By Sid Saraf, FOXSports.com Hello again and welcome back to the second edition of Mail-it-in Friday. Our debut brought a lot of attention on Tim Tebow and you readers flooded our inbox with thoughts and questions. However, in the interest of everyone’s sanity, we won’t turn this into another bash-Timmy session. But we’ll include some and move on to some other topics. Remember, if you want to submit a question, send it to lacesoutmail@gmail.com. Let’s dig in, shall we? Tom wrote,Is there anything more painful in spectator sports than watching Timmy try to throw? Soccer maybe? Don’t you dare insult soccer! We at Laces Out live to watch midfielders kick balls back and forth like hacky-sacks on a small-college quad! We truly hope Real Madrid bests Lower Tottenham for the British Squireship championship! Those are real things, right? Actually, we agree with you. Nothing is worse than soccer (except the Champions League final live on FOX!). We would much rather watch Tim Tebow not drink at a frat party than watch soccer. Tony wrote,Let’s look at the facts on Tebow; the media destroye4d him. The media dogged him, his teams, his faith, his teams, his fans, his teammates, and his potential. He was and is the NFL’s version of Anna Nicole Smith. I believe that the Media would be pleased to dog him to death as well. Then a stupid poll like this could take place and question the content of his Christian Character. Sports media is a talking head pontificating speculating Joke; in the case of Tim Tebow is it NO laughing matter. He is a decent human being that the Media destroyed. Dude! Tim Tebow is STILL ALIVE. He’s living, breathing and free to live a life of religious fulfillment. Stop talking about him like he’s lying in a gutter somewhere. And sorry, not seeing the Anna Nicole correlation either, but you get partial credit for effort. Bob Bolander wrote,I would like to propose a couple different “new” NFL games be played the week before the Super Bowl, instead of the Pro Bowl.The first I would call the “Almost Bowl.” It would match up the two teams from both conferences that came closest to making the playoffs, but didn’t. The victor would get an automatic Wild Card berth the following year if they finished with at least a 7-9 season. (I would have said at least an 8-8 season, but since the Seahawks once made it to the playoffs with a 7-9 record that seems to be the new lower threshold.) Yes, there would be a long lay-off from the end of the regular season to this game during which the players would have to stay sharp, but bowl-bound college teams often endure periods like that too. It would be a meaningful game that could be played in a colorful or overseas venue, if desired.My second game that weekend would be the “Anchor Bowl.” It would match the two worst teams from each conference. What they would be playing for would be draft picks, let’s say two extra first round picks for the winner, and one extra pick for the loser if they lose by 14 or less points (in other words, they’re still in it until late in the 4th quarter). Now this game would be problematic in several ways, not least of which is the Embarrassment Factor. Also getting the best performance out of the players so that the team would have a better opportunity to replace some of them would be an issue, along with keeping losing teams from deliberately playing for the bottom in order to acquire those draft picks…but maybe those would be sort of counter-balancing factors. It would be a “post-season game” for two otherwise disconsolate NFL cities, and might help quickly rebuild some struggling franchises.Just trying to come up with something other than that lame Pro-Bowl…which I would again reschedule until after the Super Bowl. Wow. We thought figuring out playoff tiebreakers was complicated. Are you absolutely sure that the Pro Bowl wouldn’t be better than trying to watch the two games you’re suggesting? Remember that Michael Douglas movie “The Game?” That was less confusing than the “Anchor Bowl.” Why would anyone want to watch the worst teams from each conference once the season ends? And what’s this about “one extra pick for the loser if they lose by 14 or less points?” Plus, do you really think this “post-season game” would “quickly rebuild some struggling franchises?” All this would accomplish is to shine a spotlight on two heaps of miserable failure, during a time when the NFL is trying to put its best foot forward. Now, as far as this “Almost Bowl” malarkey, we here at Laces Out disagree. Listen, life isn’t fair. Sometimes you’re a Seahawks team that finishes 7-9 and beats the defending world champions thanks to an epic Beast Mode run:
Or, sometimes you’re a Patriots team that goes 11-5 in 2008 and ends up twiddling their thumbs on the couch during the postseason. Look people, you gotta chill out. The Pro Bowl — for whatever reason — gets high ratings. Is it a terrible product? OK, fine, but it manages to fill our boring lives with something between Championship Weekend and Super Bowl Sunday. Thanks for the email, though, Bob. Love it. Just next time, stop channeling War and Peace. Think pithy! Mark wrote,One completion does not make I good qb that’s only pass that was on the money all day tebow play tightend make the money Sorry, Tim … these are the people that support you.
Birdie wrote,Do you care I do, Birdie. I really do. More than you can ever imagine. Howard wrote,The Jets should get rid of Gino Smith NOW. Gino has, what I call a stupid gene, and there is nothing that can be done to correct the problem. Mark my words, it is just a question of when that the Jets and Gino part company.
Sigh, first of all … it’s “Geno” Smith. Let’s just get that out of the way. Second, we don’t see eye to eye on this “stupid Gene” thing. We here at Laces Out had the chance to meet Geno Smith recently and he came across as an intelligent and somewhat shy young man. I didn’t spot any faulty genes coming through in any of his comments. Now, this is gonna sting: “Mark my words, it is just a question of when that the Jets and Gino part company,” is completely asinine. Geno and the Jets are GUARANTEED to part company at some point!! Even if he enjoys an illustrious 20-year career in New York while breaking every recognizable NFL record along the way!! Howard, you might as well have said “tomorrow we will all be breathing air.” Come on, stop being a hater. Give the kid a chance to play. And stop trying to spot stupid genes. Randy wrote,This article will blow you away ..The spurs playoffs in the NBA: Click Here to Read it Now First of all, props for rhyming. Second, this is an NFL mailbag. We here at Laces Out have no interest in the NBA playoffs, because the Heat are guaranteed to win it all. All these playoff rounds are just pointless. We’re more interested in OTAs, rookie minicamps and things that actually, you know, MATTER. Yusuf wrote,Hey,Do you think that Tom Brady of the Pats will last. If so, how long? He seems like he’s getting tired. Good question. Tom Brady of the Pats might be getting up there in age, but he’s still firing on all cylinders. He still plays for the best owner and best coach in the league. He still has an undeniable desire to win. Sure, he might not have more than three, maybe four, seasons left in him, but we wouldn’t say that he’s tired, per se. What could he be tired of? Maybe losing to the Giants in Super Bowl (still don’t know how that happened twice)? Maybe having a wife who could be TOO hot? Nah, no way. Tom Brady of the Pats is doing just fine, rest assured. Now, Tom Brady of Somerset County Plumbing and Playground Equipment? He’s all used up. I can’t believe he’s made it this far. Dorrinn wrote,Sorry for living in the dark ages but this is the first time I have seen Laces Out. Now maybe I can occasionally get an answer where before, I had nowhere to go. Here's my first simple question:I can understand the NFL's interest in going to an 8-team-per-conference play-off, to make more money and keep fans interested longer.Money??? Hey, it's the American way and if the people want it, give it to them.Keep interest going??? Ahhh, here's my big question. Why not make each team's 16-game schedule like this: the 1st 10 games would be non-division with the last 6 being divisional, and the winner of the division goes. This way, even if a team starts 0-10 (at this point, most fans have given up on the season), they still have a chance to make the play-offs. Wouldn't that keep fans interested longer, and keep teams playing honestly (and maybe for a perfect season, rather than saving players)? Play-off match-up would still be the same (best vs. worst), but no one would give up too early in the season. And if one division's winner is also a top record team, the stray opening can still go to a next qualifying record, who must wait to see how the divisions clear up. How's that for interest?So, what's your explanation as to why it's not done? I’m really sorry, but you lost us when you said you’ve never heard of Laces Out. We here didn’t think that was possible! I’m sorry, we’re deeply offended. But you’ll get an answer, because Laces Out is good like that. So, you approve of a world where a 6-10 team could still make the playoffs? I’m sorry, but Laces Out doesn’t want to live in that world. Sounds like a horrible place. BH Co, Ltd wrote, I’ve been trying to reach you. Try harder Sherrill wrote,I find it amazing that the man is always the one arrested in a domestic dispute. If he is having problems with an outrageous amount of child support the courts should be working with those involved the solve the problem. Arresting the man does not solve any problem. It just demonstrates our discriminating system. I assume you’re talking about Chad Johnson’s latest legal mess? Thanks, I’ll pass your thoughts along to Nancy Grace. Come on, keep your questions between the lines, if possible. Jim wrote,When are they going to get rid of these idiotic roman numerals for the Superbowl? Upcoming in two years is Superbowl XLIX. XLIX? Sounds like a porn TV station.or one that carries only shows about dogs.And I know an xtremely perfect corporate sponsor for that, if they decide to put somebody's name on the Superbowl. How about the XLAX Superbowl XLIX? And the ultimate absurdity -- 50th annual AFC-NFC championship will be known as Superbowl L. Superbowl L? Are you kidding me? How do you get excited and pumped about Superbowl L? and how many people will be totally confused at the designation "L".They'll be wondering when the Superbowl switched to the alphabet. And even more, they'll wonder what happened to/when did they play Superbowl "A", and Superbowl "B", and Superbown "C", etc. Superbowl L? It's ridiculous. when are they going to get rid of these moronic roman numerals? Jim, we’ve never met. But I now love you. I hope this is the start of a long and fruitful relationship. Love, Laces Out. Keep those emails coming, folks. See you next week.
