"All I remember about my wedding day in 1967 is that the Cubs lost a doubleheader." — George F. Will

Thursday, November 7, 2024

History Repeats Itself

 

For the theme this week I’d like to point out Kratz’s screenshot regarding the bears repeating history in allowing these coaches to stay with the Bear’s newly drafted rookie QB’s.. ultimately not learning their lessons and succumbing to the age old saying “history repeats itself”.

This week, we saw Donald Trump get re-elected to a second term after not retaining the presidency on his first try. This has only happened one other time in the history of the US, when Grover Cleveland won his second term (after also being beat 4 years prior) in the 1892 election. So I went back and looked up that year in regards to the NFL and sure as shit, the first Pro football contract was given out to PUDGE HEFFELFINGER. Who was given a $500 contract to play in a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association to play in a football game against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. As I look up who Pudge Heffelfinger was (other than being the coolest fucking name in the history of football), something stood out.. and I gasped..

“During the 1880s and 1890s, teams developed increasingly complex blocking tactics including the interlocking interference technique known as the Flying wedge or "V-trick formation", which was first employed by Richard Hodge at Princeton in 1884 in a game against Penn, however, Princeton put the tactic aside for the next 4 years, only to revive it again in 1888 to combat the three-time All-American Yale guard Pudge Heffelfinger

“Heffelfinger soon figured out how to break up the formation by leaping high in the air with his legs tucked under him, striking the V like a human cannonball.”

Fast forward to today.. And we see Saquon Barkley use a similar tactic as Pudge, to leap high in the air to dodge an opponent



History repeats itself.


Also in 1892, insert ARTHUR CUMNOCK : 

Harvard end Arthur Cumnock invented the first nose guard.[40] Cumnock's invention gained popularity, and in 1892, a newspaper article described the growing popularity of the device:

By the invention of nose armor football players who have been hitherto barred from the field because of broken or weak noses are now able to thrust an armor protected nose (even though it be broken) into the center of the roughest scrimmage without danger to the sensitive nasal organ. The armor is made of fine rubber and protects both the nose and teeth.[41][42]


 

He is also credited with having been the person who developed the tradition of spring practice in football; in March 1889, Cumnock led the Harvard team in drills on Jarvis field, which is considered the first-ever spring football practice.[43] In 1913, an article in an Eastern newspaper sought to choose the greatest Harvard football player of all time. The individual chosen was Cumnock, who "the sons of John Harvard are pretty well agreed" was "the greatest Harvard player of all time."[44] As for his individual performance in the 1890 Yale game, the writer noted: "Such tackling as Cumnock did that day probably has never been equaled. He played a star offensive game, but on the defensive he was a terror. Lee McClung would come around the end with the giant Heffelfinger interfering, and the records read: 'Cumnock tackles both and brings them down.'"[44]


Fast forward to today's era... Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers breaks his nose getting tackled by Haloti Ngata in 2010. 

                  Cumnock. History repeats itself. 





Aaron Donald tackles two players while playing for Pitt in 2013 against Duke.


                        Cumnock. History repeats itself. 


So we have:

Glover - trump. History repeating

Pudge Heffelfinger - Saquon. History repeating. 

Arthur Cumnock - Big Ben & Aaron Donald. History repeating. 

Now, if you've been paying attention.. and this is really where I'm going to blow your mind. What is the underlying theme we have seen in history repeating itself in the examples listed above? 

All roads lead back to the swing state of Pennsylvania

There is one manager who is in tune with his history... and that is none other than Peter. 

Peter awoke last night and saw the telltale signs in a dream. In which he desperately goes to the waiver wire to add one player.. one player who is bound to repeat history again.. the second coming. 

Clawing his way back for a redemption arc after losing the re-election to another (president) Justin Fields. He is now the democratically elected sitting President of the PITTSBURGH STEELERS 


RUSSEL WILSON 





I should have foresaw this move coming. Peter, a noted historian, is looking to retain the presidency as champion of Mitch Truby's Homeroom the only way he knows how. And that's by following the path of history. 

                                                      History repeats itself. 


Week 9 we saw Nick win most completions by a QB. Mahomes with 34 completions in a high scoring game against Tampa. 

Jahns got shit pumped by Nordo who put up a 200 burger on him... but comes away with $25 for team who has the most points scored against them.. $10 of which for Jahns will go to the group parlay this week.. come on boys im feeling lucky this week

Nordo - high score. dont let lamar and the wet ones get hot! 

Week 10 cats:

Most combined points of 1 WR, 1 RB, & Flex player
Team with highest scoring kicker