Simple cartoon indicating my thoughts on the NFL and some of its so called stars. Herein, it’s about the former darlings of the NFL and the gossip columns. Tony Romo and the ubiquitous and far less talented Jessica Simpson. Two peas in a pod wouldn’t you say ?
No matter how many ways one tries to slice and dice it . It’s not so much that there are some extremely bad teams within the NFL. But there are also some really inept coaches , that are vastly overpaid and have little to show for merit ,despite their behind the scenes experience with their present and former clubs.
One constantly hears the talk of parity within the NFL. But if anything although the NFL strives for it. It clearly feels better when there’s a dominant team or dynasty created , for the fans either to love or hate. As of late that hasn’t been the case. Albeit , that the New England Patriots may well be the closest to fit that the bill . Especially, given the fact that around the NFL and its fans, Patriots coach , Bill Belichick just might be the most hated man in America behind, President Barack Obama and the assailant behind the recent tragedy at Ft Hood,Texas, -Major Nidal Malik Hasan.The latter of whom survived the heinous attack launched on his fellow comrades. Still something that I and others around me have yet to fathom. But in time, no doubt we’ll come to understand the facts behind this meaningless and tragic loss of innocent lives.
Peyton Manning and his team’s coach Jim Caldwell seen here in conversation with the officials of an NFL played game played against the San Francisco 49ers from earlier on this season. The Indianapolis Colts are 7-0 for the fourth time in their history to start an NFL season. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Darron Cummings ………..
The NFL seems to be replete with some very good teams though none that you’d come to think of as being outstanding. The Indianapolis Colts (7-0), Denver Broncos (6-1), New England Patriots (5-2),Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) and the Pittsburgh Steelers(5-2) are the teams that seem to stand amongst the AFC . But even the unbeaten teams mentioned haven’t exactly shown themselves to be at a level above amongst the others mentioned within this piece. Granted, the Colts and Broncos have been playing some exception football. But the Broncos’ recent defeat at the hands of Baltimore Ravens may well indicate that there are some tough times ahead for this Josh McDaniels‘ coached team .
The lesser lights within the AFC have proven to me, as a fan, that when thingsget bad, they really get bad ! The fallout from the events in Cleveland have now made Browns’ coach, Eric Mangini the most reviled man in the city, since the days of Art Modell. Think about it , you’ve got to have done something so god-damn awful to be hated with such disdain. But really, should we expect any more or less from a group of fans that have devoted a great part of their lives supporting the Browns in their present and past persona to not feel sorry for their plight ? When Modell departed from the city like a thief in the night. It essentially ripped the heart out of the city and made the fans there distrustful of anything to do with the NFL. And now, even with the return of the Browns in their present persona, the team under the coaching of Mangini and his staff haven’t shown any signs of life. It were as the team was in need of resuscitation, having had a near death experience.
The are some who might say that the Cleveland Browns (1-7) were never really a very good team to begin with , since their return to the city. They have struggled to show signs of life , much less that they can be competitive within the NFL. This may well be indicative of what we’re seeing across the NFL with regard to the number of bad teams within its midst. Bad coaching , inexperienced coaches being hired to run a team. But perhaps, what might be even more frightening are the totally inept performances of the players on many of these teams.
In the NFC appears to be no different. As there too, you have your good teams and most definitely there are indeed some hideously bad teams ! Many are touting the play of the Minnesota Vikings (7-1) as a reason to be excited about the NFC. Well, I look at this way way Brett Favre and the Vikings’ coach Brad Childress are best suited for one another. Their indecisiveness , much like Brett’s indecision as to what point he’ll retire has become the norm for the ineptitude we’ve come to see in certain areas of the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell for his part, doesn’t seem to know how to communicate with the public , much less with the members of Congress . And having seen the inconsistencies in his rulings when meting out punishment to players. One begs the question is the NFL heading in the right direction under his tenure ? Much like many of the teams that now seem to find themselves in an abyss of mediocrity.
The play of the unbeaten New Orleans Saints (7-0) stands out amongst the teams in the NFC. And if anything, it has come as a great surprise to the fans of the team, as well as the fans of the NFL in general. Sean Payton and his coaching staff have the Saints playing well on both sides of the ball. So much so, that they’re now proving to be not only a well balanced team. But also a team that has bought into their coach’s wishes. And they’ve become a team that can take on whatever type of adversity that can be thrown its way on the field of play. And if anyone is not of the belief that Saints’ quarterback, Drew Brees shouldn’t be now seen as the prohibitive favorite for the league MVP. Then you ought to sit down call your doctor and have him check your health as well as your mental status. His play this season has been nothing short of stellar , if not outstanding. And while there may well the thought that Peyton Manning and Brett Favre should be shown some love in that directions. It’s my firm belief that Brees’ displays this season towers above that Favre and Manning. Sorry Brett, but I’m just not that into you !
Josh Freeman seen here on NFL Draft Day with family and friends having just made the 11th overall pick in the first round of the Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many thought to be a frivolous and capricious pick by the team. As it was felt that they had needs in other areas on their roster. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Scott Watson …………..
The wayward, woeful , inept befuddled and indescribably bad Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7) are now making last year’s Detroit Lions seem like All Stars. Who’d have guessed that there’d be a chance that in consecutive seasons we could very well have two teams lose all 16 games of a regular scheduled NFL season ? This is the history that this Buccaneers’ team is chasing and on the verge of achieving under first year coach Raheem Morris. Thrown in at the deep end without a life raft and with an inexperienced general manager at his side in Mark Dominik . The team is now on its third quarterback of the season, in their first round draft pick, Josh Freeman. His predecessors this season have been the veteran, Byron Leftwich and fourth year player, Josh Johnson. Leftwich and Johnson have shown about as much awareness and keenness for the game as Stevie Wonder would have, if he were being asked to walk through a minefield. Their performances have bordered on being from the truly average to the absolutely diabolical. Leftwich’s perceived athleticism as Morris’ assertion would have us believe comes from him being quick on his feet . Well, Leftwich has never been known to be quick at anything . Unless you count him excusing himself from the dining table to make one more assault on the buffet stand ? Johnson for his part, has shown that at best, he’s merely a backup quarterback.
The rest of this Buccaneers’ roster is just filled with players high on exuberance and very little else. And much of that blames rests squarely on the shoulders of Raheem Morris and his coaching staff. Whatever the players are being taught , they just don’t seem to either be learning it or buying into it. And unfortunately for Morris, no amount of statements being made with regard to him seeing improvements in certain areas of the team’s play will gloss over the fact that this is a terrible team in more ways than one ! There’s no leadership on the field and for the alleged stars on this team in Antonio Bryant , Michael Clayton, Kellen Winslow Jr., Ronde’ Barber ,Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams.Whatever their thoughts are on their play or form shouldn’t be at all expressed in public. Just because you’re on a team in the NFL doesn’t mean you know how to play in the NFL. And that quite simply is one of the reasons why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are such an ill suited and rather under achieving team. It’s a team that’s littered with players at certain positions who just can’t play the game with anywhere near the demands needed to be successful in the NFL.
Buccaneers’ coach Raheem Morris (left) and the team’s GM Mark Dominik,both seated , are seen here at a convened press conference to address the media and state that 5 prominent players from the Buccaneers’ team had been cut from the roster.The formal announcement was made earlier this year in February prior to the start of the season and the team’s OTA’s. picture appears courtesy of st pete times / Skip O’Rourke ………
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And as to whether not the Buccaneers fulfills its destiny in either losing all of their sixteen regular season games.Or even perhaps win at least one or two games. We can only watch and see what unfolds over ensuing weeks. Either way, it still can’t hide the fact that this is just another one of those really awful teams at present within the NFL. Strangely enough, with all the talk of the collective bargaining agreement being renegotiated between the NFL and the NFLPA . The fact that if an agreement can’t be reached for the season covering 2010-11. One has to wonder if an uncapped season would actually improve things allround or simply just make things a lot worse ? When there wasn’t a cap within the NFL , we had dominant teams and a slew of very good teams. Understandably also, there were one or two teams that just couldn’t make the grade , no matter what. But at this moment in time, which would you prefer ? Those teams from a bygone era ? Or what is now within our midst ?
tophatal
tophatal
Alan Parkins
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chappy81 said,
November 8, 2009 at 8:11 pm
The Bucs look good so far today! Maybe they read your post and got fired up. I doubt they’ll win, but the way they’re playing it could be Oakland vs. Philly all over again!
tophatal said,
November 9, 2009 at 4:21 am
chappy 81
Yeah the Bucs eked out a win over the Packers. But I now can’t but help wonder what’s going through the mind of Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff ? Never mind that of the Packers’ team.
It was a great win for this Raheem Morris’ coached Bucs’ team . Hopefully they can learn something from this all ?
Alan Parkins
al clements said,
November 9, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Well…..a lot of players are just there to collect the paycheck.
I blame the owners who have given Goodell carte blanche and then the same owners who “buy players” who fail to perform up to the level of their aforementioned paycheck.
There is a need not to offer “athletes” so much money….think it should be “pay for performance”.
We, as humans, have become bloodsucking, greedy individuals; from the lowest peon to the highest CEO in the country. It boggles my mind that I purchased an automobile in 1975 for $6,000, tax and all, some time later the same vehicle…not as well made… cost close to $40,000, without the extras I had installed.
What this boils down to is the fact that we want more and more and more for less and less. This affects covers every facet of our lives, from athletics to streetsweeping…there is no pride in a “job well done”……only money.
tophatal said,
November 9, 2009 at 3:49 pm
al clements
A lot of this was already in place to begin with concerning the exorbitant salaries being paid to the players. And oh by the way isn’t this what one would call capitalism ? Which is something that the Conservatives love to tout as being the very lifeblood and existence when it comes to what makes this country so great .
No amount of griping and bellyaching will stop this all, until the owners are prepared to step up to the plate. It is incumbent upon them and the players to look at this and address it all in an acceptable way.
As to “we as humans” , well that boils down to the fact that there’s no accountability for the acts of the few over the many. Which is essence what ‘the right’ continually wants and ‘the left’ has no idea how to make it that by perception and the act alone everything is equitable for all. It’s all a bunch idiotic pandering by both sides who are equally as dumb as the other !
Alan Parkins
al clements said,
November 10, 2009 at 3:06 am
Guess I am just pissed that I worked for peanuts as a Police Officer…then got a great job as a Corrections’ Officer…damn good money, only to be injured and retired…..Sure suxx.
tophatal said,
November 10, 2009 at 4:20 am
al clements
Did you by any chance catch the CBS new this evening concerning alarming number of rape cases across the nation ? The mere fact close to 47 % of all rapes committed go unreported came as something of a shock to me !
Furthermore the prosecution rate nationally was under 40 % as a lot of the time it was a prosecution call whether or not to go ahead with the criminal prosecution of the case. What was also brought to light was the cost in implementing the DNA testing that’s conducted . On average the cost in said to be anywhere between $1,500-$4,700 per test. To my mind if it means putting a criminal behind bars , then the cost shouldn’t matter at all. The justice system is meant as recourse for the injured party . In this that is the victim and not the perpetrator of the crime to begin with.
I commend your service on both counts within law enforcement. Just like working within the medical and education system. The workers there aren’t given anywhere near the respect that they’re due ! Not only that they’re vastly underpaid for the jobs that they’re doing so diligently at the risk to their own personal safety in many cases.
Alan Parkins
al clements said,
November 10, 2009 at 5:30 am
The reporting rate for Rape when I served was only 10 percent. I worked Rape cases amongst a lot of others…..we had no DNA testing either…but did well with what we had. DNA is expensive unless you have labs like the big cities have….SVU is correct, but…..smaller departmrnts are not in the loop most of the time.
Thanks for the compliment…my job(s) were not as bad as the one you guys have and had…..usually nobody was shooting at me…..even when I was military I was safe at sea…..
tophatal said,
November 10, 2009 at 6:14 am
al clements
For me initially my Mom wanted me to go into teaching prior to me going into the big bright outside world. I didn’t have a clue what the hell I wanted to do with my life. So when I left high school , I spent 6 months bumming around Europe and went off to a Kibbutz in Israel. Upon my return I enlisted into the Royal Marines. Much to the dismay of my Mom and my soon to be step-dad.
It was the best decision of my life as it molded me into the person I am today. After those 6 1/2 years spent in the military – back into civilian life , I got a job at a bank and then worked my way on up the ladder within their corporate and investment banking. I got my MBA and degrees in Economic and Finance. However the meltdown of the late eighties left me disillusioned about working within the corporate world.
They essentially let rip by letting go of over 50 mid management , research and financial analysts. That’s when the ex and I decided to emigrate here to the US. I didn’t return to work in that field . Instead I worked within logistics and then for a small aeronautics company managing their shipping. From there I worked for UPS. And now I’m with a major national law firm working out of their Orlando office in the field of corporate governance , risk management and anything related to IPO’s , international trade compliance , mergers & acquisitions and a slew of other corporate activities in the financial related and corporate areas.
It means also working alongside corporate whiz kid lawyers who are half my friggin’ age but who act if they know how the world works. Many of them are still wet behind the ears and are only book smart without the hint of having any street smarts.
As to the DNA testing , one would’ve thought that it oughtn’t to be left to a DA as to whether or not it ought to be judgment call in such a case. If there’s irrefutable evidence then they ought to proceed and to hell with the cost. The justice system is meant to be fair to all and not balanced in such a way that it gives the public no confidence in the system. And that’s what the perception is in such cases.
Alan Parkins
Chris Humpherys said,
November 10, 2009 at 6:49 am
Al… after Monday night, I think it’s safe to remove Denver from the ‘outstanding’ teams in the league.
tophatal said,
November 10, 2009 at 8:14 am
Chris Humpherys
We knew at some time in the season that whole ball of wool would unravel itself with regard to the Broncos. I’m not saying that they’re doing it with smoking mirrors . But it wouldn’t surprise me if Josh McDaniels is getting advice from Penn & Teller.
It’s as I’ve alluded to in the piece , there are some good teams, bad teams and some downright horrendous teams in the NFL at present. So much for parity eh ?
Alan Parkins