We — meaning the country, the Western Hemisphere, yes, the world — completed the celebration and culmination of our national pastime.
I’m not referring to a weekend marathon of TV reality shows that could have begun with Duck Dynasty, included NBA, NFL, MLB and Mob Boss Wives, stretched into Survivor, Pawn Kings, The Governor’s Wife and ended with Swamp People.
No, I’m talking about the Super Bowl — the off-Broadway show that was the Broncos and Seahawks at the Meadowlands in New Jersey (New York) and all that was with SB No. 48.
Louisiana’s own Peyton Manning and the greatest line of scrimmage showmen in the history of pro football brought down the curtains on yet another NFL season that somehow, someway, topped the drama and headlines of BountyGate that took center stage in 2012.
The NFL story lines and subplots of 2013 ran the gamut from alleged murders, arrests, locker room bullying, player safety, racial slurs, wild-eyed post-game rants, concussion lawsuits, a rise in knee injuries, empty seats on Sundays, P. Manning’s record year, the Legion of Boom and the annual culling of head coaches.
I’ll get back to the Super Bowl in a bit. I’m just amazed the NFL continues to find ways to entertain, confuse and concern us year in and year out, both on and off the field.
The story line commissioner Roger Goodell had to dread finally hit the national spotlight when one of the league’s premier players was accused of and arrested for murder.
Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had a reputation of an edgy side coming out of the University of Florida, but this was over the top. There were allegations of gang ties from his home town, drugs, guns and murder. Hernandez, who’d just signed a long-term, multi-million dollar contract with the Patriots, sits in jail awaiting trial for the alleged shooting and killing of the man who was dating a family member — a friend and semi-pro football player from the Boston area.
The dark, ugly and seamy side of life rocked one of the league’s premier teams and put the NFL in the media hot box again for its lingering issues with guns and violence. It’s been nearly 15 years since this level of crime has been connected to the NFL.
Former Carolina Panthers receiver Rae Carruth remains imprisoned for plotting to have, and then having, his then-pregnant girlfriend shot and killed while following her home one night outside of Charlotte.
The NFL owns no particular blame for Hernandez or Carruth. Evil and murder have no bounds or barriers in society. I think the league has been surprisingly spared from these kinds of tragedies.
The case of Miami Dolphins offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin was and still is a head-stretcher.
The NFL’s tough man locker room culture was sliced open and revealed for all to see and it wasn’t pretty for the uninitiated. Incognito, already cast off by several teams for troublesome actions, was told by the Dolphins to “toughen up” the soft-spoken Martin. Despite being a friend and line-mate, Incognito sent countless texts to Martin filled with profanity and racial slurs. (Incognito is white, Martin is black).
The harshness and actions by the veteran Incognito shocked even hardened coaches, and current and retired players alike. The bullying tactics stretched to forcing Martin, then a rookie, to pay for a rumored $30,000 dinner. Most NFL rookies don’t have deep enough pockets to handle that; it’s surely out of line at any pay scale.
The NFL and Goodell had to answer some probing questions about right and wrong and about bullying among 300-pound men, fear and intimidation. The Dolphins were investigated. Incognito was released by Miami. Martin left the team and is considering lawsuits. And the media labeled things and maybe jumped to some incorrect conclusions.
Recently, 40 or more of Incognito’s text messages were released, along with Martin’s responses. They do shed a different light on the situation. It seems Martin was still friendly and supportive of Incognito throughout his return texts.
We in the media venture into some locker rooms for short post-game interviews, but you really know nothing of that side of sports behind closed doors unless you played the game at that level and lived it. The thought that “boys will be boys,” and the notion of just fighting it out to settle the score, no longer work after one hears what Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter said about the Miami affair. Carter warned that swapping a few punches was the way 20 years ago, but nowadays players carry guns, and if things get out of control, it could lead to bullets flying instead of fists.
Use of the N-word came to light with the Incognito story along with the case of Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper, who was caught on a cell phone video using the racial slur while drunk at a concert. The story forced the NFL to once again confront race relations in the league, and players around the NFL responded.
Cooper remained with the Eagles and had a banner year. But the issues of actions, words, black and white were again front and center.
Player safety has been the buzz phrase for the past two seasons, and it’s referenced during every game and seemingly every series. Rule changes and tackling tweaks left defenders unclear of where to hit somebody.
Go too high around the helmet and you were flagged for head shots on defenseless players. Go too low toward the knees and you ran the risk of putting the player down with a knee injury. Referees went flag happy, especially on hits to the quarterback. (That doesn’t apply to the much-talked-about high hit to Saints quarterback Drew Brees late in the game against the 49ers. It was a good call and it kept the eventual winning drive alive.)
(Sidebar — This was one of the worst years in officiating. The refs blew an inordinate number of critical calls this season. Think Chargers-Chiefs field goal and 49ers hit punter in the NFC title game.)
There was a significant jump in knee injuries this season. Every week it seemed every team had six to seven players on injured reserve with knee or ankle problems. There are theories that the new collective bargaining agreement with the players union limited the amount of practices and contact work, which in turn created the increase in knee issues.
That argument seems counter-intuitive to me. Fewer hits in practice should keep body parts healthier. But there’s no denying the importance of being in “football shape.”
I’m all for player safety and reducing the incidence of traumatizing head shots and not having players wobbling to the sidelines looking like zombies. But the calls and flags have been a bit overboard. I hate to say this, but the league may have to opt for more replays on so-called head shots.
Concussions and their after-effects are being litigated in the courts even after the NFL and the players union agreed to a $765 million lawsuit settlement. A federal court judge won’t sign off on the deal, and is holding up medical and treatment dollars for needy players.
I know it’s a boatload of money, but I think the NFL got off easy. Legal experts believed the league was looking at a billion plus in damages, but the players side felt they didn’t have time to wait out a trial that could have lasted for years with appeals.
They were right, as injured players and their families need help now.
Hall of Fame Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett appeared on our local sports show “Soundoff 60” last spring. He admitted to serious memory and related health problems from the many concussions he suffered during his long career. Packers great Bret Favre and Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath are the latest to admit to concussion-related problems.
It’s real and it will only get worst. But the Dorsetts, Favres and Namaths of the league have the financial wherewithal to deal with the problems. Hundreds of not-so-fortunate ex-players do not. They need that $765 million now.
Goodell and the 32owners can handle the lawsuit settlement because there’s no stopping the money-making and marketing machine that is the NFL. The league generates upwards of $5 billion a year. But there may be a kink in the juggernaut’s armor.
It seems that not every stadium is selling out every Thursday, Sunday or Monday night.
The empty seats are not only in Jacksonville, St. Louis and Minnesota, even though they are prime suspects in any relocation talk. Non-sellouts are a league-wide problem. It came to the forefront during the wildcard playoff round, when several games, including Green Bay (Holy CheeseHead), came close to local blackouts because of slow ticket sales.
Goodell put a smiley face on the playoff problem, saying it was the team and league’s fault, and not due to the fans’ lack of support.
The NFL has to finally wake up and realize many fans can’t afford or justify spending upwards of $500 (and that’s a conservative estimate) for a family of four to go the stadium. In Goodell’s State of the League address before the Super Bowl, he talked about technological advances that have made the “home viewing experience” of NFL games hard to pass up.
The commissioner has an answer and reply for most anything, so that’s why the owners pay him $30 million a year.
Goodell and his trusted staff of hundreds will study ways to enhance the “stadium experience.” It seems stadium safety for families and unruly fan conduct are major concerns. I’ve seen and read of the problems through media reports from Philadelphia, Buffalo, San Francisco and Oakland. There are hot spots around the league for drunken behavior and violence.
It’s a real and viable threat. I won’t take my kids to an NFL or college game if I know there are safety issues. But in a city that can party from dusk to dawn, I’ve never had any problems or concerns while attending Saints games in New Orleans.
I’m strictly talking about the SuperDome. Beyond those confines, I’m not sure. But I’m not one to take my kids to Bourbon Street either.
The NFL kept me on my toes in 2013.
There wasn’t a Sunday that went by without my learning of a new rule or scenario that required an NFL PhD to explain. I lost count of the times I muttered to anyone listening, “that’s the first time I saw that happen.”
Not all was bad and frightful this season. Peyton Manning, one of the league’s many good guys (and there are many, believe it or not), had a record-breaking year at 37 and after four neck surgeries that could have ended his career a few years ago.
Manning set a new NFL single season standard by breaking Drew Brees’ records for passing yards (5,477 yards) and touchdown passes (55).
The ascent of the NFL’s new breed of young quarterbacks in Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, Colin Kapernik and Nick Foles continued. Some amazing game comebacks and final weekend playoff scenarios had 12 to 13 teams still in post-season contention. That’s probably why Goodell is pushing for an expansion to 14 teams in the playoffs and why I’m vehemently against it. Stay with what works, and that’s 12.
As I work my way toward the Super Bowl, Seattle’s Richard Sherman kicked-started the pre-game hype with his NFC championship post-game rant on Fox. You’ve all seen or heard it: Sherman’s wide-eyed, passion-filled proclamation that he was the best and the 49ers shouldn’t test him with a mediocre receiver like Michael Crabtree.
It was a tad over the top from sideline to podium. But I saw nothing in Sherman’s antics to prompt the national upheaval that followed. Sherman isn’t a thug, punk or bad role model. He’s an emotional and explosive personality who’s smart, articulate and motivated by excellence. Nothing wrong with that.
Excellence in all phases of the game is how Seattle put a total beat down on the Denver Broncos to the tune of 43-8 for the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship.
How wrong was I to think Manning’s vast experience and defensive recognition would carry Denver’s top-rated offense over Seattle’s No. 1-ranked defense?
There was no “Omaha” or game changing audibles for Manning. He saw his receivers well covered or taking too long to get open, which led to his getting hit or throwing interceptions. After falling behind 22-0 at the half, which included a safety on the very first play of the game, Denver was clearly dominated physically on both lines and by the Seahawks’ super secondary.
How ironic was it in this offense-controlled league that a defense, the first to lead the NFL in yards allowed, scoring defense and turnovers since the 1985 Chicago Bears, rose up and proved that defense can win championships?
It was both shocking and sad to see Manning so frustrated, humiliated and confounded by a lightning fast and Herculean strong Seahawks defense — one that led the league with 39 turnovers in the regular season and collected four more in the championship game.
Manning left no doubt that he will return for his 17th season, and vowed that this crushing defeat will fuel his team to work harder and be better in 2014.
There’s also no doubt that the Seahawks, with an average age of 26 and a half, and with every starter signed to contracts, has shifted the power of the NFC to the Northwest.
Seattle, known for its SuperSonic booms, is now Super Bowl champ. There will be 31 other teams around the league trying to figure out how to overcome an unyielding force on the field — and their 12th man off the field as well.
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