Four Downs with Stock & Doc
by Ben Stockwell and Paul Hopkins
7/4/2008
 
Wembley is not the best place to hold an NFL game in the UK.
 
DOC – FICTION ! – Where else? Cardiff is a complete nightmare to get to. Twickenham might have the field but in terms of access its just as tough as Wembley. But thats the key issue. Wembley has the name. It's in London. Thats all we need to know. The NFL doesn't know what Twickenham is, it's probably never heard of Murrayfield and it probably won't want to go near Cardiff. It's the reality of the situation sadly that Wembley has the name, and it has the location. Of course, if we actually get more than one regular season game per season the argument for spreading it out grows, and with Wembley being needed for other sports, it might well just happen.
 
STOCK – FACT ! – Whilst there were many issues that fans brought up to improve subsequent games, such as the availability of merchandise, the awful service in terms of food (which won't change, the current catering contract at Wembley is for 25 years), the greatest problem was the fact that the game was ruined by the weather. Whilst it's fun to joke and say that it's jolly old England and that's the weather you have to put up with, it's not. The problem wasn't the weather it was the fact that turf is totally unsuitable for american football and with three international football games scheduled for Wembley in October, the groundsmen won't be able to prepare the pitch for an NFL game, and if the weather is bad again the game will suffer again. If this continues the International Series will have a negative impact on the following of the game because the product simply isn't up to standard. Twickenham is the correct venue for this game, it has the dressing room facilities, it has the far more suitable turf, its stands are far steeper and closer to ground to improve the atmosphere (which was as miserable as the weather last October), there is the West Car Park to allow for some tailgating atmosphere which so many Brits yearn for that is utterly impossible at Wembley.
 
It would a great move for both if Dallas acquired Adam 'Pac Man' Jones.
 
DOC – Can't believe I'm saying this but FACT !. Dallas are seemingly getting a bit of a reputation as a rehabilitation ground (amazingly), and Jones could be next. Jerry and his team seem to be able to pander to the ego whilst making sure they deliver on the field. However, PacMan will stretch them as far as possible because what he brings if off-the-field issues. His play would undoubtedly benefit Dallas and would free up one of those 1st rounders to be used elsewhere. It could pay off huge for Dallas, but its a big risk and one I'm not 100% sold on. As for it being a great move for Jones, he should be grateful anyone would want to give him a chance.
 
STOCK – FACT ! – Of course it would be a great move to acquire Jones. He's one of the elite cornerbacks in the National Football League and thanks to prior legal troubles the Cowboys would be acquiring him at a meager price. Not only that but you free up a first round draft choice to either add a wide receiver such as Limas Sweed or James Hardy rather than having to go with a tailback and a corner. It fills a prime need at a sub-prime cost and Jones knows he's on his last chance so the risk of him re-offending and leaving the Cowboys caught short is probably lower than if he were coming off of his first or second offence.
 
The new rule about the length of player's hair below the helmet is absurd.
 
DOC – FACT ! – Why do we need to be able to read the names? The numbers are visible on both the front and back and in a lot of cases, at the side. So what is the point of this? Just seems like another strand in the No Fun League. Does Al Harris' hair offend? Does it confuse people who it is? Same with Polamalu and many others? Its just regulation for regulation sake. Are we going to end up with a situation where at the start of the year, everyone is going to get in line and get their hair cut the same? Out the window goes any form of personality and individuality, and in comes more regimented uniformity. Have they not got better things to do with their time? Ridiculous.
 
STOCK – FACT ! – I'd love to disagree with you here but I just don't see the point in this rule. The players who grow their hair wrong know the risks they're running, Ricky Williams has experienced it first hand, Troy Polamalu has experienced first hand being tackle by the hell, they know the risk why take away their choice? As Kevin Mawae (new President of the NFL PA) pointed out there are a growing number of Polynesian's in the NFL and hair is an important part of their culture and to prevent them from having their long hair is wrong and culturally short sighted. Further to this, the idea of keeping hair tucked in the helmets could prove dangerous. There needs to be some cushion of air within the helmet and stuffing it with the vast amount of hair that players like Polamalu or the Packers dreadlocked duo (Harris and Bigby) have could take away from some of the protective properties of their helmets, this is just a bad idea and smacks of voting on something for the sake of it.
 
Al Davis will be the man to draft Darren McFadden.
 
DOC – I think he'll pass him over, so I'll say FICTION !. Normally, I would be inclined to believe that he would be the man for Al, but I actually think that Glenn Dorsey might just the guy for Al and his Raiders this year. There may be injury concerns over Dorsey but his pro day seems to have dispelled them, and if he is there at 4 (and Run DMC) then Dorsey will go way out west. McFadden drops to the Jets, if not further. The football world appears to be on a bit of a downer as it pertains to McFadden right now, and his rumoured score in the Wonderlic will be seized upon by his critics. Add Dorsey to this revamped Raiders defence and they really are stepping up into the upper echelons of the league defensively. If only they could get an offence going!
 
STOCK – FACT ! – With no prime wide receiver target to give to his new QB to play with why not give him the top running back prospect to combine with Justin Fargas to take the heat off of him? It's a sexy pick and Al Davis loves to make sexy picks, last year was an obvious pick to make and the year before he took a safety, you've gotta believe Davis is straining at the leash to make an extravagant sexy pick and get some excitement back into the Raiders franchise. That once great franchise has gone limp and lifeless since their last Superbowl appearance against the Buccaneers, Al knows it's just about time to bring some excitement back to the field in Oakland and McFadden can do just that.