The Stankoniforous Files

This was prompted by a conversation between Stank-0 and a friend.  So, Stank-0 wants your opinion. 

The basic argument was that football players were not as smart as someone studying for a Ph.D.  On its face that is true, but Stank-0 is under the belief that people do not understand the amount of information football players have to process.   

First, there is the play itself.  The personnel and packages necessary.  Then the offense lines up and looks at the defense.  If the offensive coordinator or quarterback does not like what they say, an audible is called.  So all the information that was used for the play is now moot and new information is relayed through hand signals or codewords.  All this must be done in 35 seconds or less (the play clock's length).

Then the play is run. 

As an example of the amount of information is processed in 3 seconds (the average length of a play), it took college quarterback Graham Harrell between 3 and 5 minutes to explain what he saw before he ran a quick slant to Michael Crabtree. 

Part of the reason for the amount of information is that there are 11 men on each side of the field so that increases the complexity.  There is a reason that players watch film because subtle changes make major differences in the outcome of a play.  The ability to notice that subtlety is advantageous. 

What say you, are football players unintelligent?

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