Who in the NFFC has actually played Football?

Ted's Cracked Head · Post by **Ted's Cracked Head** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:51 am

I played football from grade school to my sophmore year in HS when my career ended on one play.

I was a linebacker and I loved to practice as much or more than play the games.

There was a drill where the linebackers scrape down the line, fill the hole and stick the ball carrier. My chin strap broke on the previous drill and I didn't want to miss my next one so I took my turn without one. My head spun inward in the helmet resulting in a fracture at C2. Thus, the end of my career. They said that if my head had spun the other way, backwards, the result would have been life changing to say the least. On my last visit to my orthopaedic surgeon I asked him to look at my left knee as it had been painful for quite some time. After opening me up they found that my posterior cruciate was torn beyond repair (1977). They said it looked liked it had happened years earlier. Icing on the cake as my football career was already over. That was a fun year.

My love for football never wained and fantasy football lets me maintain my connection in a unique way.

pizzatyme · Post by **pizzatyme** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:44 am

To answer your question, I played throughout HS. I was a LB/FB. I played on 2 state championship teams. I played ball with the infamous Jeff George and also Jason Whitlock from the KC Star/Jim Rome Jungle fame.

I played like John Riggins. I used to love to run it up the gut and when met by multiple defenders, I would spin around and drive the pile.

I still think I could throw a ball 50-60 yards too.

GOD Loves You · Post by **GOD Loves You** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:09 am

Rob, I knew I recognized you.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9xu4BlpSJ4

Russ, was Jeff as humble then as he is now?

renman · Post by **renman** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:39 am

One of my great regrets in life is not having played any organized football. I am very athletic and played just about every sport that exists in some competitive fashion. I played college baseball, golf, tennis.. I boxed a little as an amateur, I have bowled professionally, I ski raced and raced dirt bikes... But was not an overly big kid and moved a lot as a youth so never got introduced to organized youth football.

Now looking back I wish I had if only to have been able to experience the sensations, sounds, smells of that kind of full contact football. Given how important football is to me now, I really wish I had gotten the chance to put on the pads just once.

Raiders · Post by **Raiders** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:41 am

Originally posted by Renman:
One of my great regrets in life is not having played any organized football. I am very athletic and played just about every sport that exists in some competitive fashion. I played college baseball, golf, tennis.. I boxed a little as an amateur, I have bowled professionally, I ski raced and raced dirt bikes... But was not an overly big kid and moved a lot as a youth so never got introduced to organized youth football.

Now looking back I wish I had if only to have been able to experience the sensations, sounds, smells of that kind of full contact football. Given how important football is to me now, I really wish I had gotten the chance to put on the pads just once. I'll line up against you.

pizzatyme · Post by **pizzatyme** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:03 am

Originally posted by GOD Loves You:
Rob, I knew I recognized you.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9xu4BlpSJ4

Russ, was Jeff as humble then as he is now? Patrick, we never got along. He had his small circle of friends.

He seems to be a better person now, after football.

drago · Post by **drago** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:05 am

I played 7th grade through 12th.

Team Canada · Post by **Team Canada** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:52 am

Not a supriseing thread...
I will say I automatically give anyone who has actually played more credit off the top!
Anyone who has banged an extra special goodluck to you this weekend!
Ballers unite!!!

Diesel · Post by **Diesel** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:15 pm

I played 1 year in Lynvet Football in Howard Beach, Queens. I did more laps than anyone because I couldn't bare listening to the coach scream at us, so I was always the one to tell him off. Which made me do 100 pushups and 10 laps. EVERYTIME. After 1 season, I decided to just stick with baseball, which I played most of my youth. All-Star every year, until I broke my ankle. I found a new sport I LOVED in the time when I broke my ankle. GIRLS. That took me out of organized sports for a bit.

I did have a full set of football equipment and my friends and I would play a group of guys from Christ the King High School once a month in an unofficial, yet serious game. We handed their arses to them EVERY TIME.

At 14, my friends, who were all 2-3 years older than me went to try out for a city team called the Ridgedale Brewers. I went with them, tried out and made the team. Only problem was, if I didn't bring in a birth certificate saying I was over 16 years old, I had to play in their "pee-wee" division. When I couldn't supply the valid birth certificate, I went to ONE "pee wee" practice. I felt like I was king of the little people...lol...If I played that league, I would have broken every record known to man...But I didn't even make it through practice before I was doing laps and pushups again for insubordination to the coach. I gave it up.

Then in my early 20's, I played "A" division softball for 5 years (7 Championships!)and Flag Football for 3 years.

Since this is about football, I'll keep to the topic. If anyone hasn't really played Flag Football, it's every bit the same game as real football, without the tackling. There is open handed blocking and all out contact. No holds barred.

My team dominated "B" division flag football, so they sent us to "A" division. For those of you who played in "A" division, it's filled with *1-Guys who just missed their shot at the NFL, or *2-Steroid freaks, *3-Just great athletes or *4-ex-convicts...LMAO

My claim to fame in flag football was that I was thrown out of every other game I played in 3 seasons for fighting. This sport was filled with the biggest cheaters and dirtiest players I've ever been a part of, and when I wake up on a Sunday morning at 6AM to play football, and someone tries to tackle me 5 seconds after the whistle blows...It's on!!! Seriously...Ask my old friend and teammate "Baggler". He was on my team. I kicked more ass over those 3 years than in the rest of my life. I've got some stories that would make a good UFC match...Especially a few of my brawls in the snow.

I finally realized that I was having MUCH more fun playing fantasy football and just sticking with softball, and Marc was a happy man again...lol...

That was my football career in a nutshell.