Monday, February 02, 2015

The Patriots by 4 points. Both teams played their best game. The Seahawks got a little too desperate at the end,but, I or anyone else can't really make that call.

The half-time show was oddly interesting. I guess I prefer award winning college bands. Never got used to all that fancy stuff. Katie Perry did a first rate job. She took risks to perform for everyone. A million things could have gone wrong.

I know it is a lot to ask, but, what if all the fantastic stuff were to end and half time was a band, would the tickets be less expensive to allow the actual fans into the stadium without a taking out a second mortgage?

I changed stations right after the game ended and QVC was already selling Patriot - NFL merchandise. But, not to be undone was the commercial for NFL merchandise that included a package of scarf, shirt, hat and Blue-ray. Amazing. It is a bit disappointing to realize merchandizing football has become the way to remember the game. I always thought it was conversation and good friends.

I suppose I am old fashioned.

I noticed something. The players were lean and mean. The more weight they carry the more velocity their collisions and falls carry. Muscles support the rest of the body and when they are strong and at the same time supple, injuries can be minimized and possibly avoided. They appeared to be well practiced on falling and rolling with the velocity of their own bodies. That is very smart. I was impressed. Someone took a sincere interest in trying to end the profound pounding others have taken to bring the sport to the pinnacle it had on February 1, 2015.

When their bodies are allowed to roll rather than pound the ground it disperses the energy of their movements. There are many non-impact sports that see athletes move and turn and even sometimes fall (I am thinking of gymnastics.), but, they don't have the problem with brain injury the way American football players do.

My personal opinion is that a bit block to protect teeth can also act as a shock absorber. The idea is to use the energy of the fall or collision to allow it to dissipate in other parts of the body, ground, ball and/or equipment. With all the sports medicine and research that exists today, I would think the body mechanics of falling and collision is a science by now. From what I saw on many an occasion yesterday the rules could also push a greater safety margin without impeding the game. 

I stopped watching football a long time ago. I think it was the Redskins and not Green Bay, when they became bone breakers and it was all legal, it was no longer a sport to me. Superbowl XLIX was a good game. I thought the players did well.

The rookie Malcolm Butler won the game. It was interesting to watch him first nearly lose it only to turn around to win it. He is a very serious player, even after the win he was more serious than I would expect. He should have a great future. 

The bar room brawl at the end of the game only proves there is little sportsmanship in the game. That is unfortunate. Football is still a game. It is not the life blood of national security or the primary support of the working class as the car industry has become. I don't mean to bring embarrassment to the NFL, I think they want to put out a good product. But, the it is still a game and to that end lies the safety of the players and the longevity of it.

If I were the CEO of the NFL, I'd insist the players that turned the football field into a hockey arena be fined to never repeat it. Fights can cause concussion too. If investment in body mechanics research and the willingness of the players to accept better methods of falling and colliding, then why compromise them with poor tempers? Sportmanship is important.