Not Your Father's NFL: Blown Calls, Softer Mindset Ruining Game
Week 17 of the NFL summed up the league and this season in a
microcosm. Commissioner Roger Goodell's baby is spoiled. The
number one sport in the country just isn't what it was. Forget
about the great run of the 80s and 90s that solidified football
as America's favorite, it doesn't even measure up to the product
we saw a mere five years ago. This past weekend was a nice
sample of the downfall.  Three huge games on Sunday were
impacted in a big way by the officiating and overall environment
of the softer, gentler NFL.  Kansas City at San Diego, Green Bay
at Chicago, and Philadelphia at Dallas all had major playoff
implications. While the Chiefs were already in, the Chargers
needed to win and get some help to earn a postseason berth. For
the Packers, Bears, Eagles, and Cowboys it was win or go home.
The last thing players, coaches, and fans needed was a bevy of
bad calls, clock malfunctions, and timid players, scarred by the
rules. Unfortunately,