Which NFL Pundit/Columnist/Blogger do you most respect?

ArmCandyBaby

With speculation season upon us and every man and his dog trying to make predictions and show off their knowledge and insight of the game, which expert's opinon do you most value?

I've been reading a lot of rubbish these days (except for on this forum of course! :cool:) so looking to branch out...

Royal Seahawk

Peter King. Sports Illustrated magazine and si.com.

jdivision

Dr Z, one of the main reasons I started playing was because of him. I'm gonna be donating to the fundraiser for him.

bobby wade

Tom Waddle -ESPN

Sea Devils

Michael Smith ESPN as well as the Boston Globe

Hazys

Not exactly what you asked but i think John Madden is the best colour commentator in all sports

Karlusss

Really? I'm pretty tired of Madden. He gets kid's gloves off the play-by-play announcer and he primarily speaks in cliches.

For pundits, I like to hear the NFL Network's future hall-of-famers when they have a chance to talk about the specifics of their positions - Rod Woodson and Deion Sanders criticising drill technique at the Combine for example.

Other than that, I read Sando's NFC West blog on ESPN.com, and the beat writers on stltoday.com.

You get bull**** everywhere, and NFL coverage is particularly susceptible to cliches for some reason, maybe because of the amount of them that coaches and players spew. But yeah, my favourites are the people who know talking about what they know.

RichTea

Dr Z is the man.

On the NFL Network Mike Mayock and Rod Woodson are the best all around pundits while Prime is just great entertainment. Marshall Faulk is great too.

tallaghtoutlaws

I tend to read them all and then pick out of what they say and if the majority of the other colunmists have said the same thing then I go with that. I find everyone of them BS in some way.

JJ

I like John Madden but more so 10-20 years ago then today. He's always got funny stories to tell and usually has his fingers on the pulse of what the players and coaches are going through.

themont85

Jaime Dukes tbh:pac:

ArmCandyBaby

Cheers for all the tips I've already changed my NFL bookmarks over to ESPN and SI. I found King's MMQB today much better than the average NFL read. I was getting a bit tired of the ex-pro's on NFL network tossing out their views without explaining the basis behind them in any detail and because of that I'd just think they're wrong all the time! Rick Eisen and Sanders Claus will always be champs tho!

Scally07

Mike Mayock on NFL Network commands a lot of respect, can't say i'm really a fan of any of the ex-players or coaches, Rod Woodson's the best of a bad bunch IMO.

Sanders is a knob, having a go at Cutler for being not being a team player and the whole 'he hasn't done much in this league' rant - not alone is it funny coming from him, but complete bullsh!t aswell considering what cutler has accomplished.

Love Rich Eisen with his 'Joe Flacooooo':D

eagle eye

Scally07 wrote: »

Mike Mayock on NFL Network commands a lot of respect, can't say i'm really a fan of any of the ex-players or coaches, Rod Woodson's the best of a bad bunch IMO.

Sanders is a knob, having a go at Cutler for being not being a team player and the whole 'he hasn't done much in this league' rant - not alone is it funny coming from him, but complete bullsh!t aswell considering what cutler has accomplished.

Love Rich Eisen with his 'Joe Flacooooo':D

Apart from one 4500 yard season, what exactly has Cutler accomplished?

Chanandler Bong

Dan Pompei in Chicago Tribune, great read

ArmCandyBaby

I think Deion's brilliant just as pure entertainment, whenever he gets serious I have to turn him off though.

I thought Mayock was good too but that's been compromised since I heard this discussion:

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80f94811

If there was one thing that McDaniels could do that would be the complete antithesis of the ideas of the Patriots school of QBing, it is trading 2 first round picks for a possible bust. If Sanchez falls to no. 12 then OK but I'd be unbelievably suprised if the chose to do trade up, especially considering their defence & run game & the QBs that they already have.

It was actually after watching this video that I decided to start this thread.

Scally07

eagle eye wrote: »

Apart from one 4500 yard season, what exactly has Cutler accomplished?

The guy led his team to an 8-8 season with a defence ranked in the late 20's in all categories and a running game relying on udfa's, a rookie 7th round fullback(who turned out to be decent) and a bloke who sold phones in a shopping centre kiosk.

Granted he had a decent supporting cast in the passing game but what can he do without a defence? There mike linebacker was a converted rookie fullback ffs.

Hes proven enough in the last 2 seasons imo.

Scally07

ArmCandyBaby wrote: »

I think Deion's brilliant just as pure entertainment, whenever he gets serious I have to turn him off though.

I thought Mayock was good too but that's been compromised since I heard this discussion:

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80f94811

If there was one thing that McDaniels could do that would be the complete antithesis of the ideas of the Patriots school of QBing, it is trading 2 first round picks for a possible bust. If Sanchez falls to no. 12 then OK but I'd be unbelievably suprised if the chose to do trade up, especially considering their defence & run game & the QBs that they already have.

It was actually after watching this video that I decided to start this thread.

I mentioned this in another thread - try and get Brady Quinn and Denver fans have a young Q.b to get excited about.

eagle eye

Scally07 wrote: »

The guy led his team to an 8-8 season with a defence ranked in the late 20's in all categories and a running game relying on udfa's, a rookie 7th round fullback(who turned out to be decent) and a bloke who sold phones in a shopping centre kiosk.

Granted he had a decent supporting cast in the passing game but what can he do without a defence? There mike linebacker was a converted rookie fullback ffs.

Hes proven enough in the last 2 seasons imo.

You throw in two seasons at the very end of your comments.

Last season he was impressive, I have stated that already. 4500 yards sums up his achievements last year. It even makes him sound better than he actually was to be fair but he did do it and you cannot take it away from him.
He is young, talented but to say he has proven himself is just going a little too far imo. One good season does not make you proven, look at Derek Anderson as the most recent example.
I think he could be great myself but thats not to say that I think he is proven.

Scally07

eagle eye wrote: »

You throw in two seasons at the very end of your comments.

Last season he was impressive, I have stated that already. 4500 yards sums up his achievements last year. It even makes him sound better than he actually was to be fair but he did do it and you cannot take it away from him.
He is young, talented but to say he has proven himself is just going a little too far imo. One good season does not make you proven, look at Derek Anderson as the most recent example.
I think he could be great myself but thats not to say that I think he is proven.

I can see your point but if he had a defence that could stop anyone then none of this would even be up for discussion.

I think the comparison to Anderson is unfair, he had an emerging 3-4 d and Jamal Lewis on his side when he had a good season - and I wouldn't wright him off as a one season wonder yet myself but thats another topic altogether.

2 good seasons, exactly, he's only in the league 3.

tallaghtoutlaws

How did this thread turn into a QB debate especially involving Cutler when there is another Cutler debate going on in the other Cutler trade thread. Where is a mod when you need one to merge certain posts into the other one.:D

Oat23

Just what i was gunna say before i saw your post

eagle eye

Scally07 wrote: »

I can see your point but if he had a defence that could stop anyone then none of this would even be up for discussion.

I think the comparison to Anderson is unfair, he had an emerging 3-4 d and Jamal Lewis on his side when he had a good season - and I wouldn't wright him off as a one season wonder yet myself but thats another topic altogether.

2 good seasons, exactly, he's only in the league 3.

Eh one good season, wheres the second good season you are talking about?

eagle eye

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

I tend to read them all and then pick out of what they say and if the majority of the other colunmists have said the same thing then I go with that. I find everyone of them BS in some way.

I'm nearly the same, I read as much as I can on a subject but I'll make my own mind up after that. Kinda like the Cutler leaving the Broncos thing, while its clear that he was not staying, I still think it was badly handled by McDaniels and I think he has to take as much blame as Cutler for whats happened. Most of the writers were apportioning the blame unfairly imo. I do think that Cutler's agent had a big part but only after it all got started.

RichTea

Deoin Sanders may be totally wrong about some things but he is absolutely justified in his criticism of Jay Cutler.

Yes, perhaps McDaniels and his staff were not particularly wise to manouver for a trade for Matt Cassel but he is the coach of that football team and he has the final say. In the end they didn't trade for Matt C that should have been the end of the matter. That football team is McDaniels', he was looking for a QB to run his system. Cutler should have manned up and played for the team.
In the end Cutler ended up flip-flopping on whether he did or did not wanted to be traded eventually landing at a Chicago Bears team where there is a distinct possibility that he will not flourish. That Denver offense and it's personnel could have taken Cutler far but he chose to give that up.

Scally07

eagle eye wrote: »

Eh one good season, wheres the second good season you are talking about?

3500 yards, 20 td's and a 7-9 finish on a mediocre team in his first full season as a starter.

Meh, overrated.

Back on topic, although he's not exaxctly a pundit as such, Adam Schefter is quality. He's been absent for most of the Cutler saga, which is strange given his Denver connections but I suppose now would be the time to get time off, post fa and pre draft.

tallaghtoutlaws

Ok the next person to debate anything other than Pundits etc etc is going to get eaten by a starved 300 pound dude. And that icludes throwing in an argument and then right at the bottom saying back on topic. Wtf are mods when you need them. The majority of this thread is off topic.

jdivision

Scally07 wrote: »

Adam Schefter is quality. He's been absent for most of the Cutler saga, which is strange given his Denver connections but I suppose now would be the time to get time off, post fa and pre draft.

His wife had a kid recently I think, can't blame him for taking some leave

Mr. Guappa

themont85 wrote: »

Jaime Dukes tbh:pac:

The most annoying pundit I have ever seen or heard:mad:

SimComSports

Coach Mayock or for his honesty Deion Sanders

Sea Devils

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

The most annoying pundit I have ever seen or heard:mad:

Whar about Stephen A Smith or Tony Kornheiser on MNF?

jdivision

Tony K or Deion would have my votes for most annoying

Neil3030

Play by play: You gotta give it to Madden
Journalist: Gregg Easterbrook
NFL Network Personalysist*: Meh... Mariucci or Faulk
Sky Sports: Jeff Reinbold







*Gonna patent that me thinks...

RichTea

I think Chris Collinsworth is a damn analyst of the game. Apparently NBC have him chalked in for the Madden role when big John calls it a day. He's earned it too.

faulk28

Anyone know where Adam Schefter is gone? It says this on wikipedia, "according to many sources in the NFL, Schefter will head to ESPN after his contract expires where he will be the presumed heir to current lead rumor reporter Chris Mortensen", but anybody got any more concrete info. Not that I don't trust Wikipedia.

Sea Devils

faulk28 wrote: »

Anyone know where Adam Schefter is gone? It says this on wikipedia, "according to many sources in the NFL, Schefter will head to ESPN after his contract expires where he will be the presumed heir to current lead rumor reporter Chris Mortensen", but anybody got any more concrete info. Not that I don't trust Wikipedia.

Schefter has officially left for ESPN as far as I know because of a contract dispute or something along those lines. Don't think the reasoning has been fully explained yet.

Poor decision by the NFLN if true. Schefter was always very good for them. But at least now we can see how reliable his sources are/were or was he simply the front for the info that gets fed to the NFL Network. Don't think either party will do too badly from this move.

faulk28

Sea Devils wrote: »

Schefter has officially left for ESPN as far as I know because of a contract dispute or something along those lines. Don't think the reasoning has been fully explained yet.

Poor decision by the NFLN if true. Schefter was always very good for them. But at least now we can see how reliable his sources are/were or was he simply the front for the info that gets fed to the NFL Network. Don't think either party will do too badly from this move.

Cheers.

Chanandler Bong

Jamie Dukes seems to be the only member of the Players Roundtable on NFLTA that talks any sense at all

Sea Devils

Chanandler Bong wrote: »

Rod Woodson seems to be the only member of the Players Roundtable on NFLTA that talks any sense at all

Fixed your post

Karlusss

Rod Woodson isn't part of the Players Roundtable.

It's Dukes, Faulk, Sapp, Sanders.

I don't like Jamie Dukes when he's going off on one or doing a character or trying to impress Rich or whatever, but he definitely comes across as reasonable and level-headed in the round-table. I like Deion too though.

Marshall Faulk is a good analyst of the game but he doesn't hold his own that well. Sapp just gives people the eye/laughs his gigantic Warren Sapp laugh.

It's great to see though, the four together.

Chanandler Bong

Karlusss wrote: »

Rod Woodson isn't part of the Players Roundtable.

It's Dukes, Faulk, Sapp, Sanders.

I don't like Jamie Dukes when he's going off on one or doing a character or trying to impress Rich or whatever, but he definitely comes across as reasonable and level-headed in the round-table. I like Deion too though.

Marshall Faulk is a good analyst of the game but he doesn't hold his own that well. Sapp just gives people the eye/laughs his gigantic Warren Sapp laugh.

It's great to see though, the four together.

Yeah Rod Woodson aint enough of a character for the table, tbh i dont think marshall is either, they should try and snake michael strahan from wherever he is. I liked Dukes points on the rookie caps if you seen that one. Yeah Sapp's just kinda like a caricature token "Damn that ****s Wack!" type of character

Royal Seahawk

Warren Sapp is a clown.

jdivision

Royal Seahawk speaks the truth

Leslie91

I thought Jon Gruden's work at the draft was excellent......... I look forward to hearing him on MNF.

There are v few good writers/commentators. Most of em are full of it. Some of the guys on NFL Network are a joke, I guess they are there so it is somewhat lighthearted. Sapp, Deion and Dukes are morons........

If Peter King got his tongue outta Tom Brady's ass he might say something good for a change. He is far too much a Pat's homer for my liking.

Rick Gosselin at the Dallas Morning News is good, I also like Nick Canepa over at the San Diego Union Tribune (he is a bit of an AJ lover though).

I read loads of em though.