Every so often I'll read a quotation from a professional athlete expressing disdain for a given reporter because that reporter never played the game, and doesn't understand how thing really are for the athletes on the field. Prior to starting Niners Nation, I would often nod my head in agreement with the athlete. Since starting the site, I've thought it over a bit more because my own football experience is fairly limited. I never played organized football, but rather was only involved in the proverbial "back-yard" games. I was small for my age up through high school, and didn't grow to truly normal size (5'9) until my last year of high school, so it was not the safest option to play organized football...at least for me.
I've realized in writing here for 3+ years that for the purposes of a fan blog, playing or coaching experience really isn't that significant. It can bring a lot to the table and allow for some phenomenal posts, but at the same time, we can run a fairly awesome site with people who don't have much, if any, playing/coaching experience.
Nonetheless, I wanted to open up the floor and see what kind of experience we've got among all our readers. Did you play high school football? Maybe get some college experience, maybe even get a try-out for a professional, or semi-professional (AFL, CFL, etc...) team? Or maybe Pop Warner, or simply a lot of Madden is the extent of your personal football experience. Any coaches out there?
Consider this just one more way we can learn more about what each of us brings to the table. As I said, I never played organized football. Backyard and recess games, along with too much Madden through college are the extent of my experience on the playing field.