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NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season SuperbowlPublished: August 8, 2009
With training camp well under way, we thought we’d take a break from legitimate analysis to bring you something completely frivolous and very girly. The Top 10 active, attractive quarterbacks is a list compiled via polling and with no regard to statistics, team, or draft number. It is based solely on their looks, which in this media-driven world, is something that cannot be overlooked for the modern QB.
Published: July 18, 2009
The New England Patriots “system”, run by Bill Belichick is not easy. It requires a player to be smart, selfless, dedicated, and hard working. Some players succeed and thrive in this environment, others drop out because they can’t hack it. Some transfer and some are sent away, finished or not.
The ones that finish have a much easier time, generally, than the ones who weren’t a fit for the system.
One only needs to watch five minutes of a press conference to realize that as a coach, Bill Belichick is not easy to please. He’s ornery, short, and cross. Sort of like a super-secretive mob boss with a Napoleonic complex.
But that makes him a good coach, possibly one of the best ever. His players don’t make excuses, they are quizzed on their opponents, they are expected to understand the game of football and their place in it.
If you can’t handle that, the Patriots will simply replace you with someone who can. Sentiment has no room in New England, you have to have the right stuff year in and year out or you’re gone.
It’s a rather harsh system, but has produced some great people, on and off the field.
Reigning MVP Tom Brady went down in 2008, and back-up to the stars Matt Cassel stepped in, and the Patriots still won 11 games.
2008 is a testament to Belichick University, and the New England system. It is built so all the parts are interchangeable and replaceable. They just have to know what to do.
Some of the players in the organization have fully grasped this concept and are well on their way to succeeding in life outside of football.
Rodney Harrison, the most recent graduate of the Patriots, is already making waves as a commentator. He’s frank, honest, and doesn’t give a flying fig about Farve. It’s refreshing to find a talking head who still has a pair.
He’s already one of my favorite commentators, not just because he’s one of my guys, but because he’s the tamer, friendlier, Curt Shilling of the NFL. Curt will tell you exactly how he feels and what he thinks about a situation. Rodney will do the same, but he’s a hair more tactful than Curt.
Then there’s Mike Vrabel. Vrabel went to the Cheifs with Cassel for a second round pick this year. He’s getting older, and a bit slower, but this was not an easy trade to understand. Vrabel, despite some of the physical problems, is likely a future coach. Or at least an analyst.
He’s a quick wit, but all that football humor comes from a deep understanding of the game and the ability to learn the game as he plays it.
The Patriots will miss his presence in the locker room, certainly, but Vrabel should be destined for great things. Whether its as an analyst or a coach, Mike should continue with the game mentally when he can no longer play physically.
There are a few graduates who are still waiting for some final grades to see if they’ve passed:
Matt Cassel
He may be flash in the pan as far as pure talent goes, but there’s a lot to be said about what he learned as Brady’s back-up and as the starter in the Patriot’s system. If he remembers half of what he learned in New England, and the Cheif’s O-line protects him consistently, he’ll be a decent QB.
Josh McDaniels
The rookie head coach of the Denver Broncos was brought up in the Patriots organization, and is attempting to run Denver the same way. That didn’t work out with Jay Cutler, but you have to wonder if maybe the rest of the team will start bucking under.
If McDaniels manages to get that locker room under control and starts to make moves to improve the team, he’ll be up there with Harrison.
The hardest thing for McDaniels now will be in trying to run the Broncos the way the Patriots are run. That system didn’t happen overnight, it has to be built. If he can get Marshall to stop bucking for a trade and settle down to play, he’ll be taking a step in the right direction.
Then there are those who have failed. Most of them never played enough snaps in the NFL to even matter.
The New England system is a unique one.
On one hand it is an incredible learning environment. You will come out of the organization with more football knowledge than you cam in with. On the other, its a ruthless and heartless mob. No one is safe from the ax, expectations are high, and lack of preparation is not accepted
The “university” is all about winning, and the Dean is one ornery, smart, slightly obsessive, and somewhat profane perfectionist named Bill Belichick.
Published: June 20, 2009
So this week was full of NFL news, unusual considering its only June, but hey, the football-starved fans who no longer have basketball or hockey to distract them are practically rabid for news (why else would so many be following every NFL-associated person’s twitter page?)
We’ll start off with a little of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
He’s working on his rehab, he’ll have a better idea by Monday whether or not he can still throw better than the High School kids he practices with. I feel like we are repeating last year all over again, and I don’t want to hear another word about the quarterback.
If he keeps up this “I’m retiring” then “I feel I have another season in me” routine, he’s going t end up the biggest joke in the NFL, tarnishing his Hall of Fame career. Yes, he will definitely help the Vikings, that’s not my issue. My issue is that he’s the QB who cried retirement. Next time he does it no one is going to listen.
Next up is Rodger Goodell, the Judge, Jury and Executioner of the NFL, has suspended Donte Stallworth indefinately. Now, Stallworth got 30 days, settled outside of court with the Victim’s family, and is on probation for 10 years by pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Most people are up in arms because he killed a guy and only got 30 days in jail. Many people like Goodells move to suspend him because they felt the sentence was too light, but I have a problem with it.
The Commissioner is inconsistent with his punishments. Michael Vick had a very public downfall, so he may never get back in the NFL. This, in my opinion, is ridiculous. Yes, Vick did something very stupid, but he’s served his time and he didn’t hurt anyone (dogs are not people! It was cruel, yes, but come on people!).
Stallworth was also very public. But he admitted to everything, and settled with everybody. He didn’t lie and try to cover anything up like Vick, he seems genuinely remorseful for what was a very bad decision.
For this, though his debt to society will be paid by August, Stallworth may never play in the NFL again. Nor might Vick. Plaxico Burress? His trial has been postponed until after the season, so he can play. How, exactly, is this fair?
I’m all for having tough rules and a strict policy, because these guys are supposed to be role models. I get it, and I like that, but the punishment does not fit the crime, it fits how smeared the NFL’s image will be.
When the Patriots were caught with the cameras, Goodell punished them and investigated them, but anyone with a brain will tell you that the Pats were not the only ones doing that (it is a copy-cat league). Did he investigate any other team? Baseball’s steroid issue has led to tougher restrictions and testing on every team.
Then, I can guarantee you that if a Steelers WR does something wrong, he’ll get punished more severely by the NFL than a Rams special teams guy.
Why? Because the American public cares more about about High Profile Receiver from Pittsburgh than No-name guy from St. Louis. The special teams guy can usually be swept under the rug, but not a high-profile player.
Quite frankly, that’s ridiculous. Missing training camp fines you a specific amount, whether you are the face of the franchise or the guy who gets on the field once every three years. Going 10 miles over in a residential area will cost you the same amount of money whether you drive a Camero or a Caravan.
Why isn’t the NFL like that? Because one man is Judge, Jury, and executioner. I’d like to see a list of punishments that correspond to crimes. A DUI gets you four games, no matter who you are.
If you get into serious trouble, as Donte Stallworth is, suspend him for 8-10 games, and put him on probation. One slip, one tiny infraction and you are banned from the game forever.
Yes, its strict, but how many NFL players will clean up their acts if they know there’s a chance they could lose their jobs permanently? Its time to bring fairness back in to the NFL, and I swear if Burress gets to play in ’09 and Vick does not, I will be seriously disappointed in the NFL.
And if you’re worried about PETA protesting, I live by their HQ, they built their building on the waterside, destroying plenty of helpless fish and clam habitats. Pot, meet kettle. And I’m pretty sure the majority of NFL fans are not so in to the PETA scene.
A few more quick hits:
Brandon Marshall wants out of Denver. Surprised? Nope McDaniels needs to do one of two things: get rid of Marshall and call it a rebuilding year or make him stay in Denver and take back that locker room.
Come on, you went to Belichick U, get your own hoody and channel your former boss. Add Denver to the Cosa Nostra, be the head of your mob family, you not the consigliere anymore.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bun…Brady are expecting their first child (his second) sometime this winter (most likely during the playoffs). Will this be a distraction or inspiration for the newly-married heartthrob of the NFL? I’m going to go with inspiration.
But hey, look at it this way, when the Patriots get ignored by the NFL network or Sportscenter, you can always tune into TMZ or E! to get news on everyone’s favorite power-couple. (seriously, they are moving up on Brangelina)
That’s all for this week, don’t forget to refresh google news obsessively Monday to see the long-awaited decision from the Quarterback He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
The apparently ageless and indecisive No. 4 will know by then (probably) whether or not he is ready to come back and help the Vikings. I’m sure everyone is just on pins and needles waiting to hear the news.
Published: June 3, 2009
The 2009 season of NFL football looks to be an interesting one. It sees 11 head-coaching changes (many of them new to the job), the Cutler Diva Drama, holdouts, the return of Tom Terrific and the possible returns of Vick and Favre.
With all of these variables, and with roster cuts far in the future, predictions right now are a little premature. But its fun, and, if I happen to be right at the end of the season, I can look back and say, “Wow, I called that in June!”
We’ll start with the NFC.
NFC West
This is a difficult division to call, because there are three new head coaches in the division (well, Singletary was interim last year, but…) Here are my picks:
NFC South
NFC North
I’m not even going to try ranking these teams. A Chicago Bears with Cutler could take the division. A Minnesota Vikings with Vick in the Wildcat and Jackson under center could take the division. A Vikings with Favre under center could take the division. And the Green Bay Packers with Rodgers are still a force to be reckoned with and they could take the division.
The only thing I feel comfortable picking for the NFC North is this: the Detroit Lions will not win the division.
NFC East
Now onto the AFC
AFC West
AFC South
Like the NFC North, this is a division I just can’t make up my mind on. Saint Tony has retired, along with a good bit of the coaching staff. Its gotten so bad that Peyton Manning has actually called them out on national TV. He’s clearly frustrated and uncomfortable with what has to be a big change for the Colts. No Rhodes, no Harrison and new coaching may make the beginning of the season tough for Manning and Co. They could win the division or this could be called a “building year”.
Between Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Houston, with the talent they have and the moves they’ve made in the off-season, I don’t have a favorite. My gut tells me that it will be one of these three, not the Colts, who wins the division.
AFC North
AFC East
That’s all my rankings, premature and slightly-biased though they may be. Feel free to argue!