Breaking Down the NFL: Conferences & Divisions

Knowing how the NFL is designed is important and also very simple once it is broken down. If you have never taken the time to look at the league’s set up, it can be very confusing when someone says, “divisional rival ”or “The 49ers lead the NFC West.” This is a quick and simple thing to learn and will help further your knowledge of the game.

The NFL is a 32 team league which is broken down into two conferences with four divisions in each conference, creating eight divisions total with four teams per division. Whew! Take a breath; it’s a lot simpler than that.

AFC and NFC Logos

Mid-Season Wrap Up

With seven games left in regular season play, the 49ers are 6-2 and looking sharp. The team has returned from a trip across the pond (London), where they dominated the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars (0-8) in a 42-10 win.  Now after a bye week, giving some veteran players the time to rest and the injured ones time to heal, the Niners look ahead to a matchup against the Carolina Panthers at The Stick. The Panthers, led by gun slinger Cam Newton, are 5-3 and are coming off a big 43-10 win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Building a Dynasty

Finally, the air is becoming crisper, the mornings are darker, and football season is back in full force. Fanatic fans are finalizing their fantasy rosters as NFL teams have set the 53 man list. Everyone is gearing up for Sunday Funday festivities, hoping that this is the year their team wins it all.

Levi’s Stadium — The future home of the San Francisco 49ers

For the San Francisco 49ers organization and its fans, this season carries more meaning than the previous ones, and for many reasons. This season marks the last year at the beloved Candlestick Park, a stadium rich with history and full of excitement since its opening in 1960. The farewell season comes at a pivotal time for the Niners, as they are coming off a 2013 Super Bowl loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the 49ers first loss in six Super Bowl appearances. They begin their third season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, with rising star quarterback Colin Kaepernick in complete control of the offense. The bitter end of last season seems to have left a bad taste in their mouths, but now they are hungrier than ever, determined to prove why they are the greatest team.

Football is back, and so am I

Football is officially back, and now the missing piece in my life has returned. Although I have left this blog alone and unattended for a long period of time, I have been inspired to give it a revival. This inspiration partly came from watching the 49ers beat up on the Green Bay Packers in week one. I might thank Clay Matthews specifically for this inspiration, since he caused so much controversy and excitement during the game. For those who are unaware of the flying choke hold he gave Colin Kaepernick, check it out here.

As part of the revival, I will attempt to bring more focus to my blog and produce more relevant material on a regular basis. As this is a woman’s guide to football, I feel it’s necessary that I do more to teach and captivate my female audience, while maintaining the interest of the male viewers. That seems like a lot to accomplish, but I believe it can be done.

I will mostly cover stories and games on my beloved San Francisco 49ers, as they make their way back to the Super Bowl, fingers crossed! Other pieces will be about what’s going on in the NFL, any big stories or necessary updates. I’d love to hear any feedback on what you want to see on this site! 

The Golden Anniversary in the Golden State

The votes are in, and the NFL owners have chosen the San Francisco Bay Area to host Super Bowl 50 in 2016. The Golden Anniversary will be held at the new 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, which is set to be completed by the 2014 season.

This will be the first time the Bay Area will host a Super Bowl since 1985. And we all remember what happened then…

STANFORD, CA – Bill Walsh and the 49ers celebrate the 38-16 win over the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX in 1985.

The NFL owners also awarded Houston with Super Bowl 51 in 2017. Houston last held Super Bowl 38 in 2004, which is remembered for the halftime performance with the infamous Janet Jackson ‘wardrobe malfunction.’

Touchception heats up referee lockout

As the referee lockout continues, more talk about the unreliable replacement referees has surfaced. Many players, owners and coaches have voiced their opinion about the quality of work that has been done this season. Comedian and late night TV host, Stephan Colbert sheds a humorous light on the situation during his late night show The Colbert Report.  Click to watch Stephan Colbert’s Sports Report.

Comedian and late night TV host, Stephan Colbert, pokes fun at the referee lockout during a segment on his show called the Sports Report

Offseason Acquisitions

The 49ers office was bustling this offseason with the acquisition of a few notable players. The team knew to continue the success created last season, new offensive additions would be needed, and the 49ers definitely acquired some helpful additions.

Running it in…
The addition of running back Brandon Jacobs to an already successful backfield will prove to be helpful during the long season. Jacobs gives the 49ers an opportunity to rest power horse RB Frank Gore and use Jacobs for third and short conversions, something the Niners struggled with last season. Jacobs signed a one year deal with the Niners and will hopefully be able to bring a balance to the workload in the backfield.

Are you ready for some football?

It’s that time of the year again when the weather becomes cooler, Starbucks serves their tastiest drinks, and most importantly, football season is back! The question I must ask, a question made most popular by Hank Williams Jr., are you ready for some football? I know I am.

It was a long offseason filled with a lot of controversy, from the Saints bounty program to the Referee lockout, and things have yet to cool down. Luckily the attention has moved from these debates to the things that really matter, like football Sunday’s. Waking up Sunday morning and watching football till Sunday night is the American Dream during this time of the year and boy does it sure feel great to have it back!

National Signing Day Preview

You can check out the full article on OnCampusSports. Or read below. Comments and feedback are appreciated, would love to discuss 🙂

With National Signing Day looming, notable five-star players still undecided

National Signing Day is just around the corner, and it’s time for the country’s elite young athletes to conclusively announce for which college they will continue their football careers.

On Wednesday Feb. 1, the final commitments will be set for the 2012-2013 college football season, and there are many highly rated players who have yet to make a definitive decision. We’ll take a look at the top five recruits who have yet to commit.

Washington takes top recruiter Tosh Lupoi away from Cal

Check out my article on OnCampusSports. Or read the full article below.

Washington takes top recruiter Tosh Lupoi away from Cal

Kelley L Cox / US Presswire California Bears top recruiter Tosh Lupoi heads to the Washington Huskies, leaving uncertainly in his wake

In a move that could greatly affect the California Bears’ present and future, the Washington Huskies have announced Tosh Lupoi, Cal’s defensive line coach for the past four years, will be their new defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator.

Lupoi has been a part of the University of California for twelve years. He played for the Bears from 2000-05, with an extra season due to a medical redshirt. After graduation, he spent two years as a graduate assistant before becoming the defensive line coach.