The Weird, Wacky and Awesome World of the NFL - General Banter thread V2

True, but the Raiders have a history in not putting enough emphasis on the 'dirty work' spots and instead going big on 'playmakers' so I doubt there was any chance of them going with him. I was going to leave off Revis and Willis too, but they did take Asomugha and McClain in the first round over that last completely-lost-his-marbles decade of Al Davis' time.

Dwayne Bowe was quality his first 3-4 years to be fair, people blame injuries and that but I think he just didn't have the dedication personally to keep it going. I remember only 2-3 years ago on another forum some claiming he was better than Jordy Nelson and it wasn't really that close . Then again, they had about 20-25 other names on that list too, because Jordy's one of the most underrated players in the game, full stop (maybe less so now after breaking out so much last season, and being missed so much this season). Didn't mean to go on a tangent, but I've got a Jordy Nelson fetish. :pac:

Yeah I've heard of the Azteca from USA/Mexico sawkerball matches. Just shy of 100,000 capacity and it's supposed to create a great atmosphere.

Really enjoying some of the programs from NFL Films and the Americas Game series currently showing on Sky 3.
So some thoughts I had while watching some of the old games - or interesting things that were mentioned in passing which gave me pause.

1. In the Raiders/Dolphins divisional game - Sea of Hands, it was mentioned that there were 12 future hall of famers playing in that game. Which made me think, I just couldn't fathom how some of them had gotten into the HOF. Obviously easier to look at offensive players, as we have statistics to look at....

Fred Biletnikoff, 14 years averaging: 42 receptions, 635 yards 5td. Best season, 61/1037/6

Paul Warfield, years averaging: 32/658/7, best year 50/1067/12

Larry Csonka, 11 years averaging: 171/727/6, best year, 213/1117/6

2. How different the NFL might have been if they had not realligned the Indianapolis Colts out of the AFC East after the 2001 season. The Colts had just won a divisional title followed by a Wild Card, and the way was cleared in the division for the Patriots to dominate right through to today. We would have seen Manning and Brady in the same division go head to head twice a year, each hurtinbg each others chances at winning the Superbowl every single year for 15-odd years.

3. Also, looking back at some of the great teams over the years, I was wondering which is more impressive, to dominate in a landscape where there were 4 or 5 extremely strong teams, with 23 also-rans as in the 70's and 80's (You have to assume each of the strongest teams ended in the playoffs every year and had to be knocked off to win a Superbowl) or today's NFL, where you may have a situation with not much between 10 teams on any given year, and a strong "middle pack" of teams, but no outright monster teams, with the picture genrally changing every couple of years. While a dominante team does not get to retain their roster, they also probably face a better average level of competition every year, but not run into juggernauts in the playoffs.

I don't know if you guys follow Barstool sports at all but they've done some hilarious interviews in the run up to the Super Bowl....the 2 best are:

Knex. wrote: »

Marshawn Lynch has retired.

https://twitter.com/moneylynch/status/696525541826924546

Pretty cool way to call it a day, so Marshawn


Favourite Beast Mode moments:

phatkev wrote: »

Only he could get away with retiring in the 4th quarter of the Superbowl!!

The standard of offense in the game probably drove him to do it there and then.

Can't remember where exactly I saw it but coming up to the game I watched a 10 minute or so video about them getting the field ready for the game and all the steps they went through to make sure it was immaculate. Yer man was in his 80's and had done the grass at all the Superbowls (outdoor ones anyway) for donkey's years now. Might be time to retire!