Something new: Columbia University football going without fat guys on O-line

Traditional football powerhouse Columbia University opens its season tomorrow (I'll be there. Will you?).

They have a new coach but will probably have the same old losing season. But as noted by the blog devoted to Columbia football -- yes it exists, yes it is pretty interesting for the 25 people who follow Columbia football -- they're completely going against the trend with the offensive line. The average weight? 255. The right guard is 227.

http://www.culions.blogspot.com/

As the writer notes, weight with players is a huge health issue, although it isn't quite as publicized as concussions (although there have been several good stories about it). You almost think eventually guys on the line will have to get smaller again. They can't keep getting bigger, can they? And it's certainly not just an issue in the NFL. Any level of college, it basically seems the hogs will weigh 300 or damn close.

So what will happen? Tomorrow I'll probably watch a bunch of skinny linemen get tossed around in upper Manhattan and that will be that.

 

I read the blog and see Colombia is favored by one over Marist. Do you think the Lions can cover at home?

 

Betting our savings on it.

 

Does that statement reflect your confidence in the Lions or are you just a pauper like me?

 

The lineman won't be able to buy the big sugary sodas that they need to keep their weight up.

 

At the risk of threadjacking the size of lineman in football today is the reason that I am glad my pudgy, 6'5" son passed on football. I look at those college lineman who are over 300 and wonder what the extra weight will do to their future lifestyle and life expectancy.

I remember in the 80's when the Cleveland Browns had a rule that all their O-lineman had to be under 265. But the rules allowing offensive lineman to extend their arms reduced the need for athleticism and increased the need for size. Now Colombia O-line is not much smaller than the those teams.

 

My high school girlfriend went to Columbia. That's all I've got.

 

I used to hang with a few degenates who'd bet on ants racing on the sidewalk but I don't think even they'd have any action on this game.

 

Would any of them wager on snorting the ants?

 

Many of them snorted other stuff.

 

I think it's been mentioned before, but there are guys in Vegas who make an absolute killing betting stuff like Ivy League football and Patriot League basketball.
The lines are often out of whack because even the sports books don't know a damn thing about it. If you do your homework, throw yourself into a league and figure it out, you can do quite well for yourself.

 

It's innovation like that which is going to help the Lions end their 78 year bowl drought