The Crystal Ball Week 11 Thursday Night Special

Anyone out there dig sports video games? I myself have played a few in my time, although I would never call myself a nut. They were fun, and it was always a wicked good time being in control of your favorite team. Especially when you can tee it up against one of your most hated rivals. Take that Tom Brady! AHA HA HA HA HA!

One thing I’ve noticed is that each year, the games become more and more realistic. Not just in game play, but also in regards to stadium and field detail, player movements and player likenesses. It’s getting scary realistic with how much the digital players look like their real life counterparts. In a few years, it may be hard to tell the difference at all.

And therein lays the answer to the NFL’s problem with more games versus player safety. When video games finally get to the point of realistic human re-creation, the NFL will be able to safely add games while protecting the players.

It would be so easy. The NFL and Players Association come to an agreement on a “20 game season” with 2 bye weeks and adding additional wildcard teams. Everything is expanded, more money rolls in from everyone and everything gets spread around. The owners and the players take the cash from two games apiece, thus the owners get their expanded revenue and the players get a raise they so desperately deserve.

Now, unwritten, unmentioned, and unreported is that those four new games will be virtual games. They will be played by computer using the latest Madden franchise software, and based upon the actual players. If Peyton Manning is having a stellar season, the game will show it. If Arian Foster is injured, he won’t be playing. Current stats will be imported into the game, and added to season totals for the following games. Where are the actual players during this “game”? Sitting at home, resting up from injuries, taking it easy and avoiding more wear and tear. Careers will lengthen, there will be less season ending injuries and players will stay fresher toward the end of the season with 6 weeks off.

How exactly can the NFL pull this off without putting actual players in an actual stadium that fans will come to looking for a game? Eventually, 3D technology will come far enough that each stadium equipped with the proper equipment will display the virtual game right on the field, and no one will be able to tell the difference. Until then, the NFL is always talking about expansion. Until 3D technology is up to par, we will see games in Siberia, the Outback and Timbuktu.

You think this isn’t possible? How do you know it hasn’t happened already? Did you see Monday night’s Eagles/Redskins matchup? Because I watched the first half, and the last time I saw a quarterback do what Michael Vick did, an Xbox was prominently involved.

Tonight’s Special

Chicago (6-3) at Miami (4-5)

I just do not buy it. How can Chicago be this good? Are they this good? Their defense has been playing rather efficiently, and the last few weeks their offense has been stellar. But I just can’t get on board. Jay Cutler is no leader, and I’ll never be convinced otherwise no matter how many prominent sports writers talk about him as the greatest living quarterback.

As for Miami, who can figure these cats out? First they can’t win at home or lose on the road. Then all of a sudden the script is flipped, but they still seem like a mess. To turn things around, they swap Chads, benching Henne for Pennington. But then Pennington gets hurt seemingly by just walking onto the field. So Henne gets his job back, only to go down himself. So who is starting at quarterback this week but the immortal Tyler Thigpen. So who to pick, the team you can’t trust or the team that can’t keep a quarterback upright? Ugh.

Dolphins over Bears