NFL - Are You Ready For Some Football?! - 2010 Offseason

[-Jrabbit]

He has admitted his man-crush, so the sudden Jets fandom is unexpected.

Plus there's Brees, so he's a Saints fan.

Plus he's a Cowboys fan -- apparently because he visited Texas once.

Heaven forbid Shottenheimer makes a comeback with another team. He'd have to root for them as well.

I don't know if he's disowned the Chargers or not. But he does seem more attached to individual athletes than to teams. Maybe it's because he's never lived in a football town. Or maybe it's a Canadian thing.

[EPW]

or maybe...it's something else.

[Ben Kenobi]

I don't know if he's disowned the Chargers or not. But he does seem more attached to individual athletes than to teams. Maybe it's because he's never lived in a football town. Or maybe it's a Canadian thing.

Fine, I've disowned the Chargers. There you go.

Plus he's a Cowboys fan -- apparently because he visited Texas once.

Texas is just plain awesome.

[-Jrabbit]

Texas is just plain awesome.

Not good enough. So why Dallas? Why not Houston?

So now you're a "fan" of 3 teams. All of them favored to be contenders next year. Face it, you're a front-runner and a fan-whore. Or, more likely, you're not a real fan of any team, just the individual athletes (and maybe coaches) that strike a chord with you.

[Ben Kenobi]

Not good enough. So why Dallas? Why not Houston?

Because they have a Star. Stars are cool.

Face it, you're a front-runner and a fan-whore

Umm, ok.

Are you aware that the last time any of these teams went to a superbowl is back in '95? That's 15 years ago. I've been a Chargers fan since they had their 1-15 season, and watched as they steadily climbed the rungs under LT.

[SlowwHand]

How can you bust his chops and let Imran skate? Consistency!

[-Jrabbit]

Easy. You're all over the Imran thing already, Sloww.

I really didn't think you needed any help.

[SlowwHand]

I have Imran covered like a blanket.

[ColdWizard]

Joey Porter - Cardinals - 3/17.5m (24.5m)

Umpires moved to offensive backfield

[SlowwHand]

What?

[-Jrabbit]

For the link-impaired:

NFL Moves Umpires for Safety's Sake

ORLANDO -- The NFL will permanently reposition umpires to the offensive backfield beginning with the upcoming 2010 season, in a move designed to protect its most vulnerable on-field officials, the league confirmed Sunday at the annual owners meetings.

Outgoing vice president of officiating Mike Pereira and his successor, Carl Johnson, revealed the plans Sunday in an interview. A league official added that the competition committee unanimously recommended the move last week but it had not been yet publicly announced.

The change does not require a vote of ownership and only commissioner Roger Goodell could reverse the decision.

Pereira said umpires -- who traditionally have been positioned on the defensive side, 4 or 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, just behind the linebackers and between the tackles -- were knocked down by players more than 100 times in 2009. Two umpires suffered concussions and three needed surgeries for knee or shoulder injuries.

"The No. 1 reason for change is safety," said Pereira, who retired after the 2009 season but will help Johnson with the transition through at least May 1.

Johnson said that umpires will be re-trained at the league's offseason clinics and seminars because they will carry out their responsibilities from the offensive backfield, just opposite of the referee. Pereira and Johnson both said the umpires may have to be more athletic to accomplish their tasks.

Chris Mortensen is a senior ESPN NFL analyst.

Jeez, just put 'em in pads. Although it will take away a sneaky offensive weapon, using the upmire to pick off coverage on crossing patterns.

[SlowwHand]

For the link-impaired, nowhere does it mention Joey Porter, or any of the other.

[-Jrabbit]

Obviously separate topics. Either that, or Joey Porter was the guy knocking out all those umpires...

[SlowwHand]

Obviously it's not too obvious.

Then again, It's Cold Wizard. That about says it all.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Just because it wasn't obvious to YOU, doesn't mean it wasn't obvious to people with normal reading comprehension skills