NFL Speak

[Palehorse]

I just heard they're having the game in Detroit on Monday night.

Bet that pisses off the home team fans!

One would think they could find a University nearby in which to play the game. . . But then, I'm betting the NFL doesn't want to give up the revenue stream on the sales of logo items. . .  But I guess most, if not all of the University facilities up there are outdoor facilities. . .

The Colts probably wanted to charge too much for the use of the facility and likely would have profited financially due to their "arrangement with the city" from the game being held there.


. . .University of Minnesota officials told the NFL that TCF Bank Stadium was shut down for the winter and would take several days to prepare for another game. Removing all the snow, figuring out how to cram 64,000 Metrodome fans into a 50,000-seat stadium, and the fact that the Giants didn't bring any cold-weather gear with them all combined to make that site problematic.

"The one thing I was not crazy about was playing at the University of Minnesota, where they were predicting the wind chill would be minus-11," Mara said. "That would have created a lot of issues for us.". . .

. . .The NFL said Detroit was the best logistical fit given that Fox camera crews already were in town for the Lions' game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

"There are still a lot of logistics up in the air, but we will do everything we can to make this a quality NFL game for the Vikings and Giants," Lions president Tom Lewand said.

The Vikings are refunding the cost of the tickets for the game for any fans who can't make it to Detroit. Those who do will be given priority seating along the 50-yard line at Ford Field, and the Lions will distribute free general admission tickets starting at 9 a.m. ET Monday.

The game will be broadcast in both local markets on Fox affiliates and also will be available as part of DirectTV's Sunday Ticket package.

It will be the first Monday night game at Ford Field and the first in Michigan since the Pontiac Silverdome hosted one in 2001... .

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81cd264d/article/metrodome-unsafe-so-vikingsgiants-game-moved-to-detroit?module=HP_headlines

[Palehorse]

According to the same article above, the metrodome roof has collapsed 4 times thus far! 

They have been "lobbying" for a new stadium in which to play for at least 10 years, but thus far the state legislature has been unable or unwilling to fund such a venture. (GREAT IMHO!)

The Vikings lease runs through 2011 at the metrodome, but already a couple of investment groups from Los Angeles are looking to lure the Vikings from Minnesota and bring football back to LA. (Note: A subtle use of the NFL's favorite tactic - scare thm into compliance). The state legislature, like most across the country, is hard pressed to validate spending upwards of 700 million dollars on a footbal stadium in the present economy.

My guess is that this may very well be the last season for the Vikings to play in Minnesota. When the strike happens next year, that will finish out their lease on the metrodome, and unless the good people of the state of Minnesota are willing to pay for 2/3 of the cost of building a new facility for them, they are LA bound. . .

[Palehorse]

2012 - Can you say Los Angeles Vikings? 

[The Troll]

According to the same article above, the metrodome roof has collapsed 4 times thus far! 

They have been "lobbying" for a new stadium in which to play for at least 10 years, but thus far the state legislature has been unable or unwilling to fund such a venture. (GREAT IMHO!)

The Vikings lease runs through 2011 at the metrodome, but already a couple of investment groups from Los Angeles are looking to lure the Vikings from Minnesota and bring football back to LA. (Note: A subtle use of the NFL's favorite tactic - scare thm into compliance). The state legislature, like most across the country, is hard pressed to validate spending upwards of 700 million dollars on a footbal stadium in the present economy.

My guess is that this may very well be the last season for the Vikings to play in Minnesota. When the strike happens next year, that will finish out their lease on the metrodome, and unless the good people of the state of Minnesota are willing to pay for 2/3 of the cost of building a new facility for them, they are LA bound. . .

  I don't care what they do.  But I don't want any taxpayer money used to pay for Multi-millioniare's stadiums to play their millionaire ball players.  What a waste of taxpayer dollars.

[Palehorse]

  I don't care what they do.  But I don't want any taxpayer money used to pay for Multi-millioniare's stadiums to play their millionaire ball players.  What a waste of taxpayer dollars.

I couldn't agree any stronger! 

The sweet heart deal the Colts and Irsay got on the taxpayers backs to build the Luke is a prime example of that kind of bull crap! And every single city that has caved in to the NFL and the Team ownership now finds itself on the rocks financially. Even the CIB of Indianapolis is struggling to find a way to pay for the Luke, and its other venues like Conseco and Victory Field. . .

I love football as much as anyone, but I do not believe it is in any way fair to subsidize private enterprise, especially when that enterprise is within the entertainment genre, at the expense of the taxpayers! It is wrong, and it will be wrong forever. I said as much when the building of the Luke was first presented to the public, and I am still saying it.

The people of Cincinnati know exactly what I am talking about too, and several other cities across this nation. The NFL goes in there to impose its scare tactics upon the leadership groups at the request of the multimillionaire ownership, and they have been usually fairly successful in shaming the leadership into compliance, despite what the citizens say.

And as Indianapolis has seen here recently, the "tactic" is now beginning to spread to other professional sporting venues, with the Pacers negotiations seeing the use of the Colts deal as a comparison to their own deal with the city, and attempting to utilize it as a lever with which to "threaten" the city into compliance with their desires.

This is crap. If these owners so desperately need or want new stadiums in which to conduct their operations, then why aren't they trying to put together a private financing consortium that consists of some of their multi-million dollar players and private investors? If it is such a lucrative venture, why aren't these people jumping on board to do so? Because, as Indianapolis and other cities have seen it is NOT a lucrative venture and in fact one rift with risk and very marginal returns, minus a third party onto whom the bulk of the responsibility for the operation of the facilities can be piled upon. (Citizens). The ROI timeline on a new facility has to be ponderous, and in most cases a losing proposition. 

From my perspective, the thrill is gone surrounding professional sports. It's owners and practitioners are multimillionaires who refuse to pay to play.

[The Troll]

  I really burns my butt to have to pay 1% on any meal I buy out at Noblesville, Hamilton County to pay for the Colts.

[Henry Hawk]

  I really burns my butt to have to pay 1% on any meal I buy out at Noblesville, Hamilton County to pay for the Colts.

then don't buy a meal at Noblesville, hamiltong county..........pretty simple, really.

[Henry Hawk]

From my perspective, the thrill is gone surrounding professional sports. It's owners and practitioners are multimillionaires who refuse to pay to play.

This part I agree with 100%.....

[Palehorse]

What kind of bull crap officiating is this going on in the Colts game??? 

3rd down play for Jax and the officials throw a flag and decide no foul. The play was completed and resulted in a no gain, and instead of being 4th and 4, the officials say "down goes over"?????!!!!!! What the hell is that????

As result they get 5 downs and are now knocking at the door for a score!!!!!!! 

[Palehorse]

What kind of bull crap officiating is this going on in the Colts game??? 

3rd down play for Jax and the officials throw a flag and decide no foul. The play was completed and resulted in a no gain, and instead of being 4th and 4, the officials say "down goes over"?????!!!!!! What the hell is that????

As result they get 5 downs and are now knocking at the door for a score!!!!!!! 

THEN there's the kick off return that clearly looked as if he was signaling a fair catch, the Colts let up, and he ran it back for a TD. . . That was bull#%&*!!!

Now Austin Collie (17) with 2 TD catches and 8 receptions in the first half, gets whacked hard and is again hurt!!!! 

[The Troll]

    Colts win, one down and two to go.         

[Palehorse]

Next game, my wife and I are going to our neighbor's to watch. They are devout Raiders fans. Should be fun! 

[Palehorse]

If the Colts are going to take their division it is going to require an astounding effort by their rookie receiver corp. As we saw yesterday, having an available array of seasoned receivers makes the difference in the offense and their ability to put up points. Now with Collie out this aspect of their game takes another hit.

Austin Collie needs to seriously reconsider his chosen career path, in my opinion. Yes, the hits he has taken were horrendous, but at the same time, most of them are within the norm for any NFL player. As he seems to have a very pronounced weakness to concussion type injury, this represents a very stark and serious danger to his personal safety and quality of life; and Austin has to accept the fact that playing this game will eventually kill him unless he steps away from playing it.

The Colts offense relies heavily upon the timing routes, and for this to be effective the receivers have to know the routes and understand the timing to the point that it becomes "automatic". Clearly this is not the case with their backups and it is the main driver behind the losses this team has experienced this season. If the Colts truly desire to win their division this season then the backup receivers need to vastly improve their understanding of the timing routes and in short order.

That is a very tall order for any team, and although these backup players may indeed show promise toward becoming an integral part of the Colts system in the future, it is going to take far more than a week to get them there. A week they do not have.  Unless one or two of them steps up to the plate and somehow demonstrates a far above average ability to learn and execute, the Colts are not going to get there this season. . .

[Henry Hawk]

I couldn't agree more with every word you just said....

[Palehorse]

Watched the game verses The Raiders today, with my neighbors who are left coast transplants and devout Raiders fans. . . At their house. . . 

The Colts were lucky they won given the Raiders inability to capitalize on the two turnovers, as well as their inability to get into the end zone. . .

I think the Titans are the fly int he ointment for their season this year. . .  And even if they do win their division I predict a 1 and out in the playoffs. . .