The Weird, Wacky and Awesome World of the NFL - General Banter thread

UnitedIrishman

Just looking through some old NFL drafts out of boredom and question came into my head - who was the biggest Heisman trophy faller in their respective draft? i.e. Troy Smith won the Heisman in 06' and went in the 5th round, was there any other major fallers in this regard and were they a bust/success?

Also, where is Smith now? He did alright for 49ers when I saw him in a few games a couple years back, when they couldn't really decide who to play at QB.

frostie500

helimachoptor wrote: »

Don't you mean Brady and luck?

week 5 has the Broncos at Patriots. Colts play NE in week 11

HigginsJ

http://blogs.nfl.com/2012/04/18/lombardi-prisco-agree-to-disagree-on-blaine-gabbert/?module=HP11_content_stream

Just put this in here to get people opinions. Lombardi had a go at Gabbert basically saying he was scared and looked out of place

Gabbert and some guy called Pete Prisco from CBS have hit back claiming Lombardi does not know what he is on about.

From my point of view I find it hard not to agree with Lombardi. Gabbert looked awful last year and played half the time with his eyes closed when pass rush came.

What are peoples opinions on this and what side do you com down on?

UnitedIrishman

I'd be on Lombardi's side from what I've seen. Gabbert looked as if he just wanted rid of the ball when the pass rush came last year - it's almost like he got a hit early on in the NFL that he hasn't shaken off mentally.

So far Lombardi is right, and now it's up to Gabbert to prove him wrong next year but I doubt he will. Earlier in the year he also said this about Gabbert:

“In my 20-plus years in the NFL, I don’t think I have seen a high first-round pick look as scared or as out of place as Blaine Gabbert. The game looks entirely too big for him. When the ball is in his hand, he treats it like a hot potato. His play was embarrassing, considering he was a top 10 pick. I believed Gabbert was a good prospect and wrote about it leading up to the draft. When everyone was concerned about his down-field throws, I thought he would be able to adjust. But never did I think his eye level would be this low, his unwillingness to hang in the pocket this bad. I readily admit my mistake. Now the Jags need to do the same. The longer they play him, they run the risk of losing the team. How can they expect the players around him to buy in? Gabbert cannot fool his teammates. If he continues to play like this, no one will want to play with him.”

OAOB

I like the fact that Gabbert came out and defended himself but he has to back it up with his play now because it definitely looks like Lombardi is right with his assessment.

davyjose

helimachoptor wrote: »

Don't you mean Brady and luck?

Sorry, Denver-Pats and Green bay - Colts on same day. Should have clarified.

davyjose

Luck's a lock!

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/indianapolis-colts-will-select-andrew-luck-top-pick-nfl-draft-041912

Booom!!!

kmart6

Called into the NFL shop the other day....wasn't that impressed, although it is only a pop up store for the month, but still pretty cool!

JaMarcus Hustle

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

Just looking through some old NFL drafts out of boredom and question came into my head - who was the biggest Heisman trophy faller in their respective draft? i.e. Troy Smith won the Heisman in 06' and went in the 5th round, was there any other major fallers in this regard and were they a bust/success?

Jason White won it in 2003, and was a finalist again in 2004 before entering the draft and going undrafted. Never threw a ball as an NFL player, not even in a training session. Just shows the difference in expectations between college football and the pros.

Ares

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Jason White won it in 2003, and was a finalist again in 2004 before entering the draft and going undrafted. Never threw a ball as an NFL player, not even in a training session. Just shows the difference in expectations between college football and the pros.

That was because he couldn't scramble with the condition of his knees.

Didn't Oklahoma State have to run every offensive play out of the shotgun when White was QB after his knee reconstructions.

Everybody and their dog knew that White was never, ever gonna make it in the NFL post college ball.

HigginsJ

A continuation of the Lombardi-Gabbert fight: Lombardi just put an open letter to Blaine Gabbert on NFL.com


Open letter to Blaine Gabbert ...
Dear Blaine,
I realize you have no idea who I am, or care to know, but my critical comments last December were not directed at you as a person, but rather, your performance as a rookie player in the NFL. This isn't personal -- strictly a player evaluation based on your 14 starts as a rookie. In fact, I liked your talents at Missouri, and felt you had the skill set to potentially be the first overall pick. When the Jags moved up in the draft to acquire your rights, I applauded their decision.
The NFL is a tough business -- it requires a short memory, thick skin to criticism and constant growth. Each time you take the field, you must show some level of improvement in every aspect of your game. That did not happen last year. Never did I watch your tape and feel like you were developing as a quarterback, making strides toward improved play. Rarely did I see a glimpse of the talent you displayed at Missouri.
Young players must understand the difference between coaching and criticism. Coaches strive for excellence because they have a vested interest in their players. Meanwhile, critics just explain what went wrong without caring about the future. I care about you being a good player, not because of how I graded you, but rather, for the good of league. It's beneficial to everyone if you really do become the quarterback of the future in Jacksonville. Jaguars fans need a great signal caller, they need a great team. The city needs someone to rally around, someone to make the Jags relevant.
I know that last season you were a young player with little experience in the system, without the benefit of an offseason program. I know your supporting cast was not the best. But I also know that great players make others around them great. I thought you would excel. With Maurice Jones-Drew at your side, I expected more. There's a popular belief that a rookie quarterback's best friend is a potent running game, but clearly the league's leading rusher wasn't that big of an ally for you.
I didn't expect you to go 13-0 while completing 66.9 percent of your passes and throwing 15 touchdown passes like Ben Roethlisberger during his rookie season. But I did expect you to perform better than Tim Couch, who played for the expansion Cleveland Browns yet posted a better completion percentage, yards-per-game average and passer rating than you.
I had our research department go back and pull up the modern-era quarterbacks drafted in the first round who started at least half the games in their rookie season. This first group is the QBs who might've hit some bumps in the road during Year 1, but eventually became great (sorted by passer rating):


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d828780d2/article/time-to-prove-youre-a-franchise-quarterback-blaine-gabbert?module=HP11_cp


In your 14 starts, you went 4-10 while completing 50 percent of your passes, averaging 154.4 passing yards per game, throwing 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and posting a 64.8 passer rating. Look over the numbers in both groups and then you decide which group you belong in.
Now, I understand numbers are not everything. As you can see, Hall of Famer Troy Aikman had a worse rookie season than you -- but he rallied back. You can do the same. You must take the offseason seriously, work hard on techniques and fundamentals, take to the coaching by your new staff, and most of all, show better pocket awareness and keep your eyes down the field. The great quarterbacks never see the rush, they innately feel it; they always have their eye level above their offensive line, allowing them to have a high average per completion. You must keep your eye level high. You must learn to stand tall in the pocket. If you do this, the game will become much easier for you.
Once upon a time in the NFL, young quarterbacks were allowed a learning curve. Not now. You must demonstrate progress right away, or Chad Henne will be the starting quarterback of the Jags. Improvement has to come in games, starting with the first preseason game. No matter what happens in the offseason on the practice fields in Jacksonville, the real measurement of growth occurs in real, live NFL games.
Please take this letter in the spirit it was intended: to help you improve your overall game and have a great career. This letter is not about me proving my point -- it's about you proving your talents.
After all, who's Mike Lombardi?

HigginsJ

As an aside to this when you go and look at the rookie stats be prepared to be shocked at how bad Troy Aikman was as a rookie.

JaMarcus Hustle

Ares wrote: »

That was because he couldn't scramble with the condition of his knees.

Didn't Oklahoma State have to run every offensive play out of the shotgun when White was QB after his knee reconstructions.

White was a Sooner, not a Cowboy. His knees were awful, but his two Heisman years (the year he won and the year he was a finalist) were both after his surgeries. He was still an incredible college QB despite his injury misfortunes.

Everybody and their dog knew that White was never, ever gonna make it in the NFL post college ball.

Oh definitely, it just goes to show that you can be the best of the best in college and not even get a look in at the pro level because of the difference in what you're expected to be able to do.

JaMarcus Hustle

HigginsJ wrote: »

Seems as though they are looking to get the Atlanta Falcons on "Hard Knocks" this season

Falcons have declined HBO's offer. Kind of relieved, not exactly a team that screams excitement.

The Jets should just get their own series every year if I was in charge.

HigginsJ

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Falcons have declined HBO's offer. Kind of relieved, not exactly a team that screams excitement.

The Jets should just get their own series every year if I was in charge.

Oh thank god. The Falcons really wouldnt have been interesting to watch.

I agree J-E-T-S, jets, jets, jets.

Sexy Rexy, The Sanchize, Tebowmania, Santonio (i just threw the throw the toys out my cot) Holmes, are made for reality TV.

matthew8

Panthers would make a decent hard knocks. It would be so funny if Peyton Manning was on hard knocks for the preseason games though with the Broncos. "Yeah, so we sent him out there, he threw a pass, it was incomplete but he got his exercise, and now he's going to sit out the rest of the game".

JaMarcus Hustle

For those who like seeing Skip Bayless being made a fool out of on national television.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RjirSPGjJw

Back story here. Long story short, Bayless was criticisng Russel Westbrook (basketball) and to make himself seem credible, posted about how he himself was a basketball star in high school. Turns out he wasnt, and Jalen Rose called him out on it on live TV

GoldFour4

Love it ! Bayless is a dick of the highest order ! His twitter feed is one of the most obnoxious things I've ever seen !

Justin10

Here is a reaction video to this
I think Rose is spot on.
Also seems like Stephan Smith is a bit of an ass.

eagle eye

Skip Bayless makes his money being the Eamon Dunphy of American sports. He is a networks dream because people talk about him all the time and consequently more people tune in to whatever show he is on. ESPN are more likely to give hiim a raise than get rid of him. He just does what he does for the most part to make sure he is spoken about regularly.

Paully D

I really like Jalen Rose. Thought he was excellent on the Fab Five documentary and he generally speaks a lot of sense.

nerd69

to start off i know in advance im going to get stick for this so im gna brace myself

i dont think skip bayless or stephen a smith are that bad at all there loud and opinionated but as analysts there good traits and while i don't necessarily agree with what there saying all the time bar the odd time its usually not that outlandish

i like that they dont stick to the journalistic mould i find a lot of articles you read are nearly copy and pasted so if you read up the news/latest articles on one site theres no point in looking at another because there all the same

finally i like that the show will go anywhere ie jalen rose attacking skips hs carrer (or lack thereof ) and i saw a very good one where they questioned weather society is racially oversensitive you wouldn't get that in most programs particularly in america and while i didn't agree with everything they said they made some good points and even if they where off with others at least they where willing to have the discussion

this is all just my opinion i could well be wrong but regardless of weather you like or hate them you have to admit its a very entertaining show to watch

nerd69

brian dawkins is retiring truly a sad day for me he's my favorite nfl player and i think he always will be i wish he could have stayed on another year and gotten a ring but the hof beacons and he should be nominated as an eagle making it all the sweeter

farewell weapon x all the best in your future

AIR-AUSSIE

Brandon Jacobs remains 2 Fast, 2 Furious in New Jersey

Brandon Jacobs reportedly was part of a New Jersey police-led luxury sports car caravan that raced to Atlantic City at speeds over 100 miles per hour. One witness dubbed it "Death Race 2012.

davyjose

eagle eye wrote: »

Skip Bayless makes his money being the Eamon Dunphy of American sports. He is a networks dream because people talk about him all the time and consequently more people tune in to whatever show he is on. ESPN are more likely to give hiim a raise than get rid of him. He just does what he does for the most part to make sure he is spoken about regularly.

Exactly. They spent half the show discussing Tebow again. With some rapper on the panel. Bayless' sole quality is his ability to stick by his BS shamelessly. First Take is half a step up from an MTV show.

kmart6

Nice surprise for guys who are always on the fringe!

Greg Aiello wrote:

NFL roster limit has been increased from 80 to 90 players, effective 4 pm ET tomorrow.

Adam Schefter wrote:

So with NFL rosters expanding to 90, 320 more players now will get an opportunity to make a roster and achieve a dream job

Justin10

Great turn out for the chargers workout today.

Ryan Mathews :eek: He is looking huge!!

HigginsJ

Rochey18 wrote: »

Great turn out for the chargers workout today.

Ryan Mathews :eek: He is looking huge!!

Huge good (as in ripped) or Huge bad (as in a tubster)

Justin10

Ripped, I expect him to be a top 5 back in the league with the addition of Mcclain

Kylo Ren

:O