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NFL
Jul 26, 2021 17:09:12 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 26, 2021 17:09:12 GMT
I don't think five high picks and/or starters is something many teams will be willing to part with for a guy who might not be able to play (and who, even if he can play, is a P.R. disaster). From what I'm hearing via beat reporters on 94WIP Radio in Philadelphia, apparently the Eagles are interested - and they have the assets to make a deal.
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NFL
Jul 26, 2021 18:02:10 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 26, 2021 18:02:10 GMT
I don't think five high picks and/or starters is something many teams will be willing to part with for a guy who might not be able to play (and who, even if he can play, is a P.R. disaster). From what I'm hearing via beat reporters on 94WIP Radio in Philadelphia, apparently the Eagles are interested - and they have the assets to make a deal. High risk, high reward. But, I wouldn't mortgage the future on Watson with his status so up in the air.
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NFL
Jul 26, 2021 18:23:34 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 26, 2021 18:23:34 GMT
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 17:49:44 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 27, 2021 17:49:44 GMT
I apologize ahead of time for this rant, and it's slightly political. But, for the last five years now, just simply saying you're an NFL fan has become a political statement due to the ongoing controversies with kneeling for the National Anthem (which I don't think has happened in a few years), and supporting BLM. Now, there's this. www.wfla.com/sports/nfl-says-it-will-play-black-national-anthem-at-all-games-in-2021/Frankly, I do not understand how this is not divisive. Aren't we all supposed to be a united country? I feel that having a separate anthem for African Americans goes against this, and to be frank, this is a terrible example of pandering and adding fuel to the divisiveness that has plagued this country over the past decade. Will I still watch game this season? Yes. But, I know people who won't. My father's not watched a complete NFL game in probably two years. One of my uncles stopped watching last season. These are men who wept when the Colts left Baltimore, and they're depriving themselves of the game now. In all honesty, I'm probably more pissed at the NFL for giving in to the "woke" crowd. But, I have to say, I'm also a little frustrated at family members and friends who chose this as their final straw when it comes to the NFL. I can't even post something positive about the Ravens on Facebook without the comments turning political. I used to took forward to the postgame phone calls with my father on Sundays. It's actually been a few years since we had one. My uncle and I used to text all the time about the Ravens and Orioles. Not lately. As training camps are about to open, my posts from now until Super Bowl LVI will be about the game only. But, I think the NFL is wrong in this case.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 18:13:21 GMT
kds likes this
Post by Kapitan on Jul 27, 2021 18:13:21 GMT
I generally agree that using sports as a way to explicitly approach social or political issues tends to be a pretty bad idea--at least in ways that are widely disagreed upon (and so, yes, divisive, as they are seen as choosing sides). I fully get that supporters of the idea would say that there's nothing divisive about playing the black national anthem or explicitly supporting BLM, because those are just about showing respect, appreciation, etc., for black people. I understand that.
But other people argue that BLM is explicitly political, that while of course black lives matter, that's not the same as Black Lives Matter any more than the U.S. House of Reps' "Freedom Caucus" is widely agreed to be just about freedom (it is a Republican-dominated, very conservative group of reps), or the United Soviet Socialist Republic was truly united, truly socialist, or truly a republic. There are arguments to be had about these kinds of things, and that's fine. But bringing arguments into some of our most cherished and widely shared pastimes seems to me to be a recipe for disaster and discord. I think we've seen that for years now.
If it were up to me, there would be a simple solution. Just don't play the national anthem at all. No military flyovers. No political statements. Players come out for the coin toss, then they line up for kickoff. Why is it considered essential to specifically praise or protest the country, the military, or whatever, before a sporting event? They don't play it before movies, plays, or concerts. Are we doubting those performers' and fans' patriotism?
Anthems weren't televised for most games, if I'm not mistaken, until post-9/11. I know that's 20 years ago and to some people that seems like an eternity, but I see it as like 20 seconds. I see no reason we can't simply remove that part entirely. Nobody wins, we just quit that stupid game/fight, and focus on the sport.
Anyway, that's my only comment on that topic, too. It's football from here on out. What I like best about the sports I like is, was, and ever shall be the sports. Not the ads, not the celeb gossip, not the fantasy versions, not the commentators or studio hosts, nothing else. The sports are what I like, and the sports are what I want to focus on.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 18:36:23 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jul 27, 2021 18:36:23 GMT
On the more specific subject of football itself, we enter this season with quite a few questions about our Vikings.
QBs - always the question, right!? Cousins is a solid starter (though I don't trust him to really come through when it's on him), but there are questions who will back him up. We drafted Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M, but it's not clear that he's even ready to be a backup yet, much less starter anytime soon. But the other alternatives are similarly unproven, if a little older, in Nate Stanley and Jake Browning.
RBs - we're golden! Obviously Dalvin Cook is a superstar, the latest in our string of great RBs from Robert Smith to Michael Bennett (for about 20 minutes) to eventually Adrian Peterson and now Cook. And Alexander Mattison is a really good backup. I feel good about this.
WR/TEs - strong at the top, with Justin Jefferson (superstar in waiting if he's not one already), Adam Thielen, and Irv Cook Jr. But our depth at WR is VERY questionable.
OL - our line has been TERRIBLE. Two rookies might start despite us returning four of five starters, which says something... If we don't see serious improvement here, we may as well write off the season.
DL - see OL... Last year we were really hurt by free agent signee Michael Pierce sitting out from COVID concerns, star DE Danielle Hunter missing the season, etc. They are both theoretically back, and we've brought in some more guys. We'll see.
LBs - we missed both Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks for much of last season, thanks to injuries. While we have to replace one spot (Eric Wilson left), this group seems much improved just by being whole again.
DBs - last year we were starting rookies and journeymen almost every game. We'd lose a rookie to injury, start a lower-rated rookie in his place...it was rough. This year there are plenty of experienced candidates to step in, though we'll have to see how well they perform.
Specialists - not great...
I do feel OK about the team if they keep people healthy AND the lines are both improved. But that's tough to really depend on for a full NFL season. It's tough to gauge how they will be since I don't know enough about other teams, but I'd have to guess we're in the playoff hunt, anyway. Probably that 10-6 territory that we almost always seem to land in.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 19:02:25 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 27, 2021 19:02:25 GMT
I see that the Ravens just acquired a DE named Chris Smith, who played for the Raiders. I have to admit, I'm not familiar. I actually haven't taken a really good look at our roster yet. In fact, I forgot until two days ago that Matt Judon was gone.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 19:19:50 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 27, 2021 19:19:50 GMT
Dontcha just love the topics that dominate the NFL headlines - the attention whore Aaron Rodgers, that massage-loving Deshaun Watson, and now a new Black National Anthem. Lovely.
Oh, and the Vikings gave coach Rick Dennison another job:
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 19:39:57 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 27, 2021 19:39:57 GMT
To be honest, all the ancillary stuff is why I pretty much never tune in to ESPN or the NFL Network anymore, especially in the off season.
I just don't care about what off field atrocities players are committing, who said something naughty on Twitter, whatever drama is surrounding Aaron Rodgers, the NFL's social justice crusades, or who'd make a good fantasy sleeper pick.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 19:54:35 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 27, 2021 19:54:35 GMT
To be honest, all the ancillary stuff is why I pretty much never tune in to ESPN or the NFL Network anymore, especially in the off season. I don't watch an over-abundance of them, but I do depend on a couple to stay up-to-date on things.
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NFL
Jul 27, 2021 20:04:25 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 27, 2021 20:04:25 GMT
To be honest, all the ancillary stuff is why I pretty much never tune in to ESPN or the NFL Network anymore, especially in the off season. I don't watch an over-abundance of them, but I do depend on a couple to stay up-to-date on things. I follow a couple NFL sites on Facebook, Ravens sites in particular, and I feel like that gives me all I really need. I'm really not the in depth, immersive sports fan I once was.
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NFL
Jul 28, 2021 14:52:01 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 28, 2021 14:52:01 GMT
Training camp's off to a terrific start in Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson and RB Gus Edwards are not practicing, because both have testing positive for COVID.
A few weeks ago, Lamar danced around a question from a report about whether or not the young QB got the vaccine. This is the second time he's tested positive - he and several other players missed a game in Pittsburgh last season - so hopefully if he's not been vaccinated yet, this will entice him to get it.
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NFL
Jul 29, 2021 11:51:15 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jul 29, 2021 11:51:15 GMT
Yesterday the Vikings opened camp. Do you think Mike Zimmer expects an improvement over last year's defense? Three of four defensive linemen and three of four secondary players are new starters from last year. (And one of three linebackers.) Yes, it's early, but as of today it seems seven of 11 defensive starters will be new.
And unlike last year, they won't be rookies--or even especially young. These are newly signed vets. I don't know how good the defense will be, but I am expecting a lot more than last year's train wreck.
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NFL
Jul 29, 2021 12:11:40 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jul 29, 2021 12:11:40 GMT
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this paragraph from a column this morning by a local sportswriter summarizing last year's defensive incompetence:
That last sentence...
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NFL
Jul 29, 2021 13:14:24 GMT
Post by kds on Jul 29, 2021 13:14:24 GMT
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this paragraph from a column this morning by a local sportswriter summarizing last year's defensive incompetence:
That last sentence... When Pierce was a Raven, I really thought he had potential to be as good as Sam Adams (the Super Bowl XXXV Champion, not the beer). I have to say, I really don't understand opting out this year when you have the option to, I don't know....GET VACCINATED!! Looking at you, too, Lamar. The young face of the Ravens franchise, and current face of Baltimore Pro Sports, a potential role model for a City and State. Setting a real bad example. (Off soap box)
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