Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

NFL Thread


  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

If I were an owner, I would not be happy with Goodell. He screwed up Bountygate. He screwed up Ray Rice. He screwed up Adrian Peterson. And regardless of what may have actually happened, he's screwed up Deflategate.

 

Sure, the league is making buckets of money, but the way networks are lining up to throw cash at them, any competent executive could have done that.

  • Love 1
Link to comment

 

Here's an owner putting his money to good use....Carolina Panthers Owner donates $100k to victim families of the South Carolina shooting.

He also gave 10K to Emmanuel AME church. That's a really nice gesture. Of course, for Jerry Richardson it was like giving a homeless person a dollar. Still, I'm sure the families and the church appreciate it.

  • Love 3
Link to comment
(edited)

If I were an owner, I would not be happy with Goodell. He screwed up Bountygate. He screwed up Ray Rice. He screwed up Adrian Peterson. And regardless of what may have actually happened, he's screwed up Deflategate.

 

Sure, the league is making buckets of money, but the way networks are lining up to throw cash at them, any competent executive could have done that.

 

 

I completely disagree about Bountygate and Deflategate.   I view those cases as players and teams getting caught and whining, complaining and using whatever legal maneuvers they can to get out of it.  I will never believe Saints didn't have a bounty system or that the pats didn't deflate those balls.  His job is to enforce the rules.  You can think the rules are stupid or that he shouldn't have that power but the owners AND THE NFLPA, via COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, since bountygate, have still agreed to let him have that power.  If you didn't like Bountygate and thought he shouldn't have that much power, they should have pushed to change it.  They didn't because the CBA is all about money.  But then when someone is punished, he they complain about it. 

 

I understand the criticism over Ray Rice and Peterson, he deserves that criticism.  But you know what the NFLPA and the other players could do to keep from those things from happening ?  Stopping beating your wives and kids.  Maybe if they focused more on that than how to get out of any punishments for these players, this wouldn't be such a problem. 

 

Much of the criticims of Goodell seems like he is made the scapegoat for the problems players bring on themselves.  Even AT BEST with delfatgate, you can say there is not enough evidence to prove they did it.   You can't say there is proof they didn't do it. Its a judgement call and he is the judge.  And he was made the judge by the NFLPA and the owners. 

 

I disagree with other decisions he had made as comissioner.  I think moving the extra point is a solution in need of a problem.  Overseason games and a team is London is not something any fan cares one bit about.  The concussion lawsuit and denial by the league he played a large part in from even before his time at the top job.  These punishments though and complaining about Goodell anymore just comes across to me a kid whining about parents grounding them for too long after being caught breaking rules. 

Edited by DrSpaceman
  • Love 3
Link to comment

 

I understand the criticism over Ray Rice and Peterson, he deserves that criticism.  But you know what the NFLPA and the other players could do to keep from those things from happening ?  Stopping beating your wives and kids.  Maybe if they focused more on that than how to get out of any punishments for these players, this wouldn't be such a problem.

Unfortunately, by the time these guys get to the NFL, it's already too late. In far too many cases, when coaches (and sometimes parents) spot unusual athletic talent in a child, they not only nurture the child's talent, they also begin a system of justifications and cover-ups that continue throughout the athlete's life (as long as the prodigy is exceling in the sport, that is). So from early on, coaches (and sometimes parents) find a way to make sure their athlete is on the field/court/pool despite problems with grades, violent or anti-social behavior, crime, drugs/alcohol, etc.  So if you grow into adulthood always being coddled and protected from the consequences of your actions, it's hard to begin making smart decisions when you're 30.

 

I know that the majority of professional and college athletes never have problems with drugs or alcohol, domestic violence, child endangerment, sexual assault, or other crimes, but there are enough high-profile cases in every sports league to make athlete behavior a topic of discussion.

 

Can't we incorporate more character building into youth sports the way we've implemented IMPACT testing to prevent and detect concussions in children? I'm talking about more than having Little League players recite the pledge to play fair and treat others with respect. Isn't there some way we can help train the kids to make better decisions and help train coaches to value their players as people, not just winners? It seems obvious that parents and coaches should be doing this already, but it doesn't always happen.

Link to comment
(edited)

I completely disagree about Bountygate and Deflategate.   I view those cases as players and teams getting caught and whining, complaining and using whatever legal maneuvers they can to get out of it.  I will never believe Saints didn't have a bounty system or that the pats didn't deflate those balls.  His job is to enforce the rules.  You can think the rules are stupid or that he shouldn't have that power but the owners AND THE NFLPA, via COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, since bountygate, have still agreed to let him have that power.  If you didn't like Bountygate and thought he shouldn't have that much power, they should have pushed to change it.  They didn't because the CBA is all about money.  But then when someone is punished, he they complain about it. 

 

That's the problem. He's not doing a good job enforcing the rules. In Bountygate, a judge declined to rule in the case, but seemed to be sympathetic to the player's case. Then they brought in Paul Tagliabue (!) who ruled that the player suspensions handed out by his successor were excessive and vacated them. 

 

Adrian Peterson won in federal court because the judge found that the league broke its own rules on punishment.

 

ETA: For men 25-29, the NFL's domestic violence problem is less than society in general. (Although if you compare them to men of all ages it is much higher.)

Edited by xaxat
Link to comment

Or, he's enforcing rules arbitrarily as well. Even if the CBA is stupid and gives the commish too much power doesn't mean it's unreasonable to expect a consistent structure in place. No one doubts the Pats didn't deflate the balls. Laying it all at Brady's feet and saying "well they cheated before so too bad" is wrong. Anyone with a shred of critical thinking, as well as legal experts, say the report is massively circumstantial for Brady. 

 

And this isn't an "everybody does it" argument. I don't think that deflating the balls is much more than scuffing a baseball. But enough people made a stink about it. Ok, Pats, you got caught. It's an "institutional failure" and here's your penalty. I don't think many people would complain. 

 

I really really would love it if Brady took it to court and *everyone* got dragged through the mud. I'm over this attitude of how the NFL shits strawberry ice cream and walks on water. Everyone needs to get taken down a peg. 

Link to comment

The problem is there is no standard.   If you want the standard to be probable cause, then fine that's the standard.    If you want it to be beyond reasonable doubt then fine that is what it is.    But make a standard, make it clear what the standard is and follow it.   

 

Right now the standard seems to be "I looked into his eyes and he told me he was sorry."   That's what Michael Vick did.   That's what Ray Rice did.   That's why they originally got off light (Vick wasn't even punished until the truth came out).  Brady and Peterson wouldn't do that and got hammered.    Of course, when the truth came out about Vick and Rice, Goodell overreacted because they lied to him.   It was never about what they actually did but Goodell's butthurt at being lied to.

 

I was okay when he was chosen as Commish.   Heck, he'd been in the League all his adult life, he had to know how it worked.   You don't get to be Commish off the street, so he had to have managed people and overseen complex issues.    Yet, in action, it comes down to how he feels about something personally.   That is not a good way to run an organization that basically mints money but is reaching saturation point.

 

P.S.  Not a fan of DeMaurice Smith of the NFLPA either.

Link to comment
The problem is there is no standard.

 

I guess when negotiating the CBA, the union was just stupid or short-sighted in assuming or trusting the commish to do that. *Everything* should be put in writing. I don't like that everything seems to be rolled into one thing. There's no classes for domestic violence, game violations, etc. It's just not indicative on how law is applied in real life. 

Link to comment

Or, he's enforcing rules arbitrarily as well. Even if the CBA is stupid and gives the commish too much power doesn't mean it's unreasonable to expect a consistent structure in place. No one doubts the Pats didn't deflate the balls. Laying it all at Brady's feet and saying "well they cheated before so too bad" is wrong. Anyone with a shred of critical thinking, as well as legal experts, say the report is massively circumstantial for Brady. 

 

And this isn't an "everybody does it" argument. I don't think that deflating the balls is much more than scuffing a baseball. But enough people made a stink about it. Ok, Pats, you got caught. It's an "institutional failure" and here's your penalty. I don't think many people would complain. 

 

I really really would love it if Brady took it to court and *everyone* got dragged through the mud. I'm over this attitude of how the NFL shits strawberry ice cream and walks on water. Everyone needs to get taken down a peg.

The entire Pats organization from Kraft on down has denied from day one they did anything to the balls, so you can't say no one is doubting the Pats deflating ther balls. They did have done two different reports themselves denying it.

And no one is laying it all on Brady's feet. They are saying he knew about it. And he is still denying it.

The problem is there is no standard.   If you want the standard to be probable cause, then fine that's the standard.    If you want it to be beyond reasonable doubt then fine that is what it is.    But make a standard, make it clear what the standard is and follow it.   

 

Right now the standard seems to be "I looked into his eyes and he told me he was sorry."   That's what Michael Vick did.   That's what Ray Rice did.   That's why they originally got off light (Vick wasn't even punished until the truth came out).  Brady and Peterson wouldn't do that and got hammered.    Of course, when the truth came out about Vick and Rice, Goodell overreacted because they lied to him.   It was never about what they actually did but Goodell's butthurt at being lied to.

 

I was okay when he was chosen as Commish.   Heck, he'd been in the League all his adult life, he had to know how it worked.   You don't get to be Commish off the street, so he had to have managed people and overseen complex issues.    Yet, in action, it comes down to how he feels about something personally.   That is not a good way to run an organization that basically mints money but is reaching saturation point.

 

P.S.  Not a fan of DeMaurice Smith of the NFLPA either.

It is not true that there is no standard. Its been made very clear in this whole prcoess the standard is the same as in a civil, not a criminal lawsuit, which is more probable than not. You can argue if the report meets that standard, but what is true and has been collectively bargained is :

1. The standard is more probably than not, its a civil standard

2. The person who determines if the standard has been met is Goodell

Again, all agreed to in the CBA negotiated AFTER bountygate. If they want a different standard or a different person deciding, then change it in the next CBA. You can't agree to it in legal proceedings and then turn around and claim in court its not a fair process

And in my mind, and likely Goodell's, if you think something happened to the footballs, even not knowing anything else in the case, its more probable than not that the QB knows about it. The idea that any QB in the league would not know this was going on is hard to believe.

Now if you want to argue if the punishments were too harsh, fine. I actually think 4 games is too much. I would have been happy with a game, thought it would be two.

I think the Pats brought much of this on themselves though because

1. They came out guns blazing at the start 'demanding' an apology from the league for even daring to look into this

2. They were caugth cheating before with SPygate

3. During Brady and BBs time in the league they were caught years ago as well with a nonapproved ball in the game and never really gave a good explanation as to how it happened

4. They still deny everything and give no explanations as to why the Ball boy had the balls in a room unattended for no good reason

5. Brady denied giving his cell phone records that pertained to the case, even when he was told they didn't need his phone and he could just print them out and provide them himself

Its classic denial, blaiming the investigator, provide only information you have to do so and acting like a victim when you are caught. I can see why Goodell would be tired of it through it all and is coming down so hard on them. If they had reacted differently and Kraft had not acted liked an arrogant blowhard from the beginning, may have been different.

  • Love 1
Link to comment

Again, all agreed to in the CBA negotiated AFTER bountygate. If they want a different standard or a different person deciding, then change it in the next CBA. You can't agree to it in legal proceedings and then turn around and claim in court its not a fair process

 

 

Both Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson won their appeals because judges found that Goodell didn't follow the CBA in determining their punishment. He was the one that wanted to change the terms unilaterally.

Link to comment

Normally, I don't comment on people's religious beliefs. People believe what the believe and I'm OK with that (usually).

 

However I don't like it when athletes invoke God as if he is taking their side and playing an active role in determining the outcome of a sporting event. And this one might be the worst.

 

Russell Wilson says God spoke to him, explained Super Bowl interception

 

 

"The play happens, and they pick the ball off. And I take three steps," Wilson said (via NESN.com). "And on the third step God says to me, 'I'm using you ... I want to see how you respond. But most importantly, I want them to see how you respond.'"

 

Setting aside the fact that I doubt God sent the same message to his teammates that lost because of his pick, Wilson seems to have a pretty high opinion of himself when it comes to God's plans.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
However I don't like it when athletes invoke God as if he is taking their side and playing an active role in determining the outcome of a sporting event. And this one might be the worst.

Russell Wilson says God spoke to him, explained Super Bowl interception

 

Russell, God is in the tub!

  • Love 2
Link to comment

The teams are going to add fireworks to the list of prohibited activities in players' contracts after this year.   

 

JPP apparently did lose a finger.   Which could be why he wouldn't let the Giants' reps who came down to see him, actually you know, see him.

Link to comment

I hate how the analysts are only focusing on the amputation and the fracture and saying "well, the break should be good in six weeks and the amputation will heal in half that time." If that report that was posted is true, he had skin grafts. That shit isn't going to heal in two weeks, he's going to have nerves healing and have to get motion back in his hand. Six weeks is generous.

Link to comment

I find it pretty disgusting what Adam Schefter did. Ok so you have the goods on JPP and you want to be the first to report on it. Ok cool. But did he have to literally post a picture of the actual medical chart? That to me was extra. I hope his "source" at the hospital loses his or her job and goes to jail. And I hope JPP sues the hospital for as much or more money as he might lose in that contract. Not saying one has anything to do with the other. JPP was stupid enough to mess around with fireworks and never bothered to sign the contract, but what that medical professional did was egregious and illegal.

  • Love 9
Link to comment

I find it pretty disgusting what Adam Schefter did. Ok so you have the goods on JPP and you want to be the first to report on it. Ok cool. But did he have to literally post a picture of the actual medical chart? That to me was extra. I hope his "source" at the hospital loses his or her job and goes to jail. And I hope JPP sues the hospital for as much or more money as he might lose in that contract. Not saying one has anything to do with the other. JPP was stupid enough to mess around with fireworks and never bothered to sign the contract, but what that medical professional did was egregious and illegal.

Depends on how Schefter obtained the information.

If JPP or his agent gave him the info, which is possible, then I am OK with it

If he got it any other way, its ethically wrong, if nothing else. Legally, no, he is in the clear. The only one liable legally then is whoever gave him he information, assuming JPP did not authorize the release of the info. But still if he got the info without JPPs permission and with knowing whoever gave him the info was breaking the law, then its unethical.

Still was a completely stupid move by JPP.

The AZ cornerback though who had his fingers lost is in worse shape. He isn't likely to play again. A cornerback with two missing fingers, and sounds like he was a fringe player anyway.....he just ended his career over fireworks. JPP will likely still play again

  • Love 1
Link to comment
(edited)

Yes, the hospital is not too pleased about a possible leak:

 

http://www.wptz.com/money/hospital-launches-aggressive-probe-into-how-espn-got-nfl-players-chart/34076986

 

 

 

"Late Wednesday, media reports surfaced purportedly showing a Jackson Memorial Hospital patient's protected health information, suggesting it was leaked by an employee. An aggressive internal investigation looking into these allegations is underway," [CEO of Jackson Health System Carlos] Migoya said. "If these allegations prove to be true, I know the entire Jackson family will share my anguish."

 

"If we confirm Jackson employees or physicians violated a patient's legal right to privacy, they will be held accountable, up to and including possible termination," Migoya said.

 

From that same article:

ESPN defended Schefter's reporting, noting that the 1996 law safeguarding the privacy of medical records -- the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or "HIPAA" -- "does not apply to news organizations."

 

It may be legal, but it doesn't make it right.

Edited by Moose135
  • Love 2
Link to comment

Nobody else would have access to JPP's medical info except a hospital employee with access. It should be easy for the hospitsl to narrow down a list of suspects considering they track the date and time an employee views a patient's records.

Whoever that person is, if they didn't somehow cover their tracks, is even more stupid than JPP. Forget termination, they could be facing possible jail time.

Link to comment
(edited)

Aha! The Hall is anti-ex-Raider QB.

I'm scared to see what the outcome of the autopsy on Stabler's brain is going to show. I mean, his family said he died of natural causes but they still want to check his brain for encephalopathy.

**edit-colon cancer could not be further from natural causes

Edited by mojoween
Link to comment

I'm bummed by the death of Kenny Stabler.  I grew up a Raiders fan in the '70s, so he looms large in my earliest football memories.  I also really enjoy listening to his commentary in Top Ten episodes and such.

 

I like that his family donated his brain and spinal cord for an ongoing research project on degenerative brain disease among athletes.

  • Love 1
Link to comment

Damn shame that Kenny Stabler isn't in the HOF. I believe he's the only multiple Super Bowl winning quarterback not to be.

Stabler only won one SB with the Raiders. He lost in like 4 AFC title games.

Raiders have won 3 SBs total, one with Stabler and two with Plunkett. Plunkett is the only multiple SB winner not in the HOF.

Not sure if Stabler should be in the HOF really. He was a borderline HOFer. 4 Pro Bowls back when it meant something and they didn't just give away the award to whoever fealt like showing up for the game. His overall numbers for his career, even for the era of the 1970s when the passing numbers overall were way down, were pretty pedestrian.

If you judge if based on historical games and plays, though, he wins hands down. He was part of 4 of the most famous plays of the 1970s, if not 4 of the most famous plays of all time in the NFL.

He was the QB in the Ghost to the Post, Sea of Hands and Holy Roller plays.

ANd the Immaculate reception means nothing without him. He came in to relieve Daryl Lamonica that game and scored on a 30 yard run with 1:17 left in the 4th quarter to put Oaklnd up 7-6 before The Immaculate Reception occurred. If not for that run, the Immaculate reception never happens.

  • Love 1
Link to comment

Coach on Robert Griffin III: 'There's no coming back. He is done'

 

"Five, and there's no coming back. He is done," the offensive coach said. "The reason is, the injury slowed his legs, and his ego will not allow him to hit rock bottom and actually grind his way back up the right way."

Another league source supported the notion.

 

"To get better in this league, you have to have a degree of humility," a personnel director said. "Griffin sees himself like Peyton [Manning], in that light. When he looks in the mirror, he is seeing things that everybody else is not seeing. That is why I was surprised when they gave him the fifth-year [option] and said it was an easy decision."

On the other hand, one general manager disagreed, pointing out that Griffin is still only 25 and has time to assimilate to a new head coach and system.

 

 

 

This is based on a "Quarterback Tier" project in which 35 league insiders rate all 32 starting quarterbacks from 1-5 according to their "tier." (1 being the best and 5 being the worst) I haven't watched many games with RGIII at the helm, so I'm not aware of all his limitations, but this rating system according to the article has him below Nick Foles and Sam Bradford respectively. Does that sound about right? Is it because RGIII is a mobile qb with limited mobility? Is he not the type of qb that can be trained to stay in the pocket? I've never see any of his college games, so I'm totally in the dark about this guy and if in fact he is 'done'.  

Link to comment

Coach on Robert Griffin III: 'There's no coming back. He is done'

 

 

 

This is based on a "Quarterback Tier" project in which 35 league insiders rate all 32 starting quarterbacks from 1-5 according to their "tier." (1 being the best and 5 being the worst) I haven't watched many games with RGIII at the helm, so I'm not aware of all his limitations, but this rating system according to the article has him below Nick Foles and Sam Bradford respectively. Does that sound about right? Is it because RGIII is a mobile qb with limited mobility? Is he not the type of qb that can be trained to stay in the pocket? I've never see any of his college games, so I'm totally in the dark about this guy and if in fact he is 'done'.  

Griffin ranked 42 of 44 in Football Outsiders' QB DVOA ratings

He would rank 31 of 33 in ESPN's QBR rating if he qualified for # of pass attempts.

He would rank 20 of 34 in traditional QB rating if he qualified for # of pass attempts.

 

Former Redskin TE Chris Cooley had an incredibly dispiriting assessment of Griffins' play during the season last year.  He basically wasn't making any of the proper reads and no amount of talent could make up for the basic inability to do the job of finding a guy to throw to and throwing him the ball.

Link to comment

Griffin ranked 42 of 44 in Football Outsiders' QB DVOA ratings

He would rank 31 of 33 in ESPN's QBR rating if he qualified for # of pass attempts.

He would rank 20 of 34 in traditional QB rating if he qualified for # of pass attempts.

 

Former Redskin TE Chris Cooley had an incredibly dispiriting assessment of Griffins' play during the season last year.  He basically wasn't making any of the proper reads and no amount of talent could make up for the basic inability to do the job of finding a guy to throw to and throwing him the ball.

 

Suffice it to say, he sounds like a bust. What the hell were trainers working on during OTAs? Although, no amount of practice can equate to the real thing. Damn, I'm actually starting to feel bad for the guy. 

Link to comment

I just find it hard to believe that someone who won Rookie of the Year and in essence carried the Redskins to their first division win in God knows how long, is now a bust who cant make proper reads? Its not like RGIII has never shown the ability to be successful. I have no idea what's wrong with him, whether mental or physical, or if he just needs a change of scenery, but I'd certainly take a chance on him before a couple of other qbs around the league.

  • Love 1
Link to comment

The Redskins continuing to be terrible is just fine for this Giants fan but I do honestly feel badly for Griffin and he really needs to get the hell out of Washington.

I no longer care about deflated balls. I'm perfectly happy with Brady getting suspended, don't even really need a reason, but they need to either put this mess to bed or stop talking about it.

  • Love 2
Link to comment

Yeah, I think he needs the change of scenery. He's not suddenly awful. He had a major injury and it probably messed with him a little. Not to mention that it's criminal Shanahan even put him in that playoff game. No way was he physically ready to play. But, oh, no, you have to be literally paralyzed in order to not play a game. Everyone has to play hurt. 

Link to comment
(edited)

The Redskins continuing to be terrible is just fine for this Giants fan but I do honestly feel badly for Griffin and he really needs to get the hell out of Washington.

I no longer care about deflated balls. I'm perfectly happy with Brady getting suspended, don't even really need a reason, but they need to either put this mess to bed or stop talking about it.

Totally agree on both. Im a Giants fan too, and I still remember the fear I had seeing RGIII tear through our division that first year. I said, Eli has the next year and maybe, MAYBE the year after to try to get another ring because RGIII was going to dominate the division for the rest of his (Eli's) career. Things obviously didnt happen that way, but thats definitely the impression I had.

And I couldnt be more thrilled the suspension was upheld. And supposedly there are rumors floating around that Brady destroyed his phone. Not exactly the action of an innocent man. Anyway, hopefully Brady will just take his punishment and go sit his cheating behind down somewhere so we dont have to listen to this until the season starts.

Edited by FuriousStyles
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...