NFL 2013

[Lord Relvenous]

Laying the sins of the previous owners at Haslam's feet seems somewhat disingenuous, Thanas. Sure, the Browns have a long history of institutional turnover. But these are the first such moves that Haslam has made, and they are a result of the actions of other owners in forcing him to accept Banner.

The point about him being in legal trouble is very valid, and this could be just another chapter in Browns institutional incompetence. Right now, however, getting rid of Banner and Lombardi was the right move to make. The team is better off right now for them being gone, even if the situation may change soon. Sure you want consistency in the FO and locker room, but Lombardi and Banner were poison.

[Thanas]

Laying the sins of the previous owners at Haslam's feet seems somewhat disingenuous, Thanas. Sure, the Browns have a long history of institutional turnover. But these are the first such moves that Haslam has made, and they are a result of the actions of other owners in forcing him to accept Banner.

No, actually that is the second time Haslam moved. He fired Chudzinski AFTER ONE YEAR. And then he hired Pettine without waiting for his new GM to have been installed while stories were planted in the press how Pettine wasn't the first choice etc.

The point about him being in legal trouble is very valid, and this could be just another chapter in Browns institutional incompetence. Right now, however, getting rid of Banner and Lombardi was the right move to make. The team is better off right now for them being gone, even if the situation may change soon. Sure you want consistency in the FO and locker room, but Lombardi and Banner were poison.

Maybe. Or maybe this is yet another "blame everybody but me" type of move Haslam excels at. I have a hard time to view the league as purposefully forcing incompetents down the throat of Haslam. Lombardi I am not a fan of, but Banner apparently was well regarded. I also find it funny that the rumours about Lombardi and Banner being bad for the team just happened to come out a few days before the firing.

[Elfdart]

Which is exactly how the axe came down on Chudzinski.

I was going to say something about Michael Sam, but Dale Hansen did it for me.

[GuppyShark]

Meanwhile, the Ravens released this and the idiots come out of the woods (read the comment section)

Wasn't it a Ravens player that spoke favorably about marriage equality (and then being threatened by a Baltimore senator) that launched this issue into public awareness last season?

[Thanas]

Which is exactly how the axe came down on Chudzinski.

Indeed, all season nary a peep and then suddenly he either did or did not support his players (according to what reporter you read), his team lost faith, they were not prepared and somehow he was suddenly a problem.

I was going to say something about Michael Sam, but Dale Hansen did it for me.

Already posted.

Meanwhile, the Ravens released this and the idiots come out of the woods (read the comment section)

Wasn't it a Ravens player that spoke favorably about marriage equality (and then being threatened by a Baltimore senator) that launched this issue into public awareness last season?

Yes but our fanbase can be idiots.

[Thanas]

Case in point: This hatchet job of an article.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... hin-browns

As the 2013 season went along, Banner came to believe Chudzinski was overmatched as head coach, according to TheMMQB.com's Peter King. That change of heart, less than a year after the hiring process, didn't sit well with Haslam, who remained high on Chudzinski, according to The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.

So suddenly, after Haslam fired him and was critiziced for it we now "learn" that it was all Banners fault, through the mouth of a team friendly reporter to boot.

Per King, new Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt bowed out of the Browns' most recent search after being insulted by Banner during the interview process.

Although no details are known, Cabot has been told that new Texans coach Bill O'Brien didn't want to coach in Cleveland "because of either Banner, Lombardi or both."

Haslam began to question Banner's football acumen, according to King, and a "major rift" developed over recently fired Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, who came with a strong recommendation from Patriots coach Bill Belichick. While Haslam was intrigued, Banner made it clear during the interview that he wanted nothing to do with Schiano.

Issues with Banner's questionable bedside manner went beyond confrontations with Haslam, Schiano and Whisenhunt.

"I will do business with the Browns again," one NFL general manager told Cabot after Tuesday's regime change, "and I'm not the only one (who) feels this way."

Yeah, really? Unnamed sources and sudenly Banner is a major asshole who drives people away. Maybe he is an asshole, but how convenient that all of the Browns failings in the past season and their joke of a coach search can now be blamed on the guy they just fired, right? The owner got nothing to do with it, right?

Although Haslam's first 17 months on the job belie the lessons learned during his years as minority owner of the Steelers, he insisted to King that he understands the importance of stability in the front office. "You're right. You're right," Haslam said. "That's fair. I do know from previous experience how important continuity is. Right now, we have to make this change and suffer the pain."

Yes yes, the owner has learned from the mistakes he totally did not have anything to do with. Trust the soon to be convicted fraudster, after all he would never lie to people.

[Thanas]

The dolphins are despicable assholes with shitty players (Pouncey, Incognito and the rest of the OL) and shittier coaches (Turner).

http://nfldolphinsreport.com/

The evidence supports a finding that Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey repeatedly and persistently made graphic, sexually explicit comments about Martin's sister, a medical student whom they had never met. Four fairly typical examples of the types of insults made orally, according to Martin, are:

"We are going to run train on your sister. She loves me. I'm going to fuck her without a condom and cum in her cunt."

"Hey, Jmart's sister is in town. Get the plastic sheets ready, she's a squirter."

"I'm going to bang the shit out of her and spit on her and treat her like shit."

"Hear your sister has a wolf-puss. A fat, hairy pussy."

Although Martin's core complaints primarily relate to oral statements, crude references to his sister also appeared in a handful of text messages, including one that Incognito sent to Martin and other offensive linemen:

"I flew jmarts sister into Indy. My dick is dry and needs some of her healing squirt juices"

Page 23/4

We found that the Assistant Trainer, who was born in Japan, was the target of frequent and persistent harassment, including insults relating to his race and national origin. Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey admitted that they directed racially derogatory words toward him, including “Jap” and “Chinaman.” At times, according to Martin, they referred to the Assistant Trainer as a “dirty communist” or a “North Korean,” made demands such as “give me some water you fucking chink,” spoke to him in a phony, mocking Asian accent, including asking for “rubby rubby sucky sucky,” and called his mother a “rub and tug masseuse.” Martin and others informed us that Incognito and Jerry taunted the Assistant Trainer with jokes about having sex with his girlfriend. Incognito admitted that these types of comments were made to the Assistant Trainer.

On December 7, 2012, the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey donned traditional Japanese headbands that featured a rising sun emblem (which the Assistant Trainer had given them) and jokingly threatened to harm the Assistant Trainer physically in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. According to Martin, the Assistant Trainer confided in him that he was upset about the Pearl Harbor comments, finding them derogatory toward his heritage. Martin and another player we interviewed both believed that the Assistant Trainer awkwardly laughed along with some of the racial insults, even though he was in
fact offended. And both players seemed offended by the flagrant racial harassment of the Assistant Trainer. In a text message sent on November 4, 2013, Martin told a friend: “I always felt so bad for [the Assistant Trainer] . . . it was really racist.” Martin claims that a number of Dolphins employees saw how the Assistant Trainer was humiliated but did not intervene, including his supervisor, head trainer Kevin O’Neill, who allegedly even laughed at some of the racial insults. As far as we know, none of the players, including Martin, confronted Incognito, Jerry or Pouncey about the racist comments directed at the Assistant Trainer or demanded that they cease.

Page 24 of the pdf "Dolphins’ Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner was aware of the running “joke” that Player A was gay, and on at least one occasion, he participated in the taunting."

page 7:

Moreover,shortly after Martin left the team, Incognito made a number of telling entries in a notebook used to keep track of “fines” the offensive linemen imposed on each other in their “kangaroo court” (typically for trivial infractions such as arriving late to meetings). Incognito recorded a $200 fine against himself for “breaking Jmart,” awarded another lineman who had been verbally taunted a $250 bonus for “not cracking first,” and wrote down a number of penalties against Martin for acting like a “pussy.” The evidence shows, and Incognito did not dispute,that “breaking Jmart” meant causing Martin to have an emotional reaction in response to taunting.

Approximately one week after Martin left the team, on November 3, 2013, Incognito wrote nearly identical text messages to Pouncey and another lineman: “They’re going to suspend me Please destroy the fine 4 book first thing in the morning.” We view Incognito’s entries in the fine book about “breaking Jmart” and his attempt to destroy the fine book—which was unsuccessful—as evidence demonstrating his awareness that he had engaged in improper conduct toward Martin

Page 16 In contrast, Jerry downplayed his role in making vulgar comments about Martin’s family,and Pouncey denied making or hearing any such remarks. We do not find Jerry and Pouncey credible on these points, largely because both Martin and Incognito, plus other witnesses,agree that these words were in fact said to Martin. Nor is there any dispute that Incognito called Martin a “nigger,” his “bitch” or a “stinky Pakistani.

OL Coach Turner apparently tried to get Martin to backoff: "Turner: Richie incognito is getting hammered on national TV. This is not right. You could put an end to all the rumors with a simple statement. DO THE RIGHT THING. NOW.

Incognito did not dispute that he and others made repeated vulgar insults about Martin’s sister. Incognito stated that one goal of making such graphic comments was to irritate his teammate,and he recognized that Martin at times got agitated when his sister was ridiculed. He said that these comments at times were made in the presence of Coach Turner, who neither participated nor urged his teammates to stop, and around Coach Mosley, who on occasion joined in, saying things like, “Jmart, I heard about your sister."

Specifically, Turner asked if Martin was experiencing suicidal thoughts, and Martin responded by describing to Coach Turner his contemplation of suicide in January. Martin then began to open up, telling Turner about his history of self-diagnosed depression. In response,Turner told Martin that he should not take football so seriously, and he encouraged Martin to be happy that he was making a lot of money.

Martin and other witnesses informed us that Player A was repeatedly called a "faggot" and subjected to other homophobic invective. Incognito stated that Player A, although not actually believed to be gay, was subject to these taunts repeatedly and persistently—he got it "every day from everybody, high frequency." According to Incognito, Player A was a "good kid" and he "took it well," never asking his teammates to stop.

Incognito and others acknowledged that Player A was routinely touched by Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey in a mockingly suggestive manner, including on his rear end, while being taunted about his supposed homosexuality. Incognito specifically admitted that he would grab Player A and ask for a hug as part of this "joke."

Martin said that on one occasion, Pouncey physically restrained Player A and, in full view of other players, jokingly told Jerry to "come get some pussy," and that Jerry responded by touching Player A's buttocks in a way that simulated anal penetration. Pouncey and Jerry both denied this allegation. Given the seriousness of this allegation and the conflicting recollections, we decline to make any findings about this particular alleged incident.

The evidence shows that [Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner] overheard and participated in this behavior toward Player A. During the 2012 Christmas season, Coach Turner gave all of the offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. In each gift bag except for Player A's, Turner included a female "blow-up" doll; Player A's bag included a male doll.

[...]

Around Christmas 2012, Coach Turner gave the offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. The gifts included inflatable female dolls for all of the offensive linemen except Player A, who received a male “blow-up” doll. Martin and another player reported that they were surprised Coach Turner did this; Martin further said that he was offended that Turner had endorsed the humiliating treatment of Player A by participating in it. Incognito and others agreed that this incident with Coach Turner occurred. When interviewed, Turner was asked if he gave Player A a male blow-up doll. He replied, “I can’t remember.” We do not believe that Turner forgot this incident, which many others recalled.

Incognito left the following voicemail message for Martin:

"Hey, wassup, you half-nigger piece of shit. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. I'll shit in your fuckin' mouth. I'm gonna slap your fuckin' mouth, I'm gonna slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."

Martin was appalled by this message. He said that Incognito had never before called him a "nigger." And although Martin did not regard statements such as "I'll kill you" as literal threats, the voicemail further distressed him because he feared that it signaled that the abuse he had endured during his rookie season would continue during his second season. According to Martin, a few weeks later, prior to a dinner at a Fort Lauderdale restaurant, Incognito addressed him in a text message as "shine box," which Martin felt was a derogatory term, and he responded with a message complaining about Incognito's "racist shit." At the dinner, Martin claimed, Incognito made additional offensive racial comments to him (although he said he laughed them off at the time). The comments, Martin said, included jokes about slavery, and he claimed that Incognito called him a "nigger" to his face at the restaurant. Incognito also insulted Martin in person and in text messages with other racially charged language, including referring to Martin as a "liberal mulatto bitch," "stinky Pakistani," "shine box" and "darkness."

Incognito: Fuck Jmart That faggot is never [allowed] back

Pouncey: Bro I said the same thing I can't even look at him the same he's a pussy

Incognito: My agent just asked if we held mandatory strip club meetings Jmart is fucking ratting on everyone

Pouncey: Lol wow are you serious he is a fuck boy

Pouncey: He's not welcome back bro I can't be around that fucking guy

Incognito: Fuck that guy if Ur not with s Ur against us

Pouncey: No question bro he's a coward for snitching

Incognito: Snitches get stitches Blood in blood out Fucking guy Pouncey: He's dead to me

In May 2012, Incognito engaged in two incidents of inappropriate behavior at a Dolphins' charity golf tournament within the span of less than 24 hours. He has admitted that both incidents were fueled by alcohol. In the first, he and several other players commandeered a guest's car for joy-riding in the parking lot of the golf club and allegedly damaged the guest's luggage. The next day, Incognito allegedly molested a female volunteer at the tournament. He was accused of using a golf club to touch her genitals, touching her inappropriately with his body, squirting water on her and other inappropriate conduct, and she filed a report with the police. Incognito was not charged with a crime, but he entered into a confidential civil settlement to resolve the matter; news reports claim that he made a payment of $30,000. The Dolphins fined Incognito $5,000 for the first incident and $50,000 for the second, both for conduct deemed detrimental to the organization. The $50,000 penalty is one of the largest fines imposed on any Dolphins player to date for off-season conduct, according to team executives.

Incognito apologized to the Dolphins for his conduct at the golf tournament, but also filed a grievance against the team with respect to the $50,000 fine. He disputes certain allegations made by the female volunteer at the golf tournament, though he does not claim his conduct was appropriate. That matter remains unresolved.

[Thanas]

The entire Dolphins staff need to be fired.

Meanwhile, Darren Sharper has pretty damning stuff which alleges he is a serial rapist: Link

Last month, former NFL safety Darren Sharper was arrested on the suspicion of rape, connected to sexual assaults that occurred in October 2013 and January 2014. He was also connected to a third incident that happened in September 2013. Now TMZ is reporting that Sharper drugged the women with zolpidem and morphine, and has been accused by at least seven women in four states.

According to the TMZ report, Sharper's charges include "two counts of rape by use of drugs, four counts of furnishing a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance, all felonies."

Sharper faces the charges in Los Angeles, and has not been charged in investigations in Arizona, New Orleans, or Las Vegas.

According to reports, there was a routine to Sharper's behavior. The incident in October saw him meet two women at a party, and invite both to his room. He gave them shots mixed with morphine, and they passed out soon afterward. One woman said she woke up while Sharper was sexually assaulting her, and the other woke up soon after and stopped him.

Sharper denies the charges, and claims that he had consensual sex with one of the alleged victims, and has no idea who the other is.

[Thanas]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10458 ... src=mobile

Mark Schlereth has it right.

[Elfdart]

This is the same Pouncey who ran around wearing a Free Aaron Hernandez shirt. Double fuck him and his twit brother.

[Thanas]

The other nitwit is also a steeler. Maybe he and Roethlisberger can start a "who cares about the law" club.

[Thanas]

Meanwhile, fucking Ray Rice.....

A witness who saw the altercation at Revel claimed that Rice hit Palmer "like he punched a guy, knocked down and dragged her out of the elevator by his feet" before security arrived.

A copy of the court complaint summons for Ray Rice, obtained by FOX45 states the Baltimore Ravens running back attempted “to cause bodily injury to J. Palmer, specifically by striking her with his hand, rendering her unconscious, at the Revel Casino.” The incident happened over the weekend.

does nothing all season except whining and then does this:
http://deadspin.com/ray-rice-arrested-i ... 1524046109

Oh, and the video does not look good at all. This is something I expect out of Roethlisberger.

[Tsyroc]

Meanwhile, fucking Ray Rice.....

When I first saw ESPN reporting on him they called him, "Raven's star Ray Rice".

My first thoughts were that Thanas would be pissed off that they called him a star with the way he played this year.

[Thanas]

https://twitter.com/RobertKlemko/status ... 5594781696

Source says police have yet-to-be-released video of Ray Rice knocking fiancée unconscious before dragging her. Expect a suspension.

WTF is the problem with Rutgers? Schiano, Rice....

[Alferd Packer]

https://twitter.com/RobertKlemko/status ... 5594781696

Source says police have yet-to-be-released video of Ray Rice knocking fiancée unconscious before dragging her. Expect a suspension.

WTF is the problem with Rutgers? Schiano, Rice....

Schiano's basically OK--although I vaguely remember seeing an article about a drug problem? He just happens to be a terrible NFL coach. A better example is Kenny Britt. He would get arrested almost every offseason. In fact, I think he actually has been associated with some sort of crime during every single offseason of his career.

Also, Ray Rice is, according to Sunday Night Football, from New Rochelle High School, not Rutgers.

[Thanas]

Combine was great. I love Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock.

I hope either Ebron Evans or one of the OTs not named Rapist Lewan make it to us. Lee or Benjamin would be OK too. No hope for Watkins ever reaching us.

But meanwhile "Coach" Philbin said this:

The agents for Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin met with Dolphins VP of football operations Dawn Aponte, new GM Dennis Hickey and coach Joe Philbin at the combine to discuss Martin's future with the club, sources said, at which time it was conveyed to the team that Martin was not comfortable returning.

Hickey expressed the desire for the team to keep him. Martin, a starting tackle for them prior to him leaving the team amid behavior that now has the Dolphins poised for penalties from the Wells Report remains under contract at modest sums as part of his rookie compensation. But given all the turmoil, Martin's advisors believe it best if he continue his career elsewhere and he has no intentions of playing there.

Hickey did most of the talking from Miami's side, according to sources, with Philbin "staring daggers" across the room. At the end of the meeting, however, sources said Philbin expressed his belief that Martin's agents were responsible for Miami's locker room controversy reaching this point, that they were the real problem and alluding that Martin's concerns could have been kept more private and handled differently.

Sooner Dolphins bounce that asshole the better.

[Elfdart]

You what's really funny when it comes to Joe Philbin's "Who, me?" act? Philbin has been a coach for 30 years, 26 of which were spent as OL or assistant OL coach. The notion that he had no knowledge of the horseshit going on with his O-line in Miami is absurd. It would be like Rex Ryan claiming he knew nothing about the goings on with his defensive players, or Norv saying he had no idea what his QBs and receivers were doing in the clubhouse.

[Thanas]

You know, going by his "performance" on Hard Knocks I can believe that. He seemed so out of it...

(but yeah. He knew.)

[Havok]

Of course he fucking knew. Everyone fucking knows. It's just that no one ever says anything.
Honestly when I heard all the tapes from Incognito and the like, I was like "Yeah so? It's sounds just like every locker room and team I've ever been on." Even the racial slurs. You fuck with your teammates, you fuck with your buddies. The line is only drawn when someone on the other team does it. Then you throw down. It's the same with siblings or club members or whatever. It sounds horrible and repulsive and disgusting to outsiders, but it is for the most part meant in a brotherly fondness type of way. Some guys like Incognito just don't know when to curtail it, or to not leave it on a fucking recording.

I mean, I would love to listen to what NFL Films puts in their auto-delete piles.

[Steve]

I would make an example of Incognito and his thugs; one season suspension without pay. Minimum. (I'm tempted toward ban from the league, but that might be too wild.)

[Thanas]

Meanwhile, Darren Sharper is a true Saint. (That cynical joke works on so many levels).

[Elfdart]

Looks like the Niners' GM is coming down with Jerry Jones-A.J. Smith Disorder:

LINK

Report: Jim Harbaugh's act has 'worn thin' with 49ers

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: March 2, 2014 at 04:34 p.m.
Updated: March 3, 2014 at 10:47 p.m.

Jim Harbaugh remains the 49ers' coach. Trent Baalke remains the general manager. Jimmy Haslam's "opportunity" has come and gone.

Still, uncertainty lingers in San Francisco. The relationship between Harbaugh and Baalke has been portrayed as the major source of internal dysfunction, but that might not be the only area of concern.

Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday that "Harbaugh's act has worn thin in the locker room, particularly among some key 'face of the 49ers' type players," according to a source with inside knowledge of the team.

This probably doesn't come as a surprise -- Harbaugh never will be confused with Pete Carroll, after all. As for the "face of the 49ers" bit, names like Frank Gore, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Vernon Davis and Colin Kaepernick immediately spring to mind.

Another 49ers source believes that even a rich, new contract would provide only temporary tranquility within the organization.

"That's just who Jim is," the source said. "He'd probably like to redo his contract every year, just out of competition."

These are the type of quotes that make it sound like Harbaugh's more trouble than he's worth. But then you remember the Niners have averaged 12 wins for the past three seasons with three deep playoff runs, including one near Super Bowl triumph.

As long as that success continues, Harbaugh will continue to possess supreme leverage.

The latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast" works through our top 101 free agents and responds to some heat from Donte Whitner.

Don't worry Hav, I'm sure Barry Switzer or Norv would love to coach the 49ers after next season.

[Havok]

There's a gleam gentleman... there's a gleam.

[Thanas]

There's a gleam gentleman... there's a gleam.

I do not understand the reference. Please explain.


Meanwhile, I don't know why we are allowing Monroe to hit the open market. First good left tackle since Ogden and we just let him leave. UGH. In Ozzie we trust, In Ozzie we trust, In Ozzie we trust...

[Elfdart]

There's a gleam gentleman... there's a gleam.

I do not understand the reference. Please explain.

Marty