fuckin wit the offseason in 09

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

Detroit Lions Released cornerback Leigh Bodden, tight end Dan Campbell, tackle Jon Dunn, wide receiver Mike Furrey, guard Edwin Mulitalo and safety Dwight Smith.

New York Giants Re-signed quarterback David Carr to a one-year contract; terminated the contracts of running back Reuben Droughns, cornerback Sam Madison and safety Sammy Knight; named Al Holcomb defensive quality control coach.

also, my favorite comment from the PFT blurb on pendergast firing:

Patscantcheatkharmabitches says:
February 6th, 2009 at 10:27 pm

You got You Got You Got what I need! (A job)

Falcons franchise tag punter Michael Koenen

all-time great falcon jamal 'jams' (more like gams he has the hugest thighs u ever seen) anderson was arrested this weekend for coke and weed posession btw... good luck lil buddy ;_;

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/02/08/jamal_anderson_falcons_drugs.html

jamal_anderson_falcons_drugs.html

Dallas Cowboys Released cornerback Adam Jones.

bodden by all accounts will be a nice pickup for a competent franchise.

Terry Glenn arrested for booze and pot or something :'(
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.tmz.com/media/2009/02/0205_terry_glenn_bn.jpg

or fucking raping someone jesus christ he scary :C

Dorsey and Gradkowski released by Browns - RIP Super Bowl chances

A tavern patron alerted an off-duty Atlanta police officer to possible illegal drug use inside the restroom, he said.

“The patron had heard what he thought was sniffing from inside the stall and told the off-duty officer,” Redmond said. “The officer went into the restroom, heard the same sniffing and peered over the stall door. He saw Jamal Anderson and Mark Hudson sniffing two lines of powdered cocaine off the back of the toilet.”

What an asshole the guy who tipped off the cop is. Every time I go out, someone's taking a little longer in the bathroom than they need to, if you know what I mean. What a dickehead.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3898942

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4fbox_ive-made-a-huge-mistake_fun

lol deadspin rumors - jamaal anderson as gay does strike me as possible actually

His behavior wasn't uncommon. Not the cocaine but the being on his knees in a stall. Dude is obessed with the size of white frat boys in the greater Atlanta area. This kid was a part of his 'crew' that he hangs with....He is known to be a really creepy guy and tries to pick up random frat-type guys at bars. Supposedly the undercover cop caught him blowing this kid and found coke on him. So he just did him a favor by keeping that out of the police report. There are definitely people who witnessed this happen.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/deadspin/2009/02/jamugs.jpg

hmmmmmm....

maybe he has a jay cutler fetish

lolllll

http://broncotalk.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/jaycutler.jpg

http://sportsbybrooks.com/jamal-anderson-sorrows-dirty-bird-follows-19754

drugged up rbs are trouble

Bills RB Lynch arrested in California

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is in trouble with the law again.

Lynch, who played in the Pro Bowl one week ago, was arrested Wednesday in Culver City, Calif., on felony charges for possession of a concealed firearm.

The Culver City Police Department on Sunday afternoon released a brief statement with details of the arrest. The statement noted officers spotted three men in a 2006 Mercedes Benz and recognized Lynch as the Bills' running back.

"A subsequent field investigation led to the discovery of a loaded firearm," the report said. "The officers determined the gun belonged to Lynch and he was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's inmate database says Lynch was booked at 7:12 p.m. and was released on a $35,000 bond at 8:45 p.m.

Gun safety is a significant issue in the NFL. It has been a hot topic since New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress was arrested on two felony charges in December after accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub.

"We can confirm that Marshawn was arrested in California and has retained an attorney," Bills vice president of communications Scott Berchtold said in a statement. "We are in the process of trying to gather the facts and will not offer a comment while that process is ongoing."

Lynch's agent didn't return ESPN.com's request for a comment.

Lynch's lawyer, M. Gerald Schwartzbach, told The Associated Press his client was not involved in a traffic accident and was in California visiting friends.

Lynch last summer was the subject of a hit-and-run investigation in Buffalo after his luxury SUV struck a woman in the street and sped away.

After nearly a month of posturing from Lynch's lawyers and the Erie County District Attorney, Lynch paid a $100 fine in a plea agreement. He didn't face criminal charges because the woman's injuries weren't serious enough. She received seven stitches at a local hospital.

In 2006, as Lynch was about to enter his junior season at California, he was the target of a drive-by shooting outside his prep alma mater, Oakland Technical. Police determined Lynch was the victim of mistaken identity.

Lynch, who will turn 23 in April, ran for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He also caught 47 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown.

:(

marshawwwwwn >:[

Baltimore Ravens Terminated the contract of cornerback Chris McAlister.
Cincinnati Bengals Placed franchise tag on kicker Shayne Graham.
Jacksonville Jaguars Released running back Fred Taylor.

Cincinnati Bengals Placed franchise tag on kicker Shayne Graham.

This is pretty nutty, in my opinion. When your team sucks, kickers are always a luxury item.

Jeff Reed beats up paper towel dispenser.

Buffalo Bills Signed wide receiver Justin Jenkins.
Denver Broncos Released cornerback Dre Bly.
Detroit Lions Re-signed kicker Jason Hanson to a four-year contract; re-signed guard Stephen Peterman to a five-year contract.
New Orleans Saints Released running back Deuce McAllister.

also, Cardinals franchise Karlos Dansby

dansby is sufficiently sick

clancy pendergast will be joining todd haley's attempt to recreate desert magic in the midwest.

Ravens announce they're franchising Suggs, unless they get a deal done before the deadline

RIP Brad Van Pelt :(

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3916311

Chargers franchise Sproles
Raiders expected to cut Ronald Curry
Bucs expected to tag Antonio Bryant

Chargers franchise Sproles

Huh!

Raiders expected to cut Ronald Curry

:( always liked this guy

Raiders make Lechler the highest paid punter of all time.

texans franchise dunta robinson
raiders working on a multi-year deal w/ nnamdi or else he'll be franchised

courtesy of the farting clayton

http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/images/2007/10/drudgesiren.gif

Tom Brady Might Be Alive ... DEVELOPING

dont be fooled he's a zombie

why isn't it halloween yet!
just when i thought all zombie stuff was played out

Has this video been posted before:

"Cincinnati Bengals Placed franchise tag on kicker Shayne Graham."

That means TJ Houshmandzadeh is freed up to go to the Eagles, or at least that seems to be the team he has mentioned. I guess the Bears are also interested in him. I'm kind of sad to see him leaving Cincy.

Julius Peppers (CAR) tagged, Bo Scaife (TEN) tagged, Max Starks (PIT) tagged, Leroy Hill tagged (SEA), Oshiomogho Atogwe tagged (STL)

Nnamdi Asomugha signs 3-year deal w/Raiders
Jordan Gross re-signs w/Panthers

recap of tagged players this offseason:

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, Atlanta Falcons punter Michael Koenen, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers, Cincinnati Bengals kicker Shayne Graham, Houston Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Starks, San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles, St. Louis Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant, and Tennessee Titans tight end Bo Scaife.