2012 NFL Offseason

[archeryguy1701]

The schedule's out!! Denver has 5 primetime games, including the very first two games and 4 of the first 7. I'm kinda surprised that Broncos vs Patriots isn't a primetime game, or even in a week where it can be flexed up. With all the hype surrounding the return of "Manning vs Brady", I would have figured that they'd want that one going to the largest audience possible.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Could it be "flexed" into primetime?

But you're right, strange that it isn't already.

 

[archeryguy1701]

^Nope, flexing is only available for weeks 11-17, and Denver/NE is week 5. Barring something unexpected happening during the season, the only Broncos game I can see getting any flex interest is Denver/ Baltimore in week 15.

In other, more disturbing news, the Steelers have revealed their throwback unis for this season.

 

[tighr]

^Nope, flexing is only available for weeks 11-17, and Denver/NE is week 5. Barring something unexpected happening during the season, the only Broncos game I can see getting any flex interest is Denver/ Baltimore in week 15.

It's the 4:15 game, though, and likely on CBS. IF CBS has the double-header that weekend, then the only casualty will be the Chicago/Jacksonville game. Everyone else in the country will get the Denver/NE game, except for those unlucky souls in Chicago and Jacksonville (unless that game isn't a sellout, in which case only Chicago gets hosed).

 

[chrisspringob]

My main thesis is that I believe all 32 teams are guilty of telling their players to hurt other players.

It's basically a guess though, isn't it? We don't really know one way or the other if the other 31 teams are telling their players to try to injure opposing players with illegal hits like Williams was. Whereas with speeding, there's ample evidence to suggest that nearly everyone does it.

 

[Pegaritaville]

I'm a little disapointed with the Packers schedule. I was hoping for an away game somewhere down south late in the season (figured could go to a game and get some golf in), but there's none to be found. And they don't play the Vikings until December. Their final game is at home against the Vikes. I just booked rooms in Green Bay for that- the hotels near Lambeau sell out quickly and several were already booked solid.

 

[Sheep]

In other, more disturbing news, the Steelers have revealed their throwback unis for this season.

Oh my. I read about these uniforms earlier in an RSS feed without visuals but this is my first time actually seeing what they look like. These really are the worst uniforms ever (a claim made by the author of the article I read).

 

[SmoothieX]

Strangely enough, they are wearing their normal helmet with it.

The Packers have an old school throwback from that era, and just use a plain brown helmet to make it look like the old leather helmets.

I like it, it harkens back to an era most of us aren't familiar with. There are plenty of 60s/70s throwbacks, but it's nice to see something from the earliest days of the game.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Those Steeler's throwback uniforms really are hideous. They look like bumble bees.

I misread the Packers schedule (was looking at the Vikes schedule at the same time) and now have unrefundable rooms in Green Bay for the week they play here in MN. God, I'm an idiot.

 

[Sheep]

Oy vey.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-loomis-eavesdrop-opposing-coaches-home-games

NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana was told Friday that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis 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, "Outside the Lines" has learned.

Anyone going to chime in about how this probably happens in every NFL stadium now?

 

[Danny99]

Oy vey.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-loomis-eavesdrop-opposing-coaches-home-games

NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana was told Friday that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis 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, "Outside the Lines" has learned.

Anyone going to chime in about how this probably happens in every NFL stadium now?

It wouldn't shock me. With the technology available, I would expect some unscrupulous executives to get a leg up. In a game where so much is based on knowing what route the other team is going to run or what trick they have up their sleeve, this would be a huge advantage.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

49ers fans take note, there is a webcam on the construction of the new stadium (which began six days ago): linky

 

[Timby]

Oy vey.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...-loomis-eavesdrop-opposing-coaches-home-games

NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana was told Friday that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis 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, "Outside the Lines" has learned.

Anyone going to chime in about how this probably happens in every NFL stadium now?

It wouldn't shock me. With the technology available, I would expect some unscrupulous executives to get a leg up. In a game where so much is based on knowing what route the other team is going to run or what trick they have up their sleeve, this would be a huge advantage.

I'm a little doubtful as to the advantage, though. Teams have heavily specialized playbooks and verbiage of calling plays -- it's not like a coach calls, "Deep bomb to slot," like in Madden or whatever. Loomis would then have to relay the information to the coaching staff, which would have to make decisions based on a playcall that made no sense to them.

The Saints are a pretty broken organization at this point, but I'm not seeing a lot of traction, in terms of competitive advantage, at this point.

 

[SmoothieX]

I don't see the advantage play to play either. An executive who isn't an X's and O's guy hearing: "1, double buttsex, clownshoes right, z flexmonkey, corndog, 43kangaroo, my dry cleaning bill, set" isn't enough to change a certain play. With 40 seconds max between plays, it's pointless, and let the football personnel talk on the headsets.

But you can get patterns of signs out of it. And non-jargon discussions as well, like whose ankle has tightened up, or where the best place for Chinese in KC is.

The Saints are following the Pats script. Football's plucky little darlings after a national tragic event, to perenially successful, sketchy, and hated.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

In other news, the Eagles trade Asante Samuel to the Falcons for a Seventh round pick. I'm honestly astounded he went for so low. Yes, I realize he has a large contract and that everybody and their grandmother knew the Eagles wanted to trade him, but I figured more teams would at least view him as an asset, which would increase his value.

 

[archeryguy1701]

^What's even more surprising is that the Broncos (reportedly) made two offers that were higher than that and were shot down both times- one for a 5th or 6th round pick and one for a straight-across swap of Samuel for another veteran player.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

IIRC, they weren't shot down so much as they couldn't reach an agreement with Samuels for a renegotiated contract.

 

[archeryguy1701]

Ok... I didn't see any details on why things didn't work out, but that would make a lot more sense than what I was thinking.

 

[Causchy]

I was REALLY hoping that the Samuel to the Titans rumors a couple of weeks back would pan out, so this is sort of a bummer. Ah well, the draft starts tonight!

 

[Scout101]

I'm a little doubtful as to the advantage, though. Teams have heavily specialized playbooks and verbiage of calling plays -- it's not like a coach calls, "Deep bomb to slot," like in Madden or whatever. Loomis would then have to relay the information to the coaching staff, which would have to make decisions based on a playcall that made no sense to them.

The Saints are a pretty broken organization at this point, but I'm not seeing a lot of traction, in terms of competitive advantage, at this point.

Really?

And yet no one at all has problems believing that the Patriots were cheating their asses off by trying to steal the signals (usually number combos written on white boards) from a coach? No one had trouble believing that the Pats could capture a signal, analyze it, get it down to the field, coach up the players on it, and have it all ready to go by half-time. Even though half-time is when coaches usually change the signals. Actually just bugging what the coach is saying wouldn't be easier? Got the plays he's calling, as well as what he's talking about BEFORE he calls the play. If that's not an advantage, then the plays on the whiteboard are less than useless.

I *kinda* agree that it's not a huge advantage overall, as non-retarded coaches change up their terminology and playcalling regularly, even during a game. Problem is, there are so many retarded coaches in the league that just being of average intelligence puts you on a Hall of Fame trajectory!

If this ends up being true, this is a BAD one. Based on the time-frame, they'll JUST avoid legal issues for wire-tapping and whatnot, but from a NFL standpoint, it would have to make Spygate and Bountygate look like slaps on the wrist. Especially since the main suspect is ALREADY suspended 8 games for being a douche...