Why American/Canadian Style Football would never work in the Olympics

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated in his "State of The NFL" Speech before The Super Bowl that Football would be an Olympic Sport by 2020. He obviously didn't think this through. Here are four reasons why it would never work as an Olympic Sport:

 

1. The Timing is bad.

The Winter Games usually take place in February, just after the season. No Pro, College or High School Player would want to play then, and I'm sure that Coaches, etc. wouldn't be too crazy about this either. The Summer Games? You can forget that too. They take place anywhere between July and September which would interfere with Training Camp or the start of the Season.

 

2. Football is a Game that is normally played once a Week.

Olympic Games span two weeks, at the most there could only be three games for a team: The Opening Round, The Semi-Final and The Medal Round. They would have to be played only on the Weekends.

 

3. American & Canadian Style Football isn't played in a lot of other Countries.

Seriously, name an NFL, CFL, Arena or even College Player that is a Citizen of a Country other than the United States or Canada? YOU CAN'T. This isn't Baseball, Basketball, Ice Hockey or Soccer. It is played as a Club Sport in some countries, and that is very few. I doubt there would be more that six countries and even that in my opinion is stretching it.

 

4. American and Canadian Football are different in terms of Field Dimensions and Scoring.

There would be a debate on what style to play. American Pro? American College? American High School? Canadian Pro? Canadian College? Canadian High School? The American Rules would likely be adopted which would force Canadians to play a style that they're not used to.

 

My guess is that Goodell based it on two things:

 

1. The Regular Season Game in London always attracts a big crowd. OF COURSE IT DOES. Over there, it's seen by Brits and Europeans the same way that Americans would attend a Soccer Game featuring well known International Clubs like Manchester United and FC Barcelona. IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

 

2. NFL Europe had good attendance. Well, there was a reason that most of the teams were based in Germany. All the US Military Based in Germany who obviously saw it as a little piece of home.

 

I haven't heard anymore about this. Maybe Goodell realized that it just wouldn't work. (...at least I hope so.)

Jimmy Haslam firing Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi isn't Dysfunction, It's the realization of Dysfunction

Since returning in '99, the Browns have been so bad that even when they cut out a couple of cancers like Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi, it's STILL seen as Dysfunction when in reality, it's the realization that there is Dysfunction and they were the source of it.



Mike Lombardi (Left) and Joe Banner were the Cause of the Dysfunction under the Haslam
Ownership. Anyone with common sense should be happy that these two have been
run out of town. Photo courtesy of ESPN Cleveland
Browns Fans kept hearing stories about how bad it was there. I personally heard from friends of mine in the Philadelphia Area nothing but bad things about Banner when he worked for the Eagles. Lombardi was never a popular hire with Browns Fans because of his previous tenure in Cleveland when he worked under Bill Belichick and seen by many Cleveland Area Observers as a Back-Stabbing Snake. It got so bad that there were executives with other teams that simply refused to do business with the Browns and potential Head Coaching Candidates would walk out of meetings because they were disgusted with Banner. It got to the point where Banner and Lombardi turned on each other. After Haslam fired Banner and Lombardi, the NFL Team Executives who wouldn't do business with The Browns came out (Anonymously.) and stated that they will again do business with the Browns now that they are gone.


Ray Farmer has taken over as the new General Manager. Farmer is highly thought of around NFL Circles.


The Following are various articles written about the firing of Banner and Lombardi:

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on having to part ways with Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi: "I underestimated this"



written by Mary Kay Cabot (Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer) on 2/11/2014



Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi ended on bad terms with each other, and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wiped out both written by Mary Kay Cabot on 2/13/2014



Cleveland Browns and NFL Links: Peter King explains why Jimmy Haslam made changes written by Branson Wright


(Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer) on 2/13/2014. Includes a link to the Sports Illustrated "MMQB" Article written by Peter King


Transcript from news conference with new Browns GM Ray Farmer
by Nate Ulrich (Ohio.com/Akron Beacon-Journal) on 2/11/2014



New Cleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer. Let's hope that he is the right man for the job.
Photo courtesy of Ohio.com/Akron Beacon-Journal via AP

In Honor of The 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' first appearence on the Ed Sullivan Show... My Ten Favorite Beatles Songs

Tonight (February 9.) Marks the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' First Appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. In honor of this, here are my Ten Favorite Beatles Songs (...by the way, it's not easy narrowing it down to just ten.) Oh, I was NOT named after George Harrison


10. Across The Universe



9. Penny Lane



8. Yesterday (By The Way, That was my Mom's Favorite. She used to sing it sometimes.)



7. I Am The Walrus


6. Nowhere Man



5. A Day in the Life



4. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/With A Little Help From My Friends



3. Hello Goodbye



2. Help!



1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

The Browns can't find a Head Coach. The REAL Problem is Banner and Lombardi

So, The two men that were on the top of my list to be the new Browns Head Coach: Ken Wisenhunt and Mike Zimmer both either rejected the Browns or Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi were too damn stupid to either think of talking to them. When will Jimmy Haslam realize that it's Banner and Lombardi are the problem?




Banner and Lombardi (ESPECIALLY Banner.) are a couple of Egomaniacs who think they know more about football than they actually do. Chudzinski was in a situation that even Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi and Bill Walsh couldn't have won games in.
 


Recently in a previous blog, I called for the NFL to take the team away from Jimmy Haslam http://thejamsessionbyjamdawg.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-nfl-needs-to-take-cleveland-browns.html (Considering the Federal Investigation of his company: Pilot/Flying J. they still may have to.) but if Haslam comes to the realization that Banner and Lombardi ARE the Problem, I may retract that statement.




The Browns are losing support within the state that it once ruled. Here is an eye opening article from the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer and in their website; Cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/01/browns_battleground_how_can_th.html


God Help Us All!

If I could redesign the Cleveland Browns Uniform

The Browns are considering a uniform change. Too bad the lawyers get in the way and you have to be legally solicited by someone (In this case, The Browns, the NFL or Nike.) just to show someone something. I'll bet that this will be better than anything they will come up with. (I used the Nike Combat Uni Template for this.)

 

To see this in the Original Size, Click Here

 

Browns Fans as a group tend to be very conservative when it comes to the uniform. You will get dirty looks from Browns Fans if you suggest that the helmet needs a logo. As you can see, I'm using elements of the Classic Browns Uniform and brought back the Two Color Drop Shadow Numbers that the Browns used in 1946. (Their first year of existence.)

 

Yes, I have been trying to get Legally Solicited to show these.


EDIT: Here is the ONLY Change I would make to the Browns Helmet.

Five Actors who were robbed at the Oscars

Tonight is the 85th Academy Awards. Of course, there have been instances where the winner is announced and you're left saying WHAT THE HELL? and other instances where a deserving Actor, Actress and Director aren't even nominated.
I will now list the five actors (two of whom are mentioned TWICE) who were either robbed of the Oscar or even were robbed of being nominated for one.

Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles (1974).
While Blazing Saddles did recieve four Academy Award Nominations (Madeline Kahn for Best Supporting Actress, Film Editing, Music and Original Song.) Korman was shut out. Ironic since the most famous line by Korman actually uses a reference to Best Supporting Actor. (Click Here to see this.) He was brilliant in this movie.

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993).
Many Actors have portrayed Doc Holliday, including Cesar Romero, Victor Mature, Kirk Douglas, Jason Robards and both Quaid Brothers but many consider Val Kilmer's version to be the most badass. In my opinion, he was the most interesting character in the movie which by the way is my favorite Western of the last 30 years. Tombstone did not recieve one single nomination in any of the major catagories.

Edward Norton as Aaron Stampler in Primal Fear (1996).
At least Norton was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar (as well as all the other Major Best Supporting Actor Awards.) for this. He lost to Cuba Gooding, Jr. for his role in Jerry Maguire. Many people consider this one of the worst Miscarriages of Justice in Oscars History. The Aaron Stampler Character is far more interesting than Gooding's Character, Rod Tidwell. If you've seen Primal Fear, then you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, RENT IT and be sure to watch it until the end.

Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991).
Tombstone wasn't the first time that Kilmer was robbed out of even being nominated for an Oscar. Many agree that he pulled off one of the most accurate portrayals of a Music Icon. I consider it right up there with Jamie Foxx's accurate portrayal of Ray Charles.

 

Jack Nicholson as Col. Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men (1992).
Nicholson was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but was also up against Al Pacino (Glengary Glen Ross) and Gene Hackman (Unforgiven, he won it that year.) so this was as strong a competition as you could find in Oscars History. This was a classic case of a Supporting Character absolutely stealing the movie as Nicholson did here.

 

Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard in American History X (1998).

Like Val Kilmer, Norton shows up on this list again. This time as an Ex Neo-Nazi named Derek Vinyard. He goes to prison for Voluntary Manslaughter but then changes his beliefs over time and then after his release, tries to keep his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) from going down the same path and making the same mistakes that he did. (As you can see, Norton obviously hit the weights so he could look like a scary Neo-Nazi.) Norton was up against Nick Nolte (Affliction), Sir Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters) and Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) but the Best Actor Oscar went to Roberto Benigni for playing Guido Orefice in Life Is Beautiful.

 

Who are yours?

Four Pre-Super Bowl Era Hall of Famers that should be in everyGreatest-of-All-Time Debate

Yes, we have all heard and/or participated in "Greatest of All Time" discussions when it comes to Pro Football. However, with the "If it happened before The Super Bowl Era" Mentality that is all too prevalent in our society, Greats from the Pre-Super Bowl Era are rarely, if ever included in these discussions. The only Pre-Super Bowl Era Player that is in any of these debates on a regular basis in Jim Brown.

So with this in mind, here are 4 Pro Football Hall of Famers who should be in every "Greatest of All Time" debate.

1. Otto Graham: Quarterback - Cleveland Browns (1946-55)
Graham is the player that comes up the most by Historians and others when they point out how most "Greatest of All Time" lists leave out Pre-Super Bowl Era Players. Simply put, Otto dominated his Era (1946-55) by leading The Browns to ten straight trips to The League Championship Game, four in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) from '46 to '49 and Six in the NFL from '50 to '55, Winning all four AAFC Championships and the NFL Championship in '50, '54 and '55. He compiled a 114-20 Record in his Ten Seasons. Even if you leave out the AAFC Years, his record is still impressive.

2. Paul Brown: Head Coach - Cleveland Browns (1946-62) Cincinnati Bengals (1968-75)
I personally consider Paul Brown to be the most important Coach in the Post WWII History of Football (Both Pro and College.) Click below and see why.
http://thejamsessionbyjamdawg.blogspot.com/2013/02/top-five-reasons-why-paul-brown-is-most.html

When you consider all the Championships he won, his innovations that are now common practice and all the men that played or coached under him that became Championship Coaches themselves, he has to be considered one of the builders of the game. The fact that all of his Championships came before the Super Bowl Era is the main reason why you rarely hear Paul Brown's Name in "Greatest Coach of All Time" debates. Recently, ESPN to honor Vince Lombardi's Birthday, put together their list of the greatest Pro Football Head Coaches of all time and list Paul Brown SIXTH on the list. A lot of people who know football history ripped ESPN in comments on their website saying how he's ranked too low. Most saying that he's no worse than No.2

3. Don Hutson: End - Green Bay Packers (1935-45)
He was listed as an End, but he was really the first modern Wide Receiver. At the time of his retirement, Hutson held just about every receiving record in the game, some of which he still holds. He also is credited with creating many pass routes used in the game today. When he was drafted out of Alabama in 1935, many people thought he wouldn't have much of a career because of his size (6'1" - 183 lbs.) but he had the speed and ability to avoid defenders on his way to long gains.

4. Sid Luckman: Quarterback - Chicago Bears (1939-1950)
Luckman was the first T-Formation Quarterback and after his career, taught other QB's how to play it. He led the Bears to Four NFL Championships (1940, '41, '43 and '46.) He led the NFL in Yards-Per-Attempt seven times, including five straight years between 1939 and 1943. Also in 1943, he threw 28 Touchdown Passes. An amazing number in itself but even more amazing when you consider that it was a 10 Game Schedule in '43.