Football Season Is Back!

Fantasy football nuts rejoice!  After nearly seven months of agonizing anticipation, America’s new favorite pastime is back and in full swing.   As the fall weather begins to set in, football fans across the country settle back into their game day routines and voice their support for their favorite team.  Tailgates-a-plenty, team rivalries turning friends into foes, and diehard fans wearing their emotions on their sleeves…all things to love about the sport.  Whether you prefer the amateur competition of college football, or the pros are your cup of tea, everyone can agree that the ups-and-downs of the game make for unforgettable experiences.

There are a few factors to watch for in this young football season, namely:

- College football parity, or a lack thereof.  Alabama is the obvious #1, and the SEC is the conference to beat, but can any dark horse upset the balance of power?

- The new college football playoff system.  While it does not take effect until 2014, longtime BCS bashers are rejoicing in the fact that teams will now be able to control their own destiny in making it to the national championship.   There are still ways the playoff system can be improved, but at least it will remove the “BCS equation” from the mix.

- Concussions.  A serious threat to all ranks of football, concussions and their after affects are becoming more prevalent as athletes continue to become bigger, faster, and stronger.  There is still much to be learned in regards to concussion symptoms, prevention and treatment, but at least the issue remains on the forefront.  From Pop Warner to the NFL, head trauma is a main concern of all participants, as it could severely affect the quality of their lives in the future.

- Replacement Referees.  We knew it would be bad; we didn’t know it would be this bad.  Through three weeks of football, the masses are beginning to turn on the NFL’s “replacement refs”.  Due to a work stoppage by the league’s regular referees, the replacement refs have been thrown into the fire and are certainly showing their inexperience.  This is causing fans, players, and coaches to question the NFL’s intent and insinuate that the integrity of the game is being jeopardized.

Adam Keller |Project Engineer