Put grossly, I'm frankly exhausted with the American game of professional football. There are several reasons.
I simply cannot handle poor officiating anymore, and the playoffs drove that home to me. I was ready to boycott the NFL during the replacement scab fiasco. Since then, several prominent and accomplished officials have left the league, ussually amidst rumors of general dissatisfaction. The league has brazenly decided it gets to call the 'emphasis' of rule breaking, in order to enhance league image and entertainment value for viewers as dictated by the sport parasite, cable TV. The NFL is now a sponsor (and cop) of moral standing for it's employees. Top of the heap is that 'The League' seperates established and working officiating crews in the playoffs. As David Byrne metaphorically spoke, they massage the thumb, elevating referees to rock star status, and then surround them with highly rated crew, they mostly don't know from Adam. All of them have the insentive to earn that spot on the field during the Super Dooper Bowl. What we have seen in the Playoffs is wildly inconsistent officiating, even within the course of a single game.
Fans, get a grip. Detroit - there is no such as 'karma' in the NFL. Just because a call/no call didn't go your way, there is no correlation with a call going against the team that beat you, any more than there is a correlation with the suspension/non-suspension of your star defensive lineman. Dallas - I feel your pain; I thought it was a catch as well (and it would have set up one helluva finish.) Think on this, coaches have learned to manipulate the official disfunction, calling the letter of the rules when favored. Belichick completely screwed the Ravens on a (questionably) illegal formation. He knows how to play the rules. Any sportsman would think that Bryant had the ball and the ground caused the fumble. But if a hound bays on the zenith of the late harvest mon, than a wiggle is a loss, and lines become blurred. Rules have become the narrative, and so much so less the game. Karma and rules. That creates the fantasy. So says the modern NFL.
Injuries are becoming alarmingly influential. One of the many points of the original movie "Rollerball" was that injuries are acceptable, and in fact a neccessary part of the game. That was crap then and it's crap now. We've seen too many teams go down in the playoffs due to missing and injured personnel. 3 quarterbacks this weekend played with significant injuries, Manning, Romo and Rodgers. All are scary-tuff, but Rodgers will get the accolades because he won his game. I don't watch Nascar because I don't like car wrecks. I don't like injuries in the NFL either, and I don't celebrate players playing through them. I blame the league, and resolve even more certainly that the game exists on borrowed time.
My own thinking is colored because my football mythology just took a serious hit. Though likely not any less fantastic, my narrative is not the leagues, but concerns a team and heroic figures. Mine is that of a fan. 4 Years ago, Tim Tebow led my beloved Broncos on a magical run of 7-0. They made the playoffs against all expectation, and defeated the Steelers with new overtime rules, on the most improbable of pass plays. There was no shame in losing in Foxborough the next week. 3 years ago, the puppet-master John Elway took an unreal risk on a damaged querterback who was then and will remain in the conversation for Greatest of All Time. The first year with Manning, the Broncos started 2-3, and didn't lose another game. In the playoffs, they lost a double-overtime game that can only be refered to as "EPIC". Last year, Denver set almost every offensive record known to human kind, save running the ball. Most passing yards, touchdowns, points, and longest field goal. Those guys built my myth. It was increadable. They became only the fourth team to make 7 Super Bowls. They were crushed by the Seahawks for lack of a running game and defense.
This year, the Puppet-master rebuilt that defense into a terror. Things were rocky with Pat Bowlen retireing due to Alzheimers. But the Broncos came out strong, and then things fell apart. The running game got going, but the pass defense collapsed. And Peyton Manning does not look like Peyton Manning. In all honesty, I think he needs to retire. 8 wins and he takes over number one for career wins as starting quarterback, a record that Brady will beat in two years. 1179 yards, and he takes top spot for passing yardage, well over 70,000. I would love to see Manning reach these milestones, but I'm just not certain he will be healthy and happy when the work is done.
I have a picture in my office of the trinity, John Elway, Peyton Manning and John Fox. I will take it down tomorrow. Fox is now gone. Manning could be next. There are no less than 8 high profile Broncos who are up for contract extension. I trust that Elway will get my beloved team through these difficulties, but the dream is over. My chapter of this football narrative is finished. I am tired of following it's sad conclusion. Another chapter will start, but I'm just not feeling it right now.
No doubts, I will back 'on board' two days from now. Please just give me this. I am fricking tired of the NFL.
Oregon is just too fast. That Ohio State defensive front is scary good. But:
Oregon 38, Ohio State 32
Good to see you in fray again, Rob!
Posted by: larry kurtz | January 23, 2015 at 01:33 PM