The Allure

Every single sport has a certain allure, something that brings you in the first time, but then consistently and constantly bring you back to see more and more till you're hooked. This could be anything from the thrill of a 25-foot putt to get Tiger one major closer to the all-time record, or a pitcher that is one out from a perfect game, yet this doesn't necessarily mean that every person is going to love every sport. Some people don't find certain sports as appealing as others, yet there is one sport that is different. There is a sport that during the offseason makes you want to watch a version of the game where they only play three downs in Canada, just because it gives you a little closer to the kickoff of the real season. American football is more than a sport, it is a spectacle; men, women, and children all love it and every Sunday even when the weather outside is delightfully perfect for spending the afternoon on the river, everyone has their eyes glued to the television just praying for that first down.

What is that allure? Why do we love the sport so much? and WHEN WILL IT BE BACK?

Football is back, baby

I'd argue that part of the allure is that we only get the pleasure of watching this great sport only once a week, unlike most other sports which occur daily. I'd also argue that the style of the game is a draw because the basis is similar to the basis of war; protect your land, and your men while trying to conquer others. We get to watch these men (who are far more athletic then most of us could ever hope to be) put their bodies on the line for the pride of a victory. And more so every single game means so much, that when the Browns and the Steelers play, Dolphins fans will watch as intently as if they were hard core terrible-towel-wavers. Many complain that sports like Tennis, Golf, and Baseball are too long to enjoy, yet generally football games last longer than all three of those. Football grabs our attention from the kickoff and the bright lights and big games never for a moment lose us. Every little detail of a football game draws you and leaves you wanting more, even when you are left in utter defeat after a Monday Night lose, you can't stop yourself from wanting more, and that is the definition of the Allure.

Thank goodness for all of our sakes, the answer to my last question I posed earlier is soon, very, very soon we will be enjoying the beginning of a new season and each and every fan base, yes even the Jaguars has hope for this new beginning, that in the end it may bring them a championship.

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Age Before Beauty

This years NFL playoffs are unlike any other in the history of the league, and that's because they are a microcosm of an entire season that was so unique. More and more, as teams look for youth, in their coaches, players, and more specifically their quarterbacks, the NFL is turning into a conflict of the excitement of youth versus the knowledge of the experienced. Fans of the Redskins, Seahawks, Colts, Bengals, and even the Vikings, are pumped about their future, but also their present situation as every one of those teams seams to be a legitimate Super Bowl threat with a first of second year quarterback at the helm.

But this is completely unprecedented.

Young quarterbacks have never had this quality and quantity of success, save for Dan Marino, who never even succeed in winning a ring. Then there are the experienced. Combined they have four super bowl rings, multiple mvps, Super Bowl MVPs, and have become cornerstones of their team, and the NFL as a whole. With the first round match ups of the Seahawks and Redskins, one of those exciting freshman will be ousted in the first round, but one of them is also guaranteed to win and will face a quarterback with playoff experience (even Matt Ryan counts, though he has as many playoff victories as RGIII, Luck, and Wilson put together). On the AFC side Cinncy will get its shot a veteran team right away as they take on Houston and Matt Schaub, as well as Luck and his Colts aiming at taking down a Baltimore team that has been to the playoffs five years in a row, and were one play away from the Super Bowl just last year. Eventually, whether first round, second, or in the Super Bowl itself, this years playoffs will come down to youth versus experience, and that intrigue is really what draws me personally to watch every playoff game this year, because I know my team, although not in the playoffs, always has that hope of youth, and is always one year away from a ring.