Ah, what a joyous day it is. Our old friend the National Football League is back in town, with a terrific opening night matchup (New Orleans at Indy). Everyone will be talking about Reggie Bush going in, but I have a feeling that Joseph Addai will be the real difference maker.
The Panthers open in St. Louis on Sunday, and it’s also an interesting matchup. Jake Delhomme has to be looking over his shoulder at former #1 overall pick David Carr, and John Fox is reportedly coaching for his job this year. Lots of talk about Torry Holt’s knee still not being 100% (which is why I targetted Drew Bennett as my favorite fantasy sleeper).
Enjoy the action – the NFL is easily the best professional sports league, and I would argue that it is the best sports league of any kind (college basketball’s regular season is less interesting, and college football’s post-season is absurd). The post-season is staged perfectly, and they have found the perfect mix for competitive balance and maximum effort from the players (no guaranteed contracts, a “hard” salary cap, and equal revenue sharing). Indeed, the “rising tide lifts all boats” saying has worked very well for the NFL. Every team has a shot, if it is run properly – as close to a true meritocracy as there can be in sports.
