WELCOME TO I LOVE NFL (Also the Introduce Yourself Thread now)

So, my dad grew up rooting for the Browns. I had to suffer through the 80's with that godforsaken team, ugh.

I didn't get seriously into football until 1994. Baseball AND hockey were both on strike at the time and there was nothing else to watch, so I got hooked on the NFL, big time. A lot of peeps around here rooted for the Bills then (and still do), but FUKC THAT, said I. I started rooting for another team that was on my TV all the time -- THE PATS. And that's why I'm a Pats fan.

(said the Saints fan, ha ha ha)

I now root for the two teams (out of 5?) who have never been to the Super Bowl.

I live in Wisconsin, and am kind of a tangential Packers and Badgers fan, but not as much as virtually anyone else I know. (People flying flags on their houses and cars on game days, buying their pre-pubescent daughters cheerleading outfits, etc.) Usually I go grocery shopping during the games, it's hella quiet at Woodman's then. Maybe it's like sausage and politics: once I actually played football, I started to not be such a rabid fan anymore.

This year, I think the first NFC team with any momentum (Carolina, if they beat Tampa this weekend) will have an easy enough path; I don't think there's much of a way Indy won't make it to the Super Bowl.

I plan on starting one for the playoffs once the matchups are finalized this weekend. Unless someone beats me to it...

The last game I saw at Rich Stadium was Jim Kelly's swan song. Playoffs vs. Jags. Dominated the first half and then let Natrone Means run wild. The last game I saw at all was at San Diego a few years back. I wore my Marcellus Wiley jersey (roar lions roar). The Bills lost.

I was never into the CFL that much, strangely enough. There's no real logic behind this.

The CFL seemed like it was on its death bed for most of the 90's, but now it's back in a big way. It's a good time to get interested in it.

Favorites:

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers + soft spot for teams led by Western PA QBs
Hall of famer: Jack Lambert
Current players: Hines Ward
College player:
Non-hall of famer: Rocky Bleier
Coach: Bill Cowher's jaw
Book:
Website:
Writers: I used to like TMQ, but he just got way too precious
Movie: M*A*S*H
Favorite announcers: probably Moose Johnston
Ballpark:
Playing Experience: pickup
Positions Played: all
Ball Parks Visited: Three Rivers
Best Game attended: Steelers shut out the Cleve Brownies in 5°F weather, December 1989
Best Offensive Player: LaDanian Tomlinson
Best Defensive Player: Troy Polamalu
Best Current QB: probably Peyton, but I really hate him
Favorite team ever: 1978-79 Pittsburgh Steelers
Favorite Quote (football): "I want to kiss you." Joe Namath to Suzy Kolber

Most Hated:

Team: I have learned to hate the Redskins after living in DC for 9 years
QB: Peyton
Coach: Buddy Ryan/Barry Switzer
Announcer: Paul Maguire/Matt Millen/countless others, really

Favorites:

Team: Giants and the Bills (I guess I love a man in bright blue and red)
Hall of famer: Jim Kelly. Tho sometimes it's LT cos, dude, shit's funny. Did you SEE Any Given Sunday?
Current players: ELI MANNING. I heart teh QBs.
College player: ...
Non-hall of famer: Frank Reich
Coach: I hate to say Parcells but I have to say Parcells.
Book: About football??? I read Jim Kelly's autobiography. Not as good as Charles Barkley's, I gotta say.
Website: ...
Writers: ...
Movie: Again I assume about football...HOW THE HELL CAN I CHOOSE? I will watch any and all of them, and love them all. Even The Replacements.
Favorite announcers: Madden for the roffles. I've been developing a soft spot for Troy Aikman's on field style as well.
Ballpark: Giants Stadium, mean fans, wind, plus a dead body on the 50 yard line, come on.
Playing Experience: I've been tackled before. I wanted to be my junior high's kicker but they said no girls could try out.
Positions Played: We didn't really do positions per se in pickup football.
Ball Parks Visited: Giants stadium, ASU (do the Cardinals still play there or did they ever get their new stadium dream?), Buffalo
Best Game attended: All of the games I've attended have totally sucked. I'm hoping the 12/24 game in DC will break that streak.
Best Offensive Player: LaDanian or Peyton, currently
Best Defensive Player: It is morally impossible for me not to say Strahan here
Best Current QB: Peyton, until Eli figures out all his shit
Favorite team ever: 1988-1994 Buffalo Bills
Favorite Quote (football): Oh I don't know. The personal foul for unnatural acts was a pretty funny one.

Most Hated:

Team: The Eagles, the Cowboys, the Redskins, the Patriots...so many to name.
QB: Jake Plummer
Coach: BUDDY RYAN, OTM OTM OTM
Announcer: I really dislike the trend of sending over-made-up females down to the sidelines to do really lame, bubbleheaded "Back to you, Troy" reports about nothing every 20 minutes.

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers - Kordell, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, K.C. Chiefs
Hall of famer: Bo Jackson
Current players: Hines Ward, Priest Holmes, Cadillac Williams
College player: that kid who's qb for louisville
Non-hall of famer: dunno
Coach: DITKA
Book: North Dallas Forty
Website: I LOVE NFL
Writers: TMQ, mostly
Movie: North Dallas Forty
Favorite announcers: Madden's ok, I guess, but I don't really pay attention
Ballpark: Soldier Field (before renovation)
Playing Experience: pickup, kill the man with the ball, flag
Positions Played: not much
Ball Parks Visited: Soldier Field (before renovation)
BestONLY Game attended: Bears destroy Jacksonville in last-ever regular season game in old Soldier Field (pre-ufo), January '02
Best Offensive Player: PRIEST
Best Defensive Player: Troy Polamalu is damn good
Best Current QB: probably Peyton, but I really hate him
Favorite team ever: '85 Bears
Favorite Quote (football): what Cosell said about "that little monkey" or Jimmy the Greek on breeding, maybe

Most Hated:

Team: Cowboys, Redskins, Rams
QB: Kurt Warner
Coach: Bear Bryant
Announcer: Chris Collinsworth, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long, TERRY FUCKING BRADSHAW

Most Hated:

Team: Dallas Cowboys, for obvious reasons
QB: Leaf
Coach: Dom Capers (a good guy by all accounts and a hard worker, but that hairpiece makes me see red)
Announcer: Group award to the ESPN Sunday Night crew: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire

Team: Bills
Hall of famer: Ernie Davis, Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith (soon!)
Current players: Donovan McNabb, Eric Moulds, Willis McGahee, LaDainian Tomlinson,
College player: Reggie Bush, in the absence of anybody competent playing for Syracuse
Non-hall of famer: Chris Gedney (oft-injured tight end, alumnus of my high school, tackled at the three-yard-line in the second-best college game I've ever seen), Don Beebe (if only for the Leon Lett play)
Coach: I grudgingly respect Belichick, even though I don't like the Patriots.
Book: I liked Feinstein's book on Army vs. Navy. I haven't read many football books. Friday Night Lights?
Website: Football Outsiders, I guess.
Writers: Dr. Z. TMQ, when I can stand it.
Movie: NECESSARY ROUGHNESS
Favorite announcers: Al Michaels, in a perverse sort of way.
Ballpark: Gillette is amazing, enemy territory or not.
Playing experience: Youth tackle football for a couple of years
Positions Played: Tight end, offensive line, defensive line; lots and lots of all-time QB in pickup games, since I was the old kid in the neighborhood
Ball Parks Visited: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Giants Stadium, Three Rivers, Gillette, Carrier Dome, Alumni Stadium (Boston College), Harvard Stadium, whatever the one at Colgate is called
Best Game attended: Miami/Syracuse in 1992 (the aforementioned Chris Gedney game), Syracuse/Virginia Tech 1998 (McNabb threw a crazy touchdown pass as time expired to win). None of the NFL games I've seen have been any good.
Best Offensive Player: LaDainian, probably.
Best Defensive Player: Dwight Freeney!
Best Current QB: Peyton Manning
Favorite team ever: Early-90's Bills
Favorite Quote (football): The Namath quote's the only thing that sticks with me.

Most Hated:

Team: Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, Cowboys
QB: Brett Favre
Coach: Jimmy Johnson (though Buddy Ryan's a compelling choice as well)
Announcer: Fred motherfuckin' Smerlas

Most Hated:

Team: Cowboys, ugh. Packers used to be up there.
QB: McNown!!! always and forever
Coach: Parcells
Announcer: Group award to the ESPN Sunday Night crew: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire (DITTO)

Which is really is to my advantage during fantasy football drafts when the other league members are busy drafting former Razorback players.

On this board, I'm looking forward to hearing whether or not I should keep Trent Dilfer or Josh McGown as fourth QB, or should I drop one and pick up either of those pitiful 49er QBs?

Most Hated:

Team: Eagles
Coach: Billick.
Announcer: Armen Ketayian

Team: Detroit Lions always #1 in my heart, Buffalo Bills are my "AFC team"
Hall of famer: Barry Sanders
Current players: Ladainian, Vick
College player: I like that Bama QB, he's cool
Non-hall of famer: Billy Sims
Coach: probably Herm Edwards from the current crop; Marv Levy or Hank Stram all-time
Book: give me any team's Media Guide and I'm entertained for hours
Website: http://covers.usatoday.com/data/odds.aspx
Writers: yeah, I pretty much gave up on TMQ too. can't think of one to be honest.
Movie: I dunno, the football scene in Fast Times I guess
Favorite announcers: Mike Patrick, John Madden; Bob Ufer all-time
Ballpark: Ford Field, it's awesome
Playing Experience: Middle school
Positions Played: Offensive Guard
Ball Parks Visited: Pontiac Silverdome, Ford Field, RCA Dome, Soldier Field, Michigan Stadium a.k.a. "The Big House", Amos Alonzo Stagg Field
Best Game attended: 12/21/97-- Lions 13, Jets 10. Barry Sanders rushes for 184 yards & 1 TD, and becomes the 3nd player ever to reach 2000 yards; Lions earn wild-card berth against the Parcells-coached Jets in the last regular season game, a game each team had to win to qualify for the playoffs. Lions LB Reggie Brown carted-off in a stretcher. By far, the loudest game in any sport anywhere I've ever been to. Neil O'Donnell pleaded with the refs to call a penalty on the Lions because the crowd was so loud. It was insane.
Best Offensive Player: all-time? Barry, Earl Campbell, Walter, Steve Young, Rice
Best Defensive Player: Lambert, Ronnie Lott, Bruce Smith
Best Current QB: Peyton, but dare I say ... Carson?
Favorite team ever: Late 70s Oilers, Early-90s Bills, 1995 Lions
Favorite Quote (football): "Matriculate down the field." -- the great Hank Stram (RIP)

Most Hated:

Team: Viqueens, easy
QB: Culpepper
Coach: Holmgren, Martz, Billick
Announcer: Bill Maas, Ron Pitts, Kenny Albert ... you name it, any non-A-team Fox announcer...

*Okay, there's no Wayne Fontes plush toy, but there should be. Most. Huggable. Head coach. EVER.

Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets
Hall of famer: John Elway
Current players: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Wayne Chrebet
College player: eh?
Non-hall of famers: Randall Cunningham, Ron Jaworski, Mo Lewis
Coach: Herman Edwards
Book: eh?
Website: eh?
Writers: TMQ
Movie: Any Given Sunday
Favorite announcers: Madden, Jerry Glanville, Terry Bradshaw
Ballpark: Soldier Field
Playing Experience: are you kidding?
Positions Played: see above
Ball Parks Visited: Veterans Stadium (RIP); Giants Stadium (for college football, though)
ONLY NFL Game attended: Oilers v. Eagles, December 1982 (at age 12) -- in that place's INFAMOUS 700 section, as cold and every bit as crazy as its reputation. The Eagles lost, and Jaworski didn't play :-(
Best Offensive Player: Emmitt Smith (all-time); T.O. (right now)
Best Defensive Player: Reggie White (all-time) (shame that he was a bigoted meathead); Dwight Freeney (right now)
Best Current QB: Michael Vick
Favorite team ever: '93 Cowboys (God help me); the Buddy Ryan-era Eagles
Favorite Quote (football): "I am the Answer," T.O.

Most Hated:

Team: 49ers (for foisting the West Coast Offense on the NFL and for generally sucking eggs); Giants; Cowboys (though they're more a team that I love to hate)
QB: Peyton Manning
Coaches: Marty Schottenheimer, Tom Landry
Announcer: Chris Collinsworth

Most Hated:

Team: Fuck the Cowboys, the Rams (and Notre Dame too)
QB: Aaron Brooks
Coach: Steve Spurrier (can i still use him?)
Announcer: Madden

Team: Raidahs
Hall of famer: Jim Otto / Fred Biletnikoff
Current players: from my team: Robert Gallery; in the league: Jerome Bettis, LT, Al Harris, Peyton Manning
College player: bah!
Non-hall of famer: Ken Stabler
Coach: Chucky
Book: Friday Night Lights (but definitely NOT the movie)
Website: meh
Writers: Peter King, Frank DeFord, Rick Reilly
Movie: North Dallas Forty
Favorite announcers: Chris Collinsworth, John Madden, and though technically not 'announcers', they should be: Stuart Scott, Chris Berman, Tom Jackson
Ballpark: Oakland Coliseum
Playing Experience: none
Positions Played: none
Ball Parks Visited: Oakland Coliseum
Best Game attended: Raiders playoffs 2001 vs the Jets.
Best Offensive Player: right now, LT
Best Defensive Player: I'll come back to that one, need to think
Best Current QB: Peyton
Favorite team ever: 2001 Raiders, before it all went to crap...Gannon, Romo, Rice, Brown...we didn't win the big one, but they were my first intro to the Raidahs, and it was sweet while it lasted.
Favorite Quote (football): "Keep matriculatin' down the field" - Hank Stramm

Most Hated:

Team: Broncos.
QB: Jake Plummer
Coach: Bill Callahan.
Announcer: Joe Thiesmann!!! AAAARGH!
Fans: 49ers fans, by far.

I would like to announce, without reservations, that the 12/24 game did NOT break that streak and was in fact the worst NFL game I've ever been to AND the worst Christmas of my life. DAMN YOU, REDSKINS.

Team: San Diego Chargers
Hall of famer: Kellen Winslow or Lance Alworth
Current players: LDT i love you so much gah
College player: Marshawn Lynch 4 eva but maybe Daymeion Hughes more
Non-hall of famer: Lionel James
Coach: Don Coryell, of course.
Book: I've never read a book about football.
Website: what is web
Writers: Michael Lewis!
Movie: Necessary Roughness
Favorite announcers: The ESPN Monday Night Football B Team
Ballpark: The Rose Bowl
Playing Experience: I mashed some kids when I was a tyke.
Positions Played: Anything involving mashing dudes.
Best Game attended: Hate watching football live.
Best Offensive Player: LT I LOVE YOU
Best Defensive Player: Pepperz
Best Current QB: Not sure but probably Brady or Peyton. Yawn.
Favorite team ever: Either the current one or the 1981-2 Bolts.
Favorite Quote (football): Pretty much anything Clinton Portis/Chad Johnson say.

Most Hated:

Team: 1. Broncos 2. 49ers (although why bother these days) 3. Raiders (although why bother these days) 4. Chiefs 5. NFC East
QB: Elway for fuck sake.
Coach: Andy Reid.
Announcer: All of them, basically.
Fans: Broncos

Where in DC were you?

Beloved College player: Maurice Drew

How right I was!

Most Hated Announcer: Group award to the ESPN Sunday Night crew: Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire

If only I'd know how much worse it could get...

my least favorite teams: Cowboys, natch, plus Dolphins due to longstanding Buffalo-Miami rivalry. also, I used to really hate the expansion teams when they first started happening, though I've kind of gotten over it. I have a fondness for franchises that I see as being roughly Buffalo-esque, i.e. attached to post-industrial towns where football is one of the only things going, so: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Indianapolis, mostly.

that shit dies hard. it's very confusing for me to watch Cowboys games these days b/c I dig Parcells, and I'm so used to hating on Jimmy Johnson. But I guess there's still Jerry Jones to hate.

I would like to root for the Parcells but...the Cowboys. Jerry Jones. Their fan base. THe "America's Team" nonsense.

(9ò_ó)-o Q(^.^Q) vs. Summer Brees

Most Hated:
Team: The F-----g Ravens
QB: Kordell Stewart
Coach: Brian Billick
Announcer: Paul McGuire or Joey
Fans: Cowboys Fans!

Most Hated:
Team: COWBOYS
QB: Favre
Coach: Parcells
Announcer: Summerall, Glanville
Fans: Cowboys Fans!

Most Hated:

Team: Ravens
QB: Jeff Garcia
Coach: Billick
Announcer: Bob Trumpy
Fans: ravens

A) Last Year's SuperBowl Winner
B) Brett Favre

you are automatically REALLY REALLY WEIRD. Cos ladies don't like sports, at least that's what Everybody Loves Raymond tells you.

Present company of mens excepted, it's just like being a girl who knows a lot about a particular sport is just about the same thing as being...well I don't even know, maybe the same thing as being the Browns' elf dude. Especially if you know more about the game than the dudes you're with know (which is pretty freaking common since 98% of sports fans are of the "Antonio Gates has a problem with your thesis" genre).

she gave birth to her first child in july and up until june "papi" was still one of the three finalists for names. she also digs the pats but not nearly with the same demented fervor that she has for the sox or i have for the pats.

http://www.sandiegometro.com/images/rigby.gif

so, so OTM. sometimes dudes seem impressed, but most of the time it just really weirds them out. like their whole worldview depends on dudes watching sports, women complaining about dudes watching sports. I think they* feel like their sphere is being intruded on.

*not all dudes, just the ones who really make an issue of it. "YOU like FOOTBALL?"

bahaha yes I forgot about this. book's kind of fluffy, but it made me realize how hilarious BB is.

anyway I think some dudes are suspicious of broads-professing-to-like-sports in a "she is seeking male attention" kind of way and just assume they are faking it. My initial reaction is more like HI I WANT TO BANG YOU UNTIL YOUR FRECKLES FALL OFF but hey it takes all kinds.

also maybe gurls are more likely to be into baseball or basketball bcz football players are mostly pretty gross and even when there are some attractive guys you can't really tell because of the pads and the uniforms that make them look fat.

I want to throw shit at any girl I see wearing pink team hats.

I think some dudes just like being condescending.

otm.

those dudes should stop interpreting all female behavior as motivated by men.

http://nfl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p837140reg.jpg
^ totally want this

xpost I have no idea! It drives me insane. The thing is, I see women wearing them all the time! When we went to the Redskins game last year, there must've been like 80 of 'em in hot pink Clinton Portis jerseys. What is the point? And they aren't cheap, they're almost as pricey as the regular replica jerseys.

but they're $170

what do you think a "2-in-1 Rivalry Jacket" is?? I mean, it is this obviously:
http://nfl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3035295reg.jpg

But what does "2-in-1 Rivalry Jacket" mean??? There's no explanation in the description and I'm scared.

xpost I bought some of the low-rent replicas last year, not the real deal super nice ones. Still cost about $150-$200 for two, and one of them was so comedy large that I think if the Giants make the SB I'm going to put it on and belt it like a dress and wear it out. In fact, I will guarantee that right now.

ps. http://bestmessageboardever.com/uploads/post-1528-1162499349.jpg

DO IT! maybe I'm crazy, but I think that sounds really cute, actually.

very important Giants related question: who is cuter, Manning or Tiki Barber? (I was having this conversation with a male Giants fan friend of mine yesterday.)

YOU HAVE TO FEEL IT!

for big pat's games i will occasionally bust out my osha approved pats hardhat.

You underestimate the power of IT'S TEH CUET.

But then I'm in LA, so I may be overestimating.

QB: Leaf

'bout time this thread got a bump anyway...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3684240

West Texas A&M quarterbacks coach Ryan Leaf, the former San Diego Chargers quarterback, has been placed on indefinite leave at his request to deal with a personal issue, athletic director Michael McBroom said Wednesday.

A person briefed on the situation said that Leaf acknowledged he had asked a player for a pill to help him deal with pain in his wrist dating to his NFL playing days.

McBroom said he met with Leaf on Sunday to "go through some options, and we agreed that a leave is the best option."

McBroom said he could not comment on the allegation until all inquiries had been completed, and he could not say if or when Leaf would return.

Leaf, in his third season at West Texas A&M, was the second overall pick in the 1998 draft and retired in 2002.

Leaf also is the men's golf coach at the school.

West Texas A&M, a Division II school, is 9-1 and has one game, versus Tarleton State, left on its regular-season schedule. Senior quarterback Keith Null has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 3,812 yards with 36 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

"Ryan doesn't want this to be a distraction from the team," McBroom said. "He and I agreed this is the best course of action until we figure everything out."

Leaf, a Heisman Trophy finalist at Washington State, was taken second in the 1998 draft behind only Peyton Manning. He retired after four dismal seasons, best known for his profane off-field outbursts toward fans, coaches and reporters. He finished his career with 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.