Tag Archive for 'NFL'

Sunday Smattering

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on June 1, 2008
in MLB, NBA and NFL
. 3 Comments

This Sunday morning marks the return of Sunday Smattering–the column that is my facade for not being able to narrow my ideas down to one post–so I call it a smattering and post everything. Pretty clever huh?

Without further adieu, Sunday Smattering ladies and gentlemen:

  • Lakers vs. Celtics: After all the hype, drama and predictions, the two most storied franchises in NBA history will once again meet to decide the NBA title. The story lines here are endless. As much as I loathe both of these teams, I even have to admit that this final brings a certain nostalgic feel that is a rarity in the world of basketball. My prediction? Lakers in 6. Bolder prediction? Brian Scalabrine, in his only playing time of the series, gets so overwhelmed with nostalgia he clotheslines Kobe Bryant going to the bucket to reenact the Kurt Rambis and Kevin McHale incident.
  • Taylor Wants Out: Does this really come as a surprise? Forget the fact that Jason Taylor is not a 3-4 defensive end, the preferred scheme of Bill Parcels. Forget the notion that Taylor is 34 years old. Forget all of the logical reasons why Jason Taylor and the Dolphins are about as good a match as Charles Barkley and Las Vegas. Did we really think that a guy that spent his offseason prancing around on national TV would mesh with the stone-faced, tough-as-nails, Bill Parcels? Not a chance.
  • Rookie Phenoms Rule the Week: Between the debuts of Clayton Kershaw and Jay Bruce (I’m still pissed about the walk-off last night against my Braves) two heralded rookies showed their chops right from the outset. Both of these kids have bright futures, but let’s not forget they are rookies–struggles will come.
  • Will the Braves Ever Win on the Road?: How is that the same team can be 7-20 on the road and 22-7 at home? Seriously folks, I am at a loss here. I understand that there will almost always be a discrepancy, but clearly this is a case of a Braves team that plays Jekyl and Hyde. If they don’t get it straightened out soon, they can forget about the NL East crown.
  • Historic HRs: Last night, Manny Ramirez hit number 500 for his career and Griffey hit number 599. These two could not be more different. By all accounts, Griffey is a nice guy that plays the game the right way. Ramirez on the other hand is an immature prima Dona. Why he feels the need to constantly draw attention to himself through antics on and off the field is beyond me. He is one of the greatest right-handed hitters to ever play this game–let that do the talking Manny. I don’t care if that was his 500th HR last night, if he ever posed that long and walked up the baseline like that in a game I was managing, the next fastball would be placed square between his ribs. Can we put out a referendum to the league on this? Throwing at hitters is illegal, unless it is Manny Ramirez after an unnecessarily long pose following a HR (or single for that matter).
  • Heard in the Cheap Seats Gets a Makeover: Alright, so I am not a Web designer, nor will I ever be–hence the awkward orange and green colors from our previous design. We’ve gone with a new look, albeit still not perfect. In addition, check out the About section, it now reflects our staff of two instead of our staff of one–a long overdue change.

Specter Embodies Grandstanding at its Worst

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on May 17, 2008
in NFL
. 0 Comments

As this whole Spygate saga unfolded, there was no shortage of opinions on the situation. Some held to the belief that this was an isolated incident, while others maintained that the Patriots took the fall for the entire league. We may never know the truth for certain, but my guess is the reality is probably somewhere in between.

In the days leading up to the Matt Walsh meeting with Commissioner Goodell, I watched in amazement as people crawled out of the woodwork to take the opportunity to rehash the entire Spygate scandal. As the meeting approached, it became increasingly evident that it would amount to little more than a ceremonial wiping of the slate for the league. Matt Walsh was after nothing more than his time in the limelight.

Well, he got that time and now we should all move on from the incident for the sake of the game. Unfortunately, people like Arlen Specter won’t let the situation die. Of course, Specter will tell you he is merely attempting to protect the sanctity of the game. Baloney.

Arlen Specter has no interest in protecting the sanctity of the game. His primary interest is grandstanding to a constituency that is fiercely loyal to the Eagles but has a waning trust in politics–especially Republican politics. Specter’s other primary motive is catering to the demands of Philadelphia-based cable giant Comcast.

There is no risk in his shameful grandstanding. If he is wrong, so what, we all were misled. If he is right, he looks like the watchdog he so desperately wants to be. Either way, he still has portrayed himself to the people as a politician willing to stand up to powerful money-making entities. Ironic, when what he is really doing is bending to the will of another, large money-making entity.

As an Eagles fan, you might expect that I appreciate the efforts of Specter. After all, the heartache from the Eagles loss in the Super Bowl to the Patriots is still fresh (especially living in Boston). But more than some sort of hallow vindication; I want attention shifted from some politician working for personal gain to the game. If Specter truly is protecting the sanctity of the game, he should do us all a favor and drop his charade.

NFL Draft Busts: Blame the GM, Not the Player

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on April 19, 2008
in NFL
. 0 Comments

As the NFL draft rapidly approaches, the onslaught of typical draft columns has picked up steam.  From Todd McShay to Mel Kiper, the NFL Draft machine is in full swing.  And with that machine comes a barrage of columns highlighting the all-time worst draft busts.  I’m not here to add to those columns, but rather to take a look from a different angle.

The majority of draft bust articles focus on the player-laying the blame at the feet of the person that was drafted.  But shouldn’t we be blaming the person doing the drafting?  Sure, a player bears the brunt of the responsibility to perform on the field, but the expectations that a player is saddled with as a result of their draft position falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM.  Instead of focusing on the player, we should be highly critical of the GM that thought it was prudent to select the player in that position.

As an Eagles fan, the prime example that comes to mind is Mike Mamula.  Mamula came into the NFL draft combine as an unheralded defensive end from Boston College.  After putting up eye-popping combine numbers, he skyrocketed up draft boards.  Ray Rhodes immediately fell in love with Mamula-trading away the Eagles first and second round picks to move up and grab him with the 7th pick.  Mamula was largely a disappointment.  But to be fair, he did have two seasons with 8.5 sacks and finished his career with 31.5 sacks.  Not numbers that warrant his draft pick, but not horrible either.  So again I ask, is it Mike Mamula’s fault that he never lived up to expectations or Ray Rhodes’ for jumping up in the draft to take him at that spot?

I’d contend that the blame should be place on Ray Rhodes-not Mike Mamula.

I am by no means suggesting that a player does not have some responsibility to play to the best of his abilities.  But every article written about drafts past focuses on the player as the true bust.  But in reality, their talent never warranted the expectations they carried around.  For Mamula, had he been drafted in the 3rd or 4th round where his talent suggested he should be taken, we might be talking about him as a bargain.

It’s time we hold the GMs accountable for their draft miscues and not just the players.

Sunday Smattering

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on March 9, 2008
in College Sports, MLB, NBA and NFL
. 0 Comments

A smattering of sports nuggets from the week:

The top story of the past week has to be the retirement of Brett Favre. As I wrote here earlier in the week, Favre brought a passion to the game of football that will be sorely missed. That passion was again on display during his press conference. It is those times and that passion we will sorely miss.

Darren McFadden is Not the Best Running Back in the Draft

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on March 7, 2008
in NFL
. 0 Comments

Throw out the 4.3 40-yard dash. Throw out the prototypical running back size. In fact, throw out all his combine numbers-Darren McFadden is not the best running back in this draft.

I firmly believe that it is more important to watch how a player dominates a game than if he dominates a game. Does he play the game intelligently? Does he make his teammates better? Does he possess a drive superior to his counterparts? Or, is he just a man playing amongst a bunch of boys?

Every so often, there comes along an athlete so superior that he can dominate a game based solely on his athletic prowess. Darren McFadden was that athlete in college. When he gets to the NFL, he won’t be able to rely solely on his speed. To be a top-shelf back in the NFL, speed is only one portion of the complex equation. And while McFadden seemingly posses all of the attributes, it warrants closer consideration. Was McFadden’s dominance merely a product of his athletic prowess, or does he also possess the innate abilities required to succeed at the next level?

As you probably have figured out by now, I believe Darren McFadden has succeeded based on athletic prowess alone. Watch his tape closely. He runs far too high, which will inevitably get him punished in the NFL. His upper body is incredibly strong, but his legs are not powerful. He has moderate patience for his position, but often reverts to relying on his speed to outrun defenders. This won’t suffice in the NFL.

I think Darren McFadden will be a productive player in the NFL-but that production won’t warrant the first pick in the NFL draft. In fact, I think his teammate at Arkansas, Felix Jones, will wind up the better NFL running back.

The Time is Right for Favre

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on March 4, 2008
in NFL
. 0 Comments

 When I first heard the news that Brett Favre had retired, my initial inclination was to write a post that would be a fair, balanced look at his career.  I was thinking something along the lines of “How should the NFL history books remember Brett Favre?”

But as I start to write, I simply can’t conjure that post.  The reason?  I know how history should remember Brett Favre-for what he did on the field.  There is certainly plenty of criticism out there to be had for Brett Favre.  His tendency to throw an inopportune interception is well documented and the stranglehold he put on the Green Bay Packers organization four of the last five years was simply unfair.  In some people’s minds, this may impact his legacy–and rightfully so.  In my mind, his legacy boils down to what he did on the field. 

The image I have seared in my mind is Brett Favre dashing down the field, both arms raised, with a huge grin on his face.  The funny thing is this image is not linked to any one event.  Nope.  It was so commonplace for Favre that it’s the enduring image for many fans.

Favre played the game of football with a joyfulness I have never seen before.  Sure, that joyfulness, coupled with his cannon arm and unquestionable will translated into enormous success on the football field.  But what sticks in my mind is the passion he brought to the game of football.  At no time was this passion on better display than this past season, when an aging Favre paired up with a seemingly rag tag group of teammates and took them to the brink of the Super Bowl.  In his final year, the essence of Favre was never more evident.

Many people may question the timing of Favre’s decision.  His team is on the rise and he clearly has not lost the ability to perform at a high level.  But I don’t.  Favre was always a player that poured his heart and soul into the game and when that no longer was in the game, the essence of Favre was gone.  Some say it is a shame to see Favre fade off into the sunset having his last pass thrown being an interception.  But what better time is there for Favre to ride off into the sunset?  It would be more of a shame to see Favre play a season when the one thing that made him special was no longer in it–his heart.    

Sunday Smattering

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on March 2, 2008
in College Sports and NFL
. 2 Comments

Sunday Smattering

Free Agency and Rumors:

  • Lance Briggs re-signed with the Bears. The Bears quietly entered free agency with little indication as to what their game plan was. After all of the controversy around Briggs last season, the team managed to lockdown one of the game’s top young linebackers.
  • Bernard Berrian landed with the Minnesota Vikings. The WR market started out slow this week, with most playing the waiting game to let Berrian set the market. Berrian is a very good receiver, but he lacks the ability to dominate a game. He has the speed to get vertical, but is limited in the red zone due to his average size. Nonetheless, this is a good signing for the Vikings and will add a legitimate passing threat (provided someone can get him the ball, but hey, Berrian is used to that) to their running attack.
  • In the biggest signing of the early-period of free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Asante Samuel to a six-year deal (more on this when we get to the rumors section). In addition, the Eagles added some firepower to their pass rush with the addition of Chris Clemons. As the Giants proved in the Super Bowl, a solid pass rush is the key to slowing down any quarterback.
  • Justin Smith, considered by many as the top DE on the market, signed with the 49ers. While Smith is a solid player, I think the 49ers overspent to acquire his services. Smith is a classic example of a “right place at the right time” player. He received big money simply because viable alternatives on the market were scarce.
  • With the Berrian signing out of the way, the rest of the free-agent market for WRs has begun to fall into place. Donte Stallworth signed with the Cleveland Browns. This is a good deal that will add depth to the Browns already solid receiving corps. Stallworth can stretch the field and is lethal with the ball after the catch.
  • The Raiders signed Gibril Wilson.
  • In an effort to shore up some holes on their offensive line, the Jets agreed to a deal with Alan Faneca.

There was certainly more moves made in the free-agent frenzy, but the above encapsulates the biggest moves thus far. For a full list, check out ESPN’s free agent tracker.

Rumors:

  • With all this movement early in the free agency period, there still remains some intriguing storylines running through the league, not the least of which involves one Mr. Randy Moss. When the Patriots decided not to franchise Moss, it was widely assumed that the team had a deal in place that would be signed as soon as free agency opened. The move was peculiar at the time, because even if there was a deal in place, why not use the franchise tag to protect yourself in the interim? Well, the Patriots failed to do that and they may end up paying the price. Garry Cobb is reporting that the Eagles and Cowboys are the front runners to land Moss’ services after the Patriots. My gut tells me Moss will end up back with the Patriots, but he currently feels slighted that the team won’t pony up top dollar for his services. Teams have an opportunity to swoop in and offer a contract he might not be able to turn down-and you can bet those teams will answer the bell.
  • As far as the Eagles are concerned, they have been aggressive in the early-going of free agency, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them take a run at Moss. But there has been no indication from the team so far that it is interested in acquiring Moss’ services. With the Asante Samuel signing, the Eagles have a plethora of options to work out. The most likely seems Lito Sheppard will be traded. Eagles fans are calling for the front office to use Sheppard as trade bait to acquire Larry Fitzgerald. The likelihood of this happening is minimal, because Fitzgerald carries a massive contract that should never have been signed in this day and age where the teams have all the leverage. Another scenario is to move Sheldon Brown to safety and keep Sheppard as the starting corner opposite Samuel. This would potentially give the Eagles the best secondary in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how this saga plays out. Stay tuned.
  • There have been reports that the Vikings could make a run at Brady Quinn. With the multi-year deal signed by Derek Anderson, the Browns have a decision looming on the horizon on the future of their quarterback position. The Vikings might try to nudge them along into making that decision.
  • The market for Javon Walker’s services appears to be hot, with as many as 10 teams in the bidding.

As many expected, the market for free agents was short, with most of the best players off the market in the early going. But plenty remains to be figured out.

Final Roundup from Week:

The NBA’s Image Problem

Published
by
Chris Iafolla
on February 24, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

A recent article in ESPN The Magazine discussed the image problem faced by the NBA.  It was a fascinating article that warrants closer consideration.

Overwhelmingly, the NBA consistently ranked last in various public polls such as: “What league would you prefer your daughter marry a player from?” and “What is your general impression of each league?”  Dead last in virtually every poll.

This is an astonishing revelation.  The NBA is clearly facing an image crisis-but should it be?  The league certainly has had its fair share of problems (think: Kobe Bryant and the brawl at Auburn Hills) but the sheer number of incidences pale in comparison to the issues faced by the other two major professional sports leagues.  Major League Baseball is riddled with a drug problem with the two greatest players of this generation allegedly leading the charge.  In the NFL, drugs also run rampant.  Players like Pacman Jones and Michael Vick and scandals such as Spygate have left the league reeling.  So why then do we hold onto this belief that the NBA is a bunch of thugs?

The easy answer is race.  But it is not that simple.  The NFL has nearly the same ratio of black players as the NBA, yet it does not suffer from the same image problem.  So while the NBA’s image problem does stink of a general sentiment of racism in this country, it is not the sole factor. 

Perhaps there is an issue of sociology at play here.  NFL players are our modern-day version of gladiators.  We tend to excuse their indiscretions and violent behavior because it is their nature-at least that’s what we tell ourselves.  In baseball, maybe we have become numb to the ongoing questions raised about the game.  The players have routinely turned their collective noses up at the sanctity of the game, yet we still flock to the ballparks in record numbers.

In the end, the NBA is unfairly suffering from an image crisis.  We’d be naïve to think that most of it is not predicated on race.  It is.  But it also has to do with the perceived “hip-hop culture” of the league.  Much of the public cannot identify with the players that favor rap music and baggy pants over country songs and suits.  And with no mask to hide behind like in the NFL, the public feels they know NBA players more intimately than their counterparts in other leagues. 

What does it all boil down to?  As a whole, we have formed an unfair image of NBA players in our minds.  We are entitled to our own opinion, but it should not be shaped by mere speculation.  The facts are all professional sports leagues should be held to a certain standard.  Why then do we continue to ignore that the NBA has largely met that standard while the other two leagues have missed the mark?