So, a message board that I frequent had a thread that received significant attention and participation. "5 Most Overrated Players of All-Time." While I prefer to discuss players that are underrated this is a fine topic for offseason discussion but the submission's were stunning.
Gale Sayers(!?!)
Bart Starr(?!?)
Jim Taylor
Joe Namath
Terry Bradshaw
Franco Harris
Bob Griese
In my opinion if Gale Sayers enters into any discussion of most overrated players of all-time all credibility is lost. He's in the discussion for best running back to ever play the game. If you enjoy the running highlights of Barry Sanders you enjoy the running highlights of Gale Sayers. Their styles are different but the jaw-dropping beauty of their runs are the same. The problem that some have with Sayers is the shortness of his career. His career was seriously shortened by injuries. He only played in 68 games. That takes nothing away from his ability. It only takes away from the length of time that we were able to enjoy his incredible ability. Five-time All-Pro. Two-time rushing champ. The list of accomplishments in his short career is ridiculous. So ridiculous that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame five years after he retired. The minimum wait. Here are a couple of quotes from his peers.
"Sayers? Sure, I've got a defense against him. I just step out of the way and let Willie Wood hit him. Really, I don't think anybody knows how fast Sayers actually is. Only time I've seen him is in the huddle. Once he tucks the football under his arm he's invisible."
-Packers Hall of Fame defensive tackle Henry Jordan
More talking Sayers:
"He's simply the best damn athlete I've seen since I came into the pros."
-Packers Hall of Fame back Paul Hornung
Gale Sayers overrated? Give me a break.
Bart Starr? Some might say that he was simply the caretaker quarterback of one of the NFL's greatest dynasties. Others might say that he was a significant reason for that great dynasty. I fall in the latter group. No team wins five NFL titles in seven years with a mere caretaker at quarterback. Despite a severe lack of wins in the years before Vince Lombardi was hired in 1959 the Packers actually had a decent amount of talent. The only thing missing was direction and and anything resembling consistent quarterback play. Lombardi provided the direction. Starr provided the consistent quarterback play. So what if he didn't provide the statistics of John Unitas or Y.A. Tittle. Starr simply led his team to wins.
Jim Taylor? If Taylor had played in era that didn't include Jim Brown he'd be considered the best fullback of that era. Fullbacks were often the leading ballcarriers in all of the decades prior to 1970. The only year that Jim Brown didn't lead the league in rushing Taylor did.
Joe Namath? I often see Namath in the overrated category. He was as physically gifted as a passer as anyone that has ever played. Like Sayers, his career was seriously limited by injuries. Namath's career was limited more in the quality of it than the length of it. His knees were shaky when he joined the New York Jets and they only got weaker through the pounding of professional football. At times Namath was a fantastic quarterback. It was those times that got him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Great arm. Fantastic release. Great leader. None of the qualities that you find in an overrated quarterback.
Terry Bradshaw? Come on. Four Super Bowl wins. He played with a fantastic defense but he deserves a lot of the credit for all four. And most of the credit for the last two.
Franco Harris? He gets knocked a bunch for running out of bounds to avoid contact. I have to admit that I'd rather see a back of his size take on a defensive back but he was often stepping out of bounds after he'd gained about 20 yards. Harris was one of the best clutch runners in the 1970s. If the Steelers needed five yards to keep a critical, late drive going he usually gained seven.
Bob Griese? See Bart Starr.
I suppose that it's necessary to target Hall of Fame players in any discussion of overrated players. After all, a player has to be highly rated by some to be overrated by others. I just think that those that took part in the thread in question were out of their collective minds. If you list Sayers, you are immediately kicked out of the room. The problem that many supposed critics have is the reliance on statistics. If you look at the career rushing totals of Gale Sayers, with no knowledge of how he got them, you might question his place among the best. Injuries robbed Sayers of an even greater career. It's a damn shame. Sayers turned football into art. A simply beautiful football player. The reliance on football statistics does an even greater disservice to quarterbacks. Receivers too. But especially quarterbacks. You can't compare the passing totals of today's quarterbacks to those of the 1970s and earlier. Before the rule changes of the late 1970s, defensive backs could commit all sorts of crimes against receivers as they ran down the field. Almost anything short of a homicide was considered legal. Defensive linemen could abuse offensive linemen. Quarterbacks could actually be touched without a finding a yellow flag on the ground. It was a much different game. If a quarterback could complete just over 50% of his passes and throw a few more touchdowns than interceptions he'd be in the Pro Bowl. Maybe All-Pro. He might even find himself honored in Canton one fine August day. It was a different game and statistics between the two can't be compared.
If anyone is going to discuss overrated football players don't lead off with Gale Sayers. Or Bart Starr. Or Jim Taylor.....
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Monday, July 6, 2015
Vikings Training Camp Battles
The Minnesota Vikings' 2015 training camp will be held on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato for the 50th consecutive year. They are one of the few teams that still pack their bags and travel away from the comfort of their own facilities for training camp. The players will report Saturday July 25 and hold their first team practice July 26.
There will be competition at every position on the team. In theory that's true. In reality there are some players that are very much set at their position. Teddy Bridgewater will be the Vikings starting quarterback. Anthony Barr will be the Vikings starting strong-side linebacker. Harrison Smith will be one of the Vikings starting safeties. Xavier Rhodes will be one of the Vikings starting cornerbacks. Adrian Peterson will be the Vikings starting running back. That last one sure is fun to type, say, and hear. There were so many media hacks honking another tune over the past several months. There was only one way that media-fueled Peterson soap opera was ever going to end. Funny thing is that it's the very same ending that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer repeated every time that they were asked. It's very strange how the media refused to listen to the people that actually had a say in the situation. Anyway, back to reality. There are several other positions on the Vikings that are fairly set but competition makes everyone better. Here are a few of the training camp battles that will take place when the Vikings take the practice fields in Mankato in about three weeks.
Right Guard
This has been Brandon Fusco's spot for the last couple of seasons. The Vikings moved him over to the left-side in offseason workouts and the switch appears permanent. It strengthens the left-side but opens a spot on the right. Rookie T.J. Clemmings had the first shot during offseason workouts. 2nd-year David Yankey, and fellow rookie Tyrus Thompson also had their shot. It's an open competition that also includes dependable veteran Joe Berger. The competition and rotation will continue in Mankato. One of the many things that I like about Mike Zimmer and his coaching staff is their practice of giving everyone a shot. They put players in different positions and situations always with an eye for the best combination of players. They aren't focused on what has been, or what is expected but on what works best for the team. It's a concept that seems logical but it's a concept that seemed to elude previous Vikings coaches. Clemmings is the most talented of the offensive linemen competing for the right guard spot. It wouldn't have been much of a surprise if some team had taken him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Vikings were lucky to find him still available in the fourth. My guess is that the right guard position is his to lose but that guess doesn't mean much. What means a lot is that the Vikings offensive line was a mess last year and has to improve. The first step in that direction was moving the talented Fusco to left guard. Teddy Bridgewater's blindside is already improved. A return to health of right tackle Phil Loadholt and the winner of the right guard battle will improve the right-side. Competition makes everyone better.
Weak-Side Linebacker
This position likely comes down to a battle between the veteran Chad Greenway and the youngster Gerald Hodges. Greenway has been terrific for most of his nine years. He had a rough year last year mostly due to a run of injuries. Outside of his rookie year, which he missed with a torn ACL, Greenway has been remarkably injury-free throughout his career. He couldn't avoid injuries last year. There was some question, at least in the media, whether he'd return to Minnesota for his 10th season. He did come back at a reduced salary so perhaps there were some questions internally as well. Hodges is fast and athletic. When he's in the lineup the Vikings might have one of the quickest linebacker units in the league. He's also a bit unpredictable. He's quick to react and he doesn't always guess right. This battle might be a win-win. The smarts and experience of Greenway or the quickness and athleticism of Hodges. And it's not like Greenway is a stiff. He can still move but he is on the other side of 30. The wildcard at the weak-side linebacker position is the possibility that rookie Eric Kendricks might be moved there. He's penciled in as the middle linebacker right now. After his selection in the 2nd-round of the draft, Zimmer mentioned the possibility that he might eventually be their weak-side linebacker. I don't buy it. I think that Kendricks is the Vikings middle linebacker for a very long time. But that might be because I want him to be the Vikings middle linebacker for a very long time. I also think that Greenway takes the weak-side spot for another year. Perhaps the last year of his excellent Vikings career. Whoever takes the weak-side spot is really a part time player as he'll probably come off the field in passing situations which is damn near every situation in today's NFL.
Cornerback
This battle is for the spot opposite the rapidly rising Xavier Rhodes. He's on the edge of elite status in the league. The Vikings talent and depth is much improved from last year. Experience and especially experience in Zimmer's system is part of the improvement. So is the influx of improved talent. Terrence Newman was added in free agency. He's much closer to ancient than young but he can still play. He believes it. Zimmer believes it. And that's good enough for me. Newman has played in Zimmer's defense with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. His experience in the league and with Zimmer makes him something like a coach on the field. The Vikings also added Trae Waynes in the first round of the NFL Draft. If he's ready for the league he's the week one starter and the Vikings have a supremely talented, young corner duo for, hopefully, a very long time. If Waynes isn't ready week one, Newman likely starts. There is nice depth with Captain Munnerlyn, and Jabari Price. It was revealed this weekend that Josh Robinson suffered a torn pectoral muscle during offseason workouts. He showed a lot of improvement in his first year with Zimmer but he still had a rough time with some of the big receivers that fill the rosters of the rivals in the NFC North. He's got some nice skills that can't be taught, like speed. If he's out for most or all of training camp it's a blow to the Vikings depth at the position. It's also an opportunity for a youngster like Price. Munnerlyn has starting experience and is the likely nickel corner. Which is pretty much a starter in today's NFL. He had a up-and-down first year with the Vikings last year. He should be better in his second year. Price could also challenge Munnerlyn for that spot. The future of this position is Rhodes and Waynes and the sooner that starts the better. The good thing is that the Vikings have some talent if that future doesn't start immediately.
Safety
This battle is as wide open as that at right guard. Like corner, the safety battle is for the spot opposite a rising star. Harrison Smith is among the best in the game at his position. The other spot is up for grabs. The fact that the spot opposite Smith is up for grabs seems a little odd as Robert Blanton was solid as the starter last year. Analytics sites such as Pro Football Focus have Blanton rated as a solid player. He played corner at Notre Dame so he has some nice cover skills and he gets ballcarriers to the ground. So, why the competition at safety? I think that the Vikings want to see more "splash" plays than they think that Blanton can provide. They would like more than solid. Andrew Sendejo also has some starting experience. Like Blanton, he's a solid player. 2nd-year Antone Exum Jr. might be able to provide more than "solid." He played corner and safety at Virginia Tech. He's bigger and faster than Blanton and Sendejo. If Exum's understanding of Zimmer's defense can meet his natural talent the Vikings might have found their safety. The wildcard in the mix is undrafted free agent Anthony Harris. He looks like a rangy, roving centerfield-type safety. Tall and thin. But he showed some nice physicality near the line of scrimmage. He can hit. Like corner, the Vikings have improved talent at the safety position. That improved talent creates competition. That competition makes everyone better and the defense better.
Receiver
The Vikings top four receivers are pretty much step. Newcomer Mike Wallace and Charles Johnson enter camp as the likely starters. Jarius Wright is the first on the field in three receiver sets. Cordarrelle Patterson is an incredibly skilled football player that needs to rebound from a down season. He has the talent to simply break defenses. He just has to play within the system without limiting his natural game-breaking ability. Those are four impact players. The battle comes down to the next two players. The Vikings might end up keeping six receivers because they can't let either of the two players go. Adam Thielen is one of those high-effort, do-everything, underdog players that every successful football team seems to need. In two seasons he's turned a local tryout into a roster spot. Not only that, he became a significant contributor on special teams. Not only that he made an impact on offense late last season. Solid hands and routes makes him more than simply a special teams player. The Vikings drafted Stefon Diggs in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. His talent possibly warranted a higher selection but durability questions dropped his actual selection. He's in the hunt for punt return duties so, like Thielen, Diggs could be a significant special teams contributor. Quick and elusive, he can turn short passes into long gains. He's a slight player so he has to work on getting away from jams at the line. His receiving talents are such that he could be a unique offensive contributor perhaps immediately but he could be a significant contributor in a couple of years. His ceiling is high. If the Vikings have to pick between Diggs and Thielen, the pick is probably Diggs. I think that Thielen forces the Vikings to keep six. If special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has his say, the Vikings keep six.
The Minnesota Vikings will have training competition at far more positions than these five. How many tight ends? What about fullback? Defensive line rotation? There will be competition throughout the roster. As there should be. Competition will make the entire team better.
There will be competition at every position on the team. In theory that's true. In reality there are some players that are very much set at their position. Teddy Bridgewater will be the Vikings starting quarterback. Anthony Barr will be the Vikings starting strong-side linebacker. Harrison Smith will be one of the Vikings starting safeties. Xavier Rhodes will be one of the Vikings starting cornerbacks. Adrian Peterson will be the Vikings starting running back. That last one sure is fun to type, say, and hear. There were so many media hacks honking another tune over the past several months. There was only one way that media-fueled Peterson soap opera was ever going to end. Funny thing is that it's the very same ending that Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer repeated every time that they were asked. It's very strange how the media refused to listen to the people that actually had a say in the situation. Anyway, back to reality. There are several other positions on the Vikings that are fairly set but competition makes everyone better. Here are a few of the training camp battles that will take place when the Vikings take the practice fields in Mankato in about three weeks.
Right Guard
This has been Brandon Fusco's spot for the last couple of seasons. The Vikings moved him over to the left-side in offseason workouts and the switch appears permanent. It strengthens the left-side but opens a spot on the right. Rookie T.J. Clemmings had the first shot during offseason workouts. 2nd-year David Yankey, and fellow rookie Tyrus Thompson also had their shot. It's an open competition that also includes dependable veteran Joe Berger. The competition and rotation will continue in Mankato. One of the many things that I like about Mike Zimmer and his coaching staff is their practice of giving everyone a shot. They put players in different positions and situations always with an eye for the best combination of players. They aren't focused on what has been, or what is expected but on what works best for the team. It's a concept that seems logical but it's a concept that seemed to elude previous Vikings coaches. Clemmings is the most talented of the offensive linemen competing for the right guard spot. It wouldn't have been much of a surprise if some team had taken him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Vikings were lucky to find him still available in the fourth. My guess is that the right guard position is his to lose but that guess doesn't mean much. What means a lot is that the Vikings offensive line was a mess last year and has to improve. The first step in that direction was moving the talented Fusco to left guard. Teddy Bridgewater's blindside is already improved. A return to health of right tackle Phil Loadholt and the winner of the right guard battle will improve the right-side. Competition makes everyone better.
Weak-Side Linebacker
This position likely comes down to a battle between the veteran Chad Greenway and the youngster Gerald Hodges. Greenway has been terrific for most of his nine years. He had a rough year last year mostly due to a run of injuries. Outside of his rookie year, which he missed with a torn ACL, Greenway has been remarkably injury-free throughout his career. He couldn't avoid injuries last year. There was some question, at least in the media, whether he'd return to Minnesota for his 10th season. He did come back at a reduced salary so perhaps there were some questions internally as well. Hodges is fast and athletic. When he's in the lineup the Vikings might have one of the quickest linebacker units in the league. He's also a bit unpredictable. He's quick to react and he doesn't always guess right. This battle might be a win-win. The smarts and experience of Greenway or the quickness and athleticism of Hodges. And it's not like Greenway is a stiff. He can still move but he is on the other side of 30. The wildcard at the weak-side linebacker position is the possibility that rookie Eric Kendricks might be moved there. He's penciled in as the middle linebacker right now. After his selection in the 2nd-round of the draft, Zimmer mentioned the possibility that he might eventually be their weak-side linebacker. I don't buy it. I think that Kendricks is the Vikings middle linebacker for a very long time. But that might be because I want him to be the Vikings middle linebacker for a very long time. I also think that Greenway takes the weak-side spot for another year. Perhaps the last year of his excellent Vikings career. Whoever takes the weak-side spot is really a part time player as he'll probably come off the field in passing situations which is damn near every situation in today's NFL.
Cornerback
This battle is for the spot opposite the rapidly rising Xavier Rhodes. He's on the edge of elite status in the league. The Vikings talent and depth is much improved from last year. Experience and especially experience in Zimmer's system is part of the improvement. So is the influx of improved talent. Terrence Newman was added in free agency. He's much closer to ancient than young but he can still play. He believes it. Zimmer believes it. And that's good enough for me. Newman has played in Zimmer's defense with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. His experience in the league and with Zimmer makes him something like a coach on the field. The Vikings also added Trae Waynes in the first round of the NFL Draft. If he's ready for the league he's the week one starter and the Vikings have a supremely talented, young corner duo for, hopefully, a very long time. If Waynes isn't ready week one, Newman likely starts. There is nice depth with Captain Munnerlyn, and Jabari Price. It was revealed this weekend that Josh Robinson suffered a torn pectoral muscle during offseason workouts. He showed a lot of improvement in his first year with Zimmer but he still had a rough time with some of the big receivers that fill the rosters of the rivals in the NFC North. He's got some nice skills that can't be taught, like speed. If he's out for most or all of training camp it's a blow to the Vikings depth at the position. It's also an opportunity for a youngster like Price. Munnerlyn has starting experience and is the likely nickel corner. Which is pretty much a starter in today's NFL. He had a up-and-down first year with the Vikings last year. He should be better in his second year. Price could also challenge Munnerlyn for that spot. The future of this position is Rhodes and Waynes and the sooner that starts the better. The good thing is that the Vikings have some talent if that future doesn't start immediately.
Safety
This battle is as wide open as that at right guard. Like corner, the safety battle is for the spot opposite a rising star. Harrison Smith is among the best in the game at his position. The other spot is up for grabs. The fact that the spot opposite Smith is up for grabs seems a little odd as Robert Blanton was solid as the starter last year. Analytics sites such as Pro Football Focus have Blanton rated as a solid player. He played corner at Notre Dame so he has some nice cover skills and he gets ballcarriers to the ground. So, why the competition at safety? I think that the Vikings want to see more "splash" plays than they think that Blanton can provide. They would like more than solid. Andrew Sendejo also has some starting experience. Like Blanton, he's a solid player. 2nd-year Antone Exum Jr. might be able to provide more than "solid." He played corner and safety at Virginia Tech. He's bigger and faster than Blanton and Sendejo. If Exum's understanding of Zimmer's defense can meet his natural talent the Vikings might have found their safety. The wildcard in the mix is undrafted free agent Anthony Harris. He looks like a rangy, roving centerfield-type safety. Tall and thin. But he showed some nice physicality near the line of scrimmage. He can hit. Like corner, the Vikings have improved talent at the safety position. That improved talent creates competition. That competition makes everyone better and the defense better.
Receiver
The Vikings top four receivers are pretty much step. Newcomer Mike Wallace and Charles Johnson enter camp as the likely starters. Jarius Wright is the first on the field in three receiver sets. Cordarrelle Patterson is an incredibly skilled football player that needs to rebound from a down season. He has the talent to simply break defenses. He just has to play within the system without limiting his natural game-breaking ability. Those are four impact players. The battle comes down to the next two players. The Vikings might end up keeping six receivers because they can't let either of the two players go. Adam Thielen is one of those high-effort, do-everything, underdog players that every successful football team seems to need. In two seasons he's turned a local tryout into a roster spot. Not only that, he became a significant contributor on special teams. Not only that he made an impact on offense late last season. Solid hands and routes makes him more than simply a special teams player. The Vikings drafted Stefon Diggs in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. His talent possibly warranted a higher selection but durability questions dropped his actual selection. He's in the hunt for punt return duties so, like Thielen, Diggs could be a significant special teams contributor. Quick and elusive, he can turn short passes into long gains. He's a slight player so he has to work on getting away from jams at the line. His receiving talents are such that he could be a unique offensive contributor perhaps immediately but he could be a significant contributor in a couple of years. His ceiling is high. If the Vikings have to pick between Diggs and Thielen, the pick is probably Diggs. I think that Thielen forces the Vikings to keep six. If special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has his say, the Vikings keep six.
The Minnesota Vikings will have training competition at far more positions than these five. How many tight ends? What about fullback? Defensive line rotation? There will be competition throughout the roster. As there should be. Competition will make the entire team better.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
High School Rankings
MaxPreps released their 2015 Early Contenders high school football rankings. A top-25 list in June? It seems a bit early but these things are a guess at best even in October. Here are those Early Contenders for the mythical national title.
1. De La Salle (CA)
2. Miami Central (FL)
3. Bishop Gorman (NV)
4. Archer (GA)
5. DeSoto (TX)
6. Centennial (CA)
7. IMG Academy (FL)
8. Mallard Creek (NC)
9. Flanagan (FL)
10. Allen (TX)
11. Katy (TX)
12. Ocean Lakes (VA)
13. Bingham (UT)
14. DeMatha (MD)
15. St. John Bosco (CA)
16. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)
17. Chandler (AZ)
18. Spartanburg (SC)
19. Mainland (FL)
20. Manvel (TX)
21. Clay-Chalkville (AL)
22. Archbishop Rummel (LA)
23. Oxford (MS)
24. Bishop Amat (CA)
25, South Panola (MS)
Five from Florida. Four from California and Texas. Seven of the top ten are found in those three states. The lack of any schools from traditional high school hot-beds Ohio and Pennsylvania is a surprise.
De La Salle is a simply incredible 427-26-3 since 1979. That was the year Hall of Fame coach Bob Ladouceur took over the program. The Spartans have averaged 0.72 losses per year over the last 36 years. Winning a national record 151 straight games will keep that loss total low. The program has had books written about it and last year one of those books was turned into a Hollywood motion picture. That's big-time. Former Spartan player and assistant coach Justin Alumbaugh took over for Ladouceur in 2013. Now Ladouceur assists Alumbaugh. And the wins keep coming.
One of the more remarkable programs in recent years has been Bishop Gorman. The school has been a Nevada state power for a while. The Gaels have been sate champs every year since 2009. That was the year that Tony Sanchez took over the program. He's taken his team Nevada state prominence to national prominence. That success has taken Sanchez to a head coaching opportunity with UNLV.
1. De La Salle (CA)
2. Miami Central (FL)
3. Bishop Gorman (NV)
4. Archer (GA)
5. DeSoto (TX)
6. Centennial (CA)
7. IMG Academy (FL)
8. Mallard Creek (NC)
9. Flanagan (FL)
10. Allen (TX)
11. Katy (TX)
12. Ocean Lakes (VA)
13. Bingham (UT)
14. DeMatha (MD)
15. St. John Bosco (CA)
16. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)
17. Chandler (AZ)
18. Spartanburg (SC)
19. Mainland (FL)
20. Manvel (TX)
21. Clay-Chalkville (AL)
22. Archbishop Rummel (LA)
23. Oxford (MS)
24. Bishop Amat (CA)
25, South Panola (MS)
Five from Florida. Four from California and Texas. Seven of the top ten are found in those three states. The lack of any schools from traditional high school hot-beds Ohio and Pennsylvania is a surprise.
De La Salle is a simply incredible 427-26-3 since 1979. That was the year Hall of Fame coach Bob Ladouceur took over the program. The Spartans have averaged 0.72 losses per year over the last 36 years. Winning a national record 151 straight games will keep that loss total low. The program has had books written about it and last year one of those books was turned into a Hollywood motion picture. That's big-time. Former Spartan player and assistant coach Justin Alumbaugh took over for Ladouceur in 2013. Now Ladouceur assists Alumbaugh. And the wins keep coming.
One of the more remarkable programs in recent years has been Bishop Gorman. The school has been a Nevada state power for a while. The Gaels have been sate champs every year since 2009. That was the year that Tony Sanchez took over the program. He's taken his team Nevada state prominence to national prominence. That success has taken Sanchez to a head coaching opportunity with UNLV.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Closing In On The Top 10
The countdown of the NFL's Top 100 Players for 2015 continued this week with the reveal of #'s 20-11. The best of the best. It's getting exciting. Here are this week's players. The 2nd Ten:
20. Demaryus Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos
19. Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals
18. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
17. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
16. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
15. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys
14. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
13. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
12. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
11. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks
A fine group. It's easy to see the dominance of the passing game in today's NFL. 4 receivers and 3 corners in this group. There will be a couple more receivers and a handful of quarterbacks in the top group. The one thing that jumps out at me with this group is the meteoric rise of Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell. It's a well deserved rise as he might just be the best all-around back in the league. It's just such a quick rise to that level of play. He was only drafted two years ago. Some people are bitching about Dez Bryant being at 15. Including Bryant himself. It's not like being the 15th-ranked player in the league is a bad thing. It's probably being the 4th-ranked receiver that has him and others in a lather. Being behind Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Julio Jones isn't such a bad thing either. I think that those three receivers have played at a very high level more consistently than Bryant. There are times when Bryant plays like the best receiver but then there are times that he doesn't. I really like that Jones is getting the respect that he deserves. He's one of my favorite receivers in the game. Hell, he's one of my favorite football players in the game. I love the physical manner in which he plays the position. He took over some games even when he was the sole target on his offense for opposing defenses. He's a beast. Darrelle Revis is the only player that I would move up on this list. I'd like to see Revis and Richard Sherman ranked closer together as they are clearly the two best corners right now. The only thing that separates them is your own personal preference for the position. They are equally skilled in my book. It's also great to see Jordy Nelson finally getting the respect that he deserves and I haven't heard him bitching about it.
The reveal of those ten players leaves us with these ten players at the top of the list:
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Peyton Manning, WR, Denver Broncos
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
DeMarco Murray, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Top-10 is seriously lacking in defensive players. That's a damn shame. The above order is simply a guess of the order that will be revealed next week. Personally, I'd put J.J. Watt at the top. He's the best football player in the league right now. If he can sustain his play of the past two seasons for several more seasons he'll go down as one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history.
I love that this annual Top 100 list comes from the vote of the players. They know best what it's like to take the field against these players.
20. Demaryus Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos
19. Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals
18. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
17. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
16. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
15. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys
14. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
13. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
12. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
11. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks
A fine group. It's easy to see the dominance of the passing game in today's NFL. 4 receivers and 3 corners in this group. There will be a couple more receivers and a handful of quarterbacks in the top group. The one thing that jumps out at me with this group is the meteoric rise of Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell. It's a well deserved rise as he might just be the best all-around back in the league. It's just such a quick rise to that level of play. He was only drafted two years ago. Some people are bitching about Dez Bryant being at 15. Including Bryant himself. It's not like being the 15th-ranked player in the league is a bad thing. It's probably being the 4th-ranked receiver that has him and others in a lather. Being behind Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Julio Jones isn't such a bad thing either. I think that those three receivers have played at a very high level more consistently than Bryant. There are times when Bryant plays like the best receiver but then there are times that he doesn't. I really like that Jones is getting the respect that he deserves. He's one of my favorite receivers in the game. Hell, he's one of my favorite football players in the game. I love the physical manner in which he plays the position. He took over some games even when he was the sole target on his offense for opposing defenses. He's a beast. Darrelle Revis is the only player that I would move up on this list. I'd like to see Revis and Richard Sherman ranked closer together as they are clearly the two best corners right now. The only thing that separates them is your own personal preference for the position. They are equally skilled in my book. It's also great to see Jordy Nelson finally getting the respect that he deserves and I haven't heard him bitching about it.
The reveal of those ten players leaves us with these ten players at the top of the list:
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Peyton Manning, WR, Denver Broncos
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
DeMarco Murray, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Top-10 is seriously lacking in defensive players. That's a damn shame. The above order is simply a guess of the order that will be revealed next week. Personally, I'd put J.J. Watt at the top. He's the best football player in the league right now. If he can sustain his play of the past two seasons for several more seasons he'll go down as one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history.
I love that this annual Top 100 list comes from the vote of the players. They know best what it's like to take the field against these players.
Friday, July 3, 2015
More Supplements
The NFL's 2015 Supplemental Draft will take place on July 9. It might not amount to much of an early-July NFL attention-grabber. No team has selected a player in the Supplemental Draft since 2012. Only 42 players have been selected in the 38 years that the draft has been held. And only a few of those have made any sort of an impact in the league. Sometimes it's a source of new football talent. Mostly it's not. The NFL has announced that seven players are eligible to be selected in next week's draft.
Darrius Caldwell, DE, West Georgia
Adrian Wilkins, WR, North Carolina Central
Dalvon Stuckey, DT, West Georgia
Isaiah Battle, T, Clemson
The presence of those four players have been know for a while. Battle is the one player that might have the talent and potential that might entice some NFL team to spend a pick. If a team selects a player in the Supplemental Draft they forfeit the pick in the corresponding round of the next regular draft. It's a significant price to pay. Battle might be worth that price to a team in the 4th-7th round. Until yesterday, I thought that those were the only four players that were entering next week's draft. Three more will be eligible.
Eric Eiland, DE, Houston
Sean McQuillan, TE, Connecticut
Kevin Short, CB, Kansas
Short could intrigue a few teams. The only problem is that he hasn't played football since 2012 when he was at Fort Scott Community College. He never played a snap at Kansas. He redshirted in 2013 for academic reasons. He left the team and school last September for undisclosed. reasons. He was a top JC recruit and considered a very promising contributor to the Jayhawks secondary. At 6-2 and 185 lbs. he has nice size for a corner. He also has pro potential. Selecting Short in the Supplemental Draft might too much of a gamble. Even with a 7th-round pick but he might be worth a look as an undrafted free agent.
The excitement of the 2015 Supplemental Draft hits next Thursday.
Darrius Caldwell, DE, West Georgia
Adrian Wilkins, WR, North Carolina Central
Dalvon Stuckey, DT, West Georgia
Isaiah Battle, T, Clemson
The presence of those four players have been know for a while. Battle is the one player that might have the talent and potential that might entice some NFL team to spend a pick. If a team selects a player in the Supplemental Draft they forfeit the pick in the corresponding round of the next regular draft. It's a significant price to pay. Battle might be worth that price to a team in the 4th-7th round. Until yesterday, I thought that those were the only four players that were entering next week's draft. Three more will be eligible.
Eric Eiland, DE, Houston
Sean McQuillan, TE, Connecticut
Kevin Short, CB, Kansas
Short could intrigue a few teams. The only problem is that he hasn't played football since 2012 when he was at Fort Scott Community College. He never played a snap at Kansas. He redshirted in 2013 for academic reasons. He left the team and school last September for undisclosed. reasons. He was a top JC recruit and considered a very promising contributor to the Jayhawks secondary. At 6-2 and 185 lbs. he has nice size for a corner. He also has pro potential. Selecting Short in the Supplemental Draft might too much of a gamble. Even with a 7th-round pick but he might be worth a look as an undrafted free agent.
The excitement of the 2015 Supplemental Draft hits next Thursday.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Throwback Thursday: The Merger
The National Football League and the American Football League agreed to a merger on June 6, 1966. It might have been better to bring this up about this time next when the 50th Anniversary of the event will be in full swing. I bring it up now because it's always fun to repeatedly discuss the important moments in football history. And this was one of the most significant. Perhaps second only to the little gathering at a Canton Hupmobile dealership in 1920. The merger created the Super Bowl. The NFL struggled to make ends meet for 40 years before this AFL decided to get in the professional football game. Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams were refused entry into the exclusive NFL fraternity so they decided to form their own league. Why not? They had the money. They actually had more money than most, if not all, of the NFL owners. Hunt, Adams, and the rest made up the "Foolish Club" and they formed the American Football League. The NFL had been challenged before. They had even been challenged a few times by leagues calling themselves the AFL. The NFL had crushed them all. Only the AAFC had any sort of lasting impact as three of their teams were absorbed by the NFL. This time was different even if the old league refused to accept it. The owners of this AFL had money. Some had a lot of money. This AFL also had a television contract which meant even more money and greater stability. Instead of another failed AFL there was a professional football war and it lasted six years. The AFL did not go away and they got stronger each year. When some in the NFL finally realized that the new league wasn't going anywhere anytime soon they wanted peace. The peace talks mostly involved Dallas Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. The talks lasted several weeks in the spring of 1966. By June 6, they had a merger agreement worked out. The announcement came two days later. The NFL had approved the deal unanimously. The AFL had accepted it with the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders dissenting.
Here are the terms of the NFL-AFL Merger Agreement:
1. All existing franchises would be kept.
2. A championship game would be held after the 1966 season. In January 1967.
3. The leagues would continue to play separate schedules until 1970, at which time teams from each conference would play a single schedule. Until then, teams from either league would meet only in postseason and preseason games.
4. The merged NFL-AFL would be presided over by one commissioner-Pete Rozelle.
5. Each league would add an expansion franchise in 1967. New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Cincinnati Bengals in the AFL. Two other expansion teams would be added sometime later. Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976.
6. Beginning in 1967, the two leagues would hold a common draft.
7. The AFL would pay $26 million to the NFL (to go to the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers) for the right to impinge on franchised territory.
-It's interesting that the two teams that did the impinging, the Jets and Raiders, were the two teams that did the dissenting in the AFL merger vote.
The merger really was a win-win. The runaway success of the Super Bowl is an indication of that. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis didn't really see it that way. At the time of the merger agreement Davis was the AFL Commissioner and he wanted an all-out war with the NFL. He wanted to sign their players. He wanted to sign all of their draft picks. He wanted to crush the NFL. Davis was fighting a war while others within his own league were negotiating a peace. An all-out war would have only hurt both leagues and that's why the NFL owners and most of the AFL owners wanted a merger. Davis didn't like the merger and especially didn't like that Rozelle was going to be the Commissioner of the merged leagues. That dislike only grew over the years. Davis' anger was misguided. If he was upset with anyone it should have been with some of the members of his own league. The negotiations took place without his knowledge. The negotiations started before Davis became the AFL Commissioner but they mostly took place while he was in charge. He had no idea. If he had he probably would have tried to end them. The two leagues merged and Davis went back to running the Raiders and hating the NFL and Pete Rozelle. Everyone else has been pretty happy.
Here are the terms of the NFL-AFL Merger Agreement:
1. All existing franchises would be kept.
2. A championship game would be held after the 1966 season. In January 1967.
3. The leagues would continue to play separate schedules until 1970, at which time teams from each conference would play a single schedule. Until then, teams from either league would meet only in postseason and preseason games.
4. The merged NFL-AFL would be presided over by one commissioner-Pete Rozelle.
5. Each league would add an expansion franchise in 1967. New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Cincinnati Bengals in the AFL. Two other expansion teams would be added sometime later. Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976.
6. Beginning in 1967, the two leagues would hold a common draft.
7. The AFL would pay $26 million to the NFL (to go to the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers) for the right to impinge on franchised territory.
-It's interesting that the two teams that did the impinging, the Jets and Raiders, were the two teams that did the dissenting in the AFL merger vote.
The merger really was a win-win. The runaway success of the Super Bowl is an indication of that. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis didn't really see it that way. At the time of the merger agreement Davis was the AFL Commissioner and he wanted an all-out war with the NFL. He wanted to sign their players. He wanted to sign all of their draft picks. He wanted to crush the NFL. Davis was fighting a war while others within his own league were negotiating a peace. An all-out war would have only hurt both leagues and that's why the NFL owners and most of the AFL owners wanted a merger. Davis didn't like the merger and especially didn't like that Rozelle was going to be the Commissioner of the merged leagues. That dislike only grew over the years. Davis' anger was misguided. If he was upset with anyone it should have been with some of the members of his own league. The negotiations took place without his knowledge. The negotiations started before Davis became the AFL Commissioner but they mostly took place while he was in charge. He had no idea. If he had he probably would have tried to end them. The two leagues merged and Davis went back to running the Raiders and hating the NFL and Pete Rozelle. Everyone else has been pretty happy.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Vincent Is Out Of His Mind
NFL Executive V.P. of Football Operations Troy Vincent is out of his mind. One of his responsibilities in the league offices is to hand out punishment like the 4-game suspension he gave to Tom Brady. So he's been in the news a lot lately. Off the field, the NFL has been a disaster in the past year. Roger Goodell has done little right and his Executive V.P. of Football Operations has followed that example. Now Vincent is making it even worse by talking. He's complaining about the money spent by the NFL Players Association on legal action.
Here's some of what he had to say in an interview with ESPN.com's Ashley Fox:
"Look at the amount of money being spent on legal fees for a handful of people. It's millions and millions of dollars, and we've got players that are hurting. We've got young men who don't know how to identify a good financial adviser. Men are in transition who aren't doing well, and yet $8-10 million a year is spent in court fees about who should make a decision on someone, who in some cases has committed a crime. Think about that logically. Wouldn't it be better to spend our time and resources on the issues that are vital to our players -- past, present and future -- such as the players' total wellness and growing the game together?"
Where do we start? First of all, the NFL and the NFLPA are making the very same legal appearances. So, the NFL is also spending "millions and millions of dollars" on legal actions. The NFL even tossed about $5 million at Ted Wells for a thoroughly incompetent investigation into that little football inflation/deflation issue. With legal costs in mind, no one even remotely connected to the NFL should be complaining about a single dollar spent by the NFLPA. The main reason for the frequent court visits in the past year has been the NFL's erratic handling of punishments. From Ray Rice's ludicrous 2-game suspension to Adrian Peterson's nearly full-year banishment, the punishments have been random and often outside the guidelines set by the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement. Vincent, himself, even brought about a couple of court visits by telling Peterson that his time spent on the Commissioner's Exempt List would be accepted as time served. Besides lying, he had no authority to do so. Second of all, Vincent is ignoring history when he suggests that the NFLPA would be better served by spending the "millions and millions of dollars" on better care for retired players. He is right in the sense that the retired players do deserve better care but that better care is needed because the NFL refused to care for them at all since 1920.
Troy Vincent truly is out of his mind. He's a former player. He even served as president of the NFLPA from 2004 to 2008. He even ran against DeMaurice Smith for the executive director role in 2009. I thought that it was a great thing to have a former player that was very active in the NFLPA sitting in an NFL office. A person that had been very involved in all matters on the other side of the fence. Looks like I was wrong. Looks like Troy Vincent has forgotten all about those days on the other side of the fence. The NFLPA is there for the concerns and issues of the players. It's as simple as that. The frequency of the court visits is due to the stupid shit that players are doing off-the-field. That's on them and has to stop. It's made even worse by the NFL's completely random discipline. There's no logic or consistency. The NFL has been a train wreck for about a year. That's on Goodell. And Vincent. The NFL and the NFLPA are spending "millions and millions of dollars" because some players keep doing stupid shit and the NFL doesn't have a clue as to how to deal with it. Vincent should be looking into the disaster in his own building rather than bitching about how the other side is spending money.
Here's some of what he had to say in an interview with ESPN.com's Ashley Fox:
"Look at the amount of money being spent on legal fees for a handful of people. It's millions and millions of dollars, and we've got players that are hurting. We've got young men who don't know how to identify a good financial adviser. Men are in transition who aren't doing well, and yet $8-10 million a year is spent in court fees about who should make a decision on someone, who in some cases has committed a crime. Think about that logically. Wouldn't it be better to spend our time and resources on the issues that are vital to our players -- past, present and future -- such as the players' total wellness and growing the game together?"
Where do we start? First of all, the NFL and the NFLPA are making the very same legal appearances. So, the NFL is also spending "millions and millions of dollars" on legal actions. The NFL even tossed about $5 million at Ted Wells for a thoroughly incompetent investigation into that little football inflation/deflation issue. With legal costs in mind, no one even remotely connected to the NFL should be complaining about a single dollar spent by the NFLPA. The main reason for the frequent court visits in the past year has been the NFL's erratic handling of punishments. From Ray Rice's ludicrous 2-game suspension to Adrian Peterson's nearly full-year banishment, the punishments have been random and often outside the guidelines set by the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement. Vincent, himself, even brought about a couple of court visits by telling Peterson that his time spent on the Commissioner's Exempt List would be accepted as time served. Besides lying, he had no authority to do so. Second of all, Vincent is ignoring history when he suggests that the NFLPA would be better served by spending the "millions and millions of dollars" on better care for retired players. He is right in the sense that the retired players do deserve better care but that better care is needed because the NFL refused to care for them at all since 1920.
Troy Vincent truly is out of his mind. He's a former player. He even served as president of the NFLPA from 2004 to 2008. He even ran against DeMaurice Smith for the executive director role in 2009. I thought that it was a great thing to have a former player that was very active in the NFLPA sitting in an NFL office. A person that had been very involved in all matters on the other side of the fence. Looks like I was wrong. Looks like Troy Vincent has forgotten all about those days on the other side of the fence. The NFLPA is there for the concerns and issues of the players. It's as simple as that. The frequency of the court visits is due to the stupid shit that players are doing off-the-field. That's on them and has to stop. It's made even worse by the NFL's completely random discipline. There's no logic or consistency. The NFL has been a train wreck for about a year. That's on Goodell. And Vincent. The NFL and the NFLPA are spending "millions and millions of dollars" because some players keep doing stupid shit and the NFL doesn't have a clue as to how to deal with it. Vincent should be looking into the disaster in his own building rather than bitching about how the other side is spending money.
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