Preseason Football
For fans of the game, preseason football is probably one of the biggest scams out there. Teams charge full price for tickets, parking, concessions, etc., but fans get an exhibition game in return, where many star players play very few snaps, or like San Diego's Ladainian Tomlinson, don't play a single snap. Basically, fans are paying full price to see football... but are paying to see second and third string football. And this goes on the first four weeks of every football season. What a crime!
However, in the NFL's defense, there is a very good reason for having these preseason games (besides the whole money thing). First off, teams generally know who their starters are going to be, and what they can do. Often times, teams can only do more harm by playing starters in the preseason as compared to having them sit out the four weeks. They might play poorly for some reason or even worse, get hurt... in a game that doesn't even count!
I'll use the Bears for example. Quarterback Rex Grossman supposedly had an outstanding training camp, but he struggled in the preseason with fumbles and was the subject of lots of criticism. First round draft choice Greg Olsen, who was going to be a big part of the Bears offense got hurt in the final preseason game and is out for 2-4 weeks.
So why is the preseason so long? Well, the main reason is that it does serve as a good way for coaches to evaluate the depth of their team in a glorified practice setting. But the reason I like to give is that it also serves as good practice for photographers! Many of us (including yours truly), have not shot football in nearly nine months, so the preseason marks our first game action of the year. I know the pictures may not necessarily show it, but in my first preseason game, I felt like my timing and my tracking skills were a bit off. So of course, I was tested right off the bat when Grossman decided to chuck it deep to one of his receivers.
After the second preseason game, I felt a lot better... again, the pictures probably don't really show it, but I felt more comfortable out on the field.
Bring on the regular season! DAAAAA BEARS!
However, in the NFL's defense, there is a very good reason for having these preseason games (besides the whole money thing). First off, teams generally know who their starters are going to be, and what they can do. Often times, teams can only do more harm by playing starters in the preseason as compared to having them sit out the four weeks. They might play poorly for some reason or even worse, get hurt... in a game that doesn't even count!
I'll use the Bears for example. Quarterback Rex Grossman supposedly had an outstanding training camp, but he struggled in the preseason with fumbles and was the subject of lots of criticism. First round draft choice Greg Olsen, who was going to be a big part of the Bears offense got hurt in the final preseason game and is out for 2-4 weeks.
So why is the preseason so long? Well, the main reason is that it does serve as a good way for coaches to evaluate the depth of their team in a glorified practice setting. But the reason I like to give is that it also serves as good practice for photographers! Many of us (including yours truly), have not shot football in nearly nine months, so the preseason marks our first game action of the year. I know the pictures may not necessarily show it, but in my first preseason game, I felt like my timing and my tracking skills were a bit off. So of course, I was tested right off the bat when Grossman decided to chuck it deep to one of his receivers.
After the second preseason game, I felt a lot better... again, the pictures probably don't really show it, but I felt more comfortable out on the field.
Bring on the regular season! DAAAAA BEARS!
posted by Jerry at 1:02 PM
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