2011 NFL Thread: The Final Four - Part 12

[Darthphere]

Eh, players are tailored to the vigors of their particular sport.

The only thing I will argue (and do it to my dying breath) that American football has over any other sport, is the complexity of the game itself.

Soccer, hockey, basketball...are all essentially the same concept with differing styles of execution. Football, however, is a totally different animal that. Thanks to forward passing, football now - to me, at least - more resembles chess than any other team sport out there. And that complexity - those 11 individual battles every play between d-line versus o-line, wrs vs dbs, etc...really make it a much more complex and intelligent sport.

IMO.

I would agree, especially with the chess analogy. It's how I get people who for some reason think football is just meatheads hitting each other into the sport. Nothing like dissecting a play or two to show off the intelligence of the sport.

Though I love discussing the tactics and formations in soccer.

 

[KalMart]

Terrific.

Spagnuolo to take over as DC of the Saints

Boom. Going for the jugular next year right there.

 

[CConn]

I would agree, especially with the chess analogy. It's how I get people who for some reason think football is just meatheads hitting each other into the sport. Nothing like dissecting a play or two to show off the intelligence of the sport.

Though I love discussing the tactics and formations in soccer.

I do wish I had more chances to watch actually good soccer teams play (ie, not MLS). I feel as though I could get quite into it. From what I've seen, it definitely appears to be agonizingly exciting. Which is something I don't see in all of the major American sports.

 

[Darthphere]

I do wish I had more chances to watch actually good soccer teams play (ie, not MLS). I feel as though I could get quite into it. From what I've seen, it definitely appears to be agonizingly exciting. Which is something I don't see in all of the major American sports.

Live on Fox this Sunday

 

[Rowsdower!]

ATTENTION STEELERS FANS: BRUCE ARROGANCE HAS RETIRED.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/steelers-offensive-coordinator-bruce-arians-retires/

Good riddance. Now hopefully we'll hire someone who doesn't have an aversion to scoring in the red zone.

 

[Raiden]

Just one game per season, right?

It is a step towards setting up a U.K. franchise. I've been saying for years that Goodell is far less concerned about getting an L.A. team and more concerned about his legacy being that of the commissioner who has internationalized American football. I'm guessing if he gets his way and ships a team to London, it will completely blow up in his face once the novelty wears off.

That's why Goodell is a tool.

 

[Erzengel]

ATTENTION STEELERS FANS: BRUCE ARROGANCE HAS RETIRED.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/steelers-offensive-coordinator-bruce-arians-retires/

Good riddance. Now hopefully we'll hire someone who doesn't have an aversion to scoring in the red zone.

Then came a mighty cheer from Steeler land.

 

[Rowsdower!]

That's why Goodell is a tool.

One of the reasons, anyway.

 

[CConn]

Live on Fox this Sunday

I work until 2:30.

 

[Matt]

ATTENTION STEELERS FANS: BRUCE ARROGANCE HAS RETIRED.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/steelers-offensive-coordinator-bruce-arians-retires/

Good riddance. Now hopefully we'll hire someone who doesn't have an aversion to scoring in the red zone.

HALLELUJAH!

I don't buy for a second that this is a "retirement," as much as it is a "You're out and you know that no other professional team would hire you, so either retire with dignity or get fired." At least Colbert and the Rooneys are pulling their heads from the collective asses even if Tomlin won't!

I really don't want an inside hire as any inside hire will probably be Ben's puppet and maintain the Arians strategy. The offense DESPERATELY needs fresh blood. Sadly, based on the way the Rooneys operate, they will probably hire from within. My money is on quarterback coach Randy Fitchner. Though I'd personally prefer tight end coach James Daniel. He has been with the organization since 2004 and he has developed Heath into one of the league's toughest and most underrated tight ends. He really understands smash mouth football which is what the Steelers need in the red zone.

Rhetorically, if it were an outside hire, who would it be? You know, I'd love to see Todd Haley in Pittsburgh. Haley takes no **** from anyone, and while he may have been a bad fit for KC, he's exactly what the Steelers offense needs. Alternatively, Tom Cable would be another good choice. Of course, big names are unrealistic. The Rooneys do not pay for big names.

Mark Whipple may not be terrible. He was the Steelers quarterback coach during Rapistberger's first three years under Cowher. Tomlin let him go when he took over, which I've always seen as one of Tomlin's bigger mistakes. He seems like a more grounded and realistic choice.

Also, the sports media is sickeningly ******ing Bruce Arians, acting like he is a hall of fame caliber coach who is retiring. Vinnie and Cook seem to be the only ones calling this for what it is, Arians being pushed out the door. I'm sure Mark Madden will point that out as well.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Hmmm... not sure. I think the suggestion of Haley is an interesting one, though that guy always looks to me like he's minutes aware from having a heart attack on the sidelines. He was really good in Phoenix, but he also had future Hall of Famers Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and to a lesser extent, Edgerrin James at his disposal. Could be a good fit though, who knows.

I agree though... I hope they don't hire from within. The offensive scheming has been bad at all positions at one point or another. They need to bring in someone who won't let them consistently stall once they get inside the 30-yard line.

 

[vindrow]

ATTENTION STEELERS FANS: BRUCE ARROGANCE HAS RETIRED.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/steelers-offensive-coordinator-bruce-arians-retires/

Good riddance. Now hopefully we'll hire someone who doesn't have an aversion to scoring in the red zone.

By vindrow at 2012-01-20

 

[Rowsdower!]

LOL, I think the entire western half of Pennsylvania erupted in cheers this morning.

 

[Matt]

Listening to the sports media in Pittsburgh, you'd think that we're all in mourning. No one seems to want to piss off the organization so they are basically eulogizing Arians rather than having an honest discussion. Everyone keeps talking about his "rapport," with Roethlisberger. Rapport doesn't convert to scores in the red zone. A "great relationship with the quarterback," doesn't put points on the board or keep your O-line from being ran over. Arians has neglected every position BUT quarterback. I want an offensive coordinator who focuses on the offense.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Heh, yeah. Rapport doesn't mean sh** if you can't coach. I'm sure Jim Caldwell had a good rapport with Peyton Manning. But had he been anyone BUT Peyton Manning, they wouldn't have won many games, as we saw this season.

 

[vindrow]

Right now there are rumors going around that they are going to promote from within and make Randy Fitchner the new OC, but we will have to wait and see.

 

[Showtime]

Yeah, our offense & Joe Flacco are much better than anyone will ever give them credit for, the issue is Joe's inconsistency. Bastard makes you nervous every game.

The real issue is that Baltimore is a Defense minded franchise & the leadership dynamic is completely different than most teams in the League; It's the Defense's team that the QB is allowed to play on. I'm firmly convinced that Joe will never be able to become a 'Gunslinger' because to do so would be to completely change the identity of that franchise & they aren't built to make that shift overnight. Whenever Cameron decides to let Joe take over the lion's share everything from schemes to the flow of the game is skewed all to Hell.

For the Title game, we need to stick to classic Ravens football: Run the ball consistently, get Rice involved in the passing game with screens, No turnovers on the offense, crack the pocket, disrupt the Patriots' timing & force Brady off his spot.

We have to keep Brady off the field & bring the scoring down dramatically in order for this to avoid becoming a rout.

I think the two keys for the Ravens are pressuring Brady and keeping the Patriots defense on the field as long as they can. Ball control. I think the Patriots will most likely counter with their no huddle right off the bat and try to score early and often. It should be interesting.

Flacco doesn't have to be that kind of quarterback with the way the Ravens play offense. It's sort of like Brady was in 2001, don't make mistake, and control the ball. He evolved, maybe Flacco can or maybe his success is based on the system.

 

[Themanofbat]

Eh, players are tailored to the vigors of their particular sport.

The only thing I will argue (and do it to my dying breath) that American football has over any other sport, is the complexity of the game itself.

Soccer, hockey, basketball...are all essentially the same concept with differing styles of execution. Football, however, is a totally different animal that. Thanks to forward passing, football now - to me, at least - more resembles chess than any other team sport out there. And that complexity - those 11 individual battles every play between d-line versus o-line, wrs vs dbs, etc...really make it a much more complex and intelligent sport.

IMO.

I agree that football is a very difficult game to play when it comes to actual plays and execution...

But when you play hockey, you have 5 guys that need to know where they need to be in order to score and to prevent the other team from scoring... and all this happens at fast speeds with little to no time to think about the play... baseball and basketball have a more lackadaisical approach, though at least things heat up in a fast break in basketball...

And you have to be in GREAT shape to play soccer... sure, the guys fall down all the time in order to draw a penalty... you see the same thing in the NFL when team want to stop the clock in a crucial game ending drive... and you had so many divers in hockey that they can now penalize you for "diving"...

Players have done "what it takes" to make their teams win... christ, even when you wacth the Bad News Bears, the nerdy kid who couldn't hit lets himself get hit by a pitch to get on base...

Most Americans tend to think of soccer players as *****es, but I see that more as a lack of understanding and playing the game.... imo.

 

[CConn]

I agree that football is a very difficult game to play when it comes to actual plays and execution...

But when you play hockey, you have 5 guys that need to know where they need to be in order to score and to prevent the other team from scoring... and all this happens at fast speeds with little to no time to think about the play... baseball and basketball have a more lackadaisical approach, though at least things heat up in a fast break in basketball...

And you have to be in GREAT shape to play soccer... sure, the guys fall down all the time in order to draw a penalty... you see the same thing in the NFL when team want to stop the clock in a crucial game ending drive... and you had so many divers in hockey that they can now penalize you for "diving"...

Players have done "what it takes" to make their teams win... christ, even when you wacth the Bad News Bears, the nerdy kid who couldn't hit lets himself get hit by a pitch to get on base...

Most Americans tend to think of soccer players as *****es, but I see that more as a lack of understanding and playing the game.... imo.

Um, I didn't elude at all to soccer players not being in great shape, or saying anything particularly negative about hockey, basketball or baseball. They all are quite obviously difficult and require great skill to play.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

I think the two keys for the Ravens are pressuring Brady and keeping the Patriots defense on the field as long as they can. Ball control. I think the Patriots will most likely counter with their no huddle right off the bat and try to score early and often. It should be interesting.

Flacco doesn't have to be that kind of quarterback with the way the Ravens play offense. It's sort of like Brady was in 2001, don't make mistake, and control the ball. He evolved, maybe Flacco can or maybe his success is based on the system.

Yeah, exactly what I was saying. If we can run the ball effectively & just remove 2 or 3 possessions that would normally be ceded due to 3 & Outs, there's a good chance for the W.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Right now there are rumors going around that they are going to promote from within and make Randy Fitchner the new OC, but we will have to wait and see.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that they bring in someone new. They need some fresh minds in that house on BOTH sides of the ball. There are no excuses for the way they began AND finished the season. They should seriously consider bringing some new people in because the old way (or whatever you want to call this funk that they've been in over the past few seasons) isn't working anymore. I know they won a Super Bowl recently and they made it to another one last year, but they've still had the same problems and it makes every damned game a nail-biter.

 

[Wheels]

Yes yes yessssssss

woooooooooo

"Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye."

 

[Donut]

Filed to ESPN: Miami plans to hire Joe Philbin as its head coach. That is the new rumor

 

[Matt]

Yes yes yessssssss

woooooooooo

"Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye."

If they promote Fitchner, not much will change.

If they MUST promote from within it should be James Daniels. He is a Cowher guy who appreciates smash mouth football. If anything though, they should offer it to Russ Grimm or Tom Cable or even Juan Castillo. Someone with an offensive line coach background who appreciates the position and can really build it. For all of the Steelers' flaws this year, the biggest one was their O-line. Arians did nothing to fix it. He wasn't an offensive coordinator. He was a quarterback coach who called the plays. We need an offensive coordinator who appreciates the O-line, can fix it and focuses on the WHOLE offense rather than just one faucet.

 

[Wheels]

If they promote Fitchner, not much will change.

If they MUST promote from within it should be James Daniels. He is a Cowher guy who appreciates smash mouth football. If anything though, they should offer it to Russ Grimm or Tom Cable or even Juan Castillo. Someone with an offensive line coach background who appreciates the position and can really build it. For all of the Steelers' flaws this year, the biggest one was their O-line. Arians did nothing to fix it. He wasn't an offensive coordinator. He was a quarterback coach who called the plays. We need an offensive coordinator who appreciates the O-line, can fix it and focuses on the WHOLE offense rather than just one faucet.

They really should look outside the organization on this one. I 'd love any of those choices.