Pre-Emptive Football Thread

[rachel]

  connoisseur series500 said:

  rachel said:

we'll see...

Ahhh, the Redskins!!

Please.... when have I ever hid my love for all things 'Colts'.

silly boy....

[connoisseur series500]

  chris said:

You haven't changed at all Conn-- always the most negative interpretation of anything said about the Pats. I didn't say (nor imply) that the Patriots were just Corey Dillon. I just noted that adding him to the mix is intriguing. Kick that New England chip off your shoulder, man.

They say that people in the Boston area have a chip on their shoulder regarding their sports teams, but I don't really have one.

Does it really come across that way?

Damn, the team has had tremendous success over the last few years. Nothing for me to be uptight about...

Sorry Chris...

and Rachel...

[nmorin]

In the AFC, I'd pick the Pats again. I've heard KC's improved their defense, but I'll have to see that for myself. Maybe Indy. I've heard folks picking Denver as a sleeper.

In the NFC, it's a crap shoot. The Panthers should be good again. I don't think Philadelphia's any better on defence--they could be just good enough to lose their fourth consective NFC championship game. The same deal with the Packers--all eleven starters are back on offense, and they may have the best O-line in the game, so they should be able post alot of points, but their secondary and linebackers are going to hurt them. Lots of folks have been picking the Vikings to win in the North and Seattle to win the West--and the NFC champion to be one of those two.

I'll be in Europe for the first two weeks of the season. I'd better find alot of Classics Jazz CDs for dirt cheap to make up for THAT.

Edited August 15, 2004 by nmorin

[ajf67]

  Quote

Rootin' for the Browns post Modell (someone who should be brought up on human rights violations) is truly tough. 

Yes! And I think numerous people felt the same way -- remember the death threats against him? I'm really glad the Rooneys are so rock solid. They don't make the most money in the NFL, but they just about always field a competitive team, they aren't going to move the tream from Pittsburgh, and they at least try to have some standards about who wears their uniform. The move of the Browns to Baltimore really messed up the universe for me for a while. Now I have two rivals, but neither one feels the same as it used to.

One thing about the Browns though. A bunch of us (Steeler fans) were talking after a game last year, and we all agreed that if we were out at sea and all the teams in the NFL were tossed overboard and drowning we would of course reach in and pick out our beloved Steelers first. But we also all agreed that we then would reach in and pull out the Browns second because the rivalry was just so key. Not having those two Browns games each year really was awful. We learned quickly to despise the Ravens but it just isn't the same, because it's hard for Pitsburghers to work up much of anything against Baltimore -- we still feel sorry for them for getting screwed out of the Colts.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

  ajf67 said:

One thing about the Browns though. A bunch of us (Steeler fans) were talking after a game last year, and we all agreed that if we were out at sea and all the teams in the NFL were tossed overboard and drowning we would of course reach in and pick out our beloved Steelers first. But we also all agreed that we then would reach in and pull out the Browns second because the rivalry was just so key. Not having those two Browns games each year really was awful. We learned quickly to despise the Ravens but it just isn't the same, because it's hard for Pitsburghers to work up much of anything against Baltimore -- we still feel sorry for them for getting screwed out of the Colts.

Couldn't agree w/ you more. And good to know you'd toss a line!

That is one classic rivalry that was truly a freindly one off the turf for the fans. Looking forward to the two division sets was as ritual as any other holiday. Having only been to one in person (Browns won on Monday nite!!) you truly had the feeling of a good time no matter what. None of the ugliness that seems to haunt the Sox/Yankees ever seemed present back in the day.

The move of the Colts was indeed the beginning of the end for football as we all knew it. And those last days of Jim O'Brien socking it to the Cowboys is certainly akin to the Patriots of today.

I've truly lost all hope and a great bit of interest in the recent years after the Browns got shanghaied (the Ravens seem like a team with absolutely no reason to be as far as an old football fan is concerned - right down to the drop shadow type face they use on the uniform numbers and the embodyment of the whole "urbanization" of the NFL). Having not been in Ohio for the past twenty years and being engulfed by rabid Patriot mania and kids who just play soccer doesn't help much either. B-)

[connoisseur series500]

  nmorin said:

I've heard folks picking Denver as a sleeper.

Not based on their preseason games so far...

[Tjazz]

  PHILLYQ said:

Totally out of left field pick- Kurt Warner rediscovers the magic, GIANTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL(then I woke up!)

Isn't Kurt Warner past his prime?

[chris]

Conn: no harm, no foul. I envy your enthusiasm!

Me, I'm feeling pretty good about the Seahawks. I think they have all the pieces, but can they play with some consistency and avoid losing too much to injuries? I'm rootin' for 'em.

I'd like to see Green Bay go deep too. I love Favre, but he's not as young as he used to be and while exciting to watch, he cost them big last season with some ill-considered passes. I don't think he's embarrassing himself, but I hope he goes out on a high note-- and decides to go out sooner rather than later...