National Football League

[red_flanders]

Raider draft has been outstanding from top to bottom. Carr a bit of a risk IMO but they got quality players, value for their picks, addressed needs and no reaches.

A most un-Raider-like draft, in other words. Some hope for the future.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The NFL.com Fan Ballot agrees with you (as do I) about the Raiders. Best overall report card (so far). Link here.

Texans grabbed Tom Savage. But both Aaron Murray and AJ McCarron remain on the board into round 5 now. Also curious to see where Michael Sam ends up. It may be a shock if he doesn't get drafted.

 

[red_flanders]

The NFL.com Fan Ballot agrees with you (as do I) about the Raiders. Best overall report card (so far). Link here.

Texans grabbed Tom Savage. But both Aaron Murray and AJ McCarron remain on the board into round 5 now. Also curious to see where Michael Sam ends up. It may be a shock if he doesn't get drafted.

Texans have also had a great draft.

I don't see where Michael Sam is necessarily a guy who was going to get drafted before he came out. I think the expectations there might be unrealistic, and he didn't help himself with coming out. Tough, courageous call but less impact than it would have been if he was a great player. Will be great to see a true prospect come out, a Round 1 guy at some point.

Even better when no one cares.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, I don't care. I think part of the talk is not that he's a "tweener" playing between DE and LB, the NFL would mostly put him in OLB in pass rush situations. But someone like that also has to be good enough to play special teams, and he may not be fast enough for that.

Both Murray and McCarron come off the board, to the Chiefs and Bengals. This leaves Mettenberger as the last "known quality" QB out there. I wonder if the Saints will take him in a just couple picks...?

 

[red_flanders]

I missed it, did anyone take Mettenberger?

 

[The Hitch]

I missed it, did anyone take Mettenberger?

Titans.

10 char

 

[leftover pie]

Very pleased to see aussie David Yankey (OL) (who I only just found out about) get picked up by the Vikings, sure he's lived in the US since the age of 8, but we'll claim him as one of ours.

One thing is for sure, this pick has earnt the Vikings a spot on the coveted "Leftover Pie Teams I kinda support/keep an eye on" roster.

Only as a third tier team though, like whichever team Sav Rocca is playing for at the moment.

Not first tier, ala Packers or second tier, Jets and Chiefs.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

It takes roughly 600 cows to make enough footballs for one NFL season.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Ya gots to do somethin' with the cow when you're done cutting the steaks off and tripe out. No?

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Ya gots to do somethin' with the cow when you're done cutting the steaks off and tripe out. No?

LOL. Great post. Other than that the footballs are likely produced in China and sold for mega profits to fans (like game shirts), there are so many and much bigger problems....
Hey, how about to start with the millions of plastic (?) soccer balls produced in China, under low standards, bad salaries, and high (health) dangers for the workers there...

 

[Merckx index]

It seems Aaron Hernandez killed those two guys because one of them had the audacity to spill his drink on him accidentally at some bar, without apologizing, and Hernandez felt disrespected. So he follows them later when they leave the bar, drives his car alongside theirs at a stoplight, and shoots them both in cold blood. This kind of behavior makes even most psychopaths look like princes.

A month after that he signs his $40 million contract with the Pats, and says how grateful he is to the team for believing in him, and how he's going to prove to them how deserving he is.

And the really scary part of this is that he probably would have gotten away with the double murder if he hadn't committed another murder a year later. That was the one that got him arrested and incarcerated. Before that, there was no evidence linking Hernandez to the double murder. In fact, a very small consolation for the family and friends of those two victims is that they now know the murders had nothing to do with gang ties, which is what police had speculated before finding the links to Hernandez. Not only had these two guys died, but their families had to live with doubts about what they had done to end up like this. At least there seems to be some closure for them.

We’ve been treated to some pretty sick behavior by some star athletes over the years, but this goes beyond anything I’m aware of. Assuming these allegations are true, and they seem to be, Hernandez is one extremely warped man. He seems completely lacking in remorse, but even psychopaths rarely kill someone for so little reason.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

... and on the other side you have guys like Kurt Warner. Tim Green explained it very good in his book; most players are normal family guys like Joe Average. The player pool is a microscope of the society. The good and the ugly... Players are no worse or better. Even the greed is in everybody (at least USA, since you get it injected with birth). We only think players are worse, because media paints a wrong picture: bad news sells. Peace too, but nobody is buying.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Looking back through sports history, I can't think of anyone this cold blooded and ruthless either.

OJ committed a crime of passion. Likely Pistorioius as well. Rae Carruth hired and helped thugs off his ex-girlfriend out of money and fear, really. Similar with Brazillian Bruno Souza. Boxer Esteban DeJesus killed another man after a road rage incident, but confessed. What Michael Vick and his friends did with dogs is just heartless and sickening, but that's not a person you're looking in the eye and the culture he grew up in.

The only other person I can think of of so little conscience is Jerry Sandusky. Though Jerry didn't murder anyone, his acts are do despicable he is in his own category.

 

[The Hitch]

It seems Aaron Hernandez killed those two guys because one of them had the audacity to spill his drink on him accidentally at some bar, without apologizing, and Hernandez felt disrespected. So he follows them later when they leave the bar, drives his car alongside theirs at a stoplight, and shoots them both in cold blood. This kind of behavior makes even most psychopaths look like princes.

A month after that he signs his $40 million contract with the Pats, and says how grateful he is to the team for believing in him, and how he's going to prove to them how deserving he is.

And the really scary part of this is that he probably would have gotten away with the double murder if he hadn't committed another murder a year later. That was the one that got him arrested and incarcerated. Before that, there was no evidence linking Hernandez to the double murder. In fact, a very small consolation for the family and friends of those two victims is that they now know the murders had nothing to do with gang ties, which is what police had speculated before finding the links to Hernandez. Not only had these two guys died, but their families had to live with doubts about what they had done to end up like this. At least there seems to be some closure for them.

We’ve been treated to some pretty sick behavior by some star athletes over the years, but this goes beyond anything I’m aware of. Assuming these allegations are true, and they seem to be, Hernandez is one extremely warped man. He seems completely lacking in remorse, but even psychopaths rarely kill someone for so little reason.

He's clearly mentally unwell. Not just because he killed for so little reason but also because even the worst villains don't commit murders without some planning and taking some precautions to get away with it.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Moving to a more positive topic, Nate Davis of USA Today made his prediction for the records of all NFL teams for this coming season, and the entire post season leading up to the Superbowl. Recall that last year he correctly predicted that the Seahawks would beat the Broncos in the Superbowl at this same time. Suffice to say, I don't really disagree with him that much. A short read and not overly analytical.

I'll list where I disagree with him in a future post.

Link here.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

For anyone who happened to hear the news over the last couple of days of Colin Kapernick signing a six-year, $126m contract with $60m of it guaranteed, don't believe the numbers. The contingencies for such a payout to occur are infinitesimal.

As to Nate Davis bold USA Today predictions. He likes Seattle to repeat over the Colts this year. I definitely like what I see in Indy, despite their idiotic owner. I'm not sure having Reggie Wayne back is the single factor, and they need to gel more on defense. But I worry Seattle has a tough schedule, plus it's hard to repeat, especially when you're filled with a lot of young players, who tend to not have the same consistency. But Wilson is a leader who could push them through. I do agree with Davis in that the Packers could be quite good, Brandin Cooks adds a layer to the Saints offense. Plus the 49ers do have some question marks, but I still think they will be very good. I also agree with his assessment on the Buccaneers.

Where I disagree with Nate are that I don't see the Jets making the playoffs unless Geno Smith (or Michael Vick) really step up, and they somehow come together. I also don't see KC finishing 4-12 as he does. It could be argued the players they lost were not the ones who contributed overall. But I also like SD in that division to go after Denver more than KC. Also, Houston doesn't look like a 9-7 team to me. QB questions are bigger than their talented defense. They look more like 7-9. Also, while the Panthers lost some players to FA, I don't see them dropping to 7-9 either.

In other news, after just one day in training camp the Giants cut Josh Freeman. Wow. And to think a few years ago the Bucs were sold on him as their future, maybe as early as a year ago at this time people had high hopes for him (not me if you'll read back in this thread). Looks like the scorched early plan he had with Greg Schiano fighting turned both into persona non grata. Schiano may recover, but Freeman looks done. Headed into Vince Young land.

 

[Oldman]

... and on the other side you have guys like Kurt Warner. Tim Green explained it very good in his book; most players are normal family guys like Joe Average. The player pool is a microscope of the society. The good and the ugly... Players are no worse or better. Even the greed is in everybody (at least USA, since you get it injected with birth). We only think players are worse, because media paints a wrong picture: bad news sells. Peace too, but nobody is buying.

I know plenty of Brits here and can assure you that their greed factor is the Alpha to our Beta on that count. Depends on how you are raised, Foxxy.

 

[Amsterhammer]

U.S. patent office cancels Redskins trademark registration, says name is disparaging

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...737bb8-f6ee-11e3-8aa9-dad2ec039789_story.html

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Some thoughts around the league.

Brady Quinn has been rather critical of Johnny Manzeil's partying, and I can't say I blame him, but more important is that Quinn would know. He came into the league in much the same hooplah, and had an ego and smug attitude to top it off. He got that smirk knocked off his face pretty quickly. In the last few years of his career (which may now be over), he has been pretty modest and aware of what opportunity he blew. So Johnny Football would be doubly wise to listen to Quinn.

Two weeks after saying the competition is wide open, Houston has named Ryan Fitzpatrick their starting QB, over Case Keenum, TJ Yates and rookie Tom Savage. The Texans look like a team with all defense, and little offense.

All the talk about Marshawn Lynch holding out in Seattle turned out to be much ado about nothing, as he showed up to minicamp fit, and ready to work. But after this season he's owed $7.5, and will likely be traded or cut by then, due to age/wear and tear. Lynch has hinted that he doesn't want to outstay his welcome and may retire "early" after a year or two.

I have to wonder if going to Seattle was the best move for Terrell Pryor. The team is saying despite some bad throws early, he's improved in camp. But Seattle has no less than five QB's (BJ Daniels and Keith Price the other two, Price won't make the cut), and Wilson is cemented as the starter, with Jackson cemented as his backup. Pryor could make the team, and play some trick plays or lineup as TE, as other teams have said he has a receiver's touch. (As a snarky aside to this, the Seahawks are Rush Limbaugh's nightmare team, with all five QB's of African American heritage. )

The Jets still sure have a lot of hype. Chris Johnson proclaiming he can still be a 2,000 yard back, and Michael Vick looks to be headed to a back-up role if early training camp means anything, with Geno Smith looking improved from last season. Not that Vick has to like it.

Finally, a really good, short article from Dan Hanzus about all the hype leading into the season with canned lines and packaged stories, and how we've heard it all before.

 

[Merckx index]

About time:

The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins nickname is ''disparaging of Native Americans'' and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled.

 

[Scott SoCal]

About time:

It's my understanding that the team has trademarked a new name;

Landover Palefaces.

That should quell the uproar.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The thing is, Snyder has had plenty of time to figure something out and make an amicable change, even keep a Native American theme, and get honest support in the process. But his megalomaniac mind doesn't see the writing on the wall I guess.

Chris Rock did a skit over 10 years ago about this very topic, I'll let you google it. Just type in his name, and Washington Redskins. Puts things in a different perspective.

 

[kingjr]

The thing is, Snyder has had plenty of time to figure something out and make an amicable change, even keep a Native American theme, and get honest support in the process. But his megalomaniac mind doesn't see the writing on the wall I guess.

Chris Rock did a skit over 10 years ago about this very topic, I'll let you google it. Just type in his name, and Washington Redskins. Puts things in a different perspective.

It's about 23 years ago. Time sure does fly

 

[Scott SoCal]

The thing is, Snyder has had plenty of time to figure something out and make an amicable change, even keep a Native American theme, and get honest support in the process. But his megalomaniac mind doesn't see the writing on the wall I guess.

Chris Rock did a skit over 10 years ago about this very topic, I'll let you google it. Just type in his name, and Washington Redskins. Puts things in a different perspective.

In this day and age it's pretty hard not to offend someone or group.

If I'm Snyder I drop both 'Washington' and 'Redskins.'

Maybe go with something like 'Southeastern Pastels'.


Look something like this;

It won't be long before American Football will drop "tackle" altogether, so forget the helmet.

 

[patricknd]

In this day and age it's pretty hard not to offend someone or group.

If I'm Snyder I drop both 'Washington' and 'Redskins.'

Maybe go with something like 'Southeastern Pastels'.


Look something like this;

It won't be long before American Football will drop "tackle" altogether, so forget the helmet.

will that be called flag football or *** football?