Not On Any Given Monday

It has been said by people far wiser than myself that all suffering arises from the mind.  And the that the root of this suffering is Self-Cherishing.  As in “my football team.”  There are 32 NFL football teams, and there is only one team that wins the Super Bowl.  How on any given Monday we individually perceive the success or lack of success for our team is our own doing.  As fanatics we mistakenly take ownership in the team or teams that we follow and believe that it is ours.  And that attachment causes our suffering. 

On Any Given Monday

            The New York Giants currently are a bad team.  Little of what they have done this year resembles the successes of last year.  In the first four games of this season  they have been outscored 122 to 46.  They have played 16 quarters of football, and if one separates out two quarters in Arizona, where they scored 31 points, the points for versus against (122 to 15) is 8:1 against.  That is a statistic that I just came up with.  No one else with any clarity of thought would come up with a metric such as that.  Clearly it is the work of one who is suffering. 

            The pinnacle of suffering occurred this past Monday against the Seattle Seahawks.  Perhaps it is more astute to refer to it as the abyss of suffering.  As in how low can one go.

The “Tush Push” play

Early in the game the Giants ran a play to get the needed yards in a short down situation to make a first down. The play run, known as the “Tush Push,” is a play that the Philadelphia Eagles that have been using with great success since last year.  The basic premise of the play is that players get behind the ball carrier and literally push him forward to first down success.  The Eagles have a terrific team, and lost by a narrow margin last year in the Super Bowl final to the Kansas City Chiefs.  They also have a terrific offensive line and are undefeated this year.  The Eagles probably could run plays with success that other teams would not even consider using. 

            The Giants chose to use the “Tush Push” play.  Both tight end Daniel Bellinger and center John Michael Schmitz got injured on the play and missed the rest of the game.  And the Giants did not gain the yardage needed for the first down.  The NFL is a copycat league.  Every team is studying each other and taking the best of.  Upon reflection, the play call is one that never should have been.  The Giants “Tush Push” play will go down New York infamy alongside New York Jett Mark Sanchez’s legacy, the “Butt Fumble.” 

On Any Given Monday

            Daniel Jones to date is 1-12 when playing in Prime Time.  Sitting in the locker room after Mondy’s loss, cornerback Adoree Jackson was asked about the upcoming came on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.  “Anything can happen on any given Sunday,” he responded.

 Over the first four games of this season, the Dolphins are averaging 37.5 points per game.  I sense more suffering to come.

Barry Schustermann

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