Patrick Mahomes and his teammates were truly invigorating in their defeat of the San Francisco 49ers . For Chiefs’ Head Coach Andy Reid , this was a tremendous achievement , after his years of trying to reach the pinnacle of the NFL. Reid has now taken two teams to the Superbowl , won two conference titles and multiple division titles with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. From my own perspective , Reid can now take this Chiefs’ franchise to even greater heights than any of his predecessors including the venerable Hank Stram .
In the aftermath of the fallout from the Houston Astros and their spectacular fall from grace , it has to be said that the MLB hierarchy’s handling of the situation was swift and exact . Furthermore , team owner Jim Crane immediately fired manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow . Crane has moved ahead with the hiring of Dusty Baker to succeed Hinch and the hire of James Click , a former front office executive with the Tampa Bay Rays to succeed Jeff Luhnow . It would appear that the Astros are now in a position to embark on a new chapter within the franchise’s history .
The world of baseball is still in shock , with some of the game’s most prominent players not said to be completely satisfied with the punishment meted out to the Houston Astros’ organization. From my own perspective , I feel that the steps taken by MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred , were more than justified and it sets an example for the rest of the teams within the league as to the dangers of cheating .
There are said to be at least two interested parties wishing to acquire Mookie Betts , with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres said to be those two leading ball-clubs vying for his services. The Dodgers for their part can offer up several players, while committing themselves to adding Betts’ final year to their already burgeoning payroll and likelihood of committing themselves of being penalized by way of the luxury tax threshold of $200 million if necessary. . It will be interested to see what the Dodgers can achieve with Mookie Betts and David Price , with the news now emanating that the Red Sox have relented and sent these two players westwards to Los Angeles . The Dodgers with these two acquisitions would have to be considered for the NLCS in 2020. with the depth of their roster overall .
It will be hard to suggest which team in the AL can be seen as a viable favorite for the ALCS in 2020. The New York Yankees , Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins were the only three teams to have notched over 100 wins this past season . All three were divisional champions and it will be interesting to see if either can repeat that feat , given the changes made to the respective rosters and payrolls . For the Yankees , their continued to pursuit of a twenty-eighth World Series’ title remains ever present in the minds of their fans as well as the Steinbrenner family as the owners of baseball’s most revered franchise . New York’s last victory in the World Series came by way of the managerial talents of Joe Girardi , as he led them to victory over the Philadelphia Phillies . New York’s manager Aaron Boone and this largely talented team will be looking to guide the franchise to another postseason berth with another title in mind. Their season will begin with a game the Baltimore Orioles , in a contest being played on the road against their AL East divisional rivals.
Aaron Boone will undoubtedly be tested over the course of the season , with the continued impatience among the fans of the New York Yankees. With the team having several All Stars on the roster , these players will have to play to the best of their abilities over the course of this season . The likes of Giancarlo Stanton , among the highest paid player on the team alongside Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge will be looking to have a great season in 2020. Gerrit Cole , the starting pitcher acquired during this off-season will debut for the Yankees , likely leading their starting roster of pitchers. . If Cole is the Opening Day Starter against the Orioles , it will be interesting to see how the player fares against Baltimore .
Is there any chance that Derek Jeter as the newest New York Yankees ‘ Hall of Fame inductee will be able to see the Miami Marlins actually compete this season within the NL East ? It has been several years since the ball-club last played in the postseason and several years since the finished either as a runner-up or division winner within the division.
The Miami Marlins have gone from being franchise with a great farm system to an after-thought and laughing stock around the game of baseball. Not even under the managerial acumen of Don Mattingly and his staff , has the ball-club to achieve anything of note. Suffice to say another sub-par year now awaits the Marlins after their 57-105 record of last season . . This season if nothing else , Jeter and team managing partner , Bruce Sherman will be expecting a great deal out of this team heading into the season. . On assessing the team’s roster and the fact the payroll is among the lowest in the league , something of a trait the ball-club has followed for a number of years . This continues to be the mantra that they’ve followed for several years heading into 2020 . The Marlins’ regular season opener will see the team face the Philadelphia Phillies at home .
If the Los Angeles Lakers are said to be having problems, then one equate the continued problems of the New York Knicks as one of their very own making over the past ten years at least. . The fact that the franchise’s last appearance in the NBA Playoffs took place during the 2012-13 season should tell you all you need to know about the Knicks and their continued dire straits . The team’s roster as it now stands isn’t overly impressive and when compared to the other franchises in the conference and league overall , there’s the feeling that the front office under GM Scott Perry , team owner James L Dolan and the coaching staff of Mike Miller have completely lost their way . Up next for the New York Knicks will be a game against the Detroit Pistons on the road against an Eastern Conference rival . The New York Knicks remains the most valuable franchise in the NBA and among its most profitable , purely based from the fact they’re in the nation’s largest ad-market . Beyond that, there’s nothing remotely significant about the organization and its current destination at this juncture.
What if anything, would you like to see happen in the coming weeks within the world of sports and which recent stories have held your attention the most ?
In the blink of an eye the remnants of the last few monents of 2014 disappeared before our very eyes and from a sporting standpoint it was mainly a big disappointment from my own point of view. Nothing said or suggested mediocrity more than a regular NFL season so embarrassing , with the incompetence of a litany of teams. Major disappointments came thick and fast , along with the customary off-season firings and walkouts by either front office executives of head coaches. Jim Harbaugh now rides off into the sunset , assured that he will be welcomed with open arms by the Michigan faithful as he seeks to resurrect their fortunes and status among College Football’s fraternity. San Francisco 49ers’ front office executives may well have parted ways with their former head coach by mutual agreement , but if the rumors are to be believed , Harbaugh’s relationship with GM Trent Baalke , CEO , Chairman & team owner , Jed Yorke had deteriorated to such an extent , communications between the executives and Jim Harbaugh were simply cordial , professional , and nothing more than that. Off the field issues may well have also played a part in Harbaugh’s downfall beyond the complacency shown by the team throughout the course of the season, with the players simply lacking leadership and Colin Kaepernick seemingly more concerned with his growing public image and own self-importance , rather than his performing at a very high level in comparison to last season.
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The San Francisco 49ers failed to make the postseason and barely challenged within the NFC West , where they finished a disappointing third within their division, behind the Seattle Seahawks as the newly crowned divisional champions and perhaps the NFC’s surprise team of the season the Arizona Cardinals who finished in second place. Where San Francisco now goes from here will be solely dependent upon the choice made by Trent Baalke as he goes in search of a successor to fill the vacant head coaching position with the NFL franchise. There will be a litany of candidates qualified and not so qualified looking to be interviewed for the position. It’s safe to say, the question now becomes about who wants to be out on the West Coast coaching a team with a great deal of talent, but now lacking direction and a real sense of purpose ?
Having won their sixth AFC East title in succession the New England Patriots will now be looking to cement their status as the best NFL franchise over the past decade and a-half. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady remain the main building blocks of this franchise , but the Patriots’ long-term future will soon be about the younger players on the roster and the organization seeking a successor to Belichick , at the time of his choosing to ride off into retirement. As the number one seed in the AFC , New England has a bye in the first round of the postseason . Their closest rivals within the conference the Denver Broncos squandered their chance of positioning themselves to take that mantel by falling apart in the last few weeks of the regular season . Hopes of a Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning match-up is still very much on the cards, if both of these teams play to their true potential during the postseason. That very premise could take place in the AFC championship game.
The drama surrounding this postseason will not be lost on the fans or the broadcast outlets alike , as they seek to pour over the events as they unfold. One can only hope the fans are not disappointed by the games or the sense of foreboding as things unfold over the course of this weekend.
Money is aid to be the ” root of all evil “ and that definitely would be the case in the world of politics, where the politicians’ greed is not only furthered by their avarice , but also by their sheer contempt of the electorate and the very fact that they believe themselves to be above reproach . That same analogy I believe can be used in the world of baseball (MLB) , where during this off-season we have seen some major moves in the free agency marketas well as a number of teams striving to either deplete themselves of talent or take on the pretext of proving to their fans they are ready to compete .
For the past two seasons the Los Angeles Dodgers have been the biggest spending team in Major League Baseball , making an outlay in excess of a half-billion dollars ($500,000,000) during the time span in question. Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly and his managerial staff have proven to be adroit during the regular season, but in 2013 as well as last year the ball-club failed to meet the expectations of their fans and the front office , with abysmal performances during the playoffs . The decision by Dodgers’ team President Stan Kasten to hire Andrew Friedman to become the Head of Baseball Operations indicates the franchise has decided to change their philosophy somewhat, when it comes to acquiring talent and not overpaying , but taking into account, there are several players on the current roster earning in excess of $15 million a year , it is hard to see how anyone can take the Dodgers seriously as they seek to turn over a new leaf.
The “stain” which remains part of baseball’s folklore, beyond the ” Black Sox ” scandal will forever be the “steroid era ” and the fact Bud Selig failed miserably in reining the abusers , who sought to cheat the fans and the game of baseball by smearing some of the most historic feats within the sport. With the departure of Roger Clemens and others associated with that sordid chapter , baseball still has the remnants of Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun still within our midst , albeit , both players have served league mandated suspensions for their egregious transgressions with somewhat asinine acts of contrition on both their parts. Rodriguez will make his long awaited return to the New York Yankees and to a ball-club in the midst of change with the retirement of Derek Jeter after a two-decade long career with the ball-club. In the throes of this upheaval GM Brian Cashman will be looking to several of the veterans on the current roster to assume the mantel of leadership , the role Jeter assumed for several years as well as being the team captain. If Cashman now believes Rodriguez can fit the role , then he is sadly mistaken, along with the belief the player can provide the productivity needed to challenge within the AL.
New beginnings and a resurgence of a franchise still seeking its first NBA title. This was meant to be the storyline for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season . The return of LeBron James brought back Cavaliers’ fans to the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland , Ohio in droves. The four-time League MVP brings with him his productivity and an all-round game that has become the envy of the league and erstwhile fans alike. James’ departure from the recent two-time defending NBA champions the Miami Heat shook the foundations of the organization and simply took everyone off guard including his former former teammates. Miami’s failure in last seasons NBA Finals indicated a flawed team whose over-reliance on LeBron , was simply overwhelming the player during that Finals’ series. That heartbreaking loss may well have been the straw that broke the camel’s back and led to his decision to leave the Miami Heat.
Next up for Love and his teammates will be a home game on the January 4th , when they clash with Dirk Nowitzki and Rajon Rondo of the Dallas Mavericks at the Quicken Loans Arena . This contest could one of the highlights of the games scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Dallas comes into the contest on a four-game winning streak , with Rondo’s acquisition having set the tone for the team , as they move forward . The trade of the former Boston Celtics’ point guard immediately provides an uplift for the Mavericks and gives the a facilitator who is among the best in the NBA and who will also provide them with a very good defensive presence. Mavericks’ Mark Cuban’s insistence and pursuance of this deal that acquired Rajon Rondo , has certainly made the team a lot better and an almost certainty of being among the top contenders for the number one seed within the Western Conference this season. It would take a rather foolish individual to bet against this team and its pursuit of a second title, to add to the crown won in 2011 .
I’ll fight the good fight in support of a sport , just as long as I feel it will be of benefit to the masses ! Yet for all of the showmanship and acknowledged popularity of Floyd ‘ Money’ Mayweather , I have gotten to the stage , where I find the sport of boxing to be a complete comedy of errors and tragic parody of a once proud sport , which captured the fans’ imagination and held it drawn with its excitement and intensity !. No longer can it be case or where anyone can try to justify it, as still being truly relevant. Other than the world welterweight champion, there is not really a major draw in spite of the fact his greatest rival just happens to be an aging Manny Pacquiao . These two fighters for one reason or another have never sought to face each other at the prime of their careers , instead , often choosing to face lesser opponents along the way , to pad their statistics and the pursuit of multi-million dollar payday .
Mayweather and Pacquiao have passed the pinnacle of their respective careers and the legitimacy they each now seek will not be determined by final contest between the two , because in essence it will prove nothing at all. A proposed mega-fight would likely gross well over $200 million in revenues worldwide with each fighter guaranteed a minimum of $50 million apiece , but in the end of what profit would be to a sport now dying on its knees when there are no other high-profiled boxers on the horizon with the charisma or talent to be seen as the face of the sport and its long-term future? Multiple international governing bodies preside over boxing and there is no real uniformity other than the mandatory twelve rounds of boxing for a world title fight at the international and national levels dependent upon the allegiances of the national boards of the sport worldwide.
The alphabetical melange of who’s who , and the pecking order of the IBF, IBO , WBA , WBC and WBU created this actual nonsense within the sport of boxing and even now , with the pursuit and support shown by current WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman for a unified world champion primarily within the heavyweight division . The appeal for such distinction is lost on the fans and the litany of claimants of the various versions of the crown in question . It has been almost two decades since boxing had a undisputed heavyweight champion , with the last claimant being Lennox Lewis and it should be noted there is not an undisputed champion in any of the weight categories in the sport of professional boxing . Yet , this is the sport Senator John McCain (R-Az) , by his rationale believes relevant , while denouncing its upstart rival the genre of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) as being barbaric , with their being no rules or etiquette ? McCain’s idea of barbarism should be considered a joke , while he ought to be looking at his own legacy within the Congress and its lack of productivity over the last six years .
The rise in prominence of the UFC and the sport of MMA over the past decade and half , ought to be seen as how to brand , manage and package sport , where its reach is now global and in many ways has surpassed the branding and marketability of both the NBA and NFL. NFL combined . Dana White , UFC President along with the Fertitta brothers own the UFC and its affiliated concerns , a company with an estimated value of over $2 billion ($2,000,000,00) , making the three primary partners in this enterprise , extremely wealthy individuals . Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta , were already self-made billionaires , having made their fortunes in the casino and hospitality and hotel management business . Now their primary goal is to expand the growth of the sport globally , which they have been extremely successful in doing , with a stable of fighters from around the world signed to their company , as well as having affiliated associations across the globe.
In 2015 , UFC will ring in its schedule (UFC 182) with its first major title bout of the year, when Light Heavyweight Champion , Jon ‘Bones’ Jones makes a defense against challenger Daniel Cormier . Jones , the division’s best fighter is making his record ninth defense of his title. On January 3rd , 2015 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas , Nevada , UFC will unveil UFC 182 with an under-card of several terrific bouts, along with the marquee title title fight , with Jones’ Light Heayweight crown being on the line. Jon Jones , can be seen as the protagonist , with Cormier viewed as the antagonist , but there is the feeling the titleholder may well be looking to play ” the villain ” of the piece , because of the apparent ‘bad blood’ between he and the challenger , Daniel Cormier. Undoubtedly, Jones has become one the biggest names within the sport , with perhaps only Ronda Rousey , UFC’s most prominent female fighter, Cain Velasquez , Anthony Pettis and Jose Aldo among active fighters , considered to be extremely popular among the genre’s mass appeal of fans . The title fight itself , could be a contest, where Jones’ experience will out-match the simple bravado of his challenger Daniel Cormier . A thrilling five rounds of combative MMA should tell us a great deal about the champion and his opponent on Saturday night .
Tiger Woods remains the biggest draw in the world of golf, but he is no longer the best player in the game . I once read an asinine comment by someone, who determined because of his drawing power , it made him not only the best but also the only relevant person on the PGA Tour . Granted his having won his own version of the Tiger-Slam and having a career Grand Slam (the feat of winning golf’s four major tournaments [ US Open, PGA Championship , The British Open & US Masters]) gives him that aura of actual invincibility. Quite rightfully so, but over the past eighteen months , Woods’ game has been on the decline , he knows it and only an idiot would try and suggest otherwise , much like the buffoon and his comments concerning the former world number one ranked golfer. Tiger Woods’ legacy is unquestioned, but my question____ is beyond his off the course sexual peccadilloes , where he does he stand on social activism, his well-staged and manufactured philanthropic efforts ? Tiger Woods remains a damn hypocrite of the highest order, while trying to be a role model to young kids . Far too many of today’s professional athletes as well as those within the collegiate level, fit that very mold. Unfortunately, the media and fans alike, with a great deal apathy and naivete’ would prefer the salaciousness and candid sordid details , rather than witnessing great feats of athletic achievement . Never-mind the fact , when many of these athletes are continually caught in a lie, they will repeatedly seek to apportion blame elsewhere.
This upcoming season on the PGA Tour , it will be interesting to see whether or not Tiger Woods can wrestle away the number one ranking from Rory McIlroy , by far the greatest challenger to Woods’ once dominant presence on the PGA Tour . Phil Mickelson remains an afterthought , because more often than not , his challenges to Woods have ” petered out”, because of his missed opportunities. With over $265 million in official prize money being offered on the Tour(PGA Tour) , golf has now become one of the most lucrative way of earning a nice income from professional sports, without taking into account the enormous bye product of commercial endorsement from national and international corporate behemoths .
At the peak of his earning power, Tiger Woods earned well in excess of $100 million annually , now that figure is down to $65 million , still not bad for a player whose last Grand Slam Major victory came by way of the 2008 US Open in La Jolla, California ,. Yes, I can see why Woods is still considered a draw , with that victory , six years later , still toiling for his fifteenth Grand Slam victory , while Jack Nicklaus’ giant shadow and his own accomplishments in the Majors are simply glossed over by idiots and a buffoon with little knowledge of the sport or the African-Americans who created the legacy for Woods’ access to the game. Far be it for me to suggest this @sshole , has any damn idea what he is talking about to begin with .
Billy Horschel (three career wins) was feted , having won the FedEx Cup (2014) and with it a $10 million annuity as prize , but even with his consistency on the Tour in 2014 , the player was never a fixture or a major threat in any of the Grand Slam Majors , but yet I am being asked to be transfixed by character-less stereotypical androids who now make up the bulk of the players on the PGA Tour ? I think not !
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Picture gallery .
What sporting event of 2015 is likely to have you closely watching a performance or set of performances during this year ?
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Picture and slideshow gallery below.
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(1) Ryan Lindley (14) is here along the sidelines speaking with teammate Drew Stanton during a brief interval. A decision will be made by head coach Bruce Arians as to which of the quarterbacks is liable to be the starter for their wildcard round game to be played against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte , North Carolina , on Saturday, 3rd January , 2015 in the first of the two scheduled wildcard contests to be played on the day. Neither of the Panthers’ quarterbacks has any postseason experience playing in the NFL . The visiting Cardinals are deemed to be the slight favorites in the NFC contest. AP Photo / Keith Mitchell …
Ryan Lindley(14) of the Arizona Cardinals passes in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ersat Levi’s Stadium on December 28 , 2014 in Santa Clara, California. Getty Images North America/ Ezra Shaw ..
(3) Former San Francisco 49ers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh is seen here on the dais having just been introduced as the new head coach for the Michigan Wolverines program by AD Dave Brandon.Harbaugh and San Francisco formally parted ways by mutual agreement , but it is rumored the head coach had outlived his welcome within the organization because of his brash behavior . The Forty Niners for their part, thanked the head coach for his contributions and the resurrection of the team’s fortunes during his tenure . AP Photo / Jenny Hart ..
(4) Tom Brady (12) and Rob Gronkowski(87) of the New England Patriots react after Gronkowski caught a touchdown pass during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on December 14, 2014 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. . Getty Images / Jim Rogash ..
(5) Los Angeles Dodgers’ team President Stan Kasten , left is seen here team manager Don Mattingly ,center and senior managing partner Mark Walter . The organization in the past two years have committed in excess of $500 million on payroll , only see the team squander their chances in the postseasons of 2013 and 2014. In both cases , the Dodgers fell in those hurdles to defeat the hands of the St Louis Cardinals . The decision was made to bring in Andrew Friedman to head up the Baseball Operations of the Dodgers with Ned Colletti given a lateral move within the front office, on becoming a special assistant and adviser to Kasten. Some changes have been made to the playing personnel , where fan favorite Matt Kemp was traded to the San Diego Padres. It is unlikely this will be last major move made by the Dodgers during the off-season . AP Photo / Ted Ross ..
(6) LeBron James(23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts to a call by the referees during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 30, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. James will be sidelined for a prolonged period believe to be between to two three weeks as he seeks to recuperate from an injury , leaving his teammates to pick up the slack as they contest several games in the upcoming weeks. LeBron James is not the only major NBA star to be felled by an injury , with Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks also out , adding to the Knicks’ turmoil this season and their moribund record . Getty Images /Kevin C Cox …
(7) Considered the best fighter of his generation and the linear champion within the welterweight division , Floyd Mayweather has never really shown the inclination to meet Manny Pacquiao in the ring in spite of his denials . At the same time, a proposed mega-fight between the two fighters has never taken place , because of disputes in how the purse would be split or the antagonism created by Pacquiao’s main promoter in the US Bob Arum and his continued disdain for Mayweather. In 2015 , the fight many have yearned for may well be scheduled but do not hold your breath waiting for the event to actually take place . Mayweather is likely have at least two fights placed on his schedule as he seeks to fulfill his $200 million fight-deal with cable broadcast outlet Showtime (CBS subsidiary) . AP Photo / Matt Engle ….
(9) From left to right , background UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer , Jon Jones , UFC President Dana White , Daniel Cormier and comedian and fight analyst Joe Rogan . There have repeated physical altercations between Cormier and Jones with the insults hurled at an alarming speed between the two. Whether or not this is being done to publicize the bout remains to be seen but UFC is expecting a high PPV audience for the clash . …
(10) Jack Nicklaus, left , an eighteen-time Major winner also having won a carer Grand Slam of golf’s four major tournaments (The Masters British Open, US Open and PGA Championship ) is seen here alongside Tiger Woods . The two are considered to be greatest players of their respective generations and two of the greatest players in the history of the game. Woods seeks to emulate his idol by surpassing his historic tally of eighteen Majors wins . Yet his record pales in comparison to Nicklaus not solely because of fourteen wins of the four Grand Slam tournament but the mere fact Woods has not had as many top-five or top-ten finishes in each of the four tournaments in question , albeit, Tiger Woods has yet to compete in as many Slam tournaments over the course of his career. AP Photo / Eric Messner .. ….
(11) Rory McIlroy the world number one in the official World Golf rankings is already a three-time Major tournament winner, with only the The Masters yet to be added to his resume’ of Grand Slam victories . McIlroy joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won the first their first three Grand Slam tournaments before turning the age of twenty-five.. The Irish player is seeking to improve on his triumphant 2014 season, where he topped the PGA Tour and European Tour winners’ list in official prize money earnings . Getty Images Europe /. Henrik Thorstvaldt .. …
(12) Billy Horschel is seen here at the 2014 Valero Texas Open at the TPC in San Antonio , Texas . The tournament was won by Steven Bowditch. Horschel would go on to claim the FedEx Cup prize and with it a $10 million paycheck (annuity) . Billy Horschel has three PGA Tournament victories to his name and over $8.2 million in career prize money earnings. AP Photo / Eric Parsons ….
We are but a month away from the 2013 NFL Draft , and already there is a great deal of speculation unraveling, as to who that first player, to be taken, will be . In seasons past , that number one overall choice has either had an outstanding career, or somehow fallen into oblivion , never to be heard from again . From afar, as a fan of the NFL , this is the one time of the year that I choose not to take any notice as to how the draft unfolds ! I am of the belief that the players chosen , will either live up to the perceived expectations or they will simply fall by the wayside , because of their lack of physical ability and mental toughness .
This upcoming Draft , inasmuch as there is said to be a great deal of talent among the players declaring their eligibility . I truly believe that the talent level that many believe there is said to be , is not actually there , in any great depth ! Granted, the so-called “draft geeks “ and analysts will espouse the virtues of Geno Smith , Matt Barkley , Luke Joeckel and Alec Ogletree . More often than not , there is rarely a sure-fire bet or hit , that will be that impactful . However, a case could be made that last season Luck and Griffin proved that the 2012 draft class , particularly for the quarterbacks , might well have been the best NFL has witnessed in the past fifteen years .
This upcoming Draft , inasmuch as there is said to be a great deal of talent among the players declaring their eligibility . I truly believe that the talent level that many believe there is said to be , is not actually there , in any great depth ! Granted, the so-called “draft geeks “ and analysts will espouse the virtues of Geno Smith , Matt Barkley , Luke Joeckel and Alec Ogletree . More often than not , there is rarely a sure-fire bet or hit , that will be that impactful . However, a case could be made that last season Luck and Griffin proved that the 2012 draft class , particularly for the quarterbacks , might well have been the best NFL has witnessed in the past fifteen years .
Of course, it will be interesting to see how both of these sophomores will progress as the 2013 regular season beckons and what we might expect from both quarterbacks , as they become further acclimatized to the rigors of playing in the NFL . I certainly believe that with the moves made by the Colts , in particular , they are likely to prove to be a major contender for the AFC South and quite possibly a major force to be reckoned with , within the conference overall !
With the NFC East always being something of a conundrum , merely because of the preponderance of idiocy that simply overwhelms those who espouse to the fact that the Dallas Cowboys will always be a force to be reckoned with . The truth of the matter remains , the team , while Jerry Jones sits atop of his throne , the franchise will be nothing more than a mere laughing-stock , lacking in leadership , accountability at an any level , on or off the field of play. And, with the team’s overrated quarterback , Tony Romo being overpaid , while continuing to make excuses for his and the team’s perennially poor play . It were as if , flies are being genuinely attracted to fecal matter , each and very time I read a piece subscribing to the fact, that Romo is a great regular season player , while clearly being unable to lead the team to the necessary heights in the regular and postseason . Tony Romo, is only great, in brief spurts , of two or three games at a time , beyond that , he is not a player that can be can be consistently be relied upon, to lead a team to any length , of real tangible achievement or success . A fact that , seems to be lost, on the vast majority of the analysts who cover the game , and who are paid handsomely, for their opinions . Unfortunately, we also have a clueless batch of individuals within this forum, who will continue to be of the same mindset ! Stupid is , as stupid does !
It goes without saying that Jason Garrett and his coaching staff will this season , remain the focus of attention from around the NFL. The Cowboys’ failings, in 2012 , was self-evident in a wide range of categories , from their defense to their sputtering offense . Pardon me for saying this , with the Cowboys’ firing of Rob Ryan as the team’s defensive coordinator , to be replaced by an aging Monte Kiffin , whose two years assisting his son Lane Kiffin in a similar capacity with the Pac 12’s USC Trojans , to my mind has to be considered an asinine decision , especially when you take into account , that during that time-span ! The Trojans were never ranked in the nation’s top twenty-five , in any meaningful defensive category. Clearly , a case of the blind , leading the blind within the Cowboys’ front office at the timing of that particular decision !
I believe that a case can be made that the winning of a Heisman Trophy , no matter how prestigious the award might be , can be a claim that as the nation’s best collegiate player , is by any measure a guarantee of success . Yes, last season, Robert Griffin III excelled for the Washington Redskins , but the 2011 Heisman Trophy claimant did have his issues in spite of the team’s extraordinary season. With 2012 winner , Johnny Manziel remaining in college quite possibly for one or two more seasons in order to hone his game with the Texas A&M (Aggies) . It has to be said that Manziel may well have made the best possible decision. Countering that , are the following two quarterbacks , who might now be viewed as perhaps under-achieving journeymen around the NFL. Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart , now find themselves at a crossroads in their respective careers . Both achieved a great deal of success at the collegiate level , and each were afforded college football’s highest individual honor, by being named a Heisman Trophy recipient and award winner. Both, were players at USC (Trojans) , under what was thought to be the capable hands of then head coach , Pete Carroll and a program said to be above reproach. In the subsequent years, since their departure , and Carroll’s own jump to the professional ranks , I believe that we can attest to the fact that the coach’s tenure, was rife with sordid improprieties , that he and then AD , Mike Garrett simply chose to ignore and sweep under the carpet.
I believe that a case can be made that the winning of a Heisman Trophy , no matter how prestigious the award might be , can be a claim that as the nation’s best collegiate player , is by any measure a guarantee of success . Yes, last season, Robert Griffin III excelled for the Washington Redskins , but the 2011 Heisman Trophy claimant did have his issues in spite of the team’s extraordinary season. With 2012 winner , Johnny Manziel remaining in college quite possibly for one or two more seasons in order to hone his game with the Texas A&M (Aggies) . It has to be said that Manziel may well have made the best possible decision. Countering that , are the following two quarterbacks , who might now be viewed as perhaps under-achieving journeymen around the NFL. Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart , now find themselves at a crossroads in their respective careers . Both achieved a great deal of success at the collegiate level , and each were afforded college football’s highest individual honor, by being named a Heisman Trophy recipient and award winner. Both, were players at USC (Trojans) , under what was thought to be the capable hands of then head coach , Pete Carroll and a program said to be above reproach. In the subsequent years, since their departure , and Carroll’s own jump to the professional ranks , I believe that we can attest to the fact that the coach’s tenure, was rife with sordid improprieties , that he and then AD , Mike Garrett simply chose to ignore and sweep under the carpet.
Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart spent 2012 , laboring with the rather mediocre and self-aggrandizing Oakland Raiders , who over the last decade , have become the poster child , in how not to run an NFL franchise , but how to systematically ruin one, on a competitive and economic front . Albeit , that even being close proximity to one of the nation’s largest media markets , somehow the Raiders’ front office led by team owner , Mark Davis and GM , Reggie McKenzie , continue to make complete fools of themselves , with their remarkable consistency for making some of the most unbelievably ridiculous personnel decisions encapsulating the franchise . With the revenue streams afforded the Oakland Raiders , theirs as a franchise , should not be one , that is said to be losing tens of millions of dollars annually . Yet , somehow the incompetency of the front office does bear this out . Needless to say , with the incompetence being shown off the field , last season and 2011 , simply mirrored “ how far this franchise “ has fallen over the past decade .
With it now being apparent, that Palmer was not the player whom McKenzie felt could lead the team , after a very sporadic 2012 season . There now seems to be little interest by the general manager and owner , to supplant 2002 Heisman Trophy recipient and number one overall pick from the 2003 NFL Draft , with either his backup , Matt Leinart , or another troubled enfant-terrible , in Terrell Pryor . Albeit , that there were signs of intuitive play on the part of the former Buckeye starting quarterback. Carson Palmer has refused to take a pay cut or simply reconstruct his contact favorably , affording the Raiders some cap space . Reggie McKenzie has not exactly gone out of his way to endorse Pryor as the team’s future , as the Raider’s starting quarterback. It now seems likely , that the ten-year veteran , Palmer , will be cut and tossed unto the scrap heap , or quite possibly McKenzie might well seek out any opportunistic franchise , seeking to make a trade for the seasoned veteran.
With the Raiders due to take the third overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft , it seems highly unlikely that there is a need to trade down or up for the franchise . However , what will be needed by Dennis Allen and the organization’s scouting staff , will due diligence being used as it relates to the choices to be made . I am not so sure a quarterback is of the utmost priority for the franchise , as there are gaping wholes that need to be addressed over the team’s entire lineup . How the staff deals with those adversities, will very much be an indicator , as to what we should expect in 2013 , from the organization as a whole .
From a national champion title holder , to an “ overnight bust” , this is certainly how one could best describe Vince Young’s career at the collegiate level and then within the NFL . Never mind that in the wake of it all , the player has squandered the millions earned , having filed for personal bankruptcy, and now in the midst of seeking to make a comeback to the professional ranks . Given the player’s proclivity for being immature , oafish , disdainful of his teammates and simply ignorant of the fact that a coach seeks to guide him , as to how best to fulfill his career goals . I am not so sure, that it would be in an NFL franchises’ best interest to even remotely entertain the idea of giving Young a tryout ! . That being said , it would not surprise me if that perfunctory asshole and Tennessee Titans’ owner , Ken “Bud” Adams , sought to welcome Young , back with open arms . It was Adams’ intransigence and downright stupidity that led to Jeff Fisher’s departure , after the owner sought to side with the often troublesome former NFL player , rather than his well-respected head coach . The aftermath of it all, Young would soon be jettisoned by the franchise , as his play simply deteriorated .
From a national champion title holder , to an “ overnight bust” , this is certainly how one could best describe Vince Young’s career at the collegiate level and then within the NFL . Never mind that in the wake of it all , the player has squandered the millions earned , having filed for personal bankruptcy, and now in the midst of seeking to make a comeback to the professional ranks . Given the player’s proclivity for being immature , oafish , disdainful of his teammates and simply ignorant of the fact that a coach seeks to guide him , as to how best to fulfill his career goals . I am not so sure, that it would be in an NFL franchises’ best interest to even remotely entertain the idea of giving Young a tryout ! . That being said , it would not surprise me if that perfunctory asshole and Tennessee Titans’ owner , Ken “Bud” Adams , sought to welcome Young , back with open arms . It was Adams’ intransigence and downright stupidity that led to Jeff Fisher’s departure , after the owner sought to side with the often troublesome former NFL player , rather than his well-respected head coach . The aftermath of it all, Young would soon be jettisoned by the franchise , as his play simply deteriorated .
With there soon to be an abundance of free agent quarterbacks on the “open market” , Vince Young’s task will become all the more difficult , even with his less than impressive workout at the Longhorns’ Pro Day on the university’s campus playing field . He may well catch on , with an NFL team , either as a third string starter or as part of a practice squad, because I no longer believe that he has the play-making ability or the mental psyche to be a successful quarterback in the NFL ! All of the promise shown at the collegiate level , seem all for nothing , given the years wasted by Young , as he simply became a boorish oaf ! Win some ,and you lose some ! Vince Young has been nothing but a loser , since his entry into the NFL !
The more things change , at times , it is in fact the more they remain the same . Sideshow , performing animals , comical clowns and a high wire and trapeze act could best sum up the New York Jets’ diabolical season . A clueless owner , in Woody Johnson , a coaching staff simply devoid of creativity and intelligence , all of which was led by the self-absorbed Rex Ryan . And the reason why I categorically state that the Jets’ owner is simply clueless ! When you seek to apportion blame upon others, when you have the final decision as an owner on all personnel decisions , and you were said to be indifferent to the signing of a player. It indicates to me , that you are either an idiot , or simply willing to listen to others when their own decision-making has repeatedly come into question.
During this off-season , Woody Johnson bitched and whined that he was pressured into giving the final OK , in the trade that brought Tim Tebow over from the Denver Broncos , to the New York Jets . Heralded by the print media within the “Big Apple ” as a thing of “genius” , the acquisition would prove to be the Jets’ undoing and hoisting even more ridicule not only on the franchise but also upon the now stunted shoulders of the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner . See where I am going with this all , as it relates to the aforementioned winners of this accolade who have simply done nothing of merit in the NFL ?
With the Jets’ front office, now seemingly more unsure than ever before , as to whom is best suited to lead the team at the quarterback position , speculation mounted during the off-season that the organization would simply jettison their starter, Mark Sanchez , after his rather dubious forays of 2012 . With the franchise now having acquired ten-year journeyman and veteran David Garrard . It kind of makes you wonder, what other rabbits Rex Ryan will now seek to pull out of his top hat , while seeking to create the illusion and perception that the Jets are now progressing in the right direction . Suffice to say, anyone who feels that Garrard can provide the roster of quarterbacks already on this team with further competition , having seen the veteran quarterback’s play in recent seasons , has either got to be on prescribed medication or under the delusions of grandeur.
In the midst of this all, Tim Tebow’s future remains uncertain with the New York Jets . A homecoming of sorts , is already out of the question , with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ … management categorically stating that they have no interest in acquiring the beleaguered quarterback. There now seems to be a quandary as to how Rex Ryan will seek to extricate himself from a mess he fashioned alongside the team’s former offensive coordinator Tony Sparano , an individual, whose NFL coaching experience , can be best summed up in two words “absolute bull#hit “ !
From my own personal standpoint , what Ryan was able to achieve in his first three seasons with the franchise was impressive . Yet, in the subsequent years , all of the ballyhooed and hype simply cannot hide the fact, that he has become a bloviated ass , who rested on his laurels , rather than seeking to improve New York Jets ,as a franchise . GM John Idzik may well use this upcoming season , not only to assess the roster , but also Rex Ryan and his entire coaching staff . Failure once again , and it is likely , that he will be summarily relieved of his duties as a head coach with the franchise. Ryan’s most pressing issue beyond dealing with the team’s cap issues will be how best to also address the team’s draft needs .
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Picture gallery .
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(1)Quarterback Matt Barkley , center, talks to reporters during NFL football pro day at the University of Southern California, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill …
(2) Safety , T.J. McDonald looks during Southern California’s NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill …
(3)Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) is hit by Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) , as he throws, during the second half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, in Baltimore. The Ravens would go on to defeat the Colts 24-9 . AP Photo/Nick Wass …
(4) In this Jan. 6, 2013, photo, Washington Redskins quarterback , Robert Griffin III (10) returns to the huddle after hurting his right knee as he fell awkwardly while throwing an incomplete pass during the first quarter of their NFL wild card playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Landover, Md. An injury that sidelines Griffin well into next season is a very real possibility _ or at least it seemed that way Monday, Jan. 7, after head coach Mike Shanahan described the results of tests on the rookie’s right knee following a series of plays in their Sunday game that did additional damage to a knee that was just three games removed from suffering a sprained lateral collateral ligament. AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, L. Todd Spencer …
(5) Texas A&M offensive lineman Luke Joeckel answers a question during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine . Joeckel is being seen as a the consensus # 1 overall pick likely to be taken in this year’s NFL Draft . Yet the prevailing thought with the Kansas City Chiefs seeking a proven passer , Geno Smith of West Virginia could supplant Joeckel as that number one pick. AP Photo / Richard Sasser ….
(6) Geno Smith of West Virginia is seen here going through drills at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indiana , Indianapolis , earlier in the year. The quarterback is seen as the best passer in this year’s crop of eligible college quarterbacks with their sights set on the professional ranks of the NFL . AP Photo / Richard Sasser ……
(7) There’s always something to laugh about and seemingly find comical , if you just happen to be a member of the Dallas Cowboys . Pictured here , are the team’s under-achieving quarterback , Tony Romo and team owner , Jerry Jones , sharing a few laughs. I wonder what the 2013 season may well hold for the franchise within the NFC East and the conference as a whole . Certainly , it can’t be any worse than last season ? Perhaps it could ? Well , let’s hope so ! Getty Images North America / Christian Petersen …
(8) Raiders’ quarterbacks , from left to right , Terrell Pryor , Matt Leinart , Carson Palmer and Kyle Newhall-Caballero . Newhall-Caballero, no longer on the roster , remains a part of the Raiders’ practice squad. Rumors persist that with Palmer unwilling to restructure his contract for which he is due to receive $13 million for the 2013 season and the team seeking a cut , down to $10 million , he is likely to be cut by the organization . AP Photo/ Junii Kumagawa …
(9) Vince Young on the campus of the University of Texas (Longhorns’) campus , as he prepares for the Longhorns’ Pro Day . The former Tennessee Titans’ , Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills backup quarterback is hoping to make a last-ditch attempt to resurrect his somewhat understated NFL career . Of the NFL coaches in attendance on the day , only the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin was said to have shown any discerning interest. However, rumors now circling around the NFL , are that the Chicago Bears may well bring in Young for a tryout and as a backup to team starter , Jay Cutler . Getty Images North America / Ian Thompson ……
(10) Mark Sanchez(6) , listens in , as offensive coordinator , Tony Sparano confers with head coach Rex Ryan and starting quarterback Greg McElroy (14) , during a game played against the San Diego Chargers at Met Life Stadium , in East Rutherford , New Jersey . Also in picture , second string starter, Tim Tebow . The Chargers would go on to defeat the Jets 27-17 . To further exacerbate the franchise’s travails was their poor finish to the season and final standing within the AFC East , a third place finish with a 6-10 record . AP/Getty Images / David Shults ….
(11) From left to right , New York Jets’ owner , Woody Johnson , is seen here with newly installed general manager , John Idzik, who succeeded Mike Tannenbaum , and who was summarily fired by Johnson , after the team’s disastrous 2012 season . AP Photo/ Chris Douglas …….
For John Harbaugh , he becomes the first coach in NFL history , to take his team to four playoff appearances in his first five seasons ,with two conference championship appearances , coming along the way. Ironically enough , Harbaugh’s brother, Jim Harbaugh will join his brother in accomplishing a similar feat , but his accomplishment might be even more impressive , as the San Francisco 49ers’ head coach will be making his second successive NFC championship game appearance , which will have come in his first two full seasons, as the head coach of this illustrious franchise. And if the subplot plays out , as a number of fans hope , a Harbaugh rivalry at Superbowl (SB XVLII) , could await us all. However, their respective opponents , the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots , will no doubt be seeking to upset the apple cart and topple that whole scenario , altogether .
There are some intriguing plotlines to both conference championship games , taking place this weekend at Gillette Stadium , in Foxboro, Massachusetts and at the Georgia Dome , in Atlanta ,Georgia . For Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens , they will be seeking to redeem themselves after last season’s disappointment in the AFC championship game. That loss , left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Ravens’ players as they will undoubtedly seek to exact revenge on their conference rivals . On the flip side of that equation , Bill Belichick and his team will be seeking to make their sixth appearance in the Superbowl , in the last ten years , with Tom Brady , and the head coach , each seeking their fourth Superbowl victories , in their respective positions within this organization.
Well, the exploits of Colin Kaepernick has simply raised the crescendo level , as to what the San Francisco , and the front office led by Trent Baalke , may well seek to do with Alex Smith , the incumbent six-year year starting quarterback for the Forty-Niners , before his dethronement by Kaepernick , earlier this season . And while it has come as a surprise as the poise and presence shown by the young quarterback , it certainly now does give credence to the decision by Jim Harbaugh , to thrust the young quarterback into the limelight . An easy win, of the NFC West, for his second successive divisional title , adds into the astuteness of Harbaugh , as a head coach. It was certainly there for all to witness, while he rebuilt the Stanford program , and made them a force to be reckoned with , within the Pac 12 . Having ascended to the professional ranks of the NFL , Jim Harbaugh has proven to be a more than worth adversary for his peers .
The continued “ knock” against Matt Ryan was the very fact that he had yet to prove himself in the postseason. Well , now that he has finally accomplished the feat of having won his first playoff game , a much loftier task awaits , and that is to lead the Atlanta Falcons pass a very hungry San Francisco 49ers’ team . That being, said it’s not as if, the Falcons are without a thirst of their own , and most certainly after the impoverished years and the years during which Michael Vick may well have brought a great deal of attention to the franchise for good , and some very infamously bad reasons . There is no denying that , Mike Smith and GM Thomas Dimitroff , team President Rich McKay and owner Arthur Blank , have brought back a sense of consistency and presence to the once beleaguered franchise.
Jim Harbaugh, has what might be one of the most balanced of the quartet of teams, now left at this point of the postseason . There can be no denying that the Niners’ defensive unit is amongst the very best in the league , having been extremely efficient , all season long . And it would be a tremendous slight to their offense , if they were to left out of the equation , as well . Now all that awaits is four quarters , rough and tumble all-out football, with the victorious garnering all of the “spoils” , and off-course a final berth in the Superbowl , to be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome , in New Orleans , Louisiana on the 2nd February , 2013 .
With the ouster of Romeo Crennel and former , GM , Scott Pioli , it has to be said that it should have come as no surprise that Kansas City Chiefs’ COO Clark Hunt would come to such a decision to “clean house” with such veracity. The failures of the team were well chronicled , with a 2-14 record , in the end , to show for it all. The biggest issue, for the team , it must be said , was the poor play from the quarterbacks on the Chiefs’ roster . Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn , simply showed that they have an aversion to playing with any semblance of consistency , and that was clearly mirrored in team’s results in 2012.
Beyond the Chiefs’ absolutely poor offensive play , it has to be stated , that the team’s defense was just mediocre, and often at times, downright insulting , for the Kansas City Chiefs’ fans and the NFL fan in general to watch. And it certainly did not help that a number of the team’s rookies drafted in 2012, failed to live up expectations , and the same I believe, can be said of their draftees from 2011 ! Newly installed , general manager, John Dorsey , has entrusted to return this franchise to its former glory. Dorsey, Andy Reid, and his coaching staff will certainly be assessing the roster, to certainly see what may well be superfluous to the team’s needs.
Reid’s record, while stellar with the Philadelphia Eagles , it has to be said that 2012, may well have been the worst of his distinguished career. A listless and often impoverished Eagles’ team in 2012 , simply did not put up much of a fight , but what might be even more improbable was Andy Reid’s implicit faith in the clearly declining skillset of Michal Vick , as the veteran , labored throughout much of the season . It wasn’t until the player, suffered a concussion, that Reid relented , with rookie Nick Foles being installed to replace the injured veteran. A 4-12 season , was simply a reflection of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, in an NFC East division that could be best described as being rather mediocre . When all said and done, 2012 was a season that the Eagles would rather forget , and specifically for Michael Vick and Foles , as their joint productivity for the team was somewhat sedentary to say the very least !
The interview process for the Philadelphia Eagles is still ongoing with GM , Howie Roseman still perusing and interviewing an ever-growing list of potential candidates , as he seeks a worthy successor to Andy Reid . As to the impending future of Michael Vick , there has been no formal statement , as to whether or not the veteran, remains a part of the franchise’s long or short-term future .
As seasons go, I don’t know that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season could ever have been more disappointing ! What should have been one of growth and improvement , simply whimpered out , through sheer lack of conviction by the Buccaneers’ players , and a complete lack experience on the part of first year coach , Greg Schiano . Excuses asides , concerning a litany of injuries to players , but the truth of the matter comes down to a complete lack of preparation , immaturity by the rookies, as well as the seasoned veterans on the roster , along with their now , rather asinine excuses for a season of all too inept performances ! If there was a bright spark to be found on the team, then it came by way of the play of rookie running back , Doug Martin , and that of tight end , Vincent Jackson . Other performances of note, were all too fleeting , with perhaps none more so than that of starting quarterback, Josh Freeman , with another year of unfulfilled dreams.
Schiano tried to instill a robust sort of discipline , one which reverberated around the league and made the head coach and his players , the subject of a great deal of ridicule , as well as the target of a lot of defamatory remarks concerning the lack of sportsmanship on the part of the Buccaneers’ players. Yet , I feel much of that came down to the poor lack of execution , on the part of this team , and Greg Schiano’s wish to prove to opponents that his players would be “ no pushovers” . Well in retrospect , they were very much pushovers , having lost four of their last five games to end the regular season , wherein they posted a 7-9 record within the NFC South. Definitely , not much to celebrate, given the earlier expectations of Schiano and his coaching staff , prior to the beginning of the regular season.
Courtesy of NFL.com Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ official site
<u< Greg Schiano's biggest to-do this off-season ? Determining if young ,Josh Freeman goes forward as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ franchise quarterback.
The team’s first-year coach told reporters Monday he believes Freeman someday will win a Super Bowl, but he hinted the Bucs (7-9) might bring in new bodies at the position in 2013.
“The one thing I do believe in is competition at every spot, including the quarterback, so I want to have as many good players on our football team as we can at every single position,” Schiano said, per the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s a little different in the NFL.”
Pressed on if he was “all-in” on Freeman, Schiano stopped a few yards short of full support.
“That’s a question that, again, I’m not all in with myself yet, so how could I me all in with Josh Freeman or any other player?” Schiano said. “I’m not side-stepping you, but I need to evaluate.
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“What I can say is, a 4,000-yard passer, a touchdown record — there’s a lot of things you say, ‘Wow.’ Are there things that frustrate you? Yeah. There are things that frustrate him, too. And I’m not ducking the question, because quite frankly, I really like Josh Freeman. But I want to make sure I don’t get ahead of my skis at all here and really evaluate every single thing to what’s best for this organization.
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With Greg Schiano having conducted his own postmortem, as to what went wrong in 2012, the Buccaneers’ head coach has sent a defiant message to all of his players , that all positions will be up for “grabs” in the 2013-14 season . Furthermore , he has become non-committal , with regard to Josh Freeman being offered a long-term contract with the franchise. There now seems to be , a gathering storm , that will be hovering above the head of Josh Freeman , and his own future with the Buccaneers’ franchise . A sense of foreboding , that , if Freeman is unable to show any signs improvement , given his alleged off-season conditioning and workout regimen , then there is the likelihood , that at the start of the Buccaneers’ OTA’s and mandatory workouts prior to next season, Josh Freeman could either be on his way out , or find himself down the pecking order for the starting role as the team’s quarterback.
The fact that the Detroit Lions’ head coach , Jim Schwartz , escaped the postseason culling , now known as “Black Monday “ , is all the more remarkable , when you consider that one of his divisional peers , Lovie Smith was summarily fired having guided the Chicago Bears to a 10-6 record within the NFC North, only to narrowly miss a playoff berth . Now while I understand , the Bears’ reasoning behind Smith’s dismissal , I do feel that GM, Phil Emery , was naïve in simply suggesting that the brunt of the blame lays primarily with the fired head coach . It must have escaped his notice , that the often coddled and overrated Jay Cutler , simply doesn’t have what it takes to lead a team , much less win a series of meaningful games in the postseason .
Matt Stafford having thrown for a career best 5038 yards in 2011. The four-year starter for the Detroit Lions , while falling short of another 5,000 yard season in 2012 , simply provided the Lions with an aerial attack , and little else by way of leadership . And while Calvin Johnson set his sights on , and having surpassed the single season receiving yards’ mark , beyond that, there was very little to suggest , that this season that the Lions were remotely in with a chance of doing anything worthwhile in 2012. And that was clearly mirrored in the team’s final standing within the NFC North , in posting a 4-12 record . At no time throughout the Lions’ season , did it ever appear that Jim Schwartz could corral this team into playing with any discipline or resolve , yet somehow he remains in a position to return next season , under the premise that injuries played a great part in derailing the team’s aspirations in 2012. . Lions’ GM , Martin Mayhew , and team Vice Chairman , William Clay Ford Jr , will seriously have to assess the performance of their head coach his coaching staff and several of the players on the roster , who simply came up short in 2012 . Both front office executives are deeply in denial , if they felt that, Jim Schwartz wasn’t part of the equation, that led to such a disastrous season for the Detroit Lions .
Inasmuch as 2012 , has been a successful season, off the field, the governance of Roger Goodell , still remains in question , as his power-base , has diminished greatly , because of his sheer contempt and conceit. The commissioner’s handling of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal , the league hierarchy’s almost nonexistent handling of veterans’ issues, as it relates to their denial of rightfully earned benefits , speaks greatly , to Goodell’s complete lack of understanding of the position which was bestowed upon him , by the team owners and the NFL’s Board of Governors . The commissioner simply glosses over those pertinent issues , only heighten the league’s ongoing economic growth, but when pressed to address the aforementioned problems that still ensnare the NFL , he is unable to give a succinct and comprehensive answer . It is almost as if , Roger Goodell , does not care , just as long as he believes his image remains intact , while still being able to cling to power. It is at this juncture , that the fans must ask , do we not deserve a great deal more from the NFL as paying customers and loyal fans ? Your thoughts on this ?
Inasmuch as 2012 , has been a successful season, off the field, the governance of Roger Goodell , still remains in question , as his power-base , has diminished greatly , because of his sheer contempt and conceit. The commissioner’s handling of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal , the league hierarchy’s almost nonexistent handling of veterans’ issues, as it relates to their denial of rightfully earned benefits , speaks greatly , to Goodell’s complete lack of understanding of the position which was bestowed upon him , by the team owners and the NFL’s Board of Governors .
It has been almost two years since the league hierarchy and NFLPA (Players’ Union) came to a firm agreement , ratified in their most recent CBA (collective bargaining agreement) , wherein the league would now begin mandatory testing for HGH (human growth hormones). Now in light of Lance Armstrong’s admission of guilt as to his rampant use of HGH , EPO and other illicit substances , the union led by NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith , still tries to hide behind the idiotic notion that there is no concrete testing protocol that can fully detect these substances , and that until there is , he does not feel that the NFL has the right to begin blanket and mandatory testing of his members . Unless I’m mistaken , in 2007, Smith before a congressional committee did in fact give testimony , that he was not opposed the league , testing the players within the NFL , just as long as those tests were carried out by a reputable body , and that there would be safeguards to insure that mistakes were not made . Pardon me for saying this , but Smith , much like his predecessor , Gene Upshaw , just seems to be intent on blowing smoke up everyone’s ass , while hoping to see the subject of testing for HGH simply disappear from within the NFL’s midst ! It is unfortunate , that DeMaurice Smith should take this stance , while many of his current and retired members , are besieged with a litany of health issues, that are wide-ranging . Yet , it does appear that the union , much like the NFL hierarchy , simply operates, on the basis of collateral damage , and the fact that , the NFL is , now more about economic power , wealth and not much else beyond that !
What’s the delay in implementing an HGH testing program?
We know. We’ve heard it before. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) isn’t convinced that there is a reliable test, regardless of what anti-doping experts maintain.
Yet Major League Baseball players don’t dispute that there are valid tests, so MLB beat the NFL and its players to the punch in announcing Thursday that it will implement random, in-season blood-testing for human growth hormone.
So, despite that great photo-op on the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame 17 months ago, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith announced that the NFL would become the first U.S. pro sports league to implement HGH testing as part of a new labor deal, Major League Baseball takes the honor.
Of course, this did not go unnoticed on Capitol Hill. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which has held hearings and written letters aimed at nudging the players union toward an agreement for testing, issued a statement Thursday.
It was predictable. In part, it read, “Other professional sports leagues, including the National Football League, must also implement their own robust testing regimes. Major League Baseball’s announcement increases the pressure on the NFL and its players to deliver on pledges to conduct HGH testing made in their collective bargaining agreement that was signed (nearly) two years ago.”
There was silence on the matter from the NFL players union on Thursday, although it did mention the House Committee in its statement about findings that the late Junior Seau, who committed suicide in May, suffered from a degenerative brain condition, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The NFLPA called on Reps. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Committee, and ranking member Elijah Cummings to look into issues related to health and safety beyond HGH testing, including its desire to have independent sideline concussion experts and revisions in the workers compensation system.
MORE: Is new drug policy sufficient ?
“We hope the MLB players' union will inspire the NFLPA to stop its stalling tactics and fulfill its commitment to begin testing for HGH,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail to USA TODAY Sports. "If the NFLPA stands for player health and safety, it should follow the lead of the MLB players union and end the delay."
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The commissioner simply glosses over those pertinent issues , only heighten the league’s ongoing economic growth, but when pressed to address the aforementioned problems that still ensnares the NFL , he is unable to give a succinct and comprehensive answer . It is almost as if , Roger Goodell , does not care , just as long as he believes his image remains intact , while still being able to cling to power. It is at this juncture , that the fans must ask , do we not deserve a great deal more from the NFL as paying customers and loyal fans ? Your thoughts on this ?
What if anything , has stood out for you , this NFL season ? And how do you see the AFC and NFC championship games playing out as a scenario ? Furthermore , what are you hopes during the off-season for your respective team or teams , by way of a change in their fortunes ? Chime in on this , and anything else you believe to be pertinent on the subject matter .
(1) Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks during a news conference at the team’s practice facility in Owings Mills, Md., Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. The Ravens are scheduled to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game on Sunday. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) …..
(2) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis , left, watches as Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning calls a play at the line of scrimmage against the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter of an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game , Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, in Denver. The Ravens would go on to defeat the Broncos 38-35 in overtime . AP Photo/Charlie Riedel ….
(3) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis shakes hands Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) after the Ravens won 38-35 in overtime of an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, in Denver. Lewis , a perennial Pro Bowl player , made the formal announcement statement that this would be his last season with the Ravens , with the intent of retiring at the culmination of the team’s postseason foray . AP Photo/Jack Dempsey …
(4) New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick waves to spectators following an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. The Patriots defeated the Texans 41-28 . AP Photo/Elise Amendola …
(5) San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) ,after Kaepernick’s 56-yard touchdown run , against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game in San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. AP Photo/Ben Margot …..
(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach , Greg Schiano ,left, is seen here with the team’s GM , Mark Dominik at the franchise’s training facility , One Buc Place .. The two members within the franchise’s hierarchy have come to the conclusion that incumbent starting quarterback , Josh Freeman is now in need of stiff competition , if the team , is indeed to get better . Last season proved to be amongst the least successful for the former ….. Kansas St quarterback . Drafted 17th overall in the in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers , Freeman’s struggles have been well chronicled in the local and press . It would appear that 2012 , seems to be the year which things have come to a head , with Greg Schiano now at his wit’s end concerning his starting quarterback . Tampa Bay Times / Scott Hughes …
(7) Martin Mayhew , left , Detroit Lions’ general manager , is seen here with the team’s head coach Jim Schwartz , on the sidelines of regular season game played at Ford Field , in Detroit , Michigan. Having made the postseason in 2011 , the team fell back to earth , with disastrous thud finishing at the bottom of the pile within the NFC North , with a 4-12 record in 2012. Many were surprised that Schwartz retained his position with the franchise , but Chairman , William Clay Ford Jr and the general manager were in agreement that Jim Schwartz should be asked to return for next season. Detroit Free News / Daniel Mears ….
(8) NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell , left is seen here alongside NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith , as each wait to address to members of the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee , up on Capitol Hill , Washington DC , in October of 2010. The pair , were also joined by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig , MLBPA Executive Director , Michael Weiner , David Stern of the NBA , as well as Gary Bettman of the NHL . The congressional committee convened a hearing to address the issue of performance enhancing drugs within four major professional sports . However , senior members of the committee took umbrage with both Goodell and Smith , and their reluctance to enact their initiative , which had been ratified by the NFLPA in 2010, to start testing for the use HGH (human growth hormone) by the NFL players . Three years later and the NFL is no closer to starting their testing protocols , whereas baseball has begun testing not only HGH , but a wide substances by MLB , but also designated a felony , wherein , a player is known to have obtained such a substance without medical approval and that of a prescription by a licensed medical professional , specifically for medical use. AP REUTERS / David Rogers …..
it was revealed before the Sunday afternoon kickoff, that Colts’ assistant head coach, Bruce Arians had suddenly taken ill , having collapsed in his hotel room , suffering from dizziness and nausea . Considering, the health issues that befell Chuck Pagano earlier on , with his recovery from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma , having undergone several rounds of debilitating chemotherapy .One has to wonder, if this was simply a rather unjust way of getting back at the Colts after their on-field success this season?
From 2-14 in 2011 , to double-digit wins and a postseason berth in 2012 , to alongside the exhilarating play of Andrew Luck and his teammates . What no one would be in doubt with , was that Ravens’ veteran linebacker , Ray Lewis was not about to let this game be his final swan song with the Baltimore Ravens . Over his illustrious career, Lewis has racked up accolades, the way, Warren Buffett has seen his wealth grow immensely . Lewis has the respect of his peers, past and present , as well a great many number of fans across the NFL landscape. And while he made the formal announcement stating that this would be his last season in the NFL , I seriously doubt that Ray Lewis’ wish was to ride off into the sunset, with a postseason loss to the upstart Indianapolis Colts .
The Colts did their leveled best to keep this game close , but errant plays , missed opportunities , and as I alluded to , the lack postseason experience , with only a few such veterans on the roster who could provide a minutiae of what was sought , Indianapolis would in the end come up short , on the wrong side of a 24-9 loss to their AFC counterparts .
As a New England Patriots’ (12-4) fan, simply knowing that they had garnered a top two seeding in the AFC was enough of respite knowing that the team’s defense still remains a work in progress, this late into the season . Now, far be it, for me to suggest, that Bill Belichick , a defensive “guru” , simply does know what he is doing , but at times there does seem to be a reason to his madness and that of his coaching staff . As to what that might be , only the venerable head coach and his staff would clearly know what that might be .
The Patriots will host the Houston Texans . This will be the second successive season, in which the Texans have made the postseason . For Texans’ quarterback, Matt Schaub , he will be given the chance to redeem himself after the team’s lopsided 42-14 defeat in week fourteen to their venerable AFC East counterparts. And much of the hype that surrounded the Texans during the early part of the season wasn’t at all justified , as the team came into the final five games of the regular season , going 2-3 in those scheduled match-ups . Hardly, what one consider to be noteworthy for a franchise with Superbowl aspirations. And though one can’t really put much store in one game , I do feel however, if you gauge that by looking at the series between the two combatants , it can at times provide us with something of an indicator , as to how these games can go !
The Houston Texans have proven to be a formidable force this season , and as one of the three best teams </u in the AFC from a record and offensive standpoint , it is easy to understand why the team was seen and remains as such, one of the favorites within the conference for the Superbowl. Running backs , Arian Foster , Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead , should be able to provide the fans in attendance at Gillette Stadium , in Foxborough , Massachusetts with a great spectacle in terms of a running game . A stern test of both defenses will be part of the recipe , in what is hoped to be a scintillating game . If there is a victor to come out of this match-up , then it will be all predicated upon time of possession , and whomever controls the ball in that specific category will come away the winner , in this divisional round duel.
I don’t know that there will be a more highly anticipated game this upcoming weekend , than the prospective match-up between the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons ! For a seventh round draft pick (2012 NFL Draft) , Russell Wilson might just prove to be the invaluable and prophetic player taken that late in the NFL Draft over the past decade , since Tom Brady as was drafted by the Patriots a sixth rounder in the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots . As we know Brady’s career has been illuminated by his on-field accomplishments , his career earnings , estimated wealth , conservatively said to be between $75 million to $120 million , and the fact that he and Peyton Manning might just be the most marketable players in the NFL, and that is with the idiocy that surrounds the “marketing” of Tim Tebow , as one of the “up and coming faces “ within the NFL ! Affability as a sales’ tool when it comes to consumer branding and marketing amongst heterosexual males , might just rank up there alongside using Clay Aiken as the next spokesperson for Louis Vuitton. It just doesn’t work .
In a game that will see Matt Ryan , of the Atlanta Falcons , once again try to get off the “Schneid” in terms of garnering his first postseason victory in what will be his fourth attempt indicates the struggles the player has in terms of his postseason performances . Ryan , forever the consummate professional is a great regular season performer , yet all of his troubles tend to arise in the postseason. As to whether or not he will be able to lead the Atlanta Falcons past a self-confident and driven Seahawks’ team , well that remains to be seen .
Russell Wilson’s accomplishments this season have simply been extraordinary, and the very fact that he joined Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin as the only rookies to have taken their respective franchises into the playoffs in their very first season, speaks volumes as their play. What cannot be denied in 2012 , and it is that we may well have seen the best year amongst NFL rookie quarterbacks in well over a decade .
And for the Broncos they now have a home date with the Baltimore Ravens , to be played at Sports Authority Field , in Denver , Colorado ,. The two teams met earlier in the season , in week fifteen , with the Colts coming away with a 34-17 victory over their conference rivals . It was very much a game , that pivoted around the proficiency of both offenses and defenses during a great deal of the scheduled match-up between these two teams. For quarterbacks Peyton Manning and the Ravens’ Joe Flacco , this should be an event , that will provide us with an aerial assault , as well as , a great deal of productivity on the ground , by way of a running game from both the Colts and the Ravens.
Getting beyond the travails of Alex Smith , for whom consistency has been worrisome , considering over the course of his career, it wasn’t until 2011 that we saw some growth , maturity and leadership from the seven-year veteran quarterback, drafted out of Utah State as the # overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. With Smith’s regression in 2012 , it has been his backup Colin Kaepernick , who has stepped to the fore to take this Niners’ team into the postseason. Head coach Jim Harbaugh , had shown all the faith he had in Smith , but once the player became injured , he was left with the backup , Colin Kaepernick. He has grasped that opportunity and relished being the incumbent starting quarterback . On Saturday , we will get the chance to see Kaepernick make his first postseason start and assuage his progress as player within the ranks ranks of the NFL .
What , if anything , has been the most surprising to you , in terms of the playoff games that have taken place ? And in the divisional round of the postseason , what do you hope to see from the teams participating at that juncture? Chime in, on this, and anything else you believe to be pertinent to the subject matter .
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(1) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis celebrates after an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, in Baltimore. Lewis has said he will retire at the end of the season, and the Ravens won 24-9 . AP Photo/Gail Burton …
(2) Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) runs with the ball and gets away from Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman (50) , for a 47 yard gain , during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, in Baltimore. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky …
(3) New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski faces reporters in the team’s locker room at Gillette Stadium following NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday in an AFC divisional playoff game . AP Photo/Steven Senne …
(4) Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) reacts to throwing an interception to Cincinnati Bengals’ Leon Hall during the second quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. Left is Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins . AP Photo/Dave Einsel …
(5) Denver Broncos coach John Fox , left, and quarterback Peyton Manning (18) watch from the sidelines against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Denver. Denver won 38-3 . AP Photo/Joe Mahoney ….
(6) Head coach Jim Harbaugh talks to Colin Kaepernick (7) of the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Candlestick Park on November 19, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images North America / Thomas W Henderson …
(7) Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson waves as he leaves the field after an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. The Seahawks defeated the Redskins 24-14 . AP Photo/Matt Slocum …
So much was made of the IPO (initial public offering) for the social media platform company Facebook . The investment banks and venture capital institutions were not only singing the company founder’s praises , that Mark Zuckerberg , who was heralded and thought of as the Steve Jobs of this modern era. Instead, what we are now finding out is that this company is built like a deck of cards . All that is needed for this all to come falling down, is one seismic and volatile shift in the market by institutional investors and that whole piece of crap comes tumbling down . In the time it that it took the initial-public-offering to be gobbled up and non-too successfully I might add , the share price has dropped in excess of 35 % of its original tender offer with the market capitalization of the company being devalued in excess of 60% . And that in turn, that has led to hundreds of millions of dollars being wiped off the shareholders’ stakes and investment portfolios. Beyond the advertising revenues does anyone truly comprehend how Facebook makes its money? Not only that but the company continues to alienate many of its subscribers by way of the changes made and what appears to be the surreptitious means by which they collect and disseminate much of the personal information it gathers .
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Public companies , are no more secretive than that of a private enterprise , albeit that both are asked to operate under differing standards. However, what should not be delineated from are the matters of ethics and the morals of the executives who preside of these companies. The criteria set by the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) in order to denote a public company that is traded on the NYSE , is that it should have at a minimum 500 shareholders , be they private or institutional stakeholders.
Consider, the NFL, and that of its franchises/teams, and the way that it operates. Led by a commissioner , in this case Roger Goodell , whose appointment has to be approved by its hierarchy , essentially a body that is made up of the league’s 32 team owners . What the fans have now come to find out, has been the very fact that the league shows no transparency with which it operates . Back-door , secretive negotiations and the very fact that the NFL cajoles municipalities to undertake greater financial burdens as a way blackmailing those very cities and ensuring its retention within those markets . I have read some rather asinine slant on why professional sports franchises benefits a community and the additional revenues they bring to a municipality. In large part that is true but what is not clearly stated , has been the way these agreements between those cities and a hierarchy can be so slanted to favor that sporting body , rather than it being a shared responsibility by the parties concerned . Case in point, with the turn of events within the Minnesota state legislature , it now guarantees that the state will have to bear the vast majority of the financial burden in building the new stadium that will house the state’s only NFL franchise . Somehow, from being a staunch opponent of using public funds to finance the almost $1.3 billion venture for the Minnesota Vikings , state governor Mark Dayton has acquiesced and signed into law a bill , that will lead to the financing of a new stadium . How this is all viewed in the eyes of the state’s residents while the Minnesota , itself, staves off financial ruination , having ran up budget deficits in excess of $5 billion ($5,000,000,000) does seem somewhat ridiculous. State employees are either being laid off , furloughed or simply being asked to work but at a reduced pay scale . Oh, these politicians on both sides of the political aisle, simply too f##king stupid for their own good ! Vikings’ team owner , Zygi Wilf comes up smelling of roses , even if in large part, he and his partners will only have to fund this deal with no more than $200 million of their own money to facilitate the building of the new structure . WTF!
Is there now really any need to go over the event leading up the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal ? Other than to suggest that both league and NFL franchise , have seen their images damaged irrefutably beyond repair . No one ultimately comes out of this situation looking good. Certainly not anyone, within the front office of the Saints’ organization, including team owner, Tom Benson, the coaching and entire playing staff. And for the owner , I have to wonder at times whether not he is truly cognizant of what it happening within his very midst .
The upheaval that has taken place with coaching , player , executive suspensions and the loss of draft picked as adjudicated by Roger Goodell , has done little to quell this situation. Goodell , could still find himself on the wrong end of a legal suit if things still play themselves out as they currently are . The league has offered an olive branch to Jonathan Vilma , whose lawsuit filed against the NFL and the commissioner as the two lead defendants in his defamation lawsuit , has me wondering how the hell did things get this far . Is there no common sense to be now found from anyone within the NFL , at this present moment in time ? The NFL commissioner has simply sought to sell the league as a money-making enterprise , with little concern for anything else , other than the billions it derives by way of its numerous commercial ventures and the television deals , that with each passing contract sees those values appreciate while the on-field talent becomes more diluted and mediocre.
The divergent paths taken by the Minnesota Vikings over the past five years indicates what can happen when you have no real idea what the hell you are doing . Last season the Vikings were an eyesore both on and off the field of play. At 3-13 , the words ___ “can be considered dangerous to one’s heath” had to be applicable to head coach , Leslie Frazier’s — team . I am not saying that the Vikings were bad but if there was an award offered by the NFL for futility , then the franchise would clearly be the runaway winners of the accolade .In 2012, it rings in a new chapter for the franchise, as they seek to re-address their problems of last year. The “ only way is up” as they say , and the distance that this team now has to travel is almost as wide as the Sargasso Sea . Everything this season as it relates to the Vikings will have to go through the Green Bay Packers , and that premise is also applicable to the Chicago Bears . I’m sorry but as long as Aaron Rodgers is breathing and is six feet above ground , then the more difficult the task becomes for both the Bears and Minnesota Vikings to topple that team (Packers) .
Christian Ponder will be entrusted with the quarterback duties duties for the team in 2012, and I might hasten to add that although he has shown some poise in a number games played , he still remains a long way off from where Leslie Frazier and the coaching staff desires him to be . Ponder’s first test in the preseason , will be when the Vikings face the San Francisco 49ers , in Candlestick Park, San Francisco , California , this upcoming Friday . GM Rick Spielman has sought to use the franchise’s draft picks productively, in order to bolster the roster as well making a number of off-season free agency acquisitions . It should prove to be intriguing as to the progress made by Christian Ponder , as he seeks to make his claim as rising quarterback star within the NFL . A first round , twelfth pick overall from the 2011 NFL Draft , many felt that the former standout quarterback from Florida State was drafted far too high but in what might well have been an act of desperation on the path of the Minnesota Vikings , it has led the player to his present situation . Given his recent predecessors playing the quarterback position , I believe that the player cannot do any worse than the likes of Joe Webb , Tavaris Jackson , Donovan McNabb or a declining Brett Favre, during the latter stages of his career . As we know the way Favre bowed out of the NFL , was somewhat distasteful and undistinguished but these are but a few of the downsides to an otherwise phenomenal career. The biggest hurdle for the Vikings is to now engineer a swift return to full health one the NFL’s most impactful player , in running back , Adrian Peterson . As he goes , then so will this franchise over the course of this season . Anything short of Peterson not being fully fit , and you might as well count the Vikings out, as being a legitimate contender within the NFC . It has been three years since the Minnesota Vikings made an appearance in the postseason , which last came in 2009 . The team would ultimately fall to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC title game , losing 34-28 , in that now infamous match-up, that in part led to the events of the Saints’ bounty scandal.
The NFC North will not be ripe for the picking, as all roads will have to go through Lambeau Field , in Green Bay , Wisconsin , home to the Green Bay Packers . And anyone under the misapprehension that Mike McCarthy and his team are about to will lay down like lambs to the slaughter , had better think again . The secondary of the Packers were undistinguished last season, ranking near the bottom in a number of categories . And while there was no denying that the offense of the team was simply prolific , the needs of franchise rested squarely upon shoring up that porous defense . This is where GM Ted Thomson , Mike McCarthy and the coaching staff simply refocused their efforts in bolstering the roster strategically. Get the feeling that this season with the Green Bay Packers we won’t be seeing a repeat from this team defensively , as evidenced in 2011 ? Your thoughts on the matter with regard to the Packers’ defense ?
A colleague and I , were discussing the astonishing sale price of $800 million paid by a consortium in the purchase of the San Diego Padres . The family of the late Walter O’Malley and PGA Tour golfer Phil Mickelson , not only surprised the vast majority of baseball fans and MLB analysts by paying that exorbitant sum . It now leads me to believe that the game , economically , has lost all credibility ! The Padres are not the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Los Angeles Angels or Texas Rangers , for that matter . Yet somehow , a barely competitive baseball franchise in this day and age can realize almost a billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) as a sale price ? Are you kidding me ? Padres’ senior managing partners John Moores , Jeff Moorad are now laughing all the way to the bank as the recipients of this mountain of cash that will be coming their way , in the sale of the team . The deal now awaits league approval , of which I do not believe that it will be denied . Baseball (MLB) will now welcome its newest owners in the guise of Phil Mickelson and his partners .
Speaking of professional sports franchises that need to be sold ! Is it not time that the Maloofs sell their interest in the Sacramento Kings , altogether , ran than continuing to dupe their fans and city officials , who continue buy into the bull#hit that Joe and Gavin Maloof are selling ? Pardon me for saying this but at what point has bull#hit been able to look more alluring than the odor emanating from the Power Balance Arena in Sacramento ? Is there anyone actually now showing a blind bit of interest in a mismanaged and uncompetitive franchise , such as the Kings ? And for their besotted fans who yearn for years past , forget about it . As they are long gone !
Another franchise that I continue to have my doubts about , are the San Diego Chargers ! Bemoan as I might, the ineptitude continually shown by GM AJ Smith and head coach Norv Turner . I have to readily admit, nothing gives me greater pleasure concerning the NFL , than to hear the Chargers’ fans explain away their team’s woes . Think Oakland Raiders’ fan but with even less intelligence . I kid you not , the San Diego Chargers fans are now more willing to accept futility than even the fans bold enough to say that they support the Kansas City Royals . And anyone who knows of that baseball franchise’s —— ineptitude in terms of a lack of success , can argue the fact that while those fans will always point to the fact that they are building towards the future . I would question when, and where in the future are they looking towards seeking success? Chargers’ fans please take note.
Norv Turner still seems content to ride on the coat-tails of the success achieved as subordinate of famed college and NFL coach Jimmy Johnson For Turner, his professional career as an NFL coach has been filled with lean years . In terms of his tenure with the Chargers , it would not be remiss to suggest the teams in question have achieved little of notoriety during the regular or postseason . Now with the fans lamenting those woes the desperation that now encompasses the franchise has left many wondering whether or not there should be an upheaval in the hierarchy of the franchise and amongst the coaching staff .
Alex Spanos , patriarch of the family, who owns the franchise, has handed over the reins to his son, Dean Spanos . The lean years have remained the Chargers’ fan-base seems to be declining . Qualcomm Stadium, home the franchise has become a decaying structure that has long outlived its usefulness. Dean Spanos has tried to negotiate terms wherein the San Diego city council would facilitate the building of a new state of the art structure to house the franchise. Given the dire economic situation that faces the municipality as well as the entire state of California, it seems highly unlikely that either the state or the city council would finance such a venture. With the city of Los Angeles yearning for the return of an NFL franchise , it would appear that the Chargers are the most likely option for the return of football to the nation’s second most populated city and home to the second largest ad-market in the nation. Untold millions are part the trove that awaits a franchise but at what cost to a city from a financial standpoint? And therein, lays the dilemma that faces so many cities that now houses a professional sports’ franchise across the country. Do they use the resources of their cities to facilitate the needs of multimillionaires and billionaires , especially in light of so many state , county and municipal agencies facing budgetary deficits . There are currently twenty-three cities within the state of California facing a budgetary crunch , with at least 7 , who are said to be considering declaring bankruptcy (Chapter 9) . Care to now hazard a guess as to the financial plight of the city of Los Angles and that of the state of California ? Well you would be correct in guessing that the finances of both are so acute, that neither Los Angeles city Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa or Governor Jerry Brown has a god-damn clue , as to how best to address those issues .
Whether not San Diego Chargers is relocated to the greater Los Angeles city area must be a decision left in the hands of the Spanos family. Their biggest concern has to be immediacy of this season and how this team goes about acquitting themselves during their 2012 schedule . For Philip Rivers , in his eighth season with the franchise , it has proven to be a career filled with highs and lows . The quarterback taken as the fourth pick overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Chargers . Much of what we have witnessed by this organization over the years has to be one of amazement , as to why this franchise simply continues to come up short when it matters most.
The first test facing the Chargers as they embark upon their quest in 2012 , will be to get through their preseason schedule . They will play hosts to the Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego , California , on Friday 9th August , 2012. Though the preseason is not often thought to be competitive , this will give the Chargers’ rookies a chance to prove themselves to their new employers . And for players such as Melvin Ingram, Kendall Reyes , Brandon Taylor, LaDarius Green, Johnnie Troutman , David Molk and Edwin Baker , this now becomes their “baptism of fire”. For Norv Turner and the embattled AJ Smith , this may well be the last chance for the duo to prove their worth to the Chargers’ fans and NFL at large .
Which of the salient points within this article do you believe raises an issue which in your opinion best gives credence as to what we ought to expect from the NFL this upcoming season ? By all means simply leave a comment as you see fit and thanks as always for the continued support of this site.
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(1) Mark Zuckerberg , CEO & co-founder of social media platform of Facebook.com. The tech phenom has seen the market capitalization of the company drop precipitously , with $4.5 billion being wiped off the estimated $15.75 billion personal fortune of Zuckerberg. AP Photo/ Kris Patton …….
(2) Christian Ponder (7) of the Minnesota Vikings passes against the Houston Texans in the first half on September 1, 2011 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hannah Foslien / Getty Images North America ….
(3) SAN DIEGO, CA – AUGUST 8: Will Venable (25) of the San Diego Padres hits an RBI double during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on August 8, 2012 in San Diego, California. The Padres would go on to defeat the Cubs 2-0 . Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images …
(4) FILE – This May 29, 2012 file photo shows San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers warming up during NFL football training in San Diego. The Chargers have missed the postseason for two straight seasons and have one playoff win in the last four years. That victory came in a 23-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the wildcard round of the 2008 NFL Playoffs . AP Photo/Gregory Bull …..
It came as no real surprise to see the Denver Broncos’ story come to an abrupt end with the team losing in such an embarrassing fashion. Hobbled by an ineffective performance by Tim Tebow the Broncos were behind the “eight ball ” right from the start. The team’s offense was woefully inept with there being very little evidence to suggest that Tebow’s growth as a <a href=”http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/stats/byposition?pos=QB&conference=NFL&year=season_2011&sort=timeframe=ToDate&old_category=QB”> quarterback in the NFL is said to be heading in the right direction . Poor </</aadecision making and the very fact that the player scurrying around losing yardage for the team disengaged any advantage that John Fox and his coaching staff might have hoped from this game. On the wrong side of a 45-10 loss says a lot about the Denver Broncos and the very fact that their season as thrilling as it may well have appeared that 8-8 record simply mirrors what this team actually happens to be . And that it is a franchise , who over achieved purely from the fact that its division is extremely poor !
With the abrupt departures of both the number one and three seeds within the NFC with both the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints seeing their postseason forays completely go up in smoke . For coaches Mike McCarthy and Sean Payton they may well view this all as a reason of immense disappointment . And in Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers you have two quarterbacks who lit up the statistical charts throughout the regular and postseason . Call me naive but you have to find it astounding that the conference’s two best players at the position this regular season now happen to find themselves sitting on the sidelines along with their teammates after the most improbable of events that transpired this past weekend .
As an avid New England Patriots’ fan this match-up against the Baltimore Ravens has all the makings of a titanic battle between two teams with a great deal to prove . In the case of the Patriots it is simply to say to the naysayers ……….” we are back and we never actually left ” . For the Ravens for this team in their current guise it is their last chance for the likes of seasoned veterans Ray Lewis , Terrell Suggs , Ed Reed and Bryant McKinnie to add to their legacy . This quartet may not be fortuitous enough to make an appearance in the Superbowl at this stage of their already voluminous careers. Well that would be most definitely be the case for Suggs, Reed and Lewis given their resume`s and the numerous Pro Bowl appearances by the trio along with Bryant McKinnie .
Bill Belichick looking to make another appearance win the Superbowl , his fifth with the franchise as a coach knows that great deal is expected of this team as they prepare to host the Ravens. For much of the season the talk has been of the effectiveness of the team’s offense and how explosive it has been over the course of the regular season . Led by Tom Brady , with the productivity of tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski the Patriots have now added a new dimension to their offense . But that in of-itself clearly does not define this team but a great deal has been made of the fact that the defense of the roster still remains its’ Achilles’ heel .
It’s pretty much safe to say that this game between the Patriots should have all the makings of being an instantaneous classic in the making. We have come to know what to expect of the New England Patriots but for the Ravens although this isn’t uncharted territory Joe Flacco has a great deal to prove . Granted , this postseason the Baltimore Ravens acquitted themselves well in their dispatching of the Houston Texans in a game which was far from being thoroughly convincing on the part of the Ravens . The players on that Baltimore Ravens’ team know that they can ill afford to take this game lightly so it will be imperative for them to get off to a fast start and for their defense to essentially keep that Patriots’ offense off the field for as long as is humanly possible during this game. .
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It is not extremely difficult to understand how the New Orleans Saints succumbed to the San Francisco 49ers. Having a prolific offense is one thing but to my mind it was simply the complacency shown by Sean Payton’s … team that led to their demise in the waning moment of the game between the two teams , which now sees the 49ers vying to the NFC representative in the upcoming Superbowl . All of those who are said to be in awe of the Packers and Saints must now be wondering what the hell is going on within the NFL . All the hype in the world concerning two teams that seemed to be on the path to setting up a prospective game that the vast majority of NFL might have envisaged seeing . But such a premise can be now be overlooked as neither the Packers or will be a part of the NFC championship game.
For coach Tom Coughlin the chance to lead this team to another Superbowl triumph and join a select group of coaches to have won multiple Superbowls with the same franchise . At the start of the New York Giants’ season and through to just beyond its midway point there will still questions being bandied about as to whether or not Coughlin would survive bearing in mind the mid to late season meltdowns the franchise had now come to be known for over the last three years . Instead having suffered that regular season 38-35 loss to the Packers the team simply rallied around their coach and strung together a series of victories that gathered momentum and placed the Giants on the their present path. Anyone now considering to write off the team might need to now reconsider that prospect in light of the team’s defeat of the Green Bay Packers . That victory itself blew a hole in the whole in the theory that the Packers were on their way to successfully defending their title .
A possible rematch between the New England Patriots and New York Giants now seems to be in the offing and it would appear to be the most appealing of the possibilities on offer to the fans . But that premise would be based on the mere thought that both the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens are simply prepared to lay down while both the Giants and Patriots march on to their prospective return of unfinished business . Something that I fully believe would wet the appetite of a a number of NFL fans !
Over the course of this NFL postseason and specifically the divisional round which result if anything was of the biggest surprise to you ? And of the four teams now remaining duo do you ultimately see playing in the Superbowl to be staged at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indiana , Indianapolis . Simply leave a comment as you deem fit and thanks as always for the continued support !
(1) Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak listens to a question during a news conference Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Houston. The Texans season ended Sunday after losing to the Baltimore Ravens 20-13 . Photo/David J. Phillip ….
(2) BALTIMORE, MD – JANUARY 15: Ed Reed (20) of the Baltimore Ravens intercepts a pass intended for Andre Johnson (80) of the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter of the AFC Divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 15, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Texans 20-13 . Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images …
(3) New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton talks to media during his season-ending news conference at their NFL football training facility in Metairie, La., Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert ….
(4) FOXBORO, MA – JANUARY 14: Rob Gronkowski ( 87) of the New England Patriots celebrates by spiking the ball after he scored a 12-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots would end up defeating the Broncos 45-10 . Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images …….. ….
(5) Frank Gore (21) of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter of the NFC Divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park on January 14, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images ….
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Tebow Failed To Deliver Manner From Heaven …Now What ?
By tophatal ……
In what was no doubt meant to be a game of historic proportions because the burden of expectation placed upon the shoulders of Tim Tebow when he and the Denver Broncos were guests of the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs . In front of a sold out crowd and a national television audience of millions , fans witnessed what certainly was an exciting game . But the suspense the fans had hoped for simply wasn’t there . .
Given the exploits of Tebow and the Broncos in their earlier victory (29-23) over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wildcard round there was no denying that the fans had expected more of the same from the Broncos’ quarterback . Instead they saw a display from Tim Tebow that in essence may well one of the worst of young his young professional career in the NFL . Straight out of the box you simply knew that the Denver Broncos would be having problems with this prolific Patriots’ offense .
In what can only be described as a game littered with errors most notably by the Broncos’ quarterback we clearly saw that Tim Tebow in spite of his faith is clearly learning his craft as he goes . Whether or not the Broncos’ front office can continue along this path John Elway and Brian Xanders may well pursue another direction in terms of a proven quarterback . Whether or not it is a prospective free agent or any one of the college quarterbacks who have declared for the 2012 NFL Draft .
The two opposing head coaches Bill Belichick and John Fox with their track records had their teams prepared to play but for the Denver Broncos this was to be their last taste of the big time exposure . The fans of the Broncos in awe of Tim Tebow’s exploits now must look to the organization’s future and whether or not it is with their quarterback at the helm of this team . As faithful and loyal as these fans have been surely they must now realize that while the player was at times inspired it was his failure to show adjust under pressure when his team was facing a deficit , as they were in this game . This game was essentially over by the end of the first half as the Patriots had already registered 35 points on the scoreboard .
And if there was a doubt about the New England Patriots’ defense, then today the secondary simply stepped up their game and showed that when called upon they there to answer the call. Tom Brady already no stranger to the postseason simply made this game an exhibition of in terms of his craft . With tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski simply taking their games to another level in what ought to have been a game of two highly competitive teams. Brady went off the charts as he threw for 6 touchdowns in the game (in regulation) tying the postseason record of Daryle Lamonica whose exploits are well-known to the Los Angeles Raiders’ fans .
Now one could surmise that this really was Tebow’s baptism of fire because his exploits against the Pittsburgh Steelers though exciting he was never truly placed under any great pressure by the Steelers’ secondary during that wildcard round game . Granted , the one event that simply stood out was his eighty yard strike to DeMaryius Thomas in overtime that ended the game and sent the raucous Broncos’ fans into ecstasy .
Tom Brady may well have played a terrific game but Rob Gronkowski and performance ( 10 rec’s , 145 yds, 3TD’s [ 14.5 yd avg. ]2) stood out in so many ways . If the New England Patriots can keep up this momentum when they host either the Baltimore Ravens or Houston Texans in the AFC championship game to played on 22nd January , 2012 . This was very much a collective performance by the Patriots and it may well be seen as vindication and some cases as a form of retribution of sorts with the fact that Josh McDaniels was on the sidelines for the team as their offensive coordinator with Bill O’Brien having accepted the position at Penn State .
In terms of the aspirations of the Denver Broncos and their totally unexpected run in the postseason alongside their improbable win of the AFC West . Given the poor play within the division by it is simply another thing to really expect the Denver Broncos to go deep into the playoffs . As good as they were , their postseason heroics while exciting this team was simply anemic in terms of its offensive output during the playoffs and much of that must rest squarely upon the shoulders of Tim Tebow.
New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft having been through an emotional off-season with the loss of his late wife Myra Kraft and being at the forefront of the league hierarchy’s efforts as the face of the team owners during those rather labored negotiations with the NFLPA . He can now seek solace from this victory as the team and organization now embark upon another chase for a fourth Superbowl title .
As an avid Patriots’ fan this victory to my mind was inevitable because I felt that the longer the Broncos’ run was maintained during the postseason the more inclined it was for the wheels on the Tebow bus to have a flat ! His erratic and sometimes inspired play would eventually find a way to catch up with him . If the coaching staff (quarterbacks’ coach Adam Gase) of the Broncos simply cannot make this player understand the nuances of the game without then he simply becomes a liability for the whole organization . It became abundantly clear that during this game that once the New England Patriots pulled out to a wide lead in this game , it became inevitable that the Broncos and in particular their fans saw that the curtain was being brought down upon their show. I would like to think that the Broncos can possibly be a legitimate contender within the AFC but much of that must be now be predicated upon whether or not Tim Tebow remains in the future plans of John Elway and Brian Xanders . At this juncture no one really knows , albeit that from an economic standpoint the player has been the needle that has driven the upswing in revenues for the franchise and that has to be something that entire front office as well as team owner Pat Bowlen has to be thinking about .
What were your impressions of this game in terms of the performances of the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots ? And how do you see the future of Tim Tebow panning out ? Will he be a part of the Broncos’ future or quite possibly do you see him playing for another NFL franchise next season ? Leave a comment as you see fit .
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Picture and slide show details below.
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(1) FOXBORO, MA – JANUARY 14: Rob Gronkowski (#87) of the New England Patriots celebrates by spiking the ball after he scored a 12-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images …
(2) (2) Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots would defeat the Denver Broncos 45-10 and now await the winner of the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans for the right to be the AFC championship representative in the Superbowl ( SBXLVI) . Elsa /Getty Images ……..
(3) Tim Tebow (15) of the Denver Broncos is sacked by Shaun Ellis (94) of the New England Patriots during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images ….
(4) Demaryius Thomas (88) of the Denver Broncos is tackled by Dane Fletcher (52) of the New England Patriots during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images …….
(5) Tim Tebow (15) of the Denver Broncos kneels and prayers with teammates and members of the New England Patriots after the Patriots won 45-10 during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images …. ….
(6) (6) Tim Tebow (15) of the Denver Broncos walks on the sideline against the New England Patriots during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images …
(7) Stevan Ridley (22) of the New England Patriots runs with the ball against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images … ….
(8) Tim Tebow (15) of the Denver Broncos congratulates Vince Wilfork (75) of the New England Patriots after the Patriots won 45-10 during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images …..
(9) Tim Tebow (15) of the Denver Broncos congratulates head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots after the Patriots won 45-10 during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images … ……
(10) Tebow does only “win” on Sunday because God’s eyes were watching him then . Any other day he’s simply disinterested ! A New England Patriots fan holds up a sign during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. AP Photo/Stephan Savoia ….
He’ll Be Damned If He Does And Damned If He Doesn’t …. !
By tophatal ……
It will most certainly be the most anticipated game in NFL postseason history in recent years when the New England Patriots play hosts to the Denver Broncos at Gillette Stadium , in Foxboro’ , Massachusetts , this upcoming Saturday . The the eagerly anticipated match-up brings together one hero looking to set himself apart and further define his heroics of the regular season as well as this postseason . That’s what many of us hope that we may well see from Tim Tebow while his counterpart Tom Brady will seek to do what so many other opposing quarterbacks have failed to in recent weeks against the player . And that is to <b< win a defining game with some ease while playing to their very own strengths. From my own perspective I felt that far too many of the opposing coaches who faced the Denver Broncos this season were lulled into that false sense of security by simply underestimating the Tim Tebow’s zeal to win ! Instead of attacking the player’s weaknesses they simply allowed him to gain confidence during the games in question.
To add further intrigue to this all , with Patriots’ team owner Robert Kraft and the front office granting their blessing, the team’s offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will be leaving to the organization to become the new head coach of Penn State . With that turn of events New England’s head coach Bill Belichick has rehired his former assistant and one time head coach of the Denver Broncos Josh McDaniels . Nothing says …. ironic , than this specific and most certainly deliberate of actions by the Patriots’ head coach . If you simply want to get ahead , then why not hire the guy who was John Fox’s predecessor . Asides from that , McDaniels was also the coach who made the gamble of drafting Tim Tebow in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft which at the time many people had began to question . In spite of it all , with his detractors the quarterback despite the many flaws in his game has now become the unsung hero and an inspiration to many across the nation , as well to the now passionate Denver Broncos’ fans.
Clearly with so much at stake , with the winner moving on to the AFC championship game neither team at this juncture can be complacent . Most certainly not the New England Patriots , who will no doubt be viewed as the oddsmakers’ favorite in this game. The one resounding flaw that has plagued Bill Belichick’s team this season has been the inconsistency of the defense which has been mirrored repeatedly throughout the course of the season as they have remained seated in the bottom half of this specific category within the NFL . If this game should remain close in the dying moments of regulation then it would not surprise me at all to see the Denver Broncos pull of a major upset by derailing the Patriots’ ambition of hosting the AFC championship game ! Tebow and the likes of Willis McGahee , DeMaryius Thomas and the rest of the Broncos’ players after their exploits against the Pittsburgh Steelers would like nothing better than to blow the lid off the Patriots’ panache`.
Now while many will continue to mock and deplore the defense of the New England Patriots you simply cannot deny the explosive offensive capabilities of the team . With so many weapons at his disposal Tom Brady should be able to carve away at what can be at times a rather stingy Broncos’ defense . The likes of Justin Edelman , Aaron Hernandez , Danny Woodhead , Rob Gronkowski and Benjarvus Green-Ellis have to be looking forward to facing their AFC counterparts at Gillette Stadium . If not , then why the hell bother to turn up for such an important event ?
Now a great deal has been asked of Tim Tebow this season and whether or not you are in agreement with the assumptions and other prognostications made , there will be continued questions as to whether or not the player has what it takes to be a successful quarterback within this league (NFL) . Granted , his year long statistics don’t seem to mirror what he has achieved as a player for the team , which is simply to go out there and win . And clearly with the Denver Broncos somehow having won the AFC West not necessarily by default but to my mind the divisional title was simply gifted to them by the woeful ineptitude shown by the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs , San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders , The latter of whom for some thought or another has seen fit to fire head coach Hue Jackson for some inexplicable reason that escapes me completely ! But that’s simply another story for another day , as trying to explain that move would be like trying to count the infinitesimal amounts of grains of sand that can be found on a beach . Way too complicated and boring an exercise to undertake at this moment in time ! . Better yet try to find a passionate Oakland Raiders’ fan to explain that mea-culpa by the Raiders’ front office ? Chances are , they’re just as befuddled by team owner Mark Davis’ decision as the rest of us are . And you know what …… it would not surprise me if the organization were to announce that they are about to rehire Jon Gruden to take over coaching the team ! The former Raiders’ coach may well have been sitting on the sidelines whilst in the employ of ESPN and who at this juncture is still being paid by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . What better way than for Gruden to make his :”big splash” and ” comeback” to the NFL than to once again take the reins of the organization that he actually set on the right direction before abruptly leaving due to his differences with the late Al Davis .
I am sure at this juncture Broncos’ President of Football Operations John Elway and team GM Brian Xanders couldn’t be happier men . At the same time team owner Pat Bowlen has to be feeling mightily pleased with himself ,albeit , that having fired Josh McDaniels , he may well of been of the opinion as to whether or not Tim Tebow was worth retaining on the team’s roster . Well given the stark contrast between what Tebow’s predecessor Kyle Orton was able to achieve and the incumbent’s quarterback’s own rise to the top of the NFL water cooler topics of interest . I would say that no one at this juncture could be happier than the members of the Denver Broncos’ front office ! Needless to say , should the Broncos lose Sunday’s game then Tim Tebow’s detractors will be saying ………. ” I told you so ” ! At the same time it is not as if Tebow is earning a king’s ransom while leading the team to what appears to be improbable success over the course of the season . The Denver Broncos at present are in a win , win , situation , no matter which way you care to dissect this argument .
Josh McDaniels for his part will be asked to bring whatever insight he can as to the inner workings of the Denver Broncos and the team’s overall strategies and tendencies . Things will most certainly have changed since he was relieved of his duties . Either the former Broncos’ head coach has something up his sleeve to surprise his former employer or he is simply back within the fold with the New England Patriots because no one else was vying for his services . At this juncture much of that will now be down to pure conjecture and speculation .
As for John Fox he is a seasoned NFL head coach who knows what it takes to make a playoff caliber team . That being said at the core of this squad is a very young roster with some seasoned veterans there to keep this vessel afloat with their leadership qualities . And that is where the likes of Brian Dawkins , .. Champ Bailey , Elvis Dumervil and Willis McGahee will come into play. If they can lead by example with Tim Tebow simply playing what one hopes will be an error free game on his part then this match-up could prove to be far more thrilling than many of us would have believed . If not , then look for the New England Patriots to simply make it clear that the Broncos’ exploits with Tebow at the helm must now come to an end .
Josh McDaniels and Tim Tebow will be as such be the central characters in this weekend’s yet to unfold drama and I would dare say that each has a great deal to prove . In the case of Tebow it will be to once again prove his doubter wrong . Whereas , for McDaniels it will simply be about payback even in light of his character flaws during his brief tenure as the Denver Broncos’ head coach . Spygate II brought to courtesy of Josh McDaniels and a Broncos’ team video-grapher , goes to show that the apple simply didn’t fall that far from the tree ! And that is in spite of the denials of any wrongdoing on the part of the then Broncos’ coach . There were a number of patrons within this forum who suggested to me that the practice of taping the signals of the opposing team wasn’t widespread around the NFL ? It is being done repeatedly but we tend to only hear about the idiots who get caught ! Never mind the fact that the league hierarchy tends to punish with impunity those they seek fit to in order that their actions are seen as a deterrent to others .
( By clicking on an individual frame you can view that picture in its original formatted size ) Picture gallery for your perusal .
How do you as a fan see this AFC match-up being played out in front of a national television audience as well as those in attendance at Gillette Stadium , in Foxboro’ , Massachusetts ? Simply leave a comment as to your thoughts on the subject matter and that of the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
(1) Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) watches a drill during practice, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Englewood, Colo. The Broncos are scheduled to play an NFL divisional playoff football game against the New England Patriots on Saturday, Jan. 14th 2012. AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez …
(2) Denver Broncos’ D.J. Williams (55) and Champ Bailey (24) head into practice, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Englewood, Colo. The Broncos are scheduled to play an NFL divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots on Saturday, Jan. 14. AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez ………
(3) (3) Denver Broncos head coach John Fox heads into practice, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Englewood, Colo. The Broncos are scheduled to play an NFL divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots on Saturday, Jan. 14. AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez …..
(4) New England Patriots quarterbacks Tom Brady, left, and Brian Hoyer , right, talk while performing field drills during a team practice at the NFL football team’s facility, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots are scheduled to play the Denver Broncos in an AFC divisional playoff game Saturday, Jan. 14 in Foxborough. AP Photo/Steven Senne ….
(5) New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick enters a media availability at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. New England takes on the Denver Broncos in an NFL divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 14. AP Photo/Winslow Townson …..
(6) New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, left, shares a laugh with Josh McDaniels during practice at the their training facility in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. AP Photo/Winslow Townson …….
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