fuckin wit the offseason in 09

I'd love this. Stomping the Broncs and Raiders both with EXTREME prejudice.

hmmmm

MORT AND SCHEFTER DUEL OVER REPORTS OF SHANAHAN TO CHIEFS
Posted by Mike Florio on January 23, 2009, 5:48 p.m.

This is getting pretty good.Two of the top NFL information men in the business are engaged in a duel regarding the question of whether the Kansas City Chiefs are talking to former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan regarding the possibility of replacing former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Chiefs and Shanahan are closing in on a deal.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported on Thursday, and has reiterated today, that the Chiefs have made no contact with Shanahan.

“[U]nless people I have known for years are blatantly lying to me, Shanahan is not going to be the next head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Schefter writes. “It is not happening. People can keep talking as if it is. But it is not. He will not be the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009.”

Pistols or swords, gentlemen?
Permalink | 15 Comments Back to Top

Between Schefter and Mort, I trust Mort.

i hope the broncos turn into an annual shanny rape vic for the next 10 seasons

It would be amazing if Shanahan eventually coaches every team in the division.

guys david greene is retiring ;_;

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&ArticleID=55421&TM=383.964

doug farrar wrote some haiku in his honor

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2009/1/23/734443/david-greene-retires

That's sad. I can't believe he was only at UGA between 2001 and 2004, because it seemed like he was there for at least a decade.

"It would be amazing if Shanahan eventually coaches every team in the division."

Then moves onto AFC West alums the Seahawks.

Hiring Shanahan would be kind of a KC thing to do, they seem to like to jump on a once hot coach once they get let go or are available.

Marty Schottenheimer (Cleveland)
Dick Vermeil (Rams)
Herm Edwards (Jets)

Gunther Cunningham is the only one they hired off their staff and I think he quit after 2 years instead of being fired. He eventually came back a year or two later as a defensive coordinator again.

mangini paints over a mural displaying past Browns greats; http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/2009/01/mangini_tears_down_browns_hist.html

i enjoyed this comment about it on PFT:

TheBigOldDog says:
January 24th, 2009 at 5:04 pm

Maybe Mullah Mangini will blow up some 2,000 year old statues of Budah next considering how well destroying icons of the past worked out for the the taliban.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/26/athlete.brains/index.html

-mike nolan new dc in denver
-ron meeks new dc in carolina
-jeff jagz new oc in tb
-bob sanders (former DC in GB) is new d-line coach in buf
-new england names floyd reese (former titans gm) 'senior football advisor'
-george kokinis (some dude from baltimore, i guess) (not shipley) new gm in cleveland

also looks like dan reeves is on board in dallas in a front office advisory role, not OC in SF as was rumored

oc in sf is jimmy raye, hc in oakland is tom cable

http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/story.jsp?story_id=3095

HoF class of 09

Bob Hayes, Randal McDaniel, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. and Rod Woodson

notable snubz include Cris Carter, Richard Dent, Shannon Sharpe, Bob Kuechenberg, Paulie Tags, Cortez Kennedy; Claude Humphrey gets cornholed by the seniors committee yet again

That finalist list was insane as pretty much all of those guys were great.

Dermontti Dawson is one of the best centers to ever play the game, he was so mobile, he would be used like a pulling guard while hiking the ball.

Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
Fred Dean – Defensive End – 1975-1981 San Diego Chargers, 1981-85 San Francisco 49ers
Richard Dent – Defensive End – 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles
Marshall Goldberg – Back – 1939-1943, 1946-48 Chicago Cardinals
Randy Gradishar – Linebacker – 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Darrell Green – Cornerback – 1983-2002 Washington Redskins
Russ Grimm – Guard – 1981-1991 Washington Redskins
Ray Guy – Punter – 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Bob Kuechenberg – Guard – 1970-1984 Miami Dolphins
Randall McDaniel – Guard – 1988-1999 Minnesota Vikings, 2000-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Art Monk – Wide Receiver – 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles
Andre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Paul Tagliabue – Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League
Derrick Thomas – Linebacker – 1989-1999 Kansas City Chiefs
Emmitt Thomas – Cornerback – 1966-1978 Kansas City Chiefs
Andre Tippett – Linebacker – 1982-1993 New England Patriots
Gary Zimmerman – Tackle – 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-97 Denver Broncos

I think it was crazy that Derrick Thomas hadn't yet gotten in anyway. That dude was a freak. He got 7 sacks in a game when getting 7 sacks in a game was not just that Andy Reid was calling 60 pass plays in a game.

The log jam of killer end-rushers is probably why it hasn't happened, as is why Dean and Dent are not in either.

I am in favor of Thomas getting in, but it's not like he got seven sacks a game or anything like that on a regular basis. That game was just completely freakish. I remember watching the highlights.

Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco said he'll have a quiet offseason and he's been true to his many words. After a quick intrastate flight to the Super Bowl, Ocho Cinco is back in Miami getting ready for the upcoming season with the same name and team. The Ocho says he'll keep his new name for the 2009 season as well as his appointments with the Bengals. And, he says, the rise of the Arizona Cardinals shows how quickly the Bengals can get there. "It can happen and with No. 9 (Carson Palmer) healthy we can do it in a hurry," Ocho Cinco said Monday. Although some see his status with the team murky after last offseason's trade-me or trade-me tirades, Ocho Cinco said he plans to be at Paul Brown Stadium "whenever they want us there." Quite a switch from last year, when he didn't show until the mandatory minicamp in mid June. If head coach Marvin Lewis adheres to the recent past, voluntary offseason workouts begin the last week in March. "Yeah, I'll be there," Ocho Cinco said. "I haven't really stopped working out since the end of the season. I feel good."

he's a broken man ;_;

The novelty of his new name has not worn off for me.

the fact that he's entertaining voluntary workouts is a sign all the fight has been drained out of him like a bloodless husk of corpse.

ya exactly brownie... it's so depressing, this must be how ~tha horse whisperer~ feels when he sees some broken down stallion pulling a carriage thru central park

btw can u believe he is 31? i cannot believe this

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/si_online/covers/images/2006/1030_large.jpg

Seriously, he's putting on a video game character I've never heard of, right?

im torn about this - i loved chad so much back in the halcyon days when steve smith/chad j/t.o. were allowed to roam free in the endzone in celebration but idk im happy that he isn't dragging his schtick along like those guys. t.o. is indefensibly annoying and sad and steve smith appears to be an immature douche

ya agreed, and part of the reason i always had luv for him is cuz i felt like he was just EXTRA passionate abt the game... when he wanted out of cinci and went thru the whole circus, i got the impression it was way more about wanting to go to a respectable franchise where ppl actually want to compete and win, not a money thing. and it's to his credit that he's become so well known for his fastidious preparation and study habits even while playing in that miserable pit of ass, unlike say randy who will just dog it if thangs arent goin his way (and u know i luv randy~)

yea and on top of that he hasn't just not dogged it, he's been basically the only positive voice coming out of cincy re the bengals, and it sucks that around the horn types took him saying that the bengals were gonna run the table and make the playoffs as "lol @ chad - he's on a bad team now *chortle*" instead of praising him for being positive and optimistic in the same manner that they would've killed him if he had said "this team sucks we're going to go 2-14"

and of course he still courts people loling at him (giving interview on pti saying that he could beat michael phelps in a swimming race) but it's just a sad thing - his positivity being ignored - come to think of it

compare him with marvin harrison, a violent maladjusted psycho who somehow became 'classy' because he never speaks to anyone: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3827402

yeah exactly >_< - just imagine if chad had been accused of this, the clamoring that would have come for the bengals to release him even tho him and marvin both have spotless criminal records

btw it's still worth noting how crazy this is

In 1997, he transferred to Santa Monica College, a junior college in Santa Monica, California, where he was a teammate of future Carolina Panthers star wide receiver Steve Smith. In 2000, he transferred to Oregon State University after being aggressively recruited by coach Dennis Erickson. Alongside future Bengals teammate T. J. Houshmandzadeh, he led his team to an 11-1 season and a victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl that year.

btw how the fuck is cris carter not in the hall of fame yet

o_O from that harrison article:

We expect our heroes to let us in, to show us more than their game faces. But over the course of Marvin Harrison's 13 years in the NFL, the Colts receiver has built an All-Pro career behind a firewall of privacy. Quiet precision defines his every move. On the field, he starts each route identically, forcing defenders to guess where he's headed. In the locker room, he sits facing his tidy booth, away from the media and teammates. At home, he keeps each touchdown ball he's ever caught in its own box.

also:

When police paid a follow-up visit to Chuckie's, they found Harrison sitting in a beach chair near a cardboard cutout of himself in a Colts uniform.

Harrison's a piece of work. Didn't he beat up a ballboy or some such insane shit several years ago?

The Bengals actually played better down the stretch, not that anybody noticed.

I'd say if you want a comparison, I'd say that Derrick Thomas was to Lawrence Taylor like Tim Raines was to Rickey Henderson. Thomas was a hell of an end rusher for a linebacker, very similar to LT. Considering how young the guy died, I cannot believe it has taken this long for the guy to get in to the hall. Thomas was a badass. Thing is that it is pretty much the entire finalist list are really all great. I'd say for Thomas it was that he played for KC, but that was in the Marty days and they had a really good D for a long time.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomDe01.htm

Criminy, none of those New Orleans linebackers are getting a shake either. Rickey Jackson was a total badass and Sam Mills was great, especially considering the dude was like 5-9 and he started in the USFL.

Cincy went 4-3-1 in the second half of the season, but they started 0-8. Their defense has improved, especially at linebacker, against the run and their dbs are pretty good. They need a pass rusher really bad. If they can get Palmer back, healthy and productive, they will be OK. I think Palmer coming back could help their run game, as teams would just plant everyone up front. Ryan Fitzpatrick played better down the stretch, but he is not a starter at QB and didn't give them much at all in the deep passing game.

The Bengals did have a pretty tough schedule, as they were playing all of the NFC East and AFC South, which were really competitive. That is the same reason the Steelers ended up with the toughest schedule this past year.

rickey jackson should be a friggin no brainer for the HoF, and i'm a HUGE sam mills fan tho mb not playing in the nfl until he was like 27 hurts his case. the fact that Kuechenberg still can't get in blows my mind. i'd be shocked if cortez kennedy wasn't in within a few years.

it's kinda some weird thing like how some of these dudes are most definitely hall-of-famers but they get passed over for the all-time legends. i feel like with sports HOFs lately, sportswriters are increasingly only voting in these 11 on a scale of 10 guys, or old-school vets that have had to wait a decade or more.

cardinalz oc todd haley is new hc for the chiefs, 4 year contract

falcons tackle todd weiner (pronounced 'whiner') retired, swing low u sweet ass chariot ;-;

i wonder if haley will be a good coach. hiring coordinators is such a crapshoot, it would be cool if someone from espn or si could try and determine similar qualities in successful coaches who were once coordinators.

finding a way to keep fitz continually unstoppable - esp w/e adjustments he made as the SB moved along - probably bode well...

yeah, he definately wasn't a hot candidate prior to the cards' playoff run... maybe pioli just wanted a guy who he knew wouldn't demand a lot of autonomy

michael lombardi's in depth 09 FA RB rankings; i love how he breaks down the different kinds of backs and different skillsets. it's something that gets overlooked a lot in MSM analysis - systems make players. it's not like madden where u just get a bunch of 99s together and BLADOW u got a juggernaut team, you fit specific skillsets to specific responsibilities, because it's so rare that you really can find a guy who does everything well~~~~~

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/02/notes-from-lombardi-free-agent-rbs/

Notes From Lombardi: Free Agent RBs

Posted By Michael Lombardi On February 5, 2009 @ 4:52 pm In Featured, News, Notes from Lombardi, Tavern Talk | 21 Comments

FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

For me, running backs should be broken down into categories specifying the skill levels they perform best. For example, each category carries a specific role, and it’s important for the back to fit into the offense. You don’t want to bring a zone back into a man scheme run team. The pieces have to fit properly.

A player graded high here must be able to catch, run and block. We still have the nickel back position — a back who plays in passing downs, smaller good blocker, who can catch the ball. To be graded high, this player must score a 7 for hands and have enough intelligence to handle all sub-protections. The nickel back must dominate his position in college.

Running Back Reminders:

1. Does he make yards after first contact? He must win in this phase in college. How many yards does he get from the offensive line? Great backs finish.

2. Finish does not mean long runs all the time. Hard to have long runs in the NFL (50-plus yards) without making a person miss, or breaking a tackle.

3. Must be able to make plays when the play breaks down. Great players make great plays. We need more than what it is blocked for.

4. Running back is an instinctive position, hard to train good runners. Must have instincts.

5. Must protect the ball. How many fumbles in his career? What hand does he carry the ball in? Does he change hands? Did he fumble in HS?

6. Durable after 10 carries? After 20? After 30? What kind of hits does he take? What does he do in the spring? Are they live to tackle?

7. First-quarter production compared to fourth-quarter production.

8. Who does he gain his yards against? What rankings does the opponent have in run defenses?

9. Can he run our running plays? Must know our style of running. Denver is different than Minnesota.

10. Role on third down? Role in the kicking game? Can he catch the ball down the field? What does his passing tree look like?

11. Great backs are great in high school — did he win the state rushing title?

12. Is he a point-of-entry back? Or can he redirect at the line? Point-of-entry backs are limited in their run play selection (Tyrone Wheatley).

13. Whom does he block in protection? The OLB? The safety? We need to know “whom” he can block, as much as if he can block. Define the “whom.”

14. Does he know protections? How many do they have? What kind of protections do they use? Any scat protections used?

15. What kind of blocker is he? Low block? Cut in hole? Side-stepper? Define how he does it.

16. Fullback position is a dying breed in this league. Can the big halfback play FB?

17. Can the FB run the wheel route and win? Can he catch the ball DOWN the field? Must have some versatility.

18. Is the FB good in the kicking game? He has to be to make the team.

19. Little backs have to protect if they want to be involved in the offense.

20. Must have players who can run the offense and not run plays. Hard to get the ball to players we need to run plays for. Works in September, dies in November.

THREE-DOWN BACKS

Name, team, age, height, weight, speed, year entered NFL, draft pos., agent

1. Derrick Ward, NY Giants, 28; 5-11, 233; 4.58; 2004; 7th round (235th overall); Peter Schaffer — The only concern with this player is his injury history and durability. But he has the size, versatility and hands to play in any offense.

2. Darren Sproles, San Diego, 25; 5-6, 187; 4.52; 2005; 4th round (130th overall); Gary Wichard – He’s not a little back, just a shorter back. He needs to have the right back next to him, but he is so explosive and so field-changing that he will make more out of 20 plays than he does 30.

3. Lamont Jordan, New England, 30; 5-10, 233; 4.45; 2001; 2nd round (49th overall); Alvin Keels – He still has very good skills, but he does have some injury and durability concerns. He went to the right team last year that can utilize his skill level.

4. Jason Wright, Cleveland, 26; 5-10, 210; 4.72; 2004; undrafted free agent; Michael McCartney — He shows flashes of talent and running ability but has not had enough chances to be successful. He needs to go to the right team and get a chance first.

TWO-DOWN RUNNERS

1. Brandon Jacobs, NY Giants, 26; 6-4, 267; 4.64; 2005; 4th round (110th overall); Justin Schulman — The best big back out there; he can control the game. Must run his runs, has to be led into the hole with clean surface and point of entry. He will get stronger as the game goes on and is best when there is a complement back with him.

2. Maurice Morris, Seattle, 28; 5-11, 202; 4.57; 2002; 2nd round (54th overall); Michael Sullivan — This back has grown on me. He can run inside and is adequate in the passing game, but he has never seemed to get the playing time he deserves. He just keeps moving the chains.

3. Correll Buckhalter, Philadelphia, 30; 5-11, 222; 4.59; 2001; 4th round (121st overall); John Rickert – Age and injuries to his knee will keep this player from being a big-time money maker.

4. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati, 25; 5-10, 225; 4.61; 2005; 1st round (4th overall); Eugene Parker — Was this his year, or was 2007? I tend to think it was junk yards this season and would be very reluctant to invest in him. He’s like a player who gets 10 rebounds a night but eight of them are off missed free throws. Benson has not convinced me.

5. Jesse Chatman, NY Jets, 29; 5-8, 215; 4.77; 2002; undrafted free agent; Brett Tessler — This guy was a good back, but he is lazy and unmotivated. If he gets his mind right, he could help a team.

ZONE RUNNERS

1. Tatum Bell, Denver, 27; 5-11, 213; 4.41; 2004; 2nd round (41st overall); Kennard McGuire — The one thing he can do is run nickel runs and make a play in a zone scheme. That’s all, but it’s something.

2. DeShaun Foster, San Francisco, 28; 6-0, 222; 4.5; 2002; 2nd round (34th overall); Joby Branion — Talented but lacks the inside run scheme skills. If he goes to the right place where his carries are limited, he can make a few plays.

NICKEL BACKS

1. Michael Pittman, Denver, 33; 5-11, 218; 4.54; 1998; 4th round (95th overall); Drew Rosenhaus — Age and injures make you worry, but he might be able to fill a role as a one-year player for a cheap price.

2. Dominic Rhodes, Indianapolis, 29; 5-9, 211; 4.61; 2001; undrafted free agent; Michael McCartney — Has to go to the right team that can use his skills as a pass protector and runner. He has some talent left and is not as old as people think.

3. J.J. Arrington, Arizona, 25; 5-8, 214; 4.5; 2005; 2nd round (44th overall); John Rickert — Return skills help him, but he must improve his protection skills.

4. Aveion Cason, Detroit, 29; 5-8, 191; 4.66; 2001; undrafted free agent; Ronald Slavin.

SPECIAL TEAMS

1. Aaron Stecker, New Orleans, 33; 5-9, 213; 4.61; 1999; undrafted free agent; Ronald Slavin.

cardinals dc clancy pendergast has been... shitcanned

interesting move by the cards - i've always been torn on what to think of pendergast, but always thought he'd make for an interesting dark horse hc candidate. he's the mad scientist type, VERY creative with his pressure packages, but he tends to outsmart himself, as evidenced by pittsburgh's final drive in the SB - it was an utterly maddening experience to watch him dial up all these (ineffective) 5 and 6 man pressures in that situation, and i could see blaming him somewhat for the loss. he could be an effective coordinator for a team with an actual, cohesive draft strategy (ie. not the cards).

teddy pendergrast down

i thought he was clancy pendergrass for the longest time, and based on this also assumed he was black

also, Dick Curl = new QB coach for rams

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3307/3259201048_6f37ed1b5f_o.jpg