Troy and Chief Show, Week 2

[TroyF]

Originally posted by Chief Rum
Now is the time to trash talk.

But let's face it. You were a couple overtime games away from switching records with me. I think we're real close, but you're getting the breaks right now. I look forward to trying to catch you.

CR

Yep, I am getting the breaks. Lets not forget that both of your teams had to have final minute drives to push it into OT though.

I'm really happy with how I'm doing against the spread this year. I realize that our "goal" isn't to predict games that way, it's just to have fun and pick the winners. I finished at about 53% on my "against the spread" picks last year. I wanted to improve on that this year. This has actually helped me out and made me take the time to concentrate harder on those picks.

So far so good on the improvement. A LONG season to go.

TroyF

[TroyF]

Axxon,

I'm sorry you feel that way. It's pretty much the way I feel about the NBA. The superstar officiating is usually too much for me to take. I don't think that's the case most of the time in the NFL.

You may have one or two games a season like this. Hell, a big part of the penalties were false starts and offsides calls, something the refs have little control over. A couple of the roughing calls were questionable, but they hurt both teams.

So long as there is ANY type of judging in an event, you'll have errors.

For me the NFL is the most exciting sport out there right now, and number 2 isn't all that close. (#2 would be hockey by the way)

Take care,

TroyF

[Axxon]

Troy,

I don't believe the calls really affected the outcome. If you can't kick a pat to ice the game it ain't the zebra's, you know?

I'm not talking about errors either. I think most of the calls were legit, but quite petty.

It just seemed that THEY wanted to be the superstars tonight. The officials didn't let either team do anything. I'm not talking about the false starts and offsides; you're right about them, but EVERY roughing calls was borderline for both teams and as stated before holding can be called on every play but it shouldn't be. Both o-lines were fighting for their and their qb's lives and some slack needed to be cut IMHO.

Also, unsportsmanlike conduct for pointing to a player you just pancaked?? Taunting maybe, but come on. Let them play. The fans want them to play. That's what I'm saying.

Basketball lost me more when the Bulls were winning everything. No point in watching when you know already the end result of the season. I do still enjoy watching a game IF someone has it on and I happen to see it. I just don't care enough to make a point of watching it and don't have a team that I follow either.

[TroyF]

Axxon,

Understood.

I'm a huge Bronco fan but I take pride in being a fan of the entire game of football. You won't hear me saying that Oakland sucks because I hate the Raiders. If I say something in that regard, It'll be because I really believe it to be true.

I own Sunday Ticket and probably always will. Great, great invention.

TroyF

[Axxon]

Troy,

I am too and probably won't be able to keep this disgust up but honestly, I get pissed off almost every game I watch because of the lousy officiating and it really makes me wonder how I am having fun again. If I'm not having fun, why am I watching?

[Samdari]

Aaxon, I agree with you about NFL officiating getting worse. But, the number of penalties in the Bucs/Panthers game is not an indication of that. Those penalties, for the most part, were not 'missed' - they happened. Something like 12 of them were false starts, and that is something they just don't miss. There was a questionable roughing the passer penalty, but they call that on almost every hit of the QB these days that is not a sack.

I used to be a big proponent of replay, but I think it has really hurt the quality of officiating in the NFL. Officials are so tentative now, whether they are afraid of being shown up on replay, or just deciding to let replay make the call I don't know. As a counterpoint to your "fans want to see them play" comment, I have to say I DON'T want taunting to be part of the game at all. Ray Lewis is an amazing player to watch play, but I think he should be thrown out of every game for his punk act - and that's just warmups. There are a large number of fans, including me, who are very turned off by that kind of crap.

And the Bucs/Panthers game boring? I guess you really have lost your love of football then. That was easily the most exciting game of the day, one of the reasons I love Sunday Ticket. The place was electric, the players exhausted and bruised and still knocking the piss out of each other, there was incredible tension on every play. Other than the penalties, it was riveting, albeit defensive, football.

[Travis]

Whatever the NFL does, I hope they don't ever get rid of instant replay. Watching the CFL games up here, and some of the calls we watch every game that are proven wrong less than 10 seconds later just make me want to scream because it's not reviewable up here. If it's a matter of hurting the officials pride or getting the call right, I'll wait the couple of minutes at whatever the cost is to 'the flow of the game'.

[Buccaneer]

Extremely well done, Troy. You are brilliant.

Good analysis for both.