When you watch an NFL game, or even a college game for that matter, and compare it to ten years ago, the difference is night and day. Thanks to Tom Brady, he and many other high profile NFL quarterbacks are being protected from big hits. It has changed the game immensely, and in my opinion it has changed for the worst. This is a hot topic, and I am here questioning football injuries, but I am questioning the injuries no one is talking about it. In college football there have been more ACL tears than ever before. The NFL has also taken a hit from ACL injuries, but also from Achilles tendon tears. Why? Is it just by coincidence? I think not. As a football player, and any other athlete for that matter, the bigger, stronger, faster you are, then you have a better chance of success. This is common knowledge. Now you have defensive lineman that weigh over 300 pounds and can run 4.8 forty times, and in some instances faster than that. Just super human abilities. Are athletes putting on too much muscle and weight that their joints can’t handle it? Players put so much strain on knees and ankles that maybe players are getting to big and strong that their bodies can’t support it. Right now the sport is trying to figure out concussions, and that’s all well and good. But, as important as concussion research is, I think doctors need to take this into account. Some of these injuries are ending player’s carriers, but what can you do? Is there anything you can do? Or is it just coincidence?

 

With less than two weeks of preseason action left, the two hottest topics in the NFL are: the comeback of Michael Vick, and Bret Favre signing with the Minnesota Vikings. With over half of training camp left, Bret Favre signs with his former team’s divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers. Many "experts" are calling Favre the savior for the franchise, and how he will lead this team to the promise land. Now with reports coming from the Vikings camp that the team is split. This could spell c-a-t-a-s-t-r-o-p-h-y for the season. Michael Vick appeared earlier today in a hearing.  Hold on… he did not do anything stupid or illegal. He applied for bankruptcy, and got 20 million dollars to pay back his debt. Then made it in time (the hearing was in Virginia) for the preseason game in Philadelphia for his first live game in over two years.  Let’s start with Bret Favre. Let’s look at the timeline of since his departure from Green Green Bay. He retires in the spring. He is teary eyed and was very emotional. Three months (give or take) later he signs with the New York Jets, in time for training camp. Many questions were made after a few years of waiting till the last moment to decide whether or not to rejoin the team for that season. Again, Favre waited and the Packers wanted no more of the "Favre drama". They were willing to pay him twenty million dollars to not play. Favre did not want the money. He wanted to play. So he found a team that wanted him. He was an immediate impact player for them. Through the first eight games, Favre looked like the savior, or the second coming of Joe Namith. But, in the NFL, there are sixteen games. Favre injured his throwing shoulder that would require surgery in the off season. Still, Favre played whether or not it was best for the team or not. Favre’s numbers really dipped after this point. The Jets early on, beat teams they, on paper, were not better than. Then, they lost to teams that had no business beating them.  Favre threw more interceptions than touchdowns, and reports that Favre was on his own island in the locker room. He rarely spoke in the locker room. He was non-existent. The Jets ended up missing the playoffs, and Favre retired yet again. This spring, the Minnesota Vikings had an interest in Favre. Brad Childress and Favre were together in Green Bay. Childress reached out to Favre. Favre thought about it and decided against it. This was right before training camp started. Then three days before the second preseason game, Favre flies into Vikings camp and signs a two year 25 million dollar contract.  Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels were competing for the starting job. They had been there all through the offseason and OTA’s and training camp. Favre, who has openly admitted in the past that he doesn’t like practice, also stated that he knows the offense because it is the same as what he ran in Green Bay. What it looks like, is that Favre didn’t want to practice. So the deal and plan was made for Favre to come in late and play. Jackson was promised to start the second preseason game. Once Favre signed three days before the game, Favre got the start. So with three days of practice Favre went out with his "teammates", and went one of four for four yards. Jackson took over after the second series and went 12-15 for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Reports have come out about the division in the locker room. How would there not be? If a guy came in halfway through training camp and started right away without practicing, there would be lots of problems. Favre said he isn’t here to make friends but to win. But before you can do that you have to win over your locker room. Childress has divided his team. You have the best running back and offensive line in the NFL, not to mention a top defense in the league as well. The Vikings have created a huge problem in their locker room. There was no need to go out and get a big mane player. Just a guy to hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson and to throw the ball 25 times a game. But instead, they have one of the biggest "schisms" in the NFL.

 

Michael Vick had his first action in nearly three years. Vick still had the zip on his throws. He still doesn’t have his feet under him. The biggest mistake will be to take Donovan McNabb away from the field, or from his quarterback position. Vick needs to re-learn how to play. He is learning in a great place with no pressure to play. Vick will want to play, but there is no guarantee that he will even be allowed to play this season. If he does, you can’t force Vick in the game. The other night there was too much running on and off the field. You have to have a formation or package to play him. It was a very unorganized. But none of it mattered because it was a test run. It was a dress rehearsal. Once they are on stage under the lime light, it has to be organized, and keeping the offense flowing is a must. I doubt Michael Vick will get his second year option. By the end of the season Vick will be looking for a new team, a team looking for a starting quarterback.

 

There is less than a month until the kick-off of the college football season. With many topics that are floating around the football world, one is still a popular topic from last year: Who is number one? Which is the best conference in all of America? With the Big Ten fading, the PAC Ten, with only one national power house, the Big East, and the ACC, with no powers to speak of, we are left with the oldest conference in history, the SEC, and the Big 12. The SEC has been built on defense, while the Big 12 currently has the most potent offense in the country. But, just as football is taught, defense wins championships. When the top four teams are compared from each conference, there is a clear-cut reason of why the SEC is the best all around conference in the country. The top four teams from last year for the South Eastern Conference are: Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. From the Big 12: Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State. I took stats from each team and added the averages from the margin of victory, points allowed, and points per game. Also I have the bowl game records from the 2008-2009 bowl season. This discussion was all sparked by the Big 12 South division. Oklahoma lost to Texas in the Cotton Bowl, then Texas went to Lubbock and lost in a last second thriller. Texas Tech was then beaten down by Oklahoma in Norman. There was so much competition, but only in the Big 12 South. The Big 12 North is an absolute joke. There is no chance that the Big 12 North champion will win the Big 12 championship. The SEC has teams like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana State that can compete for the SEC title. The Big 12 has their decision of the Big 12 champ made when OU and Texas play in the Cotton Bowl. Yes, the Big 12 has the best scoring offense in the country. Within the top four teams, their average points per game, added together, came out to 183.8 points per game. The SEC was 139.3 points per game. The SEC defense allowed together only 69.2 points per game compared to the Big 12, allowing 96.3 points a game. The SEC as a whole doesn’t score tons and tons of points, but they don’t have to. They don’t give up nearly 25 points per game. They SEC teams can get away with scoring 28 points and win comfortably because they have a defense to lean on. In some cases the defense is stronger than the offense. If Oklahoma State or Texas Tech didn’t have their offense clicking, then they most likely will not win. Look at the bowl games from last year. They both lost handily, the offenses were a no show, and they defenses were exploited. If Mississippi or LSU didn’t have much a offense, then they would still have a chance because of their defense. Now, lets look at the bowl games. Any bowl game you are in is your national championship. If you have a chance to win some hardware and take it home, then that is your championship. The SEC has 12 teams in the conference. They had eight teams in their conference that went to a bowl. Six of which won their bowl games. The Big 12 had seven compete and four teams win. Only Texas won their bowl game out of the top four teams, while the SEC went three and one, and two of those wins came over Big 12 teams. The most important Bowl game was won by Florida. In the last eight years, the SEC has won four national championships. While the Big 12 left with two wins. Those Big 12 teams that won had great offenses, but the thing that won the game was defense. The SEC was built on defense. Championships are won by defense. That’s how it will always be. Until that philosophy is practiced in the Big 12, the SEC will rule the college football world.