NFL Rookie QBs: Best QBs in league today started as back-ups.

 5 NFL teams have announced they'll be starting rookie QBs to lead their teams in the first the game of the upcoming season.  The Forbes article below shows that if the last 10 years are any indication, it could be a long season for those teams' fans and the beer vendors in those stadiums might have fewer customers to watch.  Interesting because of their recent performances, these 5 teams really need a good year to get their fan bases re-energized.  Conversely, the Denver Broncos, who have consistently had strong fan support, are starting a new QB too this year, but he's no rookie.  Ticket demand has gone crazy with Peyton's arrival.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2012/08/22/nfls-rookie-starting-quarterbacks-are-gambles-without-a-payout/

 

The 5 teams, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and Seattle Seahawks, have fantastic fans, which bleed their teams’ colors.  However, their loyalty has not been rewarded much as of late, only 1 playoff appearance for any these teams (Seattle) in the last 2 years.  Their combined record is 59 -101, for a 37% winning percentage. The 4 teams that made it to the last two Super Bowls, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers went 96 - 32 over the same time frame, for a 75% winning percentage.

These 5 teams obviously need to shake things up, and two even have rookie head coaches this year as well (Indy and Miami), but rookie QB's can take some time (if ever) to develop.  Shouldn't they follow the "blueprint" of those successful Super Bowl teams? Their QBs are considered the best in the league and they all spent at least some time behind a veteran.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Tommy Maddox then Ben Roethlisberger

New England Patriots - Drew Bledsoe then Tom Brady

New York Giants - Kurt Warner then Eli Manning

Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre then Aaron Rodgers.

Even Drew Brees in New Orleans/San Diego spent time watching Doug Flutie.

Being an NFL QB has got to be the toughest job in pro sports.  Dear NFL teams, my advice, if you were to ask, let the rookies watch, a least a little bit, if you want them to survive long enough to be great and take your team to the Super Bowl.  It's worked for the best teams.

Remember, for the best tickets to the NFL, and other sports and concerts, you need to Fricket it!

http://fricket.com/

 

 

NFL and George Lucas: The Clone Army is in Green Bay.

Just in time for the regular season, the WSJ exposes the Green Bay Packer's secret! They've been using 6' 2" 250lbs "clones." That's how they overcame all the injuries 2 years ago to win the Super Bowl and then post a ("disappointing") 15-1 record last year.

LB or TE??? Interchangeable parts makes sense with all the injuries and free agency.  The NFL pass first focus also creates a need for more lean and quick vs big and methodical on both sides of the ball.

For the Packers to win this year, the offense needs to protect the MVP QB (back-up QB situation is shaky) , limit turnovers ( as always) and run the ball with a 4th quarter lead (is Cedric Benson ready?). On defense, bend but don't break, and look for take-away opportunities (sound familiar?)

Here's the WSJ article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444812704577605332672610546.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_3#articleTabs%3Darticle

Remeber, if you need tickets to NFL games or great concerts, you better Fricket it!

http://fricket.com/

The 2012 Lolla is a smash hit! Here's our expert's recap.

Fricket's special guest blogger recaps the very special 2012 Lollapalooza Music Festival.  She came. she saw, she heard, she got wet and muddy, and she can't wait to do it again in 2013!  Remember Fricket  http://fricket.com/  helps you find the best tickets to all the big events!

Ellie Brzezenski is a Chicago native and a music lover. This was her 4th Lolla.  She is currently a student at the University of Illinois studying advertising and global studies  She's already been to 5 of the 7 continents so far, and knows her way around hot and/or crowded places, which really came in handy this year.

2012 Lollapalooza Recap.by Ellie Brzezenski.

It’s been a wonderful three days roaming around the grounds of Grant Park, but sadly all good things must come to an end. Sore, muddy, sunburnt and tired, the hoards of music lovers return to their daily routines, another festival under their belts. This year’s festival welcomed back many of its favorite elements, but also had a few surprises thrown in (75 mph winds and hail, anyone?) Here’s a look back on this year’s festivities while the countdown to 2013 starts begins!

 

Favorite performance- The Shins: Though I’m surprised this band didn’t have a larger time slot or a more important place on the festival schedule, the Shins gave an amazing performance Friday afternoon. Playing all good mixture of old and new material, including my favorite song “Australia”, the band sang to a large, but rather mellow audience as the sun set over the Red Bull Stage. Notable mentions: The Black Keys, Bloc Party, M83, and First Aid Kit.

Most unexpected performance- Sigur Ros: I had never listened to this band from Iceland, but I was told that seeing the band life would be a life-changing experience. Their songs were melodic and relaxing, the talent of every member extremely apparent. The band has been making music for almost two decades now, though their rise to fame has been relatively slow. Though it’s not your average easy listening, Sigur Ros is definitely a band that deserves your attention and your eardrums.

Biggest Regret- Jack White: Every year concert goers debate how to spend their time, no doubt running into scheduling conflicts along the way. This year’s festival wasn’t too bad for me, no major conflicts for bands I wanted to see, that is, however, until Sunday night. I ended my 2012 Lolla with Justice, a French electronic group, who put on an excellent performance at the Budweiser stage. However, as fun as it was, I still wish I could have seen the incomparable Jack White perform. The man is an extremely gifted guitarist, singer, and overall musician, putting on what I can only imagine to be a great final set of the day.          

Biggest Upset- Alabama Shakes: Never before in my Lolla-going years has the festival ever been canceled due to weather, so when police were called in Saturday afternoon to shut down the park, we knew something serious was headed through Chicago. However, after the hail and winds passed through we were luckily let back in the park, the festival resuming as normal. It was a shame though, that due to the unpredicted chain events a few artists were cut from the bill. One of these groups was the Alabama Shakes, a relatively new band that has gained tremendous popularity since the debut of their first album. Though safety always come first, I know many were sad to have missed their performance.

Best New Discovery- Uncorked Wine Tent: It seems like every year, Lollapalooza ads some new element to make the festival more refined and luxurious. This year I happened upon the Uncorked Wine Tent, a hidden gem tucked away in the trees at the south end of the park. Visitors were welcome to sip wine at the colorful bar or on one of the comfy inflatable couches. After a day of sweating and running around in the dirt, it was nice to take a break and experience a little refinement.

Most Notable Fashion- frat tanks and denim shorts: I don’t know who sent out the memo, or why I didn’t seem to receive it, but it seemed this weekend’s attendees had an unofficial uniform. Almost every girl I saw wore high waited jean shorted, not my first pick for a hot Chicago day, and every guy seemed to be wearing some kind of shirt with a catchy slogan. Some of my favorites included, “Don’t Bro Me if You Don’t Know Me” and “I got 99 Problems but My Swagger Ain’t One”.

Favorite Food Find- Grilled Cheese on a stick: For those of you who didn’t walk through the festival’s farmers’ market, I feel sorry for you only because you missed out on a wonderful culinary experience. Through the wonders are Facebook and Instagram, my friend heard about this stand, called Brunkow Cheese, where they take a slice of cheese, put it on a stick, and grill it for you. My friend and I opted for the pizza flavored cheese and savored every bite. Thank you, Instagram.

An Expert's (Un)Official Guide to Lollapalooza 2012.

The Lollapalooza Music Festival hits Chicago 8/3-8/5 and I asked a Lolla expert to write a special guest post to the Fricket blog to help everyone who will be attending this year, to not only survive the experience, but maximize their fun.  With over 1m people expected this year and this hot weather, you'll need all the help you can get.

With that, may I introduce Ellie Brzezenski....

Ellie brzezenski is a Chicago native and a music lover. This will be her 4th Lolla.  She is currently a student at the University of Illinois studying advertising and global studies  She's already been to 5 of the 7 continents so far, and knows her way around hot and/or crowded places (at school, the Underground, the jungle, the Outback, those Michigan Avenue stores.....)

Take it away Ellie....

 

The (Un)Official Guide to Lollapalooza 2012

 

There’s nothing like Chicago in the summer, and what better way to spend it with a little outdoor music? Lollapalooza starts tomorrow, and whether you’re going for the first time, a seasoned veteran, a one day visitor, or a three day wristband wearer, here are some dos and don’ts for Chicago’s biggest festival.

 

5 Helpful Tips

Get the App- Like everything these days, there’s an app for everything and anything you want to know about or do. This app is especially great for first time festival goers as it has maps, artist info, as well as a personalized festival schedule. With Lollapalooza increasing festival grounds in the past couple years, spanning an area from Monroe to almost Roosevelt Avenue, everyone will need a map at one point this weekend.

Group Text- If you have the Lollapalooza app, a group text function is included, but there are dozens of other ways to keep a group in contact. Surprisingly enough I’ve always had good service at the festival, and a group text makes it easy and fast to find out where everyone in your party is without standing around for twenty minutes.

Plan ahead- Just in case the group text doesn’t go through, always have a general game plan for the day. That not only includes which artists you plan on seeing but also plans for food, water, and the occasional rest period. A general meeting point is always good to have, my friends and I use Buckingham Fountain located in the center of the park, just in case technology fails us.

Carry a Trash bag- Though we are all praying to the weather gods that this weekend will be nothing but clear skies and sun, sometimes weather is less than ideal. Umbrellas can be cumbersome and easily lost, so what I always do it carry a trash bag. Yes, if you are fancy enough, bring a actual poncho, but a trash bag can be easily converted into a hood-less poncho by ripping two holes in the side and one in the top. While it’s not perfect, it will keep you warm and help you dry faster once the rain has stopped.

Accessorize carefully- It sounds like a simple thing, but the accessories you wear can greatly affect your festival experience. Remember that you are going to be standing and/or dancing for long periods of time, so wear shoes that will last and be comfortable for all day wear. Second, don’t weight yourself down with too much stuff—a full backpack will just weigh you down and a weighty shoulder bag will leave you unevenly sore. As lame as it sounds, a fanny pack is my best choice for packing light and avoiding sore muscles.

 

5 Things to Avoid

Autograph Tent- Yea, autographs are the ultimate concert favor, but unless you are a performer’s biggest fan, spend your time more wisely. Chances are the tent will be so crowded and moving so quickly you’ll be let down by the generic signature and rushed interaction with your favorite celeb.

Promotional Booths-While these booths are cool, they’re not what you payed to see. Don’t waste your time trying to win free prizes or play promotional games when you could be watching a band perform. No one at home is going to want to hear about how you won a free energy drink, they’ll want to hear about the amazing shows you saw.

Littering- It seems like an obvious thing, but somehow festival areas are always gross at the end of each day. Lollapalooza has come under fire in the past years for the condition of Grant Park after the festival weekend, so do your part to help out. Volunteers are usually close by to take your trash and recyclables, giving you even less of an excuse to toss your trash on the ground.

Endless Ringing-You’re going to be listening to a lot of music over three days, s make sure you’re taking care of your ears. Ear plugs will be your best friend if you wear them, and are a great way to avoid hearing loss and the loud inner ear ringing that comes with it.

Dehydration- It seems like an obvious thing, but it’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re enjoying yourself and some good music. You’re allowed to bring in two sealed water bottles to Grant Park as well as empty Camelbacks to fill up at filling stations, so there is no reason to be feeling faint.

 

Thanks, Ellie.  I hope you all have a great time and remember Fricket, I need tickets!

http://www.fricket.com/