NFL 2013 [American Football]

[R_of_G]

If he gets close to JPP, I'd be more than happy.

Certainly the best pro USF has produced to date.

[R_of_G]

The Bucs have two picks tonight, the first being the 43rd overall (11th pick in 2nd round). I would be quite pleased to see them take Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State). Even with the addition of Revis, it's a position at which I think the Bucs need more depth. This is a division where they play Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice. No such thing as too many good DBs for that situation.

And with the 43rd pick the Bucs did take Banks. I'm very happy.

[R_of_G]

And with their other pick last night (#73 overall) the Bucs selected Mike Glennon (QB-NCSt).

I'm not sure how to feel about that pick. I'm not entirely against the idea of having a developmental QB in the system. I watched very little ACC ball last season and know virtually nothing about Glennon except that he's very tall (6'7"). There were at least three or four QBs ahead of him on most prospect rating charts I'd seen, but that means almost nothing.

Nothing against the kid but ultimately I still hope Josh Freeman continues to develop into the franchise QB I believe he can be. Then I won't have to learn anything about Glennon except that he's the really tall dude with the clipboard.

[sunvalleylaw]

I have been watching the Seahawks picks, and have generally, on the surface, been pleased. Will look a little closer and report back on what I think upon further analysis later this weekend.

[R_of_G]

I'm pleased overall with the Bucs' draft. Time will tell whether or not these guys make good pros, but the team addressed the positions I thought were in need of adding depth and competition. Now I put my hopes in the coaching staff to prepare these guys for the transition and the players themselves to put in the work.

One note on another fretters' team... I thought the Eagles had a pretty strong draft, though that will be one circus-like QB situation to watch unfold. Besides, Chip Kelly's offense may be the second chance Vick needs to get the starting role back but new offense or not, nobody is delusional enough to think Vick is playing 16 games. They need a strong backup.

[piebaldpython***]

One note on another fretters' team... I thought the Eagles had a pretty strong draft, though that will be one circus-like QB situation to watch unfold. Besides, Chip Kelly's offense may be the second chance Vick needs to get the starting role back but new offense or not, nobody is delusional enough to think Vick is playing 16 games. They need a strong backup.

hehe.....We got a big OT from Oklahoma in the first round...that made sense. Why they took QB Barkley from USC is beyond me? We have Vick and Foules and some other guy. What we need is big OL guys, because without them, we might go through a QB a week. We're trying to give Chip Kelly some slack.......but a pick like Barkley gets us to wonderin'....if he's as dopey as the guy he replaced. Speaking of Andy Reid, the Iggles play the Chiefs in the 3rd week of the season.

I admit that I don't follow the draft and all of that stuff.....what I find out is just by chance.

[R_of_G]

hehe.....We got a big OT from Oklahoma in the first round...that made sense. Why they took QB Barkley from USC is beyond me? We have Vick and Foules and some other guy. What we need is big OL guys, because without them, we might go through a QB a week. We're trying to give Chip Kelly some slack.......but a pick like Barkley gets us to wonderin'....if he's as dopey as the guy he replaced. Speaking of Andy Reid, the Iggles play the Chiefs in the 3rd week of the season.

I admit that I don't follow the draft and all of that stuff.....what I find out is just by chance.

On the contrary, the Barkley pick should show you that Kelly knows what he's doing. He knows very well Vick is not at all durable and not getting any younger. Kelly didn't draft Foles so there's no reason to expect him to have any faith in him at all. Barkley on the other hand is someone Kelly recruited for Oregon and then faced for four years. With a new coach and offense, the time to start a developmental QB is now. They weren't going to find a better one than Barkley with that pick. Of all the QB picks in this draft, that was one of the few that actually made sense.

[piebaldpython***]

On the contrary, the Barkley pick should show you that Kelly knows what he's doing. He knows very well Vick is not at all durable and not getting any younger. Kelly didn't draft Foles so there's no reason to expect him to have any faith in him at all. Barkley on the other hand is someone Kelly recruited for Oregon and then faced for four years. With a new coach and offense, the time to start a developmental QB is now. They weren't going to find a better one than Barkley with that pick. Of all the QB picks in this draft, that was one of the few that actually made sense.

OK....I see your point here....maybe he does know what he's doing. lol That said, Foules performed pretty well last season under pressure in the NFL. So at the very least he's battle-tested and ought to be given an edge over Barkley at the outset.

[R_of_G]

That said, Foules performed pretty well last season under pressure in the NFL. So at the very least he's battle-tested and ought to be given an edge over Barkley at the outset.

He performed pretty well in someone else's offense which pretty much levels the field again between he and Barkley. Unless they already plan on trading Foles (also not the worst idea in the world to do now while he has value) I suspect Kelly will give him a fair look in training camp to see exactly what they have in him.

Overall, I just think it's wise that the Eagles look to the post-Vick era sooner rather than later. He can barely sustain consistency for 12 games a season. It shows the team is thinking long term.

[R_of_G]

NOTE: We don't have to (nor should we probably) discuss the political aspects of this news item, but its existence is newsworthy with respect to the NFL (and certainly to my team.)

Yesterday, Senator John McCain introduced a bill dealing with "bundling" of cable broadcast services and such. In that bill is a provision that would ban television blackouts of professional sporting events which take place in stadiums that were built with public funding (federal, state, or local). As the Bucs are frequent victims of the blackout policy, and Raymond James Stadium was built primarily on funding from a one cent tax initiative, this story is one to follow for me.

[piebaldpython***]

Without knowing anything about this stuff........it seems like a no-brainer of a bill and I hope it passes. I always hated that blackout crap.

[R_of_G]

Without knowing anything about this stuff........it seems like a no-brainer of a bill and I hope it passes. I always hated that blackout crap.

Alas, the blackout ban part is but one minor sub-section of the overall bill (that happens to be of interest to NFL fans). I'm first reading up now on the bulk of the proposed legislation to see what it's actually all about and what its chances are for passage. Of course, even if it should become law, there's no saying what the NFL legal department will do to challenge its application.

[R_of_G]

As you've probably read or heard by now, NFL legend Deacon Jones passed away yesterday.

I'm too young to have seen Jones play in his time, in fact, my first memory of Deacon Jones was when he guested on The Brady Bunch and told Peter that he wasn't a canary for being in the Glee Club. Then my dad explained to me who Deacon Jones was.

The film speaks for itself (though it speaks far better with the sound off because the music seems more suited for a training sequence in a Jean Claude Van Damme movie).

[marnold***]

I'm just barely old enough to remember him playing. One of the best ever.

[piebaldpython***]

I remember him seeing him play on TV lots of times in the 60s-early 70s. He was a great player, super quick for his size and he had this Head Slap move that he used very effectively on offensive linemen. IIRC, he would slap the helmet right at the ear hole and that would serve to disorient the opponent.

[R_of_G]

I remember him seeing him play on TV lots of times in the 60s-early 70s. He was a great player, super quick for his size and he had this Head Slap move that he used very effectively on offensive linemen. IIRC, he would slap the helmet right at the ear hole and that would serve to disorient the opponent.

Watching some of that tape, I'm surprised the head slap didn't separate the offensive linemen's heads from their shoulders.

[piebaldpython***]

Yeah, well now you can see why that move was eventually banned as being too dangerous. The "pressure" generated by a forceful head slap over the earhole of the helmet could be damaging. I think the medical community did testing on just that issue and that in a large part is what got the move banned.

[sunvalleylaw]

I remember that Brady Bunch episode. I was a little kid at the time, but I watched them in primetime. Also remember Namath being on. I don't recall actually watching him play, though I am sure I did watch a game at some point with my Dad or Grandfather.

[R_of_G]

Yeah, well now you can see why that move was eventually banned as being too dangerous. The "pressure" generated by a forceful head slap over the earhole of the helmet could be damaging. I think the medical community did testing on just that issue and that in a large part is what got the move banned.

Oh I can definitely see why they banned it. I'm still surprised some of those guys got back up.

I remember that Brady Bunch episode. I was a little kid at the time, but I watched them in primetime. Also remember Namath being on.

Which of course all led to this very valuable lesson about vapor lock...



I also remember Don Drysdale dropping by the Brady home to give someone advice on how to pitch (Greg maybe?) It sure was nice of those LA-based athletes to show up and boost the Brady kids' confidence.