American Sports Thread

[magpie seanie]

Seanie, you told me 2 weeks ago to grow up for calling out you on hating the Packers and Rodgers. You are full of dung. You hate Rodgers and the packers. I said 2 weeks ago, that was fair enough. Some of the shite you are talking on here is embarrassing . RIGHT now, Aaron Rodgers is a first ballot Hall of Famer...

So what if I hate them. Do you think you're some sort of investigative genius for working that out?

I have to acknowledge he is a very good QB but like David McKeown I think he is overhyped and some of his play, particularly when things are tough, doesn't stand up to scrutiny for a "first ballot Hall of Famer". If Peyton Manning was QB of Green Bay last night and things went down the same way he would be getting destroyed today. There are also other things about him that annoy me and I've highlighted them. Feel free to disagree, be embarrassed if you like.

[gallsman]

No, I think he's right. Home team provides 12.

We'll split the difference - article on NFL.com reporting the investigation says both teams provide 12.

[gallsman]

No, I think he's right. Home team provides 12.

We'll split the difference - article on NFL.com reporting the investigation says both teams provide 12.

I take it back - from the rule book:

The home club shall have 36 balls for outdoor games and 24 for indoor games available for testing with a pressure gauge by the referee two hours prior to the starting time of the game to meet with League requirements. Twelve (12) new footballs, sealed in a special box and shipped by the manufacturer, will be opened in the officials' locker room two hours prior to the starting time of the game. These balls are to be specially marked with the letter "k" and used exclusively for the kicking game.

[David McKeown]

No, I think he's right. Home team provides 12.

We'll split the difference - article on NFL.com reporting the investigation says both teams provide 12.

Dean Blandino said that due to it being a wet game each team actually provides more than 12 balls. The regular 12 plus up to 12 more to account for weather. They are all inspected and weighed pre-game then any taken out are re-examined midweek. Only one ball was taken out mid game which isn't unusual. There may be something to it but I think this one may be blown out of all proportion because it involves the Pats.

[David McKeown]

Never bought the hype on Rodgers. Good qb but not great. Brady wouldn't have been stopped on the 1 yard line twice and ultimately that cost GB.

On Jeff Reinbold I think he's superb and a nice bloke too ( I followed him on Twitter during the week and he tweeted me to thank me then answered a load of football questions quickly thereafter), not fussed on Reynolds although much better than he used to be. Liked Nick Halling back in the day too.

Not sure you can call it hype David, by any definition of the word he has been great so far.

In 7 full seasons he has 226 TDs 57 INT,  QB rating of 106.

Super Bowl winner / Super Bowl MVP. League MVP (with another likely to follow in two weeks)

Before last night his playoff rating was over 100 and in the top 5 all time I believe.

If he didn't play another down he would still go in as a first ballot Hall Of Famer, in my opinion.

When he is finished I see him being viewed in top 5 all time great QBs.

As for Brady getting in from the 1yd line, McCarthy is calling the plays not Rodgers. If Belichick was coaching GB last night they would be preparing for a Super Bowl appearance.

In terms of stats and measurables Rodgers is an excellent QB but at the end of the day his job is as much to manage/win games as it is to run up stats I think had Brady been under centre he'd have found away to score regardless who was play calling. Also there's been a lot of talk recently that Rodgers has Carte Blanche as far as play calling goes on offensive in Green Bay. . No doubt Rodgers is a first round hall of famer but when it comes to who I would want under centre in a big game or big drive Id take Brady and a host of others in front of Rodgers any day. I don't buy the hype that Rodgers is the best of his generation. Don't get me wrong he's still very very good but he's not in that top echelon for me. I noticed last night he's only 28% on game winning drives in his career. Quite a bit lower than the other 3 QB's last night.

.......Was gonna type fairly long post that among other things W-L isn't a QB stat like baseball, it seems to be creeping into conversations now though, a QB job isn't to win games, too many other facets of the game determine that, QB job is to throw TDs and not INT, Brady hasn't won a SB in ten years, he is 9-8 in playoffs since last SB win if you want to use the W-L stat & 0-2 in SBs (and i think Bardy is one of the best ever )but he has also had the best ever head coach putting together a roster year after year.........but couldn't be arsed 

We will agree to disagree !

People are probably getting fed up reading my defence of Rodgers

No not at all I appreciate the alternative perspective on Rodgers. In terms of td to int ratio, Rodgers is phenomenal don't get me wrong but he's had arguably a better D and better supporting cast than most over the last 5 years and now only has 1sb appearance. I disagree about what to look for in QB, I think ability to find a way to win when the chips are down is much more impressive than the numbers. For that reason until he wins at least another SB, I don't think Rodgers can be talked about as the best of his generation or a top 5 ever QB and therefore is by definition overhyped.

Talking of QB stats though the one about Wilson having a lead in every game he's played since Freshman year of college is remarkable.

[AZOffaly]

Never bought the hype on Rodgers. Good qb but not great. Brady wouldn't have been stopped on the 1 yard line twice and ultimately that cost GB.

On Jeff Reinbold I think he's superb and a nice bloke too ( I followed him on Twitter during the week and he tweeted me to thank me then answered a load of football questions quickly thereafter), not fussed on Reynolds although much better than he used to be. Liked Nick Halling back in the day too.

Not sure you can call it hype David, by any definition of the word he has been great so far.

In 7 full seasons he has 226 TDs 57 INT,  QB rating of 106.

Super Bowl winner / Super Bowl MVP. League MVP (with another likely to follow in two weeks)

Before last night his playoff rating was over 100 and in the top 5 all time I believe.

If he didn't play another down he would still go in as a first ballot Hall Of Famer, in my opinion.

When he is finished I see him being viewed in top 5 all time great QBs.

As for Brady getting in from the 1yd line, McCarthy is calling the plays not Rodgers. If Belichick was coaching GB last night they would be preparing for a Super Bowl appearance.

In terms of stats and measurables Rodgers is an excellent QB but at the end of the day his job is as much to manage/win games as it is to run up stats I think had Brady been under centre he'd have found away to score regardless who was play calling. Also there's been a lot of talk recently that Rodgers has Carte Blanche as far as play calling goes on offensive in Green Bay. . No doubt Rodgers is a first round hall of famer but when it comes to who I would want under centre in a big game or big drive Id take Brady and a host of others in front of Rodgers any day. I don't buy the hype that Rodgers is the best of his generation. Don't get me wrong he's still very very good but he's not in that top echelon for me. I noticed last night he's only 28% on game winning drives in his career. Quite a bit lower than the other 3 QB's last night.

.......Was gonna type fairly long post that among other things W-L isn't a QB stat like baseball, it seems to be creeping into conversations now though, a QB job isn't to win games, too many other facets of the game determine that, QB job is to throw TDs and not INT, Brady hasn't won a SB in ten years, he is 9-8 in playoffs since last SB win if you want to use the W-L stat & 0-2 in SBs (and i think Bardy is one of the best ever )but he has also had the best ever head coach putting together a roster year after year.........but couldn't be arsed 

We will agree to disagree !

People are probably getting fed up reading my defence of Rodgers

No not at all I appreciate the alternative perspective on Rodgers. In terms of td to int ratio, Rodgers is phenomenal don't get me wrong but he's had arguably a better D and better supporting cast than most over the last 5 years and now only has 1sb appearance. I disagree about what to look for in QB, I think ability to find a way to win when the chips are down is much more impressive than the numbers. For that reason until he wins at least another SB, I don't think Rodgers can be talked about as the best of his generation or a top 5 ever QB and therefore is by definition overhyped.

Talking of QB stats though the one about Wilson having a lead in every game he's played since Freshman year of college is remarkable.

Every time I hear that one about super bowls, two things jump into my head. 1 is Dan Marino. The second is Eli Manning v Payton.

There are several intangibles about QB which are inherently hard to measure, but of the measurables you have to say Rodgers has been excellent thus far. Excellent does not mean faultless mind you!

[Syferus]

Reports are now saying 11 of the 12 Pats' footballs were 2 pounds under the regulated pressure, and they had to have been at at the regulated pressure when they were checked and handed back to the Pats just before kickoff.

Looks like someone got caught red-handed. Again.

[AZOffaly]

It's actually funny when you think about it. One of the Pats lads going around with a needle sticking it into the valve and walking off whistling

[Walter Cronc]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

[magpie seanie]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

The cheating I suppose.

[Walter Cronc]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

The cheating I suppose.

Seanie i dont have your knowledge of the game. What else has he been up to apart from deflating these balls.

[AZOffaly]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

Belichick has to be the best coach of the modern era, and possibly any era. I posted above some of his stats, and the fact he's basically rebuilding a team every few years means his accomplishments are unreal. Brady is vital, of course, but even when Brady missed the year, Belichick finished 11-5 with Matt Cassel. I don't like him, or his manner, but what he has done is fantastic in the NFL.

NFL Films do some very good shows called (A Football Life) and they have one on him. There's a trailor at http://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life/09000d5d821d0244/Bill-Belichick-A-Football-Life but I'm not sure where the full program is.

[AZOffaly]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

The cheating I suppose.

Seanie i dont have your knowledge of the game. What else has he been up to apart from deflating these balls.

There was a spying incident against the New York Jets a while ago too. I think the cheating is over exaggerated though. It's more his demeanour I don't like, but that's hardly a hanging offence.

[Walter Cronc]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

The cheating I suppose.

Seanie i dont have your knowledge of the game. What else has he been up to apart from deflating these balls.

There was a spying incident against the New York Jets a while ago too. I think the cheating is over exaggerated though. It's more his demeanour I don't like, but that's hardly a hanging offence.

Good man AZ. I appreciate that!!

[magpie seanie]

Lads is Bellichick the best coach of the modern generation or does Brady call the offensive shots?

What makes him so disliked?Arrogance I assume?

Anyone know of any documentaries (youtube) that could give me an insight into the mindset of Bellichick and Brady?

Cheers

The cheating I suppose.

Seanie i dont have your knowledge of the game. What else has he been up to apart from deflating these balls.

There was a spying incident against the New York Jets a while ago too. I think the cheating is over exaggerated though. It's more his demeanour I don't like, but that's hardly a hanging offence.

I kind of do too. My main reason for disliking him is it's impossible to use any Patriots in fantasy bar Gronk and Brady cos the gameplan changes so much week to week! Plus he lists everyone who isn't 100% healthy as "questionable". Fantasy is tough enough without coaches like him!!!

His achievements are amazing. He looks like a sour ould hoor but maybe he's not.