To Catch a Predator...Go to the NFL Combine

Let me first get the background out of the way.  Ok, here's the deal I love the NFL, best pro sports league going by miles.  It is the only league I actually pay to watch.  I am now a 10 year subscriber to NFL ticket (where you get ever game each Sunday) for the price of three months mortgage, but it makes Sunday's a lot more fun. Plus as a Redskin fan if I didn't see all the other games I would have no clue what a real NFL Offense is supposed to look like.  So as they say I am all in.  I even play fantasy football (yes I'm a geek). 

However, the NFL Combine is a huge waste of time and the media coverage is too.  It is a glorified field day. Guys in t-shirts and shorts is not football.  Doing the broad jump, shuttle runs, pull ups, bean bag toss, potatoe sack races, and getting completely naked in front of NFL "Personnel Guys."  None of it translates into what wins on Sunday's. Why even bother sending out the scouts all season long to watch these guys play College Football?   I understand it is just a small part of the evaluation process, which is fine, but just don't act like it means anymore than it really does. 

This year's TV coverage on NFL Network has been a little different.  There are lots of guys in under armour tights and plenty of strange camera shots of guy's legs and arms most bulging muscles (not that there is anything wrong with that).  There are networks for this type of cinematography, but not on the NFL Network!  I mean sure they shoot similar things on the annual Dallas Cowgirl Cheerleader Calendar Shoots, but that show is hitting the core demo of NFL Network.  This years Combine has more of a LOGO Network feel too it.

For the record, the only reason I know about LOGO Network is by accident.  It happens to be near Travel Channel, which has cool shows like Rick Steves Europe Through the Backdoor.  Ok, so that show sounds like it should be on LOGO too, but trust me it is a real manly show.  He hangs out in cool pubs in Europe and drinks beer with cool guys he meets over there. 

Wait...never mind, my point is football is a manly tough sport. It is the closest thing we have to the Old Gladiator Days of Rome (Do you like movies with Gladiators in them?) very manly stuff, high testosterone, no need for the tights, strange camera angles, and creepy comments from analysts about the players physiques.  All I'm saying is if they are not careful, next years NFL Combine may be shut down by NBC's Chris Hanson.