US Nike Football

Adrian’s Field Goals

usnikefootball — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:40:24 GMT

Every player has his own way of motivating himself for the upcoming season. For Adrian Peterson, it starts with a piece of paper. In his young professional career the superstar running back for Minnesota has already surpassed milestones that most backs never come close to, but for Adrian it’s all a matter of course. A course he sets at the beginning of every season by putting his very specific goals down on paper, and then holding himself to that self-made contract as if it’s legally binding.

“Focus Points – footwork, pass protection, quickness … Put on a good 10-15 pounds in the right places.” These are just a couple of the mandates Peterson has imposed on himself as he heads into training camp for the ’09 campaign. But perhaps the most telling goal as it pertains to Adrian’s mindset is the one that sits atop the list – “Improve from last season.”

At first glance it seems like an objective for someone who may have stumbled in ’08, or had a down year. But for Peterson, the improvement he seeks is that beyond a season where he ran for 1760 yards, scored 10 touchdowns and earned an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii. Safe to say the guy sets his bar pretty high.

“Before every season I write out my goals. That’s how I make sure I stick to them,” says Peterson. A simple concept with proven results, devastating actually for his opponents. So will Peterson, who was given the nickname “All Day” for his relentless work ethic and supercharged motor, make good on the contract he penned for himself in ’09? Even when one of the goals includes the word Miami?

Those who have followed his career know one thing – Adrian doesn’t put anything on paper he’s not capable of.

PRO COMBAT: GO ON THE OFFENSIVE

usnikefootball — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:43:53 GMT

Football gear usually has one of two purposes – help protect you better, or help you perform better – but rarely does a piece of gear do both. That’s what so remarkable about Nike’s new Pro Combat line of football gear. For the first time, a compression short is able to provide all the performance benefits you look for – things like sweat-wicking, targeted support and ergonomic design – with a level of protection that can stand up to the punishing nature of today’s game. What that means is that ball carriers now have a compression short that doesn’t have to sacrifice performance for protection, or vice versa.

From the first time you put on a pair of Pro Combat, you’ll know they’re a game changer. Every pad is positioned to allow for the maximum level of flexibility and movement, allowing you to cut and slash with complete freedom, and still squeeze through the smallest holes in the line. Pro Combat’s Dri-FIT fabric will also wick away moisture and provide exceptional air permeability, all while retaining a perfect fit and a supported, comfortable feel. To achieve superior protection, the shorts feature solid plastic plates that lock into dual-density EVA foam, the very latest in impact protection technology. There are also interlocking foam grids that add a second layer impact coverage.

Wear Pro Combat next time you take the gridiron and you’ll see – your lower body is going to stay cooler, dryer and more protected from the first snap to the final whistle, and you’re going to significantly reduce the amount of wear and tear on your hips and legs.

The season will be here before you know it. Time to get yourself ready for combat.

Shop Combat ->

Nike SPARQ Training

usnikefootball — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:21:24 GMT

Nike is sponsoring a training program called the Nike SPARQ Training Football Academy, which focuses on improving Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness. 32 different high school football teams are currently participating in this program, including Mater Dei High School of Santa Ana, CA. The program is specifically designed to make better athletes by training the specified athletes in an off-season training program. Two Mater Dei Monarchs that are taking part in this program are juniors Fred Eggert and EJ Dorame. These two athletes have been training since January and have already received their initial SPARQ rating and are training very hard to improve themselves.

Aspects of the program include “working on speed and agility and ways we can apply that to the game of football” says Dorame. It takes a certain motivation to improve their skill within this intensive program. “I just want to become the best player I can be with the gifts I’ve been given” said Eggert. They are preparing for the second set of ratings by doing certain drills such as “the timed forty and drills that will compare all players. We also train at Velocity with coaches that work specifically for the combine” said Eggert.

This training may help improve the players’ skill, but it doesn’t come without a few challenges.

“The conditioning is intense. My challenge is having the stamina to do workout after workout to the best of my ability even if I’m tired,” said Dorame. This training has also benefited the boys in specific ways. Dorame says that it improved his forty time and made him a more dynamic player as well as improving his flexibility and speed. “We are doing this training to prepare for the combine” said Eggert. The Monarchs hope that the training will benefit their playing and take them to CIF next season, which is always their ultimate goal.

_{Article by Emily Crane and Photography by Christine Zirneklis.}

Super time again

usnikefootball — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:41:08 GMT

NB--

So now we come to the payoff. Super time again. The 43rd edition of the Big Enchilada, and on the surface, it's hard to make a case against the hated Pittsburghers. Let's get it out front--as a devout Cincy fan, I have loathed the black and gold since I was in pantaloons. I've had to eat five championships for the Steel City, and I fear a sixth. Defensively, they are dominant, as good as Baltimore in 2000 or the G-men in 1986. Their pass rush is everywhere and non-stop, their linebackers make plays and are sure tacklers, and the secondary can play press coverage and ballhawk, led by the invincible HairGod at safety.

But I dare to dream, and I'm looking for ways the scrappy, plucky, up from the desert floor Arizona redbirds can pull a second straight Super Upset. Certainly, it isn't impossible. I turn my adoring gaze toward the ageless QB. Of course, this isn't his first rodeo, having split a couple of SB's. And his play in this postseason has been exemplary. No one is quicker at getting rid of the ball under duress--he led the league in QB rating against the blitz. Special K is smart, tough, and won't get rattled either by the stage or the pass rush. Because of that factor, they have a shot.

So why can't he pull this off?
RW

Robert, Robert, Robert. I gotta hand it to you – fan of the people, speaking up on behalf of the underdog. But that’s part of the hilarity surrounding the main event: not only is everyone talking about it, all they’re talking about is Arizona. Lost in the cuddly, rags-to-riches ascension on the Venus Flytraps of Larry Fitz is one simple fact:

They ain’t played anyone quite like Pittsburgh.

It starts with the defense. Notice I’m not singling out any one player – that’s the thing with this incarnation of the league’s best unit. The pressure comes from both sides, from all three levels, from a ridiculous array of looks. And it’s constant for 60 minutes.

Keep a back in to chip on one edge rusher while you play with fire on the other side. Max protect and all the sudden your gluttony of playmakers are fighting double coverage. Empty it out and you’re living and dying with one-on-one match-ups.

I love what Arizona’s done thus far. Beyond the feel-good vibe, we’ve witnessed the ascension of Fitzgerald into the pantheon of all-time postseason greats. We’re seeing the reincarnation of The Edge. And enough guile from Special K for many pundits to punch his HOF ballot today.

But I love Big Ben even more. He learned in his first Super rodeo that it’s not about completion percentage, yards or awards – it’s about leadership and the win-loss column. Roethlisberger has an opportunity to place his five-year resume at the top of football lore – and he’s approaching this week with backward-hat-wearing utter confidence that eluded him in 2005 in Detroit.

We’ll get into the player matchups more in just a second – how do you see the coaching carousel impacting this title tilt?

Newbs,

I'm glad to see these particular coaches match up. You know it had to crush Ken Whisenhunt to get passed over in Pittsburgh, but the Rooneys were solid enough in their conviction to hire an unknown from outside the organization. Mike Tomlin has proven to be just the right man for the job--and Whisenhunt has done the same, just elsewhere.

I suspect a part of Arizona's late-season doldrums was a canny bit of possum by the coaching staff. With the playoffs assured, they pulled back most of their attacking schemes and played vanilla. It looked bad, but the resulting postseason dominance isn't just a matter of "turning it on" when it matters. Most of football success is about deducing tendencies on film--Arizona has continually surprised the opposition, and much of that is because they didn't give things away in the final month during must-win games. Nice to play in a weak division.

On the other hand, Tomlin has raised Pittsburgh's toughness quotient beyond its already high level. But can toughness cover Fitzgerald? Schematically, Whisenhunt is familiar with Pitt's defensive tendencies, knowing where and when Dick LeBeau likes to unleash his formidable zone blitzes. That's a distinct advantage, but the onus is still going to be on K-Dub and the offensive line to make sure the Birds can capitalize.

You really think Pitt can cover Fitzgerald?
RW

Big Rob:

I don’t think anyone can cover him. And I don’t think it has anything to do with him, either. His partner in crime on the other side plus a third legitimate threat in the slot and the playoff push rebirth of The Edge creates the ultimate pick-your-poison for opposing defenses. That’s why I’m so surprised Arizona’s here – and Fitz has broken every imaginable record in the books: Q has been playing on one leg (or not at all) thus far. That’s why his brilliance through three games is so remarkable.

With two weeks to prepare and get healthy, plus your aforementioned familiarity complex, you’d think ‘Zona has the clear edge. But I just don’t – because even if you know what the other team’s going to do, it all comes down to execution. Pittsburgh’s the best team in the league at maximizing their players’ blend of talents by creating one-on-one matchups. They might double (or triple or quadrouple) Fitz on one play – and come like gangbusters the next. But even then, the key won’t be the “what”, it’ll be the “how”. How the Steelers deploy their arsenal. How they’re able to disguise and confuse. How they execute.

I don’t think you can talk about Pittsburgh and execution without mentioning the dramatically improved state of their offensive line. But when it comes down to it, the execution I’ll really have my eyes on is the Steeler receiving corps. The Fearless One says he’s a go, regardless of how the knee feels. And the rest of the troops appear to have cured the severe case of long-ball dropsies. But they fall in line with their leader – Hines’ impact, just by suiting up – will impact this game one way or the other.

NB,

Yeah, it really does come down to the Arizona D against #7 and the Pittsburgh offense. For all the talk about the inverse matchup, it's the quieter one that's more pivotal. And for all their clutch play and winning ways this season, the Pitt O hasn't been particularly unstoppable. I think the Desert Swarm can make its mark, and keep the game low scoring enough for even an average day from Fitzgerald and Co. to win the day.

So prediction time? I'll go with the Lombardi Trophy headed to the southwest--Arizona 24-20.

Y tu?

RW:

I’m with the Steel City adding one for the other thumb – 27-21.

Larry Fitzgerald : “Spidey”

usnikefootball — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:39:43 GMT

Other wide receivers get more publicity. Other wide receivers are considered more dangerous. But is there another wideout you would rather have on your side right this moment than Larry Fitzgerald? Didn’t think so.

They call him “Spidey” down in the desert because of his hands—so sticky and pliable they must be supernatural. Combine those amazing mitts with an off the charts vertical leap and that critical determination to go get balls when double-covered, and you have the best end in the game.

There’s been a lot of talk about how foolish Carolina was in the divisional playoff game, letting Fitz run wild like that in the secondary instead of triple-teaming him. Sure, they could have forfeited the contest by putting half the defense on one man. More to the point is that the home team underestimated Larry’s route-running skills and football smarts. On several of his catches, Fitzgerald broke off the original pattern, sliding into spots in the Carolina zone he sensed would come open as the play developed. Not all receivers would have noticed those holes, or been skilled enough to get to them, often on the dead run. Fewer still could have made that crossing sprint and flat-out dive for the pylon, which resulted in six points for the Redbirds—and signaled that the stunning rout was on.

So while Arizona is an underdog again this weekend, even though they are white hot and playing at home, don’t be shocked if you see Fitzgerald wearing his gloves in his facemask, his personal signal for a victory. Philadelphia will devote a lot of attention to him, at their own risk. And it might not matter how many guys cover him.

Nike Pro Combat

usnikefootball — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:05:08 GMT

The BCS Championship isn’t decided in January. It begins on on dirt roads and trails or inside a field house at 6 AM on the previous winter’s bone-rattling mornings. It simmers on the practice turf and bleeds in the squat rack, the payoff measured in overloaded barbells and overturned tires all summer long.

For Nike, this year’s BCS Championship was 15 years in the making. A series of never-ending seasons spent pushing the limits of conventional wisdom, seeking the ultimate delivery system to provide athletes with an essential moisture-wicking performance layer.

But in 2009, the athletes who fight for the hardware are bigger, stronger, faster and more battle-ready than ever before. Today’s game of football is performance redefined.

“Athletes literally sacrifice their bodies to make plays,” explains Matt Park, Global Category Apparel Leader for Men’s Athletic Training.

The answer: Nike Pro Combat.

Sport-specific protective base layers that protect athletes in ways not seen before on the field – without sacrificing an ounce of performance. As Park says: “With Pro Combat, they don’t have to choose between protection and mobility.”

Translation: players can gear up without slowing down.

And last night in Miami, Nike Pro Combat stepped on to the field in the game’s biggest stage and emerged victorious. Featuring lightweight foam padding woven intricately into Dri-Fit short and shirts, the interlocking layers worked together to absorb and disperse impact.

“We applied every aspect of Nike technology to create something that we know no one else can,” said David Turner, Senior Innovation Designer for Pro Combat.

“Pro Combat is the ‘tip of the spear’ for Nike Pro,” Park said. “Athletes demanded it. Now they can see it on the field – and they’ll see the results for themselves.”
The most aggressive positioning in the market. The highest degree of technical superiority.
Last night was title time. And Nike Pro Combat was ready for battle.

Matt Ryan Offensive Rookie of the Year

usnikefootball — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:47:12 GMT

Let’s go back in time to a Saturday in April, draft day in the NFL. The dreadful Atlantans, selecting third, are on the clock. They have a tricky choice—select a mammoth defensive tackle to shore up their porous line (which is what most fans and pundits are recommending/demanding they do); trade the choice to amass extra picks; or stand firm and take a quarterback with smarts, skills, and savvy, but one that some say doesn’t have the Right Stuff to be a franchise quarterback.

Thomas Dimitroff, the newly hired Atlanta GM, stuck to his gut feeling on that defining draft choice, and picked the quarterback. Howls of disgust followed, but they are silent now. That’s because the signal-caller picked that fateful Saturday in April, Matt Ryan, is the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, and has led his team into the playoffs with an 11-5 record, a stunning turnaround from the wreckage of 2007.

It’s difficult to overstate how difficult the job of a leagues quarterback is. For a rookie, it’s exponentially harder. The game is faster, longer, more violent. Off the field, it’s even trickier. No longer are you in the huddle with your college buddies, all the same age and of similar background. A rookie pro QB has to lead a team of grown men, veterans, with differing agendas and skill sets and motivations. Just getting them to respond to your leadership is a task that many talented QBs never master.

Ryan had the Dirty Birds at hello. His first NFL pass went for a 62-yard touchdown. That’s a pretty good way to let your teammates, not to mention the coaches and the owner and the fans and the opposition, know that Ryan would be worth watching this season.

His overall numbers were shockingly good—16 TDs to 11 interceptions, an excellent ratio and perhaps the most important numerical measure of a rookie QB. 3,440 yards passing. 87.7 quarterback rating. And most importantly, those eleven wins, including four on the road. There is room for improvement, of course—that 61.1 completion percentage could come up a few points, for starters—but for a newbie, the only word is ‘wow.’

Then there is what the numbers can’t factor—Ryan’s savvy, his unflappable demeanor, his ability to change out of bad plays at the line, his slick ball handling, his control over clock and tempo, his ability to get rid of the ball and not take a damaging sack or throw a damaging pick—you get the idea. If you didn’t know better, just turning on an Atlanta game and watching the quarterback, one would never guess Ryan was in his first season.

Of course, the NFL is the most transitory of leagues—today’s success isn’t easily replicated tomorrow. But Hotlanta fans have to be incredibly optimistic about the future. After all, they get to watch Ryan in his second year, when he will no longer be just a rookie. When you have a franchise QB, you have a chance in every game, and every season is promising, regardless of the rest of the talent—that’s how important the position is. And Atlanta has a building block to build around for the foreseeable future.

Warming Up to the Cold in Green Bay

usnikefootball — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:37:41 GMT

They don’t call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing. What smoke stacks are to steam engines, icy turf is to Green Bay when the second season comes calling. On the field Aaron Rodgers calls home, the elements get down in a four-point stance.

“Growing up in Chico, CA, we might get some 40 degree weather toward the end of the (high school) season. But the worst we’d get is rainstorms. As a quarterback, the weather can be my worst enemy. It makes it difficult to grip the ball, to throw with accuracy. The cold, all by itself, is a pretty tough opponent.”

Commanding the huddle, barking out audibles at the line and executing in the mayhem that rages after each snap comes down to a few simple principles.

“The two most important things are keeping my core body temperature up and my hands warm. When it gets cold, the ball always feel slick – almost like it does when it’s wet. And it also hardens as the temperature drops, so I have to loosen my grip.”

When Mother Nature rears her ugly head, the battle starts long before kickoff.

“Sometimes, there just isn’t really much you can do. I like to go out early on game day, at least two hours before kickoff. I try to get used to the temperature, really feel the weather. I usually get in 30 to 40 throws to see what the air’s doing to the ball – if it’s making it slick, how long it takes my hands to warm up, etc.”

As the action heats up on the field and a player’s body fights to keep pace, the real battle exists between a player’s ears.

“A lot of it’s in your head. You just have to deal with it. For the most part, as long as I can keep my core temperature up and my hands warm, I know I’ll be fine. But if you let the cold mess with you, it’s easy to start having issues. You can’t make excuses.”

Playing football in the league’s version of Siberia presents unique equipment challenges. The tech experts in Nike’s testing labs help him stand up to Green Bay’s extreme forces of nature.

“Nike gear keeps me warm - and that’s really the most important thing. It’s not baggy or bulky, and yet it keeps the heat on my body. It fits tight enough without restricting any movement.”

Nike Cold Weather Gear exceeds the needs of the world’s best football players in the face of their most extreme temperature enemies.

“Nothing can top Chicago last year - not even the (NFC Championship) playoffs. In Chicago, we played in 40 mph winds. They said it was three degrees outside, but it felt like negative thirty. If the championship game was negative twenty-five, then Chicago felt even colder than that. I’ve played with guys who’ve worn equipment that’s given them all kinds of problems on the field - especially in the cold. But we’ve played in some of the most miserable conditions of my sports career, and with Nike I’ve never had any problems.”

Check Out Cold Weather Gear >>

Week 17 Roundup

usnikefootball — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:41:44 GMT

Playoff football. When the brass ring is right in front of you, you got to grab it with both hands. That’s what Minnesota and San Diego did on the final Sunday of the regular season.

Adrian Peterson wasn’t going to let the defending champions, or a recent bout with fumble-it, keep him from the Mighty Purple’s appointed postseason date. All Day coughed one up early in the game with New York, but rallied in a big, big way. As in an offtackle blast that turned into a 67-yard sprint to paydirt. That gave his squad a 10-0 lead. The Vikes had to score 10 more late in the game, including a field goal at the gun, to win 20-19 and wrap up the division title and a home playoff game next week against Philly.

Peterson finished with 103 yards on 21 carries. That gave AD 1,657 on the season, more than enough for a second straight rushing title. Peterson also becomes the fifth player in league history to reach 3,000 yards in his first two seasons. Pretty sweet numbers—now comes the hard part. Playoff football, and Peterson’s debut.

Out on the coast, San Diego has been in playoff mode for a month, albeit the longshot, what the heck we’re 4-8 kind of playoff mode. But, what the heck, thanks to Denver’s implosion, the Bolts got a chance at beating the Broncs straight up for the division crown. And sure enough, they got it done at home, 52-21.

It wasn’t all LaDainian Tomlinson, but LT did more than his share. Three TDs worth, from 1, 4, and 14 yards out. The first one pushed LT past Marcus Allen on the all-time rushing touchdown list, and into second place by his lonesome, behind only Emmitt Smith. Tomlinson, in an injury-plagued, oft-frustrating season, still managed 11 touchdowns, and is back in the postseason, despite all signs to the contrary as recently as Thanksgiving. Indy comes to town next Saturday night in the wild card round, and with the Chargers peaking, it could be another classic along the lines of last season’s playoff thriller.

Some other good performances on the final Sunday of the regular season—

Larry Fitzgerald was simply spectacular in the desert, catching 5 balls for 130 yards and two TDs as Arizona thumped Seattle. Joseph Addai took a flat pass and turned it into a 55-yard TD early in Indy’s 23-0 win over Tennessee, then took a seat as subs took over in a meaningless game between two playoff bound squads. Steven Jackson bulled for 161 yards on 30 carries and two TDs as St. Louis pushed Atlanta to the limit before falling 31-27.

And Detroit may have finished off the imperfect season, going 0-16, but it wasn’t Calvin Johnson’s fault. MegaTron had 9 grabs for 103 yards and a pair of scores, including one where he sliced through about two dozen tackles to find the end zone. He helped keep the Silver and Blue in the game until the end, but as happened every single week in ’08, they came up short. Sorry to you Detroiters out there, but the lesson to be taken is to play hard, no matter the circumstances. Calvin Johnson sure did.

Week 16 Roundup

usnikefootball — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:53:01 GMT

Incredibly, LaDainian Tomlinson and the Bolts are a home win away from the playoffs. Once 4-8 and left for dead, San Diego only needs to take down Denver to get the division title. And remember, they would have won the game in Colorado way back in week two but for an inadvertent whistle from the referee. So SD has to like its chances.

As for LT, he spent his Sunday afternoon diminishing the hopes of another playoff hopeful, Tampa. He banged out 90 yards on 21 carries to become only the third player in league history to reach 1,000 ground yards in his first eight seasons (he’s now at 1,014 yards on the season). Toss in another 20 yards through the air, and LT’s game becomes even better. But the big one is straight ahead, Sunday night in southern California.

It will come down to next Sunday for Minnesota as well. Adrian Peterson, the league’s leading rusher, had 76 yards, but it was an afternoon to forget. In addition to the loss, AD coughed it up three times, losing it twice, contributing directly to Atlanta’s 24-17 win at the Metrodome.

"I'm hurting right now. It's killing me," Peterson said. "We had a chance to win the NFC North, and we did everything to screw it up today. Including me. Turnovers and things like that. We can't have that. So I'm very disappointed right now."

The Purple now need a win against the league’s best team, New York (NFC version), or a loss from Chicago, to get to postseason play.

The Oakland-Houston tilt, won by the silver-and-black 27-16, was of only marginal interest on a Sunday full of playoff-impactful contests, but big ups to Amobi Okoye, finally (mostly) healthy after an injury-plagued campaign, who had a sack and five solo tackles in the game. And Darren McFadden racked up 87 total yards as he continues to improve. Heads up next year to the defenses on the Oakland schedule.

And Steven Jackson keeps playing hard for St. Louis, piling up 108 tough yards on 32 carries in a 17-16 loss to San Francisco. The Arch City crew let another one slip away, blowing a 13-point lead. Jackson sounded deflated afterward, saying "I don't know if we're cursed, but you know, I mean, it hurts. It hurts when you feel like you've outplayed your opponent literally for almost eight quarters going back to last week."

GREYHOUNDS RACE PAST FOLLETT

usnikefootball — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:51:36 GMT

LUBBOCK, Texas -- The wind just wouldn't stop blowing Saturday night in Lubbock. And it's not the brisk 45 mph breeze whistling down from the Panhandle, of which we speak. No, Strawn head coach Dewaine Lee was holding court.

"I felt confident all week," said the likable head football coach, "I really did. I really did. But that cofidence made me nervous. I tellya, I was nervous...but confident. Confident and nervous. I knew we could win, but I didn't want this team to be over confident. That's what had been making me nervous all week...overconfidence."

The only emoition apparent in Lee following Strawn's 58-29 win over Follett in the Texas Division I six-man football championship was exuberance and lots of it.

"I am a happy guy," shouted Lee, as hundreds of fans gathered around to offer up congradulations and slap him on the back. This is Lee's second state title. The Greyhounds also won in 2008. Looking like a proud papa, Lee held the championship trophy, while fans stood next to him wanting a photo op. Everyone loves a champion. "

"This win is sweet," Lee continued, "I think the second one might be even better than the first. But I not taking anything away from that one. You just can't describe it..."

Ten minutes later, Lee was still in the middle of Lowrey Field describing it...

Strawn had defeated Follett 46-0 back in August at the Nike sponsored Hico Six-Man Super Saturday and entered the game as a heavy favorite over the Panthers. But Follett did anything but lay down for their central Texas opponent. The first quarter ended with the score tied 16-all. But Strawn scored twice in the second periond and the another two times to start the third quarter to pull away from the Panthers. Trey Doyle led the way, rushing ll tiimes for 103 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Johnny Abbott, who lead the team in rushing with 110 yards, had a pair of TDs as well.

As for Follett, quarterback Branden Blau had a hand in a couple of TDs. He threw a TD to running back Cold Freeman and cuaght a 20-yarder from end Justin Hernandez.

"We just made too many mistakes," said Follect coach John York, "But these kids played tough. I couldn't be prouder of them."

Late in the third quarter, Follett had the opportunity to score, but failed on fourth and goal try from the two. A score could have cut Strawn's lead to 21, and with the harsh wind blowing to Follett's back in the fourth quarter, that meant the Panthers might crawl back into the driver's seat...

"That hurt, all right," concluded York, shaking his head. "Wish we could have that one back."

Strawn ended the season with a 14-1 record, Follett 13-2.

NOTES: At a all-community pep rally on Friday night, coach York made good on his word and allowed the players to cut his hair...into a mowhawk. "I told them if we beat Fort Davis, they could cut my hair." laugh York, running his fingers through the Mohawk doo. The week before the Strawn players had also made the Mohawk the haircut of choice...with a twist. They colored the Mohawk red. But something happened and the colored turned out to be more of a pink color.

High School State Champs Recap

usnikefootball — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:20:56 GMT

The dream Lakeland-St. Thomas Aquinas meeting in the Florida Class 5A finals next week in Orlando is sixty minutes from reality. In the quarterfinals, both advanced with impressive displays, STA bashing this squad 56-14, while Lakeland advanced 40-20 over this school, not named for Wilt the Stilt, as far as I know. Next up, the semifinals, where the competition gets even stiffer. If the national #1 ranked Raiders of STA and the Dreadnoughts of Lakeland can win, the two rivals will renew acquaintances in the Magic Kingdom on Friday December 19th. Circle that one on your calendar.

Up in 6A, Miami Northwestern continues to drive toward back-to-back titles. The Bulls whipped their crosstown South Beach rivals 40-15 last week. Friday, it’s this school, not to be confused with the site of the Top Gun facility. Win it, and another date in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando for the championship beckons.

In Alabama, Hoover engaged in an epic final last week with the state’s #1 in the 6A finals, and lost 16-13, after a field goal at the gun went heartbreakingly wide. It’s a tough way to lose any game, especially the state championship. Your heart has to go out to the seniors on the Buccaneers. But at the same time, a great season capped off by a made FG with 2:47 left in the game won it for the Lions and their seniors. That’s the nature of football—agony and ecstasy, simultaneously.

Better luck for the Byrnes Rebels in South Carolina. Their sensational running back turned in his best performance in the 4A championship game, as Byrnes won again, 31-21, its second straight title and sixth in seven years. Truly, Byrnes sits astride South Cackalacka football like a colossus. The aforementioned junior runner busted the opposition defense for an astounding 305 yards and four touchdowns in the game, including a 69-yard burst on the game’s first play. He had 268 and a pair of scores in the semis, which is about the best two-game stretch imaginable. Look for him near the top of next year’s “best recruits” list.

Look out Texas! Katy continues to romp in what was meant to be a rebuilding season. The Tigers pummeled their 5A Div. II quarterfinal opponent 42-0 last weekend, and is headed back to Rice Stadium in Houston for the semis. Their opponent is a surprise packet from Austin, who wanted the game played at UT, but lost a coin flip. So they have a 400-mile round trip, while Katy zips in from the ‘burbs. Advantage: Gary Joseph’s Tigers, but at this level, all the teams are strong, and Katy will have to bring its (5) A game to get back to the championship round.

Week 15 Roundup

usnikefootball — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:57:33 GMT

It was pretty much a must-win situation, and that meant Adrian Peterson came up big. 165 yards worth of big. 35-14 stomping of playoff-bound Arizona big. Holding on to first place in the division big.

Big.

All Day ran over, around, and through the Desert Birds en route to his ninth straight 100+ yard game. Peterson now has 1.581 yards, a Vikes franchise record and tops in the league. Now the Purple are a victory away from wrapping the division and a home playoff game in the DeafeningDome. The final two games for Minny won’t be easy ones—Atlanta and the defending Super Bowl champion G-Men. But with Peterson running the way he is, you have to like their chances.

Speaking of records, LaDainian Tomlinson struggled for much of San Diego’s thrilling comeback against KC, but broke off a 6-yard TD run that jumpstarted the Bolts, and in the process tied LT with the great Marcus Allen for second on the all-time TD list. Tomlinson has hit paydirt 123 times in his illustrious career. San Diego worked an onside kick to perfection and scored twice in the final minutes to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.

St. Louis coughed up a lead as well, to Seattle, but Steven Jackson was instrumental in building the lead. Jax piled up 91 yards and a touchdown, but with no one else to key on, Seattle slowed him in the second half, and came back to win, 23-20.

Another week, another loss for Detroit—that’s 14 and counting, as you know—and another excellent performance by Calvin Johnson in defeat. This week in Indy, MegaTron had nine grabs for 110 yards and a superb 33-yard touchdown, which saw Johnson twist and stretch and will himself into the end zone. It had to be frustrating in that locker room, but Detroit can think ahead to next season with the knowledge that they have a game-changer to build around.

And let’s give a shout out to T.J. Housmanzadeh and my Bengals for winning for the second time in 2008, 20-13 over Washington.

Strawn head coach seeks second state title.

usnikefootball — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:26:11 GMT

STRAWN, Texas—Dewaine Lee is hungry for seconds. And we’re not talking a second chicken-fried steak like the one pictured above from world-famous Mary’s Café.No siree. What the Strawn Greyhound head football coach wants to sink his choppers into is his second Texas state six-man football title.

“I want this one bad,” said Lee, standing in the middle of Strawn Greyhound field on a cold, windswept afternoon. “But just not me. The entire town wants it bad too. It’s all everyone is talking about in town.

“But that’s what winning does to you,” he continued. “It makes you want more of it. “

Lee then pointed in the direction of a large marble monument in the shape of Texas located by the concession stand, that reads “2003 State Six Man Champions” adding, “We want another one of those.”

But he knows it want come easy. The number one-ranked Greyhounds face number six-ranked Follett in the title game Saturday night in Lubbock. Strawn enters the game with only one loss, while Follett has been beaten twice. Fact is, one of Follett’s loses came at the hands of Strawn 46-0 on the opening day of the season back on August 29th at the Nike sponsored Hico Six Super Saturday.

But that was fourteen weeks and about 100 degrees ago.

“We played them in our backyard back in August and it was hot” commented Lee. “This weekend we are playing in their backyard and it’s gonna be cold….really cold.”

Follett is located in a uppermost northeast corner of the Texas panhandle, a region of the state known for its cold north winds. It has been said that there are only two trees between the Panhandle and Canada that block the wind as it howls it’s way south.

Asked if he and his team might feel overconfident because of the large win over Follett earlier this, Lee replied, “Are you kidding me. I am nervous. These kids are nervous. This town should be nervous. We know that if you take ‘em lightly, they are going to spank our butts raw. We know we’re in for a game.”

NOTE: According to local lore, if you look close enough at Mary’s chicken friend steak you can see the words State Champions ’08 inscribed in the crust.

Lee, who coached the Greyhounds to a state title in 2003, knows it won’t be easy when Strawn goes up against Follett in Lubbock Saturday night for all the marbles.

High School State Champs

usnikefootball — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:08:22 GMT

Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama was for many years the site of the Iron Bowl, the annual clash between state ultra-rivals Auburn and ‘Bama. The Tide and War Eagles have moved to a home-and-home series, but that doesn’t mean the legendary Legion lies fallow. Saturday afternoon, it will host the Alabama state championship, and Hoover High is back in its accustomed place in the final.

Josh Niblett is in command, and has his team back in the groove. The Buccaneers lost an early encounter with one of Georgia’s best pigskin sides, but since then have reeled off eleven straight wins. If they can get to a dozen, they will be 6A champs once again, after taking a sabbatical after the six in a row run that ended in 2005.

It won’t be easy, though—the opponent is another perennial power, these dudes. The Lions are defensive monsters, and have 12 on the trot themselves, their only loss being an encounter with defending Ohio state champs St. Xavier. They are defensive monsters, responding to the St. X loss with five straight shutouts, and have pitched seven clean slates overall. The key will be Hoover’s running game—if the Bucs can establish something on the ground, which few have been able to do against the 11th ranked team in the MaxPreps national countdown, they have a good chance at the W.

Over in South Carolina, another state title game will be played simultaneously—Byrnes of Duncan, the 6th ranked squad in the nation, will go for its second straight 4A-I championship at Death Valley in Clemson. Last week, the Rebels avenged their only loss in two seasons by smacking this school 24-13 to advance to the championship game. The opponent is the rep from the city where the Civil War began, Sumter.

Byrnes has been a team that has been toughened by out of state competition, beating a pair of Florida schools and one from Georgia this season. The Fighting Gamecocks, their title game opposition, have played an in-state schedule only. Saturday’s game will be a small referendum on the wisdom of scheduling toughies from across the border.

The #1 team in MaxPreps, and leading contender for best team in the country (mythical division), St. Thomas Aquinas, continues to cruise toward the Florida state championship. Next up, the quarterfinals, and a date with this school, who will try to stop the Raider machine, seemingly on an unstoppable route toward another 5A title.

The Ft. Lauderdale powerhouse is waxing the opposition by an average score of 45.7 to 6.8 this season, and only a top school from Ohio scored more than 10 points on them. Oddly, there have been several Raiders to commit to the Big 10, including this stud, who will be a Buckeye next fall. This junior might be STA’s best player, however, a slasher who will be a fixture on Saturday highlight shows starting in 2010. Arch-rivals Lakeland High is also into the round of 8, and should the two schools square off for the title, we’ll have to head down to the Sunshine State for a live report for you.

That’s in 5A—in 6A, Miami Northwestern is also in the state quarterfinals, despite losing most of its title team from 2007 to The U. The Bulls advanced after a scintillating 36-32 win in the Round of 16 over a long-time Miami rival. Another is on tap, and though MNW is young, don’t bet against another crown for Billy Rolle’s crew.

Deep inahearta, Katy’s Tigers were expected to likewise fall off from the level of last season’s Texas 5A Div. 2 championship team, but here they come again. Quarterfinals there too, as Katy battles for a spot in the semis. It’s been a 42-7, 51-10, 38-7 cakewalk thus far through the playoffs for the Stripes, but this week should be a tougher test.

Long Beach Poly’s Jackrabbits are making their way through the playoff competition out west, although the games have been much closer than those of their southern brethren. Next up, a battle with the Lancers from this school. It’s a battle for the CIF Southern Section finals.

In Georgia, the favorites to repeat didn’t. Lowndes’ luck ran out. Georgia’s defending 5A champs couldn’t get it done in ’08, bowing out in the state quarterfinals, 17-7 to this squad of giant-killers. The Vikes 17-game playoff win streak is now kaput.