MORE REAL FOOTBALL, LESS THIRD STRING QUARTERBACKS LOOKING LIKE STARS

::cough cough:: Brett Ratliff ::cough cough::... According to Shutdown Corner (via the New York Times), this May, owners will vote to lengthen the regular season. Roger Goodell explains this is part of "increasing value" in the struggle to generate more revenue in the current economic times. I like the decision more for the fact that it gets rid of one preseason game, because four is way too many for a few reasons. First, the more preseason games you play, the more likely one of your starters is going to get hurt. Second, with four games, players like Brett Ratliff build up an organization and fan base's hope that he can be a legitimate NFL quarterback by playing four times against third string defenses. Slow down New York, he's still a number 3. Finally, it's just not exciting football, and nobody watches after the first quarter when starters are pulled. The decision to increase the regular season to 17 or 18 games, while it won't go into effect any earlier than 2011, is a whole new issue of its own.

While yes, the NFL could probably make more money by increasing the amount of meaningful regular season games, the history of the game and the players should be taken into account. Many sports record books have been skewed by the increase in games played each season for years now, and the NFL would only be adding to that. Also, football is a very rough and physical sport, and playing up to 22 games in one season (18 regular season, wild card round, divisional round, conference championship, and Super Bowl) could ruin the careers of some of the sports greatest stars. In sport, however, you can never forget that most decisions are made from a business standpoint, so expect by 2011 that teams will be playing these extra one or two regular season contests.

MUSIC TO MY EARS... OR EYES...

On Monday, Pete Prisco, a writer for CBSSports.com, wrote an article arguing an idea that seems to be lost in today's football media: The Packers are STILL the greatest football franchise of all time. After winning Super Bowl XLIII, he agrees with many that the Steelers are the best of the Super Bowl era. How can anyone argue, however, against 12 championships? One in the 20's, four in the 30's, one in the 40's, five in the 50's, and one in the 90's. That's double what the Steelers have won, and Pittsburgh's franchise has been around since 1933 (the Pack joined the NFL in 1921). The Bears are a "close" second at 9 championships, and that "close" is still only 75% of what Green Bay has won. So, all hail the Green Bay Packers... And fellow Long Islander Pete Prisco for knowing the best franchise in the history of American football.

SUPER BOWL REACTIONS

First off, what a game. Two years in a row, Super Sunday has lived up to its name with spectacular football games. Although the game started out slow, it sure picked up and was one of the best finishes I have ever seen from a Super Bowl. Admittedly, I was rooting for the Cardinals. I mean, how can you not root for Kurt Warner? (unless he's playing the Pack of course). Not to mention he once was a Packer, in 1994, fourth on the depth chart behind Brett Favre, Ty Detmer, and Mark Brunell. That was one pretty darn good group of quarterbacks.

Penalties and one very costly play call were the thorn in the side of the red birds last night. They were flagged 11 times for 106 yards, and many of the penalties either cost them drives or aided big drives of the Steelers. And that slant call on the goal line... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING TODD HALEY? You have the best receiver in football right now, who has proven that he can catch nearly anything you throw his way, and you decide to throw a slant: the most dangerous goal line play possible. If the pass is intercepted, there is no one to stop the player from taking it all the way back to the house, something Haley and the Cards learned the hard way. I know first hand the detriment that can be caused by such a play call. (In Turkey Bowl 2008, on the goal line, I intercepted a quick slant and returned it on a shortened field 80 yards for the touchdown haha) IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. Instead of possibly being ahead 14-10, or tied 10-10 at the half, Arizona trailed 17-7. That's possibly an 14-point turnaround. Give Fitz a chance Haley! Everybody saw later in the game what happens if you do.

Anyways, to get back to tying all of my ranting back to the Packers... According to my research on NFL.com, there are three members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who have once been part of the Green Bay Packers organization. First, tight end Sean McHugh was with the team in 2004 and played in one game. No official stats were recorded. Second, defensive tackle Scott Paxson, who after being signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2006, was let go and joined the green and gold for several weeks during the '06 regular season, only to return to Pittsburgh in January of '07. And finally, Dick LeBeau. The mind behind the newest version of the Steel Curtain. He was on the coaching staff in Green Bay from 1976-1979. Congratulations to these three former members of the Packers organization on becoming Super Bowl XLIII champions.