The 2011 National Football League Season Is Underway

Now that the first quarter of the National Football League's season is over, it is time to find out what to look for as the season goes until the Super Bowl takes place in February 2012.

What to look for:

Nfl 2012

1. Indianapolis Colts

For Colts fans, this was the year that Indy is supposed to contend for another Super Bowl, instead this campaign might be a total wash with 4-time MVP Peyton Manning on the sidelines after undergoing neck surgery a few weeks ago. He is supposed to miss 2-3 months, so in the meantime, The Colts signed veteran QB Kerry Collins. But the results so far has not been good because the Colts are 0-3. They have Curtis Painter as the backup quarterback, but they might as well sign another veteran QB such as Carson Palmer (see below) or David Gerrard (see below.) Then again, Indy could say "forget it" about this season and wait in April 2012 for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in the NFL Draft.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

This is going to be interesting to see how the Cincinnati Bengals are going to do this season. The team has made some major changes on its roster:The Triplets are gone. Earlier this year, the team decided not to renew the contract of Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, making him a free agent; In July, the team traded All-Pro Wide Receiver Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots; and starting quarterback Carson Palmer have requested that he wanted to get traded from the Bengals (the team refused the request) because they are not committed to winning (since appearing in the AFC Championship Game vs. Pittsburgh, the team has been going downhill), plus he said that he would rather retire than play for the Bengals this season. Their number one pick in the NFL Draft Andy Dalton has taken over the quarterback duties this season. Despite the ongoing drama, Coach Marvin Lewis was able to keep his job and actually signed a new contract during the off-season.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Right before the season began, the Jags have decided to release David Gerrard, their starting quarterback for the last 4 years, in favor of Luke McCown. Ironically, the Jaguars did the same thing in 2006, where the team dumped starting quarterback Byron Leftwich for Gerrard. Currently, the Jaguars are 1-2 but they have changed quarterbacks: McCown is out and the team first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft Blaine Gabbert is in. We will see how the change at quarterback will pan out this season.

4. Denver Broncos

During training camp, the Broncos had a quarterback controversy on its hands. The incumbent QB Kyle Orton was competing for the starting job against 2nd year backup Tim Tebow and third-stringer Brady Quinn. For a while, the buzz was that Tebow was the odds on favor to take over the job, however there were reported that the team wanted to trade Tebow or even turn him into a wide receiver. New coach John Fox decided to stick with Orton, but the team right now is 1-2. We have to see if this controversy spills over into the regular season.

Teams to look for this season

1. Detroit Lions

After finishing the 2008 season with a 0-16 record, the Lions began to make smarter picks in the NFL Draft and right now it is pay off. The team is 3-0 with both the offense and defense playing great. Now, it would be great that the Lions can make it to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, but that all depends on keep Matthew Stafford injury free. The last two season, Stafford lost significant playing time due to shoulder injuries. The Lions resurgence coincide with the Tigers winning the American League Central and the possible odds on favorite to win the pennant in the American League in this year's baseball postseason is showing that the city of Detroit is coming back. Side Note: the story would be even better once jobs come back to the Motor city.

2. St. Louis Rams

The Rams lost in the NFC West Division Championship game in January against Seattle and the thinking was that St. Louis has quarterback Sam Bradford, Running Back Stephen Jackson and an improving defense that the team can get better despite the 7-9 record. Well, right now it doesn't look good with a 0-3 record. Look for the team to change course and start winning again.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Despite being taken apart at home by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, the Falcons are a team that people should pay attention to right now. It has been a slow build, but ever year since 2007, the team has turn itself into a title contender. Currently, Atlanta is 1-2, but it's like the old saying in football "No one wins the championship in September," so we will see if the team can turn it around by December.

Head Coaches on the Hot Seat

1. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

In 2007, the Dolphins made it the NFL Playoffs and even though they lost the game against Baltimore, the feeling was they the had both the offense and defense to become an up and coming team they no wanted to play. Since then, the team went 7-9 the last two seasons. So far the Dolphins are 0-3 and there is talk that the team might replace Sparano sometime during the season. Hopefully he can turn it around or another coach will take his talents to South Beach and revive the Dolphin franchise.

2. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars

Once a upon of time, the Jaguars were a playoff contending team, now they have gone backwards and missed the playoff three seasons in a row. This year, the jags have a new starting quarterback and drafted another one last April. It hasn't worked out yet because the team is 1-2 so far. The Jaguars has to turn in around this year or else Coach Del Rio might be out of a job.

3. Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans

From their inception in 2002 until 2008, the Texans were an easy win for any team that played against them. Since then, Houston has built a strong defense led by Mario Williams and a really good offense with quarterback Matt Schuab, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Williams. The problem the team has is that Coach Kubiak has led Houston to an 8-8 record for two years in a row and a 9-7 mark last season but no playoff appearances. The Texans has crossed one hurdle last year and finally beat Indianapolis in Houston two years in a row and the team could possibly beat the Colts in Indy (there's a really good chance that can happen) when the two teams meet again later on this year. In order for Kubiak to keep his job, Houston must make the playoffs or else someone will take over as head coach and make the Texans a serious contender in the NFL.

Who is going to win the Super Bowl?

Your guess is good as mine. No one saw the Arizona Cardinals, a perennial losing team make it to the NFL Championship game in February 2009 versus Pittsburgh, or the New Orleans Saints, a team known as the "Aints" for its 1-15 season in 1980, won in all in February 2010, nearly years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city and the Gulf Coast. The title is up for grabs and anyone can win it on any given Super Bowl Sunday.

The 2011 National Football League Season Is Underway

Promotional Stress Balls - Promote Your Business With Sports Shaped Logo Printed Stress Balls

With the London Olympics quickly approaching and of course all of the other professional sporting events regularly scheduled, have you ever considered promoting your company with sports shaped stress balls? There are stress balls manufactured in the shapes of almost every type of sports ball. From stress tennis balls to basket balls and soccer balls to bowling balls they are all available. There are also many other sports related shapes such as referees, sumos , and smiley football players. 

It is fun to base promotions around popular sporting events. If you have customers that you know follow sports, they will really enjoy receiving your promotional stressball in the shape of their favourite sports ball or sports figures.  In order to get the most out of your budget, you will need to plan ahead. Stressballs can often be express pad printed but for the best results, you will want to find a company that can supply transfer printed stressballs. This can take up to four weeks but the print is second to none. Even full colour logos can be printed and look spectacular.

Nfl 2012

Listed below are the dates of some of the most popular upcoming sporting events and the stress shapes that go with them. All of these products can be manufactured in the colours of your choice. That's right, you can order stressball footballs in your company colours! It is hoped that this list will help you plan ahead so that you can have the most successful of promotions!

The 2010 Super Bowl: The Super Bowl will be played in early February 2010.  The obvious choice is an American football shape. Also available are NFL helmets and referees.  If you want to ensure delivery of American football stress balls in time to build a promotion around the Super Bowl, allow yourself four weeks for delivery.

The 2010 South Africa World Cup: The South Africa World Cup starts on June 11,  2010. In the UK, large quantities of soccer ball stress balls will be held in stock so express lead-times will be possible. For best results, however, allow four weeks for your balls to arrive so that they can be transfer printed.

Wembledon 2010: Played annually at the beginning of July. Tennis ball shapes are kept in large stocks but bespoke colours and/or transfer printing is possible if you give yourself four weeks for delivery.

The 2010 Ryder Cup: Scheduled between the 29th of September and October 3rd 2010. It will be played near Cardiff. Popular golf stress balls include a golf ball stress ball, a golf bag with clubs shape and a golf trophy shape. The golf ball shape will be the most popular and will be held in stock. The other shapes will take at least four weeks to delivery.  As with the other shapes, each of these can be manufactured in your company colours.

The 2012 London Olympics: Scheduled between the 27th of July to the 12th of August.  There are so many different shapes to choose from for almost every sport played at the Olympics.  Plan early and place your order as the most popular shapes will sell out and lead-times will be longer.

Promotional Stress Balls - Promote Your Business With Sports Shaped Logo Printed Stress Balls

Dan Toombs is the Managing Director of CompuGift Limited, the UK's first internet based promotional gift supplier. The company was established in 1997 and is a leading supplier of promotional gifts to businesses in the UK and Europe.

CompuGift's popular promotional stress balls website features hundreds of popular stress ball shapes that can be printed with your logo and details.

Madden 13 Cover Vote: Cam Newton Vs Calvin Johnson Break Down

In a competition that truly gauges sheer fan interest in players, Cam Newton and Calvin Johnson have made the finals of the Madden 13 cover vote.

A host of football fans are Madden gamers, myself included, and it's usually a big deal to see who the person on the cover is.

Nfl 2012

Long gone are the days of EA Sports' walled-off selection process for the Madden cover athlete. Now, fans can cast their votes on ESPN's SportsNation for the face of the game and truly have a say in who appears on the next cover.

In Madden, Cam Newton and Calvin Johnson are two game-changing players who will have their huge moments and carry teams to victory.

Newton's ability to run with the football gives him a huge boost in the 'fun to play with' category, but questions about his accuracy are evident in the game. While the Auburn product can air it out, Newton has trouble locating the ball on short and medium throws.

While it's enjoyable to play with Newton, he's not nearly the best quarterback in the game and the former Heisman trophy winner is just not ready to match his off-field hype with his on-field numbers.

For all the records that Newton set, the signal caller had an alarming 21-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Unable to make the right reads, "Superman" cost his team a number of key possessions and wasn't able to lead his squad past a 6-10 season.

This is not to say that Newton is a bad player. In fact, one could make an argument that this former college standout will be playoff bound in 2012.

I just don't know if it's good for the game to have another quarterback rest on a great rookie season and then grace the Madden cover without much experience (see Young, Vince).

This is all, of course, in comparison to Lions talent Calvin Johnson. The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has all the tools to succeed in the NFL and that's exactly what he's been doing since 2007. Succeeding.

In 2011, Johnson went off for 1,681 yards with 16 touchdowns, pacing the league in both categories (for wide receivers).

Standing tall at 6'5" with remarkable physical tools, this Detroit pass catcher is a lethal weapon in Madden. Pairing him with soon-to-be All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford makes the Lions a dangerous team to play with in Madden 13.

With the ability to go up for a rocket catch and take the top off of the defense, Johnson's ability to make an impact in a Madden game is second to few (if used correctly). Simply send this physical freak on a fade pattern and he'll make a huge play for your team.

Johnson could capture a victory here in the Cover vote.

For all of Newton's popularity, last year's vote came down to a small-market hero (Peyton Hillis) and a hype-laden rushing quarterback (Michael Vick). Whatever fans Vick lost from his dogfighting incident, you can argue he gained back from his history in the Madden game.

Whatever the result, Newton and Johnson represent an exciting future to an expanding NFL. Luckily enough for Detroit and Carolina, two new NFL epicenters, both of these players are signed for the long-term and will make waves in their respective cities for years to come.

Look for the vote to come down to the end, but I'm predicting a slight edge to Calvin Johnson.

Would I mind seeing Cam Newton on the cover, though? No.

Madden 13 Cover Vote: Cam Newton Vs Calvin Johnson Break Down

I'm Eli Nachmany, a writer for the up-and-coming NFL articles blog Nachmany Football. We can be found at http://www.nachmanyfootball.com or you can find me on Twitter @EliNachmany

Eulogy of the "Dream Team"

(The following is a Eulogy for the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles with quotes from Julius Caesar spattered throughout....not very coherently but Shakespearian none the less.)

Friends, Philadelphians, Eagles Fans.....
Friends, Philadelphians, Eagles fans, lend me your ears; I come to bury the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, not to praise them. As the seconds ticked off the clock in Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday, it became perfectly clear that this team is dead. Sure, there are 11 games left and this still remains a talented team; but for all intents and purposes, this season is over. The so called "Dream Team" played more like a nightmare through the first 5 games of this season. There have been 100 teams that have started 1-4 since 1990 (a fact that fans were reminded of repeatedly during the broadcast). Of those 100 teams only 5 have made the playoffs. 5 out of 100. Not even the most degenerate gambler would take those odds. So here we sit having just buried our "can't lose" baseball team, mourning the loss of our overhyped football team. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

Nfl 2012

Hey guys, remember me?
The "Dream Team". Sure it was a quote said in jest by a backup quarterback that may or may not have been taken out of context. We all bought into the hype. We thought we had a Super Bowl contender. Are we just as much to blame for the pain we feel? We are here with heavy hearts but why? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel fans of Philadelphia, knew you not Rich Kotite?

I'm in over my head
How did this happen? What went wrong? We could go back and forth but there's one thing for sure; it starts with the coaching staff. Let's start with defense. Could Juan Castillo be out of his element? Is it possible he is just a figure head? Defensive line coach Jim Washburn likes to run the now infamous "wide 9". Is this truly Castillo's defense? Or is Washburn pulling the strings behind the scenes. In theory the Wide 9 is not a bad defense. In Philly it hasn't worked due to the Eagles ineptitude at linebacker. The front office put their faith in Casey Mathews who is very undersized for a linebacker. He has proven that it takes more than a famous bloodline to be successful in the NFL. The other linebackers shall remain nameless basically because they are just that; nameless. The Eagles defense has been run over by Cadillac Williams, Steven Jackson, Michael Turner, Frank Gore and Fred Jackson like Bo Jackson would run over people in Tecmo Bowl. The wide 9 has been a big bust, but for my own part, it was Greek to me. (and apparently to the Eagles defense as well).

The secondary was supposed to be the strength on this defense. With all the hype behind signing Nnamdi Asomugha and trading for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie along with Pro Bowler Asante Samuel, why not? Well 3 interceptions, missed tackles too numerous to count, and an NFC leading 11 passing touchdowns given up is hardly "dream team" worthy. Andy Reid and the defensive coaching staff have outthought themselves. Yond, Andy Reid used to have a lean and hungry look; such men are dangerous. Now, he just looks befuddled....and hungry; those men are not.

Time for a divorce?
Speaking of Andy, he's still up to his same old shenanigans. When is he finally going to "do a better job of getting his players ready"? It's been 13 years and it's still the same old song. After every game it's the same thing. It's time to end this 13 year marriage. Someone's head needs to roll and it has to be Andy's. Who else has a say in the play calling, personnel decisions, game management, and getting the player's prepared for game day? Yep, Andy Reid. Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Andy, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings. You've had your chance. The time to move on is now. Time's yours.....

Finally, the offensive "stars" are not without fault here either. The Eagles defense is not the only part of the team doing their best Tecmo Bowl impersonation. The offensive line at times has looked like when you call the right play on defense in Tecmo Bowl and the entire defense is in the backfield. There is no excuse to allow the defense in the backfield before the quarterback can hand the ball off. Michael Vick is taking a ton of hits. Not all of them are the fault of the Swiss cheese offensive line. There have been times that Vick has simply held on to the ball too long. Is it because he can't read the defense? Is it that the receivers are not getting open? Who knows but something is wrong. Shady McCoy has done well running the ball but is it because he's running for his life? This was the noblest Eagle of them all.

Finally our playmakers are not making the plays. Perhaps they are trying too hard. There is no excuse for a -10 turnover ratio on a "Dream Team". Whether it's fumbles, tipped balls that lead to interceptions, interceptions or dropped balls; the playmakers are not making the plays. Even the sure handed Jason Avant is turning the ball over despite having a career year. Et tu, Jason! So my fellow Eagles fans I stand before you today to say goodbye. Goodbye to the hopes of winning Super Bowl 46.

Thanks to all of our loyal readers. Remember Twitter @Obs_Views_Blog and Facebook. Also find me on LinkedIn (Jim Montgomery). Until next time this is Jimbo saying; Bear with me; my heart is in the coffin there with the Eagles season, and I must pause till it come back to me. 2012 is another year...

Eulogy of the "Dream Team"

Obstructed Views http://www.montyobv.blogspot.com
Twitter @Obs_Views_Blog
Facebook Obstructed Views
LinkedIn Jim Montgomery(Philadelphia)

Economy Locks Out Employees - Sides Said To Be Far Apart

On Sunday, July 3, the Economy voted to lockout its Employees, barring them from access to jobs, income and millions of adoring fans. The long-expected lockout puts 2012 and beyond in jeopardy and comes as the NFL and NBA are trying to end their own work stoppages that began in March and June respectively.

"We're just not profitable anymore," said the Economy. "Something had to give."

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Despite a three-hour meeting Saturday -- the sides could not close the enormous gulf between their positions.

"The Economy is digging in," one Employee said. "They made it clear to everyone that they will not budge. I don't think we're closer; in fact it worries me that we're not closer. We have a huge philosophical divide."

According to experts, the Economy has been in a downward spiral since early 2008, despite a cheesy marketing campaign called "Bail Out" that was supposed to reinvigorate consumer confidence and jump-start all the markets.

"Thankfully, I was planning on this lockout happening and saved up a few hundred bucks in my savings account. I think I'll be okay," Employee Earl Wilson said, "But I know a lot of other Employees won't be. I've always got those 'Buying Gold TODAY' endorsement deals on the side of the road to fall back on."

Despite outpouring of anger and frustration from Employees, the Economy sees things differently. "We had a great year in terms of the appreciation of consumers for our work. It just wasn't a profitable one for the Economy, and it wasn't one that many of the smaller cities particularly enjoyed," the Economy said. "The goal here has been to make the our entire market profitable and to have a thriving atmosphere again where beer flows like wine."

In 2010, the Gross National Product of the United States was estimated at .66 trillion, a figure the Economy says just isn't cutting it anymore.

"The problem is that there's such a gap in terms of the numbers, where they are and where we are, and we just can't find any way to bridge that gap," Wilson said. "Hopefully I'll get a food coma on the 4th of July and not wake up until this shit is over."

Wilson said the Employees made a "moderate" new financial proposal, but it wasn't enough to keep the two sides at the bargaining table.

"We're going to stand up for what we have to do, no matter how long it's going to take," the Economy told The Associated Press. "No matter how long the lockout's going to take, we're going to stand up when it suits us."

The situation appeared headed toward this route from the start of negotiations. The Economy said it lost billions every year since 2005. Despite frequent meetings this month, the sides just didn't make much progress.

The Economy wants to reduce Employee pay and wasn't moved by the Employees' offer to drop it 10% just so they could keep their jobs. Minimum wage in the United States is set at .75.

"LeBron was right. We have to return to our miserable lives every day anyway. But now without jobs there isn't even a reason to get out of bed," said Wilson. "I'll probably just play a lot of FarmVille and eat Ramen Noodles."

Some experts predict the lockout could extend far into December 2012, at which point the two sides may experience a "Come to Jesus" moment during the approaching apocalypse. Despite this, Employees remain optimistic.

"We'll just continue to ask our fans to stick with us and remain patient with us. As Employees we want to work. That's who we are; we're workers," former accountant and Employee spokesman Chris Karney said. "Right now we're faced with dealing with the business aspect of our lives. We're going to do it the same way we clock in. We're going to work hard. We're going to be focused. We're going to be dedicated to getting the results that we want."

Economy Locks Out Employees - Sides Said To Be Far Apart

Baseball And The African American Decline

It's not a secret that the number of black baseball players on Major League rosters has been in decline for years. USA Today is reporting that only 8% of players on 2012 Opening Day Rosters are African Americans despite the fact that baseball is perhaps as popular as it has been in a long time.

Baseball, at one time, was a big part of the African American community.

Nfl 2012

I am African American, and when I was a kid one of my dreams was to be a ballplayer, as well as a TV Weather guy and maybe a Pilot. It's what a lot of my neighborhood buddies wanted to be too. We spent almost every Summer morning playing baseball in the street using anything we could for bats, balls, and bases. We played from morning until the relentless Texas heat made us quit at which point we would rest until the evening when was time to go play real baseball in Little League or Pony League games at "the city park". I also was thrilled to hear my grandfather tell me stories of his baseball days back when entire communities of African Americans would turn out to watch the local semi pro team play after church on Sunday's.

A few years ago when my son was old enough to play Little League I was amazed to see that he was only only black kid on his team and I counted just 2 others in the entire league. We live in Dallas and there were plenty of young black kids eligible to play. But they were not. Yet, if you drive around playgrounds you see lots of black kids playing basketball or throwing footballs. This should send red flags to Major League Baseball.

The game of baseball has not changed since my grandfather played it. It's still 9 innings and three outs. Clearly what has changed is that the game stopped promoting itself while the NBA and NFL were very clever in letting everyone know who it's top stars were and why.

They also notice how, during Barry Bonds' controversial run at Hank Aaron's record, so much attention was paid to passing Ruth-to the point of referring to it as "Ruth's record." Frank Robinson noticed a few years ago.

"You always hear about 714, Babe Ruth, and then, 'Oh, Hank Aaron. He had the most, 755,' " he told The Baltimore Sun, angrily, before a 2008 game while he was managing Washington. "He's not the home run king in people's minds."

I'm not here with any answers to why there are not more blacks playing baseball. I do think that baseball has done an admirable job of hiring black managers and coaches. But it needs to find away to back into the grass roots level of the black community and help young kids realize what a great game it is to play whether it be in the streets with a pillow for bases or a Major League Stadium with 40,00 fans.

Baseball And The African American Decline

The SavageDome
http://www.savagedome.com

Crowd Sourcing

How Social Media Is Changing The Superbowl

The 2011 NFL Season is coming to a close and thoughts the New Year and of Superbowl 46 abound

Nfl 2012

Remember the discussions around the water cooler on the Monday following the game, comparing which commercial was the funniest and kicking yourself if you missed one? It was almost more about catching the commercials than it was about watching the game.

Over the last several years companies have begun to realize that while the Superbowl reaches a huge audience (over 111 million viewers last year) the million cost for 30 seconds of exposure doesn't make good financial sense if 30 seconds is all they get. It's there, and then it's gone. Enter the Internet...

Companies such and Pepsi and General Motors will continue to be seen during the Superbowl, but the exposure leading up to and after and how they go about it has changed. It's called crowd sourcing, using social media to create a buzz before and after the main event. Companies are using video and social media contests and discussions with the ultimate winners contributing to what the companies ultimately present to those 111 million viewers and the exposure that occurs is much greater than 30 seconds.

By using web video, companies are able to be online indefinitely, continually bringing attention to their brand or product. Companies like Web Rocket Video based in Wheaton Illinois and their staff of Emmy award winning, producers, editors, and videographers are able to create targeted web based video messages that are easily discussed and shared through social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, twitter, and linked in. Twitter and Facebook have instant reach and Facebook and YouTube have tools that allow activity to be measured and tracked. In the case of General Motors, user generated content is part of the contest with the winning entry being shown during the 2012 Superbowl. It is the users themselves that create the content, discuss that content, and vote on that content creating activity that was not possible ten years ago. More and more Fortune 1000 companies are beginning to understand the value of social media in their branding efforts. They are realizing that people are social by nature and that traditional advertising is rapidly losing it's ability to influence buyers and that through video and social media they can utilize buyers to influence buyers while growing their brand.

Crowd Sourcing

Glenn Bingham
Bingham Internet Marketing Group