22
Oct
2012
Greg Schiano’s bush league tactics may have finally cost his team a game
Tampa Bay rookie head coach Greg Schiano has already come under a lot of fire this season for his questionable coaching tactics. Schiano’s insistance on thumbing his nose at coaching convention in his first year in the NFL – most notably by bull rushing the kneel down play at the end of games - hasn’t sat well with much of the league’s old guard.
Some have defended Schiano for playing to the final whistle and instilling mental toughness in his team, while many coaches, players and fans (us included) have flat-out labeled his coaching style as bush league.
But on Sunday, Schiano’s latest stunt may have finally cost his team the game.
(Photo: Matt Stamey/US Presswire via bleacherreport)
During the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers 35-28 loss to the Saints, with Tampa Bay trailing 28-21, New Orleans set up for a 50-yard field goal attempt. But just prior to the snap, “the Bucs’ defensive line abruptly shifted and, according to Saints players, shouted in unison.” The move drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, keeping the drive alive for New Orleans and setting up a Pierre Thomas touchdown run just four plays later.
Considering that the Bucs were in position to tie the game on the final drive, those extra points (4 if the Saints had converted the long field goal, 7 if they missed) could have proved the difference between winning and losing for Tampa Bay.
2
Oct
2012
NFL 2012 Quarter-Point “Jump To Conclusions” Mat
Every year, we try to refrain from pulling a Tom Smykowski from Office Space, and jumping to any conclusions about the NFL season prematurely. In a sixteen-game season, it generally takes several games for teams to figure out their identity, and a lot longer than that to determine a realistic playoff picture.
So while it’s tempting to draw knee-jerk reactions from a couple of games, we at least try to wait until the quarter-point mark to start making our hyperbolic and definitive statements about the season ahead.
Michael Bolton: That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life, Tom
And even though many of these will undoubtedly prove wrong, we’re not afraid to draw these bold conclusions after just week four of the season.
So without further adieu, here are our top 5 observations on the 2012 edition of ol’ Jump To Conclusions mat:
22
Sep
2012
Carl from ATHF chimes in on the kneel down controversy and replacement refs (VIDEO)
Our old friend Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force is back with his “Stone Cold Lock of the Century – Of The Week”, and this time he’s picking tomorrow’s Saints-Chiefs game. As a reminder, while we’re not gamblers ourselves, we generally recommend betting against whoever Carl picks.
But before he gets to his lock, Carl opines on the Giants-Bucs kneel down controversy (which we can hopefully stop talking about now), as well as the replacement referees and their impact on the game. As usual, great stuff from Carl and his Zubaz pants:
10
Sep
2012
RGIII leads rookie QB class with impressive debut; “Griffining” becomes a thing (PHOTO)
It was one of the rare cases of the reality actually being better than the hype.
With five rookie quarterbacks starting their team’s opener on Sunday, Robert Griffin III stood head and shoulders above the rest of his class by putting on one of the most impressive debut performances by a QB in NFL history, and leading the Redskins to a shocking 40-3 victory over the Saints.
(Photo: John McDonnell – The Washington Post)
Griffin’s stat line - 19-of-26 for 320 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, for a 139.9 passer rating – is impressive enough. In becoming the first quarterback in league history to throw for over 300 yards in a winning debut, RGIII put all of advertised physical tools – speed, agility and cannon for an arm – on display for everyone to see. But considering that he did it all on the road, in a hostile Superdome, in his first game on the NFL stage … it was his poise, intelligence and confidence that really stood out. Starting the game off 8-for-8, Griffin looked like a veteran running Mike Shanahan‘s offense out there.
Meanwhile, number 1 overall pick Andrew Luck threw three interceptions and fumbled once in a loss, Russell Wilson had a mixed performance but came up short on a game-winning drive, Ryan Tannehill was in over his head in throwing 3 picks, and Brandon Weeden looked completely lost with a 5.1 QB rating, the worst pro debut by a QB in modern history.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF RGIII’S DEBUT HERE
9
Sep
2012
Will Smith to start, Jonathan Vilma to lead “Who Dat” chant in Saints opener
(via deadspin.com)
After having their suspensions overturned by an appeals panel on Thursday, four NFL players - Saints LB Jonathan Vilma and DE Will Smith, Browns LB Scott Fujita and free agent DL Anthony Hargrove – were immediately allowed to return to the field as soon as possible.
“Consistent with the panel’s decision, Commissioner Goodell will, as directed, make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league’s pay-for-performance/bounty rule,” Aiello said in a statement. “Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend.”
In a huge victory for the Saints, Smith will start the opener in New Orleans today. And although Vilma will need a few weeks to recover from a knee injury, he is expected to take the team out of the tunnel at the Superdome, and lead the crowd in a “Who Dat” chant following the coin toss.
While the ruling is a crushing blow to Roger Goodell and the NFL, it’s important to note that the suspensions are not permanently vacated, pending a further ruling by the league. It’s entirely possible (and even likely) that Goodell will find a new way to suspend the players (and especially Vilma) for “conduct detrimental to the league” … as opposed to actually intending to injure opposing players, which they clearly have no proof of.
But expect a raucous crowd in New Orleans today, as they celebrate this victory, no matter how temporary it may be. Oh, and Fujita will not play in the Browns’ opener, as he is on the team’s injured/exemption list while he recovers from a leg injury.
22
Aug
2012
HBO’s Real Sports feature on Steve Gleason is both heartbreaking and inspiring (VIDEO)
Last night, HBO’s Real Sports ran a feature on former New Orleans Saint Steve Gleason, and if you didn’t catch it, set your DVRs and make sure you watch this episode.
(AP Photo by Gerald Herbert via Freep.com)
Gleason – a special teams standout for the New Orleans Saints from 2000-2007 – played an important role in helping to re-inspire the city of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, when he blocked a punt during the team’s first game back in the Superdome. But just three years after retiring from the game, Gleason was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gherig’s disease.
The illness – which studies show is expedited by the head trauma suffered by NFL players – has quickly robbed Gleason of his basic motor skills. But with his brain fully functioning, Gleason continues to fight to live life to the fullest and inspire others with his story. Living by mottos such as “Let’s focus on drinking up as much life as possible”, if you can make it through this segment without tearing up, you should get yourself checked out to make sure you still have a heart.
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
3
Aug
2012
Mark Ingram really, really enjoys sno-balls (PIC)
This tremendous photo of Saints RB Mark Ingram overjoyed with excitement over a frosty treat – locally known as a sno-ball - after a hot day at training camp comes to us via Reddit/r/NFL user chadrochill:
(Image via Reddit/r/nfl)
For those of you who are curious (like we were), the uploader was also kind enough to explain the distinction between a “sno-ball” and other regional versions of this icy summer classic:
For people wondering the difference between sno-balls and snow cones, I will do my best to accurately describe it:
The basic difference is that snow cones were traditionally made with chips of ice, where it would be fairly crunchy and look like this.
24
Apr
2012
The hole just keeps getting deeper for Mickey Loomis and the Saints
It just keeps getting worse for Saints GM Mickey Loomis, who according to reports from ESPN’s “Outside the Lines”, “had an electronic device in his Superdome suite that had been secretly re-wired to enable him to eavesdrop on visiting coaching staffs for nearly three NFL seasons”.
(Photo: NYDailyNews.com)
The period in question was 2002-2004, and now state and federal officials have opened up a wiretapping investigation on Loomis, to see if he violated any eavesdropping laws in the process.
For their part, and not surprisingly, the Saints vehemently deny these allegations. On Monday, Greg Bensel, Saints VP of Communications, had this to say on behalf of Loomis and the organization:
“This is 1,000 percent false. This is 1,000 percent inaccurate.”
Loomis himself flatly denied to the charges on Tuesday via an email sent out by the team:
5
Apr
2012
Listen to Gregg Williams’ bounty speech that should end any hope of a Saints appeal (AUDIO)
On the very day that Saints head coach Sean Payton and GM Mickey Loomis are appealing their suspensions with the NFL for their involvement in the bounty scandal, Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports drops a bombshell that should effectively stop that appeal process in its tracks.
In it, Silver reveals that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams specifically directed his players to injure members of the 49ers prior to their post-season meeting in January, and made “hand gestures” signalling that he would pay money to whoever took out QB Alex Smith.
(Photo: Matthew Sharpe/Getty Images via BleacherReport)
Silver got the audio from filmmaker Sean Pamphilon of the United States of Football, who had access to Saints team functions for much of the 2011 season while working on a documentary. The speech in question came during a defensive team meeting the night before the Jan. 15 playoff game, in which Williams delivers a profanity-laced tirade intended to inspire his troops to battle. It would be the Saints last game of the season, and Williams would be fired two days later.
Perhaps most damaging to the Saints cause is the timing of Williams’ speech, which would have come well after the NFL had alerted the Saints that they were looking into the bounty program, and right after the league re-opened the investigation and specifically directed owner Tom Benson and Loomis to put a stop to it. The 49ers game was just two weeks later, and while you can’t actually hear the hand gestures, Pahmphilon says he believes “there’s no doubt at all” that Williams put a bounty on Smith in the meeting. And if that’s the case, it means that Loomis and Payton – who were not present at the meeting – clearly didn’t take enough action in policing their own staff.
UPDATE: The Saints are already trying to paint Williams as a “rogue” coach on his way out the door, who acted in defiance of his superiors. It’s clear that Payton and Loomis are going to set Williams up as the fall guy in an effort to lessen their own punishments, but we’ll see how much water that holds with Roger Goodell.
The relevant audio from Williams speech is below, but here are a few of the more notable gems:
QUOTES AND AUDIO AFTER THE JUMP
21
Mar
2012
Goodell drops the hammer on Saints; suspends Sean Payton for 1 year
The NFL finally handed down its punishment for the Saints bounty program today, and it’s about as severe as you’d expect from a commissioner trying to clean up the league’s violent image. Head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year without pay, and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the Rams) has been suspended indefinitely for their part in a system that gave out cash rewards to players for injuring opponents from 2009-2011.
Payton was reportedly "stunned" by the news (Photo: SBNation.com)
As if that weren’t enough bad news for New Orleans fans, the Saints were also fined $500,000, and will forfeit their 2nd round picks in 2012 and 2013. Furthermore, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has been suspended for eight games, assistant head coach Joe Vitt has been suspended 6 games without pay, and individual player punishments are still forthcoming. All of the suspensions begin on April 1st except for Williams, whose suspension starts immediately.
You can read the complete release from the NFL here, but we’ll go ahead and highlight the most relevant sections:
“We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,” Commissioner Goodell said. “We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.”
