Okay, so I got really into this idea of reliving the 2000 NFL season. I’ve always been a huge football fan, and that season was just… wild. The Rams were still “The Greatest Show on Turf,” the Ravens had that insane defense, and there were so many close games.
First, I dug up a bunch of old game footage. It wasn’t easy! YouTube has some highlights, but I wanted full games. I ended up finding some old DVDs and, believe it or not, some VHS tapes at a used media store. Talk about a blast from the past!
Getting the Data
Then, I wanted stats. Just watching wasn’t enough. I needed the numbers. I found a few websites that had season stats, and I basically just copied and pasted everything into a giant spreadsheet. It was a mess at first, but I slowly organized it by team, player, week, etc.
- Team stats: Wins, losses, points for, points against… the works.
- Player stats: Passing yards, rushing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, tackles, sacks… you name it.
- Weekly results: Every game, every score.
Building My Own “Database”
With all this data, I started feeling like I was building my own little 2000 NFL season database. I spent hours just comparing players, looking at team records, and figuring out who had the best stats in each category. It was like being a sports analyst, but just for my own amusement!
Reliving the Games
Next, I started matching the games I had on video with the stats I had collected. I’d watch a game, then pull up the spreadsheet and see how the real-life stats compared to what I was seeing on the screen. It was super cool to see Marshall Faulk rush for 150 yards and then confirm it in my spreadsheet.
It was like re-experiencing that entire season with my very own data.
What I Learned
This whole thing, it took a lot of time, sure. But it was also incredibly fun. I learned so much more about that season than I ever thought I would. I realized how dominant certain players were, and I gained a new appreciation for how unpredictable football can be. I even discovered some players I’d completely forgotten about!
Ultimately, I ended up with this massive collection of 2000 NFL season data and a bunch of old game footage. It was a fun and time-consuming project!
