Wednesday, March 31, 2010

A new direction in life

Hello to all. Things just haven't been the same for me lately. I can't put my finger on it, but a void needs to be filled. You ever have that in your life? Well, if you have, you know what I'm talking about.

I think we all have a purpose in life. A reason for being here. We all want to be the best that we can be no matter what we decide to do in life.

I've been digging deep-down into my soul searching for a meaning for my life. Why am I here? What is my purpose?

I think that reason has been right in front of me for a very long time but I just refused to see it. You can go your entire life running from your destiny or you can embrace it. I've decided to embrace it.

I'm taking this time to announce to you guys that I am going away for a while. I'm going to do what I was put on this earth to do.

I've decided that I want to be a future Ultimate Fighting Champion. In-order to achieve this goal, I will have to put all my resources into it. I will have to put all of my physical, financial and emotional energy into accomplishing this goal.

This will require a lot of sacrifices like leaving my job, friends, girlfriend, and family behind.

If you don't see me for a while just know that I am doing this for you because I want you to be proud of me. I want you to buy those PPV's and watch me take on the best like the Ice Man Chuck Liddell, the legendary Randy Couture, and the very dangerous Brock Lesnar.

If I can take out these three very tough competitors, I believe this will lead me to top of the mountain and I will realize my goal as the king of the octagon.

My training for this will be very hard, but I believe if I commit myself, I will be able to prepare my mind, body, and soul.

I already have the tools I need for this battle. Years ago, I trained in the art of Tang Soo Do and reached the level of red belt with a blue stripe. Now I need to take that a step further with my training for the octagon.

I have enlisted the help of one of the world's greatest trainers: Joey Kim, a former trained assassin from South Korea. He will be helping me with my workouts and my mental toughness and he will mold me into a very dangerous weapon.

I trust in his abilities to take me where I need to be.

You guys won't be seeing me for a while as I plan on becoming a gym rat and a very focused and self-centered individual but I hope to see you all at ring-side someday when I reach my destination.

God bless you all.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

My Thoughts on Reform

A landmark decision was made this week that will impact us all for years to come. That's right. I'm happy to say that the National Football League has reformed its overtime rule! In a vote by the NFL owners at their annual meeting in Orlando, the measure was passed, 28-4. The new overtime rule now states that a team CANNOT win an overtime game in the playoffs by just winning the coin toss and driving a few measly yards before allowing some kicker to win the game with a field goal. With this landmark rule the other team has an opportunity to match that field goal, or better yet, win the game by earning a touchdown.

I've been calling for this for quite some time. The players, coaches, and fans of the NFL have been begging for this to come to pass. For years, we suffered when one of our teams didn't have a fair chance to win in overtime. The other team would score and our teams didn't have a shot to respond. Why shouldn't my team have a chance to score just because the other team scored first?

What I find really appalling is that the Ravens, Bills, Vikings and Bengals voted against this rule. How dare they? Everyone knows we've needed overtime reform for years and here these teams try to deny us of what is rightfully ours as fans.

I proclaim that we call the owners, general managers, coaches and players of these teams and voice our displeasure. Let your voices be heard! Let them know how you feel about them trying to stand in the way of progress.

I don't think this rule goes far enough, and thankfully, there will be another vote in May to determine whether this rule should extend to the regular season. I have no doubt that it will.

I'm not surprised the Ravens voted against this. I mean, after all, they benefited from the old rule last season when they defeated my beloved Steelers in overtime on a field goal. A field goal in-which the Steelers didn't get to respond to.

The loss critically wounded their playoff hopes. The Ravens went on to narrowly edge out the Steelers for a wildcard playoff spot while the Steelers, and the entire Steeler nation, were denied a week of excitement leading up to an awesome wildcard game.

There were no new Steelers fight songs. No helmet cakes. No talk show speculation and analysis. And Terrible Towel sales plummeted.

I am shocked, however, that the Vikings voted against this ruling. What could they possibly have been thinking? Their team missed out on a chance at a title because they went down in the NFC championship game to the New Orleans Saints when they lost the coin toss in overtime and never saw an offensive possession. Thousands of fans, like me, were prevented from seeing two weeks of Favre-mania leading up to Super Bowl XLIV.

"Will this be your last game, Brett?" I wanted to hear that question being asked over and over again, but did I get that chance? No! Why, because of an overtime system that should have been reformed years ago.

While this overtime rule is great, I hope that in the future, there are new rules implemented that will completely exile kickers from the game forever. And while they're at it, they should get rid of special teams players, as well. Think about it. Blue chip, pro-bowl players, guys who give their all for 50 or 60 plays, have to sit back and watch their fate be determined by a lazy field goal kicker or a special teams player who wasn't even good enough to land a starting position and steals a paycheck by covering punts or kicks for a few plays a game!

These lazy, drunk kickers AND punters barely have to break a sweat during the game or even at practice or training camp. They kick a few balls, run a lap or two and then it's off to the golf course for a round of nine. Meanwhile, true, blue NFL players, who have worked for everything their entire lives, have to sweat and suffer. It's just not fair. And these special teams guys, where do they get off? They weren't even good enough to get drafted in the first or second or even third round and here they are trying to pass themselves off as football players just because they play a dozen plays or so? And some of them even have the nerve to say they were the difference in a game just because they made a key tackle on a punt or returned a kick 90 yards? That is just horrible and it goes against what the NFL was built on. Gee, I'll bet guys like Alan Faneca, Peyton Manning, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne and Casey Hampton would like to "earn" a paycheck by playing a few downs on special teams or by kicking or punting. Fortunately, they were raised the right way, to work for what they want. They play the entire games and are proud to call themselves NFL players.

They're not out there punching towel dispensers or urinating in parking lots on the North Side. They're not drunk, idiot kickers like that Mike Vanderjagt who had the nerve to criticize Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts for their play
years ago. Can you believe that? Kickers. Whatever. These guys aren't true NFL players. They're anti-NFLers.

I wonder how many Super Bowls my Steelers have missed out on because of field goals over the years. I know we've had six championships, but damn it, why can't we have more? We deserve it! Why should we sit back and watch teams like the Saints, who have done nothing in their entire history, win the NFC championship game on a field goal like they did last season when that lousy Garrett Hartely kicked a field goal in overtime? We have six, why should they get one? I don't care how long they've suffered as a franchise. I've been putting my time in for 30 years following the Black and Gold.

And not only me, millions of Steelers fans have put their time in. They've waved their Towels. Played their cornhole in the parking lots of Heinz Field. Been thrown out of Three Rivers for disorderly conduct. TRUE fans. We invented the Terrible Towel in Pittsburgh. What did the Saints fans ever come up with? A bag that they wore over their heads. Big deal.

What about other entitled NFL franchises? Historic teams like the Cowboys, Redskins, Raiders, 49ers and Packers? Along with the Steelers, these teams are part of the NFL royalty. They've accounted for 22 of the 44 Super Bowl titles. How many titles have they lost out on because of stupid kickers or lazy special teams players? My God, the Steelers AFC title game loss to the Patriots in 2001 was almost solely based on kickers, punters and other special teams players. And those "champion" Patriots went on to claim a "dynasty" on kicker Adam Vinatieri's leg. Yeah, they're a dynasty. Whatever. Not a true one, that's for sure.

And what about the legendary Green Bay Packers? The team that won the first two Super Bowls missed out on a chance to claim another one a couple of years ago because of Lawrence Tynes of the New York Giants. Nothing against the New York Giants. Along with the Packers, they fought courageously for over sixty minutes into overtime. These STARTERS gave their blood, sweat and tears. They didn't leave anything out there and how did the game end? On a kicker's foot. Brett Favre was denied a chance to go back to the Super Bowl and earn another crown because of some rule that says a kicker can have a say in the game's outcome. What is going on with this league! I mean, the Super Bowl trophy was named after Vince Lombardi, the Packers legendary coach. You think he would have put up with all this kicking if he were alive today?

I'm warning you, if they continue to allow kicking and special teams to stay in the game, teams like the Chargers, Lions, Texans, Browns and Bengals are going to win championships. Do we really want to be associated with those teams? Do we really want them to think they've earned the right to be called champions? Do we want their fans to think they're as good as us just because they kicked and punted their way to Super Bowls? I know I don't.

If you keep giving kickers more and more power, soon they will think they have an equal say, they will ruin everything. What's next? Six points for field goals? Why don't we make the goal posts 90 yards wide so the freeloading kickers can steal even more money from hard-working position players?

I'm telling you, we're heading down a slippery slope. As long as kicking remains a part of the NFL, you're going to see more and more of this garbage. You mark my words, it won't be long before we have nothing but kicking in the game.

There will be no more precision passes. No more acrobatic catches. No more three yards and a cloud of dust. No more defensive masterpieces. No more crushing tackles. Nothing but kicking and punting. That's all you'll see.

And teams like the Ravens have the nerve to vote against this. It makes sense when you think about it. No one should be surprised. This is the team that won Super Bowl XXXV with field goals, kick off returns and blocked punts. Naturally, they'd want to keep the old overtime rule and they'd like nothing more than to keep kickers in the league.

And let's not forget how the Buffalo Bills tried to steal Super Bowl XXV from the Giants with an attempted field goal by Scott Norwood as time ran out.

Fortunately, he missed. Why? Because God spoke that day. Lombardi spoke that day. All starting position players past, present and future spoke that day. The game is meant to be played by starters. Hard-working starters. Not kickers. Not punters or punt-returners.

Stay away, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson. We don't want you in our game. Stay away, Gary Anderson. No place for you here. We want starters. Guys like TO, Tom Brady and Santonio Holmes. Real players like Willie Colon, Hank Baskett and Todd Heap.

Let's take our game back. Let's take our league back! The game that our grandfathers enjoyed so much. Back when hard-nosed players like Jack Lambert and Ed "Too Tall" Jones roamed the grid-iron. Back when guys like Johnny Unitus made us proud to be NFL fans.

Let's do this for the future STARTERS and FANS of the league.

Their happiness and prosperity depend on it.