American football

Yeah - if you're allowed back from that, then there's clearly no protocol.

I'd love to see the Pack win another one.

I actually know ONE person who lives in Green Bay - he's Philippino-Hawaiian and is a massive Cowboys fan. I'm not convinced that statistically speaking, he actually exists in Green Bay.

Ha. I thought everyone in Green Bay was born on the waiting list for Lambeau Field.

He moved there from Hawaii via Boston which where he and I knew each other. Grew up as a Cowboys fan because the Cowboys were always on the better/later TV slots and Hawaii time zones.

That makes sense. As someone who supports the Pack but has never been closer than Chicago, I guess I shouldn't judge!

One for @cornelius_blackfoot

Nick Chubb warming up before a high school track meet

Did they drop him out of a chopper??

His NFL combine score was a 38.5" on the vertical leap. (98cm)

https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?f=Nick&l=Chubb&i=27055

So, yes then.

Nuts.

Yeah. The athletes in the NFL are complete freaks. Even the guys who don't make it are really in the very top percentile of US athletic performance. The number of O and D linemen that can dunk would surprise you.

Conference finals tonight, I’m going chiefs and packers, but I wouldn’t be upset if the bills got the win would be upset if the bucs got one over the packers. My irrational dislike of Brady’s constant winning won’t abate.

I’ve been reading up on the coaching and gm hires this season and I’m underwhelmed by the owners/decision makers lack of diversity hires. Not sure why I thought this season would be better, but I held out hope some of the more prominent black candidates would get a chance.
Suppose it’s slightly better that the coaching cycle isn’t dominated by old white coaches getting another go, but still disappointing that the trend of hiring young white coaches continues, whether they have co-ordinator experience or not. Feels like one status quo has been replaced by another and black coaches trying for an opportunity, with more experience than their white counterparts (either as assistants, coaches or co-ordinators) are still stuck on the outside looking in..

Well at least you are not a fan of the Texans and have to live with that trainwreck. This offseason is going to suck.

On another note, am I the only who is slightly cynical about the fact that Mahomes has been cleared to play in tonight’s game? Wonder if it had been a regular season game if he would have sat out? Do players usually get back to the field this quickly?

Obviously it’ll be a better contest with Mahomes under center than the back up, but makes you wonder how independent the concussion protocol is currently.

Am I right in thinking that rugby has a two week protocol?

Yeah I’ve been reading about Jack easterby and if I was deshaun I’d want out of that situation as well.

If the nfl has shown any owner anything it’s that giving a head coach gm responsibilities shouldn’t be a thing.

Yeah. Cal McNair inherited the team from his father who was a very successful energy company founder. This is one of those cases where the son is not cut of the same cloth as his father. Organisation is a mess and the desire to build around offcasts from the Patriots is just bad long term. Look at the large number of failed head coaches that were Belicheck's assistants. Fans are going to go apeshit if Watson leaves. Myself included.

Honestly I was half expecting a contraversial return to the game last week if necessary. Obviously CTE has been a massive hotbed issue for the league, which is why the current 5 step protocol exists. In theory he's assessed by an 'independent' neurologist at every stage of return to participation. Obviously the league has enough history that I think it is absolutely right to be cynical about the balance between 'protect the shield' in liability terms, and 'protect the shield' in $$ terms. No doubt exacerbated by the fact that Mahomes will, I'm sure, be adamant that he is okay to play.

Full details are here

In theory, I'm sure it is more than feasible that his cognitive activity has 'returned to baseline' after doing all of these things this week. With no apparent loss of consciousness he could very realistically be absolutely fine with a week off. Particularly as, as a quarterback none of his football activity in practice will involve taking any contact whatsoever.

I guess it becomes an even trickier case of risk management at the QB position, as frequency of contact is much lower than any other position, but impact on the game of removal more significant.

If the nfl has shown any owner anything it’s that giving a head coach gm responsibilities shouldn’t be a thing.

Almost as though a single person isn't capable of completing the duties of 2x 100+ an hour a week jobs simultaneously!

Yeah belichick is a law unto himself and I’m not sure any of his assistants who have been made head coaches have done anything substantial? The belichick coaching tree doesn’t have any branches as far as I can see.
Still unsure how matt Patricia lasted so long in Detroit.

BoB until the wheels fell off? He beat Bill and Brady in 2019. The Josh McD penny has to drop eventually - that'll be the interesting one to see.

Like Corny I'm going Packers and Chiefs today, with the GB result mattering more. Hyped.

Packers & Bills.

Yeah until he became gm O’Brien was decent. Not sure McDaniels will ever leave New England, though he may be waiting for belichick to retire and leave him the job.

I think after this season he's got to be more likely to take an attractive job that comes up than when he bailed on Indy!

I want Pack/Bills today. I'd love an old nemesis Bills v Brady narrative though. And as distasteful as it is, as a sports fan imagine if Brady can seamlessly transition to another team and still instantly rack up another SB. That would be exciting to see.

The hopeless romantic in me wants to see Gronkowski, take a Brady 35 yd pass one-handed, bounce off two covering Safeties and trundle in for the game winning touchdown on a 6 minute 98 yard Bucs drive, with 3 seconds left on the clock, becoming the most post-season touchdown combination.

Christ. That first drive tore through us