I'm a UM fan, so fuck him in the asshole with a tire iron, but the Terrelle Pryor suspension is a steaming pile of bullshit. He broke no NFL rules or laws. Hell, he wasn't even an NFL player. Goodell has no business doing the NCAA's dirty work for them.
I'm surprised Pryor's agent isn't making an issue out of this, espeically considering it's Rosenhaus. Then again, by the letter of the rules, he shouldn't have been eligible at all. I guess they're willing to look at it as being better than nothing, since there's almost no chance he would have started in the first five weeks anyway. That being said, Goodell's a fucking douche who wants nothing more than to make football all about him. With the personal conduct policy, fines and suspensions for late hits, the lockout, (allegedly) "nudging" Vick towards the Eagles, and now this. He's appointed himself judge, jury and executioner and a lot of fans and, more importantly, players are getting sick of it. I forget who it was, but I remember a player asking how many times you saw Paul Tagliabue put himself front and center in a story while he was commissioner. I think that says it all.
I hope the NFL takes a page from the NASCAR and F1 playbook and realizes two basic things: 1. You can't slow them down. You can only make them safer through more advanced equipment. 2. What the "top" leagues do, trickles down. So if the NFL makes significant changes, then the NCAA will soon follow suit, then the national high school programs will adopt the changes as well. No one feels bad for a millionaire professional athlete, but there are millions of high school kids who get their shit ruined playing ball. Every single person I know who played American football in high school was either gravely injured (knee, elbow, wrist, collarbone, etc.) or considered themselves cosmically lucky that they were not seriously hurt. Rule changes almost universally suck, especially recently. Anyone want to tell the NFL that if they continue to fuck up, they are contributing to those of us who will follow rugby out of sheer spite?
I don't see how anybody can suggest Tebow being anything more than a backup/head cheerleader after this. You can't say he didn't have a chance to be coached up. If Terrelle Pryor can get Ken Anderson on apparently a week's notice, so could have a guy like Tebow. Maybe all he needs is a change of scenery. And goes where media coverage is non-existent. And changes position. And his name. And have plastic surgery.
While it's funny (and well-deserved) that Tebow's dropped to #3 on the depth chart, that article in particular is equally stupid as the notion that Tebow could start. Here's a more intelligent response to that very same article. So they could cut him...or trade him...or keep him? Hmmm, that's very intuitive. I doubt Tebow could start in 2012 either, but I'm willing to give the guy a chance. He has more intangibles and leadership than talent, but so did Troy Aikman. Don't get me wrong, I recognize how terrible of a QB he is, but everyone who comments on his situation acts like the sky is falling. Dude's only been in the NFL for 1 year. One. It's funny how people don't get all riled up like this over MLB prospects: "Yeah, he's going to be the face of our franchise someday, but we're willing to let him spend a few years in the minors for now." Nobody ever questions that. Keep in mind that Aaron Rodgers spent THREE years as a backup. He seems to be doing alright these days.
Rob, you're a pretty smart guy, but if you're trying to compare Aaron Rodgers to Tim Tebow, you need to stop posting drunk. Remember that Aaron Rodgers was essentially a coin flip away from being picked #1 overall. That Tebow was drafted in the first round was a headscratcher and that's putting it mildly. I'll grant that Tebow had a tremendous college career, but when you look at the blasted landscape of QB busts, a lot of them came from spread/option oriented offense. Tebow's skills simply don't translate to the NFL. Unless he figures out how to throw a pass without winding up like Double A pitching prospect, or switches positions, Tebow will never be anymore than a slick marketing gimmick.
Mike and Mike made a good point about this: How the fuck do you say that, and in the very next sentence say "he's eligible"? What a joke. Goodell's trying to act tough, talking about the integrity of the rules and "we're gonna suspend him five games for acting shady," but you know he wants this guy in the league anyway for the money. Fuck him.
I have little hope for him as well (and his mechanics are lousy, to put it nicely). The point I was trying to make, even as someone who doesn't support Tebow, is that I think it's a little unfair to write him off so soon into his career. And yeah, the Rodgers comparison was definitely not the same thing. I was trying to illustrate that being a backup for a few years doesn't necessarily doom one's potential. That seems to be the point that the mainstream media is harping on, only because he's listed #3 on the depth chart. I mean, uhhh...go Panthers! Woooo!
No picks in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th rounds of the 2012 draft.* I honestly feel bad for Raiders fans because you can't even have that mentality where you look forward to the future and rebuilding. * Depending on whether they get a compensatory pick for losing Nnamdi Asomugha to the Eagles. ========= It was only a pre-season game, but I was happy with how the Steelers looked against the Eagles. In particular, I felt that both lines did very well getting off the ball. I was also kind of surprised how well Dixon and Leftwich looked.
With the way their preseason is going, looks like the Giants will have to try an innovative 10-man defense by Week 1. The advantage of adding Pryor to a team like the Raiders is that he'll have time to develop because who gives a fuck about the Raiders right now? They aren't going to be good this year, or next year. If Al Davis is smart, he won't push Pryor too fast as a passer. That being said, Al Davis is not smart. It's astounding to think that once upon a time Al Davis and John Madden combined to win a Super Bowl and dominate the AFC for a decade.
Honestly the raiders could have been good this year. I mean they were 8-8 last season and went 6-0 in their division. Making a super bowl run would have been pushing it, but the playoffs weren't completely out of question, especially considering it's the weakest division in the AFC. Remember the dolphins went from 1-15 and then 11-5 the following season. Raiders fans really do just need to wait for Al Davis to die. How is that mummy still alive anyway? I'm so pumped for the upcoming season. I think the packers have a great chance to repeat. I don't know if they're more likely to make the super bowl than the eagles or saints, but they're right up there for sure. I just hope the idiotic kick off rule gets reversed at some point in the future. Why have it anyway? Players are still going to return the ball on just a little under half the kicks so I guess you are reducing their exposure, but it's not like it's actually making the play safer. Plus, punt returns aren't changing. Did I miss something? It seems to be another completely bizarre managerial decision to be filed under 'how to hurt the nfl'.
Back then, you could win by drafting the biggest or the fastest. The difference in athleticism was HUGE. Now, all the players are way above average athletes, and the ones with the actual skills and mental makeup are what make the difference between good and great.
Of all the teams that have won a Super Bowl in the recent past, I think Green Bay has the best chance at repeating. Top 5 QB? Check. Top 10 offense and defense? Check. Depth to deal with injuries? Fucking A right, check. One of the youngest teams in the league? Check. Almost all of their starters back? Check. Like all teams that win a championship, it'll be incumbent on the coaching staff to keep Green Bay hungry and focused on defending their title. If I were Mike McCarthy, all I'd do is post newspaper clippings of the national media fellating the Eagles and Jets on the bulletin board and play the "We're the fucking champs and it seems like we need to remind people." card.
OH NOEZ, YOU HAD SEX WHATEVER WILL I DO! I like how you don't deny it, though. On-Topic: Orton was officially named the starter against the raiders. Frankly, he deserved it with the way he played against the Bills.