Profiles in media idiocy: Drew Sharp and the 2 point field goal

I try to ignore the Freep's resident contrarian and in-house hack Drew Sharp, but I had to post my thoughts after he unleashed another gem of a column. The latest piece de ridiculousness is his suggestion for an NFL rules change.

The league is constantly tweaking the rules, such as charging defensive backs with assault and battery for looking at a wide receiver the wrong way. But the NFL Competition Committee should seriously consider making a field goal of fewer than 30 yards worth two points instead of three.

I stopped reading after that paragraph, as I was choking on laughter.

Now that I've regained my composure, I have 2 thoughts about Sharp's proposal.

1. On a list of 100 problems the NFL has, the worth of a chip shot field goal is number 569. The NFL has several serious problems they need to tackle (from reducing head injuries to improving officiating) instead of worrying over piss ant complaints over games being decided by gimme field goals.

If Sharp seriously feels NFL rules changes are needed, how about championing this instead? Have a rule deciding once and for fucking all what exactly is a catch and not a catch. Eliminate the gray area so Mike Pereira is put out of the job. Enough of the "process of the catch" bullshit. Stab the "process" in the heart, kill it with fire and throw it on the same smoldering trash pile as Matt Millen's GM career. 

2. 

There's no such thing as NFL commentary anymore. It's nothing but so much noise

(STEPS ON SOAPBOX)

I'm going to be blunt. I'm tired. Not of blogging in general or writing about actual, God honest news. But I am tired of bullshit. And there's been entirely too much of it as of late.

The past 2 weeks of over-the-top hype, then vast amounts of post Super Bowl reaction, have sent me over the edge. I'm glad football season is over. Not just Glad. I'm THRILLED.

If anything could make me actively despise the game of football, it's the 2 weeks of media buildup to the Super Bowl. It was beyond exhausting. I'm still trying to shake off a post NFL season hangover.

It comes down to this. I love the game itself. I love those 3 hours (or 4, if we're talking college ball) when action is taking place...on the field. But I'm up to here with the off field crap. There's just so damn much of it. Too much of it in today's 24/7/365 social media-fied news cycle.

9 1/2 hours of pregame shows leading up to the Super Bowl is the definition of wretched excess. When it comes to TV coverage of the NFL, and specifically the Super Bowl, too much isn't just not enough, it's just getting started.

I don't care about Rob Gronkowski's porn star girl friend, even if the media finds her attention whoring on Twitter fascinating. 

If Gisele Bundchen thinks her husband's teammates are a bunch of stone-handed stiffs, I don't want to hear it. Yet her off hand remarks are front page news.

Massholes railing against one of the best QB's in NFL history because he lost a Super Bowl is facepalm worthy.

Even worse is ESPN's overpaid hack of a columnist Rick Reilly calling the Pats the "Washington Generals." Never has someone been paid so much...with nothing of relevance to say.

The next time I hear Robert Irsay and Peyton Manning are having a pissing match via dueling newspaper columns, it'll be one time too many. Shut the fuck up and talk about your differences in private.

I don't want to read another mock draft for at least a couple of months. Draftniks are on my list.

Did you hear Ndamukong Suh stomped on a player? The media thinks they are being clever every time they bring it up. It's not clever, it's hackneyed.

Save for the new Jamie and Wojo show on WXYT-FM (they've been missed), sports talk radio can die in a fire. The callers need to be first in line to be covered in flames.

So what if M.I.A. flipped off the nation during halftime? Regardless of the tsk-tsking in the media, was it really that big of a deal? I'd wager 99% of those watching the game didn't even notice.

Time for Peter King and his Sports Illustrated MMQB column to take a long break. I just didn't have the energy to read his post Super Bowl piece. For the most part, it's the same shit, different game. Actually, same goes for every other damn mainstream media NFL "expert." Season's over, go the fuck away.

I'm sorry, but some journeyman receiver in Denver getting popped for a DUI isn't huge news, even if his license plates read "SAUCED." Dumb? Yes. News? Barely a ripple.

The problem is the NFL has gotten so good at keeping themselves above the fold as the lead story, any and all football news is considered to a DEFCON 1 style alert.

It's not.

The NFL media world needs more beat writers who do the down and dirty reporting, and less of the Skip Bayless talking head morons, who do...well, nothing but make painful, useless, white fucking noise.

It feels as if the media's race to the bottom has been won. But there are no real winners.

We NFL fans are the losers.

(STEPS OFF SOAPBOX)

TWFE app review: Verizon's NFL Mobile app for Android, featuring the NFL Network

As I'm sure you are well aware, TWFE is a football blog, not a gadget review site. In fact, I find most the majority of tech bloggers more than a little smug and annoying with their "if you aren't using the latest and greatest Apple product you're a lesser being and all around Luddite" attitude.

But I do love technology and messing around with gadgets. So when Verizon and the NFL offered me an opportunity to play with an Android smartphone running an exclusive mobile app, I jumped at it. For the past week, I've been using Verizon's NFL Mobile app for Android on a Pantech Breakout 4G phone running Honeycomb.

As usuful as any NFL mobile app will be to a football fan, Verizon's version of the app has a killer feature: Live streaming video from the NFL Network. Killer, as long as you can tolerate watching the likes of Steve Mariucci, Warren Sapp and Dieon Sanders over your smartphone. Sacrifices must be made for the sake of advancing technology...

Verizon streamed NBC's Super Bowl broadcast live via the app as well.
 

I played with the mobile app extensively during the Super Bowl, putting it through it's paces, taking a screenshots along the way. My thoughts, and a video review of Verizon's NFL Mobile app, are after the jump.

Awards season: Justice is served...sort of. Matthew Stafford wins NFL Comback Player of the Year award

Despite having one of the best passing seasons in NFL history and leading a moribund franchise to the post season for the first time in 12 seasons, Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford had been left out in the cold when it came to post season accolades. The worst snub being missing out on the Pro Bowl...not that Stafford missed much, as it was the most embarrassing All-Star game, in any sport, in recent memory.

But there was one award Lions fans thought to be a near lock for the 3rd year player, NFL Comeback Player of the Year. But as deserving as Stafford was, it wasn't the slam dunk most believed it would be. The point was driven home when Rich Gannon was interviewed on Sirius/XM, and announced he voted for Niners quarterback Alex Smith.

My first response to Gannon's vote?

I automatically assume EVERY member of the media is a trol.

After hearing about Gannon's ridiculous vote, fans hoping for Stafford to receive some sort of acknowledgement for his breakout season prepared for another Detroit athlete to be ignored for his accomplishments by the national media.

They need not have worried.

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press:

Stafford was rewarded for his health and his amazing season Saturday when he was voted Associated Press comeback player of the year. He received 21 out of 50 possible votes.

Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson finished second with 15 votes, followed by 49ers quarterback Alex Smith and Panthers receiver Steve Smith.

Honestly, I'm surprised the voting was that close. Stafford was that dominant this season. Unfortunately, with the comeback player voting not really having any set standards, voters are left to interpet voting rules for themselves. 

Dominant performances such as this against the Panthers became the norm
for Stafford after recovering from his fractured finger.

Regardless of the somewhat mixed voting results, I'm thrilled Stafford won. He deserved to be recognized some way, some how, for the best season long performance by a young quarterback since Dan Marino in 1984. Not a soul can say the award wasn't warranted.

I just hope Stafford isn't ever in contention for comeback player ever again.

Another Lion also won an award tonight, though it's, to be blunt, pretty damn lame.

Once again, Birkett of the Freep:

Lions receiver Calvin Johnson also was honored Saturday as the NFL.com Fantasy Player of the Year.

Uh...OK. Never heard of it, sounds awfully contrived and don't really care, but good on Megatron. (Johnson wasn't at the ceremony to accept his "award," which says it all as to it's true validity...none)

If you can't believe Lions players won honest to God NFL awards, and need to see it with your own eyes, NBC will be broadcasting the presentation on tape delay 9PM Saturday night.

Jahvid Best's career in jeopardy, Lions may be preparing to move on

Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL. Some injuries are just a nuisance. Others can force a player to miss a game or games, even a full season. But all too often, injuries in the NFL can send a player on a new career path. Concussions tend to fall into the latter injury category. You never fully recover from a head injury, which is actually a polite way of saying "brain damage."

All of which leads us to the Lions' own Jahvid Best.

The Best era in Detroit may be ending more prematurely than anyone honestly believed.

Despite Best saying “I’ll definitely be back” a few weeks ago, it's become harder and harder to buy into it. In fact, the Lions themselves aren't. They may be ready to play the 2012 season without their 2010 draft 1st round pick on the roster.

Apparently the Lions were interviewing running backs at this past weekend's Senior Bowl, the most reported name being Boise State RB Doug Martin. But Martin wasn't the only one.

Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive:

The Lions interviewed Washington running back Chris Polk, Ohio State running back Daniel Herron and Martin during this week's Senior Bowl in Mobile.

So it looks more and more as if the Lions will be on the prowl for running back help in the upcoming draft, round to be determined by Martin Mayhew's "draft the best available player, regardless of position" philosophy.

Sad to say, I don't blame the Lions one bit in preparing for a worst case scenario in regard to Best. The Lions' leading rusher is dealing with the after effects of his 3rd concussion in 3 seasons, 2 within a 3 month period this past season. One concussion is bad enough. Multiple concussions suffered within a short time frame can ultimately send you not just out of the NFL, but into an early grave.

No team or fan would want that on shoulders. Not in these more enlightened days, anyway. There's far too many former NFL players with brain damage already, I would never want Best to join their unfortunate ranks.

It would be a damn shame for Best's career to come to an unceremonious end due to injuries...but at least he would be clear headed and healthy enough to reminisce about his short time in the NFL.

I sincerely hope Best has a long and productive career, and the Lions are only being overly-cautious. But after all we know about concussions, would you honestly bet on it happening?

Me neither.

Lions Congregation: Reflections

Roar of the Lions hosts the Lions Congregation, a weekly roundtable featuring those of us in the Lions blogosphere answering questions supplied by both Joshua (aka DetFan1979) and readers of the congregation. If all goes well, the Q & A goes live every Friday evening.

Click here to see the the "Reflections" post at Roar of the Lions.

This week: The Lions Congregation pick their favorite game and plays of the 2011 season. Mine are as follows...

What was your favorite game of the season to watch?

I could say it was the win over the Chiefs, as I suddenly realized I was watching a playoff contender destroy a 2010 playoff team. I was tempted to say the victory over the Broncos in Denver, just because of the destruction of TEBOW. I could go with one of the ridiculous comeback wins over the Vikings, Cowboys, Panthers and Raiders, and it wouldn't raise anyone's eyebrows.

But I have to go with the victory over the Chargers, for one reason only. The win clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time in 12 years (though it felt more like 12 decades). The Lions were at home, the offense was clicking, Matthew Stafford was playing the elite QB we all hoped he'd become, the defense had been playing better (for a couple of weeks, anyway) and no one wanted to see them have to win in Green Bay in order to make the playoffs. So going into the game it just felt as if the result was fait accompli. The Lions were going to win. No doubt about it.

Despite the Chargers having a talented team, the game wasn't really in question. The Lions beat the Bolts 38-10, and the team got to celebrate with a formerly suffering, now deliriously happy, fan base. All was well in the world for a few hours.

You cannot ask from more than that from a victory.

What were your 3 favorite plays of the season?

3.  Late in the Chargers win, Cliff Avril picked off Phillip Rivers and strolled into the end zone from 4 yards out for spectacular pick 6. The leaping, one-handed interception set off a huge celebration, as the score essentially cliched a playoff spot.

2.  My favorite offensive play of the season was Calvin Johnson catching a 6-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford with 39 seconds left against the Raiders, finishing off a beyond clutch 98-yard drive. The hopes and dreams of a playoff season were on the line, and the Lions came through in a way we couldn't have imagined a few years ago. All I could do was channel Vin Scully and say, "I can't believe what I just saw!"

1. This is my favorite play of the season, period. The Lions are in Oakland, up by one with under 0:20 left. The Raiders are driving, kicker Sebastian Janikowski is warming up his All-Pro leg on the sidelines. Carson Palmer drops back to pass, and every fan on the planet thinks the Raiders will drive deep enough into Lions' territory to give Janikowski a very reasonable shot at a game winning field goal. In Jankowski's case, anything within 55 yards can be considered reasonable.

But Avril roars in from left end, drops an axe handle on the quarterback (nearly forcing a fumble) and sacks Palmer with 0:13 on the clock. The Raiders run one more play (an incomplete sideline pass) and ultimately settle for a 65 yard field goal attempt, which Ndamukong Suh blocks. Lions win, have a 9-5 record and get an inside track on a playoff spot!

If Avril doesn't sack Palmer, all sort of bad things happen. Janikowski is likely trying a kick that's at least 10 yards shorter. He doesn't have to drill the ball low to get max distance, making it that much harder to block. With that in mind, odds are he makes the kick, beating the Lions. How does the season plays out if the Lions don't win the game? I'm thinking the season just may have ended badly.

But it didn't, much in thanks Avril's game saving sack.

If you'd like to submit a question, please send it to: lionscongregation@yahoo.com

As always, to read what the rest of the Lions blogosphere has to say, head over to Roar of the Lions!

The Hair speaks: Kiper has Lions taking 1st round linebacker, thinks Denard Robinson is a great WR

Mel Kiper, the original NFL draftnik, now ESPN mouthpiece, has posted his first 2012 mock draft.

Before I go forward, let me remind you I hate mock drafts (even more so when they are posted in January insetead of April), and find the heavily coiffed Kiper more of a used car salesman type and master self-promoter than "NFL expert." But when he talks draft, for better or worse, people listen (mostly due to his ESPN bully pulpit). Meaning I have to write about him, even if I find the whole "draftnik" thing incomprehensible.

I'm an EXPERT on judging 20 year old kids.

As always, Kiper's stuff is on ESPN Insider (aka the only way ESPN can to force readers to subscribe to their eye blisteringly bad magazine). So who does Kiper have the Lions selecting with the 23rd overall pick?

Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Detroit again will go into the 2012 season with perhaps the best front four in the NFL. Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz calculated well that the secondary would make strides after being such a weakness in previous seasons. Where the Lions could use help is at linebacker, and Brown would be a good fit. Brown has great instincts as a rangy tackler, and he has a lot of speed and can run with tight ends. I certainly can see the Lions looking for help on the offensive line at this spot, but if a top tackle doesn't fall to them here, Brown makes sense.

Uh...whatever.

Please remember Kiper's mock is posted before any of the college all-star games, the NFL combine, college pro day workouts, possible injuries and his changing his mind because. well, he's "MEL KIPER, DRAFT EXPERT."

Word to the wise; there's been 2 ESPN mocks, 2 different players projected to be selected on different sides of the ball (Kiper protege Todd McShay has the Lions taking a running back). A consensus, this is not.

Also keep in mind Lions GM Martin Mayhew is on record saying he will continue to draft the best player available, regardless of position...which pretty much blows what Kiper and McShay have to say 3 months before the draft out of the water. 

How silly has this draftnik crap become? On Twitter, Dave Birkett, the Freep's Lions beat writer, posted this gem from today's Kiper teleconfrence:

Really? A career quarterback who has never played wide receiver is the highest rated player at the positon? OK...

If Robinson does end up a wide out (and I admit it is a likely scenario, being his talents don't fit the NFL QB norm), it's not going to happen untill after the end of the 2012 season, as he's Michigan's best damn QB and a Heisman candidate as well. Regardless, Kiper believes Robinson is going to be a 1st round pick, as you would expect of the highest rated player at a skill position...again, a position he has NEVER played at a high level.

That strategy sure worked out well for the Panthers and Matt Jones, didn't it?

Housekeeping: Stop SOPA and PIPA

This is a non NFL/Detroit Lions post, but please bear with me.

You may have noticed I create a ton of internet content by my involvement with my own site, TWFE, along with Bless You Boys, The Bless You Boys Podcast and The Knee Jerks Podcast. Which is why the ongo