Allen's World

5:30:44 PM EDT
Feeling Quiet
Hearing None.. NFL Live on ESPN 2

 The big trend in sports writing these days seems to be writing lists. They stir debate, they stril discussion, and they give the american office worker one less reason to leave the break room on time. In my soon to be 30 years on this earth, I have had the fortune to be to almost every NFL Stadium. Through my Uncle Rich's connections, through my college playing experience, and through some good fortune, I've had a chance to see professional football in almost all of it's theatres. Before I get started, I need to note the stadiums that I have not attended a live football game in. They are:

Seattle, Arizona, Houson, Jacsksonville, and Indianapolis (trip planed this fall).

 Game experiences are rated via the following categories (prices are not a part of this because all NFL game tickets cost a couple of bucks):

1.  Tailgating: The pre-game warm up is a vital part of the game day experience. The food, the drink, and the fraternal friendship of fans play a vital role in getting one prepared for kickoff.

2.  Atmosphere: The aura of a stadium, from the novelties that exist (the pirate ship in Tampa), to the concessions, all that contribute to the overindulgense of the American past time. (Cheerleaders are counted in, but no prices are noted due to high cost at all events)

3. Fan Knowledge: A good game needs good fans. They need to be loud, enthusiastic, and have a good knowledge of the game to share with visiting fans and one time ticket buyers.

4. Miscellaneous: Bonus points are scored for anything else that makes the day more enjoyable. Whether it's a good pre-game, or post game restaraunt, or just a unique part of the stadium that isn't found anywhere else, this is where cities score bonus points.

    Allen's World Presents: THE NFL EXPERIENCE LIVE

1. ARROWHEAD STADIUM (Kansas City Chiefs) (30 pts.)

Tailgating: 10      Atmosphere: 10    Fan Knowledge: 9 

Bonus Point for being the loudest stadium in football.

 From the tailgating that begins at 6:00 am, this place is always ready to explode. Pickup trucks literally are converted to giant smokers, and giant pits line the lot for barbecue. The simple aroma of the Truman Sports complex on a Sunday morning takes one into a transient state of bliss and hunger. Fans in the midwest are never afraid to share their food, their drink, and their stories, and they take their pre-game rituals seriously (The even bring their own Johnny-On-the-spots).

  Inside, the concrete facade holds over 80,000 members of the "Red Army." All fans, and I mean ALL fans are donning their Chiefs colors, as they prepare for their mighty franchise to do battle with fierce rivals such as the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. When the crowd is asked to make noise at kickoff, the sound is deafening and the seats literally shake with the anticipation of football in the heartland.

 As for fan knowledge, I'll sum it up like this: The 13 year old boy that I sat next to was able to tell me the college and history of each member of the Chiefs Ring of Honor. Discussions of Zone Blocking and 3-4 vs 4-3 defense fill the air. As for the male fans, they just let the wives talk ball and thank the Lord for their spouses.

 

#2.  Lambeau Field (28 pts.)

Tailgating: 8       Atmosphete: 10     Fan Knowledge: 9

Bonus Point for the mystique and aura of the Green Bay Packers

 The frozen tundra of Lambeau field is the most legendary stadium in professional football history. Built in 1957 as City Stadium II, it was renamed in 1964 after the passing of Packer founder Curley Lambeau. Green Bay is a city with 120,000 residents, a 68,000 seat stadium, and a 400 year waiting list to purchase season tickets. Sunday's are probably the best day to go shopping in this Wisconsin town because the malls are completely dead. Tailgating is a solid 8, with the beer flowing, the deer meat charring, and the cheese soup keeping the body warm. One really great experience at this stadium that I had was to be able to purchase my ticket for $35 for a PLAYOFF GAME.

  Once inside, the giant museum tells stories of greatness. From Lambeau to Lombardi to Brett Favre, if that field could speak, it would be the best storyteller in gridiron folklore. The names of those that will walk forever in the city of Green Bay adron the walls, and fans literally embrace their players in celebration via the Lambeau Leap.

 Fan Knowledge runs high, as it should in "Title Town USA." The whole city is literally here, and there are only two things on Sunday that will never go away, according to the 84 year old man I sat next to. They are God and the Packers.

 #3. Ravens Stadium (whatever name it has this season) (26 pts.)

 

Tailgating: 7       Atmosphere: 9      Fan Knowledge: 8

Bonus Points for: Crabcakes at concession stands and the giant jumbtrons.

  Baltimore Maryland was robbed of their franchise following the 1983 season. The midnight ride of Ron Irsay will forever haunt the glorious history in Baltimore football History. The City of Unitas (and he died a Raven people) and the site of the arrival of professional football to the mainstream consciousness (1957 NFL Championship) was rewarded with the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 (ironically robbing Cleveland of their beloved franchise), and the fans were rewarded with a Superbowl Trophy following the 2000-2001 season. The only reason that my tailgating score is low is due to the fact that parking for games is scarce. Only a fraction of fans can purchase parking passes, and are usually met by their party members who have to lug coolers on the light rail and bus system (Great transit system I'd like to add). Tailgating festivities are very unique here, as seafood takes center stage. Crabcakes, Lobster, and shrimp line the tables and grills of the Ravenites that (to be continued)

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12:53:45 AM EDT
Feeling Chillin'
Hearing Watching FSU/Miami

In 1987, little Richie Allen (that's me) and his late aunt Barbara Heins purchased a Fantasy Football team on the Old Commodore Onlline Server known as Q-Link. It was kind of neat, because my aunt taught me everything I needed to know about football to that point. There were 2 rules..

1. My favorite team is the Philadelphia Eagles

2. My second Favorite team is whomever plays Dallas on Sunday.

 Fantasy football in 1987 was a very different game back then. The rules were simple: A Touchdown pass was 3 points, a Rush TD or Receiving TD was 6 points, and Kicker scoring was the same as it is on the field. There were no defenses, there were no bonuses for catches, yards, or penalties for turnovers. The only other way to score was if you're head coach won (drawn completely at Random or you could just pick the coach from the team your Quarterback was on) you'd score three points.

   My first draft was on a Sunday, and you had to pay as you went on Q-Link. It probably cost us 30 Bucks in time. As for my first team?

   Quarterback: Randall Cunningham

    Running Backs: Marcus Allen and Hershell Walker

    Receivers: Steve Largeant, Chris Carter, and Anthony Carter (2 started)

    Tight End: Ozzie Newssome

    Kicker: Rich Karlis and Head Coach: Buddy Ryan

  At 11 years old, I was in a roto league, and my friends at school had no idea what I was doing. But it gave me a chance to learn about football. It taught me how to read the paper every Monday, and showed me that this game required me to put my heart away and pick the best players that I could. That season, due to the strike (NFL players were replaced by scabs at the position on the drafted players' franchise), I finished 11-3 and won the whole thing. To the dismay of the other owners, they were beaten by an 11 year old kid who was still 6 months away from his first kiss.

  Those 8 owners came back, and we formed our own league. We now carry 2 12 Team Leagues, and have an actual waiting list to join. We keep players, have a veteran re-draft and 2 round rookie/sophomore draft. To get away from the beaten path a bit, I went ahead and started a free AOL fantasy team. I've done some side teams and have helped friends with their franchises, but it's been a while that I took the business out of roto football and just sat down and had a little fun. So, for my own amusement, and maybe the three of you that read my work, I'm going to journal this fantasy experience. From naming the squad to every move.. I know this game pretty well and maybe you might learn a thing or two. If you ever have any Fantasy questions, just drop me a line at Phillybirds4life@aol.com.

 

   So hear goes...

  Naming the team:   I jumped online and decided that I wanted to draft that same day. I found an opening for Public League 22211 with a 1AM Draft time. A little insomniac theater and a 10 team draft haven't been something I've done for about 7 years (12, 16 and even a 20 team league are more my style). So I sat down, and figured that I had to have a little fun naming this squad.

   I've always named teams seriously. I usually use a city, make up a stadium, and even have colors and uniforms. To me, it just makes it more fun to totally be absorbed by the team, and the more that put into it, the more that will be reaped in December and January. But, for this once time, I just wanted to have a fun little name:

    BUZZKILL...

 I named this team after the baseball cap from the old MTV show that was sitting on top of my computer desk. Now that I had a name, and I was signed up, I found out I wouldn't be drafting until 9th in the 10 team league. The only bright side was that the rounds flipped, so I'd be drafting 9th, then coming back at #12. That told me I had no shot at getting Priest Holmes, LT, or Manning. I knew that my best bet was going to be a QB, and either Donovan McNabb or Duante Culpepper seemed reasonable.

  1 AM Arrived, so I threw on TV Land (Good Times was on), grabbed a smoke and some of my aunt Josephine's Iced Tea, and was ready to rock. 2 Minutes per round for 15 rounds, and the big boys flew off the board quicker than Green Bay Packers season ticket openings. By the 9th pick, LT, Holmes, Manning, McNabb, Shaun Alexander, Willlis McGahee, and Jamal Lewis were down, so I had to pick what I felt was the best player out there. I drafted Duante Culpepper, feeling he has enough weapons without Randy Moss, and a dome to give me 30 Touchdowns or more this season.

  I was hoping for Corey Dillon in round 2, but he went right before I was up. I made my next decision based on strategy. I get nervous when a team can draft a superstar qband compliment him with his primary target. Based on this thought,  I drafted Terrell Owens. I've always been big about stacking my team with receivers, and about drafting to keep teams from star stacking, so this was the move I wanted to make.

   For round 3, I decided to put my own QB-WR tandem together in the form of Nate Buerlson. I now had split up a potential combination and had my own connection available. But all the top running backs were going away, so I had to act quickly and scoop up some backfield. I had my heart set on Steven Jackson from the Rams, because I couldn't believe he was on the board for round 4. But one pick before me and that was a memory. I grinded my teeth, and grabbed Brian Westbrook. Fine, I'm an Eagles fan, but since my league is 75% scoring based, Westbrook runs and catches quite a bit. Donovan McNabb calls him his, "Ultimate Weapon," and why not?

   I was somewhat please with the first 4 picks, so in Round 5 I wanted to get the best player I felt could put up a lot of points. I have a rule about drafting rookies. I'm not into it, but since I'm not spending money on this team, I signed Ronnie Brown from the Miami Dolphins. He has 4 weeks to play without Rickey Williams, and could very well be a focal point in an offense that doesn't exactly have world beaters at QB. Next, I wanted to grab a Tight End before they started falling off the board. Antonio Gates was already gone, but Algae Crumpler was still around. Michael Vick does toss short passes to his tight end, and although it's not a high interest position. I felt the need to be strong here because other teams were a lot stronger than me at running back.

 For round 7, I don't know what I was thinking. I drafted Rod Smith from Denver because I think he still has a lot of gas in the tank, and the completely lapse of remembering Ashley Lelie is the #1 in Denver caused this decision to occur. Rod Smith will probably never play a down for me this season, and If I need to trade or drop add, he'll probably get moved. I made up for this mistake with my 8th round pick. Our league requires one overtime player to break a tie, and I saw a player that scored a lot of touchdowns in his role on his team. Jerome Bettis was there for my taking with the 72nd pick, and I'm sure he'll get a few starts for me this season. His role is to score points, so I felt I couldn't go wrong.

  Team Defense can be a very valuable asset. I feel good about grabbing a defense before settling for one in the last round. After scooping up WR Justin McCareins in round 9, I quickly snagged the Steelers defense. They put points on the board, and always keep opposing scores low. I was pleased with my team so far, and now felt that at this point, to just grab the best players on the board. Plaxico Burress was #11 and I felt this gave me the best core of receivers in the league. I have depth, and I can maybe make a move if an injury occurs. I wanted another Tight End at #12, so Bubba Franks seemed like a good choice. I also made this pick to keep him off of other rosters.

 At #13, it was Eddie Kennison. Even Tony Gonzalez can't catch everything from Trent Green, and then a nightmare occurred: My connection was lost. Good thing this happened in round 14. I wanted to grab TJ Houshmensomething or other, but my auto pick ended up being Drew Bledsoe. That was fine though: Needed a backup quarterback. With my last pick also on auto, I was given Josh Brown. That was my team.....

 

   Drop/Ads

  Within 5 minutes I was on the Free Agent board. Immediately I dropped Josh Brown, and picked up Shayne Graham.

  After Bettis' Injury, I dropped McCareins and added Willie Parker to give me another chance to score points. The Steelers run the ball, and Willie Parker will get his reps.

  Starting lineup:

   With week 1 coming, I locked in my lineup...

   QB-Culpepper

   Running Backs: Brian Westbrook and Ronnie Brown

   Wide Receivers: Owens and Buerlson

   Tigh End: Algae Crumpler

    Kicker: Shayne Graham --Steelers Defense

  The lineup looks hopeful, except for one problem. My opponent is loaded

    How the hell did this happen?

   Favre, Tomlinson, Martin, Muhammed, Holt, Gonzalez, Wilkins, and the Bucs Defense...

   Oh well.. Let's get that first loss out of the way early, right?

 

  So that's it for week 1. I just wrote this for the hell of it, and because I'm bored. I'll be writing the usual starting this week.....

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6:29:34 PM EDT
Feeling Anxious
Hearing nothing: College Football  

After a summer layoff, 3 moves, and a whirlwind of travels, it is good to be back behind a laptop writing about sports again. Football season is here, and no more Sundays will be spent at the mall until February. I'd like to send a quick hello to all of those that have to go to department stores this fall during their games and stand in the "dejected husband" section of the mall, while their wives occassionaly ask them to tell them that they actually like the blue dress that their mother used to own 30 years ago.

Time once again, to pack sports bars for those of you that are no longer living in the city that you grew up in cheering with your fellow brethren. Time again, to raise the purse on Sunday Ticket, and engage in vulgar displays of muscle flexing, overeating, and answering questions that you wished your girlfriends asked you during the pre-season.

It has come again, to visit those that you share about 10 days a year with in a stadium packed with those that consider this more than a ritual: to those that spend countless Sunday mornings grilling, chilling, and swilling, this is a birthright. Time to buy the 8 dollar beers and sneak in the schnaps for the hot chocolate. Time again to put the flags on your vehicles, break out your license plate frames, and bear witness to what is ultimately America's past time. 16 Games, and each one means everything.

At this juncture, all teams have a clean slate. The free agent signings, the training camps, the roster cuts, the good-byes to old veterans, and the welcoming of new rookies that earned their way onto a 53 man roster are now going to be measured in the only method that ultimately matters: Wins and losses. There will be teams returning to glory from the past season, there will be teams that fall from grace, and there will be a team or to that have come from the depths of sub-mediocrity to the promised land of the NFL playoffs. Superstars will continue to shine, and new faces continue to sprout: This is what makes football special. Every year, a blackboard is filled with numbers and stats and wins and losses and champions, and every year it is erased. The popularity of football in America continues to grow in leaps and in bounds and remains in a stranglehold over all of it's competitors. With the exception of world soccer (FOOTBALL, everywhere else), does any sport continue to grow and be recognized as something so special?

Fantasy drafts have been completed, and commissioners all across the United States have dreams of their squad winning their 12 inch trophy and 300 bucks :). All Fantasy football has done is heightened fandom and made football fans simply want to watch more football. I've been playing fantasy football since 1987, when my late aunt Barbara bought me a team on the old online service known as Q-Link for $35 dollars. I won my first championship at age 11, and now tally 12 league titles. It's just made fans more passionate, and has caused the knowledge of the casual football fan to explode.

The only outlet for football outside of your home city was once the halftime highlights and the Monday paper. Now, there is a network dedicated to it, there are 7 replays of Sportscenter that none of us ever want to miss, and Fantasy football league servers process score updates and stats for us. We, the football fans, can intoxicate ourselves with our beloved institution, and can do it year round. Everything Football is televised: High School press conferences declaring intent, college practices, NFL Combine, Rookie Seminar, countless coaches shows, voluntary workouts, and even a reality show dedicated to SPORTS AGENTS!

All of these morsels have kept our appetite wet for this weekend. Now, unfurl the jersey, break out the snack helmet, fire up the grill, and live life for Sundays. Come February, one will stand, millions will celebrate, and the blackboard will be erased again.

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