All Of This Power In Just One Man’s Hands
I’ve said it all along and will continue to say it , the Oakland Raiders are an NFL franchise in need of a fresh infusion of executive leadership and if nothing else a new owner. The halcyon days of Al Davis
, became the latter years of woe with the franchise shipping off Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , where Gruden would come back to bite the Raiders in the ass by leading the Buccaneers to their only triumph in the Superbowl . And while people might say Jon Gruden won with Tony Dungy’s players , the fact of the matter is , after that Superbowl triumph things would never be the same again for either franchise. The Raiders sank to new levels of depravity and the Buccaneers were never able cash in on the success achieved after that victory . Jon Gruden would then be fired by the Glazer family, owners of the franchise , only for the Buccaneers to go through several coaches, who seemingly couldn’t coach or find their way out of wet paper bag , much less proves themselves to be competent in their roles.
Slide show.
In what could only described as a shocking turn of events, Jon Gruden was lured away from the ESPN broadcast booth to return back to coaching and rejoining the Oakland Raiders. Team owner Mark Davis , son of the late owner Al Davis made the decision in conjunction with GM Reggie McKenzie to sign Gruden to a ten-year $100 million contract, by far the richest deal of its kind in NFL history. Gruden it is believed will carry additional duties beyond that of coaching , having the final say in all Player Personnel decisions as well as the hiring of his own coaching staff. Anyone who’s in the know concerning Jon Gruden’s track record when it comes the drafting of players and their development, will know that his success rate has been very minuscule indeed. As to why Reggie McKenzie and Mark Davis would agree to hand over the reins to Jon Gruden, can only surmised by saying that might well have been the demands made by the head coach and his agent. It was all or nothing as Gruden now seeks to wield that power with the hope of leading the Oakland Raiders back to some semblance of success.
During this off-season the Oakland Raiders have been quick to reshape the team’s roster , through the NFL Draft as well as by free agent acquisitions and the re-signing of several free agents. The main focus however will be on making sure that this will be a team of players able to complement the skill-set of quarterback Derek Carr . As to the player himself , it remains to be seen if he can regain the form that made the Raiders’ front office believe he was worth the six-figure deal signed , as they believed he was on the verge of becoming a marquee quarterback in the NFL . I believe Carr is still a long way off from that particular plateau when judged against his current peers within the league.
It will be interesting to see how good the Oakland Raiders can be during this upcoming season with Jon Gruden steering the team from the sidelines and Derek Carr leading the team on the field. In week one of the regular season the Raiders are set to face the Los Angeles Rams , their in-state rivals in a non-conference match-up , one of several due to take place during the opening week of the season . From my own perspective I feel that the Raiders will face something of an uphill battle this season as Jon Gruden seeks to reacquaint the franchise with success.
Billionaire hedge fund manager and venture capitalist David Tepper has become the newest owner in the NFL , having purchased the Carolina Panthers for a reputed $2.35 billion , making the sale the most expensive in NFL history. Tepper purchased the franchise from the now disgraced former owner Jerry Richardson , whose misogynist and racist behavior had been well-chronicled and known to the NFL hierarchy for years , but somehow Roger Goodell and owners sought to do nothing about Richardson’s behavior. Bear in mind , given the behavior of owners Jerry Jones and Robert McNair , would you really be surprised that Jerry Richardson, is not the only owner in the NFL of or with a similar mindset ? Middle-aged, and older Caucasian males in positions of power showing racist tendencies in 2018 ? Sound familiar , given the antics of Donald Trump on his way to the White House and since becoming President ?
The fact that Jerry Richardson was allowed to get away with his misconduct on such a scale , where they were allegations of sexual misconduct along with racially abusive comments directed at subordinates seems unbelievable but yet this all happened within the confines of the Carolina Panthers’ organization and outside of the franchise. I get the feeling that Roger Goodell was unconcerned by this all , until it began to threaten the image of the NFL , its bottom line and notwithstanding the actions of Colin Kaepernick which really brought so many more things into focus and within the public domain.
With David Tepper now in charge , there will be changes in how this franchise was ran and there will undoubtedly be accountability for everyone within the Carolina Panthers franchise. Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton offered very little commentary as to his own thoughts concerning the departure of Jerry Richardson. Likelihood being, the player believed his departure is now for the better of the franchise and the fans. Seven years into his NFL career and Cam Newton has proven himself to be a worthy adversary and one of the better quarterbacks now in the league. A number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and taken by the Carolina Panthers , Newton has now become the face of the franchise. If the Panthers are to succeed this season , then they will have a hell of a fight on their hands in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL where the NFC South is likely to turn into a dog-fight between three of the four teams occupying the division . Sorry Tampa Bay Buccaneers , but this won’t be your year
to bounce back at all !!!!!
Ron Rivera , Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers will be hoping for a fast start to the regular season, as his team looks to reclaim the top spot within the division. . Cam Newton and the Panthers will begin their season with a game against the Dallas Cowboys at home between these two NFC teams. Newton’s record against the Cowboys is even with a 1-1 record and the last meeting taking place in 2015 , week eleven of the season with Carolina , coming through unscathed winning the game 33-14 over Dallas.
John Lynch will have a great deal to prove this upcoming season as the San Francisco 49ers look to carry on from where they left off at the end of last season . Over their final five games there wasn’t a better team in the NFL, with the 49ers lighting up the scoreboard and the team going on a five-game win streak to end the season . As the General Manager of the Forty Niners , Lynch has been entrusted to put the franchise back on the right track . He lucked out in acquiring quarterback Jimmy Garopollo , with the player leading the team with a great deal of maturity and sense of urgency . Lynch in having succeeded Trent Baalke was given full authority by team CEO Jed York to rebuild the roster into a competitive unit. The NFL Draft proved to be fortuitous as have the trade acquisitions made under this new front office regime. With Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and his coaching staff providing insight along the way , there is every reason to believe the San Francisco 49ers could be a very competitive team during the 2018 NFL season .
Jimmy Garopollo and his teammates will open their regular season schedule with a game against the Minnesota Vikings on the road match-up between NFC based franchises. As with the NFL’s twenty-nine other teams there will be the customary preseason schedule , starting with the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens .
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league hierarchy have all but assured the fans, that this upcoming season will begin with controversy after coming to decision where players not standing to the National Anthem while being played at regular season games can be subject to and be fined for their non-participation . From my own perspective , I believe this ruling to be draconian and certainly impugning on the right of a player to freely express himself, bearing in mind First Amendment Rights’ . This is a dangerous maneuver by the league and one that could very well be challenged as a collective by any player seeking legal recourse within the Judicial System at the Federal Level . So far there has been nothing said by any senior member of the NFLPA (Players’ Union) , as I believe they will look for some way to challenge this legally , while there are likely to be continued protests from their rank and file members . New York Jets’ team owner Woody Johnson has stated that, he will stand behind the players on the team who choose not to participate and is willing to pay their fines no matter what the cost .
The fallout from this latest move by the NFL cannot be quantified until the start of the season and then we are likely to see how impactful this all could be . Both sides have a great deal to lose, while proponents of this move will be greatly satisfied by the stance taken by league . President Donald Trump has applauded the move, likening it to the NFL showing that it has a backbone.
It is extremely funny to think that the league (NFL) will seek to punish the players for expressing a right , freedom of speech , but will often overlook player misconduct and sometimes serious legal infractions . Does that make any sense at all ?
What thoughts if any do you have concerning the latest news now emanating from the National Football League ?
🙂
Tophatal ………
2018 NFL regular season schedule
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Tophatal's Blog 
This move by Roger Goodell is a colossal mistake and will draw the ire of the fans.
Tophatal ………..
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It will be interesting to see if Jimmy Garopollo can really excel playing a
full season for the San Francisco 49ers . I believe this might be a team within the NFC that everyone else will fear over the course of this upcoming season. San Francisco’s preseason schedule should prove to be very interesting .
Jimmy Garopollo and the San Francisco 49ers will meet the Dallas Cowboys to open their preseason schedule in week one .
Tophatal ……………..
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I like Morgan Freeman. As talented actor as there is. However, he has joined the predator club. Atleast buy these bimbos a drink before your dick gets excited.
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If it’s proven to be true then Morgan Freeman is fucked. Hollywood is a bastion for misogyny , homosexuality, lesbianism and pedophilia . So I’m no longer surprised by these revelations.
Tophatal …
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Ronbets
Jon Gruden is being overpaid , a ten-year $100 million deal for an Oakland Raiders’ team that is overrated.
Derek Carr is moderately average quarterback but to my mind Jon Gruden no longer has what it takes to lead the Oakland Raiders to an appearance in the Superbowl, let alone win one .
Tophatal …
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Ronbets
Roger Goodell has fucked up with this latest ruling. I’m glad that New York Jets’ owner Woody Johnson is backing his players should they choose to disobey the ruling.
Someone has to take a stand especially when the league is impugning on the First Amendment rights’ of the players. I also hope that there’s a challenge made in the US District Court at the Federal Level .
Tophatal ….
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Ronbets
Over the years the state of California , the cities of Oakland and Los Angeles have been taken advantage of the Davis family and the Oakland Raiders. In the case of Las Vegas this is all about money and two rabid dogs laying in bed together. Tax write offs , a stadium being built and Oakland then taking advantage of the consumer. I wonder how their long suffering fans Los Angeles and Oakland will feel once the move goes into effect ?
Tophatal ….
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I can’t help but wonder, if the Buccaneers knew then what the knew now about Gruden going to the Raiders, whether they’d still have inducted him in their Ring of Honor.
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Chris Humpherys(SportsChump)
I don’t think that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are overly concerned by Jon Gruden rejoining the Oakland Raiders . As a franchise they (Buccaneers) have some major concerns as they’ve not won a divisional crown in years. They’re also clinging to the hope that Jameis Winston can turn into a decent quarterback .
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Robert Griffin III is hoping to resurrect his career with the Baltimore Ravens after a rather odious season with the Cleveland Browns . The fact that Griffin was signed ahead of Colin Kaepernick and other free agent quarterbacks , suggests one of two things , Kaepernick remains a pariah , not likely to play in the NFL ever again and also among that crop of quarterbacks , Griffin was thought to be the safest bet among a really bad group of passers. Robert Grffin III will be on the depth chart as a back-up to Joe Flacco and with the likelihood that if Flacco is not fully fit to even be starting any of the preseason contests, then the Ravens’ coaching staff won’t hesitate in throwing Griffin into the mix.
The Baltimore Ravens’ preseason will begin with a game against the Los Angeles Rams at home before settling into the rest of their exhibition schedule . In that pecking offer of passers on the Ravens’ roster is Ryan Mallett whose career in the NFL could be best described as lackluster. For the Ravens this upcoming season should be a very intense one where they are likely to be challenged by their divisional and conference rivals .
The Baltimore Ravens will open up their regular season with a game against the Buffalo Bills . If the Ravens can go through their first six games of the regular season with a winning start , then I believe they can be in the hunt for at least the AFC North crown and a conference berth for the postseason.
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Tophat,
Jameis is a decent qb. He’s matured and become a leader. His future is promising.
Gruden’s contract of 100mil is laced with incentives and other perks that exaggerate the total package. They’re coming to Vegas and they need a headliner. First couple of years will be the honeymoon period, After that they better produce.
The stooge Goodell’s ruling will stand. A little give and take will suffice. Pressing it in court will only benefit the ‘poor’ lawyers.
You’re being too kind to Ryan Mallett by call his career lacklust. His on field and off field performance should be labeled a bust.
Take care.
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Ronbets
Jon Gruden’s contract may well be incentive laden ($100 million , ten-year deal with over $60 million guaranteed) but it’s not guarantee of anything. Gruden’s track record , when it comes to the NFL Draft is a complete joke and is not likely to get any better . Just look at the years spent when he was in charge of the Buccaneers and Raiders as proof of that fact .
Jameis Winston hasn’t improved as a quarterback in the NFL. He is still prone to making mistakes at vital points during a game. If he’s not showing signs of improvement now , the he never will. Explain to me how an 18-27 record is a sign of improvement ? Just asking that’s all.
Ryan Mallet will continue to be a lackluster quarterback whose role will be that of a backup option for a team. Robert Griffin III will be given the chance to prove himself during the preseason for the Baltimore Ravens .
Roger Goodell like the majority of the team owners in the NFL are a bunch of damn hypocrites who have no respect for the rule of law let alone the US Constitution. I’m glad that New York Jets’ owner Woody Johnson is prepared to back any player on the team’s roster who refuses to abide by this new NFL ruling !
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.
Tophatal .
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Last season the toughest division in the league was the NFC South with the top three teams in the division have notched ten wins apiece. The lone franchise without double-digit victories , was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11) led by quarterback Jameis Winston . The team failed miserably in 2017 and there is nothing that has convinced me that we’re likely to see a marked improvement during the 2018 regular season schedule .
Buccaneer’ Head Coach Dirk Koetter and his coaching staff will be preparing this team to perform a whole lot better than evidenced last season . Jameis Winston will certainly have to show several signs of improvement to his game overall. Koetter and GM Jason Licht were able to make some necessary changes to the roster by way of the NFL Draft , through trades the paring down of the salary cap from last season .
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will kick off their 2018 season with a number of preseason games . First up of those games will be a match-up against in state non-conference rivals the Miami Dolphins in week one of the preseason. In week one of the regular season the Buccaneers will embark on their schedule with a game against the New Orleans Saints . Jameis Winston’s record against the Saints since he entered the league has not been an overly impressive one (3-3) .
Tampa Bay Buccaneers news
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Drew Brees enters his eighteenth year as a quarterback in the NFL having set numerous franchise records as a player with the New Orleans Saints . He has won Superbowl for the Saints their lone postseason triumph to date and the veteran quarterback is beloved by the fans and respected by his peers around the league. In what was another outstanding season for the player and the team , the Saints parlayed that season into another postseason appearance. Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints would advance to the divisional round of the postseason , where they would fall to the Minnesota Vikings in a very riveting contest .
During the off-season the front office of the Saints would seek to bolster the roster by way of the NFL Draft and through acquisitions. Available cap space for the franchise would be passable to set some wheels into motion . Drew Brees’ contract is one of the most lucrative in the league for a player of his experience . As he continues to set his sights on moving up the chain of quarterback achievements, it will be interesting to see if his productivity will remain at a high level of consistency during 2018.
Sean Payton , Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints will prepare the team for their customary preseason schedule with their opening the exhibition schedule with a game against the Jacksonsville Jaguars . Their regular season opener will see the Saints facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home in a game being played at Mercedes Benz , in New Orleans , Louisiana , on the 9th September , 2018.
In terms of defense , the New Orleans Saints have never been known for that aspect of their game it has always been primarily about having a prolific offense .
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A major lawsuit could now implode not only the rosy image of the NFL , but also what the Washington Redskins has sought to the create as welcoming fan-friendly atmosphere within the organization . Team owner Daniel Snyder has faced a barrage of criticism after it was revealed Redskins’ cheerleaders were pushed into having sex with clients at a private retreat as a way to elicit business and other alleged services for one Snyder’s associated corporations. Synder himself has refused to answer any questions concerning pending litigation and the NFL hierarchy itself seems to be reluctant to address the matter under any circumstance , given the current environment concerning allegations of sexual misconduct where there are female victims. At a time when the NFL is embattled with the league itself announcing what could turn into a disastrous mandate to punish players who refuse to stand for the national anthem , it is becoming plain to see that the league has become a sexist , misogynistic and racist environment where Roger Goodell and the franchise owners continue to run amok without anyone really being held accountable for their actions or their behavior .
Dan Synder owner of the Washington Redskins ….
Throughout the years that Dan Synder has owned the Washington Redskins he has pumped millions of dollars into the franchise by way of money spent to lure some of the biggest names in the game , all to no avail . In 2011 the roster had several players who were among the highest paid in the game at their respective positions . That year the team would finish with a 5-11 record and a last place finish within the NFC East , considered to be the toughest division in the NFL . With their last postseason appearance coming in 2015 , it easy to understand why the franchise remains forlorn and in need of real tangible success. Jay Gruden heads up a coaching staff which has a great deal of experience but the current roster itself is really lacking a veteran leader to lead the team by example .
When the Washington Redskins begin their preseason schedule , it will be interesting to see how the team fares during the preseason. Their first preseason game will see the Redskins take on the New England Patriots on the road . The regular season schedule will begin with a game against the Arizona Cardinals in an all NFC clash .
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Nick Foles guided the Philadelphia Eagles to an improbable victory in the Superbowl and with that win the franchise set itself in the NFL folklore . For Jeff Lurie team owner of the Eagles , the issue now will be to keep this team on track as they look to make a successful defense of their title . Foles can now seek that established right to feel that he’s one of the better quarterbacks in the league after last season’s success . The coaching staff of the Eagles led by Doug Pederson will know that the team will have a target on their back for this upcoming season .
I do believe that Nick Foles will be able to prove himself once again as he faces of against several teams on the Eagles’ schedule. In week one of the regular season the Eagles will face the Atlanta Falcons in a clash of divisional rivals . It is presumed that Nick Foles will be the starter for that game, but my own belief is that Carson Wentz having made a full recovery will regain his starting role as the incumbent starter for the Eagles.
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Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were part of the 2012 NFL Draft Class which had one of the best quarterback classes in recent NFL history Luck was taken by the Indianapolis Colts while Griffin would be drafted by the Washington Redskins . Both would have their ups and downs within the league , but with Robert Griffin III now viewed as nothing more than a backup quarterback , Andrew Luck still has the chance for the resurrection of his career after spending much of last season on the sidelines due to injury. With Luck out for the entire season the his place was filled by Jacoby Brissett as the Colts could only muster a menial record (4-12) within the AFC South in 2017 . This upcoming season with the coaching staff of the Colts headed by Frank Reich will be looking for the best out of this team as Andrew Luck looks to regain the form that made him one of the best young quarterbacks in the league from 2012-15 .
If the Indianapolis Colts really had a failing last season , it was that the defense was certainly porous . Reich will certainly be looking to change that aspect of the Colts’ game as they enter into this season with a new lineup of players on the roster . Their preseason schedule should prove to be interesting before they embark on their regular season schedule of games . In week one of the regular season the Indianapolis Colts will face the Cincinnati Bengals .
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He’s barely performed at a top level since entering the NFL Draft as a first round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015 . Yet it seems before this season is likely to begin , Buccaneers’ quarterback Jameis Winston could be facing a long suspension for misconduct and conduct detrimental to the game. News’ sources state that the league hierarchy is currently investigating a claim that the player groped a female Uber driver , having dropped off at a destination. Winston denies the claims and states that the incident never took place. Bear in mind during his college career at Florida State , the player faced charges of sexual battery , which would be settled out of court with their being no admittance of wrong-doing again on Jameis Winston’s part. If these allegations are found to be true , this situation could place the Buccaneers in an unenviable scenario for the preseason and regular season dependent how the league chooses to punish the quarterback.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times
For Dirk Koetter and the rest of the Buccaneers’ coaching staff , this scenario could not have come at a worse time for the franchise. With their being no real depth at the quarterback position , this whole season could be based upon how well those backups can do as a replacement for Jameis Winston as he sits out a suspension. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ryan Griffin are the alternates with Fitzpatrick a former starter in the league having the most experience among the duo. Having to compete in an extremely tough NFC South division , it will be interesting to see how the Buccaneers will fare this upcoming season.
If Jameis Winston is sidelined for the opening of the regular season , then I would expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to the starting quarterback as the team takes to the field for their regular season opener against the New Orleans Saints which will be a road game against their NFC opponent .
From my own standpoint , I’m not so sure how much longer the Buccaneers’ front office can continue to put up with the antics of Jameis Winston. He’s proven to be not mature enough to lead this team and certainly with the amount of money the franchise has invested in him , the production has simply been mediocre .
Tampa Bay Bucaneers’ news
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All of the dominoes are now beginning to fall into place as the free agent signings take place at a frenetic pace. David Tepper has now become the owner of the Carolina Panthers having paid a record $2.25 billion for the NFC franchise . David Tepper is intent on ridding the Panthers of the most obvious associations of his predecessor Jerry Richardson . The former owner has a great deal in common with former Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling .
With the recent high-profile contract signings of impending free agent quarterbacks , it now seems all but certain that Aaron Rodgers will be signing a multi-year , multi-million deal contract extension that would make him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL . Ted Thompson , former General Manager and Head of Operations for the Green Bay Packers , would certainly like to please the fans and those around the league. He was the primary architect behind the franchise’s success over the past fifteen years.
Aaron Rodgers for his part can join several of the biggest players in Packers’ history as he seeks to place the franchise back on the path to success. From my own perspective other than Tom Brady and Drew Brees , I don’t believe there’s a better quarterback in the league. In all likelihood Aaron Rodgers is likely to end up with a deal which surpasses the contract just given to Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons .
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