Try NFL Sport Channel Seach:
Selected searches:
NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season Superbowl
Items by
What Pete Carroll to Seahawks Rumors Mean: Finally An NFL Coach On Twitter!
Published: January 8, 2010
No Comments
Multiple sources are reporting today that Pete Carroll could become the next coach of the Seattle Seahawks. While this brings up immediate pressing questions like if Carroll will fare better in the NFL than during his previous stint, how many coaching changes would be triggered in the resulting domino effect, etc., I want to talk about more important topics.
What would Carroll-to-the-Seahawks mean for the NFL and Twitter?
Carroll and his USC program have seemingly mastered the social media universe through Facebook , his Twitter account , and a flashy football website (USCRipsIt.com). A tech-savvy coach like Carroll could make a big splash in the NFL (if any of the league’s other coaches use Twitter, they’re not nearly as well-known), and the potential Seahawks hire would instantly challenge Chad Ochocinco for most influential (and fun-to-follow) tweeter on the NFL landscape.
Think about it! “Carroll to Seattle” opens up all kinds of potential tweets…
1. Carroll could continue his Song of The Day trend. Of course, in Seattle, expect the most popular tune to be “Singing in the Rain” or the yet-to-be-written “Wow, You Can See Our Neon Green Jerseys From Space”.
2. Carroll could motivate and correspond with players on the popular microblogging site. Just like Carroll and former protege Mark Sanchez exchanged tweets over the past year, Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (a Twitter user himself) could get some pointers from his new coach. Expect to see these kind of tweets flying soon: “Hey Matt, it’s Coach. If you want to keep your starting job, let’s not be getting blown out by crappy teams like Tampa Bay at home anymore. Win forever, okay?”
3. Carroll could motivate Seattle fans to create an even noisier, louder home-field advantage in Qwest Field. Mark my words, it won’t be long before Carroll’s tweeting all 60,000 Seahawks supporters (a la Drew Carey) with free ticket giveaways, free ponchos (even more appreciated in Seattle), Space Needle tickets, and who knows what else.
No doubt about it, hiring Pete Carroll would be a great move for the Seattle Seahawks. Twitter…and the NFL…would never be the same again.
Hey, it may even help the Seahawks win football games.
As if that really matters.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Lucas Oil Stadium: Showcasing Indianapolis Sport
Published: October 20, 2009
No Comments
Article originally posted on www.stadiumjourney.com
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is one of the country’s newest venues, opening just in time for the Colts’ 2008 NFL season. This beautiful building, constructed across the street from where its predecessor (the RCA Dome) once sat, holds 63,000 screaming Colts fans (about 62,500 of which seem to be wearing Peyton Manning #18 jerseys) for eight regular-season home games every year.
Notable features of the stadium include a large window at one end (that can be opened to give more of an outdoor feel, as well as provide a scenic view of downtown) and a two-panel retractable roof, which the Colts can decide to open or close up until 90 minutes before kickoff. (That’s some serious home-field advantage!)
My first visit to Lucas Oil Stadium was for a preseason game in August 2009. I left impressed, to say the least.
FANFARE SCORE: 32
Food & Beverage: 4
Lucas Oil Stadium boasts about 150 concession locations, serving a variety of options to meet any fan’s taste preference. From traditional ballpark fare such as hot dogs, pizza, and pretzels to a more assorted range of flavors (Italian, Cajun, and Bar-B-Que), this venue is well equipped to feed the diverse taste buds of a Midwestern audience.
The prices certainly won’t please a penny-pincher (I think I spent $4.00 on a package of M&Ms), but are similar to what other NFL stadiums (especially newer ones) would charge.
Atmosphere: 4
While Lucas Oil Stadium hasn’t been around long enough to develop its own history, Colts fans (and NFL fans in general), will enjoy this venue for decades to come. In addition to the action on the field, two extremely large video boards (located in diagonal corners) help make sure no replay is left unseen. (The Colts considered hanging an arena-style video screen a la the new Cowboy Stadium, but thought better of it).
The plaza on the stadium’s north end contains a virtual treasure trove of memorabilia dedicated to great moments in Colts history, and also the city’s connection to racing. With a moniker like “Lucas Oil Stadium”, the replica cars and other displays should come as no surprise, and they really help give this stadium an Indiana feel.
Neighborhood: 5
The downtown area is a perfect place to grab a meal, or drink before the game, if you’re so inclined. Dozens of restaurants are available within walking distance of the stadium, including fine dining at Weber Grill (a bit classy and pricey, no tank tops allowed), sports bars galore (during the Big Ten basketball tournament, fans from each of the conference’s 11 schools are assigned a different watering hole), and everything in between.
I have especially enjoyed trips to RAM (a restaurant and brewery with nearly a dozen different burgers alone)…it’s a great place to keep an eye on all the different games on TV…and downtown also boasts a Hard Rock Café, where a visitor could spend an hour just checking out all the rock-and-roll artifacts. Each of these options is located less than 3/4 of a mile from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Fans: 5
Fans in the state of Indiana are nothing if not devout. While their first love may be on the hardwood (the Pacers used to begin player introductions with a video that boasted, “In 49 states, it’s just basketball…but this is Indiana”), they know their sports and you’ll enjoy the opportunity to take in an NFL game with 63,000 of them.
While I didn’t come away thinking Lucas Oil Stadium was the loudest venue I’d ever been in, I attribute that to the fact I was watching a preseason game. I also think having the roof closed (it was open the day I visited) would amp up the decibel volume a bit.
Access: 4
We didn’t have any problems parking near Lucas Oil Stadium. In addition to the building’s main lots, we found a garage a few blocks north that was an easy option. Traffic around game time was a little slow (we actually missed the first Colts drive of the contest because we hadn’t planned for how long it would take us to get from the highway to the stadium), but that’s to be expected if you’re still in your car a few minutes before kickoff.
Restrooms were plentiful (the venue’s website boasts 1,400 toilets), and lines weren’t a factor.
Return on Investment: 5
My trip to Lucas Oil Stadium was honestly more about seeing the Colts’ new digs than actually getting to watch the football team play (those of you that have attended preseason games know exactly what I mean). The stadium met and exceeded my expectations, and I envy the Indianapolis fans that get to enjoy it multiple times each year.
Lucas Oil Stadium will be hosting the NCAA men’s Final Four in April, and the venue has also been awarded one of the sporting world’s crown jewels, the Super Bowl, to be played in February 2012. Fans around the country will learn during these showcase events, if not before, what a beautiful facility Indianapolis has designed and built for spectators to enjoy sports in.
Etc.: 5
In my experiences traveling around the United States and watching sporting events live, I’ve been consistently blown away by the increasing level of quality and sheer “wow” factor of the newer venues that have been built. Lucas Oil Stadium is one of the finest examples of this trend. The city has done an admirable job of building an arena that connects with the city’s history, features the newest modern conveniences, has good sight lines (we sat in one of the top rows and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves), is located in a downtown area full of choice restaurants, and will prove comfortable to the fans who attend in any weather scenario. I highly recommend a visit to Lucas Oil Stadium when your travels take you through the Midwest; there can’t be many finer places to watch Peyton Manning work his magic.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
B/R Interview: Talking Big Ten Football With Curtis Painter
Published: September 5, 2009
No Comments
While Curtis Painter waited anxiously today to find out if he had made the 2009 Indianapolis Colts roster, he took a few minutes to talk football with FirstandBigTen.com.
What’s your favorite memory from your time at Purdue? Is there a specific game or moment that stands out to you?
I would say my first and last game. My first game was a little nerve-wracking, getting the first start at Wisconsin, but at the same time it was exciting: finally getting to play, because that’s what you shoot for. And then our last game, the Indiana game last year. That’s a fun game to play in, it’s a great rivalry. Just ending a career and Coach Tiller’s last game—a lot of good things out of that game.
What advice would you give Joey Elliott and the other Purdue quarterbacks?
I think he’ll be alright—I don’t think he needs a whole lot of advice. He’s been around for awhile, and we’re pretty good friends. I think he’ll do a good job. I guess if I had to tell him one thing, it’s just “enjoy it.” Just enjoy the game and have fun.
What’s the biggest difference between college and the NFL?
I’d say the biggest challenge for me is just going into a new system and getting that down: everything that comes along with it. You hear people talking about the speed of the game and of course, the players are just that much better, but I think the biggest challenge is learning the playbook.
When you finally found out your NFL destination, what was your reaction to being drafted by the Colts franchise?
I think just location-wise, to be able to start out a career here would be great. Close to home, close to where I grew up, and I’m pretty familiar with it, so that was a great opportunity. And then just being with Peyton Manning—there’s not really a better guy to sit behind and mimic and learn from. It’s really been a great opportunity so far and I hope that continues—I think it’ll be a great thing for me.
So let’s talk about Peyton. What are sideline discussions like? I mean, what is there to say? “Hey Peyton, that was another great touchdown pass?” What have you learned from him?
No matter what the game, whether it’s preseason or even practice, he’s very intense at practice. Very intense when he’s playing. He takes everything very seriously. It doesn’t matter what the situation, he’s always trying to get better. I think that’s what makes him the type of player he is—his work ethic, always coming to the sideline, asking about what we saw, what he could have done, what he shouldn’t have done. I think that’s one thing, when you look at him, that you really learn to respect.
Back to Purdue for our last question: how would you compare Joe Tiller and Danny Hope?
I think that Coach Tiller’s a little laid back, and I think that Coach Hope’s a guy with a lot of energy. He’s an intense guy—I think that will be good for the team. Starting a new program and a new system and everything, I think that’s kind of what you need. I think he will do well, and it seems like the guys have really responded to Coach Hope (just hearing some things from the players), so hopefully that means well for the season.
This interview was originally published on FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football. And yes, in case you wondered, Painter did make the Colts’ opening-day roster. Congratulations to the Indianapolis rookie!
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
