Random football thoughts that don't deserve it's own thread.

[PATSNUTme]

I still regret that Foxborough isn't a grass field any longer.

I understand what you are saying. As a football purest, I always felt football was made to be played on grass.

But the field turf is so much better than the "Astro turf" that use to be like playing on cement. And in today's NFL having a field that is all torn up and all mud just slows down the game.

 

[patstrips65]

I was at that game, and it is one of the most vivid memories of any Pats game ever for me. It was a miserably hot day and by the time the second half started fans in the stadium were starting to drop like flies. Another beer? No way, get me a water ...


The Pats couldn't get anything going on the ground. I think Antowain Smith was hurt so Kevin Faulk was the lone running back; Miami continually stuffed him for no gain. The Pats also had a bunch of injuries to their starters on defense. This was back when the Dolphins still dominated the Pats in Miami. Yes the Pats had won the Squish The Fish game, but the Dolphins almost always beat the Pats down there. I don't know if they had ever won in Miami early in the season (i.e., in hot weather, September or October) at that point in time. Realistically it did not look good for the Pats.


The Dolphins shared the stadium with the baseball team so the two field goals came from the dirt of the infield. One was shanked and another low, blocked by Richard Seymour.


Miami wasn't getting huge chunks of yardage but all game long they seemed to get just enough from Ricky Williams running the ball and passes to their tight end (Randy McMichael?). Somehow the Pats kept Miami from pulling away and then Brady hit David Givens with about a 30 yard TD pass to tie it in the second half. After that there were the two missed field goals and then overtime.


Brady was sacked and nearly lost the ball; the Pats had to punt but they got it right back on an interception. First play of the drive and Brady hits Troy Brown in stride to his left. Where the catch was made was directly below where I was sitting, I had a great view of that play. Game over, back to the bus, crank up the AC and now I was more than ready to pop open a cold beer.

I was at that game too. He was pointing right at me when he scored. 5th row from the top of the stadium. He must have saw how happy I was and wanted to let me know it was all for me.
I remember that heat too. Tough walking up and down those stairs to get beer. Half time shut off was a good thing.
Ive become a seat snob since then. Like being down low. But only $25 bucks for those seats. Got flight for $125 round trip and dumpy hotel on the beach in ft lauderdale for three nights at $90 a guy. Miss those days.
The game took place three days after the sox lost to the yankees in game 7. It really helped soften the blow from that mother f-in Grady Little mishap.

 

[Gwedd]

I can still close my eyes and see that play.

My other favorite one was the accepted safety at Denver, where BB had Paxton intentionally snap the ball high and through the end zone. Hit the upright, but it got scored a safety.

Bill knew we had a solid defense, and that risking giving the safety to Denver was a good payout to get a free kick to them from further out.

The Pats held Denver to three & out, got the ball back, and scored to win. Got that monkey off our backs of always losing at Mile-High.

 

[Delicate Genius]

The Dolphins shared the stadium with the baseball team so the two field goals came from the dirt of the infield. One was shanked and another low, blocked by Richard Seymour.

Yep, and the only reason the field still had dirt on it was because Steve Bartman saved the Marlins season five days prior in Chicago haha.

There was controversy on the OT coin toss which would have been talked about more if Mare didn't miss his kick a few minutes later. The Pats had called tails and it landed on tails but the ref flipped the coin over when he picked it up. I wish NFL.com still had the highlights from the game, because they show the toss and Brady screaming something like "THAT WAS TAILS AND YOU KNOW IT SAMMY!" to Sammy Knight. :lol2:

This was also the game the Pats took over the AFC East lead and didn't give it up until the end of 2008.

 

[Gwedd]

Yep, and the only reason the field still had dirt on it was because Steve Bartman saved the Marlins season five days prior in Chicago haha.

There was controversy on the OT coin toss which would have been talked about more if Mare didn't miss his kick a few minutes later. The Pats had called tails and it landed on tails but the ref flipped the coin over when he picked it up. I wish NFL.com still had the highlights from the game, because they show the toss and Brady screaming something like "THAT WAS TAILS AND YOU KNOW IT SAMMY!" to Sammy Knight. :lol2:

This was also the game the Pats took over the AFC East lead and didn't give it up until the end of 2008.

I remember feeling sick to my stomach watching Mare get set to kick, and knowing it wasn't all the food and beer in me talking. We'd been hosed so often down there that I'd just come to expect it. Then he misses and I nearly choke as I'm screaming so loud and suddenly all that beer gas wells up and here comes this humungous belch that rips through the air. I tried to cool my throat with a chug of beer, but I swallowed wrong and started coughing, which caused more belching, which brought in the wife who wanted to know if she should call an ambulance.

I'm dying on the couch, my face is beet red, and I'm pointing at the TV, trying to say that I KNOW we're gonna win this one now.

So, yeah....... that's pretty much how Sundays go at my place.

 

[Rob0729]

Albert Breer said on 98.5 that word around the league is that the reason that Sanchez and the Jets' offense played so well on Sunday vs. the Bills is because Dave Wannsteadt's defense is too vanilla. Wannsteadt always had a vanilla defense, but can a vanilla defense survive in today's NFL? I mean with all the complex offenses and presnap reds that go on today can a team go out on defense and just line up and go without any presnap movement or some wrinkles?

Wannsteadt hasn't been a DC since 1999. Heck, he hasn't been in the NFL since 2004 where he was a failed Dolphins head coach (ok, he was Assistant head coach and LB coach for the Bills last year and their defense sucked). The guy is still living on his reputation of his DC years with the Cowboys in the early 90s where he had an All Star roster where the talent could overcome his vanilla gameplans.

Although I was one of the people who thought the Bills could win 9-10 wins, I was blind to the fact that Chan Gailey and Dave Wannsteadt are horrible coaches (along with the very real possibility that Ryan Fitzpatrick's first half of the season last year was an aberration). I think they may have a shot at beating the Dolphins out for the worst team in the division. If Tannehill can improve, they may be a better team.

 

[1960Pats]

Awesome story. Rodney was a real comedy treasure. :rocker:

My wife's cooking is so bad... the flies chipped in to fix the screens.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I understand what you are saying. As a football purest, I always felt football was made to be played on grass.

But the field turf is so much better than the "Astro turf" that use to be like playing on cement. And in today's NFL having a field that is all torn up and all mud just slows down the game.

All true, but still ...

(I'm a Brit and one thing we really do well is grass -- the kind you run around on, at least.)

 

[1960Pats]

For me, it's at 1:20 - - the OT bomb in Miami to end the game sudden death. Loved that moment, because the Pats were really putting it together then in 2003 and emerging from the hurt of the game one debacle to Buffalo. This was about the 6th or 7th game of that season. That first game was horrible and scarring and this moment was cathartic. Pure joy.

I remember reading the comments of the Miami defender back then, and he was befuddled by the fact that he spent hours and hours studying Troy Brown film, and never once did he see Brown go that far down the field for a pass. That's why you never say never.

I didn't witness my favorite off-field moment from 03, but it has to be the moment when Tom Jackson came up to Bill Belichick to congratulate him right after the Pats SB win, and BB responded with an F Bomb.

 

[1960Pats]

One of the FG misses by the Fins in that game shouldn't have ever happened, as the WR clearly stepped out on a pass down the left sideline, but the officials missed it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

There was controversy on the OT coin toss which would have been talked about more if Mare didn't miss his kick a few minutes later. The Pats had called tails and it landed on tails but the ref flipped the coin over when he picked it up. I wish NFL.com still had the highlights from the game, because they show the toss and Brady screaming something like "THAT WAS TAILS AND YOU KNOW IT SAMMY!" to Sammy Knight. :lol2:
.

Criticism of the regular refs is not allowed here. Citing fiascos like the coin toss and the Hobbs faceguarding (sic) penalty is prohibited.

Only the replacement refs make errors.

So soon we forget.

 

[1960Pats]

The Pats have had the best record in the AFCE every year since 2001. The only years that they lost the title were 02 and 08, and both times it was on tie-breakers.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I for one am surprised at the low level of 53 roster manipulation after week one. Neither The Twig nor The Hut have been re-signed. Newbie WR Salas must have pics of Josh with the ball boy. Vets like Plaxico remain unsigned by all 32. Oft times BB would sign a reserve OL or such off the scrap heap. Must be fairly satisfied with the 2012 53, or there's nothing of value out there...more likely.

 

[1960Pats]

Criticism of the regular refs is not allowed here. Citing fiascos like the coin toss and the Hobbs faceguarding (sic) penalty is prohibited.

Only the replacement refs make errors.

So soon we forget.

Forget? I'm still reeling from Ben Dreith's call in 1976 against the Raiders. That Pats team would have gone on to win the SB that year if not for that theft. Walt Coleman and the Pats helped ease my pain a bit though.

No matter who is making the calls, all I want is for them to get it right. It would help if they could come up with a system that gets the call right sooner. Hiding behind the curtain isn't the answer.

 

[PlainOldEd]

football season always flys by...before you know it..it will be week 3 already

But the beauty of being a Pats fan is you are always interested until late January or early February, so by the time it is over it is almost spring and minicamp time again. Winter flys by, winter must be long and cold in Buffalo, NJ etc.

 

[PlainOldEd]

how ****ty is the bills home stadium? heard it's a dump...anyone ever been?

I went for a grateful dead show around 1990, it was a fine venue for that. Of course any venue would have been fine considering my state of mind.

Never been for a football game.

 

[PlainOldEd]

I understand what you are saying. As a football purest, I always felt football was made to be played on grass.

But the field turf is so much better than the "Astro turf" that use to be like playing on cement. And in today's NFL having a field that is all torn up and all mud just slows down the game.

I agree with this entirely. Nostalgia is no reason to keep an inferrior product.

 

[goheels22002]

Forget? I'm still reeling from Ben Dreith's call in 1976 against the Raiders. That Pats team would have gone on to win the SB that year if not for that theft. Walt Coleman and the Pats helped ease my pain a bit though.

No matter who is making the calls, all I want is for them to get it right. It would help if they could come up with a system that gets the call right sooner. Hiding behind the curtain isn't the answer.

Ben Dreith. Holy cow. Why did you have to bring him up? But he made up for it in 1986 with this classic call against the Jets:

Ref Is Giving Him The Business - YouTube

 

[Gwedd]

Ben Dreith. Holy cow. Why did you have to bring him up? But he made up for it 1986 with this classic call against the Jets:

Ref Is Giving Him The Business - YouTube

That was such a great call, that it got passed down to the college ranks as well.


Funniest Penalty Ever *GUARANTEE LAUGH* - YouTube

 

[Calciumee]

Fanarchy not posting here again. -21 posts.

Awwww, spoil sport!