By Max Gross
Published: August 12, 2007 PrintEmail
After a long offseason, football has returned at last! And with the return of football, comes the return of my football coverage coming your way via weekly articles. But to start, things might be a little rough. You see, I'm just a third-year writer now, and my first year hardly counts, as it was only part of the year. In that time, I've had 2 or 3 different writing platforms through which my work gets published. Seems like there's always a lot of change, and after a long layoff, there are some kinks to be worked out. This is especially true, because I'm technically the "head writer" on staff, and I've yet to get anything coordinated with my fellow staff. So for all of these reasons, and for the fact that I've started three sentences with conjunctions in my opening paragraph, I ask you for your mercy in your evaluations of, and reactions to, this piece.
For those of you wondering when I'm going to start with the aforementioned "football coverage," I already have--at least metaphorically. You see, it's been a long offseason for the players and the teams. There's likely been a lot of change for them, and the season is just getting started. Football fans everywhere have been starving for news while sportswriters everywhere have been starving for writing fodder, so it follows logically that the instant there is football-like action occurring, coverage bursts into action and fans' reactions pop up around message boards everywhere. However, such instant reactions are flawed, and really, I write this as a reminder to reserve judgment. It's a long season.
Here's what I'm talking about: -In pre-season action tonight, eight teams were active. Seven of those eight had scoreless first quarters, when the starters were in on both sides. Fans everywhere are lauding their defenses' success or decrying their offensive offenses, but really, it just takes offenses some time to click and find a rhythm. They certainly aren't likely to do so in their first few series of live action.
-I read today that a 7th round pick has "been a disappointment" thus far. The player has yet to play in a pre-season game and is in competition for a roster spot. What sort of expectations, pray tell, are there on a 7th-round rookie through 2.5 weeks of camp in which he could possibly have disappointed? And who sets these expectations?
-The Dallas Cowboys had a headline explaining that the team "Got Off to a Hot Start." The first words of the article explain that the starting offense played 27 plays resulting in 6 points, while the defense gave up 3 points in 15 plays. Wow... a 6-3 lead with the starters. That's hot.
Naturally, you're all getting the point. The first two weeks of camp are exciting for fans, for writers and for teams alike. But to judge individual players based upon less than three weeks of camp is foolhardy. To judge teams based upon 15 or 27 plays with starting rosters, vanilla game plans and little-to-no intensity is equally nonsensical.
It is August. No rookies are busts or even disappointments.
It is August. No teams are off to hot starts.
It is August. No players are setting the world on fire.
It is August. No articles of substance are being written. So please excuse my rusty first attempt back. You'll have all season to judge my musings each and every week. For now, let's all just sit back and get excited that the real football and the real news and the real coverage are just around the corner. Enjoy the season, guys!
