NFL - Random Opinions

Roger that. Admittedly, part of the problem when I'm on my phone is that I don't consider what threads / boards I'm on. Didn't meant to step on any toes / discussions.

 

Some of what went into Kitchens being hired got completely lost in the shuffle when the hype surrounding the Browns exceeded the reality of what their 2019 season would be. Yes they have a talented roster, but most of that bluster was based on Baker's rookie season which did have a bit of smoke and mirrors to it when it comes down to the numbers. Stats rarely tell the full story and in this case they may have actually created a touch of fable that got people extremely excited about a quick turn to dominance for Cleveland.

The one person that needed to be absolutely impervious to that hype was John Dorsey.

His moves this off-season suggest that he too bought into 'the time is now' feeling.

The focus should have always been to patiently turn his team into a long term contender in the North. That starts with developing a franchise passer. Kitchens was able to maximize Mayfield's abilities in year one, so naming him the head coach became a must if you believed he was the right guy to develop Baker. Part of that had to do with reports that head coaching candidates did not want to be forced to carry Freddie as the OC. Makes sense that a new HC would want his own people. From Dorsey's point of view, it probably wasn't acceptable to dump the coach that had a huge impact on Mayfield in year one.

That may be where the divide starts to steepen when it comes to accepting reality instead of forcing your own convictions.

Dorsey's ego may be the biggest issue with why things went down the way they did.

Now, I don't know the man personally so I'm basing that opinion on his actions from the time he left KC to the present. To me, it feels like he has determined himself to be the smartest man in the room and in the process has tripped over his own dick on a few occasions. Cleveland didn't need to make any splash trades this off-season. All they had to do was stay the course and build off of last year's successes, with the focus remaining on developing Baker.

That all got lost in the mix when everyone in the organization bought into the media hype that Cleveland was Super bowl bound.

I have some more thoughts on it but I'll let you respond to those, if you like.

 

I don't think it would have been a big deal, but this has potential to be a longer conversation considering how much has happened between January and December of this year, when it comes to the Browns.

 

Sounds like Haslem agreed, Dorsey is gone. Another new HC and GM duo for the Browns.

 

Doesn't make a lick of sense. This owner didn't learn anything from the Roonies.

 

The only pick from the Divisional Playoffs that went the way I thought it would, was the KC win. I kinda want them to go all the way now. Im thinking Chiefs and 49ers in the SB.

 

So I get these are different sports and all, but MLB just levied huge penalties for their version of Spygate: Astros GM and Manager were both suspended for the year, $5 million fine, loss of 1st and 2nd round draft picks for the next 2 years (4 picks in total) and Assistant GM on the ineligible list. Seems like MLB took a much harsher stance than the NFL did. Time will tell if it is a deterrent for MLB, but seems how the Patriots were just accused of similar actions this past season it wasn’t for them.

 

Yet they choose not to punish players involved. Which means the unintended (or maybe intended) message players can cheat as long as leadership is not involved. MLB might be as crooked as cycling and that says a lot.

 

Title should be vacated honestly.

 

Vegas money will never let that happen.

 

It happened with college hoops. When the game is over betting is over. Vegas wouldn't matter. Assuming they are using illegal methods is part if the betting even.

 

The amount of money bet on that series combined with the number of potential litigants involved in a law suit will make it so that the MLB and the money people (legal gambling) will never remove that title.

 

Professional sports don’t remove titles. The reason that the NCAA removes titles is because it was if it didn’t there would be no incentive to play fair

 

A good idea for the odd 17th game would be to play on a neutral site. No division games for the neutral site games. Play some in London, Mexico and some US cities that don't have local teams.

 

I believe that was the idea presented.

 

I'm pretty sure this will not be a very popular opinion . . .

But, I don't think either Bill Cowher's or Jimmy Johnson's coaching careers were Hall of Fame worthy. If you look at the coaches already in the HoF (Halas, Lambeau, Brown, Lombardi, Knoll, Landry, etc.), every one of them started out with either nothing or next to nothing in the cupboard and built a teams that dominated for decades. Cowher inherited a team built by Knoll and Dick Haley and Johnson inherited a team built by Landry and Gil Brandt.

Fire away !!!!

 

Fire at will?

Seriously, I considered what you said, but do we 'punish' them because of the table that was set before them? JJ had a dynasty and dominated the 90's and utilized what was given. Cower was 161-99-1 with the highest winning % in Steelers history. I will admit, that even Bill was surprised, but I think what he did speaks for itself and for the job he did, regardless of the past history of the team.

 

I tend to use a different litmus test when trying to figure out if a guy belongs in the hall or not.

Can you tell the story of the NFL without them? I don't think you can when it comes to Jimmy Johnson. Cower is much more ephemeral when it comes to that question. But I think his time as a broadcaster ends up playing into it (actually it strengthens Johnson's case as well...).

 

One of my favorite things in football is seeing players make plays that don't show up anywhere on the boxscore. This is a great example of that....

 

As a Bills fan, I am not accustomed to defending J. Johnson. However, Tom Landry’s glory days were long gone when JJ took the helm in Dallas. In fact, I think his talent-bereaved team won 1 game his first season. He was the engineer of the Hershel Walker trade, and that was what set them up for the SB run.