Wednesday, January 14, 2009
NFL
This is our 1294th post for the record. I don't know how many I've made. A stab in the dark at about 500 odd.
Righty oh, the NFL this year has seen me see exactly ZERO games on TV. The old curse of having no sky tv (may bother to get it this year) and being at work when most of it has been on is the main reason. My St Louis Rams had an outstanding season with 2 wins and 14 losses. Amazingly they weren't the worst team in the comp. That tag goes to the Detroit Lions who lost all 16 games to become (technically) the worst team in NFL history. I guess it has something to do with the car industry.
The Rams "greatest show on turf" sure seems like a long time ago now. Hopefully they can get a decent fucking quarterback and a few players that stay healthy for a season next year.
But to move to the teams that are still alive (and there are 4)...
Baltimore Ravens v Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC
and
Philadelphia Eagles v Arizona Cardinals in the NFC
To explain the different conferences... they are fucking stupid like all American sports. It's divided into the AFC and the NFC and the best team from each conference plays off for the Superbowl. So theoretically (and often factually) the best teams do not play in the Superbowl because they are on the same side of the draw. Imagine the Super 14 being split into pools say where the Blues and Crusaders were in the same pool and only one team could advance to the playoffs EVERY YEAR, while they went on to meet the Hurricanes in a conference playoff game and only one team could advance to the final.
That's American sport.
So under the current system you could never ever, in the history of the sport see the following Superbowl matches...
New England v New York Jets
Miami v Denver
Pittsburgh v Indianapolis
Dallas v Washington
Philadelphia v San Francisco
Just to name a few. In fact I think there are something like 270 (or close to it) match ups that CANNOT POSSIBLY HAPPEN. And that is not an exageration. Literally 50% of any matchup cannot happen because none of the 16 teams in each conference can play a side in the final from their conference.
Anyways, of the teams left its wide open. The home teams have lost an extraordinary number of games this season. It wasn't until the last few weeks that the home sides actually moved into the clear in terms of a win loss record and in the playoffs the record is 5 and 3 in favour of the away team. So Arizona and Pittsburgh are by no means in the box seat this weekend. Although I guess all the losses by home teams will mean they aren't complacent so thats why I'll tip them.
The Steelers and Ravens play in the same division (in the same conference) so they meet twice every year while often going 3 or 4 years between games v some sides. And that's another fucked thing. You can play 3 crap sides each year twice (like the Cardinals in the NFC west where the other 3 teams had a 13 win, 35 loss record) while not playing any of the top 2 or 3 sides in the NFL. It's not seeded. Imagine Nadal and Federer being drawn to play each other in the first round of every major in a year and that's similar to what the NFL serves up on some occasions.
Or a rugby world cup where NZ, Australia, South Africa, England and Samoa are in one pool while in another pool you have France, Tonga, Georgia, Scotland and Canada.
The Steelers or Ravens are most likely to provide this years winner as they are 13-4 and 13-5 respectively. While the Eagles and Cardinals are 11-6-1 and 11-7 respectively.
But since I'm racist I'm going to be cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles because they have a black quarterback. Donovan McNabb. And he isn't involved in dog fighting either.
Righty oh, the NFL this year has seen me see exactly ZERO games on TV. The old curse of having no sky tv (may bother to get it this year) and being at work when most of it has been on is the main reason. My St Louis Rams had an outstanding season with 2 wins and 14 losses. Amazingly they weren't the worst team in the comp. That tag goes to the Detroit Lions who lost all 16 games to become (technically) the worst team in NFL history. I guess it has something to do with the car industry.
The Rams "greatest show on turf" sure seems like a long time ago now. Hopefully they can get a decent fucking quarterback and a few players that stay healthy for a season next year.
But to move to the teams that are still alive (and there are 4)...
Baltimore Ravens v Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC
and
Philadelphia Eagles v Arizona Cardinals in the NFC
To explain the different conferences... they are fucking stupid like all American sports. It's divided into the AFC and the NFC and the best team from each conference plays off for the Superbowl. So theoretically (and often factually) the best teams do not play in the Superbowl because they are on the same side of the draw. Imagine the Super 14 being split into pools say where the Blues and Crusaders were in the same pool and only one team could advance to the playoffs EVERY YEAR, while they went on to meet the Hurricanes in a conference playoff game and only one team could advance to the final.
That's American sport.
So under the current system you could never ever, in the history of the sport see the following Superbowl matches...
New England v New York Jets
Miami v Denver
Pittsburgh v Indianapolis
Dallas v Washington
Philadelphia v San Francisco
Just to name a few. In fact I think there are something like 270 (or close to it) match ups that CANNOT POSSIBLY HAPPEN. And that is not an exageration. Literally 50% of any matchup cannot happen because none of the 16 teams in each conference can play a side in the final from their conference.
Anyways, of the teams left its wide open. The home teams have lost an extraordinary number of games this season. It wasn't until the last few weeks that the home sides actually moved into the clear in terms of a win loss record and in the playoffs the record is 5 and 3 in favour of the away team. So Arizona and Pittsburgh are by no means in the box seat this weekend. Although I guess all the losses by home teams will mean they aren't complacent so thats why I'll tip them.
The Steelers and Ravens play in the same division (in the same conference) so they meet twice every year while often going 3 or 4 years between games v some sides. And that's another fucked thing. You can play 3 crap sides each year twice (like the Cardinals in the NFC west where the other 3 teams had a 13 win, 35 loss record) while not playing any of the top 2 or 3 sides in the NFL. It's not seeded. Imagine Nadal and Federer being drawn to play each other in the first round of every major in a year and that's similar to what the NFL serves up on some occasions.
Or a rugby world cup where NZ, Australia, South Africa, England and Samoa are in one pool while in another pool you have France, Tonga, Georgia, Scotland and Canada.
The Steelers or Ravens are most likely to provide this years winner as they are 13-4 and 13-5 respectively. While the Eagles and Cardinals are 11-6-1 and 11-7 respectively.
But since I'm racist I'm going to be cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles because they have a black quarterback. Donovan McNabb. And he isn't involved in dog fighting either.
Labels: blogging it real, nfl, st louis rams
Comments:
"Yo, we gettin' ready to watch the Super Bowl, we got a black quarterback so step back."
Stop watching Channel Zero and get Sky TV installed mate (It'll help the economy, they say.)
Stop watching Channel Zero and get Sky TV installed mate (It'll help the economy, they say.)
I tend to spend that 80 dollars at the warehouse or Mitre10 so it's all good (for those fuckers anyway).
I have watched a few Superbowls and find them overhyped and disappointingly unfocused on the game. Aside from the 2000 Superbowl that the Rams won (JUST!!!).
The halftime break is way the fuck too long and the the shows completely wreck the focus on the game. Also the pregame hype and buzz are shit.
but the thing that really pisses me off about american football are the constant stoppages for teams to change. There shouldn't be a special teams. You should receive the ball from a kick (off at least) with your offensive lineup.
And I also dislike how the teams waltz onto the field before the clock has run out. Play to the final whistle please.
Aside from that it's enjoyable to watch once you know how it all works.
I have watched a few Superbowls and find them overhyped and disappointingly unfocused on the game. Aside from the 2000 Superbowl that the Rams won (JUST!!!).
The halftime break is way the fuck too long and the the shows completely wreck the focus on the game. Also the pregame hype and buzz are shit.
but the thing that really pisses me off about american football are the constant stoppages for teams to change. There shouldn't be a special teams. You should receive the ball from a kick (off at least) with your offensive lineup.
And I also dislike how the teams waltz onto the field before the clock has run out. Play to the final whistle please.
Aside from that it's enjoyable to watch once you know how it all works.
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