http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/blog.php Comprehensive coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft, as well as weekly NFL and college football analysis, rankings, features, intelligent football forums, and much much more! en Mon, 20 May 2013 22:32:53 GMT vBulletin 120 http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/blog.php http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/204-Jackets-should-get-the-best-they-can-for-Nash-period Tue, 10 Jul 2012 04:22:19 GMT When you're up against a no-win scenario where you must trade the face of your franchise and captain, what should you do?

If you're Scott Howson, exactly what you're doing: hold out until someone meets your price.

I'm not a big Howson fan, but the Blue Jackets GM (yes, this is a hockey post) needs to get the best return he can for his best asset. A move him to move him deal isn't what this franchise needs, and would set it back a ways.

So yes, San Jose, you may need to consider giving up Logan Coture. If you're Philly, we should have gotten Sean Coutrier to begin with, please send him to the fans that should have enjoyed him last year. Finally, Detroit, we'll take the coach, the GM, and a first round pick. We'll even throw in Howson. ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/204-Jackets-should-get-the-best-they-can-for-Nash-period http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/203-NHL-Realignment Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:46:58 GMT * New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina * Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay * Detroit, Columbus,... * New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina

* Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay

* Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg

* Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado

The New Divisions:

As a Wild fan I'm completely stoked. No more do I have to put up with Western Canada and divisional rivals 2 time zones away. Now I just hope it's named the Norris division. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/203-NHL-Realignment http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/202-Chris-Cook Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:55:28 GMT I have been fairly silent on the Chris Cook arrest. It's such a hard topic to discuss because sports exists in a bubble to me and many others. I personally have no interest in the private lives of athletes, and am annoyed with the barrage of "distractions" athletes go through involving off-field relationships and incidents. But this is one of those times that the accusation is so heinous, and the evidence so particularly damning.

Chris Cook was arrested and charged for Felony domestic assault. This charge carries a potential sentence of 3 years in prison. That being said it's unlikely Cook will see close to that, and may be able to avoid jail-time all together. After a neighbor heard the screams and called the police, they found Cook's girlfriend visibly beaten and her body had shown signs of strangulation, both on her neck and in her eyes. This type of behavior is something I find disgusting. If these accusations are true, then I hope he does receive jailtime and frankly I don't care if he ever puts on a Vikings uniform again. It is also worth noting that there was a witness, an old roommate of Cook's was at the house when this happened. Also worth noting is that the terms of his bail require him to remain in the State of MN. Meaning it's unlikely he will have a chance at playing until this case is settled.

This being said, the football side of the equation cannot go unaddressed. The Vikings secondary has not played well this season. Cook's emergence as a starting corner had been one of the lone bright spots in an all around terrible season. The Vikings will have to move forward without him, and it will be up to the likes of Cedric Griffen, Asher Allen and Marcus Sherrels to pick up the slack. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/202-Chris-Cook http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/201-Ponder-is-the-starter Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:50:21 GMT Frazier didn't hesitate long to name his starter for next week's game against the Packers. Ponder will make his first NFL start and it will be a trial by fire for the rookie. Green Bay is probably the most difficult game on the schedule, and it will take nothing short of a miracle for the Vikings to come out of this game with a W.

Ponder showed a lot of the reasons why the Vikings spent their 12th overall selection on the FSU Grad. He threw the ball with authority and showed off his athleticism. One play in particular that stood out to me was one of his first passes was a first 12 yard pass to Percy Harvin. He put the ball right at Percy's numbers and split a trio of defenders in the area. He displayed a quick release, a tight spiral and excellent accuracy.

Now I'm not saying that Ponder is the 2nd coming of Manning or Brady at this point. But I will say that I like what I see. My primary concerns for Ponder in his first start are the offensive line issues (Sullivan's concussion and Loadholt's hamstring, Hutchinson and Charlie Johnson listed as "hurting") could cause him to have nightmares about Clay Matthews. Loadholt and Sullivan's injuries appear to be serious and seem to indicate they will not be available next week. Hutchinson and Johnson should play, but how much will injuries limit their effectiveness? My second concern is that spotty offensive line play could lead to a run-first mentality in Ponder. He showed a tendency to use his legs a little too often when things broke down in the 4th quarter.

And for anyone wondering, McNabb has said all the right things since his demotion. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the mentor-backup role, something he's not all that familiar with.

All things considered I'm pretty excited to watch the game next week and get the first real look at only the 3rd QB taken in the first round in Vikings history. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/201-Ponder-is-the-starter http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/200-Crazy-day Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:18:00 GMT So, I had a weird dream today. Dreamt that two coaches get injured in one game, two coaches nearly fight in another, and that the Indy 500 champ dies. Crazy, huh? :cry3: So, I had a weird dream today.

Dreamt that two coaches get injured in one game, two coaches nearly fight in another, and that the Indy 500 champ dies.


Crazy, huh?

:cry3: ]]> Sascha http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/200-Crazy-day http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/199-Buckeyes-upend-unbeaten-Illinois-with-one-completed-pass Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:40:32 GMT Somewhere, Woody Hayes has a smile you couldn't pry off his face with a crowbar.

Luke Fickell's Buckeyes beat Illinois on the road while throwing only four passes, completing just one. That throw from Braxton Miller to Jake Stoneburner was a backbreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Woody's proud folks.

What the freshman quarterback managed to accomplish was, for the second straight week, providing a spark to his offense with his feet and continuing to not make stupid decisions with the football. How many passes he completed is irrelevant, only the win matters.

And the win is key to the Buckeye season. The win puts them at 4-3 going into the off week with Wisconsin coming to try to seal their dominance of the Big Ten next.

While the formula seen today probably doesn't work against a Badger defense that is built to stop the run, it does buy Luke Fickell a bit of time to get his team through two weeks of practice on a positive note. It allows Braxton Miller to get through a game healthy and to shut up the talk on local radio of who the backup quarterback needs to be. For the first time all season, Joe Bauserman did not step on the field while the clock was running, and that was key.

We also saw a young coach start to grow up with his team. Fickell knows it's going to take a miracle for him to be named the permanent coach after this season, but he did what he needed to do to get his team through today. The offense did nothing but what they had done successfully all year, run the freakin' ball. The defense did what they do effectively, rush the passer, stop the run, and create opportunities with turnovers.

The Silver Bullets looked great, and it started up front with the efforts of Johnathan Hankins and John Simon. It continued with positive contributions from the linebackers, hard hits (and more importantly, fewer missed tackles) from the safeties Barnett and Bryant, and a shutdown performance from Travis Howard and Bradley Roby on A.J. Jenkins, one of the better senior receivers in the nation.

What the Buckeyes did today was to muffle the critics for two weeks, and to buy themselves a little breathing room going into the Wisconsin game. That's a sign of progress in Columbus. ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/199-Buckeyes-upend-unbeaten-Illinois-with-one-completed-pass http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/198-Playbook-Browns-at-Raiders Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:22:26 GMT This weekend, the Browns visit the Raiders in their second game after the death of owner Al Davis. Here's the key points you need to know about this weekend's game:

• The Raiders are 3-2, but are giving up more first downs than they're earning themselves. The key here for the Browns: convert on third down, keep the chains moving.
• While the Raiders give up a lot of yards through the air, they get to the quarterback about three times a game. They're big and physical up front, so if you're going to run, stretch their front four a bit before attempting.
• Finally, there's the offense. They have great team speed, and they have a powerful rushing attack led by Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. To slow down the Raiders, you need to keep them out of second and short scenarios that allow them to take shots down the field with less risk. Hue Jackson isn't afraid to pull the trigger, and he has the weapons to beat the Browns secondary.

]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/198-Playbook-Browns-at-Raiders http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/197-Buckeyes-blow-it-Bauserman-plays-coincidence Sun, 09 Oct 2011 04:53:39 GMT Late in Saturday night's contest between Nebraska and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes leading and moving the ball better than they had all season, disaster struck.

Braxton Miller went down with an ankle injury, Joe Bauserman warmed up, and Luke Fickell didn't stand up and say "waaaiiiittt a minute here."

You know the rest of the story, the Buckeyes went on to blow it and lost 34-27. On the plus side, they covered the spread. On the downside, they're 0-2 in the Big Ten for the first time in years.

Here's what you need to know about the Buckeye collapse: they couldn't move the ball, the defense wore out, and Taylor Martinez can really run.

Here's the key stat: Joe Bauserman in two road games this year, 3/24 for 26 yards and a pick. That's about 1.04 yards per attempt.

Braxton Miller is clearly the better quarterback of the two and brings more to the offense. He was starting to show signs of what he can become tonight, but there's also the danger of a smaller quarterback who runs a lot. Nebraska fans can relate.

Bottomline, if healthy, this is Miller's team the rest of the way, period. If Luke Fickell holds onto his job, and at this point, it's doubtful, it will be because Braxton Miller got healthy and learned to avoid hits, and he also reeled off six wins in a row.

If forced to take Bauserman as his starter the rest of the way, look out, these Buckeyes may not go bowling for the first time since 1999. Yes, I had to look that up. ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/197-Buckeyes-blow-it-Bauserman-plays-coincidence http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/196-Jackets-lose-in-opener Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:39:39 GMT My first season ticket purchase ever: a six-game package for the Columbus Blue Jackets this year. Tonight was Game 1, and the atmosphere was great, the team played well in spurts, and I got to see a... My first season ticket purchase ever: a six-game package for the Columbus Blue Jackets this year. Tonight was Game 1, and the atmosphere was great, the team played well in spurts, and I got to see a sneak preview of the next six years: Jeff Carter setting up Rick Nash. Awesomeness.

On the downside, they lost the game. Minor details really.

I had a great time, and I'm seeing progress in this club from Game 82 last year to Game 1 this year. Steve Mason, though he didn't play great, did not fall apart after giving up a goal this year. Last year, his big problem was giving up goals in 2-3 goal spurts throughout games. Two great periods and a terrible one, not this year so far.

Another downside: plenty of clutch n' grab hockey from the Predators (they're very good at it), and the refs let them get away with it all night. Very disappointing as a paying customer buying into the "new" NHL with supposedly more offense.

Final downside: ever sit next to that drunk fan who hates the coach and traces everything back to "fundamentals" and just complains the entire game, then pulls something rude by getting up and standing right in front of you during the final minute as he gathers his stuff to leave early? That was the guy next to me. Never fun. If you don't recognize this guy at a game, hint, you are that guy, please be considerate of your fellow fans who paid just as much as you did to actually, ya know, watch the final minute or two, especially in a 3-2 game. On a good note, I did get a dig in when he spent the entire first period up to the first goal complaining about "they don't got no one on the wings, he's alone, should be a guy on the dots." When the Blue Jackets got a rush, got a shot on goal, and got the rebound in, I got my "like that?" in there. He shutup for a while. The reason they weren't able to do it before, Nashville's clutch and grab and no call. Couldn't get enough together to get a rush going, but never let the facts on the ice get in the way of a good festival of complaining about a coach who must have in a prior life kicked your dog.

Oh well, onto Game 2, Blue Jackets v. Wild tomorrow night in Minnesota. I can't wait! ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/196-Jackets-lose-in-opener http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/195-The-Forgotten-Viking Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:40:52 GMT In all the recent McNabb/Ponder debates, I've been beginning to feel like one man is being overlooked in all of this. Remember that freak athlete who upstaged Mike Vick in Philly? Joe Webb, despite his elusiveness in the preseason (albeit against 2nd/3rd teamers) has barely seen the field. He's shown up a few times split wide as a decoy, and the "Blazer" formation was used once and since mothballed after a futile series against San Diego.

The first point I'll make, is I'm still not sold on Joe Webb ever becoming a QB in the traditional sense, or even in the poor-man's Mike Vick sense. I don't think the QB skills are there, and I don't know if they'll ever develop. That being said he can still throw the ball, and it's disappointing the "Blazer' formation (not a wildcat because Joe is technically a QB) featured only runs, and Webb has yet to get to use his arm.

I'm not suggesting that Webb be used extensively yet, but he's a player that needs to have the ball in his hands more, get him in space and see what he can do with it. He's an elusive athlete and has a nose for the end zone. Ideally there are 4-5 plays a game where Webb is running the show, mainly runs, but he must pass too as to not be predictable. But perhaps asking for less predictability is too much, since the Vikings offense as a whole has been predictable. This team reminds me too much of Childress circa 2006. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/195-The-Forgotten-Viking http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/194-Another-embarrassing-defeat Sun, 02 Oct 2011 22:49:07 GMT Another Sunday another loss. Vikings are now 0-4 and are facing a very serious dilemma about the remainder of their season. There are few reasons to be hopeful that the Vikings could string... Another Sunday another loss. Vikings are now 0-4 and are facing a very serious dilemma about the remainder of their season. There are few reasons to be hopeful that the Vikings could string together an 10-2 stretch that would put them in wild card contention at the end of the season, so what is to be done about the elephant in the room (McNabb)?

The only thing that should determine whether or not Ponder starts next week is whether or not he is ready. If the Vikings staff thinks he has a handle on the playbook and will not hinder his development by being unable to handle things, then the only logical thing to do is to either bench or cut McNabb, whichever he'd prefer.

I realize this is counter to the opinions i've stated earlier on this site, but after watching this team for 4 weeks, I cannot stand to see this QB miss easy throws and make poor decisions. If I'm going to watch a QB do that, I'd much prefer it be a rookie. McNabb is not an awful QB, but he is simply medicore, and far too content to watch drives fail. It appears to me that he's checked out already, perhaps due to him knowing that the season is over, and that he is going to lose his job.

McNabb may stick as the starter for much longer than any of us can stomach though. McNabb and Frazier have a strong relationship that goes back to when Frazier was a coach on the Eagles during McNabb's tenure there. It appears that there is a strong loyalty to McNabb from coach Frazier who probably believes his best chance of winning is with McNabb at QB, and as a new coach he needs every win he can get.

Positives!

Chris Cook is maturing into a starting corner right in front of our eyes. The Vikings first draft pick of the 2010 draft (2nd round) didn't make a huge impact last season due to injuries that derailed a promising start to his season. He looks healthy now and has the ability to matchup with some of the league's biggest receivers. In both the Chargers and Bucs games the wide receivers were non-factors, and Cook was a big part of that. Despite Calvin Johnson's big stat line, Cook had a great game matched up against CJ and was only responsible for 1 TD in which MegaTron made an elite receiver play (jump balls between the 2 ended 1-1). Today Cook had another solid game, Dwayne Bowe made some good catches against him but it was not for a lack of coverage. Cassell made some great throws, but Cook was always there to make the tackles.

Negatives:

Cedric Griffen. After 2 season ending tendon injuries (one for each leg) has not looked up to snuff in his return. He appears to have some difficulty making cuts, and on several occasions this season he has lost his balance and given up some big plays. Dwayne Bowe's 52 yard TD was a direct result of Griffen falling on the play. He was also falling on the play when Calvin Johnson made a long catch to put the Lions in FG range during OT. I'm not ready to give up on him yet, as his footwork likely has some catching up to do since he hasn't been able to run for most of the last 2 years. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/194-Another-embarrassing-defeat http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/193-Jim-Bollman-must-go Sun, 02 Oct 2011 01:27:22 GMT For the past ten years, Jim Bollman has been the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Throughout that time, the Buckeyes have had high flying offenses and high... For the past ten years, Jim Bollman has been the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Throughout that time, the Buckeyes have had high flying offenses and high quality stinkers.

The 2011 squad is an example of the latter thus far.

Until this season, he never had playcalling power. That fell to head coach Jim Tressel. With Tressel retired, it's on Bollman.

It's already time for that tenure to end. As good of a guy as Bollman is, his Buckeye offensive lines have consistently underachieved, despite recruiting successes. Guys like J.B Shugarts and Mike Adams, who were highly touted recruits, have never developed, and they're indicative of a long-term trend, not a one-time fluke. Before Adams at left tackle was Alex Boone, a once-top recruit, now bottom-feeder roster spot occupier in the NFL.

Enough's enough. We need an offensive mind who can design a modern offense, or at least competently run an old school power football scheme. This mix of spread and power I and more spread followed by something that looks like it fell out of Dana Holgerson's trashcan at 4 in the morning during a late night bull session that failed is hard enough to take when it works.

When it doesn't, and when the top caliber quarterbacks and offensive linemen we continue to recruit continue to fail, it's unbearable.

Start fresh on offense next season, whoever the head coach is, that's my advice. ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/193-Jim-Bollman-must-go http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/192-What-to-Watch-For-October-1-nfldraft Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:09:38 GMT Here's a couple of things to watch for regarding the NFL Draft on Saturday:

• When #3 Alabama visits #12 Florida, you'll see a tale of two quarterbacks. A.J. McCarron is the future of the Tide, but his main job is to hand the ball off to Trent Richardson & Co. and let them do the heavy lifting. On the other sideline, John Brantley enters the game with an opportunity to impress scouts by showing he can read and react to an NFL caliber defense, both in scheme and in talent.
• In Camp Randall, the Cornhuskers and Badgers kick off Big Ten play with the first ever conference contest for the Huskers. They enter the Big Ten a potential star in the making on their defense front in Jared Crick. If he wants to be a first rounder, he'll need to prove he can go up against the big uglies for the Badgers, some of whom will play on Sundays themselves, and produce.
• In the Jerrydome, the Aggies of Texas A&M face off against the Razorbacks in what will be next year a conference matchup for both squads. This year, it's again, a tale of quarterbacks. For the Aggies, Ryan Tannehill looks to bounce back from last week's clunker of a second half against Oklahoma State. For the Hogs, Tyler Wilson wants to make up for last week's loss to the Crimson Tide. Only one of them will get their chance.

Should be an interesting weekend in college football, and of course, for the NFL Draft. ]]> PSH Draft Bot http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/192-What-to-Watch-For-October-1-nfldraft http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/191-Week-of-disbelief-confounds-the-linebackers Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:44:55 GMT First, the Browns go out and sign Chris Gocong to a three year extension with decent money attached.

Then, D'Qwell Jackson, he of 26 consecutive games missed, plays one month in a system that fits him and wins AFC Defensive Player of the Month.

Just a confusing and confounding week here in Cleveland when it comes to linebackers, the biggest weakness on our defense coming into the season. ]]> Chris Raiden http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/191-Week-of-disbelief-confounds-the-linebackers http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/190-My-Day-on-the-Twins-Grounds-Crew Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:36:50 GMT So I managed to get an interview to be on the grounds crew for the Minnesota Twins. The idea of this is pretty much a dream job for me. I get to work while i watch baseball. Little did I know this... So I managed to get an interview to be on the grounds crew for the Minnesota Twins. The idea of this is pretty much a dream job for me. I get to work while i watch baseball. Little did I know this interview would turn out into a full job shadow.

I arrive at the ballpark, and am given my visitors pass. I am taken into the bowels of the stadium and arrive in the break room. Nothing too fancy, lots of twins/ target field related posters and pictures and a nice TV and a fridge. After a few minutes I'm taken down to the equipment room and given a hat and rain jacket (wanted a shirt, but I wasn't in a position to argue).

After waiting a few minutes we walk out onto the field. I've watched quite a few games at target field. but never stepped foot on the field, nor any other professional baseball field. I quickly realized the type of work I'd be doing. 7-10 different people all with rakes were fine tuning the grade of the infield and outfield track. The attention to detail was immaculate. removing a thimble full of dirt just so everything is perfect.

After batting practice, the real work began. I watched this crew stream out and disassemble the BP protective fences within minutes and start prepping the field for gameday. Lines on the field are painted, and the infield is raked one final time. Today the schedule is a little wacky for the crew because there are some ceremonies before the game so the crew leader is scrambling to get the tasks done without getting in front of cameras or in the way of the ceremonies.

After the national anthem I take my "seat" to watch the game. I put the seat in quotes because i am sitting on the platform the camera men use in the first base area. I am literally inches away from the foul territory dirt with no obstructions between me and the field. This is surreal. I've had good seats before, but this takes the cake. The only downside is that I must be watching every pitch. Because my face is worm-burner level and unobstructed all the way to home plate. There was one close call when Trevor Plouffe missed the first baseman on a double play attempt and the ball went sailing into our area, just missing a photographer sitting on the other end of the platform.

The action for the grounds crew during the game is sporadic. They rake out the infield several times, and change the bases often as well. But for the most part everyone is sitting around watching the game, or playing cards in the break room (I don't blame them for this, it's game 161 of the worst twins season in many years). The game was great, I saw home runs up close and personal from Parmalee and Rene Tosoni (a monster of a grand slam). The pitching was great and this game reminded me of what the Twins used to be.

After the game, I finally get to the interview portion of this day after watching some of the post-game work. At first I'm sort of speechless because watching the game from that spot kind of put me in another world... but I think i recovered quick enough and I'll find out about the job in December.

Even if I'm not hired, (although since i have a reference form a current member of the grounds crew I my app won't go straight to the garbage at least) yesterday was one of the best nights of my life, something i won't soon forget.

Oh yeah.. I got to keep the rain jacket and Hat. ]]> The Gopher http://www.pigskinheaven.com/forums/entry.php/190-My-Day-on-the-Twins-Grounds-Crew