NFL

[Macca 16,174]

As do I. I don't really hate any teams so I look forward to a lot of games unlike AFL where Melbourne can suck the life out of me.

It's interesting isn't. My level of interest in the AFL has dropped dramatically. Even though the games seem to be better to watch. It's a combination of disillusionment, envy, jealousy, apathy, frustration and anger.

My mates have been on the end of some of the greatest feats of text venting known to man. Mostly laced with sick humour. This somehow makes me feel better (but only fleetingly until the next match comes along)

Can we all jump into an NFL time machine and arrive in Sept 2013? Make this terrible Demon season all go away please

I agree DemonDave, Lattimore was a great get for the Niners and probably the best landing spot for him due to the reasons you mentioned. I totally agree bring on the NFL, although we are able to contemplate where all our newly drafted stars fit in until seasons start...

But I have a dream...beating the Niners in a superbowl. Bloody 80s lol.

You know what? In the NFL these things can actually happen. Any team can come from nowhere and make a run at it. That's one of the great things about the sport. Optimism can and does get rewarded.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Macca

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

It's interesting isn't. My level of interest in the AFL has dropped dramatically. Even though the games seem to be better to watch. It's a combination of disillusionment, envy, jealousy, apathy, frustration and anger.

My mates have been on the end of some of the greatest feats of text venting known to man. Mostly laced with sick humour. This somehow makes me feel better (but only fleetingly until the next match comes along)

Can we all jump into an NFL time machine and arrive in Sept 2013? Make this terrible Demon season all go away please

You know what? In the NFL these things can actually happen. Any team can come from nowhere and make a run at it. That's one of the great things about the sport. Optimism can and does get rewarded.

A lot of great games of footy are being missed by me mainly due to being envious of most clubs who turn things around and win some games. I hate Port Adelaide at the moment because they are winning. You are right the NFL is open for any team to rise and fall. Miami could come out of nowhere this year or could fall on their ass. Same for my VIkings. If Melbourne had a season like the Vikings we would all expect/hope for at least a preliminary final and if we didn't us and the media would call it a fail. There is a fair chance the Vikes won't make the playoffs being in the NFC north. Add superbowl champs not making the playoffs the next year and it makes for a great league. Can't wait for one season to end and another to start.

[Macca 16,174]

A lot of great games of footy are being missed by me mainly due to being envious of most clubs who turn things around and win some games. I hate Port Adelaide at the moment because they are winning. You are right the NFL is open for any team to rise and fall. Miami could come out of nowhere this year or could fall on their ass. Same for my VIkings. If Melbourne had a season like the Vikings we would all expect/hope for at least a preliminary final and if we didn't us and the media would call it a fail. There is a fair chance the Vikes won't make the playoffs being in the NFC north. Add superbowl champs not making the playoffs the next year and it makes for a great league. Can't wait for one season to end and another to start.

There's always a team or 3 that fall by the wayside and other teams suddenly have winning seasons.

Reckon pantaloons Chiefs might do ok and I always think the Chargers with Rivers have a show. That AFC West could be a division to watch. Tannehill might get Miami firing and surely the Eagles will bounce back.

And what about the Jets? They might do a rotating QB thing - during the games! Sanchez starts, Garrard takes the 2nd quarter, Geno kicks off the 2nd half and Tebow* McElroy brings home the bacon. Rex becomes the King of New York again (with multiple QB tattoo's)

Edit : Just heard *Tebow has been cut by the Jets so Rex could bring on McElroy in the 4th quarter.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Macca

[Strafford 182]

You know what? In the NFL these things can actually happen. Any team can come from nowhere and make a run at it. That's one of the great things about the sport. Optimism can and does get rewarded.

I certainly agree with and sympathise with the first part of your original post mate, but I will have to respectfully disagree with this bit.

As a fan of a team unfortunately, but with just cause nicknamed the bungles, a good organisation, making good decisions is just as important in the NFL as it is in the AFL.

We have gone 22 seasons without a playoff win. We went 13/12 seasons without making the playoffs. We still don't have our own indoor training facility, for years had only one scout, when the successful teams had four or five, thus our history until recently of failed draftees. We were the poster child of any anti stability argument, due to our owner Mike Brown overseeing the whole sorry period as owner/CEO and his propensity to keep coaches who obviously weren't up to it for years.

There is a site out there called MikeBrownSucks.com. Half the fan base literally hate him. He is also someone who probably has the first dollar he ever made still in his wallet lol. He also has in common with a couple of posters on the main board, the idea that it was all so much better when I was a boy and modern generations are soft. Being the son of a legend seems to have stuck him in a time warp. Thus the organisations failure to move with the times until fairly recently.

The new rule to force teams to pay up to a certain percentage of the cap has certainly helped, as he was one of those who just pocketed the cash rather than invest in the team, but it also seems Mike Brown has given more powers to those around him. Thus more scouts,better drafting etc etc, but for all that, we still need a playoff win, even better a sustained playoff run.

I still dream of a Melbourne flag as well by the way, we just have to get the structures right, hopefully before I kick the bucket.

[Macca 16,174]

I certainly agree with and sympathise with the first part of your original post mate, but I will have to respectfully disagree with this bit.

As a fan of a team unfortunately, but with just cause nicknamed the bungles, a good organisation, making good decisions is just as important in the NFL as it is in the AFL.

We have gone 22 seasons without a playoff win. We went 13/12 seasons without making the playoffs. We still don't have our own indoor training facility, for years had only one scout, when the successful teams had four or five, thus our history until recently of failed draftees. We were the poster child of any anti stability argument, due to our owner Mike Brown overseeing the whole sorry period as owner/CEO and his propensity to keep coaches who obviously weren't up to it for years.

There is a site out there called MikeBrownSucks.com. Half the fan base literally hate him. He is also someone who probably has the first dollar he ever made still in his wallet lol. He also has in common with a couple of posters on the main board, the idea that it was all so much better when I was a boy and modern generations are soft. Being the son of a legend seems to have stuck him in a time warp. Thus the organisations failure to move with the times until fairly recently.

The new rule to force teams to pay up to a certain percentage of the cap has certainly helped, as he was one of those who just pocketed the cash rather than invest in the team, but it also seems Mike Brown has given more powers to those around him. Thus more scouts,better drafting etc etc, but for all that, we still need a playoff win, even better a sustained playoff run.

I still dream of a Melbourne flag as well by the way, we just have to get the structures right, hopefully before I kick the bucket.

Maybe I should have started off with "Apart from the Bengals, any team can etc etc..............!"

I didn't know that story Strafford, but it certainly explains a lot. There's probably a number of sporting franchises in the States with the same sort of issues with their owners. You do here stories here and there but the actual teams don't readily come to mind.

Anyway, you probably mentioned it in an earlier post, but are you happy with your draft choices? Me .... I see a whole bunch of names who I know very little about! Obviously Green Bay have tried to strengthen the defense, offensive line and RB position but time will tell on whether these blokes are any good or not.

I have much the same attitude with the AFL draft. There's a lot of flaws in the whole process so I don't trust it that much. Unless it's a draft where Luck and RG3 are involved although Russell Wilson went at overall pick 75! Imagine how some of the teams without a decent QB must be feeling re Wilson.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Macca

[Strafford 182]

Maybe I should have started off with "Apart from the Bengals, any team can etc etc..............!"

I didn't know that story Strafford, but it certainly explains a lot. There's probably a number of sporting franchises in the States with the same sort of issues with their owners. You do here stories here and there but the actual teams don't readily come to mind.

Anyway, you probably mentioned it in an earlier post, but are you happy with your draft choices? Me .... I see a whole bunch of names who I know very little about! Obviously Green Bay have tried to strengthen the defense, offensive line and RB position but time will tell on whether these blokes are any good or not.

I have much the same attitude with the AFL draft. There's a lot of flaws in the whole process so I don't trust it that much. Unless it's a draft where Luck and RG3 are involved although Russell Wilson went at overall pick 75! Imagine how some of the teams without a decent QB must be feeling re Wilson.

I didn't even mention the season we had nine players either arrested and/or suspended by the NFL for off-field incidents. Or the player that was thrown off the team by the coaching staff, but was then reinstated by Mike Brown. Ah the memories...good times...not lol.

The Browns have been pretty bad since they were reactivated, but with the opposite affliction that we have, they seem to fire their coaches and admin every couple of years. A few other teams have pretty bad streaks going, Bills, Raiders?

I was pretty happy with our draft and really rate some of the players we took. That could be a bad thing as I'm certainly not a scout lol.

I liked the Packers draft as well as I mentioned earlier, especially the running backs.

Yep totally agree on the NFL scouting problems. There are a number of corrupting influences in the college cultures that ruin many of the young guys. The way the game is played at college level also doesn't help in projecting how guys will go in the NFL.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Strafford

[Macca 16,174]

Geno Smith in the news already. Not sure what the bonus dollars are when a player is selected in the first round or indeed if there's any extra dollars involved if a player is a high draft pick. Couldn't see KC picking him anyway with Alex Smith on board. Although you're never quite sure with these things.

Surely Geno's not upset about being in a 5 way tussle for the QB spot at Jets? Surely not?

... Geno Smith fires agent after fall to New York Jets

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News wrote that Smith believed he "would be and should be" the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. When he didn't make the first round, the agents paid the price.

Smith told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday that the firing was "not because of the whole draft experience. It's not because of one particular incident. There's a number of things." He declined to go into further detail.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Macca

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Geno Smith in the news already. Not sure what the bonus dollars are when a player is selected in the first round or indeed if there's any extra dollars involved if a player is a high draft pick. Couldn't see KC picking him anyway with Alex Smith on board. Although you're never quite sure with these things.

Surely Geno's not upset about being in a 5 way tussle for the QB spot at Jets? Surely not?

... Geno Smith fires agent after fall to New York Jets

Just what the Jets need. A QB in the news but not for his playing ability. I could not walk this earth being a demons and jets fan. That's 12 months of hurt.

[Macca 16,174]

Just what the Jets need. A QB in the news but not for his playing ability. I could not walk this earth being a demons and jets fan. That's 12 months of hurt.

It was only a couple of years ago that the Jets went to their 2nd Conference Championship game in a row under Rex and with Sanchez. So they're capable but they seem to be in the news for the wrong reasons a fair bit. Tend to think Rex likes it that way and maybe the organisation does as well. Any publicity is good publicity?

[Strafford 182]

Geno Smith in the news already. Not sure what the bonus dollars are when a player is selected in the first round or indeed if there's any extra dollars involved if a player is a high draft pick. Couldn't see KC picking him anyway with Alex Smith on board. Although you're never quite sure with these things.

Surely Geno's not upset about being in a 5 way tussle for the QB spot at Jets? Surely not?

... Geno Smith fires agent after fall to New York Jets

Perhaps Geno and Rex can establish a bond over how unfair life is. Geno should have been a number one pick and Rex declared the Jets were superbowl bound in 2011 lol

[Strafford 182]

It was only a couple of years ago that the Jets went to their 2nd Conference Championship game in a row under Rex and with Sanchez. So they're capable but they seem to be in the news for the wrong reasons a fair bit. Tend to think Rex likes it that way and maybe the organisation does as well. Any publicity is good publicity?

A great defensive unit and good running game probably concealed the fact that Sanchez was just an average QB. Although Sanchez does seem to have grown an arm and a leg during the playoffs. Perhaps his main problem has been motivation...who knows? His confidence seems shot now, tough for a QB to come back from that.

To me it looks like they had a locker room implosion, coupled with Rex not seeing eye to eye with his offensive co-ordinator in 2011. I don't think Santonio Holmes being made one of the team captains went down well. Tomlinson who continues to pot the team also doesn't seem to have coped with a reduced role after his good first seaon there in 2010. Thus I think you had a heap of guys running to the media telling tales. They probably really only had one good season and that was 2010. They backed into the 2009 playoffs after the last two teams they came up against played dead. Including my Bengals, we lost to them 0-37, but still lost to them in the playoffs as well. Thanks Marvin resting the players for the playoffs really worked lol.

[Macca 16,174]

Perhaps Geno and Rex can establish a bond over how unfair life is. Geno should have been a number one pick and Rex declared the Jets were superbowl bound in 2011 lol

Ha! I still wouldn't rule out the Jets going forward. Geno seems quite a confident young bloke and I expect him to be the starting QB. You just never know with Rex although the Patriots will probably dominate the AFC East again. In the 2010/11 season the Jets went 11/5 whilst New England went 14/2 so you never know.

I must say, I like watching the Jets games. Just for the theatre alone it's good value. There are a few teams that are good entertainment value. Eagles/Vick, 49ers/Kaepernick, Steelers/Big Ben, San Diego/Rivers, Saints/Brees, Giants/Eli and even Dallas with Romo are good to watch. It's a great League and I find it hard to hate any team.

Only 3 months to the pre-season games Strafford

[Strafford 182]

Ha! I still wouldn't rule out the Jets going forward. Geno seems quite a confident young bloke and I expect him to be the starting QB. You just never know with Rex although the Patriots will probably dominate the AFC East again. In the 2010/11 season the Jets went 11/5 whilst New England went 14/2 so you never know.

I must say, I like watching the Jets games. Just for the theatre alone it's good value. There are a few teams that are good entertainment value. Eagles/Vick, 49ers/Kaepernick, Steelers/Big Ben, San Diego/Rivers, Saints/Brees, Giants/Eli and even Dallas with Romo are good to watch. It's a great League and I find it hard to hate any team.

Only 3 months to the pre-season games Strafford

True enough how can you hate a team that has introduced us to the butt fumble lol I guess the Jets could surprise, but I think they have gone into rebuild mode with the trade of Revis island. With a new GM it is probably unlikely Rex gets his contract renewed.

Three months...an eternity lol

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

If geno starts and gets eaten alive they go back to Sanchez who would have no confidence at all and he seems to be a confidence type player. Gee The jets bring great entertainment value to the league.

[Strafford 182]

I am now counting down with big red x's on my calender until the start of the new NFL season...Man this sucks...

[pantaloons 2,019]

I am now counting down with big red x's on my calender until the start of the new NFL season...Man this sucks...

I turned to my dad at half time tonight and said "At least you've got the Niners".

[DemonDave 1,078]

Those preseason games cant come soon enough now! Wow that was depressing being at the MCG today...

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Those preseason games cant come soon enough now! Wow that was depressing being at the MCG today...

I turned to my dad at half time tonight and said "At least you've got the Niners".

I am now counting down with big red x's on my calender until the start of the new NFL season...Man this sucks...

The NFL should sponsor the MFC. Our club is turning us towards other sports in droves.

[Gorgoroth 12,369]

Do we have dates of when the pre season starts?

[Macca 16,174]

Do we have dates of when the pre season starts?

Early August. It's just as well I'm into the Hockey and the NBA. Definitely need lots of distractions from the footy club.

Or for us American Football fans there's always this alternative (wonder if Tim Tebow will make an appearance!)

[Strafford 182]

Early August. It's just as well I'm into the Hockey and the NBA. Definitely need lots of distractions from the footy club.

Or for us American Football fans there's always this alternative (wonder if Tim Tebow will make an appearance!)

Are we that desperate?....hmmmm possibly lol

[Strafford 182]

The NFL should sponsor the MFC. Our club is turning us towards other sports in droves.

Or the AFL should pour money and "Promotional salary cap concessions" our way for the good of the game. Not sure about extra draft picks as our player development hasn't been the best, so good established players please. Or is that too cynical of me lol

[Strafford 182]

I turned to my dad at half time tonight and said "At least you've got the Niners".

I was feeling bad enough and you had to mention the niners lol. As a Bengal who lived through the 80's, I am now going to find a quiet corner and gently rock backwards and forwards...I could be some time.

[Macca 16,174]

Are we that desperate?....hmmmm possibly lol

I was surprised at the size of the crowds at the CFL games. It's more popular than expected.

Hopefully by mid June our footy team will start playing a lot better, otherwise, it's the Canadian Football League for our sporting joy.

C'mon the Saskatchewan Roughriders!!!

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Vikings have released images of the plans for the new stadium. It has a glass ceiling. If it collapses like the metrodome did it could bloody hurt. I don't know why they didn't make it a open stadium. I've seen the old days before the metrodome where players said it is nigh impossible for opposition players to get used to Minnesota conditions.