All About AMERICAN FOOTBALL

[kabuki]

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who do you think will win the superbowl next season?... my bet is still the Pats...... as long as they have Tom Brady and Bill Bellichek, they will be a very fine football club

[omad]

here's some bad news for the current Super Bowl Champs:

Roethlisberger undergoes 7 hours of surgery
Associated Press
Posted: 1 hour ago

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl championship, broke his jaw and nose in a motorcycle crash Monday in which he was not wearing a helmet.

Four doctors operated on Roethlisberger for seven hours to treat multiple facial fractures and "all of the fractures were successfully repaired," Dr. Harry W. Sell, chairman of the surgery department at Mercy Hospital, told reporters late Monday night.

Dr. Daniel Pituch, who led the team, said Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition, and doctors were aware of no other serious injuries.

"His brain, spine, chest and abdomen appear to be without serious injury and there are no other confirmed injuries at this time," he said.

[EZRA]

How old is Farve? I think he has a couple of seasons left.. remember, Santana was old when he threw in the towel... He only missed 1 post season in his whole career because he didn't have the support from the rest of his teammates. It took him a long time to decide to come back this season because he was checking if his team has a chance... well, it seems like he's optimistic about the possibility.

I think they have a chance to make it to the playoffs... and then he call it a career.

[omad]

Brett's 36 years old and he's got a brand new offensive line. that's usually not good news for an older, slower QB. it would've been better for him, the team and the fans if he called it quits this year. I've got nothing against Favre but he's lost quickness and precision over the years.

[EZRA]

How can you be precise if the offensive line can't give you enough protection?? He was always rushed, always pressured, always getting hit, threw lots of interceptions, and with several key players in the injured list... he was just not getting any help last year.

[omad]

that's just the same reason I said earlier.. - new offensive line - chemistry is questionable, trust is lacking. all these compound to Favre's failure in the QB position for the past 2-3 years and let's not forget his age and all the concussions he received all those years. there must be some reason why his trusted frontline departed the team aside from the money offered.

[EZRA]

Linemen changes... they come and go, they even change positions every now and then. The defense is what always remains intact most of the time. How the offensive line works will always be the question not just on the Packers but on every team in the NFL.

The Packers has been a mainstay in the playoffs for over a decade except for last year. And last year they were plagued with injuries... I don't think his age is a major factor at all, and as far as the TRUST on a quarterback goes, I don't think you can get as reliable as Favre... even T.O. made a comment last year about Favre, if he was his QB, they'd be 5-0 (or something like that..... this comment cost him a suspension and ultimately his job). Given that Owens is a bit sour towards his team and McNabb, he still has a high regard towards the aging and struggling Favre.

Regardless, Favre spent a long time pondering on coming back for this season and he decided to go for it.. he might've seen something or he must've felt something special about this season's lineup. Remember, he have all the reasons to retire... he's getting old, he's not as good as he was, his wife is sick, he has nothing to prove, and he has nothing to gain, all he have is the joy of playing and the joy of competition.



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[omad]

don't tell me Favre trusts his new line as he did with the group that was with him all those years until the last couple of years when they bailed out.. yes that's the dilemma of almost every team in the NFL (new linemen) but in the Packers case, they've lost 4-5 linemen in 2 years.. who's left? Cllifton, Barry and Tauscher? the rest are rookies and sophies.. that spells trouble. after the 10th sack early this season Favre would ask this question "what the heck did I get myself into?" but as the adopted son of Green Bay, he can do whatever he wishes..

in sports, some "superstars" just don't know when to quit.. take the case of Emmit Smith, he's been the Cowboys trusted RB since the 90's and was a big part of their Super Bowl dynasty. he was so stubborn a couple of years ago and insisted on playing instead of retiring even to the extent of him signing up for the Cardinals. one reason maybe was to pad his TD's and yardage but he just looked a step or two slower than what we're accustomed of seeing.. and that's pathetic looking at your "hero" not being at the top of his game.. same as Farve.

I know you would say don't compare QB's to RB's but in Favre's situation right now, he'll only get himself killed. I don't want to see that. his fans don't want to see their idol getting sacked, hurried, intercepted and in the process getting banged-up most of the time because of his unfamiliarity with his line. who'll be Javon Walker's replacement? Donald Diver? I don't think so.. and if you check their line-up, WR's are either rookies or sophies.. that won't help either. the only bright spot on the GB roster is the RB's with Ahman Green and last year's workhorse, Samkon Gado. but maybe Brett have seen some things that made him decide to play 1 more year.. or maybe it's his love for this game that weighed heavier in his decision making.

T.O. is a circus act.. who believes him? I'm still not ready to accept him as a Cowboy yet 'coz I still have a lot of doubt if he'll not do the same antics in his previous stops as a 49er and an Eagle. I'll wait for training camp or maybe a couple of season games before I warm-up to the idea of him wearing the "Star".

[EZRA]

No matter what T.O. is, he's a top receiver.... no matter what his on and off court antics are.Â* He may have made his comments just to spite McNabb and the Eagles or he might be sincere about it.

As far as Favre's decision, who knows.. one thing for certain, he knows more than either of us.Â* I don't think he's gonna risk his life just to prove something.Â* Remember, his wife is terribly sick (was it Cancer?), I don't think he would do something like this if he wasn't very sure about it.Â* Â*.... and you can't compare him to Emmit or even Jerry Rice.. Emmit's game has been gone for a long time.. since the turn of the century.Â* Favre on the other hand is still better than most starting QB's on the league. He's still quick on the snap, he still can throw those bullet passes, and he still can take a hit.. and one thing you can count on Favre, he inspires others like how Jordan is on Basketball.Â* Â*He's made it to the playoffs with nobody's on the team... When Freeman left, Levens, Chmura, Reggie White, and all the other Green Bay greats.Â* LAST season was the only losing season he ever had... and that season, like I said, was plagued with injuries. Ahman Green only played what.. 6 games?? .. and they never had a go-to receiver.

As far as how the offensive line works this year, we won't find out `til the season starts.Â*

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Funny thing though... the one QB who I think should quit is Drew Bledsoe who's playing in Dallas.Â* I'd pick Favre over Bledsoe anytime.

[omad]

nobody takes T.O.'s comment seriously.. haven't you noticed? he's kinda out there.. yes, T.O. is a top receiver but it stops there. he idolizes Favre just like we do and that's maybe the reason why he threw that name in one of his tirade. I was wondering why you mentioned his quote on Favre. you're a Favre fan and so am I. we both know that Favre's achievements can stand on it's own without needing any help. I don't need a whacko to justify my statements re Favre's "greatness". I don't know why you did.

Drew Bledsoe.. I knew you'd go there as expected.. but hey, that's what you'll get when you hire an old school coach like Bill Parcells who doesn't trust anybody except those guys who played for him. I can't do anything about that and neither can you.. but the operative word there is "trust" so if Bill trusts Drew, then as a fan, I'll accept that. so if Favre "trusts" his new line, RB's and wideouts that much that he opted to play one more year instead of retiring, his fans should accept that and be ready for the consequences.

but the Favre - Bledsoe comparison is lame.. you can't compare the "greatness" of Favre to one Drew Bledsoe.. besides, we were discussing how Favre can ruin his legacy by insisting on playing one more year with a suspect line, back from injury RB, new set of WR's. if Drew Bledsoe quits this year or the next, nobody cares, 'coz he should never be mentioned with Favre's name in the same breath anyways... but you did. unless that's how you look at Favre right now.. just like Bledsoe. 'coz I won't even compare Favre to Bledsoe in my lifetime, it's not even close, but you did... and I wonder why.