This NFL Offseason Countdown on Grantland is wonderful. This is great too. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/31791/56-day-warning-the-sound-and-the-fury-of-peyton-manning" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... on-manning</a>
<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8158322/report-new-orleans-saints-drew-brees-more-10-million-apart-guaranteed-money" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/81583 ... teed-money</a> Give the man his money. He brought you a ring, he turned you into a team worth watching and he wants top qb money, because he broke records last year. Your season is already fucked and if you piss him off, the whole city of N'awlins is pissed off with him. He wants $60 million, and I'll be damned if the franchise didn't clear that on that Super Bowl season alone. However, dude is holding out for a long-term deal for a reason. He wants job security and if he starts every game next season, I will be surprised. He's due for an injury or two and thus far with NO, he's only missed one game.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8163701/sources-drew-brees-new-orleans-saints-agree-record-contract As they say in the hood. "Dat nigga got paid." $60 million guaranteed. $100 over 5 years.
Am I going to hell because when I heard Dez Bryant assaulted his mom and is probably going to jail, all I thought was "Fuck, that's one less fantasy WR I could pick up?"
No, but my friend from home immediately assumed she was a sassy overweight black woman who probably got real demanding and insinuated that Bryant didn't give her enough things in return for raising him now that he was famous. So he probably is.
If I didn't know any better, I'd swear the Jets and Bronco's have been passing the Superbowl Trophy back and forth for the last 10 years. ESPN doesn't have anyone at Patriots Training Camp or Giants training camp. I'm never one to bitch about the little things with ESPN, but holy hell, come on.
Instead of focusing on relevant on the field strategy or things based on what happens to rosters (for example: Can Green Bay remain atop the NFC North after the Lions leap forward and Chicago adding serious talent and depth) producers focus on gossip, hearsay, conjecture, and contract drama. It feels more like watching cheap soap operas than talking football. I concede that some of those things are necessary, especially contract talks, but there's no need to stir up drama for ratings
Tony Romo is "not a fourth quarter quarterback" just like Peyton Manning "couldn't win in the playoffs." They're "true" regardless of merit because everything that confirms it is remembered, and everything that doesn't is tossed aside. These labels are usually nonsense that Skip Bayless et al convince us are useful. As the Romo example demonstrates. These stats are as of last September: The guy was a better fourth quarter quarterback than he was a first-three-quarters quarterback. Then last year, the Cowboys lost four games they led or tied going into the fourth quarter. However, in two of those instances, the opposing team scored 17 points in the fourth quarter. If you let up 17 points in one quarter, your quarterback is not the problem. And in a third game, the Cowboys actually had hit a game-winning field goal, but had accidentally iced their own kicker and it didn't count. Meanwhile, in four other games, the Cowboys won while trailing going into the fourth. Ever since the fumble, "Tony can't do the fourth quarter" has been the go to story, but the evidence just isn't there. I don't like the Cowboys, and have no particular fondness for Romo. But the guy gets a completely unfair rap: every time anyone on the Cowboys fucks up, it ends up being blamed on Romo. Romo won't be the problem for the Cowboys this year: it will once again likely be their secondary. Dallas will lose games just like it did last year: to opposing quarterbacks, while Tony Romo is on the bench.
For someone who's a lawyer, you'd think you would have something tangible, like statistical evidence to back up your claims. Now nobody is claiming he's in a league with Brady or either Manning or Brees, but he's still more than above average compared to most quearterbacks or at the very worst, statistically speaking, in the middle. Among active QB's he's currently ranked 13th in 4th quarter comebacks. Dallas's problem, most glaringly last year, is an inability for the defense to hold teams in late game situations, or falling victim to late special teams miscues. But as it goes, as a QB you get all the praise when you win and all the blame when you lose, regardless of how much you may or may not have actually influenced the final outcome. Add in the fact that he plays for the New York Yankees of the NFL, and that scrutiny is going to be even higher. edit: Or what MoreCowbell said better than I did...
What they said. But god forbid someone takes something more than what they hear idiots call in and shout on morning radio than actually look it up on internets.
If the Baltimore Ravens won with fucking Trent Dilfer, the Cowboys can win it with Romo. If the 49ers can get to the NFC Championship with Alex Smith, the Cowboys can win it with Romo. It's not all on him. Especially when it was extremely obvious that his defense was total shit last year. If he's 13th, how many teams in the league are there? He's in the top half, he isn't a total failure. Also that article isn't iron clad. The games he messed up in 2007, 2008, that's fair. But those were his early years. The October 2009 game against the Broncos? How the fuck is any game in week 4 pivotal? ESPECIALLY against an out of division, out of conference team. Also, pretty sure there quite a few top QBs that could easily have similar lists. 'Ker
Truth. The guy looked scared running out for his first snap. How does that happen? No one has faith in him. That INT looked like a Tebow pass, thrown off his back foot. Come on man.
They have to give it to Flynn since they signed him to a very expensive contract. Plus the guy can play. No idea why Russell is getting on the screen interview time. Things will have to shakeout during the preseason. They'll have it announced by Week 2, Pete needs to let Tavaris go, he's not an NFL QB.
So yeah, T.O. is a Seahawk, for now anyway. On one hand, having a 6'3" wideout that was incredibly productive and can run a 4.5 40 is awesome. On the other hand, T.O. is a self-promoting he-bitch with more baggage than Delta. I can't wait for the media shitstorm. He signed for the veteran's minimum. As for Tarvaris Jackson goes, I've got a better chance of being the starting QB than him. I have no doubt that he'll either be traded or cut before preseason is out. If he's still on the 53 man roster by week 1, barring season ending injury to Flynn, Wilson or the 3rd stringer Portis, I will eat a bowl of my own feces. As far as Wilson goes, he's been mighty impressive so far. If he were 3 inches taller, he'd have been picked by Miami instead of Tannehill. No question. Flynn's contract is not the albatross it's made out to be. Tarvaris Jackson's contract is going to be $4 million this year. Flynn will be paid something roughly around the $4 million range this year, then $7 million the next. Seattle's front office isn't stupid. They gave him a taste and an opportunity to start. If he blows the doors off, his escalators will kick in and he'll be paid accordingly. If not, Seattle can get rid of him.