Sunday night football halftime comentary, 5 stars

[sammyg2]

Dunno if anyone else saw that but it was completely full of awesome.
A total rant against the morons and idiots who have turned the NFL into a low-class joke with all they showing off and antics every time they actually manage to do their job.

It's about time someone came out and had the balls to say it, unfortunately he'll probably be fired for it. NBC don't go for all that honesty stuff.

Anyway, well done.
Gotta find that on you-tube tomorrow.

[sammyg2]

Found the full text. Bob Costas usually comes off as kind of a dweeb, but today he's a hero.
Now this gentlemen, is a professional quality rant:

27 Nov 2011 10:09 PM
BOB COSTAS’ HALFTIME ESSAY ON KNUCKLEHEADS


For those of you too busy keeping up with the Kardashians to notice, we live in a culture that in many ways grows more stupid and graceless by the moment. Sports both reflects and influences that sorry trend, so on playing fields everywhere, true style is in decline, while mindless exhibitionism abounds.

In the late ’60's, the Giants had a receiver named Homer Jones. He invented the spike -- and it was great; a simple, elegant punctuation that somehow has devolved into this…(video of excessive celebrations)

Given the tone of the times, it's probably too much to expect that most players would appreciate that back in the day, this guy (Barry Sanders) was much cooler than this guy (Mark Gastineau), or that there is a difference between spontaneous and/or good-natured displays of enthusiasm and calculated displays of obnoxious self-indulgence. No, that train has already gone so far down the wrong track, there's probably no turning back.

So our suggestion here is a more modest one: hey, knuckleheads, is it too much to ask that you confine your buffoonery to situations that don't directly damage your team? Week after week, game after game, we see guys who think nothing of incurring penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing their team’s valuable yardage, even late in close games.

Today's most conspicuous culprit: Buffalo's Stevie Johnson, who after a TD catch versus the Jets, thought it would be a good idea to go Marcel Marceau, pantomiming, among other things, Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg. But in this case, it was Johnson, who shot himself in the foot, as his display cost his team a 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff. And given a short field, the Jets proceeded to score in a critical game that wound up, 28-24, New York.

Which raises this question: where are the coaches in all this? Guys are routinely benched or called out for blown assignments. When is a coach going to make an overdue statement and sit a guy down on the grounds of pure selfishness and unprofessionalism detrimental to his team?

By the way, late in the loss to the Jets, Johnson dropped a pass that could have led to a Buffalo win. Shockingly, he didn’t follow it with a rehearsed “my bad” dance of apology. Maybe he just forgot.

[looneybin]

yep, i heard it. I usually think Bob Costas has Cranial-Rectosis, but this time he was spot on

[89911]

This same speech has been going on ever since Billy "White Shoes" Johnson did his funky chicken dance in the 70's. It's a game and sometimes it gets out of hand. If this is really bothering you, there's plenty worse in the world.

[quicksix]

I did not watch it, i quit watching because of...

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by 89911

This same speech has been going on ever since Billy "White Shoes" Johnson did his funky chicken dance in the 70's. It's a game and sometimes it gets out of hand. If this is really bothering you, there's plenty worse in the world.

Evidently you don't have a problem setting the "class" bar really low. Why is that?




The low-lifes out there making asses out of themselves are setting a bad example, and then we wonder why there is a lack of sportsmanship and why thugs are stomping on other players.

Kinda reminds me of the saying:
you can take the trash out of the trailer, but you can't take the trailer out of the trash.

[drcoastline]

I saw it and agree he was spot on. Unfortunately it will fall on deaf ears. In fact they may get worse because of it.

[pwd72s]

Gee, I missed it...I was watching a live stream of a pool tournament. The final match was fantastic...two skilled players illustrating why they made it to the finals.
It was down to the wire...each player had won 6 games, he who won the 7th won the most cash.

When it was over, they shook hands...Congrats to the winner, Marc Vidal.

[nostatic]

There is a simple solution - stop watching it.

It is too entrenched, and starts when the kids are young. That type of classless behavior is tolerated and even encouraged at junior levels. The parents make it worse (being more boorish than the kids) and the coaches are often frustrated ex-players that similarly lack sportsmanship.

I loved playing sports as a kid. I enjoyed city league softball for many years but that had ups and down. I'm thankful Calvin has no interest. Plenty of other things to do in the world...

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by nostatic

There is a simple solution - stop watching it.

+1
I used to be a fan. The theatrics are one reason I don't pay much attention any more. The musical chairs game owners play with city governments is another reason. It's government shaking down taxpayers to give welfare checks to millionaires.

[DanielDudley]

I like working with people who have been on a team, be it the Army, football, etc.. They know how to take direction, and they know how to work together to reach a goal.

OTOH, I intensely dislike working with ''STARS''. They don't work well with others, are constantly trying to be the center of attention, and will undermine others to look good, often changing plans or agreements without asking or communicating.

People in it for themselves and their own glory. Now where did they learn that...

[black73]

I thought the Marcel Marceau bit was funny as hell. Moron that shoots himself in the leg needs to be made fun of. Lighten up, Francis, it's just a game! Next someone will be complaining about Tim Tebow pointing to the sky.....

[widgeon13]

It's never going to change. They make too much money to fine them and the *******s in the stands like it too much. That's what they come for, have you seen the way they dress or undress? Common sense, and consideration for others at these events is out the door, it's just 100,000 idiots at a big wrestling match, drinking and eating until they puke. I wouldn't get within fifty miles of one of these shows.

Nostatic is right, they learn this behavior at a very young age.

[on2wheels52]

The only football we've seen in the last 15 years has been the Super Bowls, and we have get an invitation to see them.
I assume college football and basketball isn't far behind the 'pros'.
Jim

[strupgolf]

Too bad the NBA season is about to begin. We'll start to see the same stuff but IMO much worse. Some ga-boons will make a dunk, hip each other, pound their chests, and shuffle down the court taunting the other team. You can take the kid out of the hood, but not the hood out of the kid.

[Icemaster]

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by nostatic

There is a simple solution - stop watching it.

It is too entrenched, and starts when the kids are young. That type of classless behavior is tolerated and even encouraged at junior levels. The parents make it worse (being more boorish than the kids) and the coaches are often frustrated ex-players that similarly lack sportsmanship.

I loved playing sports as a kid. I enjoyed city league softball for many years but that had ups and down. I'm thankful Calvin has no interest. Plenty of other things to do in the world...

I played organized football from the age of six through junior high and high school to my first year at JC. No, we didn't wear leather helmets.

We were taught not to act that way. We were taught sportsmanship and the act of spiking the football was an unsportsmanlike penalty, not to mention the ridiculous antics that go in in the NFL. If someone acted like an arse they got benched.
That kind of "look at me" attutude was not only discouraged at the younger levels, it was not tolerated.
In fact it was a requirement for many of those years to have a crew cut, hair over 1/2" long was not allowed.
Has that much really changed, other than ghetto thugs being extremely poor role models?

[89911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Evidently you don't have a problem setting the "class" bar really low. Why is that?




The low-lifes out there making asses out of themselves are setting a bad example, and then we wonder why there is a lack of sportsmanship and why thugs are stomping on other players.

Kinda reminds me of the saying:
you can take the trash out of the trailer, but you can't take the trailer out of the trash.

So why is it that Bob Costas needs to do some damage control on the very same programming that makes him millions and NBC billions? If its so bad, why don't the networks simply not show it? I watch the game for what its worth and don't try to get caught up in them posing any resemblance to role models. If your looking to any, this ain't the place.

[sammyg2]

BTW if you watch the patriots and compare their behavior to the rest of the league, you can tell that Belichick gets it. he does not alow that kind of low-life action.
Even when a low-life ends up on their team the low-life learns to behave or gets kicked off.
Very little drama or controversy there.
If the league had more coaches like bill the game would be better off.

Just saying "don't watch it" is ridiculous.
I love the game and always have, I appreciate the struggle, the battle, the strategy and the discipline it takes to win. it builds character and leadership, given the right rules and enforcement.
Why should a handful of low-class tards ruin that for all the real fans? Why can't the players be taught to behave like men instead of undisciplined punks?

My progressive uncle suggested one time that I should not put my kids in sports because if teaches too much competition, instead I should get them in drumline like his kids.

His oldest is now living in his garage, when he's not in trouble with the law. Never had a real job that I know of.
His other offspring is going to end up worse. Barring a miracle both are destined to be parasites living off of society and I believe it all stems from his attitude and lack of character which is demonstrated in his distain for organized sports and the discipline that goes along with them. Did I mention that he has spent miost of his life living off the gubment in one way or the other but is now gainfully employed as an "educator?" Scary.

My kids on the other hand learned dicipline, hard work, striving for a goal, and get very high grades and care at the top of their classes and have never been in any sort of trouble at all, and have very bright productive futures. My daughter got a part time job as soon as she was old enough and despite going to school and playing two sports, still managed to maintain near straight A status.
I don't recall her ever sitting on her arse complaining that the world owes her anything.

The antics in pro sports mimic the decline of character in our society and both are wrong. I will not pretend it's OK. It is not.

[Joe Bob]

If'n I was a coach, every dildo that did the funky chicken would be benched even if they didn't get flagged. It's a team determination.

'I' liked Costas' rant....well done....