During the winter, spring and summer I do mainly one thing when I find myself with some unoccupied moments and that’s read up on the upcoming NFL season; However as far as I’m concerned there’s only two seasons; Football season and the off-season. My addiction is to the point where when I first began dating my now-wife I immediately explained that from mid-August to early-February, she can count on my weekends being dominated by the NFL. Turns out, she’s almost as big of a fan as I am. FTW.
Each football season begins anew with hopes for success, high expectations and a sense of progress. Each win builds your confidence, each loss hurts your pride. But win or lose during the season, the ultimate goal is to reach the playoffs en route to the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is the single most viewed television event in the world… Last year’s Super Bowl yielded over 106 million viewers, bringing in over 3 million dollars for a 30 second commercial spot. Do the math on that for a 4 ½ hour television event. Each season we find a reason to get hyped up for the last game of the season. And for as long as I can remember, each season I find myself in front of the TV cheering or jeering.
The Super Bowl is not only the last game of the season, but it’s the game that determines who will get the bragging rights for the next six months. This year is a special circumstance however. With the current status of the CBA, there is no telling if we’ll even have an NFL season come August.
That could mean this could be the last game for a long while. And even worse- depending on how the meetings go, the NFL of tomorrow could end up disappointing us… But with all this bullshit circulating and all the opinions floating around about how things might go in the game and in the coming meetings, it’s not Sunday’s match up that gets me excited this year, it’s Saturday’s.
Not only is one of the UFC’s most exciting and dominant fighters fighting on Saturday, he’s fighting someone that will give him some competition. The last few fights for Anderson Silva were fitted to Silva’s strengths. A couple fights back when Silva fought Demian Maia, I considered writing Dana White an email explaining that I deserve my money back for the half assed performance we got from Silva. He was fighting someone so inferior that Silva didn’t even have to hit the kid and he would fall to his back to avoid taking continual strikes to his nugget.
Three fights ago when Silva fought Forrest Griffin you were sure Silva had the upperhand but you were also confident Griffin could strike his way into a good fight… WRONG. Silva was SO DOMINANT that he not only looked a bit like Ali with his footwork but he stuck his chin out to bait Griffin and finally finished Griffin off with a jab as he walked backwards playfully. Griffin didn’t even bother sticking around once the fight was over, he ran straight to the showers. Presumably because his ‘light flow” pad wasn’t cutting it.
I think we can all agree we were a bit surprised at how dominating Chael Sonnen looked in the last fight but Silva being as precise as he is, his complacency in the guard left you to believe he had a plan. Sure enough after five rounds of Sonnen smothering Silva, Silva locked in a triangle armbar and officially defended his title again.
Tomorrow could be different.
We have Vitor Belfort and Anderson Silva ready to go blows. The last few fights have had little appeal to those of us that want to at least expect the chance of a Silva loss. Not that I want Silva to lose, frankly I love him, but much like my indifference to the Super Bowl this year, I just want to see a good match. Vitor has the chin and hands to wear Silva down. But let’s be real, Anderson Silva holds his money in a wallet that says “Bad Motherfucker” on it.
The quality fights do not end there either. We have Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin going heads. Two All-American white boys that remind you of your cousin in that small town that at first glance look borderline retarded, but you know for certain that they can whip the shit out of you if you call them on it.
Another fight I’m excited about is Ryan Bader and Jon Jones. Frankly Bader has more technical skill in my opinion but Jon Jones continues to get better and he is clearly the better athlete. Dude was born to hurt people.
I think the reason I’m more excited about Saturday than Sunday is because there is no stupid fucking team wearing black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow. I know I said I’m indifferent to the game on Sunday but that’s only because neither of my favorite teams are involved. But the Steelers, though amazingly successful in their history, make me sick to my stomach.
I think I’d be happier watching the Yankees win another ring than I would to see the Steelers and Ben “Alleged” Rapelesberger pick up that trophy again.. It’s a shame too because I think Coach Mike Tomlin deserves it. Hines Ward’s smug smile makes me want to fashion a prison shiv and catch him at a White Castle ordering a 6pk of sliders… And hearing Terry Bradshaw verbally felate the program every time the name ‘Steelers’ is mentioned makes me want to rip his Hulk Hogan hair cut off of his big head.
As I type this, guess what just came on the NFL Network? None other than a replay of the infamous Super Bowl XL. I remember February 5th, 2006 vividly; And I was rather hammered that day. I’m contemplating a heroin overdose right now. The thing is, I don’t know where to get heroin nor do I want to leave this world 68 hours before the Steelers lose to Aaron Rodgers and the Cheeseheads.
I only know a few people with enough of a lack of self respect to root for the Stoolers, so I will happily call them out right now. Amy and Buzz… You are gay. Everyone be safe this weekend.
Thanks,
Management.
P.S. Roethlesberger was clearly not in and Daryl Jackson did not “push off”… That’s a 14pt swing for a game won by 11 points. In both cases, Steelers players were recorded AT THE GAME confirming both of these instances. Fail.
