Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
I think Lovie became a victim of his own success, much like Reid did. You get good then other teams start sniping your support staff. Reid's down fall was the death of Johnson, he never really tried to rebuild his coaching staff after, just tried to plug the holes.
With a new start Lovie may have success, but first he really needs to clean up that locker room.
The way I see it, a lot depends on what Manziel does, If he doesn't declare, I think the Rams take Clowney with the #2.
The Jags and the Browns are next and there is enough talent for both teams at QB, though Gabbert may get the start next season... maybe.
The top 5 picks are Texans, Rams, Jags, Browns, and Raiders. They may try jockeying for position but for a couple QB is not a real need.
Especially the Browns... They had injuries to 3-4 QBs? That says they need O-line help, maybe a good blocking TE as well. I would trade down for additional O-line. They are carrying way too many receivers and Defensive guys.
If Manziel does declare, then let the bidding war begin. I say look to the middle of the pack starting with the #7 pick, Tampa Bay, then Vikings, Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Cards at #20 (those are the "set" picks) to get into the heavy bidding. Washington doesn't have anything chips to play with in this game so they are out.
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
helgrenze wrote: I think Lovie became a victim of his own success, much like Reid did. You get good then other teams start sniping your support staff. Reid's down fall was the death of Johnson, he never really tried to rebuild his coaching staff after, just tried to plug the holes.
With a new start Lovie may have success, but first he really needs to clean up that locker room.
I see what you did there... but wouldn't a medical staff be better for that job?
I disagree that it was Lovie's staff that was to blame for his issues in Chicago. After losing Rivera, he replaced him with Rod Marinelli. Mike Tice should not have been O.C., but it's hard to say that any one O.C. had success here. I think Lovie's real issue, doubly-so in the last few years, was Angelo at GM. We consistently got crap out of our drafts with Angelo at the helm, and he tried to mask that by bringing in free agents, but that's always a stop-gap measure.
Pre-2005, the current GM, Emry, was our scouting guy, and we got decent guys, who played numerous seasons either here or somewhere else. Marc Colombo, Terrence Metcalf, Alex Brown, Grossman, Tillman, Briggs, Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson.
Starting in 2005, it seems like Angelo took over with the picks, and boy did they suck. Here's the list of starters Angelo picked from 2005-2011 that are still on the team:
- Matt Forte - Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes
- Chris Conte and
- Major Wright .... Perhaps the worst safety duo in the league
- Stephen Paea and
- Henry Melton... both out DTs who unfortunately didn't play this year
- Corey Wootton
- Devin Hester - Technically not a starter, but a valuable contributor who was a completely failed experiement at WR.
Wow, 7 names.
So, with all that "talent", what was Lovie supposed to do. I wish him luck in Tampa, he's a good coach.
As for the Bears, fortunately, we're back to having a guy who looks like he can draft, with 7 of 12 guys from the 2012, 2013 draft classes playing substantial time last season.
Breaking news coming out the bears just resigned cutler to 7 years 100+ million with 50-55 guaranteed.... No source yet but it's been posted on a few nfl forums I frequent so I'm awaiting confirmation. I gotta say this really really surprises me.
Chancetragedy wrote: Breaking news coming out the bears just resigned cutler to 7 years 100+ million with 50-55 guaranteed.... No source yet but it's been posted on a few nfl forums I frequent so I'm awaiting confirmation. I gotta say this really really surprises me.
As for the Bears, fortunately, we're back to having a guy who looks like he can draft, with 7 of 12 guys from the 2012, 2013 draft classes playing substantial time last season.
The problem with the Bears is Virginia McCaskey, much as the problem with the 'Hawks was Bill Wirtz.
Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
Red, other than the Staph infection issue, there is a lot of player issues that must be dealt with. Schiano did not control that locker room. There was a lot of player commentary that should not have been there.
Smith needs to walk in there and own it.
As for Cutler, is he worth keeping til 2020?
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
helgrenze wrote: Red, other than the Staph infection issue, there is a lot of player issues that must be dealt with. Schiano did not control that locker room. There was a lot of player commentary that should not have been there.
Smith needs to walk in there and own it.
I dunno about that. I got a book for x-mas, Slow Getting Up. The author's a former borderline player - a special teamer who played for 7 seasons. He pretty much says that the idea that a coach needs to own a locker-room full of grown men is a misnomer, and his most harsh criticism is reserved for Mangini, who he says treated the players like children. The NFL isn't high school. Push-ups for being late to practice is no more appropriate than "win-one-for-the-gipper".
As for Cutler, is he worth keeping til 2020?
He's probably worth paying enough that you need to spread out the signing bonus until 2020. I think Trestman's offense will only improve in the next couple of years, assuming we keep the core pieces together. As mentioned, this was the Bears best ever year offensively, and had we not suffered all the defensive injuries, we'd have more to show for it.
helgrenze wrote: Red, other than the Staph infection issue, there is a lot of player issues that must be dealt with. Schiano did not control that locker room. There was a lot of player commentary that should not have been there.
Smith needs to walk in there and own it.
I dunno about that. I got a book for x-mas, Slow Getting Up. The author's a former borderline player - a special teamer who played for 7 seasons. He pretty much says that the idea that a coach needs to own a locker-room full of grown men is a misnomer, and his most harsh criticism is reserved for Mangini, who he says treated the players like children. The NFL isn't high school. Push-ups for being late to practice is no more appropriate than "win-one-for-the-gipper".
I dunno, seems like Coughlin in NY does pretty well owning the locker room.. Though I do agree, there is a difference between "owning" a situation and establishing yourself as the "authority figure" and what apparently Mangini was doing (i don't know so cant really comment)
There are of course, numerous ways with which to earn your players' respect without being a hardnose person. Look at Pete Carroll in Seattle. He realizes that the game of football is that, a GAME. And GAMES should be fun, so while yeah, he's getting paid to coach a group of guys play a childs game, he wants to have as much fun as he can while doing it. Being successful with that state of mind shows me that it is a plausible way of doing business, even in the NFL.
helgrenze wrote: Red, other than the Staph infection issue, there is a lot of player issues that must be dealt with. Schiano did not control that locker room. There was a lot of player commentary that should not have been there.
Smith needs to walk in there and own it.
I dunno about that. I got a book for x-mas, Slow Getting Up. The author's a former borderline player - a special teamer who played for 7 seasons. He pretty much says that the idea that a coach needs to own a locker-room full of grown men is a misnomer, and his most harsh criticism is reserved for Mangini, who he says treated the players like children. The NFL isn't high school. Push-ups for being late to practice is no more appropriate than "win-one-for-the-gipper".
As for Cutler, is he worth keeping til 2020?
He's probably worth paying enough that you need to spread out the signing bonus until 2020. I think Trestman's offense will only improve in the next couple of years, assuming we keep the core pieces together. As mentioned, this was the Bears best ever year offensively, and had we not suffered all the defensive injuries, we'd have more to show for it.
How was slow getting up? I posted an excerpt from this dude who was also a TE way way earlier in the thread and his recounting of mangini's browns camp and stuff was rediculous. I can't believe what an unbelievable joke mangini I was and I think he mentioned playing for shanahan in Denver and how much better it was.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/02 18:47:20
In addition to Cutler getting the 7 year deal (Which moneywise is in line with the big 5 from last year: Romo, Rodgers, Stafford, Ryan and Flacco) The Bears also signed Matt Slauson and Tim Jennings to 4 year deals.
I feel all three are good signings, Slauson played well at LG this year and Jennings is one of the best CBs in the league despite being 5'8" iirc
And that read that Chance posted was quite an interesting one, might pick up the book at some point
Currently debating whether to study for my exams or paint some Deathwing
The rest of the book has a similar tone (makes sense, same author). The writer goes from an undrafted free agent, attends a training camp, only to not make the cut. Goes to another camp, they keep him as a practice squad player. (His analysis of Randy Moss, and his comparison to him is pretty funny). Gets moved to the team when an injury hits someone (IIRC), gets tagged to play in NFL Europe. Gets hurt (often), but eventually makes the Broncos as a special teamer.
It's an interesting read mostly because he's a guy trying to make a living, trying to hang on, and isn't a star. His description of trying to block DEs as an undersized TE is great (something like, hit them under the chin, grab something and try to hold on)
Nice, I think I may go pick it up now as I've been looking for something to read lately that isn't fantasy. And I hate Mangini almost as much as the giants ;p
Automatically Appended Next Post: Wow what a despicable organization if this story is true. Kluwe paints war gaming figures at the very least and I believe they were 40k or fantasy figures, so he's sort of a kindred spirit to us.
Wow what a despicable organization if this story is true. Kluwe paints war gaming figures at the very least and I believe they were 40k or fantasy figures, so he's sort of a kindred spirit to us.
It sounds like a intolerant organization didn't like kluwe speaking his mind to me. Now obviously this is kluwe's writing so it's obviously gonna be biased. But at the same time I doubt that it's wrong.
And "not being a team player" is just an excuse from an intolerant person as a way to hide their intolerance in my opinion. So even if it was, it's a pretty big cop out and just a way for cowards to save face. It's not like kluwe was going out of his way to bring bad media on The Vikings. Or supporting racial genocide or something. He was supporting a pretty good cause so I don't see the problem I guess. But to each his own so whatevs.
Chancetragedy wrote: It sounds like a intolerant organization didn't like kluwe speaking his mind to me. Now obviously this is kluwe's writing so it's obviously gonna be biased. But at the same time I doubt that it's wrong.
I don't doubt that Priefer is homophobic. I mean, it should surprise no one that some men involved in professional sports are homophobic. What I doubt is that Kluwe was let go because of his support for the relevant bill. It almost certainly contributed to Priefer's performance evaluations of Kluwe, but I don't think it decided his fate.
I think his fate was decided by a poor season, and a team that has been facing many questions regarding its viability for several years.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/02 22:56:13
Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
I can agree with that. And frankly it's just a case of he said she said at this point so I probably shouldn't be making any sort of judgements. It's just one of those things that really gets under my skin I guess.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Here's a story to lighten the mood.
I know this is an NFL Thread, but.....
Oklahoma pulling an onside kick while 2 tds ahead was just the most awesome kind of "wrong".
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
helgrenze wrote: I know this is an NFL Thread, but.....
Oklahoma pulling an onside kick while 2 tds ahead was just the most awesome kind of "wrong".
Funny thing is, they were TRYING to just grubber it along the ground, it happened to bounce off that "red team's" player and the Sooners recovered
True... the guy it hit looked surprised.
Automatically Appended Next Post: So, anyone thing McCarron's stock took a dip after the Sugar Bowl?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/03 09:04:41
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
So, anyone thing McCarron's stock took a dip after the Sugar Bowl?
Was his stock ever very high up there?? I mean honestly, I know that he's almost NEVER talked about when talking about that team, I think he kinda gets washed out with all the supposed talent they have. But, I do think that wherever he was looking at coming off the draft board should be a bit lower now. NFL teams will have seen how rattled he got, and frankly how easy it was to do. If one is hopeful for his career in the NFL, they had better hope he goes to a team where he can ride the bench for a couple seasons (at least) behind a veteran elite QB, to really learn the game at the pro level.
What's funny is until this game I thought McCarrons grit was his biggest attribute lol. I'm of the belief now that the Alabama's "system" is so good it really isn't going to produce too many superstars. These players are so close to pro level that they really don't have any room to improve too much. How many players have come out and been stars over the last few years? It's really just julio isn't it? I mean Marcel Dareus has been good not great, donte Hightower is the same although I think he'll be great, eddy lacy and Mark Barron looks pretty good though too. Flops include Richardson, Cody, Ingram, and milliner.
DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++ Get your own Dakka Code!
"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
So what could go wrong? Well, the one frustration with the glory era of the Bucs, and every era of the Bucs, is also Smith's problem: offense.
Tampa Bay has had startlingly few offensive playmakers throughout its history. While it takes a split-second to name stars on defense over the years – Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Ronde Barber – it takes longer to come up with the most exciting weapons on offense. The all-time leading rusher is James Wilder (5,957), and only two others (Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott) have rushed for more than 4,000. The player with the most career receptions is … also James Wilder (430). And only three Bucs have more than 4,000 receiving yards all-time (Mark Carrier, Kevin House, Jimmie Giles). Vinny Testaverde leads in all-time passing yards (14,820), and Josh Freeman, who everyone in Tampa would like to forget, came within six yards of second all time in that category. Even the 2002 Super Bowl run climaxed in a defensive play: Barber's Pick 6 in Philadelphia to lift Jon Gruden's team to the NFC championship.
Bottom-line: it's been grim on offense.
As for Smith, he spent nine years as head coach of the Chicago Bears, and only once did his team rank in the top 20 in yards gained. His rushing offenses ranked in the top 10 only twice, and his passing offenses never ranked in the top 10 despite having Jay Cutler for four seasons. It's safe to say that if Smith had even an average offense in Chicago, he might still be there. After all, he did make the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman, which is similar to, say, making the Super Bowl with Brad Johnson.
So while back-to-the-future sounds like a good idea to any Bucs fan who has suffered through the post-Gruden era, it has a certain pitfall under Smith.
This puts pressure on Smith to bring in a strong offensive mind, reportedly like former Cal coach Jeff Tedford, to create a dynamic attack. The concern with that, however, is personnel. Quarterback Mike Glennon, who just completed his rookie season, has an NFL-caliber arm and build, but he has tended to make key mistakes in key situations going back to his college days at N.C. State. Is he the answer? Smith and whoever he brings in will have to figure that out before the Bucs draft in April.
However, quarterback is not even the biggest offensive question. Although Doug Martin is a terrific young rusher, the offensive line in front of him has been inconsistent and injured. Vincent Jackson is a threat on the flank, but will be 31 years old when the season starts. Mike Williams was a disappointment after signing a big contract last offseason.
A year ago, after a 7-9 season that looked like the start of a resurrection in Tampa, Schiano gathered with his staff to discuss what the team needed to make the leap to nine or 10 wins and the playoffs. Although there were certainly issues in the secondary, most of the problems were on offense.
"We needed a complimentary wide receiver," said the aforementioned source. "We needed a kick returner. We needed a slot receiver. We needed help on the offensive line."
A year later, those needs are still largely unmet (although Williams is still young enough to pay dividends opposite Jackson). A new offensive coordinator could certainly help Glennon and the overall scheme, but that's not going to be enough. The Bucs will have to deal with Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and Matt Ryan twice each next season. They are going to have to score points no matter how good their defense becomes under Smith.
It's hard to argue with Smith's hire. The Bucs needed someone with head coaching experience and playoff experience. Smith has both. The Bucs also needed someone to calm the waters and create trust among players after two head coaches who left many divided and skeptical. Smith can do that. Overall, the Bucs needed a steady influence. Smith has it.
The drawback with "steady," though, is it sometimes drifts toward stale. That's a drawback the Bucs know all too well. It's also something Bears followers and employees recognize from the Smith era.
Then again, after letdown seasons in both Chicago and Tampa, steady might be something both franchise dearly miss.
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
What the heck is going on with this KCvINDY game lol. Could be 100 points scored lol. Also how many concussions has this game seen so far? Something like 6 I think, good job reducing concussions Douchdell protecting these players.
Automatically Appended Next Post: So KC scores 44 intercepting luck 3 times and still lose holy crap....
Automatically Appended Next Post: So patriots can play the colts or bengals. Please god SD can you win tomorrow ;p
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/01/05 01:02:54