Dear Mr. Goodell and the rest of the idiots that run the NFL..

[steeljake]

Dear sirs,

Please find something else to do on Sunday night from 8 pm est to at least midnight. Two real teams, neither of wich has Tom Terrific or Mr. Manning on it but instead actual NFL players, will take the field and play actual football. Players, including the all precious quarterback, will get hit and it will hurt, some blood may get spilled and one or more players may end up in the hospital or being carted off. This game is not the pansy ass 80 point affair you are trying to make the league into so that the fruity ass PC shock troops can watch and 'enjoy' your product. This is a game that will show everyone what real smash mouth hard hitting football is and how it should stay. For people like you, this is the time when you should catch up on your cross stitching so that it will be done in time for display at Christmas dinner.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, have a wonderful evening.

P.S. Deacon Jones wants to meet you in a dark alley whenever it is convient for you.

 

[MmmmBeeeeer]

Final score: 3-3

 

[ralaw]

Steelers versus Ravens = the way football was supposed to be played.

 

[Boucher]

I hear the Ravens are gunna run the spread no huddle

 

[Bmore]

We beat them in Pittsburgh earlier this year on a last minute Flacco TD on Polamalu. I'm willing to bet they throw everything but the kitchen sink at us and beat us @ our home.

Ending our perfect season @ home.

 

[Hasselbeck]

Ironic given neither teams defense is nothing like the "defenses of old" even if Goodell didn't *gasp* try to protect athletes from their brains being the equivalent to a bowl of Jello when they're 50.

The Steelers secondary sucks and the Ravens D has been pretty up and down all season.

It won't be a 34-31 game, but it won't be some defensive struggle either.

 

[FedEx227]

Dear sirs,

Please find something else to do on Sunday night from 8 pm est to at least midnight. Two real teams, neither of wich has Tom Terrific or Mr. Manning on it but instead actual NFL players, will take the field and play actual football. Players, including the all precious quarterback, will get hit and it will hurt, some blood may get spilled and one or more players may end up in the hospital or being carted off. This game is not the pansy ass 80 point affair you are trying to make the league into so that the fruity ass PC shock troops can watch and 'enjoy' your product. This is a game that will show everyone what real smash mouth hard hitting football is and how it should stay. For people like you, this is the time when you should catch up on your cross stitching so that it will be done in time for display at Christmas dinner.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, have a wonderful evening.

P.S. Deacon Jones wants to meet you in a dark alley whenever it is convient for you.

You should probably write this to all those awesome, old school smash mouth players that are looking for handouts, medical payments and insurance from the NFL because they can barely walk or talk at 50.

They play the biggest role in the NFL's drive to clean up the game despite everyone's idea that Goodell sits on his throne slowly but surely trying to destroy the league that pays his bills.

 

[NAHSTE]

Judging both teams on my patented "How they did against the best team in the NFL" scale, the Steelers will win.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

MAN'S GAME RAWR!!!!11!!!!

I don't watch football to see blood, headhunters, broken bones, players carted off the field, or QB's maimed by cheapshots. Neither do 90% of the other people who watch football.

Look, you are going to see bordeline calls in todays NFL. Deal with it. They have to protect these players from themselves. Stop leading with the helmet, and hit the QB clean.

People watch football to see stars, they watch to see QB's. That's what draws, not blood and injuries. A very small protion of people watch football for that. Nobody wants to watch backup QB's play, when half the starting QB's can barely complete passes in this league.

 

[NAHSTE]

I do prefer a defensive football game though. I like power running, traps, leads with a pulling guard, etc.

Today's NFL is a lot too passing-oriented for my liking. Can't wait until things cycle back and everyone's in love with power rushing again.

 

[MrBill]

I do prefer a defensive football game though. I like power running, traps, leads with a pulling guard, etc.

Today's NFL is a lot too passing-oriented for my liking. Can't wait until things cycle back and everyone's in love with power rushing again.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i28UEoLXVFQ[/ame]

 

[Senser81]

I do prefer a defensive football game though. I like power running, traps, leads with a pulling guard, etc.

Today's NFL is a lot too passing-oriented for my liking. Can't wait until things cycle back and everyone's in love with power rushing again.

The problem is that teams draft offensive linemen who are too fat/large to pull, trap, etc. Their only task is to stand up and push the defender with their arms. Teams are so concerned with pass protection, that they feel a large lineman has an advantage because the defender has to run around them. I don't know if I really buy that, because I've seen Bryant McKinnie of the Vikings give up sack after sack, and pass protection/size was supposed to be his strong suit.

Its a much different NFL now than it was in the 70's and 80's. Here is the old Steeler trap...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhCYKI0R34Y[/ame]

Look at the trap block by RG Gerry Mullins...look at LG Sam Davis getting to the 2nd level and blocking a LB...look at WR John Stallworth cracking back...you just don't see this stuff anymore.

 

[ralaw]

I do prefer a defensive football game though. I like power running, traps, leads with a pulling guard, etc.

Today's NFL is a lot too passing-oriented for my liking. Can't wait until things cycle back and everyone's in love with power rushing again.

Same here. I'd rather watch a 13-10 defensive struggle against a 42-35 shootout any day. I like the idea of every play meaning something and team's struggling to score. Granted, I'm a Ravens fan, who had to watch a horrible offense be protected by a great defense for a decade.

 

[mgoblue2290]

Same here. I'd rather watch a 13-10 defensive struggle against a 42-35 shootout any day. I like the idea of every play meaning something and team's struggling to score. Granted, I'm a Ravens fan, who had to watch a horrible offense be protected by a great defense for a decade.

Same here. I've never understood the fascination with high scoring games. Touchdowns eventually don't even become all that meaningful are almost a given.

 

[Maize]

Same here. I've never understood the fascination with high scoring games. Touchdowns eventually don't even become all that meaningful are almost a given.

Fantasy football has helped to hype high scoring games. I would take a defensive struggle any day.

 

[mgoblue2290]

Fantasy football has helped to hype high scoring games. I would take a defensive struggle any day.

One more reason why fantasy football is getting more and more annoying.

For the most part in really offensive games it isn't who can stop the other team first, its who scores last. Thats really lame to me whereas in a defensive battle its whose offense can over come the defense and finally score, or take the lead.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

I dont watch football for injuries. But I do watch it for the physicality.

Seeing safeties arm tackle and whiff...running backs jump out of bounds.. WRs duck the instant someone is in the vicinity..seeing them alligator arm a pass..a flag thrown because a CB right hand is on a WR hip while diving to break up a pass...another flag thrown when a defenders hand grazes a QB facemask or helmet..watching defenses absolutely incapable of stopping the other team because they cant cover or tackle without fear is NOT what I want to watch either.

Marvelling at a 5ft 9 RB stiff arm one LBer and carry another for that extra yard...seeing a WR get leveled pop right back up and after going over the middle...seeing the entire momentum of a game change when a Safety sends a RB to the ground at the LOS...and seeing a QB get hit time after time only to stand there and deliver an accurate bomb while trying to escape with his football life to change the game...THATS what I watch for.

I knew my perspective was different when the GB-Ari playoff game was lauded as a wild fun awesome to watch shootout. When in reality it was the most atrocious and sloppy defensive games Ive ever seen out of two "good" teams.

 

[steeljake]

You should probably write this to all those awesome, old school smash mouth players that are looking for handouts, medical payments and insurance from the NFL because they can barely walk or talk at 50.

They play the biggest role in the NFL's drive to clean up the game despite everyone's idea that Goodell sits on his throne slowly but surely trying to destroy the league that pays his bills.

Isn't this an issue that could be fixed by better health care for the older players? Something your boy Ditka has been pushing for for years now. Also, how can it be called a hand out when they have earned the care that is denied them?

MAN'S GAME RAWR!!!!11!!!!

I don't watch football to see blood, headhunters, broken bones, players carted off the field, or QB's maimed by cheapshots. Neither do 90% of the other people who watch football.

Look, you are going to see bordeline calls in todays NFL. Deal with it. They have to protect these players from themselves. Stop leading with the helmet, and hit the QB clean.

People watch football to see stars, they watch to see QB's. That's what draws, not blood and injuries. A very small protion of people watch football for that. Nobody wants to watch backup QB's play, when half the starting QB's can barely complete passes in this league.

I don't watch to see people get hurt either, but week after week watching flags be throw for legit hits and text book tackles is not. I also don't watch so I can see the quarterback position turned into what it is in a practice situtation no matter who it is. Like KoF said, the qb's who can take the hit and get up and keep playing is what I want. If you just breath on them you get a flag (Indy vs Philly anyone?). Injuries will happen and the truth is the advances in equipment and medicine have helped more than these stupid fines ever will.

Maybe people do watch to see stars, but who says all the stars play on offense? As far as back up qb's sucking, if you don't want your back up to play tell your o-line to learn to protect your qb. Let the players play.

 

[Bear Pand]

Steeljake is the same guy who was begging for the refs to throw a roughing the passer flag against the Bills late in the game on Sunday. I guess smashmouth toughnosed football is what's hot until the game is tight late and you're looking for a bailout.

 

[FedEx227]

Isn't this an issue that could be fixed by better health care for the older players? Something your boy Ditka has been pushing for for years now. Also, how can it be called a hand out when they have earned the care that is denied them?

My boy Ditka....oh Jake. You have a lot to learn about me.

There's probably nobody I hate more in sports than Mike Ditka.

You're missing my point, yes better health care could do it, but Goodell and the rest of the NFL see a cheaper more effective way then giving every single player free Health Care for life is to clean up the game, call more penalties and general protect the players.

The NFL would be bankrupt in 10 years if they tried to cover the injuries of their ex-players. Thus, the best long term option for the NFL to attempt to curtail the number of older players NEEDING extra medical care is to turn the game away from it's smash mouth past.