Pre-season football - a dress rehearsal

By Felicia
Sports in the Bay

Football is authentic and real. Chewing tobacco, brut-like strength, playing through multiple injuries, there is nothing phony about football. Period!

Real women wear black T-shirts, the old-school poster with Ronnie Lott in a pin-striped suit, Fedora on his head with the words – Designated Hitter.

I repeat there is nothing phony about football. Period!

Except preseason football.

“Whoever said that not playing in the preseason doesn’t affect them, that’s not true at all, unless they’ve been doing it for years, said 49er star linebacker Patrick Willis after his team’s 20-13 victory over Dallas. “For me, I still feel like I need to play in the preseason. I’m glad I was able to play this preseason.”

Good for Willis but I’m sure his fans would like to see him on the field for an extended period instead of a short series; however it is a huge risk. Maybe if he looked into the stands he’ll understand why people despise it or perhaps when the ‘suits’ start messing with his money.

Commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to cut the preseason in half and pad it up on the other end, the regular season. Hurry up Commish, people are getting impatient!

Unless a marquee name or a storied franchise comes into town, rest-assured most will be tuning in for the tape delay later that evening because to them, it is a waste of time.

Preseason could do a rookie good, after all the game goes at 100mph compared to college so if these spoiled brats who haven’t played a down get all this money thrown at them, they also need to be thrown to the wolves and get their feet wet. I know, I know, a risk of injury.

Luckily for the undefeated 49ers (who’ll play at San Diego on Friday at 7:00 p.m.), they have had a successful preseason but this means nothing when they open their season on the road against Arizona on Sunday, September 13th at 1:15 p.m.

Some could argue that preseason football is a dress rehearsal, the understudies if you will, for the stars of the show which is why star players have limited activity but it cannot be avoided because football is a physical sport. Case and point would be Raiders Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

The team’s heart and soul, Asomugha is expected to miss at least two weeks with chipped bones in his left wrist due to an injury he sustained against the Saints, although he's not slated to miss the home opener.

Trying to see what pieces fit in the preseason puzzle, the Raiders were embarrassed at home last Saturday by the Saints 45-7. However, head coach Tom Cable said there are things they could build upon like their passing game.

“We’re going to take this loss and build on it,” said Cable. “We’ll stay the course, this is disappointing, this is embarrassing to me,” I see where we’re headed and I see where we’re going, I’m not going to let this be a setback. "

Now 1-2, the Raiders will finish their preseason against the Seattle Seahawks Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The second round of cuts for Oakland will take place this Saturday, September 5th.

Oakland will host their home opener on Monday, September 14th at 7:15 p.m. (EST) against division rivals San Diego Chargers on ESPN.