About Football

Beating the Crowd on Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T00:01:12Z

NFL football is as big a tradition at Thanksgiving as the turkey and pumpkin pie. And if your Thanksgiving celebrations are like mine, most of the football fans head right for the television as soon as they hit the door.

If you have to battle rather large crowds to get a prime view of all the NFL action, you know that it sometimes takes a little bit of planning and strategy to maintain a solid viewing position throughout the day. Being the huge football fan that I am, though, I've developed a plan to make sure I always have a prime location so that I don't have to miss a moment of the action... or any of the delicious Thanksgiving fixin's! Read more...

Beating the Crowd on Thanksgiving originally appeared on About.com Football on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 00:01:12.

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NFL Nickname Trivia

2009-11-21T01:03:04Z

NFL history is littered with colorful nicknames which often reflect the style of play or the personal demeanor of the individual to which the moniker is affixed. Names like Blood, Greasy, Bulldog, and Curly were synonymous with greats like John McNally, Earle Neale, Clyde Turner, and Earl Lambeau in the early days of the NFL, and the creation of colorful aliases continues to this day.

In honor of these usually-affectionate nicknames, we've put together a short multiple-choice quiz based on some famous, and not-so famous, player nicknames. Take the quiz...

NFL Nickname Trivia originally appeared on About.com Football on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 01:03:04.

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Controversial Belichick Decision the Right One?

2009-11-16T23:13:11Z

The controversial decision Sunday night by New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to go for it on fourth-and-two on his own 28-yard line with just over two minutes remaining and only a five-point lead over the Indianapolis Colts obviously didn't pan out. But was it necessarily the wrong move?

Conventional wisdom says it was, but statistically it may not have been.

According to the ZEUS computer program developed by champion backgammoners Frank Frigo and Chuck Bower, Belichick's decision went along with the percentages. Per an email sent to Toni Monkovic of the New York Times blog "The Fifth Down", ZEUS has all the numbers. Check out the details...

Controversial Belichick Decision the Right One? originally appeared on About.com Football on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 23:13:11.

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Football's Funniest Quotes

2009-11-14T21:54:06Z

Let's face it. Whether the stereotype is fair or not, football players aren't highly regarded for their intelligence (not to say there aren't a lot of smart guys playing the game). And as a result, the large amount of time they spend in front of a microphone answering questions can lead to some very amusing moments.

In honor of these blunderers, About Football has put together a collection of the more comical quips to escape the lips of college and pro football players, as well as coaches and announcers alike over the years. Read more...

Football's Funniest Quotes originally appeared on About.com Football on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 21:54:06.

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Chiefs Cut Larry Johnson

2009-11-10T00:15:10Z

As has been reported by multiple media outlets, the Kansas City Chiefs have cut running back Larry Johnson following recent controversial behavior that had resulted in a one-week suspension.

The two-time Pro Bowler will now have to pass through waivers where another team could claim his prorated $4.55 million base salary and $60,000-plus per-game roster bonus. In the likely event that all other teams pass on his contract, Johnson will be come an unrestricted free agent where he's likely to see some interest from teams in need of a veteran running back. His 2.7 yards per carry average probably isn't going to inspire many clubs to open the vault, however.

For all you fantasy football nuts, the move opens the door for second-year ball carrier Jamaal Charles, who should see his touches increase significantly in Johnson's absence. I wouldn't get too excited, though, considering Kansas City is 24th in the league in rushing yards and has yet to score a touchdown on the ground all year.

Chiefs Cut Larry Johnson originally appeared on About.com Football on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 00:15:10.

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Did You Know...

2009-11-06T02:59:42Z

Herb Adderley was an All Big-Ten offensive star as a running back at Michigan State University before becoming a first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1961. As a rookie in the Packers training camp, he competed against future Hall of Fame running backs Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, but head coach Vince Lombardi decided to try the former Spartan as an emergency replacement for injured starting cornerback Hank Gremminger... and the rest, as they say, is football history! Read more...

Did You Know... originally appeared on About.com Football on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 02:59:42.

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NFL Tiebreaking Procedures

2009-11-05T02:54:12Z

As we prepare to enter the second half of the NFL season and the playoff races start to heat up, NFL tiebreaking procedures are sure to come into question. This reference page provides the list of tiebreakers the NFL now uses for divisional races and Wild Card races as well as for ties between two, three, and more teams. For future reference, this page will be listed in the Football 101 section with other informative pieces such as:

How to Calculate a Quarterback Rating
Common NFL Defensive Formations
Uniform Numbering System
Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?
NFL Scheduling Procedures

NFL Tiebreaking Procedures originally appeared on About.com Football on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 02:54:12.

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Did You Know...

2009-11-01T00:00:11Z

The penalty flag was first used in the NFL in a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Boston Yanks on September 17, 1948. More football firsts...

Did You Know... originally appeared on About.com Football on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 00:00:11.

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The History of Grass... Artificial That Is!

2009-10-31T00:29:34Z

Ever wonder where Astroturf came from or how it has evolved over the years? Inventors Guide Mary Bellis looks at the history of phony grass.

The History of Grass... Artificial That Is! originally appeared on About.com Football on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 00:29:34.

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Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?

2009-10-28T20:40:36Z

Football officials... they're the men on the field we all love to hate and complain about. But without these keepers of the rules, a football game could not progress with any sort of structure or sanity.

Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping things moving along to making sure the athletes don't unnecessarily hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of play, and recording all rule infractions.

You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven in college and NFL games) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. Read more...

And if you've ever wondered what it takes to become an NFL official, we have all the details.

Photo: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference? originally appeared on About.com Football on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 20:40:36.

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