culp, Dave Robinson, and the coach Bill Parcells. Great, fun class.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Throwback Thursday: Welcome To Canton Mr. Carter
Cris Carter will receive his snappy, yellow jacket tomorrow evening. He'll be presented and officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. The Flea Flicker will be there.
Jerry Rice was the best receiver to play the game. Cris Carter was the best pass catcher that I've ever seen. The supposed simple act of catching a football. No one did it better than Carter. There were other terrific aspects to his game. His feet. Getting open. Positioning. He did so many things well. Any receiving hopeful would be greatly assisted by watching how Cris Carter played the game.
Those hands. I can't recall him ever dropping a pass. It was so rare an occurrence that a drop would be quite memorable. I can't remember one. It's shocking to see the number of receivers that take the supposed simple act of catching a football for granted. Cris Carter never did. He never stopped working on his pass catching. His football workouts were legendary. Working his hands was always part of them. He took care of those hands too. Keeping them soft. Keeping them pretty. It's been said somewhere. Can't remember where. "He took care of the hands that took care of him."
I was in the Candlestick stands for one of the best examples of Cris Carter's game. A Monday Night game. Dec. 18, 1995. The San Francisco 49ers were one of the dominant teams in the league. The Minnesota Vikings were a frequent one-and-done playoff team. The 49ers jumped all over the Vikings early. Jerry Rice was pretty much unstoppable. No surprise there. Before the first half was over, Carter started pushing and pulling his team back into the game. It's quite remarkable to see a receiver to put a team on his back and carry it. Carter did that this night. For a fan of receivers, this game was amazing. It turned into a duel between Jerry Rice and Cris Carter. It was simply beautiful. In the days before the fantasy football revolution, in-game stats weren't paraded around a stadium. People attending an NFL game in the '90s were mostly in the dark as to how "their players" were performing. It felt like Carter and Rice were putting up similar numbers. One would match what the other did. I figured that each future Hall of Fame receiver had about 10 catches for over 150 yards. I was fairly shocked to see this in the paper the following morning:
Carter 12-88yds and 2 TDs
Rice 14-289yds and 3 TDs
Rice even had one carry for another 10 yards. He was a yard short of 300 total yards! This was the best statistical game for the best receiver the game has ever seen. It wasn't so much that Rice's game was so outrageous that surprised me. It was how pedestrian Carter's game looked on paper. I learned then that Cris Carter had to be seen to be properly appreciated. I also think that this why it took Carter six years longer than it should have to make it to Canton. The Hall of Fame voters rely too heavily on stats. Carter has the stats for Canton but his game has always been better than his stats. 12 catches for 88 yards doesn't open a lot of eyes. What Carter did with those catches can open eyes. He moved the chains. He scored touchdowns. He carried his team down the field. All of his 88 yards were important yards. That's not to say that there are unimportant yards. It's just that sometimes a 4-yard reception for a first down, during a critical drive, is sometimes as important as a 30-yard gain. That night, it felt like Carter and Rice had similar games. The 49ers won the game, 37-30. It was quite a game after Carter pulled the Vikings back from a 21-0 first quarter deficit.
There are football players that make each generation a special time to be a football fan. I'd love to have seen Red Grange run, Dutch Clark lead, Don Hutson play, Sammy Baugh pass, Deacon Jones rush, Jim Brown and Gale Sayers carry the ball. I'd love to have seen the greats from generations past. Lawrence Taylor, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Ed Reed are just a few that have made my generation special. Cris Carter is in that group. He helped make his generation of football great. No one caught the ball better. It was a true honor to watch Cris Carter play football. That honor continues on Saturday when he finds his home with the best.
Jerry Rice was the best receiver to play the game. Cris Carter was the best pass catcher that I've ever seen. The supposed simple act of catching a football. No one did it better than Carter. There were other terrific aspects to his game. His feet. Getting open. Positioning. He did so many things well. Any receiving hopeful would be greatly assisted by watching how Cris Carter played the game.
Those hands. I can't recall him ever dropping a pass. It was so rare an occurrence that a drop would be quite memorable. I can't remember one. It's shocking to see the number of receivers that take the supposed simple act of catching a football for granted. Cris Carter never did. He never stopped working on his pass catching. His football workouts were legendary. Working his hands was always part of them. He took care of those hands too. Keeping them soft. Keeping them pretty. It's been said somewhere. Can't remember where. "He took care of the hands that took care of him."
I was in the Candlestick stands for one of the best examples of Cris Carter's game. A Monday Night game. Dec. 18, 1995. The San Francisco 49ers were one of the dominant teams in the league. The Minnesota Vikings were a frequent one-and-done playoff team. The 49ers jumped all over the Vikings early. Jerry Rice was pretty much unstoppable. No surprise there. Before the first half was over, Carter started pushing and pulling his team back into the game. It's quite remarkable to see a receiver to put a team on his back and carry it. Carter did that this night. For a fan of receivers, this game was amazing. It turned into a duel between Jerry Rice and Cris Carter. It was simply beautiful. In the days before the fantasy football revolution, in-game stats weren't paraded around a stadium. People attending an NFL game in the '90s were mostly in the dark as to how "their players" were performing. It felt like Carter and Rice were putting up similar numbers. One would match what the other did. I figured that each future Hall of Fame receiver had about 10 catches for over 150 yards. I was fairly shocked to see this in the paper the following morning:
Carter 12-88yds and 2 TDs
Rice 14-289yds and 3 TDs
Rice even had one carry for another 10 yards. He was a yard short of 300 total yards! This was the best statistical game for the best receiver the game has ever seen. It wasn't so much that Rice's game was so outrageous that surprised me. It was how pedestrian Carter's game looked on paper. I learned then that Cris Carter had to be seen to be properly appreciated. I also think that this why it took Carter six years longer than it should have to make it to Canton. The Hall of Fame voters rely too heavily on stats. Carter has the stats for Canton but his game has always been better than his stats. 12 catches for 88 yards doesn't open a lot of eyes. What Carter did with those catches can open eyes. He moved the chains. He scored touchdowns. He carried his team down the field. All of his 88 yards were important yards. That's not to say that there are unimportant yards. It's just that sometimes a 4-yard reception for a first down, during a critical drive, is sometimes as important as a 30-yard gain. That night, it felt like Carter and Rice had similar games. The 49ers won the game, 37-30. It was quite a game after Carter pulled the Vikings back from a 21-0 first quarter deficit.
There are football players that make each generation a special time to be a football fan. I'd love to have seen Red Grange run, Dutch Clark lead, Don Hutson play, Sammy Baugh pass, Deacon Jones rush, Jim Brown and Gale Sayers carry the ball. I'd love to have seen the greats from generations past. Lawrence Taylor, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Ed Reed are just a few that have made my generation special. Cris Carter is in that group. He helped make his generation of football great. No one caught the ball better. It was a true honor to watch Cris Carter play football. That honor continues on Saturday when he finds his home with the best.
Pro Bowl Saved?
The Pro Bowl, as we know it, will be no more. The players will be selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches, and players. The selected players will then be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft. This draft will, of course, be televised on NFL Network. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will serve as alumni captains. They will be tasked with the drafting of the two teams. Each will be assisted by a fan from the NFL.com fantasy league. They may or may not be further assisted by the top offensive and defensive vote-getter in the Pro Bowl balloting. So, there will still be 43 players on each team but they will no longer be defined by their respective conferences.
There will be a bunch of other changes.
-the ball will change hands after each quarter. Each quarter will have a two-minute warning and the resulting two-minute offense
-no kickoffs. A coin toss will still determine which team is awarded first possession. The ball will be placed at the 25-yard line at the start of each quarter and after scoring plays.
-the kick return specialist will be replaced by an extra defensive back.
-defenses will be allowed to play "press" and "cover two" coverage. Previously, teams could only play "man' coverage.
-stopping of the game clock. Beginning at the two-minute mark of every quarter, if the offense does not gain at least one yard, the clock will stop as if it were an incomplete pass. This will force the offensive team to attempt to gain yardage toward the end of each quarter.
-more game clock. The game clock will start after an incomplete pass on the signal of the referee, except inside of the last two minutes of the two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half.
-a 35-second/25-second play clock will be adopted instead of the 40-second/25-second clock.
-the game clock will not stop on quarterback sacks outside of the final two minutes of the game.
There you go. Personally, I didn't think that any changes needed to be made to the Pro Bowl. The effort put forth in the game two years ago was pathetic. That couldn't happen again. At some point, you'd expect pride to kick in. That didn't happen then. If the players played the game like they have since 1951 there would be no problem. The people that bitch about the game in general miss the point of the game. It's an all-star game. It's an exhibition. No one should expect the effort that is given in games that mean something. The effort given two years ago was something closer to a walk-through. It was less than your typical practice. The Pro Bowl is supposed to be a fun game. It's supposed to be an enjoyable gathering of the best players in the game. Players have managed to make it an enjoyable, competitive game for over fifty years. It's only in recent years that people suddenly have an issue with the game. I'm a traditionalist. I like the game the way that it was. Moving the game to Hawaii about thirty years ago was a brilliant move. Getting rid of the AFC-NFC teams is a terrible move. I hate the idea of Chad Greenway possibly tackling Adrian Peterson. I don't know. Perhaps, this new game will grow on me. I hated it when the NFL Draft was moved from a weekend to a prime time event. Now, the new Draft format has kind of grown on me. Maybe, a couple of years from now I'll be loving this new Pro Bowl game. All I know now is that the new Pro Bowl is better than dropping the game completely.
There will be a bunch of other changes.
-the ball will change hands after each quarter. Each quarter will have a two-minute warning and the resulting two-minute offense
-no kickoffs. A coin toss will still determine which team is awarded first possession. The ball will be placed at the 25-yard line at the start of each quarter and after scoring plays.
-the kick return specialist will be replaced by an extra defensive back.
-defenses will be allowed to play "press" and "cover two" coverage. Previously, teams could only play "man' coverage.
-stopping of the game clock. Beginning at the two-minute mark of every quarter, if the offense does not gain at least one yard, the clock will stop as if it were an incomplete pass. This will force the offensive team to attempt to gain yardage toward the end of each quarter.
-more game clock. The game clock will start after an incomplete pass on the signal of the referee, except inside of the last two minutes of the two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half.
-a 35-second/25-second play clock will be adopted instead of the 40-second/25-second clock.
-the game clock will not stop on quarterback sacks outside of the final two minutes of the game.
There you go. Personally, I didn't think that any changes needed to be made to the Pro Bowl. The effort put forth in the game two years ago was pathetic. That couldn't happen again. At some point, you'd expect pride to kick in. That didn't happen then. If the players played the game like they have since 1951 there would be no problem. The people that bitch about the game in general miss the point of the game. It's an all-star game. It's an exhibition. No one should expect the effort that is given in games that mean something. The effort given two years ago was something closer to a walk-through. It was less than your typical practice. The Pro Bowl is supposed to be a fun game. It's supposed to be an enjoyable gathering of the best players in the game. Players have managed to make it an enjoyable, competitive game for over fifty years. It's only in recent years that people suddenly have an issue with the game. I'm a traditionalist. I like the game the way that it was. Moving the game to Hawaii about thirty years ago was a brilliant move. Getting rid of the AFC-NFC teams is a terrible move. I hate the idea of Chad Greenway possibly tackling Adrian Peterson. I don't know. Perhaps, this new game will grow on me. I hated it when the NFL Draft was moved from a weekend to a prime time event. Now, the new Draft format has kind of grown on me. Maybe, a couple of years from now I'll be loving this new Pro Bowl game. All I know now is that the new Pro Bowl is better than dropping the game completely.
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