American Football (NFL)

oobi

okay, my prediction and comments:

1. new orleans saints over chicago bears (upset).
- i don't think chicago can stop double trouble out of the saints backfield. with punishing style of mcallister and quick and finesse style of bush, new orleans really has one of the best one-two punches in their backfield in the nfl. i take drew brees any day over rex grossman as signal caller.
- saints defense seems to be playing better and better, while chicago defense seems to have trouble with tommie harris out. if the saints can keep chicago defense on the field most of the time and keep going at them with their running game, saints will be playing in their first superbowl two weeks from this sunday.
- on defense, new orleans needs to rattle grossman early and often.

2. indianapolis colts over new england patriots (upset)..
- yes, it's not a mistake or mistype. it's an upset. even though colts will be playing at home in this game, to me, patriots is the favourite.
- peyton manning may be the most complete quarterback in the nfl today, but tom brady is the best of them all, especially in the playoff, since joe montana. to me, brady is the next joe montana. this guy just know how to win, especially in crunch time. against the chargers last week, brady didn't play his best game but he still managed to complete passes when matter and keep his cool at the most critical time in the game.
- anyway, colts need to rattle brady early and often, and they need to make sure brady doesn't have time to throw the ball. if you gave him even the slightest time to throw the ball, the chances are he'll complete it.
- on offense, manning needs to step up. manning seems to choke in the playoff. his numbers in the playoffs are really way below what he's capable of. with harrison and wayne at wideout, and clark in the middle, manning should be able to tear down pats defense. the keys are, colts line needs to give manning time to throw the ball, receivers need to find open space and fight off jam at the line of scrimmage, and addai and rhodes need to hit the hole hard and earn at least, on average, 4 yards per carry in order for the colts to win. i expect them to upset the pats to represent the afc in the superbowl, especially since they will be playing at a very loud rca dome.




[ Last edited by  oobi at 17-1-2007 10:16 AM ]

oobi

London to Host 1st NFL Game in Europe

By PAUL LOGOTHETIS
Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Link to original article


(01-16) 09:39 PST LONDON, United Kingdom (AP)

London will hold the NFL's first regular-season game outside North America, the start of an international campaign to take American football to a global audience.

"There's great history of NFL football in London, and British fans have been great fans of football over the years," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. "We're confident that this game is going be a great success in London and will be a great foundation to play more games there going forward."

The opponents for the 2007 contest have yet to be announced, but the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants are reported among the top possibilities.

"They are two of the teams that have expressed an interest and we'll narrow it down to which two teams will generate the most enthusiasm for the fans in London and the broader U.K.," Goodell said.

The most likely venue is the new 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium, which will open this spring after years of delays. The other candidate is 82,000-seat Twickenham, home of English rugby.

"We're looking at both venues in terms of their readiness," said Marc Waller, vice president of NFL International. "It's important that we understand terms of readiness of both stadiums and then a financial bidding process will also ensue."

The game will be held somewhere between late September to mid-October.

Goodell will announce the teams, venue and date before the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami.

NFL owners voted in October to play up to two games outside the United States every season for the next five years. The London game will be the only overseas contest in 2007.

Germany, Canada and Mexico have been identified as the other top markets for NFL games outside the United States.

"We eliminated Toronto after agreeing with the Canadian Football League that we wouldn't go there because it was already hosting the Grey Cup,"Goodell said. "Mexico was discussed, as well as Duesseldorf and Hamburg."

The NFL staged its first regular-season game outside the United States in 2005. The Arizona Cardinals played the San Francisco 49ers before a crowd of 103,467 in Mexico City.

London hosted several NFL American Bowl preseason games in the 1980s and 1990s. The city also had the London Monarchs in the World Football League

hetrek

hmm...
ok gak..
tapi...
saye takde pc la nak tengok oobi...
ni pon kat cc...
tape la..
its ok..
nanti pandaipandai la cabut gi kedai tengok espn..
haha...

chuckiey

London???? jauhnye..

hetrek

hope somday it will come to Malaysia...:pray:

oobi

Originally posted by hetrek at 18-1-2007 08:07 PM
hope somday it will come to Malaysia...:pray:

if somebody is willing to sponsor. nfl is an expensive sport (probably the most expensive). so, if somebody wants to bring nfl to malaysia, they need to make sure they can fill up the stadium with at least 50,000 fans. nfl doesn't have an issue if they bring it to tokyo or beijing. london, berlin, hamburg and frankfurt, the sponsors usually have more than enough money to cover the loss. but, keep praying. we'll never know.

hetrek

mane la tau kotkot ade kerabat di raja yang minat game ni kan..haha....

dexa

Dolphins hire Cam Cameron as head coach
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
Fri Jan 19,

DAVIE, Fla. - When he was recruiting for Michigan, Cam Cameron could find any high school in South Florida without using a map. "It's not that far from home," Cameron said. Now, it is home

dexa

Saints, Bears eye end to Super drought

CHICAGO - Two decades and forever. That's the time span between trips to the Super Bowl for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.

While various players from each side have been to the NFL's biggest game with other teams, these are two organizations mired in, well, Super droughts. The last time the Bears played for the league title, it was in January 1986, and the stars were named Payton, Singletary, Hampton and McMahon. The defense was overwhelming and Da Coach, Mike Ditka, was overbearing.

That 21-year hiatus is distressing in Chicago, but it's also 19 years shorter than the span New Orleans has gone without a Super Bowl trip. Those four decades make up merely all of the Saints' existence.

Because Sunday's NFC championship game involves franchises that haven't enjoyed much success in the Super Bowl era, the celebrations might be just a bit more exuberant.

"Growing up watching the NFL, being such a fan of the sport and the league," Bears quarterback Rex Grossman said, "it means a great deal to be in this position. I really respect where we are at right now as far as the history of the league. I'm approaching it with a ton of intensity and focus, but not trying to make it bigger than it is. It's still just a football game we are playing at Soldier Field against the Saints."

Sure it is. But it's also the biggest game of the careers of every Bears player except five with previous Super Bowl game experience: wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad; defensive backs Ricky Manning Jr., and Dante Wesley; tackle Fred Miller; and punter Brad Maynard. Backup quarterback Brian Griese was with Denver in 1999, but didn't get on the field.

"I think experience teaches you a lot, so if you have been in that situation ... we have a few, we don't have many," said coach Lovie Smith, the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Rams that lost to New England for the NFL title. "But yes, it has to have helped, especially if you've been there recently.

"But once you get down to it, gametime we're going to kick it off and now it's just another football game. You know the week leading up to it is quite a bit different. But beyond that I don't see much."

Beyond the second round of the playoffs is farther than the Saints ever have traveled. They've made this uplifting journey in the wake of a nomadic season where they played home games in three cities after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. They went 3-13 during 2005, and Sean Payton was hired as coach.

Payton's work this season, when the Saints went 10-6 and won the NFC South, earned him AP Coach of the Year honors. He and his players, from All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees to rookie stars Reggie Bush and Marques Colston to longtime Saints Joe Horn and John Carney, have been vital forces in the revival of their city's spirit.

So imagine what a Super Bowl berth would do for the folks back home.

"I say this all along, and I have throughout the course of the season," said linebacker Scott Fujita, in his first year with the Saints: "I have never been on a team where I really felt like the community and the team were in it together. And that's not just lip service, that's the truth.

"They'll react the way they always do, and then some. The last playoff victory over Philadelphia, it's just been a great city to be a part of. That atmosphere is contagious and the players feed off of it. The coaches are encouraged by it."

The Saints also get enlightenment from defensive tackles Hollis Thomas and Brian Young; linebacker Mark Simoneau; kicker Carney; safety Omar Stoutmire; and running back Aaron Stecker, all with Super Bowl appearances. Fullback Fred McAfee, now on injured reserve, and backup quarterback Jamie Martin also were on Super Bowl teams. Martin didn't play in the 2002 game as backup to the Rams' Kurt Warner.

"This is what we work for year-round, starting back in January and February, preparing the staff, preparing the roster, offseason workouts, minicamp, training camp," said Carney, who played for the Chargers in the 1995 rout at the hands of the 49ers. "The ultimate goal is to win the championship. ... To play in a Super Bowl, and to win it, would be special for a lot of reasons and for a lot of people in this area.

"It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when you walk away from the Super Bowl and you don't bring home a championship. It makes you want to get back there and win it."

While the current Bears, who won the NFC North with the conference's best record, pay homage to the '85 Bears, they know they aren't held with the same high regard as that bunch. So getting back to a Super Bowl and winning it would provide a bit extra self-satisfaction for them.

"We're 13-3 and then we're hearing stuff as if we're 8-8," said defensive end Alex Brown, the smile fading from his face. "It's just how little respect we are getting.

"But that don't matter, though it doesn't bother me a bit. Even when we were winning six or seven in a row, people were saying stuff."

While the Bears play the no-respect angle, the Saints wonder if America has recognized they are more than a team of destiny.

"We have been riding an emotional wave this whole year," Fujita said. "But you can't discredit this is a damn good team that I'm playing on, too. From the very beginning ... the emotions, guys were excited about that, and the community and the rest of the country kind of looked at it that way. But the more games you watched and the effort you see the players are putting out there, and also the talent level, you see it's a lot more than just an emotional story. This is a legitimate contender."

It only took forever.

dexa

'Pats mystique' vs. Manning at home dome

By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer
Sat Jan 20,

INDIANAPOLIS - Tony Dungy calls it "the Patriots Mystique" and acknowledges it's something he and the Indianapolis Colts have to overcome to get to their first Super Bowl.

That has to be something Bill Belichick loves. One reason New England has won three NFL titles in the past five seasons is because it gets into the heads of opponents

oobi

Glory has its price


Ron Kroichick
Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, January 21, 2007

On the most famous play in 49ers history, amid the din at raucous Candlestick Park, Joe Montana raced to his right and hurriedly scanned the field. He backpedaled to elude three onrushing Dallas players, twice pumped his arm to throw and floated an off-balance pass into the back of the end zone.

Dwight Clark had cut to the middle before abruptly reversing direction. Clark sprinted toward the corner, leaped high, reached both arms above his head and made The Catch, forever cementing his place in 49ers lore.

Twenty-five years later, Montana's left knee is essentially shredded. His right eye occasionally sags from nerve damage. His neck is so stiff, he could not turn his head to look at a reporter asking him questions while he signed memorabilia. Montana, 50, turned both shoulders instead.

Clark, also 50, endures sharp pain every time he lifts his arms above his head -- the exact motion he effortlessly completed on The Catch -- because of a bent screw in his left shoulder and arthritis in his right shoulder. The simple act of turning his head also is a chore, thanks to all those jarring hits on crossing patterns over the middle.

"I hurt," Clark said, "from getting my head squashed down into my neck." More here.

oobi

chicago bears are going to the superbowl. what a game played by the bears. their defense, after being shredded by seattle seahawks last week, stiffened up against the number one offense in the nfl. with 3:24 left in the 4th quarter and leading the saints 39-14, the bears will surely be representing the nfc in the superbowl two weeks from today.

what a job lovie smith and ron rivera had done in a week to the chicago defense. the best defense in the nfc put high flying new orleans offense on a brake. the bears forced 4 turnovers. with the way their defense was playing, all rex grossman had to do was managed the game and avoid making any major mistake, and that's what he did. the bears offense exploited the weakness in new orleans defense, their pass defense, especially on fred thomas side.

is this reminiscent of 1985 team? looks like it.

congratulation to the city and people of chicago for making their first superbowl in 21 years.

final score, chicago 39 new orleans 14.

oobi

what a game between the colts and the patriots. after being down most of the game, the colts finally took the lead with 62 seconds left. then, they finally ended tom brady and the patriots season by intercepting his pass with 16 seconds left on the clock. by defeating new england 38-34, indianapolis has won lamar hunt trophy and will be representing the afc in superbowl 41 two weeks from today.

congratulation to tony dungy (well deserved), peyton manning and the colts organization.

chuckiey

indianapolis vs chicago... now that's interesting.. cam battle of borders lak..

hetrek

waahh....
rugi aku tak tegok...
sedih...
dah siap carik kedai lagi nak tengok..
tapi tak jupe pun..
rase nak balik rumah je...
papepun..colts juara

oobi

yep, it's going to be interesting:

1. colts is the first dome team to play in the superbowl. before this, dome teams were 0-9 in championship games , afc and nfc. minnesota vikings made to the superbowl in the 70s while playing outdoor. they started playing in the metrodome in early 80s.

2. the game will feature one of the best defenses in chicago bears and one of the most potent offenses in indianapolis colts, in the nfl this season.

3. the superbowl will feature two head coaches from minority, both lovie smith and tony dungy are black. lovie smith will be the first black head coach to coach in the superbowl. less than 4 hours later, tony dungy became the second one.

oobi

Steelers hire Mike Tomlin as coach


By ALAN ROBINSON
AP Sports Writer
January 22, 2007

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Mike Tomlin, the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator, was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers -- the first black head coach in the team's 74-year history.

He accepted the job Sunday night and the hiring was announced Monday, with Tomlin expected to make about $2.5 million a year under a four-year contract. He is the Steelers' third coach in 38 years, following Chuck Noll (23 seasons) and Bill Cowher (15 seasons).

Tomlin, an NFL coordinator for only one season, acknowledged it was difficult not to be overwhelmed with the opportunity to coach what he called "one of the storied franchises in sports."

"I'm still coming to grips with what that means," said Tomlin, who, like Cowher in 1992, will be about the same age as some of his players. "But I am what I am as coach -- I don't call myself a 34-year-old coach or an experienced coach, I'm a football coach." More here.

oobi

A Cowboy no more: Parcells leaves Dallas, retires from coaching


By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer
January 22, 2007


IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Bill Parcells could have returned to the Dallas Cowboys for one more shot at becoming the first coach to lead three teams into the Super Bowl.

He could have come back to try ending the longest playoff drought in the franchise's proud history. Or he could have come back to finish what he started in developing quarterback Tony Romo and a 3-4 defense.

Instead, 15 days after a gut-wrenching playoff loss in Seattle, Parcells decided Monday to call it a career, ending a four-year run in Dallas. Over 19 seasons in the NFL, Parcells led teams to three SuperBowls, winning two championships.

"I am retiring from coaching football," Parcells said in a statement. "I want to thank Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones for their tremendous support over the last four years. Also, the players, my coaching staff and others in the support group who have done so much to help. Dallas is a great city and the Cowboys are an integral part of it. I am hopeful that they are able to go forward from here." More here.

oobi

Raiders make Kiffin NFL's youngest head coach


By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
January 22, 2007


The Oakland Raiders hired Lane Kiffin on Monday night, making the 31-year-old Southern California offensive coordinator the youngest NFLhead coach in decades.

Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, earned the job with a strong interview Monday after the Raiders failed to reach a deal last week with 32-year-old Steve Sarkisian, Kiffin's fellow assistant to Pete Carroll at USC.

The Raiders called a news conference for Tuesday to announce the hiring.

Raiders owner Al Davis quickly moved to land another up-and-coming offensive mind with sterling college credentials, but just one season of NFL experience -- as a defensive quality control coach with Jacksonville in 2000.

At 31 years, 8 months, Kiffin is even younger than Harland Svare, who took over the Los Angeles Rams in 1962 at 31 years, 11 months. Svare is listed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Web site as the youngest coach in the modern era, though younger coaches -- including George Halas -- led teams during the league's founding years. More here.

Note: I applauded Mr. Davis for always not being afraid to hire younger guy as head coach.

oobi

Language barrier slows down some more than others


INSTANT 49ers

Matt Maiocco heads into his 13th season covering the 49ers. He has reported for The Press Democrat since 2000. He is a three-time winner of Pro Football Writers of America awards. Maiocco has written two books, "Roger Craig's Tales from the 49ers Sideline" and "San Francisco 49ers: Where Have You Gone?" His blog, "Instant 49ers," gives readers an all-access pass to the 49ers.


I quietly and discreetly made my way into the back of the room. There, I sat dumbfounded. I didn't understand a word anybody was saying.

"Now, you know what the players are going through," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said later. "There were 22 players in that room, and those 22 probably speak 10 different languages. In just a couple days, they all have to learn a new language."

This is how it is for the players chosen to participate in the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Ala. In many cases, they have spent four years learning the football terminology at their schools. And then they have to apply a new language in a short period of time while functioning well enough on the field to impress NFL coaches and scouts.

The language is defensive football. As I looked around the room, I saw a few players with blank looks on their faces. It was obvious that they didn't really have a clue what was going on - or they had not yet become conversant in this language that the 49ers' defensive coaches were speaking during their Wednesday meeting.

But then there were others who were obviously quick to catch on. CB Jonathan Wade of Tennessee and SS Michael Griffin were seated next to each other in the first row. When Nolan was at the whiteboard with a pen in his hand, Wade asked a question. Griffin was also quick with answers when Nolan quizzed him.

Believe me, Nolan noticed how quickly those pair picked it up.

"That's why I like to coach in this game," Nolan said. "If you're not coaching, you don't get to see what we see in the meeting room. Some guys learn that stuff quickly, and there are other guys who sit there quietly and don't really know what's going on."

Count me in the latter group.

* * *

The players convened at 9 a.m. in a meeting room at the Mobile Convention Center, which is a short walk over the sky bridge from the hotel. New special teams coach Al Everest went over some film of punt coverages. But, first, the former Saints special-teams coach had some words of advice for the players in the room.

"Joe Horn was in the league six years and he did nothing but special teams," Everest said. "Do you know how many players suit up for games?"

Someone answered correctly: 45.

"That's not even two-deep at every position," Everest said, emphasizing that the way for young players to prove their worth initially is on special teams.

* * *

I remained in the room, as the defensive meeting began with Nolan in front of the group diagramming formations. He talked about where he wants to see the linebackers line up when the offense is showing certain looks.

Before he got going he wanted to alert the players that the Wednesday practice would be the last one that is well-attended by NFL scouts and coaches. Most of them would head home after the upcoming practice. They will watch the film of the game, rather than remain in Mobile to watch it in person.

The session begins with the entire defense watching film of the 11-on-11 portion of Tuesday's practice. The players are split up into sections of the room, so their position coaches can point out pertinent information as it appears on the screen.

* * *

Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis was sitting to Singletary's immediate right during this session. Those two were in constant soft conversation about what they were seeing on the film. Nolan pointed out to Griffin that he needed to flip his hips sooner on a corner route in which he was covering LSU WR Dwayne Bowe. As it was, Griffin got his hand on the ball, but Bowe still managed to make an acrobatic catch. "That play is yours in the game," Nolan told him. New DL coach Jim Tomsula was eagerly pointing out ways in which his linemen could use better technique. He also noticed several times in which his guys were lined up in the neutral zone. "We don't have to be talking about this again,"he told them.

One constant theme was that the defense was a little overzealous in practice. Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander roughed up a running back after catching a screen pass. "Save it for the game," Nolan told him. When Nolan quizzed Wade about the routes he should expect in a certain formation when the QB takes a three-step drop, Wade answered correctly, "Hitches and slants." DE Quentin Moses showed his athleticism to bat down a ball at the line of scrimmage, then did a nice job of controlling the tight end with his hands on a run play.

* * *

"Hey, Meriweather," Nolan said. "What's your first name?"

"Brandon."

"Brian?"

"No, Brandon."

"OK, your last name is too long for me to say all the time."

Meriweather, a safety from Miami, received some praise a couple plays later for finishing the play by stripping the receiver of the ball.

* * *

Willis showed his outstanding athleticism and his range with an interception some 20 yards down the field on a sideline route. On the next play, CB A.J. Davis of N.C. State made an outstanding play, and was credited for his "route recognition." CB David Irons of Auburn was praised for his tight defense on a deep route. Although Griffin had no bearing on the play and really didn't move much from where he lined up, Nolan pointed out that he did not abandon is position and thus was "good in the defense."

* * *

The defensive line and linebackers went into an adjoining room to watch the 9-on-7 run drills, and I followed them in there. Singletary noticed a couple times when there were two linebackers following a tight end. "I don't want to see two men on a tight end," he said. "Talk to each other. Be nice to each other. Help each other out."

Singletary urged LB Earl Everett of Florida to "be explosive" on one play, and singled him out for his textbook body position on a couple plays later.

* * *

Although Tomsula had no difficult pointing out technique flaws, it was clear that some of the linemen had made tremendous strides in correcting the problems that showed up on film from the previous day. "See how much better that was Day 1 to Day 2?" Tomsula said. "That's exciting stuff!"

* * *

When the meeting adjourned, I was mingling in the hallway.

"Hey, I thought you were going to come into our meeting?" Norv Turner said.

He almost seemed offended when I told him I decided to go into the defensive meeting instead. I hadn't planned on it before, but I've received clearance to attend the offensive meeting tomorrow morning.

More here.
* * * * * *