"They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"

Last week, in the middle of an article on giants running back Brandon Jacobs and his play for a long term deal, Ryan Wilson at the fanhouse quipped, "Running back is arguably the most fungible position on the roster." It's an interesting meme making the rounds in NFL circles over recent years. Namely, running backs are rarely worth the value star status and large contracts bestow upon them.

The contention seemingly flies in the face of hallowed football logic that winning is running the football and stopping the run. The logic smacks of Moneyball new analysis. And indeed Aaron Schatz the head outsider of the Football Outsiders, a collective of writers employing advanced statistics, wrote an in-depth, engaging piece four years ago for Slate advancing the idea.

Schatz's nuanced argument is more about the stronger correlation between passing and victory than rushing and victory. As Schatz says, "In general, winning teams pile up rushing yards by running out the clock after they have the lead - teams run when they win rather than win when they run." He's certainly taking shots at the 'Establish the Run' cliche. And I agree, there's lots of ways to win football games.

Schatz also stressed the kind of production a team gets from its workhorse runner. The basic statistics on the flipside of a running back's Topps card - attempts, yards, yards per carry - tell us very little about the value of a back's production. Did the first down carry give his team a second and short? Did the third down carry convert the first down? Did the block pick up the blitzing linebacker?

In all, the big thought - star running backs are overrated - is a question of relative value in a bounded world. With the salary cap on one side and a limited talent pool on the other, pro football is bound by limited resources. Schatz compresses the identity of the 32 teams - in the case of the Lions a good thing, in the case of the Steelers perhaps not - to provide a model of roster building.

The logic's understandable, it's sensible, but something about it irks me. It's one thing when Schatz argues it, I think we all understand where it's coming from... it's another when Peter King tosses it out there without a deep system of numbers behind him. Last November, in the heat of the playoff race, King took one slice of the season and tried to claim star running backs aren't necessary:

Running backs are the curse of the NFL. Look at Chicago, which in the last 13 drafts has taken Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis and Cedric Benson in the first round and been disappointed by all three. Look at Arizona, which paid $7 million a year for Edgerrin James, 29, who's averaging 73 yards a Sunday as a Cardinal.

...

You can find guys on the NFL street to gain 1,200 yards for you. Happens every year. The lesson should ring out in every front office in the league over the next few years: Don't pay big money for a back who's been a star in the league. Instead, develop your own later-round finds. They come in all shapes and sizes.

I like King, his contacts are incredible. But sometimes he's lazy intellectually and comes off as flippant. What about Adrian Peterson? What about LaDainian Tomlinson? What team wouldn't want to have either of those players. King makes it sound like running back is the only place you find busts in the draft or on the open market. Drafting defensive tackles seems a more perilous obsession.

Talent is talent. And more constraining than the salary cap is the limited talent available to truly dominate competition week in and week out. Talent acquisition in the NFL isn't a science unless teams go for the overwhelming approach, drafting linemen in the middle rounds year after year hoping someone sticks, playing at an above average clip, for instance.

To take King's example of Chicago, they simply made a wrong decision sticking with Cedric Benson over Thomas Jones. Jones was the Chicago offense, they could have paid him as a very good starter and still made opponents game plan for him. Instead, they were robbed by the Jets for whom Jones managed to be one of maybe three or four good players on their offense. Watch Jones with Alan Faneca up front this year, Faneca who should calm down D'Brickashaw and Mangold enough to provide a great punch through the left side.

Chicago requires a seriously good running back. Their resources are spent putting together a dominant defense. A great running back is the shortest path to accomplishing what the offense needs to do: control the football, bleed the clock. A team can get one in the first round, on the open market, or as a undrafted free agent... But none of these provide a money-back guarantee. The running back is still the thing. What they've done with their talent should be questioned. But I have hard time finding fault with their approach.

The Vikings benefited from the decreased esteem in which top runners are held, nabbing Adrian Peterson at seven in the first round of the 2007 Draft. He gave his team everything it needed if mere competence were in operation at quarterback and receiver. Peterson's number declined in the final weeks as teams loaded up the line. A crafty veteran QB would have made the Redskins and Broncos pay for their eight and nine in the box. Instead, they dropped the last two and their clear path to the playoffs.

Oddly enough, running backs might be more important to fans now more than ever. It should be clear that I don't play fantasy football. Nothing against fantasy sports in general, any complex waste of time so incomprehensible to half the population is obviously all right by me, especially one that sets up an elaborate, hilarious joke in a Judd Apatow movie. But running backs are the biggest point getters in fantasy football, making their progress important to a large segment of the population watching closely the games on Sunday.

While I won't take umbrage with Schatz's contention because I understand it in the context he presents it, the general manager isn't the author of what happens on the field. I don't think we should dismiss a guy who handles the 20-25 times a game so lightly. Great running backs will always be central to the pro game even if there are so few. Some teams will never stop trying to hang their identity on tough inside running that can burn a defense built on upfield pass pressure. To take over the AFC Championship game last year, the Patriots reverted to a power running game in the middle of the field. They put the ball in belly of their first round draft pick from 2006, Laurence Maroney, who gutted the Chargers for 122 yards on the day and slowed the brutal rush that killed the Colts the week before.

It's that kind of running, the breaking style of Peterson, the brutality of Marion Barber, the smooth power of Tomlinson, that will have teams dropping big dollars on worthy backs... And a few not so worthy ones.

Tecmo Talent (Practice Theory #2)

We cheer a lot of things as kids. I cheered the Packers despite their general awfulness because my dad loved them. I cheered the 49ers to crush the Broncos because San Fran was to me the best team ever. I cheered John Elway to win - no concern for the contradictions inherent in cheering for both teams on the field - because he was the embodiment of all things quarterback. I cheered Tim Harris more for the six shooters than the bone crushing sacks. I cheered Christian Okoye because of the 'Nigerian Nightmare' poster in my friend’s room.

My friends' sports loves were equally allergic to reason. We were 10 and not very bright. We loved the game. We played it all the time. We couldn’t tell you why, we just got it. And the one thing we all loved equally was Bo Jackson.

I loved Bo for the long fluid runs (I couldn't tell you if I witnessed the 91 yard breakaway live on MNF because I've absorbed the highlight so many times). I loved Bo because of the ad campaign, the quiet cockiness, the fact he knew something very important. He was at once unique and capable of doing anything.

Bo arrived at the right moment, too. I’m sure the synergy of his two-sport athletic prowess and the Nike advertising boom did wonders for his bottom line. No, I’m talking about the explosion of video games. Bo was the star of the first great football video game: Tecmo Bowl. Walter Payton, Montana, Rice, Marino, et al, were great, but everyone wanted to be the Raiders. Bo was even better in Super Tecmo Bowl (yes, yes, I know it’s technically ‘Tecmo Super Bowl’... But really it’s not). Of course, Bo didn’t run for 326 yards every game he played in a Raiders jersey, but something about his unstoppable ability in the Tecmo world captured his uniqueness, a 4.1 40 snug in football cleats.

In 38 career games, Bo ran for 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns, hardly world beating numbers (though his 5.4 career yards per carry is pretty nifty). A hip injury ended his football career four years in. A chronic condition would take that hip from him and eventually end his baseball career.

So why the love? Because his talent, and consequently his promise, was otherworldly. If chaos is the foundation for our love of the game, then talent like Bo's is the cornerstone. Chaos is anything happening. This Tecmo Talent - to paraphrase the NBA slogan - is amazing happening.

Adrian Peterson hitting the second level is pure Tecmo, as is Peyton Manning rocketing a deep post to Reggie Wayne. Where else in this modern NFL does rare talent intersect with real football?

Maurice Jones-Drew, jaguars. Pocket Hercules. The Human Bowling Ball. The Mighty Mouse MJD. Maurice Jones-Drew is a lot of things. Yet he’s defined by one characteristic: his height. That’s a shame. What the man can do on the field is amazing. He doesn’t really excell at any one thing. He returns kicks, he plunges into the line, he blocks (good lord, can he block) he’s catches the ball with his hands and makes defenders miss.

We could define him by his forty time, a very good 4.39. We could define him by his density, 210 lbs at 5’6”. We could measure his thighs then calculate the pressure of those pistons slamming into the outstretched arms of defenders. Instead, I think of Jones-Drew in the playoff game against Pittsburgh last year. His numbers for the day aren’t great, but he blocked his ass off against the consistent Steelers rush. He slammed through the line for a rushing touchdown. He took a wheel route to the house for a receiving touchdown. And he almost returned a kick off all the way, 96 yards to the one yard line, deftly slicing through the coverage. A near trifecta illustrating we shouldn’t rush to define Jones-Drew until he reaches the limits of his considerable potential.

Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, and Frank Okam, Texans defensive line. There’s no more, is Mario or isn’t Mario. The freakishly large boy became a freakishly large man last year. Whispers of ‘bust’ already heard under the din of question marks evaporated into thin air. Mario discarded the truck driving hick persona and transformed into the ticking time bomb. And the reason why I love the Texans, they went all in on the line. Selecting tackle Amobi Okoye the next year. The wunderkind: just 21 years old in his second year, brilliant, fast, work ethic like Sisyphus.

Williams and Okoye are a terror tandem enough. But this year Houston also selected Frank Okam. Okam’s an enigma. Ridiculously athletic for a true nose tackle. Tall and huge, strong as hell. But the scouts question his motivation, in part because he plans on eventually attending to law school. Okam, however, is perfect on this line. Mario’s intense focus to live up to the billing, Amobi’s brilliance - he eventually plans on attending med school - plus, crafty veterans like ND Kalu to enforce the party line. Houston went 1-5 in the brutal AFC South last year and still finished 8-8 overall. If Okam gets up to speed this year, who do opponents block? I don’t have an answer for that question either.

Vince Young, Titans. Merril Hoge may be right: Vince Young will never be a true NFL quarterback. Forget the excuses. His decision making is haphazard for stretches. His touch passes lack, well, touch. The report on him reads play contain thereby negating his greatest threat, the breaking run. All I know is two seasons ago, as a rookie, nobody could contain him.

A running QB can't run forever. Last season, during an early MNF game against the Saints, along the sidelines young laid out on his back, his hip stretched by a trainer. Young looked off all season, Dr. Z wondered if his wheel was busted. That ability to run through a defense - upright at a deceiving pace, one that almost looks languid, forging a path through the mayhem, slipping just out of the grasp of would-be tacklers, changing gears fluidly, seamlessly - I hope hasn’t left him. The body is still young. Vince has plenty of time to change his game to suit the precision the League demands. But I don’t care so much about that. I want Vince to play the game for as long as he can flashing that ability to alter the dimensions of the field with a stutter step and plant.

The Death of Steelers football, Steelers offense. When I close my eyes and think of Pittsburgh’s offense, I see offtackle plunges and halfback options. It’s a kind of football one can become deeply attached to. There’s something high school, something Lombardi to it. I’m also not sure if it ever existed in Pittsburgh. Smashmouth football. Our high school coaches used to scream that at us, the argument for why we ran the wishbone option over and over again. Pittsburgh rides and dies by its smashmouth identity. At least, it has.

Bill Cowher was the perfect brick chewing coach to follow Chuck Noll. Whereas Noll kept one of the most talented teams focused in his own low key way, Cowher spit and cursed his team into a larger-than-themselves identity. These teams were hardly the same, but they felt the same. The guard is changing again. The defense is the same. the offense is not. The passing/rushing ratio is still comparable, but there’s more air to the attack. Roethlisberger is a legtimate big-play passer after caretaking a championship team early. And now the skill positions are stacked, Hines Ward’s guile, Santonio Holmes’s burst, Limas Sweed’s control, Willie Parker’s speed, Rashard Mendenhall’s capacity for brutality, etc. And the offense is changing around these parts, more spreads and screens, wheels and delays. I want the Steelers to work out this new newness… While convincing everyone that it’s just more of the same.

Allan Barbre, Packers. I'm trying to convince myself that this simply isn't more Packers homer-ism on my part. We'll see. The major hole in Green Bay prior to Favre's retirement wasn't running back (still a thousand blessings upon Ryan Grant’s head) but left guard. Daryn Colledge was supposed to be the one, starting at guard, groomed for the left tackle once Chad Clifton's knees finally give out. But Colledge has always taken one step forward then one step back. So the Packers who treat the draft like a trip to the candy store drafted more linemen to keep up the competition. Barbre was brought in last year from tiny Missouri Southern State. That’s right, Division II.

So why get so worked up over a small school prospect drafted in the fourth round? Two words: punt gunner. Allan Barbre was Missouri Southern’s punt gunner in college. The man is 6’4” and 300 lbs and can run a 4.8 40. He’s smart and strong. And I’m pretty sure the only thing he wants in the world is to start at left guard for the Green Bay Packers. Or at least, I might be projecting that onto him. Still, there’s some truth in there.

One a side note, today is Fuhbaw's first birthday. It still keeps me up late into the night and it's constantly in need of feeding and changing, but I do love it so. It's been a crazy year, and I hope a successful one. Anyway, in the immortal words of Dirk Diggler, 'I'm gonna keep trying, if you guys keep trying... Let's keep rockin' and rollin', man!'

mario world

while i put the finishing touches on another in-depth practice theory meditation, head over to throwing into traffic for this extended primer on mario williams's third season. 100% fuhbaw approved. drop back later today for more on super mario, the vince young dilemma, and much, much more.

culture clash?

a minor aside from last week's chaos theory post is still making noise in my brain. while prodding zac from throwing into traffic and epic carnival for his reaction to the post - if you're not reading zac's manufactured joy series, blame yourself for your offseason boredom - he offhandedly mentioned he's not a fan of the 3-4 defense. zac's dislike stems from its rocky implementation on his jets under eric mangini. but i wonder if a deep-seated aversion to either one of the two major pro defensive alignments, the 4-3 or 3-4, indicates a necessary clash between the two. are they mutually exclusive philosophies? and if so, which side do i stand on?

okay, the obvious first. not all 4-3's are created equal, likewise the 3-4. just take a look at some of the broad differences among current 4-3 defenses. the colts run a textbook two-deep zone, rarely blitzing, rarely giving up the big play. the eagles call a myriad of exotic blitzes and stunts, players seemingly crash the field independent of each other yet mesh into a chaotic whole. the packers employ a match coverage scheme derived from jimmy johnson's dallas defenses, corners jamming receivers hard at the line, linebackers and safeties playing zone. and, of course, that says nothing of the hundred little variations and evolutions of the alignment.

the 3-4 varies, too. the patriots run a two-gap system where all three defensive linemen control the gaps on either side of opposing linemen, often hurling one linebacker forward in a blitz. the chargers are a one-gap team, more intent on creating penetration and more likely to order two linebackers to charge the quarterback. the steelers employ a zone blitz scheme which sends ends dropping into coverage nearly as often as shooting gaps, threatening blitz from any position on the defense.

and that says nothing of the teams that run hybrid formations, like the ravens and cardinals. but in general there are differences in the basics of each alignment because of the personnel.

warning: gross over-generalizations to follow.

the 4-3 is often schemed around the blindside end creating the most havoc for an opponent's passing game, while the middle backer and power end shine in run stopping. the 3-4, on the other hand, schemes an outside backer to bring pressure on passing downs, while the two inside backers are charged with making the stop on running downs. obviously both schemes bring a lot of flexibility and one of a defense's strength at this level derives from unpredictability. but for the purposes of dissecting the base ideas of each alignment allow me these generalizations.

these similar roles for differing positions are brought about by the real difference between both schemes. in the 4-3, the extra defensive tackle frees up space for the blindside end to rush and the middle backer to pursue. in the 3-4, the space eating ends allow an outside backer to rush, while the inside linebackers need to share the pursuing duties based on the flow of the play. the difference? what the 3-4 lacks in stoutness on the line, it gains in flexibility of attack.

in some sense that flexibility is appealing. in fact, what started this thought train derailment in the first place is my love of the 'eleven angry men' or 'prowl' defense that sprung from the 3-4 alignment. yet i'm reminded of the clip played over and over again in the build-up to the super bowl, the one of belichick slamming his marker on the white board, screaming at his defense to 'just do your job'. the 3-4 gives flexibility in the game plan, but there's less room for freelance, less freedom for players to play, or at least it seems so.

last week, i said the eleven angry man defense, though first conceived by belichick, is a logical extension of the steeler's zone blitz scheme. and i think the shorter steps of logic between the zone blitz and pure chaos are why i've always been drawn to the zone blitz. but for the most part, the 4-3 is more fuhbaw, allowing a player to pin their ears back and go. even the colts conservative coverage schemes are dependent on the upfield penetration by the undersized line. when freeney, mathis, and brock are all healthy, their speed and guile are impressive to watch.

in the end, 4-3 and 3-4 alignments aren't an either/or proposition. jim johnson's blitzing, attacking 4-3 shares more in philosophy with dick lebeau's 3-4 zone blitz scheme than it does with tony dungy's 4-3 tampa two. if anything, the division comes down to coaches that let their players play (sorry, channeling herm here) and one's that scheme their identities out of the playing field. give me the players any day.

battles: nfc north

the nfc's north division may have given the conference its super bowl representative and championship game runner-up in each of the last two seasons, but no one confuses it with the much tougher nfc east. the only confusion remains how the division will play out this year. will the vikings finally capitalize on their wealth of talent with a deep playoff run? can the packers weather the loss of one of their franchise's greatest players? is the bears' dismal 2007 season an aberration or indicator of things to come? which lions team will show up this year, the one that ran up a 6-2 record in the first half of 2007 or the one that stumbled to 7-9?

whatever the conclusion, the story starts in the hot days of training camp. let's look at the most important battle in each team's camp with an eye to how it will affect their season.

bears

chicago's 2007 campaign was marred by injuries and inconsistent play. their normally excellent secondary struggled without safety mike brown and corner nathan vasher. back cedric benson failed to replace thomas jones. and rex grossman faltered when healthy and his replacements, brian griese and kyle orton, provided little in the way of adequate relief. there's some hope that the defense can regain its dominant form, the main players return: tommie harris, mark anderson, lance briggs, charles tillman. and though brian urlacher is unhappy with his contract, it's expected to not cut into his playing time one way or another. offense doesn't inspire the same level of hope. receivers bernard berrian and muhsin muhammad are gone. benson is gone. guard ruben brown is gone. and no new quarterbacks were brought in to compete with grossman and orton.

if benson was still on the team, i would be tempted to select the battle between benson and rookie matt forte as the team's most important. while how the line reshuffles around rookie tackle chris williams looks to be a big factor in chicago's 2008. however, the pressing question remains quarterback. if the open competition can push either of the two veterans to new heights, the bears have a fighting chance. grossman doesn't lack the skills, he just stumbles through long stretches of bad decision making. orton lacks a big arm and also struggles with consistency, but could conceivably run a limited, protect-the-football offense. it's a match-up most bears fans are tired of, but remains central to the team's fortunes until new talent is brought in.

lions

at least there's not much of a bush to beat around, detroit still needs many, many upgrades on their roster. there might be some gems stuck in there. a third year in coach rod marinelli's tampa two defense might springboard some young defenders to better play. and the offense doesn't lack for talent at a few positions. still, they lack consistency and depth at key positions, and the team hasn't been able to properly use what weapons it possesses. calvin johnson and roy williams can only do so much with an average quarterback and below average offensive line. backer ernie sims will need the defensive line to keep blockers occupied so he can bring the havoc. at least their defensive back seven is better on paper with leigh bodden, brian kelly, and rookie backer jordon dizon being rushed to the line-up.

no, it's the front four that will need this training camp to sort itself out. end kalimba edwards and his underachieving ways are gone. as is tackle shaun rogers who, though inconsistent, still provided a massive threat in the middle. the team is high on three-technique tackle cory redding who's played fairly well. they need a true nose tackle to emerge in camp to disrupt opponents in their upfield style of defense. veterans shaun cody, chuck darby, and langston moore will all get plenty of opportunity to fight it out. and coaches will be watching rookie andre fluellen's progress closely to see if he can turn his considerable measurables into actual production. a solid front four isn't everything to winning football, but it's a good start.

packers

despite one major difference, green bay returns much of the division championship game team from last year. besides brett favre only tackle corey williams will not return to the starting line-up, shipped off to cleveland for second round pick. the team hopes they can replace his interior pass rush with the young tackles in their rotation, johnny jolly, justin harrell, daniel muir, colin cole, etc. other open competition on defense includes strong side linebacker where brady poppinga will be challenged by brandon chillar, the team's sole free agent signing. plus, free safety nick collins has been splitting snaps with second-year man aaron rouse. still, it's offense where the team's expectations for the season ride or die.

quarterback aaron rodgers needs no more pressure than expectations. and he won't face challenge from rookies brian brohm or matt flynn, at least not this year. instead, a pivotal battle is shaping up on the offensive line. starting left guard daryn colledge will compete for his spot against second-year player allen barbre. colledge's inconsistency in the run game hurt the team before ryan grant broke out in the second half the season, often fighting through tackles at the line. barbre is a rare athlete with good size and bulk and speed enough to be his college team's punt gunner. both players put in long hours in the offseason program. whoever wins will need the bulk to control the big defensive tackles in the north division. whether that's case or not will go a long way to shaping the packer's 2008 season, one where they'll need to depend on the run much more than in the past.

vikings

minnesota never tires of the 'this year is our year' talk. and certainly they have talent in spades. the league's best young back in adrian peterson, a great offensive line, the best defensive tackle tandem, an overpowering pass rusher, solid backers, etc. everyone's waiting to see how quarterback tarvaris jackson develops. this is his team for better or worse, and if the team struggles in the first half of the season, expect him to be pulled for veteran gus frerotte, a move that will only get you so far on the football field but brings considerable cache with the headbutting crowd.

with almost every spot on the roster set, the receiving corps could provide the most camp drama. the vikings signed bernard berrian away from chicago to be their number one. berrian's a burner with so-so hands. the team needs a consitent chain moving threat for its young quarterback. veteran bobby wade returns as do second year wideouts sidney rice and aundre allison. the youngsters both did well threatening downfield, but if either can run the underneath routes with consistency, they could push wade back to a more natural role as slot receiver. of course, it won't mean much if they receivers don't have a quarterback who can get them the ball.

Corrections In the Tape Delay

Since I have an overlarge - and fitting - hangover, today I can only manage some random and not-so-random thoughts. Yesterday's meditation on the NFL's version of Chaos Theory is still rattling around in my brain. Anarchy in the NFL is everything so many coaches and players fight against, but the bedlam is fundamental to the game and pivotal to our love of it.

So much talk about the League revolves around systems and playbooks, but the game as it unfolds rests on intimidation and fear. A dropped pass isn’t just a dropped pass, it’s the sound of a safety’s cleat ripping up the turf. That’s what I’m talking about.

I stand by everything I wrote yesterday, but some explanations are probably in order. Zac at Throwing Into Traffic would include Roscoe Parrish to the Bills receivers and he’s absolutely right. Parrish is a wide receiver version of Devin Hester - yes, I said it - with a little less natural ability. Parrish’s talent however is applicable to the game overall, not just the pandemonium of returns.

What goes for Evans, goes for Parrish, too, namely once Hardy ascends his length and width will create space for the smaller, faster wideouts to make plays. I almost wish the Bills offensive line was worse because then we could really witness Evans-Hardy-Parrish as the play breaks down, littering the field with defenders snapped in half.

On the Eleven Angry Men defense, it seamlessly fits what the Steelers do, their philosophy. Belichick may have brought it into existence and the Patriots and Jets run it to great effect, but, well, I don’t consider Dick LeBeau a copycat and don’t want to leave that impression. Rather, LeBeau recognized the alignment (lack of alignment?) for what it is, a natural extention of the zone blitz.

On Chris Harris, if the Panthers don’t get over their malaise and they ruin Harris’s best years (like they ruined Kris Jenkins' last two seasons) I will be pissed. I just want that to be completely clear.

...


On a completely disjointed note, I'm torn about Jason Taylor-to-Green Bay rumors. Obviously, Taylor makes the line one of the best in the NFL. Kampman and Taylor on opposite ends is scary.

But if the Packers make a serious play for Taylor then it runs counter to how they built the team in the first place, stockpiling draft picks, bringing in wave after wave of youth.

Still, it’s gutsy and i like it. Some reports wondered if Taylor with his Hollywood intentions would even be interested in little, frozen Green Bay. Well, if it’s fawning media he’s after, he would get it in spades in the north country. Plus, the team always enjoys a lot of national love when they’re doing well. And there’s no risk of being overshadowed by number 4 any more.

Taylor is at his best freelancing out of the same base defense the Packers run. I don’t know what the move or not-move says about the Packers roster building philosophy. But it’s lock for their on-field aesthetic.

Practice Theory #1

Fuhbaw's division-by-division Battles series has my mind working overtime about the upcoming season. With the regular season still three months away, forecasting may seem a bit premature. But my restless anticipation is overriding an acute sense that the intensity and upheaval of the season is set to smash most manufactured notions. Maybe, more to the point, I seek a good grasp on those preconceptions that will be shattered into a million pieces.

The Battles series attacks unknowns for each team that, dependent on how these unknowns play out, will lead teams to more familiar conclusions: division championships, pyrrhic victories, high draft picks, etc. That is one facet of the sport: systems, roles, drills, drills, drills. But that's not the sport in total, not even the most compelling part. Instead it's how as a standard narrative unravels suddenly the unexpected happens. True spontaneity not just upsets. As great as Super Bowl 42 was, subtract the Giants victory and it's still amazing... Manning-to-Tyree offset by a Brady-to-Moss bomb for the win is perhaps even better, the contest rendered a fitting trial for perfection.

No, football thrives on the unexpected. But the unexpected results from a series of knowns and the imposition of one player's will on another's. We know Steve Smith is good, but when he shreds one of the best defenses in the league for 12 catches 200+ yards and a couple touchdowns in a playoff game that is a moment of true greatness. And that is true Fuhbaw, the game as I'm obsessed with it (the one were it's impossible to pronounce the 't' and 'l's). Organization and chaos, hustle and unique ability, genius divined in split seconds not game plans.

Fuhbaw is coming up on one year of operation. I've had time to lay down my thoughts and record scattered reasons why this sport is so vital, so compelling. It's time to take that a step further. Through plays and players on the field, how do those ideas come into being? I want to start taking apart some of football's compelling ideas and uncover where we might find them.

Perhaps most central to the sport is the tension between the organized and the chaotic. Coaches spend countless hours devising game plans that pile on top of their systems and teachings. On the field in a matter of seconds those elaborate plans can be vindicated or destroyed. It's not offense or defense. It's a way of playing the game. Bum Phillips once said, 'Two kinds of ballplayers aren't worth a damn: one that never does what he's told, and one who does nothin' except what he's told'. There's a bit of that underneath the surface of this tension of chaos and organization.

Here's where Fuhbaw expects to see some chaos theory play out.

Lee Evans and James Hardy, Bills receivers. Evans is proven and can break a game wide open. He's small, slight, and rounds off his routes too often. But as the play breaks down very few receivers in the league are better. The man possesses track speed that translates almost one-to-one to the field. Hardy on the other hand is a rookie. He's big, built, and rounds off his routes too often. But I'll take the word of my man Chris after watching Hardy destroy Iowa three years in a row that the kid's going to be a terror.

And here's the drop on the Evans plus Hardy equation, two sloppy route runners who dominate competition with their wiles and game instead of precision. Buffalo now has size and speed bringing a similar brand of chaos straight at the opponent's secondary. It may be a while before Hardy finds that groove, but he can certainly offer distraction while Evans has space to wheel, spin, and head fake his way to big plays. Whether it's Trent Edwards or JP Losman on delivery, this could be a new truth for Buffalo, something entirely different from OJ Simpson's slippery runs and the K-Gun's precision.

'Eleven Angry Men' defense, Steelers, Patriots, Jets. I can't remember the first time i saw it. As the offense gets set, only one defender's (sometimes no one's) hand set to the ground, linebackers and ends stalking behind, shifting manifestations of a quarterback's anxiety. A blitz is coming, but from where? The Patriots seem to have run it first, a typical balls-out Bill Belichick innovation. From there, Eric Mangini took it to the Jets. Somewhere along the way, Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau picked it up.

Such chaos is truly fitting for a 3-4 defense where movement among the linebackers is often key for attacking the offense. And as well as it's run by New England and New York, the philosophy fits best with LeBeau's zone blitzing scheme, Pittsburgh's ends more practiced in dropping into coverage or shooting gaps. And it's not that 4-3 defenses aren't versed in blitzing - the Eagles and Giants first and foremost - rather there's a subtlety and suddenness to that style of kill-the-quarterback. Most importantly, though, the Eleven Angry Men set-up allows veterans to pick their battles, it's simple, brutal, and often effective. A whole defense couldn't probably survive that high level of freelance, but it makes for some good moments of chaos.

Brendan Ayanbadejo, Ravens special teams. Chicago ascended into an elite NFL team, if briefly, during the middle of the decade by playing suffocating defense and having ace special teams. Devin Hester is once-in-a-lifetime talent, impossible to corral by opposing defenders and his own coaches alike. But the flipside of Hester's greatness on returns is the blocking and coverage units led by special teams ace Brendan Ayanbadejo. Ayanbadejo blocks kicks and punts through the middle of the line, he breaks up the wedge on coverage, and he sets the wedge on returns. His skills netted him Pro Bowl appearances in each of the last two seasons.

It's fitting then that Ayanbadejo was picked up by the Ravens this year and given a multi-million dollar contract, rare for a special teamer. Baltimore's new head coach John Harbaugh was the long-time Philly special teams coach. Combining Ayanbadejo's ability to get at the ball and set up the block with the big, bad ravens is a scary thought. The Ravens never lack for linebacker and safety depth, the core of a good special teams. Combined with a healthy Ravens defense, an ace special teams unit could revert Baltimore back to the quarterback-free Halcyon days of 2000.

Chris Harris, Panthers safety. Maybe Harris is too aggressive to get the love he deserves. He's a damn fine safety though. Chicago thought they were set with Adam Archuleta and Mike Brown so they shipped off Harris for a 5th round pick to Carolina. Unfortunately for the Bears, Mike Brown crumpled into an all-too familiar heap and Archuleta played like the stereotype of a white defensive back, that is to say, terribly. Sure, Harris gambles a bit too much. He leads with his head too much on tackles. But he flies around the field and he's got that knack for getting the ball out of opponents. Last year, he often looked like the only guy on the defense who gave a damn. Harris forced eight fumbles to go along with his three picks. He's not the biggest, fastest, or strongest, but he can captain the backfield and hustles for the play.

Clancy Pendergast and Darnell Dockett, Cardinals defense. I guess it's not surprising that many football fans aren't really familiar with Darnell Dockett. Arizona doesn't get a lot of prime time games and the franchise tends to be dismissed out of hand based on their history of awfulness. Overlooking coordinator Clancy Pendergast's group that includes Dockett, backer Karlos Dansby, corner Roderick Hood, and safety Adrian Wilson is, however, a mistake. Dockett is listed at tackle, but now plays mostly at end in a 3-4 alignment. Still that's a formality. Due in part to Dockett's versatility, Pendergast moves around the defense alignment often, not afraid to bring new looks, new attacks.

Much of the defense is young, too. I don't know if this will bring a division championship to Arizona and i don't much care. Darnell and his boys will get to show their stuff against the Seahawks twice as well as the Patriots, Cowboys, and Giants. I wouldn't be surprised if they stole a couple of those games because of their front seven. As Dockett says the team motto is now, 'We will fuck you up'. Indeed, Darnell, indeed.

battles: afc north

two great careers officially came to close last week. the great jonathan ogden followed the great michael strahan into retirement. the nfl is now short four of the best linemen to play the game: ogden, strahan, bryant young, and warren sapp. behind the deserving tributes and remembrances is that knowledge of the void left by these great players. the cycle of the nfl continues to revolve. training camp approaches and players must emerge or their teams will founder. let's continue setting the stage for this year's drama with another look at the most important training camp battles in the league, today the afc north.

bengals

coach marvin lewis's cincinnati resume reads one division championship season sandwiched between several mediocre ones. with player unrest and roster turnover, the bengals' fortunes hardly look any rosier heading into this season. beyond chad johnson's campaign of confusion several roster spots are up in the air. the middle of the receiving corps is in flux. running back provides little assurances. tight end is the perpetual question mark. still, i like the offense to find a way with carson palmer entrenched at quarterback. no, the bengals season again hinges on the defense.

they drafted keith rivers to add playmaking at the backer alongside the talented enigma ahmad brooks. more importantly, that line will need to keep the opponents blockers off the backers. the team hopes antwan odom can offset the loss of justin smith. but inside one of the young tackles will have to develop opposite the quick footed domato peko. rookies pat sims and justin shirley will battle it out against veteran john thornton. rookie tackles have one of the hardest transitions to the pros, though. if sims or shirley don't develop quickly, cincinnati's offense might have to continue play catch-up much of the season.

browns

cleveland is riding and dying by this team. and there's a lot to like. adding donte stallworth to braylon edwards and kellen winslow jr gives derek anderson a wealth of weapons. the offensive line might be the best five left to right in the league. on defense, cleveland hopes two 4-3 tackles, corey williams and shaun rogers, can transform into dominant two-gap linemen. the inconsistent linebacking corps looks to take the next step, especially d'qwell jackson and kamerion wimbley.

corner might cause the most consternation in cleveland, but barring injury eric wright and brandon mcdonald are your starters, the question becomes depth. instead, the browns are looking to establish their defensive identity with the front seven. backer andra davis is the starter and has flashed some good game in his career. but the team drafted beau bell to push davis and eventually replace him. how quickly bell comes on and challenges davis will impact the defense in total. cleveland can score, but can't outscore everyone.

ravens

jonathan ogden's retirement leaves a gap in baltimore's team that it's never had, a large void at the blindside of the offensive line. ogden was the ravens' first draft pick. if a left tackle is doing his job, you never hear about him. so ogden in absence is sure to talked about at length. the mountainous jared gaither gets first crack at replacing ogden. gaither is huge and athletic, but strength might be a problem. however, the ravens are content handing him the job, which means a more important camp battle will portend much for the team's chances.

baltimore has one of the more interesting quarterback situations in the league this offseason. kyle boller heads into his sixth season, a cautionary tale in unfulfilled promise. second year man troy smith faces a near universal indifference to overcome in addition to his fellow signal callers. and rookie first round pick joe flacco arrives to replenish the hope spent on boller's up-and-down career. the crowded press of these three through that quarterback bottleneck will have repercussions for the franchise for years to come. the team fully expects to bring flacco along slowly, but if he flashes and the others falter, he'll see the field sooner rather than later. on the flip side if boller can surprise or smith put together his game after some promise shown in his rookie season, then all might not be lost for the ravens' season.

steelers

changing slowly over the last couple seasons, pittsburgh fields a fascinating team. stuck somewhere between their traditional image, a bruising flurry of backs and backers, and inevitable progress of the nfl, the steelers manage to straddle those two worlds if tenuously. they've got the quarterback for high-powered downfield assault. the skill positions are solid and young in key areas. the defensive front seven is still an intimidating bunch only lacking in depth along the line. and while the secondary isn't perfect, there's a lot there to like.

whether the profuse number of sacks qb ben roethlisberger has taken over the last two seasons is a product of his line's shaky blocking or his tendency to hold onto the ball, there's no doubting the team needs better play upfront. left guard alan faneca is gone. tackles max starks and marvel smith have struggled. but most importantly, center is cause for concern. sean mahan struggled to replace jeff hartings, breaking the long line of pittsburgh greatness at the position. the team brought in justin hartwig who anchored a solid titans line earlier in the decade then suffered injuries and inconsistent play at carolina over two seasons. pittsburgh hopes mahan can push hartwig just enough to regain form. with some injury luck, the steelers look for a solidified interior line to bring this team back into serious contention.

happy father's day, demarcus

happy father's day to all the dads out there. though football is just a sport, and both men and women gut it out on and off the field in love of that sport, some power to football, some half-corny, half-wistful ideal, derives from our fathers. the countless hours spent throwing the ball even as the sky darkened. (i remember once the dusk settled in even the bats making their nightly forays diving towards the ball in the path of its flight wouldn't deter us from throwing until we could barely see each other.) the patient explanations of this confusing yet entrancing game. learning to curse as the team lost in monumental fashion.

i don't want to get too far afield here. and i don't normally give bandwidth to off field stuff. but greg bishop's story in the new york times today is too good not to share. all pro linebacker demarcus ware and his wife taniqua celebrate their first father's day as parents today. this after the couple suffered two miscarriages and a stillborn child.

Early in the second game he played after Omar’s death, Ware sacked Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell. Instead of dancing, Ware fell backward, powerless, arms spread wide, he said. At that instant, he added, he felt the tension release from his body, as if pushed out by the deafening roar of the home crowd. A friend called Taniqua, saying Ware had looked like an angel falling toward the turf.

Ever since, Ware said: “I feel Omar out there with me, watching over me and protecting me. Sometimes, when I’m tired on the field, and I feel like I can’t go anymore, I just think, what if he had one more breath? What if all three did?”

demarcus and taniqua didn't lose faith. and their faith was rewarded when marcus spoke with an acquaintance about his adopted son.

A few days later, Norwood called the Wares to say that his father knew a woman due to give birth soon who was offering her child for adoption.

Marley is that child. She was born on leap day, Feb. 29, with a black Mohawk that Taniqua said “you had to see to believe.” The Wares, who were at a wedding in Manhattan at the time, caught the first flight home.

At the hospital, Ware said, he told Taniqua, “You a momma now.” She replied, “And you a daddy.”

good stuff. here's wishing demarcus, my dad, and all the fathers out there a special day today.

fuhbaw's ugliest uniforms in the pros

mjd over at shutdown corner put together a fine salute to offseason boredom with his 11 coolest helmets of all time, unveiling them over the course of two weeks. though i might not agree with every selection (the gay pirate? really? at two?) the list got me thinking... what about the worst? and even better than helmets: uniforms. what are the ugliest uniforms in pro football history? let's lay some ground rules and guidelines first.

first, let me say, football unis should be a little ugly. beauty in football is a transient quality, transient because it's getting smashed into the ground on the next play. the chargers powder blues are beautiful and all, but give me the bills throwbacks any day... bold colors you can set your watch to, but you wouldn't buy the watch in those colors.

second, football uniforms have changed drastically over the life of the sport. it's tough to compare the leather helmet days to the peyton manning crazy-ass facemask days. the dividing line drops at the dawn of the sport's modern era, 1960-ish, when the basic facemask is standard, thus substituting the uniform for the 'face' of the athlete.

third, teams under consideration are limited to major pro leagues only. what does that mean? no development leagues, no arena leagues. basically, football leagues past or present who take themselves seriously, sometimes in spite of how they suit up. so, in addition to the nfl and afl, the canadian football league, the world football league, the united state football league, and the xfl are fodder for this debate.

finally, i'm not going to rank the worst uniforms in a list. i found during the course of my research (eye gouging research, by the way) certain trends emerging. rather than single out the ugliest girl at the dance, i'm arranging these bad uniform trends by category in hopes we can prevent these mistake from happening in the future. when you're talking about fashion and football colliding, though, it's almost always going to be an messy crash site.

enough caveats, onto fuhbaw's ugliest uniforms in modern pro football history!

right color, wrong sport

remember what i said before about football unis needing a little ugliness? here's what happens when teams stray from that guideline.


memphis maniax, 01 (xfl). there's a lot going on here and not much of it is good. memphis donned one of the worst xfl unis, which is really saying something. at least they were kind enough to enlist real maniacs to help design their look.


tampa bay buccaneers, 76-97. the only nostalgic feeling these uniforms conjure up for me is that old assurance in my gut that tampa was a two win given a year for my packers. the creamsicle unis look like some illicit love child of drugs and awful disco music.


southern california sun, 74-75 (wfl). the world football league in general sported some eye catching colors. (by eye catching i mean literally grabbing an eye and ripping it out of the socket.) but the so cal sun stood out from this crowd with their kool-aid inspired look. and, no, that's not a compliment.

dishonorable mentions: pittsburgh maulers, 84 (usfl).

regressing progress

oftentimes, teams completely overhaul classic designs during a long period of bad play on the field. it's a superstitious reaction. sometimes, it's also a horrible mistake.


tennessee titans, 99-present. the titans colors aren't awful, per se. but the uniform change that accompanied the move from houston to nashville commits two fatal errors. one, turning it's back on a proven great uniform: the oilers' love ya blues. and two, centering itself around a hideous and confusing logo.


new england patriots, 93-99. as beloved as the partiot pat unis are, a uniform redesigned seemed like a good idea at the time: new head coach, new quarterback, new hope. but then the multi-state team gave us that strange logo with a tri-cornered hat heading into hyperspace not just on the helmets, but really large on the jerseys, too. what really kills me is the three-dimension lettering, the shadow cast in red. though new england's unis are ugly now, they look like eva green in comparison to these mistakes.


new york jets, 78-97. maybe the middle period jets unis remind fans a bit older than me of gastineau, klecko, the new york sack exchange, et al, but to me nothing screams 'kotite!' better than the futuristic jets redesign.

dishonorable mention: toronto argonauts, 95 (cfl).

copy cats

while un-originality isn't a sin, it should carry some punishment. there's a reason why ugly-ish uniforms like the browns and packers work for cleveland and green bay, a certain history and tradition lacking from these unfortunate finalists.


cincinnati bengals, 68-80. i know paul brown was trying to make a statement by copying the colors of his old team - cleveland - after being run out of town by art modell. it just wasn't a fashion statement.


san antonio gunslingers, 84-85 (usfl). stealing the old seahawks color scheme wasn't a bad idea. that ridiculous logo with the knobby kneed cowboy, however, was.


houston texans/shreveport steamer, 74-75 (wfl). props for the location specific nicknames this short-lived, move-happy franchise employed... not so much for the pastel version of the borderline ugly packers uniforms.

dishonorable mention: birmingham thunderbolts, 01 (xfl).

too much swoosh

every time a fad dies, one of these uniforms causes a child to go blind. the oregon ducks set the bar high for ugly, loud, futuristic unis, but let's give a nod to some only slightly less ugly pro cousins.


memphis mad dogs, 95 (cfl) the cfl's failed experiment for united states expansion also failed on a number of lesser levels, including setting uniform design back at least a decade or so. it's a toss up between the mad dogs and the birmingham barracudas for worst unis. i'll give a nod to the mad dogs for their logo, some unholy spawn of vision street wear, cross colors, and rude dog t-shirts.


minnesota vikings, 06-present. the only time you'll find this packers fan long for anything bud grant purple happens when i look at these uniforms.


san francisco demons, 01 (xfl). a lot of logos and points and stripes equals a lot of bleeding eyes. all in all, not the worst xfl uni.

dishonorable mention: birmingham barracudas, 95 (cfl).

a past best forgotten

several throwback uniforms are awesome, the chargers, steelers, redskins, and bills all look great in their retro duds. others look weird, like the browns, the only major change being numbers on the side of the helmet. but a few are just eye straining reminders of why teams tossed them in the first place.


philadelphia eagles, 33. see 'right color, wrong sport' above.


green bay packers, 37. it's hard to imagine the packers unis getting uglier... wonders never cease.


new york jets, 60. the team wore these in their first years when they went by the nickname 'titans'. in a happy coincidence, the team's fortunes were as drab as their color scheme.

dishonorable mention: dallas cowboys, 60.

endangered species

sometimes you sit down to watch a game expecting both teams to run out in the colors you're used to seeing them in every week, then - pow! - some blur of ugly comes across your screen. yes, i'm talking about the unsightly alternate jerseys, mercifully a rare beast.


miami dolphins, orange. it's easy to forget about the orange in the dolphins colors, that is until they suit up in their alternate jerseys. then it's like looking at a bad accident, you try to look away, but you can't.


bc lions, black (cfl). there's a lot going on here that fuhbaw doesn't like: a logo lifted from clemson, an over-designed jersey, and a reliance on black. all in all, adds up to a bad, but thankfully rare, uniform.


chicago bears, orange. the monsters of the midway - and it pains me to say this - have a great simple look. instantly recognizable, understated. not the best jersey or helmet, but solid. that is until they put on those ridiculous orange tops. it's weird how nfl teams think orange is 'kooky' or something.

black crime

black is great. as a color (absence of color, whatever) it's simple, versatile, and rarely looks out of place... so when it does, you know something has gone horribly wrong.


carolina panthers, 95-present. important lesson, black plus wussy color doesn't necessarily equal tough looking uniform.


baltimore ravens, 96-present. see: carolina panthers above.


atlanta falcons, 90-02. i thought these were the coolest when i was 12. i was also an idiot when i was 12.

dishonorable mention: jacksonville express, 75 (wfl).

helen's choice

sometimes everything just all comes together, terrible color palate, bad design, stupid logo... sometimes, a helen keller joke is just begging to be made.


orlando rage, 01 (xfl). a severed head flying through the air for a logo. a terrible orange-ish red with blue and yellow. ugly ass crazy typeface for the numbers. the visual center of my brain contemplating death.


arizona wranglers, 83 (usfl). the helmet takes the cake, but just know that the wranglers played the 83 season on top of royal blue and yellow unis. lucky for you i couldn't find a good pic of the whole ensemble.


montreal alouettes, 00-present (cfl). what's quebecois for 'butt fucking ugly?'

dishonorable mention: buffalo bills, 84-present.

lifetime achievement award

ah, yes. there is one franchise that rises above all overs, breaking rules of good taste with an eerie consistency at which others can only marvel...


denver broncos, 60-present. in the distinguished field of wearing ugly ass uniforms week in and week out, year in and year out, no one surpasses denver. the funny part? the orange crush/elway super bowl losing are easily the best looking of the bunch. perhaps the only thing denver's gotten right is the blue helmet with the big 'd' surrounding the snorting bronco. outside that one moment, the franchise is a visual house of horrors. hats off to you, denver.

so that's twenty four awful uniforms and one franchise long history of awful uniforms. if you got a list i'd love to see it, that is, if i could use my eyes any more.

a shout out to the football uniform site at oursportscentral.com which i used in aid of the research of this post.

divas vs sharks: their season, their football

The home team's quarterback trotted onto the field with just under four minutes left in the game. The score was 8-6 in favor of the visitors. All game the home team suffered at the hands of the visiting defense. A relentless rush stuffed more than one run for a loss. A ballhawking secondary picked off or swatted away more than one pretty pass. What few big plays the home team managed in this seesaw game were countered by the visitors' relentless talent for retribution. The quarterback knew the visitors were bigger and faster. Down two points with the seconds ticking off the clock, however, it was time find out who was tougher: her or them.

That's right, her. Specifically, Karen Mulligan of the New York Sharks.

On a steamy, sunny June day, Mulligan and her Sharks hosted the DC Divas in a prime Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) match up. Both teams boast championship history: the Sharks' a 2002 IWFL title, the Divas' a 2006 National Women's Football Association (NWFA) title. But both teams entered Saturday's game needing a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Just last year the Sharks and Divas were playoff bound teams in the IWFL.

Why the tough luck turnaround this season?

For that answer, we need to dig deeper into the fluid world of women's professional football. For much of the decade, three national leagues have competed for center stage in the sport. The Women's Professional Football Leauge (WPFL) was first on the scene, followed closely by the NWFA and IWFL. All three tout themselves as professional football, but at this stage it might be more accurate to consider them semi-pro. The players salaries aren't high enough to play football full-time, team ownership can be unstable, plenty of franchises have sprouted up only to wither quickly.

Women's football is in a period of opportunity and hardship. DC Divas owner Paul Hamlin says, "Unfortunately publications like the Washington Post do not cover us making it difficult to get the word out. We have some enlightened sponsors, but the fan base and sponsorships are not enough to cover expenses at this time."

Still, people like Hamlin continue to believe in women's football because there's a purity to it. Hamlin terms it an 'enthusiasm and freshness' perhaps in stark contrast to the business-first NFL or the recruiting-mad NCAA. The IWFL's spring schedule means January to April functions as training camp time, women working or studying full time then practicing several times a week. Then the regular season brings more practices and travel, often a full day for one three-hour game. No mean feat for wives and mothers, professionals and students.

And unlike basketball and softball, there's no high school/college track for women's football. Growing up, these athletes often excel at other sports, denied a chance to play football once the pads come on. But that also means these women are learning as they go along, and football is a sport not lacking for intricacies to master. It's easy to see why Hamlin talks about the desire and commitment of his players.

But the women's version of the sport still has a long way to go. Recently, the WPFL saw a glut of teams defect for the IWFL and NWFA. The Divas for their part left the NWFA after winning a championship in 2006. They were followed by NWFA's 2007 champion the Pittsburgh Passion. When asked about the Divas' move Hamlin says, "We were seeking better competition and a more supportive league."

And in the IWFL his Divas might find that.

...

On Aviator Field in Brooklyn, the Divas engaged the Sharks in a hard hitting defensive battle. The Divas blitzed again and again, overwhelming the Sharks offensive line, forcing the Sharks quarterback Mulligan into hurried passes. After absorbing some solid Sharks drives early and adjusting to the misdirection of the Sharks spread-option attack, the Divas pounded the smaller Sharks line. Down 6-0, corner Latisha Perry-Guinn jumped a post route to intercept Mulligan, taking it to the house, knotting the game at 6 all. The Divas converted the two-point conversion handing off to their bruising back Tiffany Matthews.

Up 8-6, the Divas went to work on the Sharks, even knocking Mulligan out of the second quarter shortly before the half. The Sharks defense was not to be outdone either, though. Sharks defensive back Toni Salvatore picked off two Allyson Hamlin passes in the first half, one of which set up that early Sharks score.

The game witnessed some big offensive plays, no doubt. The Divas Matthews ripped off a long run to the Sharks five, covering half the field in broken tackles and gasping defenders. A bubble screen and end around to Divas receiver Tara Stephenson both netted big yardage on one drive. On another drive, Hamlin hit her receiver on a pretty corner fade.

But the New York defense shut down DC near the goal line each time. Costly penalties and costly non-calls by the officials also hurt the Divas. more importantly, though, the Sharks practiced disciplined defense, forcing a turnover on downs one drive despite a nice completion from Hamlin to Stephenson, forcing a fumble another during the fullback's plunge from one yard out.

Though the Sharks defense willed the game close, their offense looked unable to capitalize on their good fortune for much of the second half. On their best opportunities, the Sharks were stuffed time and again by the Divas front seven.

So when Mulligan led her squad out on the field with just under four minutes remaining, victory was no sure thing. Sure, her team was down just two points, but two yards were hard to come by since the half. The Sharks would have to pass, and the blitzing of the Divas was superb all game.

When Mulligan took that first snap, the Divas came hard but she hit receiver Lisa Doran quick on a slant for a first down. The Divas came again, but she got off another to Doran for another first down. The Divas came again and had the drop on Mulligan but she spun away and found Doran again for 9 yards. Fourth down came with that one yard still to go, Mulligan on a keeper fought for just enough. Two more passes - a crossing route bullet in traffic and a skinny post to Doran for the score - gave the Sharks the lead. A nicely designed rollout converted the two-point conversion, making the their lead 14-8.

Mulligan completed the comeback, but didn't bleed the clock entirely. The Divas had just under a minute and a half with one timeout. Quarterback Hamlin attempted some heroics of her own, hitting Stephenson several times on the drive to threaten the endzone. With just seconds remaining, Hamlin dropped back, looking again for Stephenson. And just like her hero Brett Favre, Hamlin put the game on her shoulders. She rifled a pass into coverage, but the Sharks Brooke McKinney picked it off to seal the New York victory.

...

Even with their win Saturday over a solid DC team, the Sharks need some help to reach this year's playoffs. The recent influx of championship teams into the IWFL - teams like the Dallas Diamonds, Pittsburgh Passion, Detroit Demolition, and DC Divas - surely tempered a sweet victory Saturday. And for the Divas part, a team obviously well coached and not lacking for talent, the loss must be difficult to take.

When I asked the owner Hamlin (yes, the Divas quarterback is his daughter) about the season, he said, "This year the team has been tested by three tough loses, the last being to the Sharks. We had a chance to win each game we lost, so it will be a real test of the team's character to see how we will respond."

But these raised stakes, these tougher victories and tougher losses are good for the women's game. Hamlin and the IWFL understand this, too. In addition to luring top teams from other leagues, the IWFL established a two tier system so that clubs of similar resources are competing against each other. They hope the talent and the two tier system bring more parity to the sport that has seen, understandably, several lopsided contests in each league throughout this decade.

The WPFL, the NWFA, and the IWFL are destined to battle it out over the coming years, but if the IWFL's approach nets them more compelling games like the Sharks and Divas saturday, they might have a leg up on their competition. In taking a hit this year, teams like the Divas and Sharks are doing a service to the women's game in the long term.

No doubt, it's going to take a lot more of that desire and commitment Hamlin sees in his players... but after watching those players battle it out on a hot Saturday, I can't claim the women's game lacks for either.

warriors in all packaging

i traveled to outer brooklyn this weekend to take in some women hitting each other in pads. i must say i had a good time. the home team - ny sharks - won in a thriller. i'll have a write-up on the game and the independent women's football league in general tomorrow. in the meantime, here's a photo essay of my saturday at a women's pro game.


though 95+ degrees on saturday, aviator field is next to the marina so it felt a little cooler (thank god from this wisconsin boy).


a couple hundred people were in the stands shortly before kickoff... a hundred or more showed up in the game's early going.


the sharks form a 'u' for the coin toss.


a shark seeks a better view of the game.


a dc diva practices her punting before the second half.


divas getting a rest on the bench.


sharks before the snap...


...getting set to hand off.


divas #4 had a good game at corner... thinking deep thoughts and imagining interceptions to come.


the divas on offense.


handoff to tiffany matthews, the good dc back...


...and she breaks it for a big gain.


the sharks ran a great two-minute drill to the win the game... and then held off a literally last minute dc rally.


the teams congratulate each other on a game well played.


the sharks made sure to congratulate #67 too who played a great game at guard before twisting her ankle.


loss is never easy to take... all in all, a good day of football.

odds and endzones: canadian goodbyes

the world of football is a weird one. to succeed in it, the individual must possess talent, confidence, and focus that measure off the charts. this makes the inhabitants of this weird world, you know, absolutely nothing like you and me. in a nod to this strangeness, fuhbaw presents odds and endzones, a collection of weird news from the football world that promises to run randomly and without warning.

$#!%@ for the past decade, the nfl and cfl have operated with a formal agreement. the agreement wasn't a watershed one, mostly important as a symbol after the nfl loaned money to the cfl to keep it afloat in 1997. talks for a new agreement are apparently over, both sides unable to find suitable terms. the lack of a new agreement might be more important in absence than existence. the nfl's buffalo bills are slated to play eight games in toronto the next five seasons. obviously this represents an incursion into the cfl's territory, a good reason the northern league was seeking definition to the leagues' relationship. the talks fell apart when the nfl expressed no interest in the cfl's ideas which 'included proposals... that the NFL take an equity position in the CFL and that the three-down league might take on a player-development role, much like that of the now-defunct NFL Europe', according to david naylor at the globe and mail. both the cfl and nfl are flush with profits and revenue, but the extent of the nfl's expansion might alter the balance of power between the leagues which is currently perched along the 49th parallel rather precariously. if the bills remain in buffalo yet play a few games in toronto every season, then that balance can go on. yet if the bills make a permanent move north, the cfl might scramble for a new agreement.

$#!%@ yesterday the body of steroid dealer david jacobs was found, shot dead alongside his girlfriend. the police are not releasing details yet, but they are treating the investigation as a double homicide. a few weeks back, jacobs met with nfl officials giving evidence against nfl players involved in his large illegal steroid network. the fda and dea busted jacobs's ring last year. cooperation with the government landed jacobs a plea deal for three years probation. the only name made public by jacobs was journeyman center matt lehr currently of the new orleans saints. given the timing of jacobs demise, one cannot help read dark motives into his death. according to the dallas morning news's engrossing write-up, jacobs's father though saddened was unsurprised, stating, 'i've been waiting on this call'. whether jacobs is the victim of the shady underworld of steroids and pro sports remains unclear.

S#!%@ of course. of course, it couldn't happen any other time in this nearly six month long offseason drama. just when i lob forth my cynical endorsement of chad johnson's holdout, he caves. or at least, i think he caves. mjd over at shutdown corner put together a quote mini-timeline. and, from his most recent statements, it's not entirely clear whether he'll play this season. like jason taylor in miami, johnson is trying to use acting as leverage against the bengals. while i endorsed the nuclear option, this seems to be a propaganda campaign of confusion. in my post earlier this week i made a mistake, conflating the chad johnson experience with the money issue on which so many of these camp holdouts turn. just like taylor, johnson at the heart of it wants to play for a different team. taylor wants to finish his career on a winner, johnson wants to get out of the stripy cincinnati mess. while tommy nobis might not endorse their logic, the thinking is at least understandable in the frame of contemporary pro sports. no doubt, every little move of taylor and johnson will spill a lot print and waste a lot of bandwidth over the coming months. but just know that taylor and johnson have both been in the nfl for a long time, and therefore have become adept as talking while saying nothing.

battles: nfc east

in a world where every series go to seven games, every game is fiercely contested until the final minutes, every victory is achieved in spite of the adversary's heroics, the most crucial battles of training camp will always produce a clear winner, a new champion. obviously, that is far from the reality. rather how these open competitions in training camp go, the fortunes of the teams also likely go. today fuhbaw continues previewing the most important nfl training camp battles with the nfc east.

cowboys

despite the playoff meltdown, dallas fields the most talented team in the conference, impressive in the cutthroat east division. scary at the skill positions, deep in the trenches, jerry jones would likely sell of his family wholesale for a championship at this point. and while the team could use a playmaking receiver to complement terrell owens, they don't lack for offensive speed and size with jason witten, marion barber, and felix jones.

two unhappy veterans might portend bigger problems on defense. safety roy williams senses he's a bad fit for the scheme, struggling last season in coverage. more to the point, the cowboys line up williams and ken hamlin, both natural strong safeties, leaving them no deep center fielder. also linebacker/end greg ellis is disgruntled about a lack of practice reps at the expense of last year's first round draft pick anthony spencer. it's rare to hear a veteran complain about less practice time, but ellis has never been one to hold back.

the cowboys problem in this case might be that they're too talented at linebacker. demarcus ware mans the other outside backer spot. bradie james is a tough inside plugger. zach thomas signed from miami will play a rover with run and coverage responsibilities. plus former first round selection bobby carpenter enters his third season, a year many pro players make their leap if they ever do. how the situation between productive ellis and promising spencer shakes out will affect the whole defense.

eagles

philly may have finished last in the east, but at 8-8 it was a campaign not lacking highlights, like their near defeat of new england and their tough victory over dallas in irving. plenty of the same old faces return, leaving the biggest question the same one: who's catching the ball? kevin curtis holds down the one (though a better fit as a two) and likely jason avant, hank baskett, and reggie brown will battle it out for the two (each bringing three talent to the fray). rookie desean jackson will get some work in the slot even though he might be a career return man given his slight frame, it's too soon to tell. no, this particular question looks headed for familiar set of answers.

on the other hand, safety could be the more compelling battle. the great brian dawkins is entering his 13th campaign and coming off injury. sean considine is also coming off injury after starting at strong safety at the start of last season. veteran quintin mikell was forced into the line up and performed very well, drawing high praise from coach reid. if nagging injuries afflict dawkins or considine, mikell could shift around the backfield undergoing more flux of late than it has in the past several seasons.

giants

no one's kidding themselves about the super bowl victors, this is not a great team. a good one for sure, but that lack of greatness is precisely the reason their super bowl victory remains so improbable. and their incredible defensive performance more than anything else (well, maybe not this) delivered the victory. yet losing backer kawika mitchell and safety gibril wilson to free agency as well as potentially suffering michael strahan's retirement, this defense will hardly be the same.

while safety is a concern, it's not the biggest question mark. and if he does retire, strahan will be nigh on impossible to replace, but the team can fall back on considerable depth along the line. rather, quite a battle is shaping up between veteran danny clark signed from houston and inexperienced gerris wilkinson for the weakside backer position.

clark has history with coach coughlin having played under him in jacksonville. but wilkinson is younger and has potential which clark lacks on the downside of his career. in all, the clark's signing is intended to push wilkinson already having to fill mitchell's shoes. the weakside backer is crucial to the defense's blitzing schemes (evidenced best by mitchell's beautiful delay blitz in the super bowl) and if wilkinson or clark can't fill that expertly then expect a drop off in play by this talented group.

redskins

with a rookie head coach and a starting line-up recalling george allen's over-the-hill gang of the 70s, washington might want to dial their expectations down a notch or two following last year's playoff run. the team features many quality starters from clinton portis to shawn springs, from andre carter to chris samuels, but little depth behind them. forgoing their seemingly annual free agency splurge, the redskins used their offseason resources, the draft, to focus on one talent in particular: receiving. unsurprising, it might be the team's biggest question mark outside of staying healthy.

santana moss is still the leader of the group. however, the number two spot is wide open, especially for one of the two big rookies to claim. devin thomas and malcolm kelly both bring size to the competition. and if either succeed at such an early stage could push antwaan randle el back to a more natural role as a slot receiver and multi-purpose weapon. rookie receivers rarely make waves in the league, though, and coach zorn's offense could sputter for lack of guys who can move the chains.

money for mountain men

we may term it the 'offseason' but a cynic casting a jaundiced eye to this (relatively) quiet stretch of the football calendar might call it 'holdout season'. alongside run-ins with the law, holdouts are the only issue that stirs up controversy every year without fail in this pause of the season. nearly all may/june team activities - ota's and minicamps - are voluntary. players don't have a lot of leverage when it comes to contract negotiation, especially guys playing on their rookie contracts. absence, silence, speaks volumes. and, given the behind closed door nature of pro football, every little move or non-move is imbued with weighty implications by us, the outsiders.

this year's list of holdouts is interesting. anquan boldin and darnell dockett in arizona, brian urlacher and lance briggs in chicago, kellen winslow in cleveland (oddly holding out from activities he can't attend due to injury anyway), will smith in new orleans, jason peters in buffalo, and, of course, chad johnson and tj houshmandzadeh in cincinnati.

obviously chad johnson makes for absurdist theater. i've been meaning to tackle chad versus the bengals over the last several months. yet i always put it off. in all honesty, i won't discuss his situation in detail today either. i just want to note with a kind of impressed awe just how relevant chad's made himself through his antics. in this bounded endgame, we must remember the more controversy, the better the player drives his point home. i don't put much stock in opponents likening his intelligence to that of inanimate objects. look at what chad has forced his team to do. marvin lewis is harassed by the local press. carson palmer is reposing into black comedy. cincinnati drafted three (3!!!) wideouts a month ago, this team that was supposed to field one of the best wideout corps in the league, this team that desperately needs defensive players at just about every position. the bengals should have drafted defensive tackle and linebacker with every selection instead redoubled valuable resources into redundancy.

chad is embracing the villain because he understands it is the only yellow brick road through the treacherously narrow world of pro football. every player that crosses that line understands they risk the instant reproach of the muckraking writers and the fickle public. but like everything else in this american life, it's all about the bottom line.

the re-negotiation of contracts is a cat-and-mouse game, and a delicate one at that. the cynic welling up again might take issue with players angling for a new deal when they have a multi-million dollar contract already in hand. but part of the question turns on just what are these contracts paying? it's tough to gage whether nfl contracts pay based on performance past or projected. every situation is different so the question defies easy answer. and outside of rookie contracts, a contract will always be about both past and future. striking that balance requires delicacy. shaun alexander's gigantic contract signed after his mvp year was purely a reward for past performance. today alexander is without a team, without a contract, the seahawks have a considerable cap hit to absorb over the next two seasons. alexander's body finally broke down after being the workhorse for five seasons at the age of 29.

alexander may be a cautionary tale, but what about the players unhappy with their contracts that have a legitimate gripe? jason peters is holding out of voluntary activity in buffalo (he plans on attending all mandatory activities). peters is buffalo's left tackle, manning one of the three or four hardest positions on the field. he came to the team an undrafted free agent playing tight end. the team converted him to tackle and he's turned into one of the best, a nasty run blocker, a quick-footed pass protector. peters made the pro bowl last year but also made about $3 million, the third highest total on the line behind guard derrick dockery and right tackle langston walker.

given the situation, you'd be hard pressed to find someone that doesn't think peters deserves a raise. left tackles, good ones, come at a premium. they're hard to find and crucial at the same time. but again, peters has no real leverage, only perception. if peters is content to let the negotiations play out throughout the season he won't have to rush the unhappy camper routine. if however, he wants his payday before the season starts, he'll have to step up his game. somehow, i don't see peters playing the locker room diva, it's just not his style. and yet, if he doesn't, his new contract which i assume he'll get eventually, might not be as big as it could be.

i feel like i've spent considerable time this offseason saluting evil genius. the great lions linebacker joe schmidt once said you've got to be a son-of-a-bitch to play this game. that's a fact that never changes. and while i'm all for the team concept, there's little else to attack in these negotiations. so jason and chad, go on get your paydays, anyway you can... until the nfl contract system is reworked - if it ever is - to something resembling sanity, the nuclear option or rather the threat of it is the only one on the table.