8.12.08

MAYBE ........MY TV SENT ME DIFFERENT PICTURES THAN ALL THESE TALK SHOW CALLINS AND ALL THE WRITERS THAT HAVE WRITTEN UP THE BEGINING OF THE "ROGERS" ERA IN GREEN BAY AFTER LAST NIGHT'S GAME.

MAYBE........ THEY DON'T HAVE TIVO OR LOOKED  AT IT TWICE LIKE I DID IN SLOW MOTION AND FAST TOO.

MAYBE..........THEY THINK PUTTING A SPIN OF GOODNESS ON ROGERS' PERFORMANCE WILL GET EVERYONE EXCITED.

BUT........WHAT I SAW WERE A LOT OF SHORT DROP OFF PASSES.A  VERY CONTROLLED HIGH PERCENTAGE PASS OFFENSE AT HOME TO GET THIS QUARTERBACK RELAXED AND PLEASE THE FANS EARLY.

BUT........WHAT I SAW ON LONG PASSES HE MISSED A WIDE OPEN LONG PASS FOR A TD WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO THROW.

BUT....... WHAT I SAW WAS ON THE LONG PASS HE COMPLETED IT WAS BEHIND THE RECEIVER AND THE RECEIVER HAD TO COMPLETELY STOP TO CATCH IT.

BUT.... WHAT I SAW WERE 40% OF HIS PASSES THAT WERE THROWN DOWN FIELD WERE BEHIND THE RECEIVER AND THE TOUCHHOWN PASS ? A MISED TACKLE AS WELL.

IN THE RED ZONE THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME HE GOT THE TEAM IN THE END ZONE.

AND MOST OF ALL HE DID THIS AGAINST THE WORSE STILL, TACKLING DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE AND ONE OF THE WORSE DEFENSES IN THE LEAGUE.

AH ........PRESESON AND ALL THE HYPE ON HOW GOOD ALL THESE PLAYERS ARE GOING TO BE THIS YEAR.

FOLKS DON'T MAKE ROGERS YOUR FANTASY PICK OR YOU MAY NOT WIN MANY POINTS OR GAMES IN YOUR LEAGUE FROM WHERE I SIT.

8.11.08

A look at Ravens Camp!

THE 2008 RAVENS TEAM

Now that pre-season games have begun, fans are thinking about what the final 2008 roster will look like.  Many fans look at pre-season and try to evaluate what players look promising, and who will not only make the team, but perform well this season.  Coaches view these games as one tool for evaluating each player when deciding on the final roster. One thing to remember is that many top quality starting players on both teams in pre-season games do not play or play very little. That is why when the season arrives and one of the starters gets injured, Coaches have to be sure that they selected the correct 53 men for the 2008 Ravens Team.   Coaches use mini-camps, training camps, and the pre-season to try their best to keep the best 53 players out of 80 allowed by the NFL to begin training camp each year.  Serious injuries in training camp and the preseason also determine which players play in the 2008 season.  Here is a closer look at how the Raven final roster could look, barring major injuries in the next three weeks.  We have already had one game to begin our thoughts of how the team will perform this season.  The new offensive play calling and aggressive look was a very healthy approach that we have not seen before.   A huge area of concern must be finding a Quarterback that can execute better than they did the first week and an Offensive Line that can block better.   With the large number of injuries, it may be a few more weeks till most of the first unit that will start on opening Sunday is in place.  Here is what the Coaches have at the present time to work with in selecting the best 53 players.

THE OFFENSE

Quarterbacks - We already know who they will be and this year unlike years past, the Ravens will carry three Quarterbacks:

 Troy Smith - Most likely to be the starter early on for many reasons, and should provide the quickness needed to avoid the pass rush that will be coming from the outside.  He must improve quickly in the last three pre-season games if he is to be the starter.  He is learning the new system well and has become a team leader in only his second season but  has only started a few regular season NFL games.

Kyle Boller - Will be the back-up unless Troy Smith has a terrible preseason. Kyle will be the backup quarterback until Joe Flacco is ready to assume the Raven Quarterback position. Kyle should only start  if one of two possibilities happens this year;  Smith gets hurt or fails to be a productive Raven quarterback.

Joe Flacco- A lot depends on when Joe Flacco plays in  2008;  how well Smith performs, how well the offensive line blocks, how well the offense plays, and most importantly, how fast Joe Flacco looks to the coaches in practice that he is ready to start in the NFL.  It is a possibility that later in the year, Joe Flacco will be the Quarterback of this team, but if all things are equal, he is more likely not to be playing until the 2009 season.

Running Backs - The starter is Willis McGahee and Coaches are hoping that the knee injury suffered in  training camp, is not serious but he did not come to camp in the best football shape, and his lack of a good off-season conditioning  has not made the coaches very happy.  The prize Rookie, Ray Rice, has been very impressive in training camp, but had a so-so first pre-season performance. Let’s not evaluate him just yet in these pre-season games.  The Ravens really need a third Running Back to step up by September considering that MaGahee has a knee problem and Rice, a Rookie, was overworked in college the last three years.  There is no one currently on this roster that has shown enough to be that third back that is needed on an NFL team but, someone will make the roster if no veteran Running Back is obtained.  Ozzie Newsome really needs to pick up a veteran running back before the season begins for insurance especially if Willis McGahee’s injury does not get better soon.

Wide Receiver - This position is wide open as of today.  Derrick Mason is the only steady veteran they have.  Mark Clayton has already injured a shoulder in training camp. Demetrius Williams has not played much in training camp, and the rest are rookies along with a 31 year-old veteran that has not played since 2006, and a guy that was not on the 53 man roster last year (Matt Willis).  This appears to be one of the many problem areas on the Offense this year, but rookies Marcus Smith and Justin Harper are showing promise.  Most likely the Ravens will carry five Receivers, but a closer look at the waiver wire at the end of August would probably be a good idea.

Tight End- Todd Heap must stay healthy and  Daniel Wilcox must fully recover from his toe injury to make this position stable and productive this year.

Offensive Line- A lot has already been said about the lack of ability of some of these Offensive Tackles, and most of what has been said is true. Jared Gaither has not worked hard during the off season has not gotten himself prepared to play in the NFL.  He was injured early in camp and has missed valuable time learning from the new coaches. Adam Terry mat not stay on the field much if his  injured rehabbing ankle does not improve, both players need to play as much as possible in the remaining preseason games. The rest of the tackles in camp have not proven they can play in the NFL.  If any of the interior Linemen get injured, and  the Tackles don’t stay healthy this could be a scary season for Quarterbacks and Running Backs.  With all the very good Offensive Coaches the Ravens now have, the Offensive Line doesn’t have enough quality man power or proven backups to provide the adequate protection needed for the skilled players to be successful in the 2008 season.

THE DEFENSE

Defensive Line-
With three veteran Defensive Tackles, (Justin Bannon, Kelly Greg and Ngata Haloti), this will be one of the strongest positions on the 2008 team.  However, the defensive pass rush must be improved over last year and Rex Ryan must provide schemes that get sacks while protecting an aging Cornerback position.  Defensive back, Fabian Washington, with his play in the first preseason game, looks like a great addition to the team and a future starter on this team.  Trevor Price, who came to camp in great shape  along with Terrell Suggs (if he comes to camp in great shape and ready to play), along with the progress that Antwan Barnes  has shown, a healthy Dan Cody, along with a bounce back year from Bart Scott  will again make this defense one of the best in the NFL.

Defensive Backs - The big decisions for the coaching staff will come from what players to keep or release at the Safety and Reserve Defensive back positions. With two rookie Safeties,  (Tom Zbilkowski and Nakamura Haramura), a veteran free agent Safety addition, (Jim Leonhard), they all will be pushing last years substitutes (David Pittman, Ronnie Prude, Corey Ivy, Derick Martin  along with a new addition, Frank Walker at defensive back, to see who makes the final 2008 roster. All must prove themselves on Special Teams, and in pre-season play to win a final roster spot.  Most likely four or five  defensive backs and four Safeties will be on the final roster.  Barring injuries, we know that Dawan Landry, Ed Reed, Fabian Washington, Corey Ivy, Chris McAlister, and Samarri Rolle  will be on the team.  That means that most likely, only four or five of the others  defensive backs will make the final 53-man roster.
 
Linebacker- In the 3-4 Defense that Rex Ryan plays, some of these players are swing men that play both Linebacker and Pass Rusher. With early round draft choice rookie Linebacker, Tarvares Gooden and last year’s quality back-ups Nick Greisen, Antwan Barnes, and hopefully adding Dan Cody, and Edgar Jones who have not seen much NFL playing time this will be a good group of reserves for this Raven team. Also added was special teams stand out Brendon Avanbadejo who looked impressive when playing linebacker in the first pre-season game. These reserves make the Pass Rush/Linebacker group very strong.  With veterans Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson, Bart Scott and team leader Ray Lewis returning look for lots of hard hits and turnovers being produced by this group.

Rookies Jameel McClan and Robert McCune along with veteran Gary Stills appear to have little chance of making the 53 man roster in 2008 unless other Linebackers are injured and out for the season.
So that is how the 2008 roster is shaping up. Many of these reserves will make Special Teams a very strong group, and if Yamon Figurs stays healthy and performs as well as he did in the first pre-season game they will provide great field position and score some exciting touchdowns this year.  The coaching staff has a few tough decisions on players but for the most part this is a veteran team that needs quality production at Quarterback position with few turnovers and an Offensive line that matures into a stable force this year if the Ravens are to have a successful season.

8.4.08

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself BEFORE drafting your Fantasy players:

Is Rogers or Bret Favre quarterbacking the Packers ?

Who is quarterbacking and for how long the JETS,BUFFALO and THE RAVENS ?

How healthy is Peyton Manning ang wr Harrison for the Colts ?

Is there any wide receiver worth drafting for the Ravens ?

Is  Lions WR Johnson last years' top rookie at that position going to emerge as a good fantasy pick this year ?

Is McFadden going to be a good pick at running back ?

With a below average revamp offensive line will Steelers RB and QB have good years ?

Will Derek Anderson of the Browns have a good year or be below average considering how tough the Browns schedule is ?

8.1.08

What will Bret Favre now do ? The Packers offer of between 20-25 million is amazing and never been done before. No team in any sport has offered any player money not to play. It should count against the cap and will be spread over 10 years. Now don't think the Packers are doing this  just to get Favre to go away quietly to his home down south. They actually have a marketing plan in place with his retired jersey and future Hall of Fame gear they will be producing in the next 5 years that all believe will pay them more than the money they are giving away to Bret to get rid of this pR headache.

What Bret will do now is not  about the money although everyone will say he took the money. It really is about thinking all this through, talking to friends,players, family and himself and making the right decision in the end.

 He will retire now, he will not ever play again because it is the right think to do. It's not what he wants but it's the best solution to everyone's problem. Green Bay created this PR nightmare by their untimely statements on all issues dealing with this matter and now they will pay an expensive price to make it go away.

Bret has  a trip planned to Green Bay as early as Friday where he will most like sign off on this retirement contract deal.

The big question will always be ,did the Packers handle this the best way possible? I know one thing folks, Rogers better be the QB they think he is or Green Bay in December may be colder than normal for Green Bay mangement and these fans may not get over this if it is a big mistake that costs them seeing  their Hall of Fame quarterback one more year, a chance at the playoffs and a Super Bowl appearnace.

If you think just following a Hall of Fame legend is ba enough in any city at any time for Rogers, what about one that still wants to play for your team and mangement won't let them?And what happens if Rogers goes down early with an injury or worse yet he fails to win games and has lots of turnovers ?

Yes Green Bay by offering money and not allowing Bret to play elsewhere have won right ? or have they ? The Jets are making a last ditch effort to up the trade proposal as we speak but if all parties are smart , Green Bay turns down any offer no matter how  good and Bret Farvre rides off into the sunset a retired Green Bay Packer like it should have been all along...........

7.28.08

LATE SATURDAY THE PACKERS AND BRET FARVRE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT FARVRE WILL NOT COME AND TRY TO JOIN THE TEAM FOR NOW. WITH THE COMMISHNER INVOVLED IN EVERY STEP OF THIS PROCESS NOW AND CONSTANTLY ON THE PHONE WITH BOTH SIDES IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT PACKERS MANGEMENT IS BEING GIVEN A FEW DAYS TO EITHER WORKOUT A TRADE OR RELEASE THE PACKERS ALL TIME GREATEST QB.

PART OF THE AGREMENT HAD TO DO WITH FAVRE TELLING GOODEL THAT THE VIKINGS HAD NOT IN ANY WAY TAMPERED WITH HIM SO IT NOW IS UNLIKELY ANY CHARGES OR PENALITYS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE VIKINGS.. FAVRE SAYS HE IS FRIENDS WITH THEIR OFFENSIVE COACH AND THEY TALK ALL THE TIME EVEN DURING THE SEASON.

SINCE THE PACKERS HEAD COACH AGAIN YESTERDAY HAS SAID( FOR THE FINAL TIME HE SAYS) THAT ROGERS IS HIS STARTING QB THEN......... I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR PACKER MANGEMENT TODAY.

1. IF ROGERS IS THE STARTER AND THEY HAVE SAID IF FAVRE CAME BACK HE WOULD BE #2 DOES THAT MEAN THEY THINK ROGERS IS BETTER? WHY WOULD THE FACT THAT THEY DRAFTED TWO ROOKIES MAKE FAVRE #2 ? WHY THAT SINCE" THEY MOVED ON" DOES THAT MAKE FAVRE #2 AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WHO GIVES THE PACKERS THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN A GAME FAVRE OR ROGERS ? WHO WOULD ANY OTHER NFL COACH START IN ANY GAME ESPECIALLY A BIG GAME FAVRE OR ROGERS ? AND WHY EVEN WITH FAVRE CHANGING HIS MIND AND THEY DRAFTING A QB WHY CAN'T FAVRE COMPETE FOR THE JOB ?

2. DO THEY THINK FAVRE IS OVER THE HILL, DONE, FINISHED AND IS NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH TO NOW  NOT ONLY START BUT COMPETE FOR THE QUARTERBACKING POSITION ON THEIR TEAM?

3. IF THIS IS SO WHY NOT JUST RELEASE HIM AND WHY WOULD THEY FEAR HIM SIGNING WITH THE BEARS OR VIKINGS  IF HE IS A #2 QB NOT A STARTER?

4. IF WHAT THEY SAY IS THE TRUTH THAT ROGERS IS #1 WHY WOULD THE BEARS OR VIKINGS OR ANY TEAM WANT TO SIGN HIM, MAYBE AS A BACKUP ?

5. DOES ANYONE BELIEVE ANY HING THE PACKER MANGEMENT HAS SAID OR IS SAYING IF THEY SAY ROGERS IS #1, ISN'T #1 YOUR BEST PLAYER AND IF YOU ANNOUCE IT NOW WITH NO COMPETITION YOU MUST BELIEVE THE GUY YOU CHOSE IS WAY BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE YOU HAVE AT QB  ON YOUR ROSTER RIGHT NOW RIGHT ? WHY WHEN FAVRE RETIRED DID THEY NOT TRY TO SIGN A VETERAN BACKUP INSTEAD OF DRAFTING TWO ROOKIES ? ARE THEY AFRRAID THAT ROGERS WOULD NOT WIN THE JOB AND COMPETE WELL AGAINST A VETERAN ?

6. ARE YOU ALLOW TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AN UNRETIRE AND ISN'T SPORTS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAN SOME FANS COMPARING PRIVATE INDUSTRY JOBS WITH ANY SPORTS POSITIONS ?

7. HAS FAVRE SAID HE WANTS TO MESS UP THE PACKERS NEW PLAN AND BE THERE AND HAS TO BE THEIR QB OR HAS HE JUST SAID HE HAS CHANGED HIS MIND MISSES FOOTBALL ALREADY AND JUST WANTS TO PLAY IN THE NFL AND ONLY IF SOMEONE WANTS HIM ?

8. AND IF NO ONE WANTS HIM ISN'T IT TRUE HE CAN'T PLAY IN THE NFL ANYMORE?

9. WILL ANYONE TAKE A CHANCE AND SIGN THIS SECOND STRING QB THAT GREEN BAY  NOW HAS UNDER CONTRACT? IS HE WORTH A WORKOUT AT THEIR TRAINING CAMP ?

I THINK GOODEL HAS MADE IT CLEAR TO GREEN BAY THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED FOR THEIR SAKE AND  FOR THEM TO HAVE ANY NORMALTRAINING CAMP OR A SEASON WITHOUT MAJOR DISTRACTIONS MUST ACT SWIFTLY ON THIS ISSUE. GOODEL HAS TOLD THEM DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR TEAM BUT A TRADE OR RELEASE IS THE BEST WAY FOR ALL TO MOVE ON.

7.28.08

HOW DO YOU BUILD A PLAYOFF TEAM AND A SUPER BOWL CHAMPION?

Every NFL team wants to win the Super Bowl.  Every NFL team wants to make the Playoffs every year.  It means more team revenue in equipment bought by fans (i.e., shirts, hats and jerseys), and keeping fans and media happy.  But, how do you build a team into that type of organization that year after year will win 10 games or more and be more competitive?  If you want to build a Super Bowl contender, I know a way and have a plan and will share my ideas and plan of how to be successful.

STEP ONE:  Get control of your Management Team; select all the right people from top to bottom and build a good team.  To accomplish this you will need: 

1.  A top of the line General Manager who is experienced in many NFL areas:

• One who knows how the NFL Cap System works in detail.
• One who can evaluate player talent and selects a team of assistants who are successful in this area.  This includes knowing how good your current players  will be productive before each player needs to be replaced barring injuries.  What players do we need to get through the draft and free agency?  With Coaches’ input, determine where to find these players and not over-spend?
• One who is successful in working closely with player agents and has a respectful relationship with them in order to get players signed in all areas including draft choices, current players and free agents.

• One who will complete the player deals in a timely manner keeping within the team’s new Money Cap Plan at all times.  When player contracts are completed you will then have the players you need each year that will produce a winning product on the field.  Your team must be able to re-sign your current players before their current contracts expire and must have a Management Team that will be able to accomplish this successfully. 

A quality GM and a professional Cap person that work closely together is essential to having a winning football team.  It is important that at the end of each year, 20% of your cap money is still available to re-sign your players and also sign quality free agents and have money left under the cap to pay all rookies drafted without having to cut players from your current roster.

2.    A fantastic Cap expert who knows every phase of the current Cap System including how in future years each bonus money package will affect all player salaries and assure quality players in all positions with money still available in the Cap Fund to add additional players to your roster.  His ability to correctly calculate each year’s payroll and allow Cap room for future player additions is essential in producing a winning team on the field.

3.    A great coaching staff lead by a Head Coach that makes the right decisions on and off the field with all players and who deals well with the Press in a polite and friendly manner.

If you have not been in the Playoffs for three years, you need to start over from the top and decide where the problems exist that is creating losing seasons on the field.  If you have been in the Playoffs two out of the last three years and have haven’t been in the Super Bowl lately (last five years), you need to evaluate where your team is, where you want to be in the next three years, and make changes in your management team if necessary.  If you are not winning and competing, you must make changes in your management team immediately.

You will also need:

• A scouting organization that is great at evaluating all college players in all rounds and can select players who will start in the NFL for your team in three years or less, not just be special team players.

• A Front Office Staff consisting of a quality Public Relations Department with quality Staff Assistants in all areas of your football operations including working in the GM, Scouting and Cap departments.  All elements must work together to produce a quality organization.

Now that all that is in place, your Management Team needs to design a pay scale that will produce a payroll that will keep player personnel in place with quality talent that are not overpaid and fit into the cap allowances you have set each year.  These payroll amounts must be based on a percentage system for each player group and unit that equally flows and stays within your guidelines to produce quality players and back-ups that perform on the field each year.  This pay scale must be tough and correct, and management must stick with it.

The first step after selecting your Management Team is to place all player positions into a scale that you stick with forever and never exceed pay percentages that you’ve set.  At first you will have previous players that are overpaid and do not fit into your new set of rules.  But, as soon as it is possible, and without taking a large cap hit, trade or release the overpaid, previously selected veteran NFL players on your team, replacing them with younger players or veterans who you will pay less for and may be less talented at first, until you have the correct players in every pay scale category in place.  This, of course, then becomes an ever-changing rotation of proven players at the right price in all future years.

Now set all of your players and units into a percentage that is within your guidelines for all future player signings, including drafted college players, free agents and current veteran players.

Take each unit, which will be broken down into three groups:  offensive players, defensive players, and special teams.  Assign a percentage of Cap money from your new scale, whatever the yearly limit is you set, by percentages, not dollar amounts (percentages will establish a dollar amount for each group).  Remember, the Cap money amounts allowed for each team will change from year to year because of the labor agreement, but your percentage should not.

Here is an example of how a team may want to set up their new pay scale plan:

A.        Special Teams Unit – 25% of your total Cap money (this includes bonuses paid to each player rotated over length of contract and current year’s salary):

• Kickers – 8% of Cap scale
• Speed Players – 12% of Cap scale
• Rest of Special Teams – 5% of Cap scale

B.        Offensive Players (all positions) – 35%

• Quarterbacks – 12% of Cap
• Pass Receivers (includes all TE’s and all other Receivers) – 9% of Cap
• Offensive Line – 7% of Cap
• Running Backs – 7% of Cap

C.        Defensive Unit – 40% of Cap

• Speed Rushers/Sack Specialists – 18% of Cap
• Other Defensive Internal Linemen – 8% of Cap
• Linebackers – 7% of Cap
• Cover Corners – 5% of Cap
• Safeties – 2% of Cap

Here is the general example of how the numbers might work:

If the Cap total money for the year is $110 million, then first take 15-20% off of your yearly cap money and do not spend this amount for any reason.  This is needed so that you have a balance to carry over the following year.  In this example, that would be 22 million dollars left in your year-end budget.  The rest of the $110 million now can be spent on all players.  Since we have allowed 5% for defensive backs in our scale, these cover corners will be allowed salaries and cap hit money in that year to be a total of $4,450,000.00.  I don’t think at this time I should go into how the cap money is figured along with salary, but I just wanted to show a dollar amount that would be allotted.

The main point here is if you set a percentage of value that your team places on each unit and each position and stick with it, then you will have equal value in your players’ worth to your team.  The key here is for management to establish the net worth for each position and to their overall team and never exceed that percentage.

For example, if a franchise quarterback is really important and you have one or can draft one, then you may want to set a higher percentage of your overall value to that position.  But, if your Quarterback is only an average NFL player, percentage spent or allowance will be less and you can up another position’s allowance.

If for any reason you do not have a franchise quarterback, your can adjust your percentages later if one becomes available in the draft or free agency.  You can then re-adjust your pay scale percentages to different player positions, but always stay within the numbers you set and allow a 15-20% balance of cap money funds at the end of each year.

The reason most teams in the NFL are not in the Super Bowl or Playoffs is not for the reasons stated above.  They make bad decisions in coaches hired, players signed as free agents, and players drafted.  A bad management team is the reason for failure in the NFL!  All management personnel must be good, quality and experienced in the NFL and work as a team to produce a winning team year in and year out.

This plan is very simple, and it is very similar to what most successful NFL teams are now doing.

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