Well, it never really went away, we just won’t let it. It has become the sport without an off-season. But for me, I started really looking forward to the upcoming season with the announcement from the league that they will make available the All-22 film on NFL Game Rewind for this upcoming season. For those unfamiliar, Game Rewind allows you to view any game that has already happened for that season over the internet. The All-22 film is the endzone angle of the field allowing the camera to capture all 22 players on the screen and not miss any of the action. This might not seem like a big deal to the casual fan, but it will still have an impact.
Very few casual fans would ever care to watch a game after it has been played if it does not involve their team, and even fewer still would enjoy watching that game from a far-off angle that almost removes you from the action. But for the die-hard fan, the dedicated columnist, crackpot analyst or degenerate gambler, the All-22 film is going to be some essential viewing for this upcoming season. While having the camera film up-close to the action is great for viewing big hits and the speed of some of the players, being able to see the play from afar as it develops is the best angle for analyzing a game. And before long this extra analysis will trickle down to the casual fan in the form of more informed opinions, columns and websites (not necessarily better opinions though, just more informed ones). How long until there is a website breaking down the All-22 for every game?
This was a great move by the NFL because their game is so loved that this is actually a valuable commodity to the NFL fan. Roll the film.
…and that is the Last Word.
