The Republic of Sport

Grachuus

Grachuus's Comments

Posted Thursday February 05, 2009, About: Next Vikings QB could be...

They have a fantastic track record drafting QB's too...

Posted Wednesday February 04, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

They let Branch go and they got Moss and Welker with the money Branch wanted. I don't see this as costing the Patriots. Samuel's loss was magnified by Brady and the other 15 players being on IR. If the Patriots won one more game this would not be a discussion.

Posted Wednesday February 04, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

The ballooning cost for a QB on the one year tender option was in large part to the explosion in cap numbers for both Brady and Manning this year.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

So the coaching staff is only responsible for finding and training the players it actually found and trained. I'm not giving them credit for Grogan or Bledsoe or anyone else. The people that have succeeded are the ones that have had that chance. Who the hell else has started in NE since Belichick? Oh.... that's right...

I'm not saying that Brady is ordinary. I'm saying the coaching staff finds quality persons and puts them in a position to learn and succeed. Just because he was a low draft choice does not mean he is not worthy. The Patriots use their own scouting department 28 of 32 teams use BLESTO (I think) which is a cumulative pooling of scouting services. So that means the Patriots are willing to pay for their own information. This gives them their own insight towards the ends they believe to be quality and it also hides their intentions to some degree.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

I think Cassel should be and is appreciative to the organization that has brought him along. No one else wanted him. People were calling for his head (me included) at the conclusion of pre-season. Now with the opportunity that was presented to him he can and likely will start in this league. I am not disputing what Cassel has the ability to do, but rather what he would. I do not think Cassel would turn down a move to the Vikings. The Vikings are one good QB from the post season. I think several other teams are on the rise given a good boost like Matt so don't discount his optimism.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

I agree that Cassel is the man. You've just said he has to sign a thing that he does not. I think most of what you've said is reasonable and valid.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

The Patriots pick, train, and use quarterbacks effectively. Having two end of the draft guys start and be successful in your system should tell you that. The Patriots have two more reserves that could preform adequately in the absence of Brady. It would be foolish to say the least to cage Cassel to the team. His value would drop off next year if he stayed with likely marginal benefit.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

(See #96 for details)

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Source: Minority coaches turn down Chiefs

Tomlin was a Rooney Rule hire. It was well publicized that front runner's were already within the organization and Tomlin dominated his interview.

As far as the relevance of the Rooney rule, I feel it has made a lasting impact on coaching to this point. Minority coaching is increasing dramatically. With minorities representing the majority of players it's only reasonable to assume that they would have at least close to half of the coaching staff. There were only a couple minority coaches in the league when the rule was implemented. I think it's possible that the rules time has come and gone, but it has most definitely served a good purpose.

Posted Tuesday February 03, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

You're so very wrong about the Franchise tag it's silly.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

The single year tender is $14m, however there is no requirement that the franchisee sign said agreement. They have the opportunity to sign multi year contracts until a later point in the offseason (I want to say late june or early july), at which point they may only sign the 1-year tender. Until then the franchise tag's only purpose is to restrict the movement of the tagged player. If, for example, the Vikings (who I would imagine are the front runners) decided to sign him aggressively as soon as he is tagged. They could offer him a multi-year contract and then pay the pats their two 1s. The Patriots are not hit with cap charges and they get compensated.

The only thing I'm not sure of is how the franchise tag itself will work. If Team A franchises a player and re-signs him for X years. Then Team A cannot franchise tag another player for X years. That is the life of the contract restricts the tags use. I am just not sure in a trade scenario what happens to the tag itself.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

Johnson is over the hill. He's going to be 30 next season, coupled with the information that almost every quality back in the nfl has hit a wall at 31, he's not a good option. Also consider that Johnson carried the ball over 400 times a couple seasons ago. That demolishes running backs. I have yet to see a running back come back to top shape after such a season. Yards per carry tends to diminish as wear on the body has become to great.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

I don't know why they should. I really would not imagine Pioli trading away picks for Cassel. Some other team like the Vikings are much more desperate.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

With Pioli running the show you can expect a competitive team.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

Yes because the media colludes and lies about these things. The information I stated has been confirmed by numerous sources.

Why do you think Jacksonville gets rid of their #1 QB a few days before the season? It's not like Gerrard was showing true brilliance on the field. It was off the field what he was doing to prepare in comparison to Byron that mattered.
As to Bledsoe I've watched him on several teams over a number of years. Not only was it reported from Bledsoe's own mouth that he had to adjust his own training regime after watching Brady, but it was apparant in his approach to game play that there was a different level of understanding to his game play. He would make multiple throws a game and you'd have to ask yourself what on Earth he was doing. You don't see that with Brady, Cassel, or Manning.
Romo's poor practice habits are well known.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: Cassel headed to Kansas City?

Cassel studied under Brady. Brady is obsessive about practice and prep for games. Cassel is well known to have accepted such a trait. You know why Byron got tossed from Jacksonville? Preparation. You know why Bledsoe struggled at times? Preparation. Jason Garret is getting all sorts of hell for letting Romo slack in practice.

Oh did I mention Peyton has the same itch to prepare and we only talk about Brady and Peyton as the two premier QBs of the league at this time.

Preparation is an important trait for your teams leader. It means said leader can ask as much of his team as he does himself. Players try harder when your QB gives a hoot. It's motivation for your team and it's also why Cassel could be successful anywhere.

Posted Monday February 02, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

Palmer is the most recent comparison, and relevant, as the procedure to repair the issue has been constantly improving. He had a great season following the injury. So your assumptions a little off base. Brady is already throwing the ball around. Your doomsday scenario is looking mighty slim.

Posted Sunday February 01, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

You really haven't seen stats for this year. The system is keyed to the situation. This year NE was 6th in the league in rushing. That's not how we run it later in the year as Cassel was more comfortable, however the system itself is not stuck in any single rut. It's about the best use of the players available. That's what the Patriots do. When we had straight ahead runners (Corey Dillon and Smith) we did that a bunch of times a game, now that we have great receivers we put them to good use. Belichick does not like his team fitting into any particular box, so he makes sure it does not.

Posted Sunday February 01, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

Posted Friday January 30, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

zing

Posted Friday January 30, 2009, About: What's Cassel's trade value?

I thought Seneca Wallace has some upside. People give up on their QB's too quickly nowadays. I'd say Tavaris got run out of town from the Vikes a wee bit fast too. It's not exactly a quick learned game.