CTE after effects

Recent news and exposes on CTE has shaken up a bit my love for the game. But then, who are we kidding? Football players have always been seen as warriors and gladiators. And in battles, there are always casualties.

I do hope all parties directly involved in the games do their best to take care of the players. Without players, there will never be the game.

Post Draft Thoughts Part 1

Thoughts

1. Myles Garrett picked no 1 by the Browns. Smart move by the Browns playing smoke and mirrors, but Garrett is a safe pick. Trubisky? Go to no 2.

2. John Lynch plays poker with the Bears and Bears get Trubisky. Trubisky is a risky pick, but that shows how valuable a qb is in the league. Matt Glennon, enjoy the Bears gig, all the best!

3. I am rooting for Deshaun Watson to be a success for the Texans. I think he can better than Cam, in the long run.

4. Dalvin Cook over Leonard Fournette anytime. Both went to teams who will use them well.

5. My Skins made nice picks in the Bama boys :)

more later ...

Back in Action

After the super bowl I took a break, but it did not mean that I wasn't paying attention.

Yep, the draft officially began with the combine. And for the past week, a few known players got tagged and released.

Here we go again....

Post Super Bowl LI Thoughts

To understand the context of this writing, you might want to read this post first.

I did not follow the game on tv. I followed it using twitter and yahoo sport boxscore. And I was working at my fulltime job. But, when you are a football nut, well.. it is easier to imagine and imagination is better than the real thing :P

I was pleasantly surprised about the first half, when the Falcons raced to a 21-3 lead at half-time. As I read it, the Falcons D played exactly how I thought they would. They have a fast defense, so straight up they gave the Pats O a hard time. However, Bill and his team are one of the best, if not the best, at making half-time adjustments. It is a marathon, not a sprint. It is always in the second half when the truth would appear.

As the comeback began in the second half, I kept thinking about how the Falcons would respond, And to a certain extent, at critical moments, brain freeze happens, affecting the coaches and players. The Pats do that to you. Like I said to a bunch of friends during half-time, mental strength is one thing they have over opponents, especially when no 12 is playing in the zone.

A disclaimer: My feelings about the Pats success are like my previous posts. I have read extensively about them, especially Bill n Brady. For me, Spygate will continue be an asterisk on the Pats and to a lesser degree, Bill and Brady. Deflategate, in my opinion, is miniscule, but for me, it was as if Goodell was atoning for how Spygate was handled. But, overall, credit to both of them, as their partnership brings successto the Pats, and I do not think any Pats fans will disagree, It's like Joe Cool and Bill Walsh, but better.

Ok, continue.

Some of the writers said that the Falcons committed the big mistake in play-calling, after the major Julio Jones catch. I agree and again, this highlights the difference that the Pats have over their opponents, when pressure is on, they keep it simple, as simplicity makes handling pressure easier. It is similar to Darrell Bevell's call 2 Superbowls ago... u had a short distance to win the game, you could have run it in with the Beast, yet you chose to pass ... in this case, 3 simple runs would have eaten up the clock ...

The moment it went to OT, and the Pats won the toss, I knew it was game over. It makes a difference when the leaders at the helm, are Belichik and Brady.


I feel for the players of Atlanta. Make no major excuse, this was a MAJOR choke, and the fingers, open and hidden will be all over. How they rebound after this ... am not really sure... as they will be losing their OC Kyle Shanahan to the Niners as head coach (it's a given).

For the Pats, well, cannot say that much more what have been said. This is the crowning glory for the franchise, and they deserve to win it. I can bitch a bit more about here and there, but fair play, they WON, and winning's winning. Will there be more Super Bowls in the future? As long as Bill n TB12 are together, I would not rule it out.

So, congratulations New England Patriots on their Super Bowl LI win :)

My Super Bowl LI Prediction

My Super Bowl prediction

It is simple. My head says New England, but my heart says it's the Falcons. So, if you wanna bet on the result, New England by 10, with Brady MVP. Don't be surprised if it is a low-scoring game. The best defense against a high scoring offence is to keep them off the field for a long time.

Here we go!

Super Bowl halftime show

On the super bowl halftime shows in the past, I have never been a major fan. It's been hit and miss, esp the last years.
Maybe spectacle is what interest me. This year's performer is Lady Gaga. Oh boy....

First Super Bowl Thoughts

I chose to write about the super bowl as I wanted to collect my thoughts and see the general thoughts about the Pats Falcons matchup.

Number One

The pats are slightly favored to win, and with good justification. Best overall record plus who's who at the helm. I do my best to think contra, but overall, the Pats look better a bit.

Number Two

Usually in the super bowl run-ups there will be interesting stories about both teams and its players. So far, for me, the best story about the Falcons about how owner Arthur Blank remade the falcons, using what he learned as the founder of home depot. As for the Pats, about how Belichik gets free agent players to join the  Pats on the cheap.

Number Three

A few commentators say the matchup is similar to Pats Rams 2001. It maybe, but what I like about the Falcons chances is their diversity on offence. It would be interesting to see how they attack the Pats D.

More thoughts to come later ... :)