This weekend, I was at the school I attended from grades 6 through 13 to mark the 35th year since graduation for my class. I hadn't been back for what I first knew as Old Boys Weekend (now Ridley Association Weekend) since 2001. When I do go back, I always enjoy time spent in the beer tent casually watching - but watching - First Team Football play UCC or TCS or SAC on Saturday afternoon while reconnecting with old friends and faculty. The beer tent was still there, as was the reminiscing with old friends but guess what? Ridley has no football team now and hasn't for about 7 years. The program was deemed to be too expensive but with the school being fully 50/50 coed and with increasing concern about injuries (and concussions and related issues in particular), student interest in the football program was declining to the point where it was becoming difficult to field a team. So, they canned it.
I discussed this briefly with one of my class-mates who was actually the quarterback of the Ridley football team in my senior year (and who I watched being inducted into the new Ridley Athletic Lives of Distinction before lunch on Saturday), I figured that he wouldn't be pleased to see the football program scrapped. But he actually agrees with the decision as he now considers that the risk of serious injury to 16, 17 and 18 year-old young men just can not be justified, at least not at Ridley. Fair enough, I guess but the reunion isn't the same for me without the football game. Hopefully, I'll adjust in time for our 40th in five years.
I know that other high schools of various sizes in Ontario have moved on from their football programs for various reasons, but the trend doesn't bode well for the future of the sport on this side of the border anyway. In the US, I suspect that the move away from high school football will also take hold but it will be slower and less widespread, particularly in the South. The tradition of high school football on Friday nights in the US will undoubtedly hang on for a long time but participation rates in junior football are now in decline and I don't see that changing in the long term as we continue to learn more about brain injuries.
On a much more positive note, the Bills broke into the win column in a big way yesterday at a sun-drenched New Era Field (which I firmly believe should be called New Era Field at Ralph Wilson Stadium, allowing the Pegulas to collect their naming revenue while still honouring the franchise's founder). The team responded to the urgency of avoiding an 0-3 start with strong performances registered on both sides of the ball and on special teams which contributed a touchdown after a costly error by Arizona's long snapper. As Rex Ryan said afterward, "I don't know if anyone needed a win worse than we did".
So the Bills clearly performed well against what was last year a top NFC team. Great. But as Mike Schopp pointed out on WGR after the game, throughout the 16 year playoff drought, the team has certainly won some games - usually enough to fall just short of a wildcard spot. Remember, as Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News pointed out a few years ago, Dick Jauron used to string up 7-9 seasons like Christmas lights on his house. The question is: can the team now take its success from yesterday and win in New England next week? If they can, at 2-2, they would have a shot at ending the drought but, if they can't beat the Patriots without Tom Brady next Sunday, at 1-3, it seems that the playoff drought will be so much more likely to continue.
Tonight's Monday Night Football game between the Falcons and the Saints will have some stiff competition starting half an hour after kick-off as the first Presidential debate is set to go at 9pm. The campaign has been so bizarre up to now that predicting the impact of the debates on its trajectory feels very difficult indeed. The only thing which seems clear is that ratings for this first debate will be much higher than usual, regardless of how compelling the football game is.
Key questions leading into tonight's debate include: Will Hillary come out swinging? Will Trump be rattled? And perhaps most importantly, will tonight's moderator, NBC New anchor Lester Holt, call out either of the candidates should they say things which are obviously not true? An audience of more than 100 million is expected to tune in to see. I predict that both candidates will be more reserved than expected and that many viewers will flip back to the game after a short time.
Sunday, 25 September 2016
Monday, 19 September 2016
Jets 37, Bills 31
It felt as if we were experiencing the first day of a post-apocalyptic world. It was a few minutes before 3am on a Friday as we approached our shining city from the west on the Gardiner Expressway. There were virtually no other vehicles around as we cruised effortlessly over the Humber River toward the Jamieson exit and the elevated portion of the roadway. If only those who travel this road every day from Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton or beyond could experience this level of tranquility and peacefulness. Driving in Toronto is a breeze during a short two hour window between 2.30 and 4.30am. Leaving the Buffalo, NY area well after midnight en route to Toronto is all it takes.
The Bills season is now on the verge of disaster as the team faces a very likely 0-4 start with Arizona and New England on the schedule the next two weeks. The 1998 team went 0-3 and still made the playoffs but the chances of a turnaround seem slim now as turmoil surrounds the team. After an anemic offensive performance in week 1, week 2 saw an improvement in that area, aided by two long passing plays for touchdowns, but the Bills defence was completely stumped by the Jets and two key individuals who are both very familiar to Bills fans: journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Bills head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. On the night when Bruce Smith's number was retired at a halftime ceremony MC'd by ESPN's Chris Berman, the Jets piled up 493 yards of offence on Thursday night, including 374 yards through the air. The Bills secondary looked out-matched and confused by Gailey's game plan and Ryan Fitzpatrick looked like a top-ranked NFL quarterback.
Multiple reports suggest that the Bills owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, met privately with key Bills offensive players on Friday morning, unbeknownst to head coach Rex Ryan. The Pegulas were apparently unhappy with the style of play calling on offence through two weeks and were looking for confirmation of their concerns from within the locker room. Why their concern that morning did not include questions about the defensive game plan or execution is unknown. The reports say that after the player meetings, the owners then approached the head coach and suggested that offensive coordinator Greg Roman had to go. Ryan then announced a few hours later that he had decided to relieve Roman of his duties and that ownership was supportive of his decision. Ryan not only looks foolish for suggesting that the decision was his but he is obviously not currently not enjoying the confidence of ownership.
Since he retired from coaching after winning the Superbowl with the Steelers in 2005, Bills fans have been speculating, wondering and hoping that current CBS analyst Bill Cowher might return to coaching and that he might be interested in the Buffalo job. I am aware of absolutely no evidence of his interest in a return to coaching in the league generally or in the Bills job specifically but Bills fans have needed some kind of hope to hang on to as the team's playoff drought is about to reach 17 years. The CBS Thursday Night Football makeshift broadcast desk and crew of James Brown, Deion Sanders and Cowher was set up just below our seats at about the 25 yard line. We watched them go through their pre-game analysis between 8pm and kick-off 25 minutes later and when the game started, Cowher stood alone (mostly) on the sideline very intently watching the game, making the occasional note and receiving statistical updates from the production crew. He is a student of the game and would be welcomed in Buffalo if he ever were to want to coach the team but his current gig allows him more sleep, less stress and plenty of money.
With a new offensive coordinator, Anthony Lynn, now in place, the Bills prepare for the Arizona Cardinals who come to Orchard Park next weekend for the first time since 2008. The Cardinals are considered one of the top teams in the NFC, with a dominating defence and big play capability on offence. If the Bills can somehow pull off an upset, their season could be salvaged, especially with some key players returning from injury and suspension in another week or two. Maybe the Cardinals will look past Buffalo as they return to Phoenix to face the Rams in week 4. More likely is that the Pegulas will need to hold another secret player meeting a week from today.
The Bills season is now on the verge of disaster as the team faces a very likely 0-4 start with Arizona and New England on the schedule the next two weeks. The 1998 team went 0-3 and still made the playoffs but the chances of a turnaround seem slim now as turmoil surrounds the team. After an anemic offensive performance in week 1, week 2 saw an improvement in that area, aided by two long passing plays for touchdowns, but the Bills defence was completely stumped by the Jets and two key individuals who are both very familiar to Bills fans: journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Bills head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. On the night when Bruce Smith's number was retired at a halftime ceremony MC'd by ESPN's Chris Berman, the Jets piled up 493 yards of offence on Thursday night, including 374 yards through the air. The Bills secondary looked out-matched and confused by Gailey's game plan and Ryan Fitzpatrick looked like a top-ranked NFL quarterback.
Multiple reports suggest that the Bills owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, met privately with key Bills offensive players on Friday morning, unbeknownst to head coach Rex Ryan. The Pegulas were apparently unhappy with the style of play calling on offence through two weeks and were looking for confirmation of their concerns from within the locker room. Why their concern that morning did not include questions about the defensive game plan or execution is unknown. The reports say that after the player meetings, the owners then approached the head coach and suggested that offensive coordinator Greg Roman had to go. Ryan then announced a few hours later that he had decided to relieve Roman of his duties and that ownership was supportive of his decision. Ryan not only looks foolish for suggesting that the decision was his but he is obviously not currently not enjoying the confidence of ownership.
Since he retired from coaching after winning the Superbowl with the Steelers in 2005, Bills fans have been speculating, wondering and hoping that current CBS analyst Bill Cowher might return to coaching and that he might be interested in the Buffalo job. I am aware of absolutely no evidence of his interest in a return to coaching in the league generally or in the Bills job specifically but Bills fans have needed some kind of hope to hang on to as the team's playoff drought is about to reach 17 years. The CBS Thursday Night Football makeshift broadcast desk and crew of James Brown, Deion Sanders and Cowher was set up just below our seats at about the 25 yard line. We watched them go through their pre-game analysis between 8pm and kick-off 25 minutes later and when the game started, Cowher stood alone (mostly) on the sideline very intently watching the game, making the occasional note and receiving statistical updates from the production crew. He is a student of the game and would be welcomed in Buffalo if he ever were to want to coach the team but his current gig allows him more sleep, less stress and plenty of money.
With a new offensive coordinator, Anthony Lynn, now in place, the Bills prepare for the Arizona Cardinals who come to Orchard Park next weekend for the first time since 2008. The Cardinals are considered one of the top teams in the NFC, with a dominating defence and big play capability on offence. If the Bills can somehow pull off an upset, their season could be salvaged, especially with some key players returning from injury and suspension in another week or two. Maybe the Cardinals will look past Buffalo as they return to Phoenix to face the Rams in week 4. More likely is that the Pegulas will need to hold another secret player meeting a week from today.
Monday, 12 September 2016
Ravens 13, Bills 7
Earlier this year, I read an interview with Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas who had decided to speak publicly about the concussion related problems he has been having over the 15 years since his retirement from the NFL. His first public comments on the issue came at a concussion summit in Niagara Falls, Ontario in April. Thomas said that he does not discuss these problems with family or friends but decided to speak out in order to help the medical community better understand the condition that he shares with many former NFL players and to build awareness of the issue generally.
Thomas said that he suffers from frequent mood swings which have taken their toll on his family and friends. He also recounted an incident where he was driving home on a familiar route and, for a short time, he had no idea where he was or where he was going. Shortly afterward, he had an MRI done on his brain and his doctor described his frontal lobe as being similar to that of someone who fell off a house and landed on the front of his head. His condition is worsening and he's scared. His wife has decided that she no longer wants the couple's 14 year old son, who has already missed games from concussions, to continue playing football. His comments at the concussion forum included a statement that his going public with his story does not make him any less of a man, any less tough or any less loyal to the NFL. It was obvious that he had considered these questions carefully before speaking out.
I was saddened by this story. Thomas is a distinguished member of the Bills alumae, a resident of the Buffalo area and an active member of the community. As a running back, he certainly would have endured his share of hard hits but it seemed to me that his small stature and low centre of gravity allowed him to generally avoid serious hits to the head. But he played football since he he was a child growing up in Houston, then obviously played high school and college football at a high level before being drafted by the Bills in 1988. Those years of contact have now caught up with him and Thomas is now realizing that the game which made him relatively wealthy and famous (at least among football fans) is now seriously diminishing his quality of life.
As Rex Ryan entered his second training camp as Bills head coach, I was optimistic that the team, and the defence in particular, would benefit from the continuity of a returning coaching staff with the same systems and philosophy. But as the pre-season progressed, things began to unravel as a combination of injuries and substance abuse suspensions depleted the line-up. The Bills top two picks in April's draft are out with injuries - one of which is season ending. Two starters, stud defensive lineman Marcel Dareus and offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson, like to smoke marijuana apparently and have each received 4 game suspensions for positive tests. Without commenting on the appropriateness of the league's substance policies, they are the rules which are in place and they are well known to players. Perhaps they could have followed the rules rather than leaving their team short-handed. There's plenty of time to get high after football.
These stories provided the back-drop for yesterday's regular season opener in Baltimore and I must admit that I was not feeling particularly optimistic about the team's fortunes or about the long term viability of the NFL as the most dominant force in North American professional sports. But I tuned in anyway, leaving the critically important Blue Jays baseball game to be watched only on commercial breaks from the Bills game. It was a ridiculously frustrating game to watch as the offense sputtered badly and penalties took their toll. The Bills were unable to stop the Ravens running game when it mattered most - near the end of the game - and opened the season with a loss in a game where they played well enough to win. But in the NFL, I think almost every team plays well enough to win 10 games.
Maybe a short week is what the team needs to get back on track as the 0-1 Jets come to Orchard Park on Thursday night. We're leaving Toronto after lunch but I will be sure to get a nap in on Wednesday as we won't be home until probably 3am.
Thomas said that he suffers from frequent mood swings which have taken their toll on his family and friends. He also recounted an incident where he was driving home on a familiar route and, for a short time, he had no idea where he was or where he was going. Shortly afterward, he had an MRI done on his brain and his doctor described his frontal lobe as being similar to that of someone who fell off a house and landed on the front of his head. His condition is worsening and he's scared. His wife has decided that she no longer wants the couple's 14 year old son, who has already missed games from concussions, to continue playing football. His comments at the concussion forum included a statement that his going public with his story does not make him any less of a man, any less tough or any less loyal to the NFL. It was obvious that he had considered these questions carefully before speaking out.
I was saddened by this story. Thomas is a distinguished member of the Bills alumae, a resident of the Buffalo area and an active member of the community. As a running back, he certainly would have endured his share of hard hits but it seemed to me that his small stature and low centre of gravity allowed him to generally avoid serious hits to the head. But he played football since he he was a child growing up in Houston, then obviously played high school and college football at a high level before being drafted by the Bills in 1988. Those years of contact have now caught up with him and Thomas is now realizing that the game which made him relatively wealthy and famous (at least among football fans) is now seriously diminishing his quality of life.
As Rex Ryan entered his second training camp as Bills head coach, I was optimistic that the team, and the defence in particular, would benefit from the continuity of a returning coaching staff with the same systems and philosophy. But as the pre-season progressed, things began to unravel as a combination of injuries and substance abuse suspensions depleted the line-up. The Bills top two picks in April's draft are out with injuries - one of which is season ending. Two starters, stud defensive lineman Marcel Dareus and offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson, like to smoke marijuana apparently and have each received 4 game suspensions for positive tests. Without commenting on the appropriateness of the league's substance policies, they are the rules which are in place and they are well known to players. Perhaps they could have followed the rules rather than leaving their team short-handed. There's plenty of time to get high after football.
These stories provided the back-drop for yesterday's regular season opener in Baltimore and I must admit that I was not feeling particularly optimistic about the team's fortunes or about the long term viability of the NFL as the most dominant force in North American professional sports. But I tuned in anyway, leaving the critically important Blue Jays baseball game to be watched only on commercial breaks from the Bills game. It was a ridiculously frustrating game to watch as the offense sputtered badly and penalties took their toll. The Bills were unable to stop the Ravens running game when it mattered most - near the end of the game - and opened the season with a loss in a game where they played well enough to win. But in the NFL, I think almost every team plays well enough to win 10 games.
Maybe a short week is what the team needs to get back on track as the 0-1 Jets come to Orchard Park on Thursday night. We're leaving Toronto after lunch but I will be sure to get a nap in on Wednesday as we won't be home until probably 3am.
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