NFL 2012 Season Preview- Part 1- Introduction to the Game

The NFL Season is upon us and not a moment too soon! As a New Zealander it may come as a surprise that the NFL is my favourite sport to watch. I happened to catch game on ESPN when I was 13 years old and I was hooked after that, teaching myself the positions and rules through the years. Why do I love it may you ask?

•    I love the physicality of it but I also the complexity and design of the plays, a lot goes into running a play.
•  I love that it is the most competitively balanced league anywhere in the world. Every team has the same amount of money to spend, it doesn't have any serious competition that can poach players and teams in any year have a legitimate chance of getting to the playoffs. It’s better than rugby or any football league in the world for competitive balance.
•  I've seen a lot of rugby and cricket growing up, there is such a thing as too much, believe me!

To many outside of the United States when they see a American Football game they think it’s a boring, complicated and slow version of rugby. To be honest Rugby Union has just as many pedantic rules in scrums and line outs as American Football does, it’s just the fact that the game is very stop and start, the plays only last a matter of seconds and there are numerous TV breaks. Put that all aside and you have a fast, exciting sport which has a extremely passionate fan base growing throughout the world.

Basic Rules

In a simplistic way it is similar to Rugby League, with a set amount of plays on offense. Teams are given four plays to gain 10 yards. If they get over 10 yards with in those four plays they then it resets to four new plays and so on and so forth. If a team fails to get past 10 yards after three plays they usually punt the ball to the opposition, trying to gain field position or, if they are within range, attempt to kick a field goal.

The game itself is made up of 4 x 15min quarters.

The game is played on a field a similar size to rugby, roughly 100 metres in length. The name ‘Gridiron’ comes from the fact that the field was marked in grids in the early days of the game.

How To Score

The aim for teams is to score in the following ways:

• Scoring a touchdown, like a try- worth 6 points. Can either throw it into the end-zone to a receiver or run it in.
•  Kicking a conversion after a touchdown-1point OR
•  Going for a 2 point conversion where the offense tries to score a touchdown instead of kicking a conversion.
• Kicking a field goal- 3 points.
• Getting a safety- sacking the opposition in their own end-zone-2points.

An American football team is broken up into three separate units- Offense, Defense and Special Teams. Special Teams is on the field for kick offs, punts, field goals and kick/punt returns. The team is made up of a mixture of offensive and defensive players. Players do not usually play on both offensive  and defensive units as their roles are very specialised. 11 men are on the field for each unit and a team’s roster on game day is a massive 46 players!

Offense

 There has to be eleven men on the field at one time as you can see by the diagram below, here is a quick breakdown of the teams:

Quarterback: The most important position of the team. The leader of the offense and the entire team. The good ones throw the ball to receivers as well as handoff to the running backs. If your team has a good QB then it will always have a chance to win.

Top QB’s in NFL: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints).

Running Back: Self explanatory really, he runs with the ball. Takes a load of punishment on the body. Come in all shapes and sizes but a prerequisite is having solid hands, if you have a fumbling problem as a running back you will have a very short career in the NFL. When it’s a pass play running backs can either get open for a pass or protect the quarterback by blocking pass rushers.

Top RB’s in the NFL: Arian Foster (Texans), LeSean McCoy (Eagles), Ray Rice (Ravens).

Wide Receiver: These guys are the track athletes of the game. Like running backs there is a variety of sizes within this group but their goal is the same, to catch passes from Quarterbacks. WR’s run what are called ‘routes’ or a specific plan of where they will run so that Quarterbacks know exactly where to throw the ball. It usually take  WR’s three seasons to learn the NFL route tree so it can take a while for a player to develop into a good WR. Note: The diagram only shows two wide receivers but you can have up to five if you have no running backs and Tight Ends.

Top WR’s in the NFL: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Greg Jennings (Packers).

Tight End: The absolute freak athletes of the NFL. They start at the line of scrimmage and can either block for running and pass plays or run routes like wide receivers, the ultimate utility guy on offence. The last couple of years have seen the rise of Tight Ends who are threat in the pass game like never before, a lot of ex basketball players are being converted to play the position. Too fast for linebackers but too strong for defensive backs, a nightmare for defences.

Top WR’s in the NFL: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Antonio Gates (Chargers).

Tackles: Name the position which gets payed the most after Quarterbacks in the NFL and you would think WR or RB but in fact it is the left tackles. The reason is because if the Quarterback is right handed then they protect is ‘blindside’ where he can’t see. The left tackle must prevent the best pass rusher of the opposition defence  getting to his Quarterback. The right tackles job is a little easier but they are usually better at run blocking. Tackles ideally are around 6’6 and over 300 pounds but extremely quick over 10 yards.

Top Tackles in the NFL: Joe Thomas (Browns), Jason Peters (Eagles), Duane Brown (Texans).

Guards: Both right and left guards line up inside the tackles. They are also big and deal with the interior defensive linemen to make sure they don’t penetrate the line and disrupt the offense. They are not as agile as tackles usually but are more powerful and usually have a mean streak to them.

Top Guards in the NFL: Jahri Evans (Saints), Carl Nicks (Buccaneers), Logan Mankins (Patriots).

Center: The center starts off every offensive play by ‘hiking’ the ball to the Quarterback while simultaneously preparing to block the defensive linemen opposite him. Usually get the offensive line in order, intelligent. Hours can be spent in pre-season practicing the ’hike’, making sure there isn’t a chance of a fumble before a play has even started.

Top centers in the NFL: Nick Mangold (Jets), Jeff Saturday(Packers), Chris Myers (Texans).

Fullbacks: This position is dying as the era of passing takes over. Only a handful of teams use fullbacks regularly now. They usually go before a running back and block ahead of him  and create running lanes for them to get through.

Top Fullback in the NFL: Vonta Leach (Ravens).

Defense

There are two main defensive formations in the NFL today, the 4-3 and the 3-4. The diagram below shows a basic 4-3 formation. A 3-4 is where there are only three defensive linemen and four linebackers. The 3-4 formation became popular in the 2000’s as it gives you more flexibility in pass coverage as you have the extra linebacker who can either rush the passer or drop back to protect the pass.

Defensive Tackles: DT’s are the huge behemoths which anchor the defense. In a 4-3 the DT’s try to penetrate the O line a lot more  where has the DT’s in a 3-4 try to hold space and clog the lanes so their linebackers can make a play on the ball. These guys weigh over 300 pounds easily and are very difficult to move.

Best DT’s in the NFL: Haloti Ngata (Ravens), Vince Wilfork (Patriots), Richard Seymour (Raiders).

Defensive Ends: In a 4-3 defence these guys role is fairly simple- rush the quarterback. Blessed with great size and speed the best DE’s give the Quarterback very little time in the pocket to make decisions. They must be adept at stopping RB’s  get to the outside. Great DE’s get paid handsomely.

Best DE’s in the NFL: Jared Allen (Vikings), Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants), Justin Smith (49ers).

Outside Linebackers: In a 3-4 the OLB are the dynamic players in the defence, needing to defend quick RB’s on the outside, drop into coverage against the pass and to rush the QB. Usually weigh in around 250 pounds and well over 6 feet they are extremely quick and strong.

Best OLB’s in the NFL: DeMarcus Ware (Cowboys), Clay Matthews (Packers), Von Miller (Broncos).

Middle Linebackers: Sometimes referred to as ‘Mike” the MLB is the quarterback of the defense. He receives the defensive play call from the side line. The MLB does a little bit of everything and is usually a game changer who can get interceptions and force fumbles.

Best MLB’s in the NFL: Patrick Willis (49er’s), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Brian Urlacher (Bears).

Cornerbacks: These guys faceoff against the WR’s, they must be able to change direction very quickly and have good leaping ability to contest air balls. An elite CB and shutdown a player 3-4 inches bigger them due to his ability to stay with their opposition.

Best CB’s in the NFL: Darrell Revis (Jets), Nnamdi Asomugha (Eagles), Jonathan Joseph (Texans).

Safeties: There are two types of safeties, Strong Safeties (SS) and Free Safeties (FS). SS tend to be bigger and stronger, they tend to be good at defending the run and blitzing the QB. The FS tends to help more in pass coverage and go for interceptions and turnovers. Both help the cornerbacks in coverage to defend against the pass.

Best safeties in the NFL: Troy Polamalu (Steelers), Ed Reed (Ravens), Eric Berry (Chiefs).

I hope this was informative. Stay tuned for more NFL articles including a preview of this year’s NFL season team by team.

Superman traded! The Magic aren't so when it comes to getting value.

As the Olympics finished up a trade of momentous proportions in the NBA went largely unheralded. The trade of Dwight Howard, a top three player NBA, from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers is the most significant move of the whole offseason. It concludes a long period of of postulating from Howard and the Magic in regards to whether he would stay or demand a trade. After several failed trade attempts between numerous teams this four team trade was finally accepted:


Los Angeles Lakers receive: Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, Earl Clark (from Magic)

Denver Nuggets receive: Andre Iguodala ( from 76ers)

Philadelphia 76er's receive: Andrew Bynum (LA), Jason Richardson (Orlando)

Orlando Magic receive: Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, first-round pick in 2014, second-round pick in 2013 (from Nuggets); Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, conditional first-round pick (from 76ers); Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga, conditional first-round pick in 2017, conditional second-round pick in 2015 (from Lakers)

• So we have the two best centers in the game (Howard, Bynum) and perhaps the best wing defender in the NBA at this stage (Iguodala) being traded, this changes the setting of the NBA significantly.
• First of all how is Pau Gasol not part of the trade? This is straight robbery from the Lakers!

•  How does the Orlando Magic, with the best player in the deal, get the worst outcome out of all the teams involved!?!?!?!  They didn't even receive the second or third best player in the draft!!!! They receive a solid but not spectacular shooting guard in Afflalo, veteran power forward Al Harrington who can score, as well as promising young players in Vucevic and Harkless. But all the other teams get ALL STARS!?!? The Orlando Magic execs must have had a gun put their heads by Howards representatives when this trade went through. Ok, but at least they got rid of some bad contracts right?
• Nope. Only Jason Richardson's $18 million over three years was traded. Hedo Turkoglus's ridiculous $24 million salary over two years and Glen Davis's $19 million over three apparently couldn't be moved. They traded Howards $19 million contract and they still are over the NBA team salary cap line!!This must be the first time where a team trading a top-3 NBA player doesn't get a significantly smaller payroll. Usually when team trades it's superstar it means they are able to reduce payroll at the same time, get rid of some of its worst contracts and rebuild through the draft. 
• Now some of you will be thinking "But they got three first round picks and a couple of second round picks, surely they can use those along with their own future picks to rebuild?" Well it's not as good as it looks for a couple of reasons:
• First of all the first round picks from the three other teams are 'conditional' picks. This means that if those teams struggle and there pick falls into the top-8, they get to keep it. How did the Magic allow the other teams to retain that right?! Is it not enough they all received the best players in the trade? These teams are highly unlikely to struggle anyway, so the picks will be in the 20's and it is very hard to strike gold when it comes to players that late in the first round of the draft.
• Then we come to Orlando's own picks, which you would think are going to be quite low due to them losing Howard. However the team that they have assembled isn't so bad that they will only win 20 games. Its made up of a bunch of saavy,solid veterans who can play and not disgrace themselves. This team is going to be fighting for the No. 8 spot in the playoffs, which is the worst place you can be in the NBA. Not good enough to make it far in the playoffs and not low enough to get a good pick in the draft. You can see the Magic have really thought this through haven't you?

Now Orlando had numerous trade offers from multiple teams until right up to the point the trade was made.

• The Brooklyn Nets proposals were publicised as the most attractive- Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, four first round picks for Howard and bad contracts in exchange. This seems better to the actual Howard trade but the draft picks would again most likely be in the 20's and not too mention you would be trading your best player to a division rival. The Magic smartly declined this offer.
• The best trade offers came from the Houston Rockets who were willing to trade multiple unprotected first round picks, including a almost guaranteed lottery pick, some of their drafted players this year as well as some solid veterans in return for Howard. They were also apparently keen to take on multiple bad contracts and they weren't concerned on whether Howard would sign an extension or not at the end of the season when his contract runs out. It would have been a better in three ways, getting rid of the majority of your bad contracts, receiving first round picks for future and receiving young players who have potential but aren't going to win you games immediately. So why didn't they do it?

Well by the sounds of it there were major disagreements amongst the Magic management which has resulted in this trade being accepted. If rumours are true the team president Alex Martins pulled rank over general manager Rob Henningan and wanted this deal over the Rockets one. If this is the case I feel really sorry for the fans who pay money to attend games and buy merchandise. Ever since this episode with Howard started a couple of years ago the Magic franchise has dealt with the situation poorly. 

The fact they sold Howard, the best center in the NBA, for 40 cents to the dollar is a testament to their ineptitude. The Magic have created the worst scenario possible for a rebuild. Not bad enough to contend for the top lottery picks but not good enough to get high enough in the playoffs. This rebuild is going to be a long one.

And I Will Try To Fix You

Most Olympic games have their fair share of cheating incidents. In 1988 USA boxer Rob Jones Jr somehow lost his gold medal match despite pummelling his South Korean opponent. In 2004 a Hungarian fencing official admitted he deliberately handed out several errors to the Chinese men's foil team in the final in which they eventually lost, resulting in a two year ban for him.

This week at the London games we have seen some of the most blatant match fixing you will ever see, in the women's doubles badminton event. The Badminton World Federation have today disqualified eight players from the games after their farcical conduct in trying to deliberately lose as to get better position in the elimination rounds. Here are some of my thoughts on this debacle.
(To watch the footage of the first game which triggered it off, go to the official Olympic Youtube Channel and find the last prelim Mens/Womens video for the 31 July-NZ time- which starts at the '27min' mark. Go an hour into the video and you'll see the top Chinese team playing the South Korean team).

• I don't think I have ever seen such blatant match fixing in my entire life. OK maybe this time. The Chinese certainly didn't try to hide it, even after being warned twice in the match. I mean we are talking about the No.1 ranked Chinese team here, I would play better then that right now.
• It seems the Chinese have a history of doing this in other badminton competitions as well. They have ended up with two teams playing in finals play several times event though they were supposed to play if they had won all their matches like they usually do. Why do they allow multiple teams from the same country in the first place?
• I feel sorry for the South Korean team who played the Chinese- it really didn't seem like they were trying to lose the match- more resigned to the fact that the Chinese wanted to lose more then they did so they went along with it.
• The governing body of Badminton has to take the blame for not making the competition a knock out style rather then group based as it is this year. You are just inviting athletes to throw games to get better position in the playoffs. 
• It seems also that the sport has a known problem amongst the participants of the sport and that this latest incident was forecast the day before: These quotes come from Gail Emms, the former Great Briton Badminton player, who voiced her concerns over the fixing to the Guardian:

"All the managers got together with the referee and said: 'Look, this has happened; in Group D you will find some very dodgy matches going on in the evening because of it' and the referee laughed and said: 'Oh don't be silly,'" she said. "And the managers said: 'We know the game, we know the players and we know the teams and we know this is going to happen.'"

She added: "Badminton, in the Olympics and in all tournaments across the circuit, it's never played in a group stage, it's always a straight knockout system and for some reason they decided that the Olympic Games in 2012 should be this group stages.

"And as soon as I heard that I went: 'It's going to bring up match-fixing,' that was my first thought, and lo and behold last night that is exactly what happened."

If this is all true and this meeting did occur, then it highlights serious shortfalls in the culture of Badminton. I mean if Emms, a former player,  knew straight away that the change in format would result in match fixing at the Olympics then there needs to be a serious change within the sport. Athletes, regardless of competition or sport, should always strive to play the best to their ability and not cheapen the sport by fixing matches. This incident is going to have some short term repercussions for the reputation of competitive Badminton but hopefully the governing bodies can learn from its mistakes and rectify this problematic culture of fixing just like cricket is.

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Peace

Photo sourced from telegraph.co.uk