Bottom of the Bottle

Bottom of the Bottle

by The Mick

Hey it’s your old pal The Mick feeling all stuffed and sleepy. It is Thanksgiving and time for food, football, and naps. For the past 73 and 46 years respectively, we have watched the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys football. I know I’m not supposed to talk sports in my blog, but, it’s tradition on this day. I remember as a kid we used to eat and play during the Lions game and sit around the TV and watch the Boys. I have so many good memories of family and laughter, but, not so much the food. Today, however, times have changed and while the food was much better today (thanks mom) I have yet to laugh.

So let’s talk football. I’ve heard a lot about how the game has gone to s*!t. People complain about the new rules and that it’s going to be flag football in the next 5 years. I admit that I’m among them, but, what irks me is that the league says it wants to protect the players and that’s why they have the new rules. I’m good with that. My question is this, if you want to protect the players, where are the pads? I remember as a kid all levels, from high school to the pros, players wore more pads. If you want players to live longer, cover them better. Thigh pads, hip and tailbone pads and flak jackets would save players careers. Only a couple of players today have thigh protection and that is nuts, especially since the league has “lowered the tackle target”. After about 5 seconds online I found about half a dozen light weight impact resistant polymers and places to buy it for cheap shaped anyway I want. I guess Roger Goodell has never heard of Google. It’s a quick fix that will have little to no effect on the game. Some players may lose half a step with the extra weight and restriction, but like Marines, they will adapt and overcome (Heartbreak Ridge).

Now as far as the rules go, three letters, XFL. Yeah, do you remember that load of crap? If not, let me remind you. Vince McMahon, the wrestling guy, decided to start a football league that was chalked full of good ideas. Seriously, on paper this s#!t was brilliant. Players had two pay rates depending on if they won or not. BRILLIANT! The biggest thing was the bump and run. That’s where they did away with pass interference and destroyed the game. You see if you have a free-for-all every time the ball is thrown then nobody catches it. If no one can catch the ball, then you run it. While the running game is very important, it becomes boring. What McMahon did was make a stop and go rugby. WHICH IS HORRIBLE! Rugby is awesome because it is fast paced and brutal and needs to come to American TV.

Now, another Thanksgiving tradition we used to have was to draw secret Santa. So here’s my Christmas wish: I want rugby. We need sevens in America and now would be the perfect time to bring it. Hockey is done, football is in distress and sports fans are open to something new. As long as the rules don’t get changed rugby could very well become the most popular sport in America. The season could be during the hockey season or football off season it could be perfect. Just name me commissioner and I think we’ve got something.

Don’t forget the show is now live and daily. 1PM to 2PM CST. Here’s all the links and have a happy, healthy and gluttonous Thanksgiving, everybody:

 

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