December 2006 Archive
Player Interview: New Orleans Saints' Will Smith
In the next few weeks, we will run a feature where high-profile players let us sneak a peek at some of their favorite and, um, not so favorite things.
This week, New Orleans Saints' defensive end, Will Smith, a standout from Ohio State, answers our questions.
What do you find most attractive about a girl?
I first notice her hair and then her eyes.
Whom do you admire most?
My grandmother
What is your favorite hobby other than football?
Going to the movies
If you can take a trip anywhere, where would you go?
South Africa
What is your favorite food?
Chinese
What is your favorite music?
Rap or Hip-hop
Whom are you closest to?
My sister
How would you describe your personality?
Outgoing
What do you do to relax?
Sleep or watch TV
Are you superstitious and if so, what is one superstition?
I’m superstitious when it comes to sports and competing. I have a routine that I do, physically and mentally, every week. But of course, I can’t reveal what it is!!!
What is your perfect first date?
I can do anything as long as it’s with someone I can connect with.
What is your biggest turn-on?
A nice pair of lips and a great smile
What is your biggest turn-off?
Hate to say this, but bad breathe and bad hair!
Who is your favorite athlete?
Jerry Rice
What is your favorite magazine?
KING magazine
Do you have a ritual before a game?
Yes, but of course can’t reveal it -- too superstitious. Maybe one day.
What is your favorite car?
My MG is my favorite.
What can we find in your car?
My iPod, hair brush and got to have some cologne on hand!
What are your favorite toys?
My computer
Who is your favorite designer?
Prada
What is your biggest flaw?
My attitude
How many children do you want?
I have two: a boy and a girl. I’m done!!
Can you just be friends with a girl?
Yes, I can just be friends.
Santa Clause and Football Are Coming to Town
You’ve checked the paper, read it twice, and yes, football is coming to town on Christmas Day. Traditionally, we have the day off from football, but this year on December 25th, we get to sip eggnog, watch the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys at 5pm and the New York Jets vs. the Miami Dolphins at 8:30pm.
I know you must be in panic mode right now thinking that you’ve had time to perfect your Thanksgiving football viewing habits, but now, football on Christmas Day? What do you do? What’s the protocol? If you celebrate Christmas, do you open presents during halftime or wait until the end of the game? Are you allowed to get into heated arguments on this day if your team is not playing up to potential? And, perhaps most importantly, does eggnog go with chicken wings? These questions are overwhelming to say the least.
Fear not my friends, here is a guide to your big day regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmakkah or Festivus.
Know Your Traditions
At this point, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see anyone other than the Cowboys in the post-season, but both of these games highlight very traditional conference rivalries: Eagles and Cowboys in the NFC East and Dolphins and Jets in the AFC East.
Gifting
If this is part of your holiday tradition, perhaps you can save one or two presents for halftime or the end of the game. It may be something to look forward to if your team is losing by 30 points at the half.
Caroling
While not a traditional part of a football game (at least I’ve never witnessed it), why not mix things up a bit and sing some carols during halftime (and no, they don’t have to be football fight songs -- but bonus points if they are).
Food and Drink
Eggnogg is an acquired taste that's not so easy to pair with conventional football food. I suggest starting out your day with traditional fare, then set aside a banquet of football munchies during the 5pm game. You can always revert back to your traditional holiday grub by 8pm. And, if you’re being adventuresome, mix it all up. Try some eggnogg with chicken wings or beer with candy canes... let us know how it goes.
Decorations
- Show your spirit of the day by hanging a wreath and football banner outside your door
- Wrap presents in football themed paper
- Hang mistletoe over the couch and chairs in the TV room (at least if the game fails to excite, you’ll have other, more interesting extra-curricular activities to attend to (not going into specifics….this is a family site you know).
Activities
Make a football pool and hand out holiday-related prizes out if you win. Stocking stuffers work great for this. Also, feel free to make the loser go outside and make snow angels.If by chance you take the day off from football festivities, fear not, there are 12 games itching to be watched just six days later, on December 31st. Enjoy the Season!
December 22, 2006 at 05:45pmGetting to the Game: Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Guest bloggers Michelle and Michelle are here with your guide to going to the games...
With the playoffs right around the corner, the fans of the teams who actually made the playoffs will start thinking about how best to support their team during those critical games. Some may opt to stick to their regular routines so as not to disrupt the superstitions that they've been following.
Others will take the opportunity to serve all of their leftover New Years' refreshments by throwing big football parties.
And then there are the die-hard, take-no-prisoners, hard-core kinda fans who will take to the skies, roads and/or waterways in order to see their team play in person.
And since we spent the first half of the season traveling to various cities for football, we thought me might be of help to those fans:
1) Always look for special deals online. You never know when a last minute cheap fare becomes available.
2) Talk to people who may have traveled to those cities before. We found out about a $12 bus ticket to Philly from a friend of ours just minutes before we were going to book one for $35.
3) Talk to people about where to stay and what to do for fun near the stadium. We found some awesome places to eat and hang out just by asking questions.
4) Always, always, always know the details of the public transportation system if you do not have a car. You might just find yourself running around Charlotte, NC in the cold, at 1 a.m., looking for a taxi and wondering just how long it would take to walk the 25 miles to your hotel. (Yes, we speak from experience!)
5) Always wear your team's jersey, hat, shirt and/or jacket when you set out on your trip. Other fans will come up and talk to you on the plane, bus, train, etc. It's a good way to make friends and also get some more advice about the city you are visiting.
6) When you are blindly entering a tailgate, NEVER go in empty-handed. Buy one of those coolers on wheels and fill it with refreshments. You want to be welcomed, and free food/drinks is always the way to make that happen!
7) Check out the fan forum websites for the home team. They may not like you for cheering for the opposing team, but it might be a good way to find out where all the happening tailgate and post-game parties will be located.
8) Wear a helmet. No, we're not kidding. Rivalries can get ugly, especially during the playoffs. If you are going to proudly display your team jersey during an away game, make sure you are well protected. You never know when you might get beamed by a flying hot dog from the opposing teams fans.
9) Leave the ATM card at home. It's kind of like Vegas. Too many temptations. Set aside a budget for yourself and stick to it. Otherwise you're going to find yourself out $70 for a bag of beer coozies and 20 foam fingers.
10) Take a camera. NFL teams are so unpredictable, you never know when their next trip to the playoffs may be. Capture it on film, and enjoy it during those seasons when you realize that your team lost games they shouldn't have and looked like they could get beat by the local high school team. (Bitter about the Dolphins?! Us?! What gave it away??)
Happy holidays and safe travels to all!
December 22, 2006 at 05:22pmWe Are Marshall Scores!
Even though We Are Marshall is a football movie, I wasn’t completely prepared to love it. When I go to a movie, I’m pretty discerning. I generally go for very high brow fare, you know, like Happy Gilmore, Old School, Wedding Crashers -- anything with Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, the Wilson brothers or Vince Vaughn. It’s not that I purposely avoid the well-crafted movie; it’s just that when I go to the theater, I’d prefer to laugh than cry.
Still, I couldn’t turn down the chance to see (what I thought) would be a football movie. We Are Marshall tells the story of a small town in West Virginia that struggles to rebuild itself after one of the worst disasters in American sports. In 1970, a plane carrying Marshall University’s football team crashed, killing all 37 players, coaches and important members of the community. This horrific disaster devastated the entire community until a young coach (played by Matthew McConaughey) moved to town to help rebuild the team and restore hope and healing to a community in desperate need. (Suzy, the one behind my sister blog Daily Blabber, actually went to school at Marshall and was able to go back during filming for the movie to spend time on the set. Read all about her adventures!)
We Are Marshall demonstrates the team atmosphere in this small town where every community member must pull together to move on with their lives in the midst of a tragedy that affected each and every one of them. Go see this movie! There won’t be a dry eye in the theater (as demonstrated by even Bob Costas, who walked out of our screening with watery eyes). I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Before you go, however, I've put together a little guide to the movie for you. First, check out my up-close and personal interviews the cast members (yes, as in Matthew McHottie). Then, get the score on some of football terms you'll hear throughout the show.
December 20, 2006 at 01:03pmWe Are Marshall's Biggest Fans
A few days after the screening of We Are Marshall, Warner Brothers was nice enough to invite me to participate in a round-table interview with some of the cast (man, I love my job!). Check out what they had to say.
Kate Mara: Female Football Fan Extraordinaire
Kate plays the fiancée of one of the star football players who died in the crash.I wasn’t aware when I saw the movie that Kate comes from football royalty. She’s the granddaughter of the late Giants’ owner Wellington Mara and the great-granddaughter of Steelers’ founder Art Rooney.
You would love Kate. She’s the ultimate female fan. She’s passionate about football and definitely knows more about the game than almost any guy you’ll meet. I asked her if she ever dated men that were intimidated by the fact that she knew more about football than them. She told me that she seems to date men that aren’t huge football fans, so it’s not really a problem. She also mentioned that she couldn’t date an Eagles fan. And, with her divided loyalties between the Giants and Steelers, if they ever played each other, she’d just have to root for the offense.
Matthew McConaughy: Not The Same Old Thing
Matthew strolled in next wearing a plaid blazer (which we hear he’s been wearing since filming) and sporting some heavy-duty sideburns. He looked as if he just stepped off the set. Aside from his usual charm, what struck me the most with Matthew was his sincerity and genuine love of the film. It was such a huge departure from his other romantic lead roles, and he absolutely nailed it. In answering questions, Matthew was unusually serious. You could feel how important this role was for him as an actor and as a way to pay respect to the community in West Virginia that still lives with this tragedy everyday. He mentioned repeatedly how well the cast and crew were received and how cathartic the film was on the town’s healing process.He shared his take on team sports with us:
“What I love about football and team sports is that, like film making with a crew of 200, or a community or neighborhood or town or state or nation, everyone has to learn different things to specialize in if it’s all going to work. Everyone plays a certain part. On a football team, if everyone doesn’t play his role, there will be a leak in the boat. Reggie Bush can’t run for however many yards unless the guys (are) blocking for him. If you’ve got 11 guys out there and one guy is not playing up to speed or didn’t do his homework or not playing 100 percent, the quarterback is going to get sacked. You won’t succeed unless you play as a team -- that’s my favorite thing about sports. You’ve got to play that much better than the guy across from you, and if every player does that on every play, 99 times out of 100 you’ll win.
I’ve always loved the psychology of sports. I’m 37, and I still think I should be the guy on the field. I still could have embraced this role even if I didn’t play sports though because (especially with college sports) you’re not as much of a coach as a teacher, father figure and big brother.”
Matthew Fox: Former Football Star
Matthew (who plays assistant coach Red Dawson who, by a twist of fate, misses the catastrophic flight) walked in wearing a t-shirt and overcoat and looked as if he rolled out of bed 10 minutes beforehand. And, what’s so unfair is he still looked unbelievably sexy.Fox, who is married with two kids, has impressive football credentials himself. He played at Columbia University before becoming an actor on the hit TV show Party of Five and now Lost.
First, I asked if his background as a football player helped him prepare for his role as assistant coach. I also wanted to know if he’d encourage his son to play the game when he got older. Here’s what he had to say;
“The answer to the first part of that question is yes, I love the game and I know the game, so for the coaching aspect of Red Dawson, recreating those sideline sequences and stuff was really easy because I could understand the game. I played under many coaches and I also felt that I had a really good idea of what kind of coach Red Dawson was.
And the answer to the second part of the question is when it's time for my boy to potentially put pads on and he really expresses to me a strong desire to do it, I will let him play the game. I am not going to try to encourage him to play the game though. I'm constantly battling that in my life -- to try not to repeat past situations. I think my dad was fairly intense about wanting me to be an athlete, and I love my dad and respect him and think he's amazing, but I really want to try and let my children discover their stuff a little more than offer it up to them or push it on them.”
December 20, 2006 at 12:47pmMore We Are Marshall
To my surprise, We Are Marshall is not (and I repeat not) a football movie. It’s about a town overcoming a tragedy and pulling together as a group. Football is only a backdrop in this movie about courage and determination. Since this is a football blog, however, let’s discuss some of the football terms you’ll hear repeatedly in the movie. You definitely do not need to know these to enjoy the show, but you’ll certainly look impressive if you can rattle them off in post-movie discussions!
Flea Flicker
The quarterback hands the ball or laterals it behind the line of scrimmage to a receiver who then throws it downfield. You may see a few laterals before the long throw.I Formation
Two running backs line up directly behind the Quarterback (looks like an “I” if you were to see the formation from behind). This is one of the most common stances in football.Option Offense
A system of offensive running plays in which the quarterback has the “option” of running with the ball himself or handing it to one of the running backs, depending on what the defense is doing. Once the QB takes hold of the ball, he has to read the defense quickly to decide what type of running play he will execute. College teams are more likely than the pros to run the “option” as their basic form of offense.
December 20, 2006 at 09:57amLast-Minute Football Gifts for the Holidays
For the favorite football fan in your life, the gift possibilities are endless. Almost every major gift site has a section on sports (and football in particular). There's always the typical mini-football helmet, team jersey, team beach blanket or bobblehead of your favorite player, but this year, why not strive for something a little more out-of-the-ordinary?If you really want to score a touchdown with your gift, try one of these football gift options that show some careful thought and planning.
For The Movie Lover
What could be better than combining two of their passions with a selection of classic football movies? My personal movie faves are:- Rudy
- The Longest Yard
- Jerry McGuire
- Friday Night Lights
- Brian’s Song
*For that extra-point kick, throw in a football-shaped remote control!
For The Game Freak
Don't know anything about video games? Me neither, but from what I've heard,
Madden NFL 07 is a MUST. People are obsessed with it. It was released in August and simulates real football play. People were lined up to get it, so it there must be something to it.For The Littlest Football Fan
It's never too early to get kids interested in football. For any little tyke, this personalized football book by Soulful Creations is my favorite find. Send in your child’s name as well as his or her favorite team and player, and the company will personalize the story around your kiddo.
For The Person Who Has Everything
I'm guessing even the toughest person on your list doesn't have this NFL Collector’s Chess Set, yet. The chess pieces can be customized as players from any of your favorite teams. So cute!For Your Best Girlfriend
I know this is a little self-serving, but the Female Fan Guide to Pro Football by Betsy Berns (me!) is perfect for the female fan who wants to read some fun facts and human interest stories about the sport. Couple it with Blind Side by Michael Lewis. I just bought this one to read over the holidays --anything by Lewis is always entertaining.December 18, 2006 at 06:47amWater Cooler Chat: Playoff Scenarios and More
My head whirls this time of year trying to keep straight the playoff scenarios. It’s all about if Team A wins and Team B loses and C ties, then A could have a wild card spot but only if Team D loses or ties to Team E or A. I know, it's confusing. To make it easier for you, here's who's definitely in and who’s definitely (sorry Fins) out so far.
Definitely in the Post Season
- Rudy
- Chicago (with a 34-31 win over Tampa Bay yesterday) clinches a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs (oh and by the way, yesterday’s game at Soldier Field was a balmy 58 degrees… this is definitely some kind of cruel joke that I saw the game two weeks ago when the temperature was in record negative digits).
- The New Orleans Saints lost 10-16 against the Washington Redskins but are still Division winners and will be in the playoffs. Actually, the Redskins win over the Saints helped the Dallas Cowboys secure a playoff spot as well.
- The Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts also clinched playoff births.
- The San Diego Chargers have obviously clinched a spot but got a little scare yesterday when the best running back in the league (LaDainian Tomlinson) came off the field because he seemingly injured his jaw. Apparently it’s no big deal, and he won’t miss a thing (I think someone must have told him he didn’t get many votes in this week’s Sunday Night's Sexiest).
Weirder Things Have Happened
- The San Francisco 49ers (believe it or not) are still in the running. A couple of things need to happen, though. If the Niners can beat Arizona or Denver, and if Seattle loses to San Diego and Tampa Bay, then the Niners are in the post season (see what I mean with this A has to beat B and C needs to tie D and A scenario?). I’m not holding my breath, but wow, this would be some comeback for the Niners!
Definitely Out
- Sorry Miami Dolphin fans (of which I am one), they are definitely out. They had a good run for a while, but unfortunately there’s no scenario in which they could make the playoffs now.
- Of course there are other teams that are definitely out as well and were for a few weeks (hello Oakland Raiders), but the Dolphins really looked as if they might be able to pull it out this year.
In Other News
- Aren’t you proud of me? I haven’t talked about the Dallas Cowboys' Terrell Owens for a while, but I can’t help it if he always does something outrageous. Owens scored two touchdowns in a definitive 38-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons but couldn’t just keep it about football. After spitting in Falcon cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s face during one exchange, T.O. is back in the doghouse.
- After three years of dating, New England’s QB hottie Tom Brady has broken up with actress Bridget Moynahan. I heard some commentators speculating on whether that was affecting his on-field football prowess as of late, but apparently not. He led his team to a blowout 40-7 victory over the Texans.
December 18, 2006 at 06:12amSunday Night’s Sexiest: Round 13, Week 15
Dallas QB Tony Romo barely edged out the Saint’s RB Reggie Bush in last weekend’s contest. A few people have asked the question, “Why is it always the quarterbacks that win Sunday Night’s Sexiest?” Well, that’s not exactly true. In 12 rounds so far, only 6 (math was never my strong suit, but I’m pretty confident that’s 50 percent) have been quarterbacks. That said, the other winners have been spread out between wide receivers, running backs, kickers and the lone safety. It makes sense though -- the quarterbacks are the most visible player (on the field for every offensive play), and they’re easier to spot. But, if you are a fan of a particular player (that’s not a QB), just get all your friends to vote, and let’s see if we can mix it up a bit.
This week we will see Kansas City Chiefs vs. the San Diego Chargers. This is going to be an amazing game. Not only are these two teams traditional rivals in the AFC west, but they also lay claim to the two best running backs in the league: the Charger’s LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chief's Larry Johnson. San Diego has clinched the division title and are heading to the playoffs, but don’t count the Chiefs out yet. They still have a shot, so look for a very aggressive and intense game. Oh, and by the way, don’t have a fit when you don’t see San Diego QB Philip Rivers in the lineup, he’s already in the finals with a win in round 9.
Again, if you’re just tuning in, I am nominating six of the high-profile players (three from each team) from the Sunday night game each week. I try and profile a few players whom you will definitely see on the field during the game. At the end of the season we’ll have playoffs to determine the NFL’s sexiest player. Check out the nominees so far!
Here are the nominees for Round 13:
Vote now!
December 12, 2006 at 08:01pmWater Cooler Chat: The Man, Boy, Bro, Convicts and Heisman
When it comes to my fantasy football league, the fat lady has sung. I knew it wouldn’t be a good weekend when Friday morning (the Cleveland Browns loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-2 on Thursday night), I woke up to see that my fantasy team (which had barely scraped together enough wins to make the playoffs) had negative two points. Yes, it’s actually possible to get negative points. In my case it’s because our replacement kicker, Phil Dawson from the Cleveland Browns, missed a field goal.
By 4pm on Sunday, we knew our fantasy season was over. We needed a decent game from our QB, New England Patriots’ Tom Brady. Instead, Brady and the Pats let us down with a 21-0 loss to the Dolphins. Yeah, I know we’ve got lots of Dolphin fans out there (including in my house), and I wasn’t rooting against them, just rooting for a few more yards and TDs from Brady (what’s wrong with wanting it all?). Oh well, there’s always next year.
Other noteworthy weekend games:
LaDainian Tomlinson is the man!
On Sunday, the San Diego Chargers’ RB scored 3 touchdowns against the Denver Broncos which gave him 29 touchdowns this season -- the most touchdowns from a running back in a single season. And, even more importantly, with this 48-20 win over the Broncos, Tomlinson helped the Chargers clinch the AFC West. This team is surely the team to beat going into the post season.Reggie Bush is the boy on his way to being the man
After the New Orleans Saints' 42-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, running back Reggie Bush ran into the record books by garnering 79 receptions by a rookie in a season.Eli Manning is the bro
This weekend the Giant’s QB showed he’s not ready to sit back in his older brother Peyton’s shadow. After Sunday's 3 touchdown game (27-13 win) against the Carolina Panthers, he is keeping his Giants in the wildcard playoff picture.The Cincinnati Bengals are the convicts
As of last week, the Bengals have had 8 players arrested this year! You would think that would have crippled their season, but surprisingly, after their 27-10 win over the Oakland Raiders, they are in prime position to pull out a wild card slot in the playoffs.The Heisman
In college news, no big surprise, Ohio State University quarterback, Troy Smith easily won the Heisman Trophy (the greatest honor in college football).
December 11, 2006 at 06:53amSunday Night’s Sexiest: Round 12, Week 14
Deion Branch, wide receiver for the Seahawks, was our big winner in last week’s Sunday Night’s Sexiest. Welcome to the finals, Deion -- you are in good company so far.
This week’s matchup pits the New Orleans Saints against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have already been featured on Sunday night, and in round six, Julius Jones (the Cowboys running back) ran away (get it…ran away…OK, it’s early, and I’m trying to amuse myself) with the vote. As he’s already in the finals, he will not be featured in the nominees this week.
Thanks to Flex scheduling, we get to see two of the hottest teams in football this weekend. With 8-4 records, the Cowboys and Saints are both on the verge of the playoffs, and every game counts. These two teams also have two of the best quarterbacks in the league (the Saints' Drew Brees and the Cowboys’ Tony Romo). This game also features a wide receiver we love to hate or hate to love, Terrell Owens, and a running back that is impossible to hate (unless you’re opposing him on defense), Reggie Bush.
Again, if you’re just tuning in, I am nominating six of the high-profile players (three from each team) from the Sunday night game each week. I try and profile a few players whom you will definitely see on the field during the game. At the end of the season we’ll have playoffs to determine the NFL’s sexiest player. Check out the nominees so far!
Here are the nominees for Round 12:
Vote now!
December 08, 2006 at 06:01amThe Sacred Vows
Guest bloggers Michelle and Michelle know what it takes to be a true football fan.
After reading through several of the comments posted on this blog, we realized that there are so many women out there who are just now starting to show an interest in football. Thanks to sites like this one and the increased presence of females in the sports media world, women are realizing that football is not something put on earth to steal their husbands/boyfriends. It is actually a fun activity that can be enjoyed by all!
Which brings us to our next point. Since many of you are entering the world of "FAN," you are probably taking the necessary steps toward becoming fully immersed in the sport. You've picked your team, bought your jersey and skillfully applied a bumper sticker to your car declaring yourself the team's #1 fan.
However, before you can take another step, you must recite your vows. No, we are not joking. Ladies, football is like marriage: No matter how you want to look at it, you are entering into a relationship, which should rest on the foundation of unconditional love. For better or for worse! You do not want to be a fair weather fan, especially if you want to be taken seriously amongst long-time followers of the sport.
So, ladies -- please raise your right hand -- and recite the following:
I, (state your name), do solemnly swear to cheer, clap, whistle and yell for my beloved team, The (state name of team).
When they win, I will celebrate.
When they lose, I will cry for a brief moment and then say "There's always next week!"
When an opposing fan says something obnoxious about my team, I will be armed with the proper comeback.
I will learn the team cheer and/or fight song, and will sing it after every touchdown!
I will recruit others to cheer for my team.
I will never sacrifice gameday for shopping.
I will never give up on my team, even if they are at the very bottom of their division and have no chance to make the playoffs.I, (state your name), am hereby a (state name of team) fan for life!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are now, officially, a hard-core, die-hard football fan! Now get out there and cheer!!!
Visit us at 2michelles.com for more on our fan-tastic adventures.
December 06, 2006 at 06:42pmAre You A Fair Weather Fan If You’re A Fair Weather Fan?
My business partner Tami Holzman and I were invited to the Chicago Bears v. Minnesota Vikings game Sunday at the Bears’ Soldier Field. When we found out were going, we were ecstatic just thinking about seeing the Bears potentially win (which they did) their division title. Then, the weather forecasts started rolling in. After weeks of very reasonable weather, all of a sudden WHAM, a snowstorm, wind advisory and frigid conditions. By Sunday morning, the snow had stopped (thankfully) but we knew that “frigid conditions” was an understatement, and we were in for a miserably cold day!
Tami and I both grew up in California, so our blood isn’t cut out for the cold. We saw this as a test, though. How many times have you turned on a football game in the comfort of your own temperature-controlled home and wondered how in the world these fans could sit in the stands and root enthusiastically for their teams while covered in ice and only minutes away from having the wind blow them away like Mary Poppins? We’ve always wondered, so we figured the cold was a blessing. Now we could test whether we were, in fact, “fair” weather fans.
Our Preparation
As for clothing, we knew it was all going to be about the layering. No amount would ever be enough, but we started with thermals, layered on a turtleneck, threw on a sweater over the turtleneck and then bulked it up with a heavy jacket. A hat was a must, as were gloves, a scarf, wool socks and thick and fuzzy after-ski boots. We also came prepared with piles of Kleenex, for the inevitable cold, runny nose.Off to the Game
We were nice and comfy in the hotel and in the heated cab. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, we mused. Right, easier said when you can still feel your fingers.
First Quarter
Ok, we can handle this. We had obviously prepared, and we thought it might be paying off. Our seats were fantastic, and we were set for a very pleasant afternoon, and by pleasant, we mean the temperature with the wind chill was 6 degrees.Second Quarter
Hmm…things were getting a bit chillier, but we could still feel our toes (good sign). And, it was almost halftime -- surely it would be warmer after we got some food in our bellies (clearly spoken like a cold-weather novice).Halftime
The good news is that on a chilly day like this one, there are even fewer women than men in attendance than usual, so the line for the ladies’ bathroom is much shorter than the one for the men. The bad news is that by the time we walked to the bathroom, we could hardly feel our extremities. Talk about a bonding experience, though -- we made a ton of new friends. There’s nothing like the universal language of complaining about the cold. Of course, Tami and I seemed to be the most vocal (maybe others were more accustomed to the cold or alternatively, maybe we were the only ones who still had use of our facial muscles). And, by the way, for you girls, going on an unusually cold day has its perks (besides shorter bathroom lines). The ratio of men to women is at least 70:30, and the guys give instant nods of approval and high-fives for just showing up.
I’ve got to admit, we definitely considered spending the rest of the game inside the heated bathroom, but we realized that that would be really un-cool (and we were kind of hungry, anyway) so we found our friends and bought some hot dogs, popcorn and peanuts. The eating thing was a little tricky. Hot dogs can be gobbled with gloves still on, but popcorn and peanuts are next to impossible to grab with bulky mittens. And, we found out that with the wind swooping around the stadium, popcorn does not have gravity on its side…kernels were flying everywhere. In terms of preparation for this unexpected phenomenon, we’re still not quite sure. Any suggestions are welcome.Third Quarter
Things were looking bleak! Our kneecaps were FROZEN (which makes it difficult to stand when a team scores…although the Bears didn’t show much life in this quarter, so not a lot of standing required).
Fourth Quarter
Aaack… we started to think we might not make it another 15 minutes! It was not looking good. We could barely feel our feet, our derrieres had long frozen over, our hands were close to frostbitten, and the wind was periodically smacking our face just as a friendly reminder of where we were -- you know, in case we spaced out. But then, we found small salvation. Our new BFF’s, a mother and daughter sitting a couple of feet away, offered up an extra blanket (our knee caps were in ecstasy!) and heat warmers for our hands. Yeah, we thought, we’re going to make it!5 Minutes Left
This is when the game finally started to get exciting. Of course, we were going to stay to the end. Unfortunately, however, the heat warmers lost their charge, and we were forced to count the minutes until the end of the game…PLEASE NO MORE TIME OUTS, YOU’RE KILLING US!!!!.Game Over -- Bears Win NFC North Division Title, AND, We Survived!
Of course, we didn’t anticipate that the coldest part of the whole game was actually leaving the stadium, but we didn’t care, we were euphoric knowing we survived and actually had an amazing (and truly authentic) time.
Apres the Game
All night we ran into people discussing the game, and we got props for being there. Of course, we played it cool (no pun intended) and said, “Yeah, it was cold, but it was totally worth it to see the Bears win.” Now, in all honesty, we don’t think we could do this every weekend (kudos to those that do), but we certainly feel like we passed the test, and from the comfort of our temperature-controlled rooms next weekend, we will be looking at all the fans in the stands with complete respect and admiration -- and understanding.
December 05, 2006 at 09:38amWater Cooler Chat: Bears Clinch, Dallas Dual and Jets Naked
Big college football news: It’s official, thanks to the USC Trojans losing to UCLA Bruins on Saturday (a game everyone assumed they’d win), the Florida Gators gained the number two slot in the BCS (Bowl Championship Series, which pits the best teams in college football) rankings and will now face number one Ohio State for the BCS Title. Get ready for lots of water cooler chat regarding the selection of the Florida Gators facing Ohio State instead of Michigan. Every year there is always a lot of arguing about the BCS system; it’s difficult to understand, seems too arbitrary, does the selection really determine the best teams and finally, why can’t college football have an end of year tournament (like college basketball) to determine the best team in the nation? But if there wasn’t some bit of controversy around all this, it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun to talk about. Stay tuned!
On to the big games this weekend:
- The Chicago Bears clinch the NFC North division title with a 23-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings on an unbelievably frigid day (I was there and can attest to that). The game could have gone either way if not for the Bears' rookie sensation, cornerback Devin Hester, who tied an NFL record for touchdown returns (four). Expect to hear talk all week about replacing Bears’ quarterback Rex Grossman. I’ve got to admit, he really didn’t look so hot (and no, not that kind of “hot” and definitely not the other “hot” since it was about 6 degrees outside with the wind chill). Although, sometimes you have to wonder was his poor performance all his doing or were there some bad calls from the coach?
- As I was in Chicago freezing my rear off watching the Bears/Vikings game, I only saw the end of the Giants/Cowboys game on a bar TV with the sound off… quite a shame considering all the very vocal personalities involved, including the Giants’ Jeremy Shockey and Michael Strahan, and the Cowboys' Terrell Owens and always subdued (not) Dallas coach Bill Parcells. Still, the game did not disappoint, coming down to a final field goal with Dallas replacement kicker, Martin Gramatica booting a 46-yard field goal to give Dallas a 23-20 win.
- Speaking of freezing rears off, apparently the New York Jets coach, Eric Mangini got his players ready for the freezing tundra of the Green Bay Packers' Lambeau field by showing a tape of the famous “Ice Bowl” game (which as you can imagine was pretty darn cold) by having one of the Jets players run around shirtless on the field before the start of the game to prove the team could handle the cold. This unusual motivation must have worked because the Jets beat the Packers 38-10.
December 04, 2006 at 09:53amSunday Night’s Sexiest: Round 11, Week 13
Indianapolis QB, Peyton Manning did not disappoint Sunday night. He won Round 10 Sunday Night’s Sexiest contest and also became the fastest player in league history to reach 3000 passing yards in only 139 games. The record was 146 games which was previously held by Dan Marino and Drew Bledsoe. Of course, the real story of Sunday night was the outstanding play by Colts' rookie running back, Joseph Addai, who scored 4 touchdowns and had his first 100-yard game. I know what you’re thinking, why wasn’t Addai part of our Sunday night’s sexiest poll? All I can say is, “Who knew he’d have his breakout game this weekend?" If he keeps it up, he’ll definitely be one of the candidates next time.
Ok, on to this week’s challenge. Sunday night pits the Seattle Seahawks against the Denver Broncos. As you may recall, the Seahawks and the Broncos have already been featured in round 3 and rounds 2 and 5, respectively. In round 3, Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck and RB Shawn Alexander actually tied for the top spot in the polls, and WR Javon Walker took the top spot for the Broncos in round 5. With NBC’s new flex scheduling, we have access to the best teams on Sunday night, so that is why these teams are playing again in primetime. Obviously NBC did not consider the difficulties of nominating three new high profile players for the Sunday Night’s Sexiest poll when they chose Seattle and Denver, but I’ll forgive them this time (as long as it doesn’t happen again).
Again, if you’re just tuning in, I am nominating six of the high-profile players (three from each team) from the Sunday night game each week. I try and profile a few players whom you will definitely see on the field during the game. At the end of the season we’ll have playoffs to determine the NFL’s sexiest player. Check out the nominees so far!
Here are the nominees for Round 11: (Remember, no Hasselbeck, Alexander or Walker)
December 01, 2006 at 06:45am
