I have always been an admirer of how football players adapt and make adjustments in how they play due to the elements. Man vs. Man vs. Nature. Can any one of us deny that games such as The Ice Bowl and others like it add purity to the game itself? I know that my favorite images of this game are men down on the line where their breath gives away the intensity of their emotions. So with this being said, who had the bright idea to dome the game?
I have always groaned at the notion of having to watch a game played in any dome. I think that it robs so much from the players and the fans. Around the league there is a total of nine domes, two of them being retractable. Now I am sure that they were thought of by someone who thought more tickets could be sold if fans were not huddled up together freezing to death. Wrong! Give me an emotionally charged, close game and I will be nice and toasty! Ever since I can remember I have always enjoyed football from Peewee to High School, College and Pro Football more when the temp dips below forty degrees. A hot cup of coffee, or cocoa along with the smell of hot roasted peanuts all add to the atmosphere of the game.
As bad as domes are there is a worse danger lurking inside. That's right Artificial Turf can be a players worst nightmare. This freak of nature has been blamed for numerous injuries that could have been avoidable. I know for myself that "Turf Toe" sounds ridiculous, but is actually a painful injury that can sideline a player for up to three weeks or longer. So why is this acceptable for a fourth of the stadiums in the league?
Only nine out of thirty-two teams play inside. I would think that teams who play in a Stadium as opposed to a Dome would have the advantage. Now sure you can bring up the Colts, but Payton Manning is the answer to your question. Do me a favor and think about this. . . out of all the domed teams, only Minnesota and Detroit can really say their winter weather is bad. On the other hand, winter months for teams like Green Bay, Buffalo, New England, Denver and Chicago are brutal and all played outside.
In my opinion the only team that truly deserves a dome is the Cardinals, and man what a dome they have! Not only do they have a retractable roof, but a retractable field allowing them to have real grass instead of turf. Dallas is also a team that allows the elements to affect their game, while letting their fans stay dry. Well at least until 2009 when their new stadium will open.
Look bottom line here is this. . . take a football, add some real men along with the unpredictability of the elements, mix them all together and you will achieve perfection!
Another glorious weekend is upon us Sports Fans! Week Three in the NFL and things for some are going to get tougher. There are a lot of 2-0 teams out there, but that will all change Sunday. We will see who can find that elusive 3-0...
I am going to do something unusual for me...I am going to "Step out of the Pocket" and make my pics for Week Three. But here is what I am NOT going to do, I am NOT going make a pic in the Redskins vs. Giants game. Anyone who read my article about being "Superstitious" will understand why.If not then you can find my reasons there.
So let's get on to the task @ hand...
Pls. note my winning picks will be in red.
Arizona(1/1) at Baltimore(1/1)-This is actually difficult to call being both teams are 1/1. Yes Baltimore is playing at home, but there are key injuries to McNair and Ogden. So I will be going with Edggerin James and his Cardinals.
Detroit(2/0) at Philadelphia(0/2)-This one, I am sad to say is not difficult at all to call. I am going to go with the 2/0 Lions over the struggling Eagles.
Buffalo(0/2)atNew England(2/0)- I think the Pats proved their point last week, and being this is the 0/2 Bills coming into Gillette Stadium, I am going with the Pats to advance to 3/0 this Sunday.
Indianapolis(2/0) at Houston(2/0)- My friends this is my UPSET pick of the week! I have said I believe Houston is the breakout team of the '07 Season and they have not let me down yet. Houston over Indy folks!
Minnesota(1/1) at Kansas City(0/2)- Believe me when I say that I am a bit shaky about this one, but I am picking KC @ home to redeem themselves in front of their fans!
Miami(0/2) at Jets(0/2)- I am going with Miami to win this over the Jets. True this is one of those "Someone has to win" games, but I think that Miami, having faced two NFC East 2/0 teams will find calmer seas against the Jets.
San Diego(1/1) at Green Bay(2/0)-This was a very easy decision. I mean come on Charger fans you have to know Farve has come back from the dead! I am going with Farve and his Pack to advance to 3/0!
St. Louis(0/2) at Tampa Bay(1/1)-I am going with the home team here. Being TB is coming off of beating the Saints I really think St. Louis will not be able to pull it off.
San Francisco(2/0) at Pittsburgh(2/0)-Both teams are 2/0, but I am giving the advantage to the Steelers due to the "Terrible Towels" giving them the edge at home!
Cincinnati (1/1) at Seattle (1/1)-Listen to me people! Cinci is going to beat Seattle at home even with the "Twelfth Man" screaming loudly! The Bengals Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson are going to make it another long dreary day in Seattle!
Cleveland(1/1) at Oakland(0/2)- Will QB Derek Anderson be able to go into Oakland and pull out another win? I really believe that he will! Being that he is still on a high with putting up 51 points last week. The Raiders will not be able to overcome.
Jacksonville (1/1) at Denver(2/0)- Hands down it is Denver. They have won two already so the Jags will not beat the Broncos at home!
Dallas(2/0) at Chicago(2/0)-I don't think the Cowboys are going to be able to pull this off. They have so far played two ineffective Defenses, and though Grossman is no Romo, I think the Bears Defense will put a lid on the Cowboys explosive Offense.
Carolina(1/1) at Atlanta(0/2)- We all know why! So I will just say the Panthers will advance to 2/1!
MONDAY NIGHT -Tennessee(1/1) at New Orleans(0/2)- I am afraid that the beloved Saints will fall to 0/3 Monday Night. I am going to go with the Titans, unless Vince Young does something stupid again, but even still the Titans will advance to 2/1.
I will just sit back and wait for the boos, which I am sure will follow...
I have always been curious to see if other people are as crazy as I am when it comes to sports and superstition. I have convinced my children and my Husband that if you make a BOLD comment about how well your team is going to do, you have to knock on wood at least three times. If I think they are going to say something like "We our going to beat so and so!" I will try to stop them as quickly as possible! My oldest son says I drive him crazy! But last season he decided to take the opposite route and NOT do any of the things he has done over the years. Well, I have to tell you that the Redskins had a horrible season last year, and don't think for one second that conversation was not the hot topic at the dinner table in the off season! He has changed his tune this year, and so far the 'Skins are 2-0! Now I have to knock on wood...hold on! Okay I am done.
Throughout the years I have gone through periods of time when if per chance I had something as trivial as a lighter in my hand, and my team scored I would not let go of it through any of the games. There was one point in time where I had a LARGE collection of Redskins lighters that I kept above my Television. Well my Aunt, who is both a Redskins and Cowboys fan (I know) walked off with my collection. I noticed immediately after she had left that they were missing. She thought it was funny, and so did I until I got them back! I swear to you that this happened in the mid 90's. From that moment I got them back the Redskins started not only going down hill, but also losing the Cowboy/Redskins match ups! She has never let me live that down. Oh, and she can claim to be a 'Skins fan all she wants, but she has since decided that the 'Boys come first. Guess what? We already knew that!
Here are some of the more "Out there" things I have done in my life...
1-I have stood on one foot through a whole quarter. I was leaning up against the wall just in case you were wondering how I stayed up that long.
2- I have watched a game upside down. I had a massive headache afterwards!
3- I have a Redskins Blanket that has to be on top of my couch before every game, and if someone sits on it...they are ejected from the room!
4-Everyone has assigned jerseys, clothes, hats, etc. And if I see we are losing! We will swap until things change.
5-My Mom, who is as bad as I am, calls me before every game. We are not allowed to call each other until the game is over! We are not allowed to watch a game together. I think you can see where I get this from.
6- Just tonight I sang "Hail to the Redskins" every time the Offense was on the field. It is not the first time, and it will not be the last.
7- I have many more, but I will just go a head and give the last one...Back in the 05' season I had to go out and pick my youngest son up in the middle of the game. It was around the third game of the season. Well , while I was out, I turned Sonny and Sam on the radio and the game turned around completely. For the rest of the regular season I would get in my Explorer about half time,listen to Sonny and Sam's radio show for the play by play, make my youngest go with me, and I would drive the exact same roads until the game was over. We made it to the playoffs that season! Too bad I stopped maybe we could have made it to the Super Bowl!
Now I know that probably all of you are thinking the same thing. This chic is off her rocker! Truthfully, I am about one of the most sane, and logical people you will ever meet! But something happens to me in early September. I change completely! Almost like a werewolf with the moon. I have actually had co workers say it is the craziest thing they have ever seen. They say I am business all week long, but when Friday rolls around my mind shifts gears! What can I say? I am a FANATIC! When you love something like that you lose all rational thought!
I do know that what I do is only to make me feel like I am an actual part of the team. It is just another way to show my passionate love for the Redskins. But sometimes I swear to you it really seems like it works! I know, I know...
Now I want to hear some of the craziest things you have done. What are your superstitions? Because I know I am not the only one out here that has done some crazy things! So let's hear it people...inquiring minds want to know!
The NFL used to primarily be about rivalries, trash talking, hard hitting and all around good guys. And though I am sure that you can still find it somewhere, you are going to have to dig very deep to find it! We have entered an era of dog fighting, coaches and players being busted in a drug stings, pot smokers, firearms issues and now the latest thing... blatant cheating! I am just scratching the surface of what is wrong in today’s NFL. You know if you had of asked me ten years ago what HGH stood for truthfully I would have had no idea. Today HGH it is as commonly used as LOL.
All of this disruption makes me long for yesteryear! For days when the worst things to worry about were comments like, "When I play Darrell Green I am going to break his leg" A quote from Michael Irvin. At that time I would have never believed that one day those words would seem tame to me. I miss Sunday morning NFL shows whose headlines were not consumed with issues like the above mentioned, but their headlines were filled with teams, their players and the Biggest Games of the week!
I have noticed that several people seem to think that Commissioner Goodell is at fault! Why because he is being tough and firm on his punishment for all who break the rules? But that is the point isn’t it? There would not be a need for his iron fist if people did not "Break the Rules"! I am sure there are many in the NFL who are longing for the days of the "King of Coverups" Paul Tagliabue. But those days are long gone, and a new Sheriff is in town! Maybe we should nickname him Wyatt Earp? I see some similarities between the two, do you? Earp comes into a lawless town. Goodell comes into a lawless league. No not all of Dodge City was lawless. And not all of the NFL is lawless. Still Earp enforced the law. Just like Goodell is enforcing the rules. Dodge City ended up the better for Earp having been there. Just like the NFL will end up being better for Goodell.
You know Today I have read many stories and blogs in regards to Bill Belichicks cheating. And as I stated in the comments I made, I will say again... there is just no way that the Patriots are going to be able to get away from this. The only thing the Pats could do to help them is fire Bill. But even still, all that they have accomplished under him will always be looked upon as tarnished.
If you don’t believe me then I would suggest you read KP’s Blog " October 7, 2001: The Day Sports Went to Hell."because he delves into it and gives you Belichicks stats before and after Oct. 7, 2001. And believe me, for any of you doubters who think that what has occurred had no effect on the Patriots becoming a Dynasty, those stats will at the least make you think again, if not change your mind completely!
Now I know you die hard Patriot fans do not want to hear this, and I know the Bill himself does not want to hear this, being he is trying to put as much distance as he can between him being caught. But I can just about guarantee that had it been Tony Dungy and your hated rivals the Colts, you would be blowing FOX Sports up with what you had to say! So turn about is fair play, and you are going to have to defend a cheat for many years to come! I do not envy you Patriot fans.
But I think I can best sum this article up like this...
Back in the day when Wyatt was in charge, you had to check your guns when you came into town. Abide by their rules while you were there, and when you left you could pick them up. Well, I think the same applies to the NFL and Goodell... You need to check your crimes at the door the day you become a part of the NFL. Abide by the rules while you are in "OUR"town And on your way out...YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL BACK !
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I have been a Washington Redskins Fan all of my life. I come from four generations of "We bleed Burgundy and Gold" Redskins fanatics! I have three teenage sons who are following in this great tradition.
I also am a huge Cal Ripken fan. Congrats to his Hall of fame induction. I would rather go and see a baseball game in person, then watch it on TV. My oldest Son is doing his best to make his dream come true. He has played baseball his whole life, and is being scouted now.
I live in Virginia Beach, Va. I am a native, not a tourist. I work for Canon USA and I love every minute of it! I believe you should Love life, and Live for Redskins Football! HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!
I have always been an admirer of how football players adapt and make adjustments in how they play due to the elements. Man vs. Man vs. Nature. Can any one of us deny that games such as The Ice Bowl and others like it add purity to the game itself? I know that my favorite images of this game are men down on the line where their breath gives away the intensity of their emotions. So with this being said, who had the bright idea to dome the game? 
huddled up together freezing to death. Wrong! Give me an emotionally charged, close game and I will be nice and toasty! Ever since I can remember I have always enjoyed football from Peewee to High School, College and Pro Football more when the temp dips below forty degrees. A hot cup of coffee, or cocoa along with the smell of hot roasted peanuts all add to the atmosphere of the game. 
injuries that could have been avoidable. I know for myself that "Turf Toe" sounds ridiculous, but is actually a painful injury that can sideline a player for up to three weeks or longer. So why is this acceptable for a fourth of the stadiums in the league? 
Stadium as opposed to a Dome would have the advantage. Now sure you can bring up the Colts, but Payton Manning is the answer to your question. Do me a favor and think about this. . . out of all the domed teams, only Minnesota and Detroit can really say their winter weather is bad. On the other hand, winter months for teams like Green Bay, Buffalo, New England, Denver and Chicago are brutal and all played outside. 
In my opinion the only team that truly deserves a dome is the Cardinals, and man what a dome they have! Not only do they have a retractable roof, but a retractable field allowing them to have real grass instead of turf. Dallas is also a team that allows the elements to affect their game, while letting their fans stay dry. Well at least until 2009 when their new stadium will open. 
