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1994-01-27
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╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╦═══════════════╗
║ █▀▀▀█ █▀▀▀█ █▀▀▀█ █▀▀▀█ ▀▀█▀▀ █▀▀▀█ █▀▀▀▄ █▀▀▀▀ █▀▀▀█ ▀▀█▀▀ ║ Issue V ║
║ █▄▄▄▄ █▄▄▄█ █ █ █▄▄▄█ █ █▄▄▄▄ █▄▄▄▀ █▄▄▄ █▄▄▄█ █ ║ February 1994 ║
║ ▄ █ █ █ █ █ ▀▄ █ ▄ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ ║ Written by ║
║ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ║ D.P. McIntire ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╩═══════════════╣
║ SPORTSBEAT is a magazine distributed via the shareware marketing concept. ║
║ If you find it worthy, please send a registration of $ 3.00 to: D.P. ║
║ McIntire ∙ P.O. Box 52084 ∙ Raleigh, NC 27612-2084. ║
║ ║
║ SPORTSBEAT may be freely distributed via CBBS, the Internet, FidoNet, or ║
║ similar networks. CBBS operators may place it online as a bulletin or door ║
║ or other means. SPORTSBEAT may also be distributed via CD-ROM diskette. ║
║ All other methods of distribution are considered violations of copyrights ║
║ and will be prosecuted accordingly. ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ TABLE OF CONTENTS. ║
║ (1) Why do we make such a big deal out of the Super Bowl? ║
║ (2) Okay, so I blew the NFL playoff predictions. Sign me up on ESPN... ║
║ (3) ESPN2'S Jim Rome: What a scrub. ║
║ (4) Eliminating kickers in the NFL: a possibility. ║
║ (5) The enormity of franchise football. ║
║ (6) I'm in the same class as Lombardi and Rozelle... I'm honored. ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ WHY DO WE MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF THE SUPER BOWL? ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
As I write this, Super Bowl XXVIII is just a scant three days away. Most of
the media can't wait for the second annual Bills-Cowboys showdown, the first
"back-to-back" encounter in the 28 years of Super Bowl history. Most media
types are making a big deal out of (1) the Bills-Cowboys rematch, and (2) the
Bills pulling an impressive "4-peat" when it comes to AFC title games.
Facts are facts, so let's lay a few out for you...
(1) Time did not start with the Super Bowl, although it sure seems that way.
Prior to January 15, 1967, there weren't one, but two championship games
for most years between 1945 and 1966. First there was the All-American
Football Conference and the NFL's title games (all four AAFC titles were
one by the Cleveland Browns - a true four-peat)... then from 1960-1966
the AFL championship game joined the NFL as a true title tilt.
(2) The Cleveland Browns of the 40's and 50's would make the Bills look like
they were just getting started. The Browns pulled off an amazing TEN
consecutive championship game appearances (1946-49 in AAFC title games,
and 1950-55 in NFL title tilts). They lost three straight, same as the
Bills (well, the Bills may have lost 4 in a row by the time this goes to
the aether), one to the Rams, two to the Lions. They got blown out by
worse margins than Buffalo (59-14 and 56-10) during the string, and they
also were involved in a one point game (17-16) and a two pointer (30-28,
their first NFL win over the LA Rams).
(3) Rematches in NFL championships were far from a novel item. In fact the
first two "real" NFL title games (1932's game supposedly doesn't count)
were matchups between the same two teams: The New York Giants and the
Chicago Bears. The Giants lost three straight NFL titles in the sixties;
the Packers won three straight in the same decade. During the 40's the
Chicago Bears were like the 49'ers: if they didn't win the NFL title
the season was a total failure.
(4) Blowouts occurred just as easily. The worst was in 1940, when the
Chicago Bears annihilated the Washington Redskins 73-0 (it should have
been 77-0, but owner/coach George Halas kept sending in various players
to kick extra points). In an AFL title game the Patriots and Chargers
slugged to a 51-10 yawner; NFL championships had scores like 59-14 and
47-7, 37-0, and 56-10.
(5) Roman numerals stink. The idea of putting a roman numeral behind a Super
Bowl was a novel concept at first. Super Bowl VI sounded good. Super
Bowl XXVIII doesn't. Unfortunately the 1994 Super Bowl doesn't sound too
swift either. Anyone have any suggestions?
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ OKAY, SO I BLEW THE NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS. SIGN ME UP ON ESPN... ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
All right. So I didn't peg the rematch between Buffalo and Dallas in Super
Bowl XXVIII. So I haven't been perfect this year. However, considering that
my record for the year wasn't too shabby predicting games straight up (176-48)
with only one losing week, I should be replacing "Swami" Chris Berman on ESPN.
Why should I replace Boomer in his swami role? My record's better. Berman's
1993 record is down around the Mendoza line (for those uninitiated, the
Mendoza line is .200, be it in batting average or winning percentage). He
blew his picks throughout most of the regular season.
So, ESPN! Hey! Let's get with it! Either get someone who can peg the games
with at least 50% accuracy, will ya?!?
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ESPN2'S JIM ROME: WHAT A SCRUB. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Jim Rome is someone who should get on his knees at night and thank his maker
for being employed. How the hell this guy got a job on ESPN2 as a talk show
host completely escapes me. Don't get me wrong, for the most part I like
ESPN2... in fact I'm finding myself watching it more often than I do "big bro"
as they put it. But Rome is annoying as hell in so many ways that I just
can't stand the man for more than thirty seconds at a time.
Rome's program, Talk2, is a good idea with a lousy host. Rome has introduced
such terms into our lexicon such as "smack" (as opposed to "trash", as in
"talking trash" to an opponent), "NoCal", "SoCal", "Clutch" and the like.
The only term he uses that I like is "Scrub", which I used in grade school,
one which obviously needed resurrecting.
However, Rome himself is a scrub. I'd bet $ 250 right now that the man could
not go an entire program without saying "Clutch", "Smack", "Scrub", or one
of his other stock/schlock phrases. Gimme Roy Firestone any day of the week.
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ELIMINATING KICKERS IN THE NFL: A POSSIBILITY. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
No, the NFL isn't giving serious consideration to eliminating kickers from the
league... yet. They are studying possibilities for making the league more
interesting, and a ban on kicking wouldn't be made, but it would be a nice
idea, wouldn't it? No more John Carney six FG games to lead his Chargers to
victory over teams like Houston that actually scored touchdowns. Whew! What
a concept. Here's how I'd work it...
(1) ELIMINATE EXTRA POINT CONVERSIONS - CHANGE TOUCHDOWN SCORING.
No need for points after. Just make passing touchdowns worth 6 points,
rushing TD's worth seven. Add one or two points for any score longer than
50 yards.
(2) ELIMINATE FIELD GOALS.
Make a team score touchdowns to gain points. The idea of football is to
pound people - all in the interest of television audience and revenue.
(3) MAKE INTERCEPTIONS WORTH ONE POINT FOR THE DEFENSIVE TEAM.
Just to make things more interesting.
(4) NO KICKOFFS - THROWOFFS.
Have quarterbacks heave the ball downfield rather than for kickers from
Sweden boot the ball. This has a two fold gain: (1) you don't have to
pay a kicker $ 750,000 to put a ball 65 yards four or five times each
game; (2) you get better accuracy - a quarterback can do a better job of
pinning a ball within an area than a kicker can.
Same thing with punts. On fourth downs, just heave the ball downfield
and try to throw it out of bounds inside the ten. Easier than kicking
the ball, and it will put more emphasis on defense.
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ THE ENORMITY OF FRANCHISE FOOTBALL. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Franchise Football, for the uninitiated, is a game for so-called "roto geeks":
people who act like their own version of Jerry Jones, owning a pro sports
team and wheeling and dealing players just like the big boys. The game of
franchise football has become a cottage industry of sorts: thousands of
leagues exist around the world, and countless books are on the shelves around
August on the subject: how to pick the best players, sleeper players,
setting up schedules for your league, etc.
I served as a commissioner of a league for four years (1990-93 seasons), and
I've swelled with pride as the league grew from a 6-team circuit with all of
us in a 35 mile radius to a 10-team league that stretched from the streets of
Brooklyn to the shores of Honolulu. My successor (Mike Robuck, who served as
my "DepCom", Deputy Commissioner, before my "retirement") is gearing up for
his first year as top dog, and he loves the game.
The game is also addictive. Unlike Roto Baseball, which has literally
dozens of scoring possibilities, Franchise Football can have as many, or as
few, different types of scoring as you like - and each week can have its own
head-to-head matchups, or teams can go against the entire league in "free for
all" competition. Leagues can be set up for profit, or for fun. It's left
entirely up to the league's owners.
The point of all this is that I am searching for new owners to possibily join
a league for the 1994 NFL season. This would be either as a part of the
league I helped found in 1990 (the Interstate Franchise Football League) or
as part of a new league I hope to create now that I have turned over IFFL to
my DepCom. Either way, it's a hell of a way to meet people (via our home BBS
last year, IFFL got together people electronically from New York, Chicago,
Honolulu, Tampa Florida, Pennsylvania, etc.) and make new friends, as well
as knock heads for the title of "National Champions of Franchise Football."
In any event (preferably the discus), I'll be leaving a form here for you to
fill out if you're interested. I'll be sending you detailed information on
the game (and the league I'll be forming - or the IFFL - whichever works out
easiest for us), and you can make up your own mind.
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ I'M IN THE SAME CLASS AS LOMBARDI AND ROZELLE... I'M HONORED. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
A friend of mine back in Pennsylvania (for those who don't know, SportsBeat -
and I - have moved from Pennsylvania to Raleigh, North Carolina) started an
air hockey league with his friends. I quickly dubbed it the All-American Air
Hockey Association (or, you guessed it, "AAAHA"), and the name stuck like a
bad wad of gum to your face.
Well, my friend (and his friends) have chosen to honor me by naming their
championship trophy the "McIntire Cup." I suggested the Lipton Cup of Soup,
but hey... I'm honored just the same. The trophy design has been sent to me,
and its an impressive sight. I'm proud to be part of it, even only if in
name... Rozelle has the Super Bowl MVP award, Lombardi has the Super Bowl
trophy itself... I'll settle for the little AAAHA trophy. To me it means
a whole lot more.
- end -