WANTED: NEW NFL TEAM TO CALL "AMERICA'S TEAM"
The National Football League is looking for qualified teams for a new position that has currently become vacant after Week 7 of the 2010-2011 season. The open position is for that of "America's Team." Key responsibilities include but are not limited to, being a media-whore and wanting all the attention, all the time. This means getting networks like ESPN and others to bend over backwards for you in order to make you look good no matter what. Your players always get coverage over any other team. The qualified team must own and operate a huge bandwagon in order for millions of fans to "jump on" no matter where they are from or what team they grew up on. These fans just want to root for the team that is winning at the moment, gets all the media attention, has all the money, and the team and the players are always over-hyped every single season no matter what. These fans do not necessarily have to know a lot about the game of football or it's history. These fans are sometimes very illogical and will say whatever they want without thinking. The qualified team must have an excellent history in the league which includes Hall of Fame players, playoff appearances, and a great winning tradition. Super Bowl championship(s) are a plus but are not necessarily required to fill the position. Of course, all of these items are always over-hyped and talked about by the fans or media all the time.
I wanted to start off this blog with a fake wanted ad that the NFL would post after the Cowboys lost the right or were "fired" from the title of "America's Team." Now I never thought they were America's Team but since they have been branded with that for a while now I think they should have lost the official title after their "Big Three" (Aikman, Smith, and Irvin) left the team. The title gained popularity in the late 1970s after the NFL created a highlight film and some donk labeled them "America's Team" solely because they were "popular", always on T.V., and had a lot of fans. Of course, the media ate this up and so it began. I guess all the other teams in the league at that time were never on T.V. or had any fans either.
Nevertheless, after the Giants dismembering of the Dallas Cowboys on national television during this past week's Monday Night Football, the spot where the Cowboys first got the title, I think it's about time for someone prominent in the media to step up and official propose a new team for America (or kill the title all together and have no "America's Team). Since I am not a prominent member of the media I can't really proclaim that and have it mean anything. However, I can give you reasons why the Cowboys should have the titled revoked and put forth some possible replacement teams if the title of "America's Team" must live to see another day.
First off, the Cowboys haven't been to the Super Bowl in 14 years (1996 win over the Steelers). Yes, they may have been to the playoffs multiple times since then but have barely made it past the 2nd round in most instances. The prolific offense that they used to be known for has died down considerably. All those fans that said Romo would be some sort of "savior" for the franchise, be the next Aikman for that team, and take them to the promise land all over again couldn't be farther from the truth. Romo will never be Aikman, will not end his career with the Cowboys, and will be lucky to ever win a Super Bowl, let alone a Conference Championship. Good try, Romo. The O-line is in shambles especially this year with all the injuries.
No one on the team has stepped up and commanded the team from a locker-room standpoint. How can you be a good team let alone "America's Team" if you don't have a leader in the locker-room? Some say Romo is the leader of the team but I haven't seen any indications on or off the field that he has control of that locker-room and we all know Wade Phillips has zero control over it. However, as much as it pains me I will give the 'Boys some credit, their defense has always stayed pretty good over the years but is still not a top tier D in the NFL. Jerry Jones is a reputable owner this is true and has been for many years now but spending over $1 Billion on a new stadium that is more comparable to the Las Vegas strip than an actual sporting venue does not mean you are one of the well-liked owners of the League.
I think overall, the team itself does not posses the heart, charisma, or leadership to continue being called "America's Team" any longer. That being said, which current NFL team could even come close replacing the Cowboys as "America's Team"? I think I might have a few suggestions.
1. The Pittsburgh Steelers. Steel Town. A symbol of hard working, middle America. Hardcore fans all over the nation that are just as dedicated to their team as anyone in the league. "Grind it out" Offense with a hard-nose Defense that has always been dominant. Six Super Bowl Championships. Hall of Famers like Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Mean Joe Greene, and others. Great tradition of winning and great ownership in the Rooney Family. Always getting a lot of media attention whether good or bad. Probably one of the top contenders to take over the title of America's Team. Currently they have one of the best records in football and with players like Roethlisberger as QB and Polamalu on defense they are ripe to make it to another Super Bowl this year.
2. The New England Patriots. With team colors of red, white, and blue. A mascot that symbolizes the Revolutionary War and our independence as a Nation. Based out of one of the oldest areas of America and with a fan base that has many, many "band-wagoners" it would seem perfect for a team like the PATRIOTS to take the torch from the Cowboys. Media attention is also pretty huge as well. With the Kraft family at the helm as of 1994 a winning tradition has not always been a part of the franchise. However, with the addition of Tom Brady as QB and Bill Belichick as a coach a firm winning tradition has been established over the past decade. With three Super Bowl Championships all within the past decade and one other appearance in 1985 the history is not really there for this team. However, what the team has done over the past decade can definitley make up for a lot of things in my opinion.
3. The New Orleans Saints. The only thing that makes this team a contender to take the torch from the Cowboys is their one Super Bowl win and first appearance last year and the story behind it: Hurricane Katrina. I respect the story and the team and everything that it did for the community of not only New Orleans but the country as a whole. The Saints gained a new love from the media and fans alike as many jumped on the Saints band-wagon during the 2009-2010 season. However, the winning tradition is not there (it never has been there) and the history of the team is not anything spectacular. They do have some notable famous historic players in Archie Manning, Sam Mills, and Willie Roaf. However, it's more their current successes with the Brees and Payton era that have brought them to the forefront of people's minds as the new "America's Team." I'm sure their successes will continue so that is probably what I am basing this off of in considering them to take over the title of America's Team.
And finally....a wildcard suggestion....
4. The Washington Redskins? Located near the most powerful city of the Free World and capitol of the United States in Washington, DC. Three Super Bowl Championships. Great tradition of winning although that has been a problem since their last Championship over a decade ago. With HoFers like Jurgensen, Baugh, and Riggins the history is all there for the Redskins. However, their current successes have just not been there and that is a major hindrance in my mind. Also the ownership of the team by Daniel Snyder has come under major scrutiny ever since he took over the team in 1999. Before Snyder the team had great ownership under the Cooke family and that's when the Super Bowl Championships were won. In my mind if they can just start winning again and maybe prove to the country that their fans aren't just talking it up every year then maybe the could be a consideration for America's Team. Until then they are still on the back burner in my mind.
In conclusion, it is time for the Cowboys to pass the torch of America's Team to a new, more qualified franchise. It was a nice run for the 'Boys and overall (even though it pains me to say it) they did a good job being America's Team for almost three decades now. I know it won't be easy for them to give up the title but I think it's time to let another team put it on their resume and be "America's Team."
-R.N.N.
@ryannnelson87
rnelson0187@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Biggest Rivalries of the NFL - 2010 Version
Rivalries. A very strong word when it comes to most competitive sports today. When I think of great rivalries in sports today I think of Yankees against Red Sox, Michigan facing Ohio State, and maybe making a comeback is the Lakers and the Celtics just to name a few.
However, the word rivalry doesn't hold as much anymore in the NFL necessarily. My opinion is that NFL rivalries have lost their vigor and spunk over the years. Now I know some "die-hard" fans will get upset with these statements but I just don't get the usual vibes I'm used to when it comes to these so called "rivalry games" nowadays. Granted, I have only been around sports for about 19 years but growing up as a Giants fan I remember watching those NFC East games with family and the atmosphere was just like we were at the stadium watching the game. Yelling, cheering, booing and all at high (often over exaggerated) levels of volume. The week leading up to those rival games (most of all against the Eagles back then) were fun and very competitive among fans we knew of the opposing teams. Then come game time it was intense. The games were always close, always on the edge of your seat kind of stuff. One team may have been better or worse than the other but on those days both teams were just as good as the other. That's what made these games so special and competitive. Each team had a chance to win every time they played each other no matter what players were on each team or their records.
Their were even heavy rivalries between teams from both conferences. Of course you always had your common in division rivals such as Redskins-Cowboys, Packers-Bears, Patriots-Colts, Broncos-Cheifs, just to name a few. But their used to many rivalries that spread between both conferences. The Cowboys and Bills became pretty big rivals during the 1990s mainly because they played each other multiple times in the Super Bowl during that decade. The Giants developed rivalries with pretty much all the other New York teams and the only one that has survived to this day is the one with the Jets (which I am growing on and developing a small hatred for the Jets). When the Rams used to be in Los Angeles a small (and short-lived) rivalry with the Raiders used to be a big game. The Cowboys and the Steelers have always held a small rivalry over the years. You can start to see where I' m going with this. Rivalries used to be a huge deal in the NFL. I don't think they carry as much weight anymore.
I must say, as a Giants fan if I know next week's game is going to be against another NFC East team my mood is a little more exciting and I am always looking forward to a Sunday against the Eagles or Cowboys. However, I just don't see my excitement expressed across the Giants Nation. I listen to New York sports talk radio every once in a while. The hosts there just treat it like another game on the schedule. I live in the Washington, DC area and listen to sports talk radio here as well. Skins-Cowboys week has never seemed more irrelevant.
Now, let me stop there and say that there are plenty of fans out there who still cherish the rivalries in the NFL and the share it and show it. I'm not saying that the spirit for the rivalries is missing with the fan base because I will be the first one to bash the Cowboys and their fans the week leading up to a game against my Giants. I know there are plenty of fans out there who love rivalry weeks. There are some fans that just don't get into that much anymore. The family that I talked about before that would always watch games as if they were actually there don't really get into the whole "rivalry week" that much anymore and regard pretty much every game as just another game on the calendar.
To finish this topic up, my whole point is that the NFL as a whole just doesn't promote or show love to the "rivalry game" as much as they used to. It mainly seems just like another game on the schedule. Rivalries that used to be household names no matter if you were a fan of the teams or not just don't seem that important anymore. To put it bluntly, I don't really think rivalries exist in the real sense of the term in the NFL anymore. Your thoughts are welcomed.
-R.N.N.
rnelson0187@gmail.com
@ryannnelson87
However, the word rivalry doesn't hold as much anymore in the NFL necessarily. My opinion is that NFL rivalries have lost their vigor and spunk over the years. Now I know some "die-hard" fans will get upset with these statements but I just don't get the usual vibes I'm used to when it comes to these so called "rivalry games" nowadays. Granted, I have only been around sports for about 19 years but growing up as a Giants fan I remember watching those NFC East games with family and the atmosphere was just like we were at the stadium watching the game. Yelling, cheering, booing and all at high (often over exaggerated) levels of volume. The week leading up to those rival games (most of all against the Eagles back then) were fun and very competitive among fans we knew of the opposing teams. Then come game time it was intense. The games were always close, always on the edge of your seat kind of stuff. One team may have been better or worse than the other but on those days both teams were just as good as the other. That's what made these games so special and competitive. Each team had a chance to win every time they played each other no matter what players were on each team or their records.
Their were even heavy rivalries between teams from both conferences. Of course you always had your common in division rivals such as Redskins-Cowboys, Packers-Bears, Patriots-Colts, Broncos-Cheifs, just to name a few. But their used to many rivalries that spread between both conferences. The Cowboys and Bills became pretty big rivals during the 1990s mainly because they played each other multiple times in the Super Bowl during that decade. The Giants developed rivalries with pretty much all the other New York teams and the only one that has survived to this day is the one with the Jets (which I am growing on and developing a small hatred for the Jets). When the Rams used to be in Los Angeles a small (and short-lived) rivalry with the Raiders used to be a big game. The Cowboys and the Steelers have always held a small rivalry over the years. You can start to see where I' m going with this. Rivalries used to be a huge deal in the NFL. I don't think they carry as much weight anymore.
I must say, as a Giants fan if I know next week's game is going to be against another NFC East team my mood is a little more exciting and I am always looking forward to a Sunday against the Eagles or Cowboys. However, I just don't see my excitement expressed across the Giants Nation. I listen to New York sports talk radio every once in a while. The hosts there just treat it like another game on the schedule. I live in the Washington, DC area and listen to sports talk radio here as well. Skins-Cowboys week has never seemed more irrelevant.
Now, let me stop there and say that there are plenty of fans out there who still cherish the rivalries in the NFL and the share it and show it. I'm not saying that the spirit for the rivalries is missing with the fan base because I will be the first one to bash the Cowboys and their fans the week leading up to a game against my Giants. I know there are plenty of fans out there who love rivalry weeks. There are some fans that just don't get into that much anymore. The family that I talked about before that would always watch games as if they were actually there don't really get into the whole "rivalry week" that much anymore and regard pretty much every game as just another game on the calendar.
To finish this topic up, my whole point is that the NFL as a whole just doesn't promote or show love to the "rivalry game" as much as they used to. It mainly seems just like another game on the schedule. Rivalries that used to be household names no matter if you were a fan of the teams or not just don't seem that important anymore. To put it bluntly, I don't really think rivalries exist in the real sense of the term in the NFL anymore. Your thoughts are welcomed.
-R.N.N.
rnelson0187@gmail.com
@ryannnelson87
Monday, October 4, 2010
Giants D Back to 2008 Form
First of all, huge, HUGE win for the G-Men last night at home. I took away three key things from that game last night.
1. I am not buying the fact that the Bears are a legit team this year.
2. The NFC is a complete mess at the moment.
3. The Giants showed that they can become a legit team this year.
Let's take point number one. Like many other fans and NFL experts after the first 2 weeks of watching Jay Cutler and the Bears I was on the verge of jumping on the "Cutler Bandwagon." This team really looked liked the old Bears that went to the Super Bowl a few years ago, especially the defense. Cutler looked to be a perfect fit for the Mike Martz offense that was scripted to re-vitalize the Bears. However, after watching the game last night and also referencing back to their previous weeks, it seems the Bears have many issues to address. From what I saw that offensive line is very disorganized and let the Giants line take out two QBs and allowed 10 sacks and only 58 yards on the ground. I don't know if it was the Giants defense that just played really well or the complete breakdown of the Bears offense. Either way, I have several doubts in regards to this Bears team being able to beat those top-tier teams especially come crunch time when it counts. I am not buying the Bears just yet.
Number 2. After week 4 the NFC is proving to once again be a complete crap show this year. The NFC West is just god-awful (Go Rams!) along with the bottom feeders of the NFC North and South. No game is predictable any more. After watching the Super Bowl Champ Saints almost lose to the Panthers and the Falcons almost give one away to the 49ers, I just can't believe how up in the air the NFC is this year. The AFC isn't much better this year either but at least you still have some predictability there (at least for now, it's only Week 4). I will be completely surprised if have a few teams with 8-8 or 9-7 records that win the division the way things are looking right now. Overall, the NFC is just laughable right now and I don't see it getting any better as we are a quarter of the way through the season.
Finally, point number three. It seems that all the Giants need is a little drama the week before a game and they come out guns blazing and running on all cylinders. Giants safety Antrel Rolle had some discouraging words concerning the leadership on the team and aimed a lot his comments at Coach Coughlin. Former players such as Tiki Barber, Antonio Pierce and Michael Strahan also had some "words of wisdom" and were very outspoken during the week about the current problems with the Giants team. It seems the team and the defense especially took this personally and also took it out on the Bears O-line and Cutler. The running game (minus the key fumbles) looked good and is hopefully back on track if Bradshaw can stay healthy. Manning and the other offense players looked to be more in control after the debacle that was the Titans game last week. So if the G-Men can come out and play like they did last night every game then I definitley think they can still get back to a legit team in the league. Now as a Giants fan that game last night really raised my spirits ten-fold and really reminded me of the Super Bowl team of 2008 that rocked Brady and the then undefeated Pats. Maybe there is hope for this season after all.
-R.N.N.
rnelson0187@gmail.com
@ryannnelson87
www.facebook.com/rnncoolguy
1. I am not buying the fact that the Bears are a legit team this year.
2. The NFC is a complete mess at the moment.
3. The Giants showed that they can become a legit team this year.
Let's take point number one. Like many other fans and NFL experts after the first 2 weeks of watching Jay Cutler and the Bears I was on the verge of jumping on the "Cutler Bandwagon." This team really looked liked the old Bears that went to the Super Bowl a few years ago, especially the defense. Cutler looked to be a perfect fit for the Mike Martz offense that was scripted to re-vitalize the Bears. However, after watching the game last night and also referencing back to their previous weeks, it seems the Bears have many issues to address. From what I saw that offensive line is very disorganized and let the Giants line take out two QBs and allowed 10 sacks and only 58 yards on the ground. I don't know if it was the Giants defense that just played really well or the complete breakdown of the Bears offense. Either way, I have several doubts in regards to this Bears team being able to beat those top-tier teams especially come crunch time when it counts. I am not buying the Bears just yet.
Number 2. After week 4 the NFC is proving to once again be a complete crap show this year. The NFC West is just god-awful (Go Rams!) along with the bottom feeders of the NFC North and South. No game is predictable any more. After watching the Super Bowl Champ Saints almost lose to the Panthers and the Falcons almost give one away to the 49ers, I just can't believe how up in the air the NFC is this year. The AFC isn't much better this year either but at least you still have some predictability there (at least for now, it's only Week 4). I will be completely surprised if have a few teams with 8-8 or 9-7 records that win the division the way things are looking right now. Overall, the NFC is just laughable right now and I don't see it getting any better as we are a quarter of the way through the season.
Finally, point number three. It seems that all the Giants need is a little drama the week before a game and they come out guns blazing and running on all cylinders. Giants safety Antrel Rolle had some discouraging words concerning the leadership on the team and aimed a lot his comments at Coach Coughlin. Former players such as Tiki Barber, Antonio Pierce and Michael Strahan also had some "words of wisdom" and were very outspoken during the week about the current problems with the Giants team. It seems the team and the defense especially took this personally and also took it out on the Bears O-line and Cutler. The running game (minus the key fumbles) looked good and is hopefully back on track if Bradshaw can stay healthy. Manning and the other offense players looked to be more in control after the debacle that was the Titans game last week. So if the G-Men can come out and play like they did last night every game then I definitley think they can still get back to a legit team in the league. Now as a Giants fan that game last night really raised my spirits ten-fold and really reminded me of the Super Bowl team of 2008 that rocked Brady and the then undefeated Pats. Maybe there is hope for this season after all.
-R.N.N.
rnelson0187@gmail.com
@ryannnelson87
www.facebook.com/rnncoolguy
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