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

[jdog]

Yep, Madden Curse strikes again. I feel sorry for Cardinals fans and Larry Fitzgerald. He's next...

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

I honestly do not want to give the curse any credence at all, so I'm ignoring it at this point.

I'm a Cards fan since they left the NFC East division, and I affectionately call them the "Skins of the West". Been rooting for them more ever since 2006. Also, I have invested heavily with Kurt Warner last year when he was named the starter, and I can't believe those jerks at the NFL or AP or wherever commission voted Peyton manning as the NFL 2008 "MVP". Win a playoff game, you commercial-licking dope.

Either Kurt Warner or James Harrison (representing the whole of the Steelers' D) should have won that MVP title last year. It was ridiculous. I'd also have considered Philip Rivers, but those pansies at their comfy office desk chairs like winners, and the Chargers didn't win until it actually meant something, like in the clutch weeks and the playoffs. Where's that "thumbs up" smiley?

Also, because I believe somehow that fate was averted that night, it really should have come down to the "double wire", I think Kurt Warner could have won that game twice over if the those %&$&$# referees were paying attention to the game instead of in their reflection in the cameras, and called the ball-prop penalty on Santonio, and a late interference/unsportsman call on Harrison. It was supposed to end just like it did in Rocky I (or was it II?) with the underdog winning. I mean, they had the same team colors as in the movie!!! (Rocky had gold/black, Creed had red/white). So, maybe, I actually wanted Apollo Creed to "shock the world" instead. (that tagline is directly from that same movie!)

Final Score of SB: Cards win over Steelers, 29-28... had that happened like it was supposed to, it would arguably place the spectacle of Feb 1. in the top 3 Super Bowls ever played and witnessed by man, and also, Kurt Warner would be the #2 SB QB of all-time, right behind Terry Bradshaw.

God, I can't believe it!. /end rant


Hopefully, they feel the magic once again and return to form and with a bit of luck, Kurt Warner stays healthy enough in the beginning and at the end to reach the Super Bowl once again in Florida, with the Patriots this time awaiting them.
Yeah boy, it's gonna be a rematch of the Super Bowl QBs of Tom Brady and Kurt Warner from 2001, this time with Warner and Co. prevailing. How awesome a storyline would that be, huh?! This is my dream matchup for the Super Bowl this year, and every night, I'm gonna pray it comes to fruition.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Again, sorry for the extended (and replayed) rant at what went down this past year in Super Bowl history.

Come on Kurt or LaDanian, at least one of you needs to fuel my vicarious thrill of a victory next February. Please, I need the acknowledgement.



But here is more about the awesome Thursday night opener, what vaguely transpired, and the ramifications of this "eerie" injury: (courtesy of Shutdown Corner, via this forum's equally awesome iframe feature)

[iframe]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdo ... nfl,188760[/iframe]

Article in plain text:

Spoiler:

Polamalu out three to six weeks with a knee/Madden Curse
By MJD


I'm not a believer in the Madden Curse. I think it's silly. If Larry Fitzgerald(notes) goes down on Sunday, though, I might have to reconsider my position.

Troy Polamalu(notes), who shared the cover with Fitzgerald, left tonight's Titans/Steelers game with a knee injury. He didn't return. Early reports have him out for three to six weeks. Given that Polamalu is superhuman (he was doing things in the first half, pre-injury, that human beings just aren't supposed to do), though, I'd bet on the quicker side of that recovery time.

Anyway, back to the Curse: I'll admit, it's weird. Through the first 96 regular season games of his career, Polamalu has missed only eight of them. They put him on the cover of Madden, and just like that, he's out for three to six?

Take just a little bit more caution when going over the middle against San Francisco, Larry Fitzgerald.

To review, athletes in their cover years:

2001: Eddie George. No injury.
2002: Daunte Culpepper(notes). Missed five games, played poorly.
2003: Marshall Faulk(notes). Missed six games. Never ran for 1,000 yards again.
2004: Michael Vick(notes). Broke his leg, missed 11 games.
2005: Ray Lewis(notes). Missed only one game.
2006: Donovan McNabb(notes). Missed last seven games of the season.
2007: Shaun Alexander(notes). Broke his foot, missed six games.
2008: Vince Young(notes). Missed one game. But things didn't go well.
2009: Brett Favre(notes). Missed no games. But did become insufferable.
2010: Troy Polamalu. Out 3-6 weeks with a knee injury.
2010: Larry Fitzgerald: TBD.

If, heaven forbid, something happens to Larry this weekend, that could be the tipping point for me. As for now, though, I remain unsold. Injuries happen. Players get on the cover after they have great years, and inevitably, the next year isn't as great. Things happen.

If I believe in the Madden Curse, I'm compelled to believe there's something special about Ray Lewis and Brett Favre that makes them exempt to it. This is something I refuse to do.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Okay I'm throwing this out there...

AFC Picture

East - Patriots
North - Steelers
South - Titans (AFC South is extremely loaded, but in my opinion, the best DEF team wins it outright)
West - Chargers
* - Ravens
** - Texans

NFC Picture

East - Eagles
North - Packers
South - Saints (save for last year and a fluky win by Carolina late in season, NFC South formula of "worst to first" still holds true)
West - Cardinals
* - Giants
** - Redskins


My AFC Super Bowl: Chargers v. Saints ... Bolts win

My NFC Super Bowl: Cardinals v. Patriots ... Birds win




two bubble teams that need at least three lucky wins to get into playoffs, respective conferences:
Colts
Dolphins

Vikings
Cowboys

feel free to dissect.

[AYHJA]

Like you, I love the Saints man...If they can stay healthy, they will be a nightmare for any team...Drew is running a spread type offense to perfection, and just lighting shit up man...What a heady, accurate QB...I still don't know what the Chargers were thinking, but the Saints sure can't thank them enough...The team they have now is more dangerous than the team that almost went to the Super Bowl 2 years ago...Look out..!

Can't wait to see what Tom does tonight...

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Well, what "Terrific Tom" did yesterday was abysmal.

I originally picked New Orleans to make the "big dance" because of Drew Brees and because it was last in the NFC South, so this year, they "historically" should become first; but as I get to know them, their defense is sure to improve by mid-season, as they hired defensive guru Gregg Williams this past offseason. I have high hopes for two, maybe even four, very-high powered offenses making it far into the playoffs.

I should sprinkle more off-site analysis into this thread. I don't like to think all the time, and sometimes a simple link says more than I can in three paragraphs.

[AYHJA]

Football has been great this year so far, and I'm not really one to get into pro football...

But I mean, honestly...

Sportscenter is reporting that Brett Favre..Haivng a fucking bent fingernail...Man, will SOMEBODY please stop the madness..?

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Football has been great this year so far, and I'm not really one to get into pro football...

But I mean, honestly...

Sportscenter is reporting that Brett Favre..Haivng a fucking bent fingernail...Man, will SOMEBODY please stop the madness..?

I had a bent fingernail once, and it hurt bad for about 36 hours; honestly, though I forgot what I did with it. :?
Did I pull it out? Did I push it back in? All my fingers are intact right now, no gangrene anywhere. So, stop the madness, ESPN.

Yeah, as soon as you hear "Brett F-", shut that shit off. Though, after I heard he did a commercial with Sears, I checked it out, and... pretty funny.

I have the same aversion to Tiger Woods, I guess. Nothing about Woods, his day, his career, or his paycheck can have me interested in him for a single minute, so I avoid him whenever possible. No reason to waste my time on someone I don't care about at all.

I'll post some good linkage and articles once a new page rolls over.

And c'mon, guys. For someone getting back into the NFL after a decade of not watching it, I'm posting valuable dubloons here! Give the world your playoff brackets for the AFC and NFC, and see if at least half of them turn out to be right in three-and-a-half months' time from now. I've got 4 top-rated passing teams making the Bowl this year, even when last year's playoffs were all about Defense, the Cardinals, and fumbling Delhomme.

[AYHJA]

Way too early for me to make my picks...I think I'll have a fair idea of what teams are made of in a couple of weeks, I at least want to see everyone play...

But so far, I like The Saints, The Jets, The Falcons, and The Patriots...

[-84]

Romo pisses me off some times.