The NFL kicks off preseason football tonight (after the Hall of Fame Game was cancelled), and more importantly, we are now four weeks away from the first regular season game of the season. The NFL is celebrating that with the release of its annual kickoff information guide (PDF).
The guide has more useless information than you can possibly imagine, but there are a few interesting parts to it. My favorite is the round of questions they do with new head coaches. They ask them all sorts of random questions. Many are football or sports related, but we get a few random off-topic ones. Here are all the questions and answers. I’ve added in some thoughts on a few of them.
HOBBIES: Reading, golfing
LAST BOOK READ (& AUTHOR): The Talent Code by Dan Coyle
This looks very much like a Chip Kelly read! I am currently reading Spies in the Congo, which is about how the US competed against Nazi Germany for uranium in the Congo to build the atomic bomb. It’s not the most well-written book, but it’s interesting. My next read is going to be “You Negotiate Like a Girl,” (once I get a copy), which is Amy Trask’s memoirs of her time working for Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders. I’m looking forward to this one.
FAVORITE MOVIE: The Shawshank Redemption
This is basically everybody’s choice of favorite movie when they want to sound sort of serious, right? It’s among my favorites, but if I had to pick one favorite movie, it would probably be Midnight Run.
FAVORITE FOOD: Sandwiches
Just sandwiches? Any particular kind? It sounds like the answer a kid gives when asked his favorite food. “What kind of sandwich, Chip? Any kind!”
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Portsmouth, NH
BEST FOOTBALL NICKNAME: Slingin’ Sammy Baugh
FAVORITE COLLEGE TOWN: Eugene, OR (Oregon)
WHICH NFL TEAM DID YOU FOLLOW AS A CHILD: New England Patriots
FAVORITE ATHLETE AS A CHILD: Bobby Orr
FAVORITE STADIUM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN: Lambeau Field
FAVORITE SPORTS UNIFORM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN: Boston Celtics
The New England in him is no surprise
FAVORITE OTHER SPORT: Women’s Soccer
He mentioned the US Women’s national team in a June interview with KNBR. He talked about how far ahead of the curve they were in sports science.
PERSON YOU’D MOST LIKE TO MEET: Steve Prefontaine
BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED: “Well done is better than well said”
PLAYER (FORMER OR CURRENT) WHO’D MAKE A GREAT HEAD COACH: DeMeco Ryans
LOUDEST CROWD OF YOUR FOOTBALL CAREER, HOME OR AWAY: Oregon home games
MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE FOOTBALL MEDIA MEMBER YOU’VE EVER MET: Tom Rinaldi, ESPN
MOST OVERRATED ASPECT OF FOOTBALL: The circus that surrounds the NFL Draft
I can see why a coach would see it that way. As a blogger looking to get that sweet, sweet traffic, I’d greatly disagree!
MOST UNDERRATED ASPECT OF FOOTBALL: Preparation
WHO HAS THE HARDEST JOB IN FOOTBALL: No one, it is a game
I can picture him reading this and shaking his head in disdain. I love it.
ONE THING YOU’D CHANGE ABOUT NFL FOOTBALL: Expand the roster to 60 players
Yep, a few extra bodies would be nice. At the very least, why have the game-day inactives?
ONE THING THAT SHOULD NEVER CHANGE ABOUT NFL FOOTBALL: Games should be played on Sundays
IF YOU WEREN’T COACHING, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING: Fireman