NFL 2014 offseason/draft thread

[Block]

It makes sense if you think he's really something special.

[Thanas]

Or if the Houston-Mallett trade is really happening. Still, 2nd rounder for a backup when Murray and McCarron are still there? Hmmmm.

[Thanas]

Trying this again: Assuming he does not get picked in the next eight picks Pittsburgh will take Moncrief. Hopefully not.

[Thanas]

And Indy takes him.

[Thanas]

Fucking cleveland takes Terrance West. UUUURGH.


EDIT: So we draft Crockett Gilmore. Good blocker but we still need a lot more on offence.

[Thanas]

Round 4 - Bills take Ross Cockrell. The first pick of them I really liked and hated because Cockrell will not play for the Ravens.
Steelers take Martavis Bryant. DAMN.

[Elfdart]

Michael Sam gets picked by the Rams and now there's not only an orgy of outright fag-baiting (though surprisingly little from players), but whining self-pity from homophobes who are being shamed for clutching the pearls because Sam kissed his boyfriend as cameras rolled when he heard he was being drafted.

One funnyman on Twitter nailed it:

Michael Sam's boyfriend is gay too?!?!?!?!

[Havok]

*rimshot*

[Elfdart]

Andre Johnson just gave his new head coach a big vote of no confidence with his "I want outta here" pose. Especially when his contract makes it almost impossible to trade or cut him.

[Thanas]

He'll probably be a niner, they do black magic with their cap and have like 99 choices in the next draft to trade with.

[Elfdart]

I'm surprised they used all their picks. I guess Harbaugh is looking to cut some veterans loose.

[TheHammer]

I'm surprised they used all their picks. I guess Harbaugh is looking to cut some veterans loose.

Hoping to find some quality in the quantity, that's why they grabbed a bunch of DBs on the backend. If some can prove to be NFL caliber after some coaching they'll stick around.

Of course you do have to replace some of your older higher priced veterans at some point. That's why I expect this is Frank Gore's last year, with Latimore or Hyde taking over the bellcow role.

[Thanas]

So Peyton Manning went and made a great commencement speech, the highlight being this segment.

[Thanas]

RAY RICE IS SUCH A FUCKING SCUMBAG.


http://deadspin.com/ray-rice-sometimes- ... 1580795933
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainme ... 4531.story

Incredibly disappointed in the whole org as well.

[Thanas]

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap20000 ... tball-team

The comments are more risque than I thought the NFL could get away with.

[Thanas]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7-9kQJ1_sI&t=17m30s
Jim Harbaugh's QB clinic.

[Alferd Packer]

This ad is going air during the NBA Finals.

Well then.

[GuppyShark]

Falcons for Hard Knocks! Yes!

[Thanas]

Oh good, more fellating of Matty "warm water" Ryan.

[GuppyShark]

You bet!

The NFL talking heads love Matt "can't win in the playoffs" Ryan and his 4-12 Falcons!

Also: ATT AUSSIES

Hard Knocks will be on Free to Air - Channel Seven picked up the broadcast rights to the NFL in Australia and somehow scored Hard Knocks in the deal.

[GuppyShark]

Washington losing their trademark thoughts?

As an outsider I'd like to see them become the Razorbacks - sounds similar, and ties into their existing 'hog' imagery.

[Elfdart]

Chuck Noll died over the weekend. He was the greatest coach nobody talked about.

He was the only coach to win four Super Bowls. He drafted and groomed NINE HoF players: Jack Lambert, Joe Green, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Mike Webster, Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann -four of whom were selected in the 1974 draft. Yet he's seldom mentioned among the greatest coaches (I guess the above-mentioned players coached themselves). Part of this was Knoll's stoic personality. But another reason he doesn't get credit is that he wasn't one of the game's great innovators. His defense was a simple 4-3 zone, the original version of the Tampa 2. Noll's contribution was taking a scrawny linebacker who could run fast and placing him in the MLB spot, which was usually reserved for heavy set LBs. Jack Lambert was fast enough and smart enough to cover almost any receiver trying to attack the deep middle of the defense. This effectively took away the one place the offense would traditionally attack the 4-3 zone. That's why the Steel Curtain was probably the best defense ever assembled, racking up five shutouts in 1976 alone.

His offense was a combination of Sid Gillman's bombs away passing game and Paul Brown's pulling/trapping running game. Noll's philosophy was to keep things simple, then bring in players to fit his schemes. Noll was like a car buyer who only buys new cars: He was not interested in reclaiming other teams' rejects. If a player turned out to be a lemon, he was Noll's lemon. That was the main reason that his teams were competitive for so long no matter how badly they might have been hindered by injuries. With the Steelers it was always "Next man up". Sometimes it seemed that the Steelers got better when a starter went down. Frank Lewis is hurt? Here's John Stallworth. Dwight White can't play? Here's Steve Furness. Even when his magic touch with selecting players failed him and great players were replaced by mediocre to bad ones, Noll still had teams that could compete. He took teams quarterbacked by Mark Malone (think Tim Tebow, only without the accuracy) and Bubby Brister to the playoffs.

For you young whippersnappers who never watched those Steelers teams in action, it's hard to describe why they're generally considered the best dynasty in the SB era at least. Here goes:

The Steelers under Chuck Noll could play a sloppy, uninspired, grabasstic game against another great team (like the Raiders or Cowboys, the 2nd and 3rd best teams of that era) and not just eke out a win, but WTFPWN them, as the kids like to say.

And that's why he's the best football coach I've ever seen.

[Havok]

As much as I hate to admit any of the above, I tend to agree.

[Terralthra]

The Steel Curtain had to have rules changed for it to stop being completely overpowering. Multiple rules. Chuck Noll was an amazing coach, and is not remembered like many other amazing coaches because when he was done coaching, he retired and quietly went into obscurity (so far as I know).

[Elfdart]

Here's one example of the Steelers' dominance:

In 1979 the Steelers led the NFL by committing 39 turnovers (26 INTs, 13 fumbles lost). They still won the SB (where they committed three turnovers to the Rams' one), beating all playoff opponents by double digits.

The Steel Curtain had to have rules changed for it to stop being completely overpowering. Multiple rules. Chuck Noll was an amazing coach, and is not remembered like many other amazing coaches because when he was done coaching, he retired and quietly went into obscurity (so far as I know).

He was pretty quiet when he was coaching, too. Not that his players didn't fear him. He didn't have to throw tantrums to get his point across. When Terry Bradshaw was playing like he forgot which color jersey he was wearing, Noll benched him. No press conferences or any of that bullshit: Joe Gilliam was put in the starting lineup. When TE Larry Brown couldn't keep his weight down, Noll moved him to tackle (where he was a better player anyway, making the Pro Bowl in 1982).

One huge reason for Noll's success is that the ownership and management LET HIM COACH. They didn't try to micromanage his staff or roster and they made it a point to shoot down any rumors Noll was going to get fired after a dismal first three seasons. Look at the teams that are regular dwellers of the scrap pile and more often than not you'll see teams that change coaches like Elizabeth Taylor changed husbands. It's not a coincidence that the Steelers have eight SB appearances (including six wins), and have had three head coaches in my lifetime (and I'm not a spring chicken).