A delve into mankind's best sport:

Ten hulking, feral-like men roam impatiently as the quarterback runs through his cadence.

"Red 45, 45, hut.  Hut!  55 is the Mike, 55 is the Mike!"

The largest of these ten men, a defensive tackle, rises from his track-like down position on all fours and stands up.  Both safeties, defensive backs who are generally undersized, slide down from their flank-of-the-defense positions to fill the gaps on either side of the defensive tackle.  The quarterback's eyes gleam.  He's seen this alignment before, in the film room.  He knows that the middle linebacker, or "Mike" linebacker, number 51, will show a blitz and drop into coverage here.  The defensive tackle always rises in stance when this blitz is run from their current formation, and both safeties will crash the A-gaps in a stunt (or crossing blitz ).  This is a pre-snap read, a show of preparation by the offensive general of his team.  The quarterback is acknowledging that while outside linebacker, number 55 was "Mike", the responsibility of the middle of the field has now shifted to number 51 due to the shift in defensive alignment.  With both safeties blitzing, this will leave a lot of open space for only one man to cover.

"Red 45, 45.  Hut.  18!  18!  Set!  51 is the Mike!  51 is the Mike!  51 is the Mike!"

The play-clock is ticking.  There is little time left for adjustments on either side of the ball.  The quarterback knows his play-call, in from the coach, is dictated on a quick release pass.  Don't allow the blitzers to get to you.  Get the ball out of your hands and to a playmaker, before you can be attacked.  The tight end is running a seam route, right up the heart of the defense.  If the quarterback can get the ball out quickly, the linebacker will have a tough time moving in east-west fashion to catch up to the tight end.  Preparation will enable a big play for the whole team.  The whole team will need this big play, because it's fourth down, and they are out of chances.  It all comes down to this.  Sweat drips from the brow of the quarterback as he finishes his cadence:

"Set, 18!  Hut!  Hut!  Set, hike!"

 The quarterback receives the snap from under center, and drops back.  His eyes shoot to his outside receiver for a split second, to misdirect defensive players in coverage as to his intentions.  As he turns his head on a swivel to the tight-end on the last of his third step in his drop, and his feet begin to right his body's physics for a throw, something is wrong.  The middle linebacker has stunt blitzed with one of the safeties.  The other safety, a much faster player and more viable match-up for the tight end, has dropped into coverage with the huge defensive tackle who stood up.  The middle of the offensive line in front of the quarterback suited as his protectors, has crumbled.  The middle linebacker, number 51, comes nearly untouched up the middle, right in the quarterback's face.  A wrinkle in the norm of defensive alignment has outsmarted the quarterback, and before his pass can be released, he is violently driven to the ground.  The defense celebrates, jumping on each other and screaming.  The offensive coordinator throws his chart of plays and formations alignments.  The defensive coordinator tightens his fist in victory.  Queen to B7.  Check.  Queen to D7.  Checkmate.

This is one play of a brutal game, that is as much about wits as it is about physique. One play that takes about four seconds for twenty-two individuals, eleven on either side of the ball, to execute their designated assignments in unison to succeed.  Human chess.  Demanding.  Intellectual.  Fascinating.  And as a nation, indeed, we are fascinated by professional football.  The mixture of athleticism, schematics, and violence is undeniable to our culture.  Beyond the glitz and aesthetic of the hard-hits, bright lights, spectacular catches, ankle-breaking jukes, stardom and wealth is something deeper.  There are coaches spending 20-hour work days breaking down statistics, tendencies, progressions, film and motivating their players.  These coaches do this all for one advantage in strategy, any single advantage would make it worth it.  Human chess.  The game is simple enough to be played by children, but complex enough to be played and designed by monsters and genius.  These terms, this combination, makes the game as endearing of any sport or pass-time that mankind has ever conceived.  Perfect for our times - on the cusp of evolution through technology, but still faithful to animal instinct.  Blood and guts.  Three yards and a cloud of dust.  But behind it all, strategic brilliance.  Human chess.