Do you LOVE football?

Do you love football? The title of Jon Grudens 2002 Autobiography of the same name has been playing on my mind often this off season, six weeks after the Super Bowl which saw the Patriots win their 4th ring in 14 years I headed back to my spiritual home of Minneapolis, Minnesota to chase my other passion, Basketball. Upon my return to Blighty my basketball team the Hamble Hornets went on to win the Solent Area Basketball Association intermediate cup, since then I've been to a few concerts and even got to throw a pass to Andrew Luck (true story, ask the editor) *Confirmed as true – Ed.

I do love football, I love football so much I'm sitting here writing this for you to read it, and it’s an open love letter to a deflatable object. The off season has been one of the most negative off seasons I can recall in recent years, would Adrian Peterson return to Minnesota? Did Tom Brady empty his balls? Aaron Hernandez a murderer? Could the Jaguars turn their fortunes around with another high end draft pick only for him to get injured? It all happened and I get the feeling that eventually everybody was fed up with it, but let me get to business... this is August, this is the first month of the rest of our 2015 season lives which means the pro football hall of fame and pre-season starts and here in my column "Fourth and Two" I'll be discussing what I love, dislike and that area which you're not sure if Elaine Benes would find "sponge worthy"

In Canton, Ohio this weekend see's my favourite event in the NFL calendar as explained in last year’s mammoth article, the pro football hall of fame induction ceremony... Tim Brown (finally) Charles Haley (FINALLY!) Jerome Bettis (One of my all-time favourites) Junior Seau (first ballot no questions asked RIP) Will Shields and Mick Tingelhoff (coolest name in the class possibly the entire hall) and two contributors whose work within the NFL cannot be doubted Bill Polian and Ron Wolf two of the best general managers in the history of the league.

Saturday night will show us the reason why Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Jerome Bettis, Will Shields and Mick Tingelhoff loved to play football, what drove Ron Wolf to trade for Brett Favre (also covered in Jon Grudens book) what gave Bill Polian the will to walk the long hard road towards the Lombardi trophy that haunted him in Buffalo for four consecutive years, why do they love football? The Hall has decided in recent years to not allow family members to speak on behalf of the inductees who are posthumously inducted, this means we'll watch a tribute video to Junior Seau whilst his family can't speak on his behalf all for the benefit of a television schedule.

Sunday night we'll see two storied franchises (and Wembley attendees) the Pittsburgh Steelers facing off against the Minnesota Vikings in our first taste of gridiron action since February 2nd, the start of pre-season and a brand new chase of the Lombardi and I'll be here every step of the way with my opinion on the 2015 season and for good measure here's a photo of me and Hall of Fame Running Back Jerome Bettis.

 

Enjoy your weekend and ask yourself; Do you love football? If you want to ask me a question find me on Twitter @KrissiTrash87 or Email me kris.head@ukfirstdown.co.uk to appear in the 4th and 2 column.