International Football

Biography

When it came to John Riggins everyone knew what to expect. He played by his own rules. He ran hard, and he ran his own way. He was just as likely to show up to team functions in army fatigues as he would in a tuxedo. However, when it was time to play football, he was a no nonsense running back whose strength and speed were only surpassed by his determination and toughness.

Riggins didn’t tire down as the game wore on. The more times that he got the ball, the stronger he seemed to become. The same applied to his NFL career. When other backs would lose a step as they aged, John Riggins picked up momentum with each passing NFL season. He was 35 years old when he recorded his sixth 1000 yard rushing season. While nobody knew what to expect from Riggins off the football field, teammates and fans could always count on exceptional play when it was time to play football.

While still playing at a high level, Riggins shocked the world when he retired from football after posting back to back 1000 yard seasons. One day he just walked out of the Redskins training camp in 1980 and announced his retirement.

Riggins played by his own rules. He was not happy with his contract and with football in general, so decided to leave on his own rules. After spending the offseason on his Kansas farm, he returned to Washington in 1981 and said “I’m bored, I’m broke, and I’m back” Riggins decided he was ready to play football once again.

After Riggins humbling declaration to return to football, he launched his second career as an NFL player. His one year layoff showed during his first season back, but by the end of 1982 he completely regained his form. Entering the playoffs he approached the Redskins coach Joe Gibbs and told him that if he could be given the ball 20 times a game or more, the Redskins would win.

Coach Gibbs took Riggins advice. The next three games, Riggins averaged 148 yards and 33 carries and led the Washington Redskins to Super Bowl XVII.

In the Super Bowl against the Miami Dolphins, the Redskins relied on Riggins heavily. His biggest play came in the 4th quarter. Losing 17-3 and facing fourth and one, Riggins took the handoff, darted to his left and raced 43 yards to the end zone. Behind John Riggins’ 166 yards on a record 38 carries the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl 27-17.

The following season at the ripened age of 34, John Riggins had his best year as a pro. At the time he retired, he was ranked fourth on the all time rushing list. It was a career that nobody could have predicted. Nobody who didn’t understand the will and determination of John Riggins, that is.

Andrew Luck is, in my opinion, the best all around quarterback I have ever seen play the game of football. Yes, I said the game of football, not just college football. I realize this is a bold statement that opens me up to criticism and I am fine with that. Though I fully expect him to have a similarly successful pro career, I am well aware of all the variables beyond his control that could adversely affect him when he reaches the National Football League.

At first glance I thought his name was both misleading and inappropriate. The standard definition of luck usually goes something like this: good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance. The only descriptive definition for Andrew I could find was this: a male given name from a Greek word meaning “manly.” So taken literally Andrew Luck means a man favored by good fortune as a result of chance.

Now that definition bears little resemblance to the Andrew Luck I have followed since he committed to Stanford University a few short years ago. I have never seen anyone achieve the level of academic and athletic success he has achieved without a requisite amount of hard work. I’m certain a good deal of desire, dedication and seasoning have also been keys to enabling him to develop into the quarterback and person he is today.

I have never endorsed the widely used definition of the word luck and feel it was created in an effort to rationalize away what is unpalatable to people. When things don’t go your way it’s often explained away as ‘bad luck.’ Or when someone you do not see as worthy gets something you value, you say ‘they are just lucky.’ You see, it is easier to rationalize that luck was involved than to admit that you didn’t do all that you could have and/or face the pain of self-induced failure. I have seen people and several of my clients fall into this trap over many years.

As a result, I teach my clients the alternative definition of ‘luck’ that I subscribe to, which is simply: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” People often complain to me that they ‘never got an opportunity’ to show what they could do, but what I usually find to be true is that the opportunities did indeed come, but they were not prepared when they did.

By using my preferred definition his name almost seems prophetic as it is so appropriate to the person he has become. Applying my definition to his name, Andrew Luck would literally mean: A man who prepared for opportunity and then seized that opportunity to his benefit.

Now that’s not a misnomer.

American football, born from the English game of Rugby that came into being in the 17th century, is quite a thrilling game. The game is very complex, with multiple specialized positions and in-depth game plans involving them. This, though, is precisely what makes the pastime so fascinating to watch regardless of whether one is sitting on aluminum bleachers at a high school match or in a professional stadium for a National Football League game.

A few on-field units are employed by each club during the game. A team’s offense is the group of players that actively tries to advance the ball downfield and either into the opponent’s end zone to get touchdowns or to a yardage close enough for a field goal to be kicked. To start a play, the quarterback, who is in essence the leader of the offense, takes the snap from the center, or chief offensive lineman. He has the option to hand the pigskin off to the running back or throw it downfield to an open receiver. The quarterback is additionally accountable for relaying the pre-snap strategies the head coach creates to the rest of the players on the unit. On certain plays, the running back attempts to bring the ball downfield using gaps in the defense. On passing plays, wide receivers run diverse routes downfield and attempt to get open to more effortlessly catch a pass from the quarterback. Offensive linemen stop defensive players to the best of their ability so that they cannot disrupt the quarterback while he tosses or the running back while he runs. The hybrid player that is the tight end serves as an extra lineman on many plays and an extra receiver on numerous others. The player referred to as the fullback lines up behind the offensive linemen and serves as a fairly mobile blocker who the running back frequently tries to stay behind. It should be noted that the fullback is frequently exchanged for one more tight end, and that any player on offense can operate as a blocker, reliant upon the situation.

Defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs make up a club’s defense. Depending on the defensive coordinator’s inclination, a team will use either four linemen and three linebackers, or the reverse. All defenders are charged with bottling up the run on running plays. The linemen and linebackers will usually put emphasis on stopping the quarterback and the defensive backs on disrupting receivers when a pass play is unfolding. The amount of men in each specific defensive position set on the turf will also vary from play to play, hinging upon what the opposing offense is seeking to accomplish.

The special teams units that are involved in kickoff, punt, and field goal plays comprise the third “phase” of the game. The squad’s kicker and punter are extremely skilled at kicking for length, height, and/or accuracy, which no other players on the team are usually able to do. Punt and kickoff return units use a swift player referred to as a return man to take the ball back as far as he can and negate some punt or kick yards. All other players on a special team will block, tackle, or halt ball movement depending on exactly what team it is and where the ball is at the moment.

Whether sitting in high school stadium bleachers, in pro field seats, or elsewhere, the fan cannot help but take pleasure in the game of football, with its many positions and loads of action.

With no current NFL season and talks still underway as to if your 2011-12 season will ever happen, forthcoming nexus s all we have these days. If there is a team that has been hurt the best from the NFL Lockout, it would be the Bay area 49ers.

The 49ers have a new coach in Jim Harbaugh that has no experience running an NFL team. He cannot organize an exercise with his team, nor can he even name their own starting quarterback. Currently, the 49ers have two quarterbacks on the roster. You can never begin in the NFL again, and the other is another round draft pick with zero experience running an NFL offense.

David Carr and Colin Kaepernick could be the only two quarterbacks on the 49ers’ roster, but neither is going to be starting in Week 1.

For their starting quarterback, San Francisco will be looking elsewhere, however they will need to wait to even do that.

Listed here are the very best possibilities at quarterback, and also the odds they’ll be starting in Week 1.

4. David Carr

Although Carr has been quoted as stating that so far as he knows the 49ers’ starting quarterback position expires for grabs, the reality is that the fans of San Francisco may not let that happen. They may burn down Candlestick Park before on that day comes.

The 49ers coaches told Carr that everyone has got the same shot at becoming the starting quarterback once the lockout is lifted, which is kind of like telling all of those other field within the 2011 U.S. Open that they had a go at winning over Rory McIlroy heading in to the final round.

It is only not going to happen.

Sure, if worst involves worst and all sorts of the 49ers’ plans of acquiring a free agent quarterback crumble, then there will really be a quarterback competition between Carr and Kaepernick, and I don’t even like those odds for Carr.

Rest assured, Carr won’t be the starter in Week 1.

3. Carson Palmer

Because the days of the lockout still increase, there’s a feeling that the chances of the 49ers landing Carson Palmer decrease.

Instead of having short time to pursue Palmer, the odds are the 49ers will just keep it simple and sign Alex Smith.

Palmer has said he prefer to retire than play for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was practically granted that in the NFL Draft when Cincinnati took QB Andy Dalton in the second round.

It is safe to say the Bengals have moved on from Palmer just as much as Palmer has managed to move on from the Bengals.

So where will Palmer play?

So far as reports go, the NFC West has available quarterback positions with team which have shown interest in the Pro Bowler.

The Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers have all been rumored to be pursuing teams, but it’s Seattle and also require the best shot at landing the quarterback looking for a new start.

For the 49ers, they require Palmer and want Palmer, but the longer this lockout drags on, the quicker the 49ers will need a starting quarterback.

Alex Smith just seems like the quick and simple way to avoid it.

2. Colin Kaepernick

When the 49ers selected Kaepernick within the second round from the 2011 NFL Draft, it was safe to say that they dubbed him the quarterback for the future, but one that could possess a small asterisk next to it, just in case.

Kaepernick is not signed due to the NFL Lockout, but he’s the second best shot at starting in Week One of the 2011-12 NFL season.

The Nevada star is not ready for the NFL, though. He has been involved in the pistol offense in Reno and has little, if any, experience of an NFL offense. That may scare several 49er fans, particularly the way the team increased to get the long and athletic signal caller.

Although there happen to be rumors of Kaepernick being tutored by the No. 1 pick within the 2012 NFL Draft (Andrew Luck), there is no replacement for an NFL training camp.

With his inexperience in an NFL system, it is unlikely that Harbaugh would turn they over Kaepernick in Week 1 of his very rookie season.

Unless free agency goes terribly wrong for the team, Kaepernick will need to wait yet another year to be seriously considered for that starting job in Bay area.

1. Alex Smith

Smith isn’t signed to an NFL team yet, but you may as well pencil him in as the starting quarterback for the 49ers in Week 1.

Harbaugh may be jumping the gun a tad when he keeps referring to Smith as his guy, especially since no papers happen to be signed and Carr and Kaepernick take presctiption the roster. But you cannot blame a coach for being so eager regarding put a seal on the deal that could not really be close to happening.

Or possibly it’s close to happening. I cannot tell which way the NFL Lockout is leaning these days.

Still, the way in which Harbaugh talks about him like it is a done deal, we must figure that Smith starting in Week 1 is all but that.

It’s not the way many would have liked so that it is, though.

Smith seems similar to a cop-out, or even the smart way out for the 49ers.

This is an exact reason the lockout hurts the 49ers. Instead of pursuing a notable free agent quarterback to lead their team, they are instructed to take the quick and easy answer in order to put an able team out there.

Around it angers San Francisco, there is no other quarterback reasonably available that gives the 49ers a better chance of winning.

Until Kaepernick can get an offseason under his belt, or even the 49ers possess the time for you to pursue a franchise quarterback, get accustomed to Smith under center in 2011-12.