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June 27th, 2010 | 
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The best way to learn about the game of football is to join a fantasy football league. Fantasy football is a fantasy sports game in which you are the owner of a football team participating in a virtual league. The “Commissioner”, the person who creates the league, invites other owners into the league. Each team holds a “draft” and acquires a team of actual National Football League players. Match ups and points scoring are determined by the Commissioner and are based on the players’ actual statistical on field performances. There are different arrangements for determining a winner, usually the owner with the most total points at the end of the season, or in a head-to-head format, which is similar to the National Football League format. Just prior to the 2009 NFL season, Colin Cowherd of ESPN said “more than 27 million players play fantasy football. They spend an average of nine hours a week (during football season… playing fantasy football)”. If you are interesting in fantasy football and want to test your knowledge of the game, visit the sites below to join a team or create your own as the Commissioner and invite others.
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Held since 1937, the National Football League player selection occurs in April. Eligible football players – those that have been out of high school for at least 3 years can enter to be “drafted”. Each team’s draft order is determined by their regular season record. The draft lasts 7 rounds. This year’s draft will be held during primetime, for the first time, with the first round taking place Thursday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 23 at 6 p.m. Rounds 4-7 will be held on Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m.
What exactly is “free agency”?! It’s like the time period before the big dance when you are trying to find the perfect date. Free agency is the period in the national football league beginning 12:01 a.m. on Friday, March 5th where any player whose contract with a team has expired (free agent), is eligible to negotiate and be signed by another team. The ending of the free agency period depends on the designation of the free agent.
Exclusive Restricted Free Agents
A player becomes an exclusive restricted free agent when he has completed less than three seasons and his contract with his current team has expired. You may see this player designated by EFA (Exclusive restricted Free Agent). For an exclusive restricted free agents, the free agency period is from March 5 to April 15.
Restricted Free Agents
A player becomes a restricted free agent when he has completed three to five seasons and his contract with his current team has expired. You may see this player designated by RFA (Restricted Free Agent). For restricted free agents, the free agency period is from March 5 to April 15.
Unrestricted Free Agents
A player becomes an unrestricted free agent when he has completed six or more seasons and his contract with his current team has expired. You may see this player designated by UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent). For unrestricted free agents, the free agency period is from March 5 to July 22.
Franchise Free Agents
A player becomes a franchise player according to the salary paid to him by his team. If a player is paid the average or better, of the top five salaries of the players in his position, then he becomes a franchise player. You may see this player designated by Franchise. For franchise players, the free agency period is from March 5 until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the regular-season.
There are also Undrafted Free Agents (UFA). These players were considered eligible for the national football league draft coming up in April but who were not selected. They can join any team willing to sign them and can negotiate with any team.
Free agency is all about moves, signings, caps and recaps. But in the end, some teams will get better with new additions and others will simply have just overpaid for players that don’t make an impact.
The National Football League Scouting Combine is like the America’s Next Top Model of football. The Combine is a week-long showcase, allowing NFL coaching staffs to evaluate top college football players throughout the country in a standardized setting. NFL hopefuls perform physical and mental tests in front of NFL executives, general managers, coaches and scouts. Because of the importance of the NFL draft, the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance. The NFL Combine is held every February in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event is closed to the general public, attendance is by invitation only. Check out the National Football League Scouting Combine website for more information… http://www.nflcombine.net/
Sunday’s Super Bowl game was a showcase of great play calling on behalf of the New Orleans Saints. Saints Coach Sean Payton seemed to have all of the cards stacked in his favor when he made a daring decision toward the end of the first half to run on fourth down and goal from the one yard line when the Saints were down 10-3.
Payton will also go down in Super Bowl history for calling an onside kick at the start of the second half of the game. Usually onside kicks are attempted in the final period of a game as a team finds themselves behind on the scoreboard and in need of an extra possession to try and mount a comeback. This is the first time that an onside kick had been attempted before the final period of a Super Bowl.
After scoring a touchdown to put the Saints ahead, Payton made yet another daring decision with 5:46 left in the game. The score was 22-17, and kicking an extra point would only mean a 6 point lead, however, a 2 point conversion attempt would mean a 7 point lead and if the Indianapolis Colts scored after that the score would be tied. Quaterback Drew Brees tossed a pass to wide receiver Lance Moore in the front right corner of the end zone, and as he fell, he extended the ball over the goal line. The 2 point conversion attempt paid off.
So what is an onside kick and a two point conversion you may be asking? Both are risky plays, sometimes viewed as “trick plays”, but if executed properly and done successfully, they can help a team shake up their opponent in to rethinking their strategy.
Details of an onside kick and a two point conversion can be found in the “Pink Playbook”.
Ladies, to keep you in the know about today’s Pro Football Hall of Fame selection…
Today marks the 47th selection of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The charter class of 17 members was enshrined on September 7, 1963.
Seven members were selected for the “Class of 2010″ at a cermony held in Miami Florida, the eve before the super bowl. With the Class of 2010, a total of 260 members have been enshrined.
To be eligible, players and coaches must have been retired at least five years. Members are selected by a 44-person committee made up of sportswriters, known as the Board of Selectors. Fans may also nominate any player or coach by simply writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame via letter or email. To be selected, a finalist must receive at least 80 percent support from the Board of Selectors. There are at least four, but no more than seven, candidates selected annually.
The Class of 2010 will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 7, 2010. For more specific information about the selection process visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame link below:
http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/SelectionProcessFAQ.aspx
Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, and although your favorite team may not be playing, it’s a game that everyone can feel apart of. There is no bigger show stage than the Super Bowl and the two best teams are ready to put on one heck of a show.
Important things to know:
It’s quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints vs. quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts.
Peyton Manning already has a Super Bowl ring. He’s been a Super Bowl MVP. He was recently voted the league MVP for the fourth time, and he has been awarded Offensive Player of the Year. He has much at stake in winning another Super Bowl. A win would put Drew Brees among the elite quarterbacks in football.
The Colts have a defensive speed to be reckoned with and the Saints secondary may prove a tough hurdle. (see Pink Playbook – Defensive Line)
The teams are a great match up so the key to winning will be scoring early and often and creating turnovers and capitalizing on them.
Kickoff time is on February 7, 2010 at 6:30 ET. Carrie Underwood will be performing and there will be the much
anticipated Super Bowl commercials as well as the Super Bowl 2010 half time show.
Enjoy the Super Bowl!
First a little about me…. I LOVE SPORTS. OK, maybe not curling but I do watch it. My favorite is obviously… FOOTBALL. It’s one sport you really need to stay on top of. The players, the rules, the game itself is ever changing and if you’re not an avid follower you might get lost. So to help Womankind, I decided to create a site with links and quick information, great conversation about the game and even the occasional bit of gossip.Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. The more we share the more we learn.
Are you ready for some football?!
