Ireland's American Football Blog

In any aspect of life, taking a step up is always tough. A new challenge will always add to the physical and mental strains being put on you. This is particularly true in sport. When a team is promoted to a higher division it can take a while for the players to adjust to all aspects of playing at that higher level. If you’re going to be playing with the big boys, then you’re going to have to put in the work.

It starts in the gym. Like it or not, strength and conditioning are going to play an integral part in your success at the next level. You don’t need to be jacked, but you need to have the durability and explosiveness to compete with the guys you’ll be playing against. Becoming stronger should also help you to avoid the unfortunate injuries that are part and parcel of playing American Football.

But playing American football out of your comfort zone is more than big muscles and fast 40’s. It’s as much a mental thing as it is physical. You need to have faith and belief like never before. If a game isn’t going the way you had hoped the worst thing you can do is let your head drop. Becoming a student of the game will also help immensely. Get your head into game tape and learn about your opponent. What are their tendencies? How often to they blitz?  Having even the slightest advantage over the other guy will go a long way.  When you line up and you already know what the guy across from you is going to do, your chances of beating him have doubled.

Both the talent of players and the standard of play in a higher division is naturally going to be higher, so It’s up to you to put in the necessary work that will be required to compete.  I’ve played at all levels of competitive American Football in Ireland and in a lot of cases there is a massive gulf between teams playing in the top division and those in the lower leagues. And realistically, it should not be that hard for teams playing in IAFL1 or 2 to make the jump. It will take consistency, it will take dedication and it will take sacrifice. But if you love this sport as much as I do, it will be worth it.

If you want to win trophies and you want to play with the big boys then you better up your game.

Twice in the space of one week I have seen Conor McGregor and American Football mentioned in the same headline. Once is coincidence. Twice is a trend. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Mystic Mac’s Macho Mania was supplanted to pump ups and pep talks in the huddle. And while I was initially surprised, it makes complete sense. Conor McGregor is an international sports star. And a consummate competitor. In fact, how have teams not gone to him sooner for some motivational mojo?

In a recent interview with ESPN University of Michigan Defensive End Chase Winovich cited the Dublin UFC Star as an inspiration for his rise to success. Winovich underwent a transformation from an average Tight End to a dominating force on the Defensive Line.  He drew parallels between McGregor’s ascension from Dublin plumber to top of the sports entertainment world, to his own journey from a blue collar small town family to Primetime D1 Football. He then did whatever it took to excel at his position while maintaining an unrelenting belief that he would succeed. Sound familiar?

Winovich and McGregors paths may once cross again if the college standout makes it to the pros. Conor was a guest of the Dallas Cowboys this weekend gone by as they finally rose from their funk and dominated the Jaguars at home. The key to Dallas’s rejuvenated performance? Conor McGregor. The Dublin native was a colourful figure full of bravado on the sideline and even delivered some brief pre game words of encouragement. It seems that Conor’s cocksureness lit the spark that the Cowboys were missing.  Dak and Zeke even busted out McGregor’s pre fight swagger when celebrating their touchdowns, truly illustrating how big an influence the Irishman had on the Cowboys mentality that Sunday evening. (Dak Prescott should really teach McGregor how to throw a spiral though, this effort is awful.)

Could McGregor’s recent American football cameo be a foray into an as yet untapped market? Is the Notorious plotting a post UFC gig as a professional pump upper? Or was it just a once off. After the reception from the Dallas players he would surely at least consider motivational speaker as a potential new business venture. Such was the talismanic effect of McGregor’s presence that it would not be at all surprising if we start seeing more of the bearded brawler on the sidelines of professional sports teams.

As for McGregor – this piece of mostly positive media could not have come at a better time. After his recent defeat, his mortality as a fighter looms even larger. And while the clouds of bad publicity have mostly cleared, his future in the UFC has most definitely been called into question. But this is a football blog and not an MMA one. So will we be seeing Conor on the gridiron again soon? You can count on it.

As I do every week, I have a look over the fixtures to see what stands out and this week there is only 1 game that deserves to be game of the week.  This week there is only one place to be and that is the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas for the ‘Red River Rivalry Game’.

The No.7 Oklahoma Sooners will meet the No.19 Texas Longhorns in the 113^th fixture between these two historical football programmes, as it stands Texas has more victories on the board with a game score of 61-46 with 5 draws.

But as with many teams that Texas have a history with, Texas have the better past but have been left wanting in the present. Since the turn of the millennium the Sooners have a 12-6 record against the Longhorns including the last two meetings and this season they have looked extremely formidable and look like a team that are determined to go further than last year’s playoff place.

Even with the loss of Heisman trophy winning Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who last year set the NCAA on fire with what many considered the best statistical passing season in college football history with the highest passer rating ever recorded, this year’s Sooners Junior Quarterback Kyler Murray is unbelievably on track to beat that record breaking statistic and is currently sitting 30+ points higher than Mayfield at the same point last year.

Murray was suspended for the start of last weekend’s game against Baylor and still managed to account for seven touchdowns against the Bears. He’s now completing more than 70 percent of his passes through five games, with 17 touchdowns through the air and only two interceptions. He’s added four touchdowns and 285 yards rushing. He is a true dual threat.

But two weeks ago I brought up the same dual threat problem with the TCU offence, and the Texas defense were able to overcome a very good TCU team on that occasion with 3 interceptions and limited the run game to win by 15 points, so this will be  a very interesting battle. Texas Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando is confident that his players are up for the challenge and has said they know what needs to be done to stop a very good Sooners offence and that the team is getting better as time goes on.

On the other side of the coin Sam Ehlinger seems to be going from strength to strength and having a very productive season so far with has pass completion improving. He had an 80.6% passer rating last week against Kansas and hasn’t had an interception since week 1 and also gives a rushing option to the Texas offence. He is sure to cause the Sooners Defence problems, but the Texas offense statistically is pulling its weight in every position as the scoring has been well spread out and they don’t seem to be reliant on any single player to carry the team which can only be a good thing.

I feel that this is going to be a very good game on Saturday evening and I honestly couldn’t tell you who is going to win, the Sooners are undefeated but haven’t really had a real test yet, whereas Texas got off to a bad start with a loss against Maryland in week 1 but have now won 4 on the spin with very good victories against USC & TCU.

In Austin their talking about ‘Texas football is back!!’ On Saturday that will be put to the test to see are the Longhorns truly ready to compete again for a Big 12 title or will the Sooners prove to be too big of an ask on their mission to this year reach the college football playoff final.

Oklahoma vs Texas kicks off at 17.00 Irish Time on Saturday 6^th of October.

Well it’s that time of year again on the football calendar: The NFL International series is almost upon us. Now in its 11^th season, this year’s slate of games in the UK sees a total of 6 teams making the trip across the pond. Historically, the NFL games have been a bit of a snooze fest.  Marquee teams and match ups have been few and far between, and yet European fans can’t get enough.

However, this year’s program may actually be somewhat entertaining.  The Jaguars, whom the NFL won’t stop trying to foist on London, face off against the reigning Superbowl Champion Eagles. The Jags made it as far as the AFC championship game last year and are slowly shrugging off their label as perennial losers.  The Jaguars are locked in for basically every upcoming International Series. While this previously wouldn’t have raised much interest or even a few eyebrows, their recent success has guaranteed a massive increase in their trips to the UK.  As for the other games, both the Titans and Chargers have had solid seasons so far, while the Raiders are a loss away from full on panic mode and the Seahawks defense has all but disintegrated.

And with the arrival of the International Series arises the years old debate that every NFL fan this side of the Atlantic has an opinion on: Should there be a Football Franchise in London?

By and large there are two schools of thought on this matter. Those for will argue that both the international series and a possible European team will be a huge boost to the promotion of the NFL to audiences outside of the US. A permanent team in London, presumably based out of Wembley Stadium would allow for a solid fan base to develop around one franchise. The sport of American Football already has a significant market share in those who both play and watch the sport in the UK and Ireland. Our ‘own’ professional football team would surely serve to expand and solidify that market share.

On the flip side, a ‘European’ (Brexit pending) team could be an absolute disaster. Before the Jaguars got hot, the only reason they were being pegged as the franchise that would move here is because they were probably the only team the NFL could convince. And while their recent success has possibly sweetened that deal for UK fans, there are still numerous pitfalls. The time difference is a major one. Americans don’t like to get up early on a Sunday. Nor are UK fans fond of staying up to the wee hours to watch Primetime games that start at 1am.  The other glaring factor is the Atlantic Ocean. West Coast teams would have to allow almost a week for travel and acclimatization when coming to play this London franchise.  Let’s also not forget that this has happened before, albeit in a slightly different form.

The erstwhile NFL Europe league ran from 1991 to 2007.  NFL Europe largely served as a farm system for NFL proper teams and ultimately went bust. But if a franchise is to be supplanted to London, there are probably some lessons to be learned from this predecessor.

The official verdict from Gaelic Gridiron: The NFL International Series is grand as it is in its current format. Don’t feck it up.

On February 4^th 2018 Nick Foles led the Philadelphia Eagles to an improbable Super Bowl victory over the incumbent New England Patriots.  Foles had the game of his life, including the now Immortal ‘Philly Special’ play which saw him catch a touchdown pass.  The backup QB, on his second stint with the Eagles even won MVP for his effort.  Throughout the ensuing offseason, Foles was in high demand, but the Eagles fended off all offers for a trade and locked him up as insurance for a still injured Carson Wentz.

But of course, what goes up must come down. Before their week 3 tilt against the Colts, Wentz was cleared for contact and was immediately slotted in ahead of a struggling Nick Foles. The “Big Dick Nick (god bless Philly) era has officially come to an end in Wentzadelphia.  But this was also going to be the case. Carson Wentz is the present and future franchise signal caller. And Foles knows that. Foles was only ever going to be a stop gap. The Temporary Hero.  It’s likely that Foles will forever be a backup unless a franchise decides to take a chance on him. Whatever happens for him, he can be proud of the fact that when his team called on him to be a hero, he put in a perfect shift.

Perhaps the biggest story of the season so far is the rise of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is a text book temporary hero. Stepping in the starting role for a suspended Jameis Winston, Fitzpatrick has had three games with over 400 yards passing. The QB’s red hot performance sparked conversation that he might take over permanently for an inconsistent Winston.  Fitzpatrick’s unlikely heroics gave life to ‘Fitzmagic’ mania and a host of glorious, bearded memes.  Some of the magic wore off in Week 3 against the Steelers when the Harvard grad had 3 turnovers and was sacked twice.  Despite the hot play cooling off a little, Fitzpatrick is likely to get one more opportunity to prove that he can be more than just a temporary hero for Tampa.  The aforementioned stats he put up as well as the resulting internet fodder have served to boost his profile, and even if he doesn’t keep the starting job, Ryan Fitzpatrick is finally relevant again.

Foles and Fitpatrick aren’t the only fill in saviors that have gained prominence in recent times. Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brisset both massively increased their stock as starters while subbing for Tom Brady. Jimmy G will eventually go on to be a true franchise QB in how own right.  While being a backup QB suddenly thrown into the spotlight and expected to perform is certainly a tough spot to be in, it undoubtedly has its benefits as well. Stepping up and becoming the Temporary Hero for your team might just turn you into the Permanent Hero.

By Niall O’Hara

This week’s game of the week is the Texas Longhorns Hosting the No.17 TCU Horned Frogs in their Big 12 Conference opener, with both teams 2-1 in their opening 3 games.

The Longhorns are in the middle of a rebuilding process and after last week’s impressive win against the No.22 USC Trojans, which was the 1^st win for Texas against a ranked opponent since November 2016, the Longhorns will be looking to keep progressing under coach Tom Herman with a victory over TCU this coming Saturday.

But for that to happen Texas are going to have to be at their absolute best, after TCU proved that they can compete with anyone after a fantastic display against the Ohio State Buckeyes last week where they kept it a very close and exciting affair. TCU have dominated this fixture recently and this weekend will be looking to make it a school record 5^th victory in a row over the Longhorns.

TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson is known for being an exceptional defensive coach and that has shown to be a huge factor between these two teams in recent seasons with Texas failing to score more than 10 points in the last four meetings.

Texas Quarterback Sam Ehlinger has looked good so far this season with 723 yards for 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions but both came in the 1^st game against Maryland and he has protected the football very well in his last 2 appearances. He also has 116 yards rushing with 2 touchdowns.  He will be looking to test the TCU defensive resolve but will need a bit more help from his run game which hasn’t put up great numbers so far this season.

TCU on the other hand will be relying on their run game to cause a lot of damage to the Texas defensive lines. Darrius Anderson will be leading the line for the Horned Frogs and last week showed just how explosive he can be with a 93 yard running touchdown. Add that to the dual threat of quarterback Shawn Robinson who has 3 rushing touchdowns this season and you can see that the ground game will be key for TCU.  Texas have given up and average of 3.3 yards per rushing attempt this season they must try to cut that down if they are to prevail this weekend. TCU will view this game as a good way to get their season back on track after last week’s loss to Ohio State and will feel they can still make the playoffs as Big 12 champions.

This fixture has been running since 1897 and in the 120-year history the Longhorns hold the best record with 62 wins compared to TCU’s 25 and a single draw but the last 10 results have seen the teams win 5 each with TCU winning the last four games very convincingly.

ESPN power index has Texas as favourites for this weekend’s fixture but I disagree, I think it has the makings of a fantastic game but I believe that TCU will be too strong for the Longhorns.

With over 100,000 crazed Texas Football fans expected to pack out Texas memorial stadium, you can beat there will be a great atmosphere for the game.

TCU@Texas kicks off at 21.30 BST!

Call me old fashioned, but I like when my teams win. And not just win, but win easily. Comfortably.  And call me spoiled, but I expect the football teams that I follow (Notre Dame in College Football and the Steelers in the NFL) to win. A lot.  When you support two teams of this caliber, you become accustomed to winning. Granted, there is the occasional blip or two but for the most part you can generally bank on the likes of the Steelers to be in the hunt for a championship when the playoffs roll around (maybe not so much Notre Dame)

In Notre Dame’s case, their campaign to date has been underwhelming. An electric home win over arch rival Michigan aside, Notre Dame have been flat. And as much as I love them, I don’t think they deserve to be ranked at #8 nationally. Back to back games against unranked opponents that should have been easy wins were a lot closer than desired. The Defense has been stout, creating key turnovers whereas offense the offense has been far from impressive, save for a few big plays. The Irish will be tested in 2 weeks’ time when the 7^th ranked Stanford come to South Bend. If they want to have any hope of being considered in the same sentence as Clemson and Alabama.  From a fans perspective, we should have blown out Ball State and Vanderbilt. We showed have buried them. But instead we had to watch a Quarterback consistently miss throws and act exasperated about it. Just imagine how we feel watching you buddy.

As for the Steelers, I have absolutely no idea what’s going on in Pittsburgh but it is not good.  All I know is that they have aged me immeasurably after the past two weeks. After an antagonizing week one display in a wet and windy Cleveland we all expected a drastic improvement in their home opener. That never materialized. A shell-shocked secondary gave up 3 passing touchdowns in the 1st quarter and wasn’t much better from then on.  Mahomes had receivers open all day. The Steelers pulled it back through Big Ben’s fantastic play and grit, but ultimately fell short. The fans weren’t the only ones frustrated by the subpar performance. Star receiver Antonio Brown was seen heatedly expressing himself to his Offensive Coordinator on the side-line, clearly unhappy with either the play calling or the teams overall performance. Browns absence from the team facilities on Monday only served to further reveal that all is not well within the Steelers.  The Steelers are one of the league’s most reliable and rocksteady team, but one or two more losses and the season could be over before it really even got a chance to begin.

As a diehard fan I’ll still watch and support my teams, even if they continue to play average to poor football. Even though I’m frustrated, I’m still a fan. And that’s what real fans do.

By Niall O’Hara

So this week when I looked at the fixtures, there is only one game that could be the game of the week: the clash of two SEC powerhouses as No.7 ranked Auburn host No.12 ranked LSU in the ‘Tiger Bowl’.

For Auburn and coach Gus Malzahn this weekend’s home game is seen as a must win if they are to really challenge for the SEC title and playoff place this season.With road trips to Mississippi State and Alabama still to come a loss at home to LSU would put huge pressure on the war eagle to win out. After a good win against a good Washington team in week 1 and a blowout of Alabama State last week Auburn will be looking to build more momentum in week three against a very strong LSU team with a very fast and disruptive defence. Jared Stidham is going to have to be on his toes and the run game strong with Kam Martin leading the line for Auburn.

LSU are looking to make a statement against Auburn that they are not to be overlooked this year. With a good win against the Miami hurricanes in Week 1 and an easy game against Southeastern Louisiana last week, The LSU tigers will be aware that they are perceived as underdogs with the bookmakers. Quarterback Joe Burrow will be looking to take this opportunity to show that he is the man to lead this LSU team after being overlooked for the starting job at Ohio State. With 290 yards and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, Burrow will be looking to build on a solid start to the season.

LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron will be looking to his run game to really help out his offence this week with a healthy 347 yards and 4 touchdowns so far this season. Nick Brossette has been the main man for the LSU run game and the fourth year running back will be looking to improve on his already impressive 262 yards and 2 touchdowns so far. With the history between these two teams a great atmosphere can be expected at Jordan-Hare stadium on Saturday. In the 117-year history between these teamsplaying 53 games the LSU tigers lead the football score 29-22 with only a single draw in the history of the fixture in 1941.

In last season’s game Auburn jumped out to a 20–0 lead early in the second quarter by scoring on each of their first four possessions.  LSU cut Auburn’s lead to 23–21 at the start of the fourth quarter with a 75-yard punt return that brought the Tiger Stadium crowd into hysteria. LSU took its first lead of the game, 24–23, on a 42-yard field goal. LSU added on a 36-yard field goal to make it 27–23 with 38 seconds left. Auburn’s final drive ended with three straight incompletions and a sack, as LSU pulled off a fantastic comeback upset.

LSU @ Auburn kicks off at 8.30pm BST. Don’t take your eyes off this one as its sure to be a closely contested game right to the final play.

Well folks, we made it! The first NFL Sunday of 2018 is in the books. And boy was it interesting. For some us it was a heart stopping, nerve wrecking affair while for others the drudgery of the previous season carried over to the new one. In many cases it wasn’t pretty, but the job got done. One thing is for sure, the highs and lows of any given Sunday are back in full swing. Here’s what stood out to us after Week 1:

Browns (sorta) snap their losing streak

Torrential rain made for a sloppy affair for both sides as the Steelers opened their season away to the Browns for the second year in a row. And this matchup was a lot tighter than a year ago. The Browns much improved Defense forced 6 turnovers( causing steelers fans to go a little bit greyer in the process) and Tryod Taylor did just enough to claw back in the fourth quarter and force Overtime. The browns squandered the first possession, but dodged a bullet when the Steelers missed a potentially game winning field goal. Despite stand out performances from TJ Watt and James Conner for the Steelers, they ultimately shot themselves in the foot. Both sets of fans will be feeling a bit “meh” after this one and will look to improve in Week 2

Aaron Rodgers rallies

When Aaron Rodgers went down under a wave of Chicago Bears and started clutching his hamstring, Packers fans thought their season was over. Rodgers cut a forlorn figure as  he was carted off and backup QB Kizer took over. Kizer performed well initially. But then he met Khalil Mack. The new Bear turned the second year pro out of Notre Dame over twice in 2 series, scoring a pick 6 in the process. But then Aaron Rodgers rallied, and really earned his money. He brought the Packers back from the dead and snatched victory from the jaws of the reinvigorated Chicago Bears. Rodgers threw a couple of absolute dimes, including a ridiculous 50 yard bomb to the back of the endzone for a spectacular catch. Now that the bears are finally competitive again, the NFC North just got interesting.

Gambling on football is risky business

When I joined my team’s last man standing league, paid my entry fee and picked the Steelers as my week 1 team. I was quietly confident. Roethlisberger has more wins at First Energy Stadium  than any Browns QB since 1999. So you can imagine why I presumed that I’d sail through week 1 without a care. This was not the case. As I stated above ( the Steelers really got to me this week) they turned the ball over 6 times. 6! My nerves were absolutely shot. Putting money on a game certainly gives it more weight. If the Steelers had lost and I hadn’t bet on them, I’d be mildly miffed. But now I’m ticked off! Ladies and gents if you’re going to bet on American football, professional or otherwise, do yourself a favour and make sure that it’s an absolute given. Otherwise you’ll end up like me: out after week one.

By Niall O’Hara

Having a scan across this weekend’s College football fixtures and the one that pops out is UCLA @ Oklahoma.  These are two household names and excellent programs in college football.

The Sooners last year narrowly lost in double overtime to Georgia in the College football playoff semi-final and this year will be looking to go a step further and make it to the playoff final. The Bruins on the other hand, are in transition with New Head Coach Chip Kelly after finishing 6-7 last season and they will be looking to improve on that record.

After a disappointing start to the Chip Kelly era at The Rose Bowl this past weekend against Cincinnati, the Bruins will be looking to cause an upset this weekend when they travel to play The Oklahoma Sooners who have one of the best home records in college football. The biggest issue is that the Bruins didn’t win a single game on the road last season.

Despite last week’s loss, Kazmeir Allen the 3-star recruit freshman got off to a flying start with 5 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, picking up where he left off in high school where he scored 72 touchdowns in his senior year at Tulare Union HS setting a new California state record.  With new Head Coach Chip Kelly at the reigns at UCLA it will be very interesting to see the schemes that the former Oregon and Philadelphia Eagles Head coach will come up with to best use the lighting quick running back.

A big problem for UCLA is the fitness of Quarterback Wilton Speight who had to leave last weekend’s game with a back injury and is “day to day” on whether he makes it back for the Oklahoma game, with Speight having missed a season previously with a back problem the coaches might not rush him back.

In stark contrast The Sooners coming off week 1 look like a very strong team who will challenge this season for the playoffs.  The number 6 ranked Sooners took on Florida Atlantic and their head coach Lane Kiffin but the Owls failed to test the Sooners in the 63-14 blowout. Perhaps this week UCLA will be able to give Oklahoma a much sterner test.

With Quarterback Kyler Murray looking very good in his season opener with 9/11 pass completions 209 yards and 2 touchdowns and the quality in depth of the running back core lead by Rodney Anderson who altogether ran up 319 yards and 5 touchdowns, they look a very dangerous outfit and if the Sooners get into a groove early it could end up being a long day for Chip Kelly and his UCLA Bruins.The Bruins defence managed to get 4 sacks against the Owls offence but gave up over 200 yards in rushing which could spell big trouble against this Sooners run game.

I believe that the Sooners will get the win in this week’s match up and they are heavy favourites in the betting odds, but with the talent on show the game could well be very entertaining.  And with Chip Kelly being involved you just never know what could happen.

UCLA @ Oklahoma kicks off at 6pm(BST) on Saturday 8^th of September. (Ideal for fans this side of the pond!)

In recent years, American football fans in Ireland have grown accustomed to hosting college football games on our shores. Since 2012, there have been 3 high profile regular season tilts held in Dublin. In 2012, the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish spanked Navy in the Aviva stadium in front of an adoring crowd in the Aviva stadium. Despite technically being the away team in that instance, Notre Dame very much felt like the home side and the reception of the few Irish people who actually managed to obtain tickets was hugely positive.  2014’s matchup between Penn State and UCF was a much closer affair, with Penn State needing a last second field goal to claim the Croke Park Classic Trophy.  And then in 2016, a damp crowd in the Aviva watched as Georgia Tech slipped and slid to a lack lustre victory over a dispirited Boston College side.

With the pattern of a game every 2 years firmly established, we eagerly awaited the announcement for 2018’s permutation of an “Irish College Football Classic. Alas, no such announcement ever came. And now with the 2018 college football season almost in full swing, it seems increasingly unlikely that Irish soil will see a game this year.  But given the success of past games, both commercially tourism wise and in boosting the profile of college football here, you have to wonder why?

In the run up to the 2016 edition, a rumour began that the game was in jeopardy. How come? The governing body for Irish American Football were allegedly refusing to sanction, or sign off, on the game taking place. The word was that the Irish league wanted recognition from the organisers and would not give their blessing for the game to go ahead unless they were acknowledged (and probably paid a slice of the revenue.) The fact that such a relatively small organisation had the potential to threaten a multi-million euro venture may have seemed laughable at the time, but those events likely left a sour taste. Why go to all the trouble of bringing sporting powerhouses all the way across the Atlantic to have it ruined over such a silly and petty row? It’s now highly likely that potential organisers will be put off simply because they don’t want the hassle.

Flies in the football ointment aside, college football programs have to make considerable sacrifices to come all the way to Ireland to play. The more canny fans will have copped that the home team is always the smaller of the two programs squaring off. Notre Dame or Penn State would never give up a home game to play on the other side of the pond, simply because it’s not worth it. Schools like these make billions off TV rights. In fact, the money that TV networks pay these programmes to exclusively air their football games is typically most of their income for the year, along with ticket sales.  Big time teams simply cannot afford to sacrifice a home game for something that to them is little more than a holiday.

While we will never know for sure why the NCAA didn’t return to Eire in 2018, an educated guess would point to a number of internal and external factors such as the ones alluded to above.  All we can do as fans is hope that someday we will once again see College Football played in our capital, and that this time we won’t screw it up.

For many fans, the NFL preseason is akin to an oasis in a barren dessert. For the die hards and fanatics it is the first sip of football after the long drought of the off season. And while many disregard off season football because it “doesn’t count”, these exhibition games serve a number of key purposes in the football universe.

First and foremost, the preseason is essential for the players to get re- acclimatized to the rigors of full contact football.  It’s one thing lifting in the off season, but once you put the pads on all bets are off. This rings especially true for rookies. There is a big difference between getting hit in college, and getting hit in the pros. The game is faster and harder. Preseason games enable new players to get used to the physical demands of professional football.  On the flip side, preseason is unfortunately a time when rookies are more prone to getting injured. Just this week, promising 1^st year running back Derrius Guice tore his ACL. Guice was Leonard Fournette’s back up at LSU and is considered to be even better than his former teammate . Unfortunately, we probably won’t find out this season.

The preseason equally essential for coaches and team management as it is for players.  The slate of ‘friendly’ games allows teams to evaluate their roster in a live action environment. Coaches can only learn so much about the players during practice and it often takes a couple of full games to fully find out what their rookies and new players are capable of and how they fit into the teams plans. The first few weeks of the football year are effectively a big,physical violent audition where close to 100 athletes compete to get a spot on the teams roster.  This competitiveness often leads to sparks flying in practice, which serves to add some excitement and entertainment to the preseason.

And finally, despite popular belief, the preseason is designed for you – the fan. Let’s be real, there’s no such thing as too much football. The NFL knows that by summers end we’re literally starving for football. The preseason gives us all an extra four opportunities to watch our favourite team in action. But the League’ motives behind the preseason are far from altruistic. More games means more money. So while the fans benefit from extra football, the league also benefits from extra revenue.

So why does the preseason exist? Players get to play. Coaches get to coach. Fans get to fan and the league gets paid.  That’s the point of the preseason.

Different City. Same Drama.

Last night I finally finished Season 3 of Last Chance U, and jaysus me bleeding Nuurves!! The last slow motion pass with half a second left on the clock was just not fair and gave me flashbacks to the season 1 finale of Friday Night Lights!

And while it was certainly refreshing to move away from Scooba and get the perspective of a different town and a different team, we couldn’t help but feel that the show has developed three noticeable themes that it uses to drive the story and the drama forward. These motifs were solidly established during the first two seasons, and in fairness you can’t really blame the show’s creators for keeping them for the third season. As the saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” These elements are what makes the show so captivating.  The show gives us characters that we can relate to, empathise with, and root for. And that’s why we all love Last Chance U!

1. The prickly but caring coach.

Buddy Stephens was no stranger to expletive laden rants or starting brawls with game officials. He took no shit from his players or his staff, and if he wasn’t happy with you he’d let you know. Jason Brown is no different, and is possible even fonder of swearing. He openly cusses out players during practice, and even more during games! But beneath their tough exterior, these men are big softies. They care deeply about their players and want to see them exceed. Their number one priority is graduating these young men and getting them ready for life after football.  The ultimate proof that Jason Brown is a big softie? He got himself a puppy!

2. The concerned teacher.

Since she left Scooba after Season 2, Brittany Wagner has rocketed to international fame. “Do you have a Pencil?” has become a household phrase, and Brittany has successfully launched her own education consulting company. Miss Wagner was essentially a mother to the players in East Mississippi. She made sure they got to class, that they ate, and that they kept out of trouble. Her relationship with Ronald Ollie was particularly heart-warming and it was clear to see how he grew under her care. In the latest season, LaTonya Pinkard the English teacher takes on this role. She makes it her business to get the players to see that they are more than just football players, that they have the potential to go further. In her unofficial role as counsellor, she forces the athletes to think past football. She forces them to take their academics seriously and does her best to motivate them. She may not be Brittany Wagner, but she’s not a bad replacement!

3. The guy who just can’t get out of his own way.

Within 3 days of Season 2 being released, talented running back Isaiah Wright was arrested on the suspicion of being involved in a murder. He had being hanging out with some friends in his hometown and had gotten caught up in something he could have easily avoided. Outside the structure that college life provided and away from watchful eyes, he had fallen back into old habits. And those old habits got him locked up. Now I’m not saying he would have gone pro, but he could have easily gone to a better school and gotten a degree.  Bobby Bruce was the tragic figure of Season 3. From a tough environment, he saw the NFL as his only escape. Resistant at the start, he eventually put his head down and showed some potential as a student. But just like Isaiah, once Bobby was away from the structure of college, he got into trouble. And who knows if he’ll get another  last chance? We’ll have to wait for Season 4 to find out.

Jameis Winston has been officially suspended by the NFL for three games. His ban comes on the heels of a sexual assault claim made against him by a female uber driver. In 2016, she alleged that Winston groped her while she was driving him in Arizona. This is not the first time that the star QB has been accused of sexual assault. It is, however, the first time that he’s been held accountable and punished. In 2012, a Florida State student accused the Seminoles signal caller of raping her.  The University “investigated” her claims. No charges were ever brought against him, and he remained a starter. In fact, the only time that Winston was reprimanded during his career was two years later when he was suspended for one game. One single game. Why? He cursed in public. Apparently cursing in public is more cause for punishment than assaulting a fellow student.

Unfortunately, instances like this are pretty common in big time college programs. Football players like Winston are valuable assets to the team and to the university. Both financially and sportingly. In cases where accusations are levelled, the first thing the university will do is bring in its own high powered and well payed lawyers. Then, along with local police, they’ll conduct an investigation. In Winston’s case, the university felt that their code of behaviour had not been broken, and thus he went unscathed. It is also likely that his accuser faced huge pressure from the university to back down and drop her claims. Maybe she was threatened.  By failing to punish Winston, they set a precedent: that it’s okay to do this to women and get away with it. And now he’s done it again. Only this time he’s a professional football player, employed by the NFL. And the NFL had no choice but to suspend him. Their image is already so tarnished that to not punish him would have caused uproar on a Ray Rice level. Remember him? He was caught on tape KO’ing his fiancee and now he’s unemployed. And rightfully so.

Dede Westbrook is another, if not as high profile, example of talented and valuable players getting away with it. In 2012 before he became and Oaklahome State Cowboy, Westbrook was twice accused by his ex girlfriend of assault and battery. These are felony charges. But did face charges? Of course not. His accuser refused to cooperate with the investigators, likely under duress. OSU claimed to have had no idea about his past, but who doesn’t do a background check? The likelihood is that they wanted to recruit him, and so were the ones pulling the strings to have him avoid charges.

Maybe the NFL’s punishment of a high profile player will make younger college players stop and think before they act. Maybe this is wishful thinking because as long as Universities enable football players and refuse to hold them accountable, the toxic cycle will remain unbroken.

This week, legendary Linebacker James Harrison hung up his cleats for the last time. And while Quarterbacks everywhere blew a collective sigh of relief, we can’t help but wonder what’s next for ol’ Deebo. Harrison hinted in an Instagram post that he was done with football for good, citing “missing too much” family life as his main motivator.  This may well be true, but more often than not players of Harrison’s vaunted calibre can never really truly leave the game.

There are three paths that recent NFL retiree’s typically take. These are: Commentating, Coaching or Creating.

Commentate.

Recently retired NFL players often make the best commentators and analysts on the sport. They are fresh off the field and bring with them a wealth of football knowledge. Troy Aikman, Ray Lewis and most recently Tony Romo have all successfully transitioned to the broadcast booth.  In fact, broadcast journalism seems to be the most popular post playing path for new retirees of the NFL. Most television networks, particularly the NFL’s own will have a number of high profile former players on their roster. Even the likes of NFL bust Tim Tebow managed to land himself a TV gig and is now a side-line analyst on the SEC College Football Network!

Coach.

For erstwhile players who are a little more camera shy, an opportunity to join the coaching ranks is often presented.  New coaches will usually start at lower positional levels and progress up the chain. Players who were plain average in their careers such as Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh developed into championship winning head coaches. Harbaugh in particular has had success at all three of his head coaching stops, and is considered to be one of the most passionate and motivated head coaches in college football.  Players looking to take the step into coaching often start out with their old team.  For example former Steelers Linebackers Joey Porter and Jerry Oslavsky now serve as positional Linebacker coaches with the team.  New retirees bring playing experience and knowledge as well as being able to relate to players on the team, making them the perfect candidates for coaching positions.

Create.

There are more budding entrepreneurs in the NFL than you might think! Competition for a roster spot is fierce, and you’ll never know when you’ll need to rely on yourself to generate an income. A prime example is Chris Gronkowski (yes, that Gronkowski family). Chris bounced around four NFL teams before finally leaving the league. His NFL pension wasn’t cutting it so he took his fortune in his own hands and founded a sports nutrition company. Many players will also invest in businesses while still playing. These investments give them a cushion against eventual retirement. For instance, Peyton Manning previously owned a large stake in the Papa John pizza chain. In fact, when he was traded to the Broncos, he bought every Papa Johns store in the Denver area! Smart (and tasty) move!

Whatever path is taken by ex players, there most definitely is life after football!

In just 3 weeks time, the top College Football prospects will gather in Arlington Texas for what will be a defining moment in their prospective professional careers. Mock Drafts and speculation have been rife for weeks in the build up to draft day. And while some of this years prospects are expected to be instant successes in the pro football league, there are simply no guarantees and no way of knowing.  Out of the top 10 players available in this year’s draft there is going to be at least one in the category of ‘boom’ and another that is firmly designated as a ‘bust’.

There have been quite a few notable draft busts in recent years. For the unitiated, a draft bust is a college player who had an outstanding college career but subsequesntly struggled and eventually burned out once hitting the pro ranks.  In the past ten years, big names such as Robert Griffin, Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon (remember him?) have all tried their hand at professional football. All have since fallen by the wayside.

For me, the two biggest busts in Draft history come at the QB position. Can anyone guess who? That’s right. Johnny Manziel ( I know I keep picking on you buddy, I’m sorry)  and Ryan Leaf.  In many ways, the path taken by Ryan leaf foreshadowed the fate of Johnny Manziel. A hotshot college Quarterback who suffered with many issues, mainly of the substance variety.  Both contended for the Heisman. Both came out of college highly recruited only to succumb to the pressures of professional football. In fact, Ryan Leaf is still ranked as the “Number 1 Draft Bust in NFL History”.

Manziel seems to have cleaned up his act and is on the slow road back to redemption. But even if he does stop drinking and the party lifestyle,  is his skill set enough to compete at the upper level?

On the flip side of the “bust” comes the “boom!” and this years boom player in the draft is none other than Saquon Barkley out of Penn State.  Barkley can run the ball hard, catch like a receiver and even return kicks. He’s a true threat in all three phases. He deserves to be drafted before any Quarterback in this class. But this is the NFL and it’s a Quarterback market.  Barkley reminds me a lot of Fournette, a powerful runner and another recent “draft boom”.

No matter who go’s first overall, in the second round or even as the infamous “Mr Irrelevant” the 2018 Draft Class has a tonne of potential. We can’t wait to see Mayfield, Barkley and Co take the field in September, no matter where they land.

Words: Patrick Flanagan Twitter:@padjoeflanagan

NFL Free Agency is well under way, and we’re all thinking the same thing – from fresh faced fanboys to seasoned veterans – WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?
Like with most sports, the Free Agency period marks the conclusion of many players’ contracts who then become eligible to sign with a different team of their choice. As with most NFL institutions, Free Agency is guided by established practices and values that are often obsolete or nonsensical (Sometimes both!). We’re then left dazed and confused by the whirlwind of news, moves and dollar signs, wondering HOW DID THAT JUST HAPPEN? Here we’ll try and explain some of the myths of Free Agency to make better sense of the madness.

Best Teams (Don’t) Get the Best Players

Unlike most other major sports, the majority of best players rarely sign with the best teams. There will be exceptions – Top FA Kirk Cousins will sign with the No. 4 ranked Vikings – however established contenders such as the Patriots, Steelers, and Superbowl Champs the Eagles, are unlikely to pursue the top players with top salaries. While the sporting incentives are high, the financial limitations and restrictions make it unlikely that the best Free Agents will join the best teams. There are a few reasons for this:

Firstly, the best teams usually have better players than those available through Free Agency. They are the best because they already have the talent to win, and continue to do so by ensuring their best players never become free agents in the first place. See: Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, Fletcher Cox et. al.

The NFL Salary Cap is also a factor, as it regulates the total salary bill for each team meaning that each year the fifty three players on each squad can only be paid so much. In 2018 this will be approx. $177 million. Teams will always ensure that their own best players are signed first, ensuring quality, consistency and stability in the roster. This means, however, that Free Agency signings are more likely going to be low cost and unappealing to top free agents.

On the flip side, weaker teams are more likely to have less quality players and therefor more money to offer players. This presents the debate around the ‘Business’ side of the NFL and whether players should play for Superbowls or Supersized bank accounts. Players may decide that they can be the player to help a team become a contender – see Brock Osweiller to the Texans or Ndamukong Suh to the Dolphins – but that rarely pans out. Ultimately however there are only so many roster spots on any given team and players will ultimately want to play somewhere where they are wanted.

Best Players Get the Most Money (Kinda)

Supply and Demand is one of the basic tenets of Economics, and is never proven more true than during NFL Free Agency. Every year we see players ‘Set the Market’, meaning that what they get paid establishes a precedent for what their peers can expect to be paid both this year and in the future. So when a backup Quarterback gets paid $16 million to start for a team, more decorated QBs will demand $25 million plus. This year it looks like the top options at O-Line, Wide Receiver and Cornerback will earn $12-$15 million meaning this will now be the baseline for any player of reasonable talent. Reasonable Talent is not The Best Talent, however in Free Agency it is often The Best Talent Available and therefore command premium prices. As mentioned above, the best players often do not reach free agency as their teams do everything they can to keep them. The more in demand a player is, the more likely an interested team is to offer more money than expected in order to land their target.

As a result, players who are not regarded anywhere near the best at their position sometimes become the best paid. Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo are now the two best paid players in the NFL. They combine for a playoff record of one game, one defeat, and will earn nearly $65 million between them in 2018. For context, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger will earn around the same amount combined, and have eight Superbowl victories between them.
Despite this abnormality, Rodgers is expected to become the highest paid player when his contract is renewed and other elite players point to these bloated contracts to ensure their own pay-days when the time comes and they become the highest paid player. This only lasts however until the next guy is available.

Guaranteed to Pay Off?

Without doubt, the most confusing part of Free Agency is the numbers. The millions of dollars players are paid, or are supposed to be paid. Because there are catches, lots of them.

The NFL is the only major league sport in the world where player contracts are not fully guaranteed, meaning that teams can prematurely terminate a player’s contract without having to meet the full financial commitment of the deal. As a result, teams will often cut/sack players to make financial savings, or when the player is not performing well, or after a player gets injured and cannot play for a longer period of time. Or when a player is playing on a non-guaranteed contract, the team can essentially force them to agree to a lesser contract or get cut for nothing. This has helped to create a cut-throat culture that fuels the intensity and desperation at which the game is often played.

Conditional payments like Signing Bonuses, Roster Bonuses, Performance Bonuses all serve to simultaneously give teams and players an opportunity to make the most of a contract, and also to make it appear more valuable to fans. Ultimately though if the money isn’t guaranteed, it likely won’t be paid before a contract is renegotiated or cut. To counter this, players negotiate guaranteed amounts in their contract which they will receive irrespective of their status on a roster. This is the best way to look at NFL contracts to determine their value. So if a player signs a four year contract for $60 million with $40 million guaranteed, what looks like a $15 million/year deal is actually a $10 million/year deal. If only three years are guaranteed then it works out more like $13 million/year.
2018 Free Agency however threatens to bring about a new era of contracts, as Kirk Cousins is expected to sign one of the first ever fully guaranteed contracts. Though shorter in length, it gives him security and control of his future which are premium assets to an NFL player. If that trend continues, we could see a very different NFL landscape in a very short space of time.

The Superbowl Champions are heading to Disneyland, Johnny Manziel is making another comeback and two players have already been arrested for various misdeeds. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the NFL Offseason. The football drought is set to last until early August and NFL fans around the world are going to have to find another way to fill their Sundays. But fear not!  For those of you who just can’t stand to let go, there are some notable events taking place in Football land in the next few months which will hopefully hold you over.

The Combine

In a few days, Americas top college players will converge on Indianapolis for a week long showcase of their football abilities. Contesting a coveted spot on an NFL roster, these young men will be prodded, quizzed and tested in all matter of physical and mental tests. The highlights of the combine are undoubtedly the 40 yard dash and 100kg bench press.  The NFL combine kicks off on the 27^th of February and you can watch it live on the NFL website.

The Draft

Undoubtedly the highlight of the offseason, this year’s NFL Draft will take place from April 26^th to 28^th in the swanky surrounds of Cowboy Stadium.  Many hopeful NFL prospects will learn their fate in the first round, while some will have to wait until day 2 or 3. There have been some surprises in recent history, most notably future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers falling to the midpoint of the first round. There have also been some huge busts. (Sorry Johnny, I really need to stop picking on you in my articles!) This year’s Draft class has some huge QB prospects as well as Penn States own Saquon Barkley. If you’re used to staying up to watch the late game on Sunday nights/Monday mornings then you can watch the Draft live on the NFL website.

Training Camp

After a flurry of preseason activity and free agent moves, teams finally settle down and start playing football again. Training camps usually start in late June/early July and typically last about three weeks. The fresh faced rookies will attempt to make their case for a spot on the team and the established veterans will strive to keep theirs.  Although contact is limited in training camp, real football (well, preseason football) is by now just around the corner.

How do you fill the dreaded NFL Off season and the long months of watching domestic sports? Let us know in the comments!