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People think NFL players are stereotypical jocks?

This will debunk that :tongue:

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0828/cardinals_playbook.pdf

....and this is just for one play and type of blocking scheme.

"In the NFL, the playbook is a sacred hardbound diary of trust. It's an accumulation of decades' worth of knowledge, tweaked and perfected, sectioned off by scribbles and colored tabs. It's the first thing the fresh meat get when preseason workouts start in the spring and the last thing that is pried from a player's sweaty mitts when The Turk arrives and utters those dreaded 11 words. Coach wants to see you in his office. Bring your playbook.

No two playbooks are alike. Some are as massive as 800 pages. No layman or superfan could get through the first section without being completely confused. But therein lies the trick, to sort through the clutter, learn fast and play faster.
Under former coordinator Al Saunders, Kansas City's offensive playbook was 700 pages.

Truth be told, the size estimates were inaccurate.
"If you took all of Al's playbook, it's a hell of a lot more than 700 or 800 pages," said Dick Vermeil, who won a Super Bowl with Saunders in St. Louis and racked up offensive records in Kansas City. "But it's not all in [the players'] book.

"It's the best I've ever seen. And anyone who's ever seen it says it's the best they've ever seen."

With Vermeil and Saunders, the Chiefs were never in need of bedtime reading. They'd get a smaller binder at the start of offseason workouts, another one during minicamp, then a fatter playbook during training camp. Each day, as they installed more plays, the book got bigger. Each week during the season, players received another book full of plays they would run against that Sunday's opponent.

Saunders says his playbook is more of a textbook, a detailed explanation of a player's job complete with graphics, X's and O's, and simplified text."There is not enough time in meeting rooms or on the field to teach everything a player needs to know," Saunders said. "The reason our playbook is so thorough is because I feel that's the best way to teach a complex offense."

Some players grasp the complexities much faster than others. Redskins backup quarterback Todd Collins, an honors student at Michigan, was called "Rain Man" by his teammates in Kansas City because he almost effortlessly knew the book forward and backward. Damon Huard, another backup, learned it the hard way, by scribbling classroom notes inside his playbook.

The good news is that a player doesn't have to know every position on the field. But it does have a tendency to help.

"Marshall Faulk was one of the most studious players in a position other than a quarterback that I've been around," Saunders said. "And his play reflected that.

"It is a very cerebral game," Birk said. "We spend hours and hours in meetings every single day.

"This is my 10th year in the league, and I still take my playbook home. Because the defenses are always changing, too. They're always giving different looks. It's kind of like a cat-and-mouse game between the offense and defense. That's why football, I think, is a great game. Very few guys can get by on just talent."

Wade lugs his playbook just about everywhere, in his bag, just like Bennett does in Kansas City. Bennett had a similar problem going from the Vikings' offense to New Orleans to the Chiefs in the span of less than a year. He says it takes about two years for him to feel as if he really has a playbook figured out.

"Any break that's not a sleep break, I just try to get into it," Wade said. "That's the biggest thing younger guys don't understand. Everybody's going to be able to compete physically. It's going to come down to what your mental capacity can hold and how long you can hold it for."

The playbook graveyard sits in a ranch in rural Chester County, Pa. That's where Dick Vermeil goes to get lost in paper and the past. Here you'll find the masterpieces, thick binders that won playoff games and made defensive coordinators dizzy.

One time in St. Louis, a disgruntled player who got cut swiped his massive playbook and tried to sell it.

"I can't even tell you who it was," Vermeil said.

High-powered men have been at his ranch, CEOs of major corporations, established businessmen. When Vermeil opens one of his playbooks, he's bound to elicit some puzzled looks.

Then he puts it away. Sacred things are meant to be kept secret.

"You show it to an everyday person and they can't get over it," he said. "They just couldn't envision what was going into NFL preparation."
NTU Renegades player here, boom!

Who else plays uni ball? I used to be a part of this thread then uni happened haha
Original post by jimbles
NTU Renegades player here, boom!

Who else plays uni ball? I used to be a part of this thread then uni happened haha


Nice work on your trophy... maybe you'll follow us up to the big boy playoffs next year!


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Hedgeman49
Nice work on your trophy... maybe you'll follow us up to the big boy playoffs next year!


Posted from TSR Mobile


BKB I'm guessing?

Come on pal, we have to topple Lufbug or Brum to make it, and let's face it, we do have pretty much the toughest conference lol. But cheers, feels awesome, considering we're a fairly new programme (5 years or so).

Best feeling was when we scored the kick off return on the kick off in the finals lol
Reply 6184
Original post by Hedgeman49
Manchester are a pretty new team but they went 6-2 (or maybe 6-1-1, can't remember) in the North West last year. They're not competitive nationally as the north west is pretty weak outside Derby and Sheffield, but they are definitely improving.

The standard of play here isn't anything on America (think high school level, basically) but the league is pretty well organised.

You could play for both, uni season is October - March and national league season is April - September. If your uni team doesn't make the playoffs you will be done in February.


I guess 6-2 isn't that bad for a new team. But it sounds pretty good, I didnt expect it to be better than America but at least it doesnt soud that bad. I guess I wont have any trouble getting into the team then.
Reply 6185
Original post by Tokyoround
It's pretty ridiculous. We had a guy who literally hadn't played since he was like 8 years old, and had played a little baseball in high school. He turned up and became our stud dual-threat QB, beating out some 2nd year who'd spent all summer practicing his throwing :laugh:

In pretty much all cases, the american student will be an asset to the team, whether on O or D.

Not sure I would even say uni ball is at high school level (excluding the likes of Birmingham of course), most teams would get destroyed by a US high school team.


Lol, I guess I'll fit right in then. I started for my school back in the states so I guess things'll be fine here. But in general it sounds like a very up and coming league, with the Wembley games as well I can see it becoming a bit bigger than it is here. Funny thing is, I got an offer from Bham uni but rejected it because I didnt really like the city. I wouldve gone if I knew their football team was good, but oh well. Btw, I'm not american I just moved there from here when was 9.
Original post by FrankB3
Btw, I'm not american I just moved there from here when was 9.

Doesn't matter. You were brought up there, if you have an accent that's a plus and is certain to give the coaches a boner.
Yup haha it will be like music to their ears :tongue:
Wow Patriots release Kyle Love. First Deaderick then Love?

Discovered he had type-2 Diabetes
There are a few good American players in the leagues though, cannot deny that! Our QB is a good american player lol.

So anyone support chargers? Or am I alone as usual? haha
Original post by jimbles
There are a few good American players in the leagues though, cannot deny that! Our QB is a good american player lol.

So anyone support chargers? Or am I alone as usual? haha


Yup I think its Tokyoround that likes the Chargers.

Wattsy likes the Texans i think.

Me, R-Kam and Authority Song Patriots.

I think DT is the Buccaneers?

Then we also have a Ravens fan.
sweet, a fellow chargers fan!

I look forward to seeing te'o in action for us, ND Irish are my school team
Original post by jimbles
sweet, a fellow chargers fan!

I look forward to seeing te'o in action for us, ND Irish are my school team


Oh we'll get on well for the NFL but not College ball... I'm a Trojan :devil:
Looks like British Olympian Okoye is doing well http://bbc.in/17uscAs

Original post by jimbles
BKB I'm guessing?

Come on pal, we have to topple Lufbug or Brum to make it, and let's face it, we do have pretty much the toughest conference lol. But cheers, feels awesome, considering we're a fairly new programme (5 years or so).

Best feeling was when we scored the kick off return on the kick off in the finals lol


I don't think it'd be impossible to beat Lougborough next year. Looking at the tables you guys scored more points than they did, but you did concede more. Doesn't mean there's a huge difference between you guys though, I don't think Loughborough are what they once were

I've decided not to do a masters after my degree, so looks like next year is my final year :frown:
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Tokyoround
Oh we'll get on well for the NFL but not College ball... I'm a Trojan :devil:


You're a Trojan!! GET OUT OF HERE!!! haha, but seriously, what you thinking for the chargers this year?


Original post by .Theory
Looks like British Olympian Okoye is doing well http://bbc.in/17uscAs



I don't think it'd be impossible to beat Lougborough next year. Looking at the tables you guys scored more points than they did, but you did concede more. Doesn't mean there's a huge difference between you guys though, I don't think Loughborough are what they once were

I've decided not to do a masters after my degree, so looks like next year is my final year :frown:


I won't like, we didn't lose bad against Lufbug at all, and our dual threat American QB got injured in the first quarter, like 5 minutes into the game, so who knows what we could have done if he had been fit? We don't have a back up QB, which showed to be our downfall during the lufbug game.

I do think next year we can do it - our defense this year was full of rookies - so obviously they're now better equiped and will be better next year. Our offense is pretty much the same, and we have 2 of lufbugs guys transferring to our uni to play for us.
Reply 6195
Original post by Malevolent
Wow Patriots release Kyle Love. First Deaderick then Love?

Discovered he had type-2 Diabetes


Just read this. Some cold **** right there. NFL is some bruthal business fo sure.
Reply 6196
Original post by jimbles
You're a Trojan!! GET OUT OF HERE!!! haha, but seriously, what you thinking for the chargers this year?



Bolts for the SB. Mathews to run for 2k. River for MVP. Teo'o for DROY.

You heard it here first.
Original post by 419
Just read this. Some cold **** right there. NFL is some bruthal business fo sure.


I'm wondering is that the only reason? Cause if it is thats cold as ****! Jay Cutler has type-1 Diabetes so its not like having diabetes means your screwed.
Original post by Malevolent
Yup I think its Tokyoround that likes the Chargers.

Wattsy likes the Texans i think.

Me, R-Kam and Authority Song Patriots.

I think DT is the Buccaneers?

Then we also have a Ravens fan.


Pff... I'm Texas-bred, I want some credit :colonhash:
Original post by ProgFeanor
Pff... I'm Texas-bred, I want some credit :colonhash:


Sorry D: I was trying to remember! :frown:

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