NFL Experiment

This is an experiment. No, this is not the Incredible Hulk. No, this is not the Six Million Dollar Man. What this is is an NFL experiment. Sports writers are complaining about the NFL playing the postponed Eagles - Vikings game on a Tuesday night which has been moved from Sunday December 26th due to a Nor'Easter and subsequent storm that hammered the East Coast. Why not Monday December 27th instead of Tuesday December 28th? There is a big game on Monday night football tonight, the Saints vs. the 12 and 2 Falcons. By just my humble opinion, I think the NFL has wanted for a long time to play a game of a Tuesday night. Not many football games are played on Tuesday nights. After the World Series is completed, then ESPN carries a Mid America Conference or Conference USA game on a Tuesday night in November. The NFL plays on Thursday nights, the NFL has been playing on Monday nights since 1970, and the NFL has been playing on Sundays nights since 1987. Why not Tuesday night NFL football. Maybe something is going on in Philadelphia on Monday December 27th but I doubt it. I think this is just an experiment by the league to see if a Tuesday NFL game is viable. This is a wild guess on my part but who knows what goes on at the NFL headquarters in New York City.

This 'n That

Could the NFL lead all of professional sports of having the most "Spoiled Brats"? Just look at Donovan McNabb's outlook on being demoted to third string. McNabb is not playing well. He has to make a statement through his agent Fletcher Smith of his dis-satisfaction. Football is the ultimate team game and if you are a team player, then accept the fact that you got benched. Probably the NFL's worst Spoiled Brat is Titans QB Vince Young. It was recently reported that Young threw his shoulder pads and other equipment into the stands after he got replaced. Then there is Eagles WR/KR DeSean Jackson returning a punt to win a game and not finishing the play by not running into the end zone immediately and running along the goal-line to showboat his punt return. Is the NFL a football game or a game of entertainment. Where is Coach Chuck Noll when you need him? You know what Chuck Noll would have done with Vince Young if he threw a tantrum. One word: Gone.........How about the 2 Mississippi State teammates getting into a brawl that carried over in to the stands. This puts a lot of pressure on Bulldogs Coach Rick Stansbury who used to work at my Metro Index Basketball Camp years ago. Stansbury is a great guy who also needs to think like Chuck Noll...........What about NY Jets Coach Rex Ryan? From saying the Jets were going to win the Super Bowl, to saying he did not like Tom Brady, and now to his foot fetish! Is Rex Ryan on the verge of being hired by NBC to become the next Ed McMahon and become the sidekick of Jay Leno........If I was a smart man, this may be the biggest LOCK of all times. Some network is going to hire Terrell Owens to be a analyst along the lines of a Deion Sanders or Shannon Sharpe.........................Joe Butler's Metro Index Scouting Service Subscription for the 2011 Football Season. These rates are applicable to all levels of NCAA Football...Cost of $995. includes the 2011Pennsylvania Report plus DVD Disks of 2012 graduates.......Cost of $745. includes only the 2011 Pennsylvania Report..........Have a great Holiday Season everyone.

Geno, Geno, The Dancing Machine-o

What an outstanding feat accomplished by the U. of Connecticut women's basketball program winning 89 straight games led by Coach Geno Auriemma. As we know that toppled the great record held by the UCLA Bruins Men's Basketball Program of 88 consecutive victories. I do not care what level you are competing on or whether it be any men's or women's sport, it is hard to win 89 straight contests. Coach Auriemma not only can coach but he and his staff are phenomenal recruiters. This streak may go on to more than 100+ games. Truly a remarkable accomplishment. But let's go to the next chapter of Geno Auriemma's basketball future. I know this may cause some heated discussions, but yours truly thinks Geno Auriemma needs to test the waters of a Collegiate Men's Basketball Program. He can hardly accomplish any more in the women's game. Before Auriemma got to UConn, the women's program had 1 winning season. Now He has 7 national championships just one shy of Tennessee Vols Coach Pat Summitt. He may look to surpass Summit in the next few seasons. But I think he needs to flip to the Men's side with the potential of doing the same thing with a Men's Program. He is an outstanding technician, he can really recruit, and his players play with great intensity. He would get hired in a New York minute by some school that Men's program has been struggling. Auriemma is not that old and he has great enthusiasm. Coach Geno Auriemma should test the waters in a NCAA men's Basketball Program. If I was a betting man, I say he will not.

Pitt Stadium

Rather than discuss the football coaching opening at Pitt, I would rather discuss another topic that fans talk about on an occasion. If it has not been once, it has been at least one hundred times that I have been asked the same question: "Who is getting the Pitt football job." If I knew, I would tell everyone, but filling the Head Coach position may take some time. But there is another area that always crosses the minds of many football fans in this region. Will the U. of Pittsburgh have their own on campus football stadium? The first answer that everyone proposes is where can Pitt build the facility. Panther Hollow, down on Second Avenue, somewhere on the top of cardiac hill near the Fitzgerald Field House. Who knows, but whatever happens, it will encompass a lot of land that may not be available and if available, it may come at a major expense. Heinz Field is a nice venue for the Pitt Panthers but there is nothing like an on campus facility. Maybe a 40,000 seat stadium with room for expansion like the U. of Louisville has. Remember Pitt Stadium. It was a neat place to watch a football game. Parking was a problem in Oakland especially if the game was a sell-out. It was fun after the game to meander down to Forbes or Fifth Avenues to find a restaurant or an Oakland watering hole. Pitt Stadium brings back a lots of memories. Wishful thinking for a new Pitt Stadium somewhere in Oakland but it will probably never happen.

T.C.U.

Excellent addition for Big East Circles in bringing TCU into the Big East for all Sports. For those who do not know, TCU is the shortened version of Texas Christian University of Fort Worth TX. Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon played there. Under Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs have been a power in college football. With a 12 and 0 record, TCU was ranked third in the BCS rankings this season and are going to a BCS Bowl. What is next under the stars for the Big East Conference. From what I have heard through my football contacts is that Villanova is done deal for Big East Football. The Villanova Wildcats will expand their Villanova Stadium to accommodate their NCAA Division 1A status. Villanova will be an excellent addition to Big East Football also. Big East Football picks up 2 major television markets. The Philadelphia Area is a big market as is the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. Who knows, but the Big East Football may expand to a 12 team league and is considering adding the U. of Central Florida Knights and the Houston Cougars. The league could have a North and South Division if this occurs. And adding Central Florida and Houston provides 2 more good sized television markets in the Houston, TX area and the Orlando, FL area. Who knows, maybe down the road, Notre Dame Football may consider joining the Big East but for now I doubt it.

Collision Sport

The NFL has rejected 2 appeals by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison for a total of $95,000. That is about $140,000. in real money. Hey football fans, football is not a contact sport, it is a COLLISION sport. Not too long ago, the veteran coaches of the 1970's and before taught their players when tackling to put their facemask on the ball. Now the fear exists in the NFL that defensive players leading with a helmet can create a stir and can cause the player to be levied a fine by the NFL hierarchy. Like I said in a previous blog, a hard charging running back can lower his head below pad level while running full speed and drive his helmet into a defensive players helmet and never be levied a fine. Should it not be a 2 way street. We all know that the Concussion issue has come to the fore-front in football circles, and the NFL is attempting to avoid serious injuries especially to the brain. But again I say, football is a high speed COLLISION Sport. These 240 to 260 pound linebackers, like James Harrison, are flying around the field with explosiveness and driving their powerful bodies into receivers, running backs, and quarterbacks. These types of linebackers and Defensive Ends did not exist 50 years ago. As my memory serves me, the Steelers had an offensive lineman who was real good named Gerry" Moon" Mullins who played guard and tackle at about 240 pounds under Coach Chuck Noll in the 1970's. The speed of the game and the size of the players has changed dramatically so I think adjustments need to be made with the equipment especially the outside shell of the helmet. A soft helmet shell would solve numerous problems. Can it be done?

Heinz "Field"

Are we in the 21st Century? I would not believe we are especially if you look at the surface of the field at Heinz Stadium. After 5 football games in 2 days, the center of the field at Heinz Stadium resembles being in a sawdust pit. The surface is sandy, lumpy, and has ruts running through it. It is hard to believe that a surface like this exists in the National Football League and in the Big East Football circles. If the gurus of the NFL require that so many stadiums have grass surfaces, then utilize grass in stadiums around the league that only an NFL team plays on. The Steelers will play a minimum of 10 games on it, the U. of Pittsburgh plays a minimum of 6 games on this surface, and the field really takes a beating when the WPIAL plays 4 championship games in a 12 hour period on this surface. I have very little knowledge on growing and maintenance of grass surfaces, but as the old saying goes "grass does not grow on a busy street." Heinz Field is a busy street. The people that determine what type of surface should be on the floor at Heinz Stadium, should really take a strong look at putting down a upscale field turf type of surface. The technology that exists with field turf is fantastic. Field turf can last for an extended period of time and the maintenance is minimal. If it can be worked out, why not give it a try on the Heinz Stadium surface.