2009 NFL Season Thread

[HedleyLamarr]

That's why I've never understood how anyone can take a sporting event so seriously that they can actually say they "hate" someone who was involved in it. I'm not knocking it, well maybe I am a little, but I just don't understand how it can mean that much. No matter what Hines Ward does on Sunday, your life remains exactly the same on Monday. And if your life actually changes in any fashion on Monday, I can promise you that Hines Ward had nothing to do with it. Seriously McCarthy, do you actually "hate" Hines Ward? If you do that's fine I guess. It just seems like an incredible waste of energy to me. Your "hate" is meaningless to everyone except yourself. It's the equivalent of hating a character on a TV show.

Just my opinion on the matter.

I hate Todd Bertuzzi because of that whole Steve Moore incident...does that count?

[infrared41]

That's why I've never understood how anyone can take a sporting event so seriously that they can actually say they "hate" someone who was involved in it. I'm not knocking it, well maybe I am a little, but I just don't understand how it can mean that much. No matter what Hines Ward does on Sunday, your life remains exactly the same on Monday. And if your life actually changes in any fashion on Monday, I can promise you that Hines Ward had nothing to do with it. Seriously McCarthy, do you actually "hate" Hines Ward? If you do that's fine I guess. It just seems like an incredible waste of energy to me. Your "hate" is meaningless to everyone except yourself. It's the equivalent of hating a character on a TV show.

Just my opinion on the matter.

I hate Todd Bertuzzi because of that whole Steve Moore incident...does that count?

If it makes you happy, go for it. Who am I to say what people should waste spend their time on?

[NJTank]

Well its well known how much I despise the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

[Saintsfan]

Just looking at the Colts schedule from here on in, its hard to imagine them losing between now and the playoffs. road trips to Jacksonville and Buffalo and home games against the Titans, Broncos and Jets. With the Titans on a roll, week 13 could be there hardestfixture between now and the post season. Also the irony of Fisher denying the Colts the Perfect Season after posing in the Colts jersey is the kind of story that happens every now and again! Or maybe its the apprentice (McDaniels) being able to do what the master couldn't and beating the Colts?

[The_Admiral]

Colts always lose games to Jacksonville that they shouldn't.

[BlueSky]

That's why I've never understood how anyone can take a sporting event so seriously that they can actually say they "hate" someone who was involved in it. I'm not knocking it, well maybe I am a little, but I just don't understand how it can mean that much. No matter what Hines Ward does on Sunday, your life remains exactly the same on Monday. And if your life actually changes in any fashion on Monday, I can promise you that Hines Ward had nothing to do with it. Seriously McCarthy, do you actually "hate" Hines Ward? If you do that's fine I guess. It just seems like an incredible waste of energy to me. Your "hate" is meaningless to everyone except yourself. It's the equivalent of hating a character on a TV show.

Just my opinion on the matter.

I hate Todd Bertuzzi because of that whole Steve Moore incident...does that count?

If it makes you happy, go for it. Who am I to say what people should waste spend their time on?

Perhaps the point of saying 'sports hate' is to differentiate that from the 'real' emotion? That's how I took it anyway. For example, I 'hate' Brett Favre and his selfishness, all the media fawning, etc., but if I rolled up on his overturned vehicle and saw it was him trapped inside, I certainly wouldn't leave him there to burn. If I really hate someone - and I mean hate, like say the walking POS who just murdered those four Seattle area police officers - well, I'd sure at least think about being 'kept back by the flames'. (I understand that begs a deep philosophical discussion but this isn't the place.)

And I 'hate' the Falcons for reasons any Saints fan understands but I'm objective enough to respect their organization, the fine practice facility they have, people like Mike Smith, Matt Ryan, Curtis Lofton et al, and even their throwback unis. Hating them doesn't mean I stalked around snapping at people and throwing things after they pulled out that win yesterday. I mean, come on, that would be a little childish, right?

I just sulked for a few minutes then it was all good.

[Seadragon76]

I'm just happy Seattle won a game on that road trip that was partially brought on by the MLS Cup.

It'll be good for them to get home, but if that Niners D that showed up yesterday against Jacksonville shows up, then things could get ugly fast.

[crashcarson15]

Colts always lose games to Jacksonville that they shouldn't.

QFT. Go Jags!

[epper]

Wow, was yesterday refreshing as a Bills fan. Perry Fewell has lit a fire under this team with aggressive playcalling and all-out emotion that D*ck Jauron never showed. The 56-yard go-ahead fieldgoal, the long bomb to TO. late in the 4th Q with a lead, starting Freddy-Jax over Marshawn "Inch"....feels good.

That being said, I still want a proven SB-winning coach in here in '10, but at least these last 5 Sundays won't be so agonizing. I actually hope they keep Perry around as the D-Coordinator, seems like the players love him. I think he's a great coach with a defense gets a bad rap because of a ridiculous amount of injuries....well that and a lack of star playmakers.

[infrared41]

That's why I've never understood how anyone can take a sporting event so seriously that they can actually say they "hate" someone who was involved in it. I'm not knocking it, well maybe I am a little, but I just don't understand how it can mean that much. No matter what Hines Ward does on Sunday, your life remains exactly the same on Monday. And if your life actually changes in any fashion on Monday, I can promise you that Hines Ward had nothing to do with it. Seriously McCarthy, do you actually "hate" Hines Ward? If you do that's fine I guess. It just seems like an incredible waste of energy to me. Your "hate" is meaningless to everyone except yourself. It's the equivalent of hating a character on a TV show.

Just my opinion on the matter.

I hate Todd Bertuzzi because of that whole Steve Moore incident...does that count?

If it makes you happy, go for it. Who am I to say what people should waste spend their time on?

Perhaps the point of saying 'sports hate' is to differentiate that from the 'real' emotion? That's how I took it anyway. For example, I 'hate' Brett Favre and his selfishness, all the media fawning, etc., but if I rolled up on his overturned vehicle and saw it was him trapped inside, I certainly wouldn't leave him there to burn. If I really hate someone - and I mean hate, like say the walking POS who just murdered those four Seattle area police officers - well, I'd sure at least think about being 'kept back by the flames'. (I understand that begs a deep philosophical discussion but this isn't the place.)

And I 'hate' the Falcons for reasons any Saints fan understands but I'm objective enough to respect their organization, the fine practice facility they have, people like Mike Smith, Matt Ryan, Curtis Lofton et al, and even their throwback unis. Hating them doesn't mean I stalked around snapping at people and throwing things after they pulled out that win yesterday. I mean, come on, that would be a little childish, right?

I just sulked for a few minutes then it was all good.

Fair enough.

[infrared41]

Well its well known how much I despise the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

Watching you during baseball season is all a person needs to figure out that you take sports way too seriously.

[Sport]

Bill Simmons wrote an article recently about "sports hate". Well, I sports hate Hines Ward. I can't wait until that clown is out of the league.

Let me preface this by saying I use the term "hate" when talking sports but like "we", I use hate more as a quick and easy way of stating some team or player that I enjoy less than others. The reality is that the only "emotion" that I ever get out of a sporting event is probably enjoyment. If the team I am rooting for loses it means nothing to me. I just look at it as the ending didn't go like I wanted it to and I change the channel and watch another game. I can't honestly say that I "hate" as in feel actual negative feelings towards any team or player in any sport.

That's why I've never understood how anyone can take a sporting event so seriously that they can actually say they "hate" someone who was involved in it. I'm not knocking it, well maybe I am a little, but I just don't understand how it can mean that much. No matter what Hines Ward does on Sunday, your life remains exactly the same on Monday. And if your life actually changes in any fashion on Monday, I can promise you that Hines Ward had nothing to do with it. Seriously McCarthy, do you actually "hate" Hines Ward? If you do that's fine I guess. It just seems like an incredible waste of energy to me. Your "hate" is meaningless to everyone except yourself. It's the equivalent of hating a character on a TV show.

Just my opinion on the matter.

I don't actually HATE Hines Ward. The article explained "sports-hate" meaning a player on a rival team that you want to see fail at every point, but you respect their abilities and would probably like them if they were on your own team. Bill Simmons' own example was Kareem Abdu Jabbar. I don't like Hines Ward because he plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but more and more I've been finding reasons to dislike him (cheap shot blocks, constantly holding, annoying smile, helmet that looks two sizes too small). Like the other poster if he needed my help I would definitely give it to him. Perhaps I should've explained it better due to Bill Simmons' reputation around sports message boards. In this case I agree with him that it is possible to hate the player on the field, but not the man off of it.

If you want to see people taking sports too seriously go to the bengals.com fan message board (or any team message board for that matter). I'm nothing compared to them.

[infrared41]

I don't actually HATE Hines Ward. The article explained "sports-hate" meaning a player on a rival team that you want to see fail at every point, but you respect their abilities and would probably like them if they were on your own team. Bill Simmons' own example was Kareem Abdu Jabbar. I don't like Hines Ward because he plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but more and more I've been finding reasons to dislike him (cheap shot blocks, constantly holding, annoying smile, helmet that looks two sizes too small). Like the other poster if he needed my help I would definitely give it to him. Perhaps I should've explained it better due to Bill Simmons' reputation around sports message boards. In this case I agree with him that it is possible to hate the player on the field, but not the man off of it.

If you want to see people taking sports too seriously go to the bengals.com fan message board (or any team message board for that matter). I'm nothing compared to them.

Understood. So basically you're using "hate" in the same way that I said I use it. Not as actual hate but just as a way to quickly express something like what you posted above. Fair enough.

To know that Bill Simmons hates my all time favorite athlete in any sport makes me think I am doing something right.

[VandyDelphia Mike]

Perry Fewell has lit a fire under this team

Fewell-ing the fire, so to speak?

[Jigga]

Tomorrow, we will hear all the pundits and talking heads bloviate on how the Titans won (again) on the legs of Chris Johnson and another stout performance by the defense, and the genius of Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey. Don't get me wrong, all of those things are HUGE for the Titans resurgence, but can Vince Young get a teeny, tiny, half a little bit of due? Thanks, "experts."

Huh? ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports all have headlines up touting Young leading the Titans to the win. ESPN even says that his last drive was "stuff of legend." All I have heard on TV so far is about Young leading the heroic drive and how he rejuvenated his own career and the whole Titans team. All I have heard about Johnson is his consistent dominance and long runs record, but Young is getting all the credit for today and the past 5 weeks. It seems like most of the time people want credit to be given to things like the defense instead of just the iconic QB or face of the team blindly (though I think it's pretty clear Young deserves it; he was the one thing that changed after that 0-6 run). And in this case your plea is actually the norm while your foreseen media bias is not the case at all.

If I'm wrong about the media later tomorrow, I'll admit and swallow it. But I don't think I am.

Well, I know what I've read/seen/heard over the last four weeks, so forgive me if my "forseen media bias" doesn't agree with yours. Doesn't make me wrong either.

[epper]

Perry Fewell has lit a fire under this team

Fewell-ing the fire, so to speak?

*rimshot*

[BlueSky]

Tomorrow, we will hear all the pundits and talking heads bloviate on how the Titans won (again) on the legs of Chris Johnson and another stout performance by the defense, and the genius of Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey. Don't get me wrong, all of those things are HUGE for the Titans resurgence, but can Vince Young get a teeny, tiny, half a little bit of due? Thanks, "experts."

Huh? ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports all have headlines up touting Young leading the Titans to the win. ESPN even says that his last drive was "stuff of legend." All I have heard on TV so far is about Young leading the heroic drive and how he rejuvenated his own career and the whole Titans team. All I have heard about Johnson is his consistent dominance and long runs record, but Young is getting all the credit for today and the past 5 weeks. It seems like most of the time people want credit to be given to things like the defense instead of just the iconic QB or face of the team blindly (though I think it's pretty clear Young deserves it; he was the one thing that changed after that 0-6 run). And in this case your plea is actually the norm while your foreseen media bias is not the case at all.

If I'm wrong about the media later tomorrow, I'll admit and swallow it. But I don't think I am.

Well, I know what I've read/seen/heard over the last four weeks, so forgive me if my "forseen media bias" doesn't agree with yours. Doesn't make me wrong either.

Not at all. But to be fair, people can't be blamed for their reactions to Vince's meltdown, and obviously the media's going to be all over it, and not all of them will be nice or fair to him. When you consider what the team (financially and as followers of him as team leader) and fan base (emotionally plus jerseys etc.) have invested in a QB chosen in the first round, obviously they were distressed. Vince let a lot of people down. That's just a fact, not hatin' or assigning blame. It would be like looking over as the battle's about to start and seeing your commander has pissed himself. You may not blame him, may still like and respect him, but in the moment, it'd be "Oh s**t, what do we do now?"

Vince obviously needed some time to mature and grow into his role, and it looks like he's done that. The guy obviously has game, but it takes more than that, and it seems he's on the road to putting all the pieces together.

[Jigga]

Tomorrow, we will hear all the pundits and talking heads bloviate on how the Titans won (again) on the legs of Chris Johnson and another stout performance by the defense, and the genius of Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey. Don't get me wrong, all of those things are HUGE for the Titans resurgence, but can Vince Young get a teeny, tiny, half a little bit of due? Thanks, "experts."

Huh? ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports all have headlines up touting Young leading the Titans to the win. ESPN even says that his last drive was "stuff of legend." All I have heard on TV so far is about Young leading the heroic drive and how he rejuvenated his own career and the whole Titans team. All I have heard about Johnson is his consistent dominance and long runs record, but Young is getting all the credit for today and the past 5 weeks. It seems like most of the time people want credit to be given to things like the defense instead of just the iconic QB or face of the team blindly (though I think it's pretty clear Young deserves it; he was the one thing that changed after that 0-6 run). And in this case your plea is actually the norm while your foreseen media bias is not the case at all.

If I'm wrong about the media later tomorrow, I'll admit and swallow it. But I don't think I am.

Well, I know what I've read/seen/heard over the last four weeks, so forgive me if my "forseen media bias" doesn't agree with yours. Doesn't make me wrong either.

Not at all. But to be fair, people can't be blamed for their reactions to Vince's meltdown, and obviously the media's going to be all over it, and not all of them will be nice or fair to him. When you consider what the team (financially and as followers of him as team leader) and fan base (emotionally plus jerseys etc.) have invested in a QB chosen in the first round, obviously they were distressed. Vince let a lot of people down. That's just a fact, not hatin' or assigning blame. It would be like looking over as the battle's about to start and seeing your commander has pissed himself. You may not blame him, may still like and respect him, but in the moment, it'd be "Oh s**t, what do we do now?"

Vince obviously needed some time to mature and grow into his role, and it looks like he's done that. The guy obviously has game, but it takes more than that, and it seems he's on the road to putting all the pieces together.

You're 100% right. However, I wasn't saying that everything that Vince Young had done in the past should have been forgotten or that he shouldn't be blamed for what he did in the past. My statement actually had nothing to do with anything off the field. I was merely commenting on how most of the talking heads that I hear refuse to give Vince Young ANY of the credit for the Titans' 5-game winning streak, going out of their way to come up with anything else (Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey) on which to pin the victory.

I really hope that his head is screwed on right. I'm still not sure. His post-game comments always seem to hit an off note at some point. There is a "well, I'll show them" chip on his shoulder, and I don't know if that's helping him or if it's holding him back a bit still. I'm just saying the guy deserves some due for bringing this team back from epic sucktitude.

[TFoA]

Tomorrow, we will hear all the pundits and talking heads bloviate on how the Titans won (again) on the legs of Chris Johnson and another stout performance by the defense, and the genius of Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey. Don't get me wrong, all of those things are HUGE for the Titans resurgence, but can Vince Young get a teeny, tiny, half a little bit of due? Thanks, "experts."

Huh? ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports all have headlines up touting Young leading the Titans to the win. ESPN even says that his last drive was "stuff of legend." All I have heard on TV so far is about Young leading the heroic drive and how he rejuvenated his own career and the whole Titans team. All I have heard about Johnson is his consistent dominance and long runs record, but Young is getting all the credit for today and the past 5 weeks. It seems like most of the time people want credit to be given to things like the defense instead of just the iconic QB or face of the team blindly (though I think it's pretty clear Young deserves it; he was the one thing that changed after that 0-6 run). And in this case your plea is actually the norm while your foreseen media bias is not the case at all.

If I'm wrong about the media later tomorrow, I'll admit and swallow it. But I don't think I am.

They had been ignoring him until yesterday. Yesterday was VY's "official return" to NFL stardom. I still say that was easily the top highlight of the season for me so far, and this is coming from a guy who watched in person as Falcons beat the Bucs on a 4th down TD pass with 20 or so seconds left to win the game. That 99 yard drive was just ridiculous, and he's getting his due from the "experts."

[BlueSky]

Tomorrow, we will hear all the pundits and talking heads bloviate on how the Titans won (again) on the legs of Chris Johnson and another stout performance by the defense, and the genius of Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey. Don't get me wrong, all of those things are HUGE for the Titans resurgence, but can Vince Young get a teeny, tiny, half a little bit of due? Thanks, "experts."

Huh? ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports all have headlines up touting Young leading the Titans to the win. ESPN even says that his last drive was "stuff of legend." All I have heard on TV so far is about Young leading the heroic drive and how he rejuvenated his own career and the whole Titans team. All I have heard about Johnson is his consistent dominance and long runs record, but Young is getting all the credit for today and the past 5 weeks. It seems like most of the time people want credit to be given to things like the defense instead of just the iconic QB or face of the team blindly (though I think it's pretty clear Young deserves it; he was the one thing that changed after that 0-6 run). And in this case your plea is actually the norm while your foreseen media bias is not the case at all.

If I'm wrong about the media later tomorrow, I'll admit and swallow it. But I don't think I am.

Well, I know what I've read/seen/heard over the last four weeks, so forgive me if my "forseen media bias" doesn't agree with yours. Doesn't make me wrong either.

Not at all. But to be fair, people can't be blamed for their reactions to Vince's meltdown, and obviously the media's going to be all over it, and not all of them will be nice or fair to him. When you consider what the team (financially and as followers of him as team leader) and fan base (emotionally plus jerseys etc.) have invested in a QB chosen in the first round, obviously they were distressed. Vince let a lot of people down. That's just a fact, not hatin' or assigning blame. It would be like looking over as the battle's about to start and seeing your commander has pissed himself. You may not blame him, may still like and respect him, but in the moment, it'd be "Oh s**t, what do we do now?"

Vince obviously needed some time to mature and grow into his role, and it looks like he's done that. The guy obviously has game, but it takes more than that, and it seems he's on the road to putting all the pieces together.

You're 100% right. However, I wasn't saying that everything that Vince Young had done in the past should have been forgotten or that he shouldn't be blamed for what he did in the past. My statement actually had nothing to do with anything off the field. I was merely commenting on how most of the talking heads that I hear refuse to give Vince Young ANY of the credit for the Titans' 5-game winning streak, going out of their way to come up with anything else (Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning's jersey) on which to pin the victory.

I really hope that his head is screwed on right. I'm still not sure. His post-game comments always seem to hit an off note at some point. There is a "well, I'll show them" chip on his shoulder, and I don't know if that's helping him or if it's holding him back a bit still. I'm just saying the guy deserves some due for bringing this team back from epic sucktitude.

No question he deserves a lot of the credit. Honestly I haven't been paying that much attention to coverage of the Titans so I'm not up on what you're referring to specifically. I'll take your word for it though.

One last plug for NFL Game Rewind. Being able to watch that last Titans drive on my PC in HD with superb sound was worth the $40 (now $24.99 for the remainder of this season) it cost me. I go on and on about the sound but it's awesome. On the deflected pass the crowd gives a trailing-off "Ohhhh..." when it's deflected followed immediately by an unbelievable roar when Scaife makes the catch, and during the final TD play you can hear actually somebody yelling, "Don't hold! Don't hold!"

In the Bucs-Saints game last week, the Fox mics picked up TB center Jeff Faine yelling protections and saying, "Ya got that guy out on the f***in' edge!" in reference to Saints LB Scott Fujita. I heard it clear as a bell but whichever teammate he was talking to obviously didn't since Fujita blew in untouched, sacked Josh Freeman, and forced a fumble.