NFL 2010 Off-season Discussion Thread - Page 4

There really is no such thing as a team build for cold weather. (Don't mention a run heavy team since that is a style that works just as well in good weather). Players are either use to playing in the cold or they are not. Every attempt possible should be made to  minimize weather as a factor in the game.

I'll have to join the group that finds it moronic to play this game in February in New Jersey. San Francisco was bad enough and they just had the misfortune of getting lots of fog on the day of the game. The day before the weather was perfect but that is the luck of the draw in the Bay Area in late January.

Teams that play outdoors in cold weather have to be able to adapt and cope with adverse weather conditions, while teams playing in warm weather or domes rarely do -- hence teams "built" for cold weather. Some warm weather teams never learn to cope -- I think Tampa Bay went decades without ever winning a game where the game time temperature was below 40 degrees. The weather has been a factor in the sport since the beginning, even though it's been mitigated by the modern dome stadiums. I do not see the harm in having one Super Bowl played in cold weather conditions. Of course, I will not be one of the people sitting in the stands freezing my butt off, either.

Anyway, some of the most famous playoff games have been played in adverse conditions. Two that quickly come to mind are the Packers - Cowboys "Ice Bowl" title game in the 1960's, and the Patriots - Raiders "Tuck Rule" game a few years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield 

 

The reverse argument could be made for a cold weather team. Why should a team built for cold weather have to play in a dome and be at a disadvantage against a team built for playing on a fast surface in a dome?

Why is a "cold-weather" team at a disadvantage in good conditions?  Are they a running team, hard-hitting, etc.  They should still be able to do all the things they do in cold weather at least as well in good weather.  I'll grant you there may be some advantage to a dome team playing in a dome.

But let's face it, this decision was based on moola, the benjamins, the cash.  It's all about making money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield 

Anyway, some of the most famous playoff games have been played in adverse conditions. Two that quickly come to mind are the Packers - Cowboys "Ice Bowl" title game in the 1960's, and the Patriots - Raiders "Tuck Rule" game a few years ago.

There was also the coldest playoff game on record, Chargers vs Bengals.  A perfect example of a warm weather team in a game it could not  prepare for.  A game that the NFL later admitted should have been rescheduled.  I'll always think that if a big name city (such at the Jets) had been facing the Bengals, it would have been rescheduled.  Yeah, I know NY gets cold, but nothing like that game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell 

There was also the coldest playoff game on record, Chargers vs Bengals.  A perfect example of a warm weather team in a game it could not  prepare for.  A game that the NFL later admitted should have been rescheduled.  I'll always think that if a big name city (such at the Jets) had been facing the Bengals, it would have been rescheduled.  Yeah, I know NY gets cold, but nothing like that game.

I do not recall the NFL ever rescheduling a game because of cold weather -- nor will they ever. I think that statement was just to appease the fans of the Chargers.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield 

 

 

I do not recall the NFL ever rescheduling a game because of cold weather -- nor will they ever. I think that statement was just to appease the fans of the Chargers.
 

Well, let's hope the NY SB doesn't have temps like the freezer bowl.  That would make for an interesting decision on the league's part.  I hope this decision to play a cold-weather SB is not a trend.
 

I was sorry to see that Jack Tatum passed away the other day.

I grow up going to Raider games in 70s, he was a damn good player who unfortunately to many ignorant fans is thought of as nothing more than a dirty cheap shot player because of the Stingley hit. The hit by the way was clean and legal. It wasn’t borderline, there was no grey area, it was just a good physical play that resulted in an injury.

RIP “Assassin”

Tatum was a great player, even though he was not a favorite of mine -- being a Steelers fan (plus, he's a Buckeye, too). RIP, Assassin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick_S 

 

I grow up going to Raider games in 70s, he was a damn good player who unfortunately to many ignorant fans is thought of as nothing more than a dirty cheap shot player because of the Stingley hit. The hit by the way was clean and legal. It wasn’t borderline, there was no grey area, it was just a good physical play that resulted in an injury.

 

I think what bothers people is not that Stingley got hurt, but that Tatum never said anything like "I'm sorry about what happened".  He always had a "hey, these things happen" attitude.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertR 

I think what bothers people is not that Stingley got hurt, but that Tatum never said anything like "I'm sorry about what happened".  He always had a "hey, these things happen" attitude.
 

Do a little research and you'll find out that this is a common misconception.

Actually, I did do research.  From the Wikipedia article on Tatum:

Quote:

The impact badly damaged Stingley's spinal cord and left him paralyzed from the chest down for the rest of his life. According to Stingley in his 1983 autobiography, "Happy To Be Alive," Tatum never made any effort to apologize or to see him after the incident. [1]. Tatum has said he attempted to visit Stingley in the hospital, but was rebuffed by Stingley's family.^[18] The two did not speak from that day until Stingley's death on April 5, 2007, although Stingley admitted he had forgiven Tatum saying "It's hard to articulate," he said. "It was a test of my faith. The entire story. In who, and how much, do you believe, Darryl? In my heart and mind, I forgave Jack Tatum a long time ago." ^[19] Tatum never apologized for the hit, saying that the coaches knew it was a risky play and had called it too many times in the game already; that eventually someone was going to get hurt and it just happened to be Stingley when Tatum was playing.^[20]"It could have happened to anybody," said Tatum. "People are always saying, 'He didn't apologize.' I don't think I did anything wrong that I need to apologize for. It was a clean hit."

 

So you're saying these quotes and citations are wrong.