Which Football Fan Are You?

[Popeyejones]

Watching a game on tv, it's hard not to be a follow the ball viewer.
You are at the mercy of the producer in the truck.
You might get glimpses pre snap but after that your following the ball.

This.

Unless someone is going back and watching the All 22 after the game (and knows what they're watching) I don't think they can really refer to themselves as an Xs & Os viewer.

I don't do that, even for the 9ers, but I'm not quite following the ball either.

Pre-snap I'm looking at offensive and defensive alignments and shifts (although you can't see CB shades or gap alignment really from the TV broadcast, so this really only goes so far).

Immediately post snap I'm looking at the offensive and defensive lines as they're who's telling you where your eyes should go next (although basically impossible to see pass concepts and coverages from the TV broadcast and with the rise of stuff like pattern matching even with the All 22 it's not always obvious what a defense is doing in coverage).

As the play develops I'm following the ball, as all of the (very limited) Xs & Os you can garner from the TV broadcast has already dissipated.

 

[kearly]

On first watch, I follow the ball. Sometimes I'll notice things before the snap or I'll see things before the commentators remark on them, but I don't actively look for it on the first viewing. Football is meant to be an experience and I love how football gets the viewer sucked in.

I don't rewatch many games, mostly just the preseason when guys are playing for jobs or maybe a regular season game where something clicked for the team. Watching away from the ball, especially in the trenches, is a chore, but it's important to inform oneself too.

As long as someone smart who I can trust watched it for me and gives good analysis, I'm happy to spend 10 minutes reading his thoughts. Spending hours diving through a game would enrich me more, but I only have the mental energy to do it maybe 5-6 games a year (most of them in the preseason).

 

[Popeyejones]

On first watch, I follow the ball. Sometimes I'll notice things before the snap or I'll see things before the commentators remark on them, but I don't actively look for it on the first viewing. Football is meant to be an experience and I love how football gets the viewer sucked in.

It takes a little effort at first, but you can kind of have the best of both worlds if at the snap you start with your eyes on the offensive line and then just follow the direction of the wave.

Vertically on the field if they're moving forward it's a run play and you can get a sense for the holes and what's happening at the second level. If they're moving backwards it's either a pass play or a draw. On a pass you might as well let the OLine guide your eyes back to the QB anyway b/c from the TV angle you can't figure out what's happening with routes and coverages, and if a draw play it's naturally drawing your eye back to the back.

Same story with the Oline moving horizontally, as their movement is taking your eye to where the action is, and you get to watch the action in the process.

I don't do this all the time (it's a tad more "active" of a way to watch rather than just the passive enjoyment of watching the ball), but once you train your eye to do it you get kind of a happy middle ground of watching what's going on and knowing what's going on at the same time.

You don't have to actively watch them, but just to start on them and let them guide the direction of your eyes from the snap can be really enjoyable.

I don't rewatch many games, mostly just the preseason when guys are playing for jobs or maybe a regular season game where something clicked for the team. Watching away from the ball, especially in the trenches, is a chore, but it's important to inform oneself too.

Same here about pre-season and watching a bit more closely, although obviously we disagree on the trenches. :lol:

As long as someone smart who I can trust watched it for me and gives good analysis, I'm happy to spend 10 minutes reading his thoughts. Spending hours diving through a game would enrich me more, but I only have the mental energy to do it maybe 5-6 games a year (most of them in the preseason).

This is a great, great point.

I know it's the site of all things unholy here, but the weekly film analysis thread on the Zone by thl408 and Johnydel is seriously IMO the most informative and insightful fan thread in the NFL week in and week out. Those guys put in a ton of work screencapping, going of concepts, highlighting what was happening and wasn't happening, and answering questions.

This week's thread wasn't as indicative of what they're doing (apparently the 22 angle at Soldier Field is just really bad), and I know Hawks fans probably don't care about 9ers analysis, but here's the more representative thread from two weeks ago and the Cardinals game. Just really great stuff.

http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/niner ... -analysis/

 

[scutterhawk]

Win, Lose, or Draw, I am a Seattle Seahawks Football Fan.
There is NO second favorite team.
I've watched as some of the best to ever don a Seahawks uniform get their HOF accolades, and I think it's fantastic, BUT, there's just something about watching Pete Carroll rummage through the discard piles & leftover bins, and pull out several players that are willing to work their asses off to prove their worth.
Can you imagine the gratification that Pete Carroll must be feeling?, I mean, to be watching his players reach the top prize in the NFL, and keep on challenging for a repeat??
The X's & O's are fun to break down to the lowest common denominator, but even the experts will often times disagree on play calls, so for me?, it all goes to Pete and his Coaching Staff, and how they fit the plays to the players...They are the "Experts" that I believe the most.

 

[HommyHawk]

I'm to busy making sure all the players and coaches can here my instructions through the T.V.. So while screaming I do follow the ball onced snapped if only to make sure they heard me.Your Welcome.

 

[raisethe3]

X's and O's

 

[StoneCold]

I am a Seahawks fan. I follow the ball except when I'm fooled by play action. I like ham and eggs and while I don't understand much about X's and O's I do like to read about them and try to learn more.

 

[TwilightError]

I can be any one of those depending on the day. So a combination of all those.

 

[TwilightError]

I can be any one of those depending on the day. So a combination of all those.

 

[Cyrus12]

I analyze each play right down to the last player's role on that particular play...I take notes and compare them week to week to watch for improvements and plays that just are not working. I also watch the sideline and ensure the training staff and water boys are active and moving all game long and not getting lazy..I email Carrol and give him my thoughts and findings..I have yet to receive a reply...