The 2009-2010 NFL Season: General News & Discussion Thread

[AYHJA]

Man, I can't fucking stand Favre...If there was ever a point where I thought he was OK, that shit is long gone...So, so sad...I haven't watched SC since, afraid that I'll be fucking Favred to death...

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

To me, I don't think it's Favre's fault at all; it's more the media and sports pundits that feel the need to inform us of his every detail. And moreover, it was those in Green Bay that pressured him to retire in the first place, citing past talks on the subject, his age, and their grooming of Rodgers. He felt a resurgence in his game, and the organization betrayed him behind closed doors. He thought he had a real chance to lead his team back to the Super Bowl once again, and next thing he knew, he was warming up his hands in New Jersey. I can't say I admire his indecision and "waffling", but if every analyst and fan in the world thinks he is too old to be a competitive athlete, well that is a definite affront to his competitive streak.

Before the 2006 season, Favre contemplated retirement. In 2007, he bounced back and became one of the prolific quaterbacks in the NFL again, topping his best stats in nearly a decade. He just wants to play football and win. That's all I see in him. He's just like a kid, so as long as someone is willing to take him on, he will rise up to the challenge and play. I just feel sorry for him in that he now has the potential to be seriously injured more now so, than ever. I see his consecutive starts record being broken eventually, if not this season, it will run him over in the next.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Rashard Mendenhall, TD vulture by day, moonwalker by night
By Brad Evans


The typical NFL player's offseason workout regimen is physically grueling. In many cases, the exercises resemble routines from World's Strongest Man competitions. However, Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall's alternative form of offseason conditioning is a bit, well, unconventional.

Instead of parachute runs and bench presses, the second-year product from Illinois traded in his cleats for a pair of rug-cutting shoes, signing up for a hip hop dance class. Franco Harris surely didn't approve.

Mendenhall, who's always possessed a curiosity for the arts, wanted an entertaining way to become more elusive, enhance flexibility, improve lateral quickness and prepare his body for the tolling 17-week regular season grind. According to his teacher Sandy Romah, the rusher was a hard-working student who was passionate about dance.

Based on his Michael Jackson-themed recital earlier this summer at Chartiers Valley Intermediate Center outside Pittsburgh, Romah's observations were spot on. Attempt to tackle the smooth-grooving rusher, and you might just get served.

Judge for yourself:

[AYHJA]

Mendenhall is going to be a beast, the only reason he isn't a household name already is cause he got hurt last year...The vid is bonkers though, lol...

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

I was high on Mendenhall in July, mostly because I was really low on Parker, but now, I don't know what to think about the still raw, one-year removed rookie. Some say he's great, others say he is struggling in camp daily; I guess I'd like to see what he is capabe of, because last season, he was involved in one game, met Ray Lewis, and never got another chance to "meet" anyone else again (broken shoulder/collarbone, placed on IR for rest of season).

The good news is that he may be able to prove his supposed worth this year as the team's goal-line back, though there is a 50% that he still loses the title to Gary Russell. The Steelers' O-line is the real necessary improvement that needs to be addressed. I don't like Pittsburgh or their fans at all, but for Big Ben to take 35+ sacks year in and year out, he is going to have legs like matchsticks by the time he turns 30.

[AYHJA]

If they get Vick properly utilized, I like Philly for this season...A game away from the Superbowl last year, he's a significant enough of a game breaker that he could prove to be the valuable difference they have always needed...Plus, they got him fresh out the pen, meaning he'll be glad to pay any position on the file you put him...Slot, backfield, taking snaps...That's going to be hell on other teams...

[darklighter1]

To me, I don't think it's Favre's fault at all; it's more the media and sports pundits that feel the need to inform us of his every detail. And moreover, it was those in Green Bay that pressured him to retire in the first place, citing past talks on the subject, his age, and their grooming of Rodgers. He felt a resurgence in his game, and the organization betrayed him behind closed doors. He thought he had a real chance to lead his team back to the Super Bowl once again, and next thing he knew, he was warming up his hands in New Jersey. I can't say I admire his indecision and "waffling", but if every analyst and fan in the world thinks he is too old to be a competitive athlete, well that is a definite affront to his competitive streak.

Before the 2006 season, Favre contemplated retirement. In 2007, he bounced back and became one of the prolific quaterbacks in the NFL again, topping his best stats in nearly a decade. He just wants to play football and win. That's all I see in him. He's just like a kid, so as long as someone is willing to take him on, he will rise up to the challenge and play. I just feel sorry for him in that he now has the potential to be seriously injured more now so, than ever. I see his consecutive starts record being broken eventually, if not this season, it will run him over in the next.

Man IO I don't know how you can't blame Favre. Every year for like four years he put on the "retire? or not retire?" act and Green Bay finally said enough! And moved on and then this idiot goes and tries to make Geen Bay look like the villians. I agree with you that ESPN and most of the media like Peter King and Madden and whoever do an extreme job of ballwashing on this guy but he brings most of it on himself.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

I can't blame him because he is not actively seeking others to be involved on his decision of whether or not he should retire. The media and others always ask him each and every offseason if this is the year, the year that he finally hangs up his cleats and towel for the last time, which makes the supsense of it all that much more melodramatic, offputting, and downright annoying to us, the bewildered audience.

I will grant anyone the argument that Brett Favre is a waffler, and he has been carping around the issue of retirement for what seems the majority of this past decade, but I still think he has not and will not accept the fact that he is "washed up" and is best suited for retirement. He doesn't want to receive that mark, and I don't believe he deserves the label that he is "too old", injury-prone (though he is now, more than ever before), or "out of gas".

He can still play at a high level, and in the manner in which I likened him, Favre is just a like "kid who wants to play football"; he can't accept any of the reality around him, the constant shufflings and shifts, and in the moment, he wishes to keep playing the sport that has defined him for the past 20 years. After all, once he accepts retirement, truly accepts it, he says to himself that this is the best choice for him, that he accomplished all that he ever could, and that his full potential has been achieved.

We can argue that after the 2007 season, Favre was the king of passers, past and present, and that he cemented his legacy with ove a decade of winning, over 150 career starts, a Super Bowl ring, and major statistical records that an elite QB should possess. We know Favre is a hall of famer, we know that he most probably had his last best season when he was a Green Bay Packer, but to him, in his current mindset, Favre can't accept this. He won't; not sure why, what his motivation is at this point (revenge?) and why he would openly and bold-faced lie to the nation and his organization that he was kaput, over and done with the sport for good, but for right now, Favre is running on fumes of some internal drive to accomplish some feat of unbeknownst glory to himself, and he is so desperate to accomplish whatever this is that he is willing to risk his confusedly-loyal fanbase, his public relations image, and most importantly, his overall well-being, health and mobility to achieve this quasi-determined goal.

It's right sad, if you get into the knitty-gritty of it, but so long as plays, and at a reasonably high-level, there will be a market of nostalgics to eat it up.

[darklighter1]

Yeesh! I feel I just got scolded by Shakespeare. I still say Farve sucks!! Nyah!

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

:laff:

I agree.