NFL 2014-2015 Season Discussion

[gblews]

I'm still hoping that Harbaugh, after restoring the Wolverines to national prominence, will land with the Raiders upon his almost certain triumphant return to the NFL in the coming years. Of course, I'm also hoping that we somehow won't need him when he does decide to come back to the NFL.

The Raiders offered Harbaugh more money than Michigan did, and he still decided to peace out back to the college ranks. That says something about how much of a shitshow the Raiders are.

I think he is simply following the Pete Carroll model wherein former pro HC goes back to a major college and restores it to prominence, thereby increasing his stature and value in the eyes of NFL GM's. UCLA's Jim Mora may be in the process doing this right now.

OTOH, you would know a "shitshow" when you saw one.

 

[Tom Servo]

Congrats Ravens,.. Now beat the Patriots!!

I wonder why you'd rather a team that has trash like Terrell Suggs on it's roster, supports Ray Lewis, treated the Ray Rice situation like absolute garbage, and just beat YOUR Steelers, beat the Patriots...

The Ravens are the absolute scum of the NFL.

 

[Scout101]

Definitely odd for a Steelers fan to be rooting for the Ravens (big rivalry), and the day after they knocked them out of the playoffs to boot. It would be like a Red Sox fan rooting for the Yankees, and talking up ARod, RIGHT after losing to the Yanks. Just not happening. Short of just being a bandwagon situation. And in addition to the rivalry, there's just nothing to root for the Ravens about this year. The Rice thing was disgusting, and their handling of it even worse...

 

[Tom Servo]

I would assume its some part of the Boston/NY rivalry he has with his baseball allegiances.

And probably something along the lines of Spygate/Belichick and Brady are arrogant cheaters that Pats haters just love bringing up.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Perhaps, but hating on the Patriots is just a national pastime. A lot of that comes from the fact that they have had a tremendous amount of success, so the fans all the other teams that have struggled and/or had less success are jealous.
A smaller amount of that hate comes from the fact that Belichick is an asshole, and that Patriot fans (like fans of any franchise going through an extended period of success) can be a bit annoying.

 

[Tom Servo]

Perhaps, but hating on the Patriots is just a national pastime. A lot of that comes from the fact that they have had a tremendous amount of success, so the fans all the other teams that have struggled and/or had less success are jealous.
A smaller amount of that hate comes from the fact that Belichick is an asshole, and that Patriot fans (like fans of any franchise going through an extended period of success) can be a bit annoying.

Thats the thing though....why may I ask is Belichick an asshole? Is it because of his gruff attitude, is it his hatred of the media asking stupid questions (note, when someone in the media asks a good football question, he usually will explain stuff pretty openly), is it Spygate? And if it is Spygate, then why is he an asshole, yet Mike Tomlin, who tripped and opposing teams player on the field of play, not considered an asshole?

I just don't get the whole thing. Belichick never goes out and makes derogatory statements about the other teams, you never see him guarantee wins, you never see him pump his tires or his teams tires. So what if he isn't Mr. Happy?

Just because the guy isn't a media darling doesn't make him an asshole.

I don't mind the hate really, I just don't get the source of it sometimes, beyond the jealousy factor.

 

[gblews]

In response to recent reports that the Rams owner will build an 80,000 seat football stadium in L.A adjacent, Inglewood; I do not, under any circumstances, want to see the Rams back in Los Angeles. I want the Charges even less.

 

[Vanyel]

I wish the new stations here would just stop talking about the Raiders moving to San Antonio. Almost every week one station or the newspaper will mention the Raiders as possibly moving here to Texas. Geeze! They are not moving, they are using us as leverage.

Cowboys onto Green Bay. That's all I want to hear about all week.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

If the Raiders move, it'll be to Los Angeles, not to San Antonio.

 

[1001001]

In response to recent reports that the Rams owner will build an 80,000 seat football stadium in L.A adjacent, Inglewood; I do not, under any circumstances, want to see the Rams back in Los Angeles.

Well, I have to disagree with you there. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this happens. I would love to have the Rams back in Los Angeles.

 

[Green Shirt]

People kill me with their "holier than thou" attitudes towards the scumminess that surrounds teams and their players. As though the teams they like are made up of only saints and choirboys. Glass Houses people.

Spare me.

 

[Memory Alpha]

Thats the thing though....why may I ask is Belichick an asshole? Is it because of his gruff attitude, is it his hatred of the media asking stupid questions (note, when someone in the media asks a good football question, he usually will explain stuff pretty openly), is it Spygate? And if it is Spygate, then why is he an asshole, yet Mike Tomlin, who tripped and opposing teams player on the field of play, not considered an asshole?

I just don't get the whole thing.

In western PA, at least, there's all the stuff you'd expect, but I suspect it's also that Brady and BB are seen as too white collar, too guarded, too perfect. They're not regular guys, which is why Tomlin, et. al. get a pass. If it comes down to Manning vs. Brady in a couple of weeks, this area will be lockstep for Manning because he's seen as a regular workaholic blue collar guy. I don't really, honestly get it either. It's just perception. And I could be wrong, but that's the sense that I've gotten for years.

I'm not a big Pats fan, but I have a hell of a lot of respect for Belichick particularly. If you can keep winning in one spot like that, create an atmosphere of winning that just perpetuates itself, and keep guys' attention and respect, you are one fantastic, driven football coach. But that sentiment is really not shared here. He's seen as too much of a mastermind type.

 

[Timby]

Jameis Winston has declared for the NFL draft.

I can't wait to see which team drafts a rapist in the first round.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It's an interesting situation. This is not a very good draft class. It's probably not 2009 bad but there's plenty of mediocrity to go around--at quarterback especially. Had either of these guys entered last year's draft, I doubt they would have been selected in the first round, especially if done in hindsight.

Since the league has been all over the place with punishments lately, I think (at least until thing settle) character-issue guys are going to be seen as an even bigger risk than they have in the past. No team wants to be made the example. However, first round picks aren't the gamble they used to be. And some team will inevitably feel the reward/risk is too heavily in their favor. If this past year as proven anything it's that players doing really bad things ultimately have little effect on a franchise's status.

Winston is talented even if he regressed a lot this past year. I don't think he's ever going to be elite, but he'll win games in the right system. So where does he go?

I know everyone's got him penciled in at Tenn. But Metts did okay. He played three playoff teams and JJ Watt. He may have been a late rounder, but a lot of people had him going much higher last year. I think Tenn's safe play is to use the pick on another need and take a quarterback in the mid-rounds.

Jets? I think the Jets bring in someone.

Which gets us to the Bears. Dun... Dun.. Dun... The Bears really mucked up the quarterback position this year. Scapegoating Cutler was absurd. The NFCN should be heading into 2015 as the QB-elite division. But it's not. (Thanks Bears.) That said, JW isn't the answer. Bears go D-line get a quarterback later or bring someone in.

I think Eagles go Hundley. He's a guy perfect for a plug-and-play offense.

I guess that leaves the Bills?

 

[Use of Time]

It's an interesting situation. This is not a very good draft class. It's probably not 2009 bad but there's plenty of mediocrity to go around--at quarterback especially. Had either of these guys entered last year's draft, I doubt they would have been selected in the first round, especially if done in hindsight.

Since the league has been all over the place with punishments lately, I think (at least until thing settle) character-issue guys are going to be seen as an even bigger risk than they have in the past. No team wants to be made the example. However, first round picks aren't the gamble they used to be. And some team will inevitably feel the reward/risk is too heavily in their favor. If this past year as proven anything it's that players doing really bad things ultimately have little effect on a franchise's status.

Winston is talented even if he regressed a lot this past year. I don't think he's ever going to be elite, but he'll win games in the right system. So where does he go?

I know everyone's got him penciled in at Tenn. But Metts did okay. He played three playoff teams and JJ Watt. He may have been a late rounder, but a lot of people had him going much higher last year. I think Tenn's safe play is to use the pick on another need and take a quarterback in the mid-rounds.

Jets? I think the Jets bring in someone.

Which gets us to the Bears. Dun... Dun.. Dun... The Bears really mucked up the quarterback position this year. Scapegoating Cutler was absurd. The NFCN should be heading into 2015 as the QB-elite division. But it's not. (Thanks Bears.) That said, JW isn't the answer. Bears go D-line get a quarterback later or bring someone in.

I think Eagles go Hundley. He's a guy perfect for a plug-and-play offense.

I guess that leaves the Bills?

I like Hundley a lot but do you think the Eagles go for a QB in the first or even second round?

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Jameis Winston has declared for the NFL draft.

I can't wait to see which team drafts a rapist in the first round.

[sarcasm]Aren't the Bears looking for a new QB?[/sarcasm]

Maybe I shouldn't have bracketed that; they're stupid enough to do it.

--Sran

 

[Alidar Jarok]

It's an interesting situation. This is not a very good draft class. It's probably not 2009 bad but there's plenty of mediocrity to go around--at quarterback especially. Had either of these guys entered last year's draft, I doubt they would have been selected in the first round, especially if done in hindsight.

Since the league has been all over the place with punishments lately, I think (at least until thing settle) character-issue guys are going to be seen as an even bigger risk than they have in the past. No team wants to be made the example. However, first round picks aren't the gamble they used to be. And some team will inevitably feel the reward/risk is too heavily in their favor. If this past year as proven anything it's that players doing really bad things ultimately have little effect on a franchise's status.

Winston is talented even if he regressed a lot this past year. I don't think he's ever going to be elite, but he'll win games in the right system. So where does he go?

I know everyone's got him penciled in at Tenn. But Metts did okay. He played three playoff teams and JJ Watt. He may have been a late rounder, but a lot of people had him going much higher last year. I think Tenn's safe play is to use the pick on another need and take a quarterback in the mid-rounds.

Jets? I think the Jets bring in someone.

Which gets us to the Bears. Dun... Dun.. Dun... The Bears really mucked up the quarterback position this year. Scapegoating Cutler was absurd. The NFCN should be heading into 2015 as the QB-elite division. But it's not. (Thanks Bears.) That said, JW isn't the answer. Bears go D-line get a quarterback later or bring someone in.

I think Eagles go Hundley. He's a guy perfect for a plug-and-play offense.

I guess that leaves the Bills?

I like Hundley a lot but do you think the Eagles go for a QB in the first or even second round?

Well, the speculation is that, now that Chip Kelly has absolute control over player personnel, they might mortgage the future for Marcus Mariota.

Certainly, I don't see the point of taking a second round Quarterback. Anything that's not at the top would just be a repeat of Matt Barkley. Right now, the Eagles Quarterback situation is neither good nor bad, just uncertain. If the QB drafted isn't a clear replacement for Nick Foles, it isn't worth doing. After all, he had one great year and one mediocre year (that was never completed due to injury). Who knows what will happen next year?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The Chicago Bears announced the hiring of Ryan Pace on Thursday as general manager.

Story

Was this guy even mentioned? Well, he's been with the Saints a long time and they've been pretty good a long time, so what the hell.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Who the hell is Ryan Pace? Stars, the Bears are a mess.

--Sran

 

[Timby]

^Who the hell is Ryan Pace? Stars, the Bears are a mess.

--Sran

Saints' director of player personnel, oversees pro and college scouting and free agency evaluation. It's a surprising but inspired pick; in the past, the Saints' front office has been amazing, however in the past few years, draft picks and free agency pickups have been more miss than hit.

Does this coincide with Pace's promotion from head scout to director of player personnel two years ago? I'm not sure, because as a marketing guy I am well aware that correlation does not imply causation, but then again, they aren't exactly unrelated.

Still, Pace was good enough to stay with the team for fourteen years, and started as an assistant scrotum cleaner in the offseason and worked his way up the chain. Mickey Loomis thought well enough of him that just two days ago he told the league to hire him during his season post-mortem press conference, so that says something to me.

I was hoping for Chris Ballard (because Ballard apparently is dead-set on taking Dave Toub with him, and Toub back in Chicago would be the tits), but I like the Pace pick. (Until he does something stupid like pick Mike Shula or Cam Cameron as his coach.)