There is plenty of great stuff happening this time of year, so let’s look at some quick hits today and see what’s going on:
The Game’s Quick Hits
Preview: #14 Georgia Tech (2-0) vs. #20 Miami, FL (1-0) – For the second consecutive week, Georgia Tech gets featured in the Thursday night primetime game. They are taking a trip down to visit Miami, who are coming off a bye week after their impressive opening week win over Florida State. In that game, QB Jacory Harris seemed to grow up and turn into a star right before everyone’s eyes. He looked extremely poised and much better than at any point last season. The Hurricanes are slowly rebuilding and looking more like the dominant teams from the ‘90s. The whole team is built on speed and they look like a dangerous threat. Georgia Tech did not look as good last week as they blew a 24-0 lead against Clemson, but did find a way to pull out a 30-27 victory. The key for Tech is establishing the running game and consistently moving the ball with it all game. When Clemson forced Georgia Tech to pass last week, the Yellow Jackets were miserable. QB Josh Nesbitt was horrible as he only could complete 3 of 14 passes. I am thinking that Miami’s defense is good enough and fast enough to hold Georgia Tech’s running game in check. They also looked explosive on offense against Florida State and I would expect Harris and the rest of the offensive unit to exploit the holes that Clemson found in Georgia Tech’s defense. This is a huge game in the ACC Coastal Division and the winner will get a leg up in the division. The division features 4 ranked teams, so this game is a critical one. I expect Miami to rise to the occasion at home and pull off a win. I think they have slightly better talent than Georgia Tech and they also have had longer to prepare for this game. From what I have seen on the field so far this year, the Hurricanes just look like a better team.
- On Tuesday it was reported that TNA wrestling’s Kurt Angle was found not guilty of violating an ex-girlfriend's order of protection, and charges of possessing human growth hormone and driving with a suspended license were dropped. He still faces an assault charge, however. Angle’s attorney was able to prove in court that he had a legal prescription for the drug Hygetropin and apparently his claim that he was driving around looking for a hotel as opposed to stalking his ex-girlfriend was believed by the judge. Well I am glad to see Angle beat these charges if he did indeed not do anything wrong. We have all read the stories about Angle potentially being addicted to pain pills and how he works himself to the bone and has put himself in danger because of the physical demands of professional wrestling. Some of these stories could be overblown and I would like to think that Angle is taking care of himself and not heading down a dangerous path. Way too many wrestlers have passed away at a young age and many have speculated that Kurt Angle could eventually fall into that category. I sincerely hope that will not be the case. TNA caught a huge break here as it would not look very good on them if their World Champion was found guilty of these charges. I will hold out judgment on the assault charges, but I could find that as being believable. Angle is an extremely intense individual from most accounts, so I think he might be capable of losing his cool out of the ring. But he will have his day in court on those charges and we’ll just have to see what happens.
- The NFL handed down a fairly hefty fine to the New York Jets, general manager Mike Tannenbaum, and former head coach Eric Mangini for failing to report QB Brett Favre’s biceps injury last season. The league hit the Jets organization with a $75,000 fine and Tannenbaum and Mangini with a $25,000 fine each. By doing this, the NFL is sending a clear message that failing to report injuries will not be tolerated. It seems to me that Mangini’s “secrets” are not paying off too well. I have to agree with these fines because you need to keep the competitive balance of the league in order and it is a requirement of every team to report injuries, pure and simple. Favre is walking away unscathed in all this, but I have to say that if he had any hand in trying to tell the Jets not to report his injury, then I think he should reimburse Mangini and Tannenbaum for the fine. That seems like the fair thing to do if he had any part of all this.
- Reports indicate that the rising star linebacker of the New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo, will be out about 6-8 weeks after spraining the MCL in his right knee. There was fear that Mayo’s injury was season ending, but that does not appear to be the case. This is another big injury blow to be added to the list after the 1st week of season. New England’s defense was already struggling to improve and the injury to Mayo does not help. After the departures of Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, Mayo has been calling more defensive signals and his significance to the defense has only increased. His injury will hurt the team and now it might be that much easier for opponents to put points on the board against the Patriots. New England faces a stiff test this week as they travel to New York to play the Jets. They might catch a break facing a rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez, but the Patriots could be ripe for an upset if they do not play better than they did against Buffalo.
- In other injury news, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said that QB Donovan McNabb is making progress in regards to his injured ribs, but his status for this Sunday against the Saints is still “iffy”. McNabb did not practice yesterday and QB Kevin Kolb worked with the first team. Reid made it clear that Kolb will start and newly acquired QB Jeff Garcia will back him up. If McNabb starts, Kolb will be the backup and Garcia will be the emergency #3 QB. I am not sure how much “progress” McNabb is making, but if he is able to play, the Eagles might need him to win a shootout with the Saints…It was also reported that Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was looking better in practice and running more briskly. There is still hope that he will play on Sunday against the Raiders, but there has been no official word from the team…
- This just in: Bears QB Jay Cutler was disappointed with his performance against the Packers on Sunday and he vows to do better this week against the Steelers. Wow, really? Well gee Jay, you couldn’t do much worse. Even without Troy Polamalu in the lineup, things will not be any easier for Cutler when the Steelers come to town. Good luck…
- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is catching flack from all sides for his conservative play calling in the wake of the Buckeyes’ 18-15 loss to USC. It was another failure for Tressel and Ohio State in a high profile game and fans are starting to get irritated and are suggesting that Tressel give up on calling the plays. Tressel’s philosophy is basically built on playing for field position, avoiding turnovers at all cost and relying on defense and special teams to win the game. This was evident in the USC game as he elected to kick a field goal on 4th and goal from the USC 1-yard line early in the 2nd quarter, punted on a 4th and 1 from the USC 45 in the 3rd quarter, and punted again in the 4th quarter instead of trying a long field goal attempt. Immediately, I am having images of Herman Edwards in my head and he’s yelling “HELLO! You play to win the game!” I think that the criticism is warranted because Ohio State definitely was too conservation against USC. Tressel has a dynamic quarterback in Terrell Pryor, yet he doesn’t let Pryor run around as much as he should to try and create plays. Pryor is not a pure pocket passer and he is better when he’s able to scramble and create. Just trying to run, run, run and then punt to protect a slim lead is not that great of a strategy. Without question, Tressel has a long track record of success and should not be in danger of being fired or anything. But at some point, he is going to have to find a way to win these big games because the fans, media, and the school itself will only be able to put up with the disappointments for so long.
- Floyd “Money” Mayweather made some waves yesterday by claiming his race is a factor in how he is viewed. He lashed out at his perceived unfair treatment from the public and the media by saying, "If you're rich, you're a rich n-----. If you're poor, you're a poor n----. If you're smart, you're a smart n-----. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a n-----." Mayweather also went on to say that if he was white, he would be the biggest athlete in America. Sorry Floyd, but you got this one wrong. It is not your race that is holding you back, it is your attitude and the way you carry yourself. I will simply offer up Tiger Woods as an example. Tiger is one of the biggest sports figures in America and the world and he is black. So does everyone view Tiger Woods as a n-----? No, they don’t. And that is because Tiger Woods carries himself with dignity and respect and he’s not out acting like a fool. Now I know a part of boxing is being a showman to try and sell fights and Pay Per Views. But Mayweather goes beyond that with an arrogance and cockiness that turns people off. He claims that anything negative a guy like Oscar De La Hoya does gets swept under the rug and no one criticizes him. Well maybe that is because De La Hoya is respectful, gracious and doesn’t run his mouth all the time. And maybe that is because people like De La Hoya and Woods don’t have police investigating a shooting outside a skating rink and seizing handguns, ammunition and bulletproof vests from their home and cars, unlike Mr. Mayweather. People perceive you as a “n-----“ Floyd because you tend to act that way. You are free to live your life how you please and have whatever lifestyle you want. But everyone else is also entitled to their opinions about you and they don’t like what they see. If you want respect, you earn respect from your actions and how you carry yourself, it’s that simple.
- As of right now, the long time manager of the Atlanta Braves, Bobby Cox, is not committing to return to the team in 2010 for his 25th season. Cox was supposed to retire at the end of the 2008 season, but that did not happen. The criticism of Cox has increased in recent years as Atlanta stares at not making the playoffs for the 4th consecutive season. This is a far cry from the glory years of the team which included 14 straight National League East titles, five pennants and a World Series title. He says that he still loves the game and the competition and that it would be tough to walk away. Cox is currently 4th on the all-time wins list for managers with 2,403 entering Wednesday’s games. I have to say that at this point, Bobby Cox has earned the right to walk away from the game whenever he chooses. He is one of the greatest managers of all-time and will most likely get into the Hall of Fame. I used to love watching the Atlanta Braves teams of the 1990’s. They were an exciting group to watch and their standard of excellence was only matched by the Yankees during that period. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz were just beasts on their pitching staff and they had stars in Dave Justice and the “Crime Dog” Fred McGriff who could put runs up on the board. It is amazing they did not win more World Series titles with those teams, but I am glad they got the one. Without that title, history would most likely paint those teams as a failure and the players as choke artists. It is a cruel fate that the early 1990’s Buffalo Bills could not escape. If Atlanta did not win a World Series, the Bills would have company as the greatest “losers” of all-time. I wish Cox well on whatever he decides. He is one of the greatest managers in MLB history and he will have a lasting legacy when he finally calls it quits.
- And finally, Linda McMahon has stepped down as the CEO of the WWE and has announced that she will be running for a U.S. Senate seat. Really? Does anyone really think she has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning? I am sure that Linda is a smart woman and a highly capable person, but as we all know, politics and political campaigning is all about mudslinging and tearing the other person down. What is going to happen when her opponents try to dig into Vince McMahon’s closet and paint Linda as just part of some sideshow with wrestlers? Fair or not, I don’t see he standing much of a chance in all this and I don’t think it is a smart move.
Showing posts with label jets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jets. Show all posts
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Start or Sit: The Rookie QB Dilemma
The excitement of a new NFL season is starting to build and I have an interesting topic today that I wanted to talk a little bit about. It centers around one of the classic football debates out there: rookie QBs…should they start right away or should they ride the pine for a while? This sprang to mind for me after learning that the Jets named Mark Sanchez their starting QB (more on that later). There are some who will say that there is no better way to learn the position, or any other way for that matter, than to be thrown right into the fire and start right away. Others will tell you that it is best for a QB to sit back and learn what it takes to be successful in the NFL. The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle and in my opinion, each situation is unique and there is no truly correct answer.
First and foremost, the talent needs to be there before you throw a rookie QB into the starting lineup week 1. The QB in question needs to be able to make all the throws, understand the offense, and effectively be able to execute the offense. Now of course there will be struggles and setbacks, but effectively managing the offense means that you generally make good decisions and do not look lost out there. Not every QB who is drafted in the first round, even in the top 10, deserves to be slotted into the starter’s role. Just ask Bengals fans about Akili Smith for example.
I think the most important determining factor is maturity. A rookie QB needs to be able to step onto an NFL field and take charge of the team. They need to take control and earn the respect of the players around them. This can be a daunting task for a 22 year old kid, but those who can do it will have taken the first step toward success. A successful rookie QB will also have a short term memory and be able to handle adversity and bounce back from mistakes. Mistakes are a 100% guarantee for a rookie QB…how they handle those errors and adjust their play will determine first year success.
Last season, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco and Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan seemed to break the mold for rookie QBs. Both stepped right into action week 1 and they lasted all season, guiding their teams to success and the playoffs. But make no mistake, these two are the exception, not the rule. Joe Flacco was ready for the job due to his physical tools and also his calm demeanor. As I talked about above, he was able to combine a rocket arm with good decision making to achieve success. Flacco managed the game well and while he did not produce eye popping stats, he did not kill the Ravens with costly turnovers. The same can be said for Matt Ryan. The consensus was that Ryan was one of the most polished QBs to come out of college in a long while and he was ready to start right away. Those predictions rang true as Ryan showed a great deal of talent and did the same thing that Flacco did. He managed the game well, made some plays, and recovered from the few mistakes that he did make. That is how a rookie QB can be successful.
Before Flacco and Ryan, the last rookie QB to make that big of an impact was Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. But as we all know, Manning is a once in a lifetime type of QB and a sure fire Hall of Famer. He had a great rookie season, but again, he was ready and almost no other rookie would have his pedigree and skills coming out of college. For every Peyton Manning, there are numerous Ryan Leaf’s who will be a bust. For those who end up not cutting it in the NFL, it would not make a different whether they started right away or were held back. Truly, these things need to be decided on a case by case basis.
If you draft a rookie QB very high in the draft and pay him tons of money, then I would suspect you consider him a franchise player and want to get him into the starting lineup right away. This is the situation with the Jets and Mark Sanchez. The Jets traded up to get Sanchez at #5 this year and are paying the guy $50 million dollars. That is a huge investment and you don’t want him just sitting on the bench. However, all reports indicate that Sanchez has the physical skills PLUS the maturity to handle the role. Now as I mentioned a few days ago, the Ravens defense made Sanchez look like a rookie in the first quarter of their preseason game. However, Sanchez was able to bounce back and he threw a touchdown pass to end the final series that he played. This shows a good short term memory and the ability to shake off mistakes. When you throw in the fact that QB Kellen Clemens will not set the world on fire and that the Jets have a decent amount of talent spread throughout the whole team, it is easy to see why the Jets went with Sanchez as their starter. Based on what I have talked about, I agree with the move and think it was the right choice.
On the other hand, it is a different story in Detroit. The Lions took QB Matthew Stafford with the first pick in the draft, so you would think he would be anointed the started right away. Not so fast. I have been hearing reports that Stafford does look good in practice and has earned the respect of the team, but he really struggled in the last preseason game when he got the start. Let’s face it; the Lions still have a long way to go to even be respectable. They are not loaded with talent and the team is desperate to just win a game. Veteran QB Daunte Culpepper has come into this season motivated and in the best shape of his career. He is still not that old, has some good skills, and has tasted success before in the NFL. I believe that the Lions should start Culpepper week 1 and let Stafford wait a little while. Culpepper gives the Lions the best chance to win a game or two and then when that monkey is off their backs, they can put in Stafford.
So while it might seem like a cop out in this debate to say that there is no right answer, I believe it really rings true. Teams need to be smart with young players because there is always the chance of ruining a good thing. I think QB David Carr is a prime example. The expansion Houston Texans took him at #1 and threw him to the wolves. The result: he was pounded into the ground behind a porous offensive line and he struggled badly. Now I am not saying that David Carr would have become an elite level QB. In retrospect however, the Texans may have been better served to try and develop him more slowly and put in a veteran QB. Carr has shown flashes of skill and ability, but the beating he took may have ruined his confidence and chance to develop into something more.
Every NFL team is looking for that franchise QB who can lead the team to glory. When you think you have one, you will always be faced with the start or sit dilemma. Without question, the teams who make the right choices and do the right things will be on a quicker path to success and the ones who don’t will just have to keep searching.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Sources are saying that Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre is now threatening to ruin team chemistry and that a “schism” is forming in the locker room. People with knowledge of the Vikings locker room are saying Favre has “little support” and there are groups who believe either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels gives the team a better chance to win. Is this really a surprise to anyone? Of course people will be resentful because Favre just breezed in the door and did not suffer through training camp with the rest of the players. There is only one solution to this and that is Favre winning games for Minnesota. As I have speculated though, there might be too much pressure on the team and I think the Vikings will not make it all the way to the Super Bowl. I think they need to give Favre some more slack, but he better produce or it will get ugly in Minnesota, especially for Brad Childress.
- Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino lashed out at the media yesterday and said the ordeal he has been going through has been “pure hell” for his family. His angry comments came out after police released a video interview of the woman who claimed Pitino raped her and who also is accused of trying to extort him. You know…this kind of thing makes me angry. What the hell does Pitino expect? He had sex with a woman in a restaurant while his assistant coach looked out and then he gave her $3000 for “health insurance” when he most likely knew she would be getting an abortion…and this is a religious and married man here folks. Sorry Rick, but you are the one who did this to your family and now you have to suffer the consequences based on your celebrity and juiciness of the story. You have no one to blame but yourself and I can’t have much sympathy for you.
- Reports are out saying that Ricky Rubio’s intent to play in Spain next season is not a done deal yet. It seems like deep pocketed European clubs are going after him and the Minnesota Timberwolves would need to buyout his contract and they can only contribute $500,000, which seems like it would not nearly be enough. You know, I could care less about this drama they are trying to make. I think the Timberwolves are destined to be closer to the cellar than a championship after they could not get the job done with Kevin Garnett and traded him away. I am not sure why they drafted the guy and took on this mess, but at least they were smart enough to draft Jonny Flynn as well, so maybe they expected it.
- I thought that I could possibly get away from no Michael Vick news, but nope, not going to happen LOL. Today’s news is something I agree with though. Local civil rights groups, including the NAACP, are planning a demonstration and march around Lincoln Financial Field prior to tomorrow night’s preseason game. "We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance and the animal rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life," J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday. "We think that's patently unfair. It denies Michael Vick's basic civil rights, denies him his ability to make a living." Kudos to this man for saying that. I have stated in this blog before that Vick deserves a shot to resume his life and make amends and he should only be criticized and protested on if he drops the ball on what he has said he will do.
- A federal appeals court has ruled that investigators were wrong to seize a list of 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the 2003 season. The court stated that they only had the right to seize information on the 10 people listed in their search warrant. Well, it is nice to see a ruling like that which makes sense, but the damage is already done. That list got into the wrong hands and people will continue to leak names every so often so they can get their hands on some money. The entire list needs to come out because every time a name is leaked, it distracts from the play on the field.
First and foremost, the talent needs to be there before you throw a rookie QB into the starting lineup week 1. The QB in question needs to be able to make all the throws, understand the offense, and effectively be able to execute the offense. Now of course there will be struggles and setbacks, but effectively managing the offense means that you generally make good decisions and do not look lost out there. Not every QB who is drafted in the first round, even in the top 10, deserves to be slotted into the starter’s role. Just ask Bengals fans about Akili Smith for example.
I think the most important determining factor is maturity. A rookie QB needs to be able to step onto an NFL field and take charge of the team. They need to take control and earn the respect of the players around them. This can be a daunting task for a 22 year old kid, but those who can do it will have taken the first step toward success. A successful rookie QB will also have a short term memory and be able to handle adversity and bounce back from mistakes. Mistakes are a 100% guarantee for a rookie QB…how they handle those errors and adjust their play will determine first year success.
Last season, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco and Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan seemed to break the mold for rookie QBs. Both stepped right into action week 1 and they lasted all season, guiding their teams to success and the playoffs. But make no mistake, these two are the exception, not the rule. Joe Flacco was ready for the job due to his physical tools and also his calm demeanor. As I talked about above, he was able to combine a rocket arm with good decision making to achieve success. Flacco managed the game well and while he did not produce eye popping stats, he did not kill the Ravens with costly turnovers. The same can be said for Matt Ryan. The consensus was that Ryan was one of the most polished QBs to come out of college in a long while and he was ready to start right away. Those predictions rang true as Ryan showed a great deal of talent and did the same thing that Flacco did. He managed the game well, made some plays, and recovered from the few mistakes that he did make. That is how a rookie QB can be successful.
Before Flacco and Ryan, the last rookie QB to make that big of an impact was Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. But as we all know, Manning is a once in a lifetime type of QB and a sure fire Hall of Famer. He had a great rookie season, but again, he was ready and almost no other rookie would have his pedigree and skills coming out of college. For every Peyton Manning, there are numerous Ryan Leaf’s who will be a bust. For those who end up not cutting it in the NFL, it would not make a different whether they started right away or were held back. Truly, these things need to be decided on a case by case basis.
If you draft a rookie QB very high in the draft and pay him tons of money, then I would suspect you consider him a franchise player and want to get him into the starting lineup right away. This is the situation with the Jets and Mark Sanchez. The Jets traded up to get Sanchez at #5 this year and are paying the guy $50 million dollars. That is a huge investment and you don’t want him just sitting on the bench. However, all reports indicate that Sanchez has the physical skills PLUS the maturity to handle the role. Now as I mentioned a few days ago, the Ravens defense made Sanchez look like a rookie in the first quarter of their preseason game. However, Sanchez was able to bounce back and he threw a touchdown pass to end the final series that he played. This shows a good short term memory and the ability to shake off mistakes. When you throw in the fact that QB Kellen Clemens will not set the world on fire and that the Jets have a decent amount of talent spread throughout the whole team, it is easy to see why the Jets went with Sanchez as their starter. Based on what I have talked about, I agree with the move and think it was the right choice.
On the other hand, it is a different story in Detroit. The Lions took QB Matthew Stafford with the first pick in the draft, so you would think he would be anointed the started right away. Not so fast. I have been hearing reports that Stafford does look good in practice and has earned the respect of the team, but he really struggled in the last preseason game when he got the start. Let’s face it; the Lions still have a long way to go to even be respectable. They are not loaded with talent and the team is desperate to just win a game. Veteran QB Daunte Culpepper has come into this season motivated and in the best shape of his career. He is still not that old, has some good skills, and has tasted success before in the NFL. I believe that the Lions should start Culpepper week 1 and let Stafford wait a little while. Culpepper gives the Lions the best chance to win a game or two and then when that monkey is off their backs, they can put in Stafford.
So while it might seem like a cop out in this debate to say that there is no right answer, I believe it really rings true. Teams need to be smart with young players because there is always the chance of ruining a good thing. I think QB David Carr is a prime example. The expansion Houston Texans took him at #1 and threw him to the wolves. The result: he was pounded into the ground behind a porous offensive line and he struggled badly. Now I am not saying that David Carr would have become an elite level QB. In retrospect however, the Texans may have been better served to try and develop him more slowly and put in a veteran QB. Carr has shown flashes of skill and ability, but the beating he took may have ruined his confidence and chance to develop into something more.
Every NFL team is looking for that franchise QB who can lead the team to glory. When you think you have one, you will always be faced with the start or sit dilemma. Without question, the teams who make the right choices and do the right things will be on a quicker path to success and the ones who don’t will just have to keep searching.
The Game’s Quick Hits
- Sources are saying that Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre is now threatening to ruin team chemistry and that a “schism” is forming in the locker room. People with knowledge of the Vikings locker room are saying Favre has “little support” and there are groups who believe either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels gives the team a better chance to win. Is this really a surprise to anyone? Of course people will be resentful because Favre just breezed in the door and did not suffer through training camp with the rest of the players. There is only one solution to this and that is Favre winning games for Minnesota. As I have speculated though, there might be too much pressure on the team and I think the Vikings will not make it all the way to the Super Bowl. I think they need to give Favre some more slack, but he better produce or it will get ugly in Minnesota, especially for Brad Childress.
- Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino lashed out at the media yesterday and said the ordeal he has been going through has been “pure hell” for his family. His angry comments came out after police released a video interview of the woman who claimed Pitino raped her and who also is accused of trying to extort him. You know…this kind of thing makes me angry. What the hell does Pitino expect? He had sex with a woman in a restaurant while his assistant coach looked out and then he gave her $3000 for “health insurance” when he most likely knew she would be getting an abortion…and this is a religious and married man here folks. Sorry Rick, but you are the one who did this to your family and now you have to suffer the consequences based on your celebrity and juiciness of the story. You have no one to blame but yourself and I can’t have much sympathy for you.
- Reports are out saying that Ricky Rubio’s intent to play in Spain next season is not a done deal yet. It seems like deep pocketed European clubs are going after him and the Minnesota Timberwolves would need to buyout his contract and they can only contribute $500,000, which seems like it would not nearly be enough. You know, I could care less about this drama they are trying to make. I think the Timberwolves are destined to be closer to the cellar than a championship after they could not get the job done with Kevin Garnett and traded him away. I am not sure why they drafted the guy and took on this mess, but at least they were smart enough to draft Jonny Flynn as well, so maybe they expected it.
- I thought that I could possibly get away from no Michael Vick news, but nope, not going to happen LOL. Today’s news is something I agree with though. Local civil rights groups, including the NAACP, are planning a demonstration and march around Lincoln Financial Field prior to tomorrow night’s preseason game. "We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance and the animal rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life," J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday. "We think that's patently unfair. It denies Michael Vick's basic civil rights, denies him his ability to make a living." Kudos to this man for saying that. I have stated in this blog before that Vick deserves a shot to resume his life and make amends and he should only be criticized and protested on if he drops the ball on what he has said he will do.
- A federal appeals court has ruled that investigators were wrong to seize a list of 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the 2003 season. The court stated that they only had the right to seize information on the 10 people listed in their search warrant. Well, it is nice to see a ruling like that which makes sense, but the damage is already done. That list got into the wrong hands and people will continue to leak names every so often so they can get their hands on some money. The entire list needs to come out because every time a name is leaked, it distracts from the play on the field.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Raven Mad and Ready for Football!
Football is a big passion of mine. I love the game and I enjoy kicking back on the weekend and watching as many college and pro games as I possibly can. I am from the Baltimore area so naturally, the Baltimore Ravens are my favorite NFL team. I was way too young to feel the hurt that people in Baltimore felt when the Colts rode out of town in those Mayflower vans in the winter of 1984. However, by the time Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995, I was ready to embrace them as the hometown team.
For the most part, it has been good to be a Baltimore Ravens fan for the past decade. The team was able to build itself into a winner by the 2000 season and won Super Bowl XXXV 34-7 over the New York Giants. That team featured quite possibly the greatest defense in the history of the game and throughout the years, the Ravens have been built on a strong defensive foundation. In the seasons following the Super Bowl win, Baltimore was able to stay competitive and make the playoffs, but they could not recapture the glory of that year. The defense stayed tough and stifling, but for the most part, the offensive side of things dropped the ball.
Now Brian Billick was supposed to be an “offensive guru”, but that never really materialized. Granted, the Ravens go by the philosophy that defense wins championships and the bigger bulk of salary cap space has been dedicated to the defense. But Billick and the team had no luck it seemed trying to build a better offense through the draft or find pieces that could work in free agency. The Ravens became very stagnant under Billick and the team was no longer buying his “brand”. A change needed to be made…enter John Harbaugh.
At the time, not many people knew if it was a good move bringing in the defensive backs coach from the Philadelphia Eagles and installing him as the head coach. The guy was young and had no head coaching experience at any level. But the Ravens’ front office was impressed enough to make the hire and it quickly paid off. Along with the drafting of Delaware QB Joe Flacco, the Ravens quickly jumped back into the elite level of the NFL last year. Unfortunately, the Ravens could not figure out how to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and they fell 1 game short of making it to the Super Bowl. So now the question becomes, what is in store for the Ravens on the road to Super Bowl XLIV?
In my opinion, there is reason to be optimistic this year, but I am not willing to take a full plunge and say that I expect the Ravens to make the Super Bowl and possibly win it. I have never been a blind homer who touts his team as the best and expects them to go out and have an amazing season every year. I think that the Ravens can make a run again and if they are able to figure out how to beat Pittsburgh, then maybe something special could happen. I fully expect a trip to the playoffs and it should be very fun to watch.
On the defensive side of the ball, there are some questions this year. How will the team cope with the departure of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets? Can someone step up and effectively replace Bart Scott, who also followed Ryan to New York and who was developing into an elite level linebacker? How much does Ray Lewis still have in the tank? I am fairly confident that the Ravens will indeed have answers to these questions and the defensive will still remain as one of the top units in the NFL.
The defensive does have some good depth even with the departures from last year and the Ravens have developed a system that works and they have proven over the years that they know how to develop players into stars on the defensive side of the ball. I believe that Ray Lewis still has enough in the tank to get the job done for the next 3 years that he signed for. His passion, dedication, work ethic, and leadership are unquestioned. He knows what it takes to win and he can will his teammates to victory. He also will be able to guide younger players and make them better. The defensive core of Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, and Haloti Ngata will keep the defensive ship sailing smoothly and will continue to give opposing offenses headaches this season.
As always, it seems that the offensive could still be what holds Baltimore back this year from true greatness. The 2000 defensive unit was a true once in a lifetime group and this year’s version will need more help from Flacco and company. Flacco had a great year last season by rookie QB standards. He was able to effectively manage the game, make a few good plays each time out, and not kill the team with costly turnovers. Of course that finally caught up to him in the AFC Championship game, but none the less, he played well enough to give the Ravens a shot in that game. The reports out of training camp this season have been promising. Flacco seems to be more comfortable with the offense and he has been doing a better job of spreading the ball around and not locking onto one or two receivers. This was evident in the first preseason game against the Redskins as Flacco hit 6 different receivers in very limited action. Truly, it seems as if Flacco will be the franchise QB the Ravens have been searching for.
But even if Flacco takes some steps forward, he is still inexperienced and the Ravens did not get him any help in the offseason at the receiver position. Thankfully, Derrick Mason decided to end his short retirement and return to the team. If Mason left, then the Ravens’ task of even making it back to the AFC Title game would have become much tougher. Mason is not an elite game breaking WR, but he knows how to get the job done and will be a dependable security blanket for Flacco. The other receivers are young and they will have to step up and contribute for the Ravens to go further this year.
The running game should hopefully help out Flacco. The Ravens have three dependable runners in Ron Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain. McClain will be playing more fullback this year and hopefully will be opening up those running lanes for Rice and McGahee. Talk in camp is that Rice has shown great improvement and his pass catching ability has helped him move past McGahee for the starting job. Willis is responding with a good effort though and showing that he still has gas left in the tank. If all three can stay healthy this season, then that greatly helps and will set Baltimore up to make a serious run.
So in my final analysis, I think the Ravens will be very good this season but most likely will fall short of being super. My prediction is that they will fall one game short of winning the division and have to settle for a wild card spot again. In 2000 they won the Super Bowl as a wild card and that doesn’t seem to be a daunting task anymore. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell, but my feeling is that the Ravens are still a year or two away from a possible Super Bowl win. If the defense remains strong and they can somehow add more offense for a developing Flacco, then Baltimore might have reason to celebrate within the next 3 years.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Monday Night Football Thoughts: As you can guess, my main thoughts for today were about the Ravens since they battled the Jets on Monday Night Football. The Ravens came away with a 24-23 victory and I have to say that once again, the first string defense and offense looked great. The Ravens’ D looked to be in midseason form and they made Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez look like a rookie. Flacco looked good again, displaying his rocket arm and hitting some nice deep throws. If they are able to stretch the field, good things will be ahead for the Ravens. The second unit and beyond did look a bit shaky tonight, but that is what you get in the preseason. Troy Smith made a few mistakes, but all in all, another solid effort for Baltimore as we inch toward the regular season.
Monday Night RAWind: I will also try to give some quick thoughts in this section about the events of Monday Night Raw every week. This will not be a long recap, just some comments on what stood out to me. And unfortunately, not much did stand out last night and the show seemed like it fell flat and did not carry a great deal of momentum out of Summerslam. The 25 minute opening segment with DX ran too long. It was standard and classic DX shenanigans and the live crowd enjoyed it, but that doesn’t always transfer to TV land. Legacy crashed the party to set up the main event, which seems to kill the idea that some people had of DX moving on to challenge Jericho and Show for the Tag Titles. As predicted, Vince McMahon announced an “I Quit” match between Cena and Orton at Breaking Point for the WWE Championship. And since John Cena always says he never gives up and he never quits, it seems like Orton’s title reign has about 3 weeks left. I was happy to see The Miz continue on his quest to get a shot at Kofi Kingston for the United States Title. Miz has done some great stuff recently and I feel he should win that title and hopefully keep moving up the ladder. Floyd Mayweather’s involvement tonight was minimal and that was a good thing. He played a part in helping to shape a Unified Tag Team Title match at Breaking Point between JeriShow and MVP/Mark Henry. Nothing else stood out to me that is worth mentioning except for a Smackdown commercial which advertised CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship inside a steel cage this Friday. So there is your answer to the Matt Hardy Twitter mystery…yes, Jeff will be around after Summerslam, but it will just be 1 more show it seems. Let’s hope the match is a great one on Friday.
- News broke late Sunday night after Summerslam that ROH star “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson has agreed to a contract with the WWE. Now I have to say that I really don’t know much about ROH or Danielson due to the fact that I do not get HD Net and I also do not have the finances to buy ROH DVDs religiously and follow the promotion. However, I do know that Danielson is one of the best in-ring performers in the world (and nicknamed “Best in the World” by ROH faithful) and he could be a great addition to the WWE. But the WWE does have a tendency to ruin performers, so it remains to be seen if they will try to stick Danielson with a stupid gimmick and not allow him to showcase his skills. Without question, he has the ability to get over with his in-ring work, but will the WWE try to hold him down from that and not let him just be himself? I will be extremely interested in seeing what happens and I hope Danielson will bring some great wresting to my TV screen. For more thoughts on this, check out my friend’s blog at http://pureathlete89.blogspot.com. He is a huge ROH and Danielson fan and offers more insights than I can.
- Another day, more Michael Vick news. The New York Post ran a photo this weekend of Vick drinking vodka and pineapple juice at a Philadelphia airport bar. This prompted Vick’s mentor Tony Dungy to tell Vick “you can’t do that.” There is speculation that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that alcohol was prohibited for Vick, but an Eagles spokesman said that was not the case. In my opinion, as long as Goodell did not specifically put any restrictions on Vick, then the guy should be able to enjoy a drink if he wants. But I guess after what Vick has done, he is going to get this type of scrutiny. I say let the guy drink because it is his funeral if he screws up after drinking too much alcohol. On the field, reports indicate that Vick’s teammates say he looks ready to participate in game action. I am still looking forward to seeing what happens this Thursday night.
-Reports indicate that San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers has signed a 6-year, $92 million contract extension. I have to give credit to the Chargers for this move. Rivers has improved every year and he is starting to move up into the elite levels of NFL QBs. This signing will ensure continuity with the leader of the offense, prevent Rivers from testing the free agent waters next offseason, and allow the club to save its franchise tag. With the nucleus of the team in place, San Diego should remain a contender for the foreseeable future and they have a shot to be in the mix come January for a chance to make the Super Bowl. Also in other signing news, the Seahawks signed RB Edgerrin James to a 1 year contract. I suppose he will help a little bit, but I don’t expect him making a huge impact for Seattle.
- Miami Heat PF and #2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft Michael Beasley has reportedly entered a rehab center in Houston. Details at this point aren’t that clear and no one knows the full story. Reports indicate that he is being treated for various issues, including depression. I don’t have too much to comment on here and I just hope that Beasley is able to get help. Depression is not understood by many people, but I know first hand that it really is a terrible condition that can have very bad consequences.
- A federal appeals court ruled that sports gambling in Delaware would violate a previous ban on wagering, so this seems to halt the state’s plan to allow it next month. This seems pretty bogus to me and I say if people want to gamble, let them gamble! I don’t buy into the notion that gambling would destroy the neighborhood around where the action is taking place or that young people would just get corrupted by it. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions and I guess people don’t have enough self control. If someone is willing to take risks to ruin their life, then that is their choice. There is way too much that goes on in society where the actions of a few ruin things for the majority. Let people gamble away the money that they earned and let freedom ring…this is still America right?
For the most part, it has been good to be a Baltimore Ravens fan for the past decade. The team was able to build itself into a winner by the 2000 season and won Super Bowl XXXV 34-7 over the New York Giants. That team featured quite possibly the greatest defense in the history of the game and throughout the years, the Ravens have been built on a strong defensive foundation. In the seasons following the Super Bowl win, Baltimore was able to stay competitive and make the playoffs, but they could not recapture the glory of that year. The defense stayed tough and stifling, but for the most part, the offensive side of things dropped the ball.
Now Brian Billick was supposed to be an “offensive guru”, but that never really materialized. Granted, the Ravens go by the philosophy that defense wins championships and the bigger bulk of salary cap space has been dedicated to the defense. But Billick and the team had no luck it seemed trying to build a better offense through the draft or find pieces that could work in free agency. The Ravens became very stagnant under Billick and the team was no longer buying his “brand”. A change needed to be made…enter John Harbaugh.
At the time, not many people knew if it was a good move bringing in the defensive backs coach from the Philadelphia Eagles and installing him as the head coach. The guy was young and had no head coaching experience at any level. But the Ravens’ front office was impressed enough to make the hire and it quickly paid off. Along with the drafting of Delaware QB Joe Flacco, the Ravens quickly jumped back into the elite level of the NFL last year. Unfortunately, the Ravens could not figure out how to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and they fell 1 game short of making it to the Super Bowl. So now the question becomes, what is in store for the Ravens on the road to Super Bowl XLIV?
In my opinion, there is reason to be optimistic this year, but I am not willing to take a full plunge and say that I expect the Ravens to make the Super Bowl and possibly win it. I have never been a blind homer who touts his team as the best and expects them to go out and have an amazing season every year. I think that the Ravens can make a run again and if they are able to figure out how to beat Pittsburgh, then maybe something special could happen. I fully expect a trip to the playoffs and it should be very fun to watch.
On the defensive side of the ball, there are some questions this year. How will the team cope with the departure of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets? Can someone step up and effectively replace Bart Scott, who also followed Ryan to New York and who was developing into an elite level linebacker? How much does Ray Lewis still have in the tank? I am fairly confident that the Ravens will indeed have answers to these questions and the defensive will still remain as one of the top units in the NFL.
The defensive does have some good depth even with the departures from last year and the Ravens have developed a system that works and they have proven over the years that they know how to develop players into stars on the defensive side of the ball. I believe that Ray Lewis still has enough in the tank to get the job done for the next 3 years that he signed for. His passion, dedication, work ethic, and leadership are unquestioned. He knows what it takes to win and he can will his teammates to victory. He also will be able to guide younger players and make them better. The defensive core of Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, and Haloti Ngata will keep the defensive ship sailing smoothly and will continue to give opposing offenses headaches this season.
As always, it seems that the offensive could still be what holds Baltimore back this year from true greatness. The 2000 defensive unit was a true once in a lifetime group and this year’s version will need more help from Flacco and company. Flacco had a great year last season by rookie QB standards. He was able to effectively manage the game, make a few good plays each time out, and not kill the team with costly turnovers. Of course that finally caught up to him in the AFC Championship game, but none the less, he played well enough to give the Ravens a shot in that game. The reports out of training camp this season have been promising. Flacco seems to be more comfortable with the offense and he has been doing a better job of spreading the ball around and not locking onto one or two receivers. This was evident in the first preseason game against the Redskins as Flacco hit 6 different receivers in very limited action. Truly, it seems as if Flacco will be the franchise QB the Ravens have been searching for.
But even if Flacco takes some steps forward, he is still inexperienced and the Ravens did not get him any help in the offseason at the receiver position. Thankfully, Derrick Mason decided to end his short retirement and return to the team. If Mason left, then the Ravens’ task of even making it back to the AFC Title game would have become much tougher. Mason is not an elite game breaking WR, but he knows how to get the job done and will be a dependable security blanket for Flacco. The other receivers are young and they will have to step up and contribute for the Ravens to go further this year.
The running game should hopefully help out Flacco. The Ravens have three dependable runners in Ron Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain. McClain will be playing more fullback this year and hopefully will be opening up those running lanes for Rice and McGahee. Talk in camp is that Rice has shown great improvement and his pass catching ability has helped him move past McGahee for the starting job. Willis is responding with a good effort though and showing that he still has gas left in the tank. If all three can stay healthy this season, then that greatly helps and will set Baltimore up to make a serious run.
So in my final analysis, I think the Ravens will be very good this season but most likely will fall short of being super. My prediction is that they will fall one game short of winning the division and have to settle for a wild card spot again. In 2000 they won the Super Bowl as a wild card and that doesn’t seem to be a daunting task anymore. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell, but my feeling is that the Ravens are still a year or two away from a possible Super Bowl win. If the defense remains strong and they can somehow add more offense for a developing Flacco, then Baltimore might have reason to celebrate within the next 3 years.
The Game’s Quick Hits
Monday Night Football Thoughts: As you can guess, my main thoughts for today were about the Ravens since they battled the Jets on Monday Night Football. The Ravens came away with a 24-23 victory and I have to say that once again, the first string defense and offense looked great. The Ravens’ D looked to be in midseason form and they made Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez look like a rookie. Flacco looked good again, displaying his rocket arm and hitting some nice deep throws. If they are able to stretch the field, good things will be ahead for the Ravens. The second unit and beyond did look a bit shaky tonight, but that is what you get in the preseason. Troy Smith made a few mistakes, but all in all, another solid effort for Baltimore as we inch toward the regular season.
Monday Night RAWind: I will also try to give some quick thoughts in this section about the events of Monday Night Raw every week. This will not be a long recap, just some comments on what stood out to me. And unfortunately, not much did stand out last night and the show seemed like it fell flat and did not carry a great deal of momentum out of Summerslam. The 25 minute opening segment with DX ran too long. It was standard and classic DX shenanigans and the live crowd enjoyed it, but that doesn’t always transfer to TV land. Legacy crashed the party to set up the main event, which seems to kill the idea that some people had of DX moving on to challenge Jericho and Show for the Tag Titles. As predicted, Vince McMahon announced an “I Quit” match between Cena and Orton at Breaking Point for the WWE Championship. And since John Cena always says he never gives up and he never quits, it seems like Orton’s title reign has about 3 weeks left. I was happy to see The Miz continue on his quest to get a shot at Kofi Kingston for the United States Title. Miz has done some great stuff recently and I feel he should win that title and hopefully keep moving up the ladder. Floyd Mayweather’s involvement tonight was minimal and that was a good thing. He played a part in helping to shape a Unified Tag Team Title match at Breaking Point between JeriShow and MVP/Mark Henry. Nothing else stood out to me that is worth mentioning except for a Smackdown commercial which advertised CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship inside a steel cage this Friday. So there is your answer to the Matt Hardy Twitter mystery…yes, Jeff will be around after Summerslam, but it will just be 1 more show it seems. Let’s hope the match is a great one on Friday.
- News broke late Sunday night after Summerslam that ROH star “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson has agreed to a contract with the WWE. Now I have to say that I really don’t know much about ROH or Danielson due to the fact that I do not get HD Net and I also do not have the finances to buy ROH DVDs religiously and follow the promotion. However, I do know that Danielson is one of the best in-ring performers in the world (and nicknamed “Best in the World” by ROH faithful) and he could be a great addition to the WWE. But the WWE does have a tendency to ruin performers, so it remains to be seen if they will try to stick Danielson with a stupid gimmick and not allow him to showcase his skills. Without question, he has the ability to get over with his in-ring work, but will the WWE try to hold him down from that and not let him just be himself? I will be extremely interested in seeing what happens and I hope Danielson will bring some great wresting to my TV screen. For more thoughts on this, check out my friend’s blog at http://pureathlete89.blogspot.com. He is a huge ROH and Danielson fan and offers more insights than I can.
- Another day, more Michael Vick news. The New York Post ran a photo this weekend of Vick drinking vodka and pineapple juice at a Philadelphia airport bar. This prompted Vick’s mentor Tony Dungy to tell Vick “you can’t do that.” There is speculation that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that alcohol was prohibited for Vick, but an Eagles spokesman said that was not the case. In my opinion, as long as Goodell did not specifically put any restrictions on Vick, then the guy should be able to enjoy a drink if he wants. But I guess after what Vick has done, he is going to get this type of scrutiny. I say let the guy drink because it is his funeral if he screws up after drinking too much alcohol. On the field, reports indicate that Vick’s teammates say he looks ready to participate in game action. I am still looking forward to seeing what happens this Thursday night.
-Reports indicate that San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers has signed a 6-year, $92 million contract extension. I have to give credit to the Chargers for this move. Rivers has improved every year and he is starting to move up into the elite levels of NFL QBs. This signing will ensure continuity with the leader of the offense, prevent Rivers from testing the free agent waters next offseason, and allow the club to save its franchise tag. With the nucleus of the team in place, San Diego should remain a contender for the foreseeable future and they have a shot to be in the mix come January for a chance to make the Super Bowl. Also in other signing news, the Seahawks signed RB Edgerrin James to a 1 year contract. I suppose he will help a little bit, but I don’t expect him making a huge impact for Seattle.
- Miami Heat PF and #2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft Michael Beasley has reportedly entered a rehab center in Houston. Details at this point aren’t that clear and no one knows the full story. Reports indicate that he is being treated for various issues, including depression. I don’t have too much to comment on here and I just hope that Beasley is able to get help. Depression is not understood by many people, but I know first hand that it really is a terrible condition that can have very bad consequences.
- A federal appeals court ruled that sports gambling in Delaware would violate a previous ban on wagering, so this seems to halt the state’s plan to allow it next month. This seems pretty bogus to me and I say if people want to gamble, let them gamble! I don’t buy into the notion that gambling would destroy the neighborhood around where the action is taking place or that young people would just get corrupted by it. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions and I guess people don’t have enough self control. If someone is willing to take risks to ruin their life, then that is their choice. There is way too much that goes on in society where the actions of a few ruin things for the majority. Let people gamble away the money that they earned and let freedom ring…this is still America right?
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