Archive for the ‘Opinion/Editorial’ Category
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1
Aug
2011
Well, here we are again…
August is here and, against all odds, so is training camp. (Source: Pitt. Post-Gazette)
So, the NFL lockout is over, and we’re assured of labor peace for the next decade. That means we don’t need to focus on the Norris-LaGuardia Act until at least 2021.
The NFL has returned. Training camp is underway, and just as the players and coaches are shaking off the rust, we bloggers are doing the same.
This frenzied week of free-agency and rookie signings, meshed with the start of 32 NFL training camps — well, it’s wonderful … but where does one begin?
Now swimming in a flood of NFL news, the April promises of some fan groups to bypass this season, to show the NFL that the fans matter more than owners or players — laughable.
The cries of the sports-offended were silenced and blotted out the minute the labor deal was done. Nobody’s talking about boycotting a damn thing tonight.
The game is bigger than the fans, for better or worse. Nobody who loved the game in January is fashioning plans, circulating petitions and organizing rallies to skip the season.
Everyone’s fallen in line.
And maybe it doesn’t even matter. The game is back. Two weekends from now, we’ll see our 20- and 30-something millionaire heroes back on the field, throwing a ball around before hundreds of thousands of fans who paid a pretty penny to enter billion-dollar stadiums from San Diego to East Rutherford — and Dallas to Minneapolis.
There is no proper starting point this time around.
We’re just here. Football is back.
For better or worse, our game is back.
15
Mar
2011
Source: Vikes host Locker for private workout
No Hurt Locker: Vikings seem serious about Jake. (Source: Andrew Fredrickson)
National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson cites an NFL source in reporting that the Minnesota Vikings plan to call in Washington quarterback Jake Locker for a private workout Tuesday.
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has been vocal about finding a quarterback in this draft, but at the No. 12 spot, they could be out of the running for Auburn’s Cam Newton or Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert.
Locker, however, remains an intriguing possibility for the Vikings–much better than the aged Brett Favre, back on his farm tilling soil. The 6’3″, 231-pound Locker is a mobile passer, running the 40 in 4.50 seconds at last month’s NFL scouting Combine, to go along with his 35-inch vertical and a 9-7 broad jump.
Locker will also work out for the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks later this month, according to NFP.
It time for a new start in Minnesota, and it has to excited Vikings fans that Frazier is turning out to be a good organizer and an honest leader who has buy-in. Clouds loom in the distance in Minnesota, with their problematic stadium situation problematic–and Los Angeles positioning itself for a team.
The Los Angeles Vikings? I have a problem with that. This is one of the NFL’s storied teams.
You have to wonder if they’re gunning for Newton–it could be in the works. Some don’t even have Newton in their top 10, but falling right into the Vikings’ lap.
As mentioned in my mock, I just don’t see Ron Rivera passing up this opportunity to bring in a franchise-altering passer with the No. 1 pick in the draft. I expect Netwon to end up as the top pick in this draft–unless the Vikings offer all the gold inside the Metrodome and the head of Favre.
14
Mar
2011
TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 11-20
2015 just called to tell us that J.J. Watt is the steal of this draft. (Source: Madison.com)
For picks 1-5, go here.
For picks 6-10, go here.
11. Houston Texans — J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin: We get so many of these projections wrong. The “sure lock” winds up a flaming bust, and players we’re ignoring today — guys who won’t even be drafted — will light up the league. I believe we’ll look back on this 2011 NFL Draft five years from now and call J.J. Watt a top 5 pick. I loved his presence, intensity and motor at the combine. Wade Phillips‘ 3-4 defense is the perfect landing spot for Watt, and a good environment for this hard-working, self-made player. He worked himself onto Wisconsin’s roster, paying his own way at the start of his tenure — delivering Pizza Hut to save up dough. He’s no prima donna. He’s a coachable workhorse who did the requisite work at Wisconsin to make the switch from tight end to defensive lineman. Watt is the steal of this draft at No. 11. Sometime these midround picks are where you find the real gems — where less pressure is placed on the incoming player, as well. Houston and Watt are an excellent match.
12. Minnesota Vikings — Julio Jones, WR, Alabama: The Vikings have been vocal about finding a quarterback in this draft. I see a potential trade up — or down — to get their guy. There was a time when it appeared Minnesota at No. 12 could snag Auburn’s Cam Newton, but the hype machine’s in full swing and I project him to go no less than No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers. He’s the type of passer that’s going to require time to develop, coming from a spread, and Leslie Frazier would love the challenge. There are other possibilities at quarterback for the Vikings — and all of them are better than Brett Favre right now, who’s back on his farm tilling soil. It’s time for a new start in Minnesota. In this mock, with no trades — and Jake Locker a reach — I project the Vikings to jump on Jones, who had an excellent combine and would be a good-value selection here. Sidney Rice could bolt via free agency, so Jones addresses a potential need as well. We all saw what happened to Percy Harvin when Rice was out of the offense — they need a No. 1 guy in there to give the passing game a shot.
Picks 13-20 after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
13
Mar
2011
TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 6-10
Colt McCoy needs a dance partner. A.J. Green will do. (Source: BCSknowhow.com)
For picks 1 through 5, go here.
Let’s continue with picks 6 through 10.
6. Cleveland Browns – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia: Cleveland’s in a terrible spot. They’re moving to the 4-3, but have nothing along the defensive line. They have a promising young quarterback in Colt McCoy — and they’re moving to the West Coast Offense — but he’s got almost nobody to throw to. They just cut NT Shaun Rogers along with a flock of grizzled defensive veterans — a fiscally sound move, but one that’s left Browns fans wondering who will take the field next season. Changing offensive and defensive philosophies during a lockout-hampered offseason in which coaches cannot communicate with players is tougher. The free-agency window possibly opening for mere weeks, if at all, is tougher. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have stayed the course. This draft is critical for the Browns, forced to address needs all over the place. Pat Shurmur was brought in to groom McCoy and flip the switch on offense — and Green is the kind of sizzling wideout the team’s been missing since Braylon Edwards broke free in 2007 — and before that, since Webster Slaughter. Still, many could question the Browns passing up one of the blue-chip defensive linemen — but how do you meet two needs at once?
7. San Francisco 49ers – Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson: This is a tough one for me. In a mock with trades, I see Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers pressing for a quarterback, or possibly even trading down into a spot where they can gather picks and select Florida’s Christian Ponder late in the first. Honestly, how many more coaches can call Alex Smith their starter? That experiment needs to cease. With Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert off the board, the 49ers select Bowers, a defensive end who comes with question marks around the health of his knee, but, if ruled healthy, could serve as defensive stronghold while Harbaugh seeks a quarterback elsewhere. Moroever, there are some promising young passers to be had later in the draft, such as Washngton’s Jake Locker and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – not to mention the polarizing Ryan Mallett out of Arkansas.
Picks 8-10 after the jump.
12
Mar
2011
TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 1-5
Bank on it, this will be the new face of one NFL team come Draft Day (Source: Jimrome.com)
The 2011 NFL Draft could serve as our last dose of football for an unfriendly amount of time (especially if you’re an Oakland Raiders fan). Although it’s going to be awkward to watch NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell approach the podium before a packed house during a lockout, Draft Day (or, at this stage, Draft Thursday Night…) remains tangibly intriguing when a blue-chip quarterback has the chance to go No. 1.
It’s no sure thing, but with Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert rising up the board, it’s possible both could go in the top 10. One could argue that four of the first five teams to pick could go quarterback. I also wouldn’t rule out a team moving up for one the young guns — especially with Shanahan’s Redskins buried in the 10 slot — but this mock doesn’t include trades. Next month’s v.2 mock will take a shot at pinpointing some possible move-up/down scenarios. With that said, here’s my top 5 picks:
1. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton – QB, Auburn: Some don’t even have Newton in their top 10. I just don’t see Ron Rivera passing up this opportunity to bring in a franchise-altering passer with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Newton has his flaws, but there’s no way Carolina takes on the NFC South with what we’ve seen out of (granted, young) Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen. While it’s awfully tough to bypass some of the defensive line talent in this draft, I believe Newton will continue to rise up the board. It’s only mid-March. This quarterback’s gifts will only become more coveted as we approach late April. The Panthers are serious about Cam Newton and I expect him to end up as the top pick in this draft.
2. Denver Broncos – Marcell Dareus – DT, Alabama: John Fox is going defense with this pick. At 6-foot-3, 319 pounds, Dareus fits well into Fox’s 4-3 scheme, and has the potential to wreak havoc as a 3-technique the way Warren Sapp did in Tampa Bay — and Sapp himself has showered praise on the prospect. For the many top-shelf defensive line prospects in this draft — it’s one of the more stunning DT/DE draft classes in years — Dareus might be the safest pick, as a guy without looming medical or off-the-field concerns. If Nick Fairley has more potential, Dareus appears to have the work ethic for continued growth.
3. Buffalo Bills – Patrick Peterson – CB, LSU: The Bills are courting Newton and no doubt Chan Gailey is enticed by his athleticism. If Carolina passes, Newton could land here at No. 3. If he’s gone — and he is in this mock — the Bills will take Peterson, possibly the best football player in the draft. It’s unusual for a team to strike on a corner this high, but I don’t see the Bills taking Gabbert with this pick. Besides, in Ryan Fitzpatrick, they have a passer the team believes in and grew behind in 2010. The Bills need help all over the place on defense and go with the best player available here.
4. Cincinnati Bengals – Blaine Gabbert – QB, Missouri: If Carson Palmer wasn’t so inconsistent, you work out the issues, get him back in the house and move on. Palmer and the Bengals are at a crossroads, and with the QB making it clear he’s had enough in the Queen City, it’s time for Cincy to find his replacement. I’m not in love with Gabbert. Accuracy is an issue when you look beyond his short-field body of work. That said, with Newton gone, Gabbert represents a new dawn for Marvin Lewis.
5. Arizona Cardinals – Von Miller – DE/OLB, Texas A&M: Some are calling Von Miller‘s decision to join the players’ antitrust lawsuit against the NFL a risk. Is he an immediate problem? A guy with a renegade spirit? No. Another way to look at it — this is someone who has chosen to take a leadership role among his peers and represent his rookie class on a critical issue to the players (even if you think they already make too much). That aside, Miller is perhaps the most versatile defensive talent in the draft and music to the ears of the Cards. I keep hearing over and over that Arizona does not go quarterback with this pick — mainly because this could be it for Ken Whisenhunt, and you don’t risk a critical season on a rookie. You have to wonder if the Cards would surprise people and shoot for Newton or Gabbert is one is available.
For picks 6-10, go here.
For picks 11-20, go here.
6
Mar
2011
Potential work stoppage dooms some teams more than others
Keep smiling: Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are built to last through good and bad -- including a potential work stoppage. (Source: 141characters.com)
The NFL and the NFL Players Association have agreed to a seven-day extension to the current collective bargaining agreement, giving both sides another week to hammer out a deal and prevent the league’s first work stoppage since 1987.
The fact that both sides are communicating is hopeful, but the reality is that a tremendous amount of work must be done by March 11 to prevent a hammer dropping on football as we know it.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, coaches and general managers indicated to a man that it was “work as usual” until told otherwise.
Teams claim to be fully prepared for whatever lies ahead. That’s easy to trumpet, but in a normal offseason, we see winning clubs run an organized ship, while other clubs appear lost. How much more so if we move into rocky, uncharted waters?
5
Feb
2011
ReadAndReact’s Super Bowl XLV Picks
(Image via deviantart.com)
Since the big day is almost upon us, we wanted to get our official Super Bowl picks on record for tomorrow’s game. And if you’ve been paying any attention to our picks so far this year, you already know that we’re pretty awful at this prognostication thing … so we don’t advise that anyone wager their children’s college funds or anything on our selections. Or even your lunch money. We really stink at this.
So with that rousing introduction, here they are, direct from R&R HQ … and for the record, none of these take into account point spreads. This is straight win/loss:
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
As you can see, we’re split down the middle on the big game, with myself and C-O-U-R-T-N-E-Y taking the Packers, while TDH and steverodgers like the Steelers and Big Ben to win. And TheDarkHorse got real specific:
“The game will be tied 24-24 at the end of regulation. Per the new playoff overtime rules, the Steelers will win the toss and drive down the field for a touchdown. The Packers will do the same on their first possession, making the game 31-30 — before missing the extra point.”
Soooo … yeah. That should really help clear things up for those of you still on the fence. Enjoy the game!!!
1
Feb
2011
Cleveland’s road to redemption begins at home
Pat Shurmur has his work cut out for him. (Source: Statesmen.com)
Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur faces the same tall task that left Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini in shreds: Winning an AFC North division inhabited by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, two of football’s most consistently successful franchises.
Each new Browns regime shuffled out before a bewildered fanbase claims some deep understanding of the Pittsburgh and Baltimore rivalries, but nothing has changed. The Browns have been manhandled within the division since their return.
Baltimore is despised by Browns fans, but with Ozzie Newsome running the show, they’ve forged an identity built on bone-crushing defense and just enough offense to win. Pittsburgh — heading to its eighth Super Bowl and third since 2005 — is perhaps the most sound organization in the league, with just three coaches since 1969.
Cleveland’s had five since ’99 — and it shows.
27
Jan
2011
America thinks Jay Cutler is the least likeable QB in the NFL
(Photo: KansasCity.com)
Here’s another one for the “winning forgives everything” file: ESPN’s SportsNation is running a poll to find out which current NFL quarterback is the least likeable: Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick or Jay Cutler. And in what really should come as no surprise at this point, America thinks that Cutler is the worst of the bunch. By a large margin.
So according to this unscientific sample, Cutler’s moping and perceived tap-out in the NFC Championship game is less forgivable than (alleged) rape and (convicted) electrocution of dogs. Gotcha.
(ESPN Image via FoulBalls.com)
The persecution of the Bears QB has reached a fever pitch this week, with FoxSports.com’s Jason Whitlock openly calling Cutler a quitter, and implying that he had mentally checked out long ago. Then there’s this video from TMZ, which is getting all sorts of attention today. Apparently Cutler doesn’t exhibit enough of a limp while walking around town for some people’s liking. And on Monday there was an uproar when he went to dinner with his family after the game, and had the gaul to use the stairs to walk up to the private dining area … when there was an elevator available (gasp)!
Nevermind the fact that any doctor will tell you a patient can walk normally with a Grade II MCL tear. Don’t let that get in the way of a good media execution. Disgruntled Bears fans are just looking for a fall guy to blame the loss on, when the fact remains that Chicago was losing that game with or without Cutler.
Meanwhile, Roethlisberger and Vick can violate any number of legal and moral codes, win a few football games, and all is forgiven. I’d say our priorities as a nation seem to be perfectly in line, wouldn’t you?
[H/T FoulBalls]
26
Jan
2011
Packers to leave injured players out of Super Bowl team photo
Well this kind of sucks for Jermichael Finley (Photo: SI.com)
UPDATE: The Packers have apparently caved to public pressure. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has been told that the Packers’ Super Bowl team photo has been moved to Friday, so that all of the players on IR will be included.
Whew … our long national nightmare is over. That was almost the non-story of the year.
___________________________________
In a move that has caused confusion and frustration among its players and around the league, the Green Bay Packers have elected not to include players on injured reserve in their official team photo, to be taken next Tuesday prior to Super Bowl XLV. Among the players listed on IR are some guys who have been major contributors to the Packers’ success this season, including TE Jermichael Finley, LB Nick Barnett and RB Ryan Grant.
For their part, Finley and Barnett aren’t too happy about the decision, and took to Twitter to express their feelings:
- Said Barnett: “Kinda sad… Found out basically IR guys can not be in team picture… It’s kinda sad to think.. Just goes you injured yourself you not part”
- Said Finley: “I never trip abt anything, but the way IR players are getting treated not cool..”
According to a Packers team spokesman, the decision was “driven by the sheer number of players on IR”, so that the rest of the team can focus on preparing for the big game. As the second-most injured team this season, Green Bay has made liberal use of injured reserve list, with FIFTEEN players out for the year. One of the main factors in the decision (according to the team) is the limited medical space available while on the road to team trainers, who will need all of that space to care for active injuries next week. So instead, the 15 Packers on IR will be flown to Dallas on Thursday, at which time the will get to participate in the full Super Bowl experience, including standing on the sidelines during the game.
Seems like a cop out to me. It’s fully ridiculous to leave core players like Finley, Grant and Barnett out of the team photo … especially when back-up scrubs who signed with the team two months ago will be included. It’s not like these IR’d players are going to come down to Dallas and distract their teammates from the goal at hand. Do the Packers’ brass really think that Finley is going to hop on the training table in front of Aaron Rodgers to get ultrasound treatment? Please. And it’s certainly not unreasonable for players to want to be included in such a historic team photo, and to feel a little bit hurt at being left out.
Later, Barnett apologized for his earlier outburst:
- “I was not trying to be a distraction nor was I downing the organization they have done so much for me over last 8 years. … Just saying I am sad that it worked out the way it did. This game is bigger then my feelings and my body of work. It’s about “One Goal!”
These guys are professionals, and should be treated as such … as it is now, Green Bay may not exactly be stacking the karma deck in their favor for this game.
