Big Blue Huddle

I'm making this number up, but if there are 10 things a college QB needs to transition to a successful NFL QB, it seems to me that if they already have as many as possible, their chances of success go way up.  If playing in the spread or playing with himself is something that becomes another thing for an NFL team to have to coach out of the player and correct, then it just seems like one more thing that can go wrong and thus make it harder to succeed.

To me, the guy who can just go back and sling the ball without having to think about proper footwork, where he's holding the football, his arm angle, whether he's made his progressions correctly, what the WILL is going to do, is going to be the one who succeeds.  The more clutter in their brain, the more they will not play fast and loose.  JMHO.

There's also another factor.  The folks debating Cam are at the top of the board so that gamble has probably a $50+ million risk associated with it whereas JPP was less.  Also, risk on QB is that it is much, much more about mental decisionmaking which is much harder to assess.  For a DE, it is generally about motor and physical skills, much easier to figure out and predict.

Now NYSPORTS, imagine him saying that a while back and now having say $50 million in guaranteed money sitting in his account.  After that, he may think he needs a show on the E Channel.  You've got to find the guys who don't lose themselves when they either find money or success.  Not sure how you analyze for that, but it is key.

Mike - it seems like the NFL talent evaluators have done a good job of finding out the physical talents of players, but the two areas in which they seem to fail miserably, especially for QB talent is in determining a) how smart they are with respect to understanding the complexities of the game and b) whether or not handing over $25 - $50 million in guaranteed money will change the player and make him stop working hard and constantly to improve himself.

It always seems like they fall in love with the physicals, then the QB fails in the NFL and they say, "oh, he had a terrible work ethic" or "he wasn't very smart."  When are they going to realize that this is what makes a QB, not the arm.  Chad Pennington has the arm of a 5 year old, yet he has succeeded in the NFL because he's smart and works hard.  If he had 50% of the physicals of Cam Newton, he'd likely have been a top 10 QB.

It's all about what's in between his ears.  If that works at an NFL level, the rest will follow.

Vette - we've discussed NFT here like a person wanting advice for a boss who hates him or the Frozen Four or many other things that have no bearing on football.  One of the things I love about this board is the civility with which people talk to each other.  We're not in football season and as you can see by the little activity on this board of new topics, I thought it was an interesting topic (from a variety of angles).

Sorry if I offended you or anyone.  Not trying to.

Thanks Mike for a good discussion.  We're on different sides on this.  I respect yours.

Mike - I think you are naive to think that just because there are lawyers devoted to employee discrimination that it means that if there is a problem, individuals should not be afraid.  The fact is that many companies will virtually blacklist any potential candidate who sues his/her company over sexual harassment.  While there are obviously some very good cases by some, there are others who are flakes.  A potential company may blend the two groups and not bother to even consider that person for employment.  Additionally, a person who has spent their entire career in an industry (say 20+ years) feels tremendous pressure that if they sue, they will likely never be able to get a job again in an industry in which they've devoted their lives.

By the way, just to be clear, I didn't start this post by suggesting that she had it coming to her or anything like that.  What Favre did was wrong.

I will say that I doubt a self-professed party girl from FSU was making astute business decisions in choosing to get a boob job at 18, 19 20 or whenever she did.  Additionally, she recently said that now she wants them removed because she said that folks don't take her seriously.  She's gorgeous and a 100% diehard sports fan so I give her tremendous kudos for that.  If I were her parent, I'd have told her that a long term route to success would probably have been better than making short term decisions with long term consequences.

Perception is reality.  If you want to be taken seriously, lead with the brain.  If you want to be a poster, lead with the boobs.

I disagree completely that she's an astute businesswoman.  She's the perfect example of a person who thinks for the present while ignoring any future consequences.  Jenn, you're 15 minutes are up. 

Let's see Jenn.  At around 20 years of age, you are a college student but feel the need to get a boob job.  Did you think that would help you in your Spanish class?  Then, after you luckily are seen on a camera with the Brent Mustburger famous quote, you get some attention only for your looks and then you leverage that into photo shoots in Maxim and Playboy.

You use those looks to help you land a NY Jets gig as a "hostess".  In every shot, you're dress screams cleavage.  A famous football player sends you suggestive texts and voicemessages.

Now you can't get a job and all you want is to be taken seriously with the history of provocative dress. Got news Jenn.  Being taken seriously starts with your brain and goes to your mouth.  

Are you kidding?  Nice job parenting Mr. and Mrs. Sterger.  

Todge, why are you projecting Kindle as only a LB in a 3-4?  Lots of folks think he's a great candidate to be a SLB in a 4-3.

Ceri - point as to Kindle and Graham.  The folks that keep pining about his short arms are going to watch him become a productive starter at the next level and probably nab a pro-bowl selections.  You can have short arms so long as you use them properly in fending off linemen.  I like him more than Woodley for the simple reason that he has everything Woodley has but also has a non-stop motor whereas Woodley sometimes took a play off and disappeared when there was no reason to do so at Michigan.  Plus, Woodley played with good players around him versus Graham who was the only good defensive player on that team.  I will not be disappointed at all if the Giants grab Graham.  At least we will be able to count on a linemen who can play the run equally as well as the pass.  Woodley's tackles behind the scrimmage both this past season and throughout his career has been nothing short of spectacular and really highlights his non-stop motor.

I also like Kindle and think he can be a fine SLB.  He is strong and he goes after it.  He plays fast.  He would also be a fine addition to our team.  I don't care if we have Simtin.  My guess is that taking Kindle would immediately take Simtin and relocate him to another position.   

Marina Del Rey, CA - 2 blocks from the beach where every day is summer.

Thanks Retro for your kind words.  I like Mario as a 3rd round pick.  He has great skills but a head that has historically been up his a$$.  I am cautiously optimistic.  He is a good route runner with  very consistent soft hands so I believe we may be seeing the last of Sinorice.  Right now, Ohio State is the class of the Big 10 with Michigan a distant second.  I love the hiring of Rich Rod as he has that kick you in the a$$ mentality that Lloyd Carr seemed to have lost.  Actually I think Rich Rod will be good for the Big 10.  Generally he has a lot of speed at every position, particularly in the interior and I think that will force the Big 10 to get faster.  OSU and the rest have speed at DBs and WRs, but generally not at LB or DL.  I think that is one reason the Big 10 gets smacked by the SEC annually.  The best hiring of Rich Rod was his S&C coach, Mike Barwis.  He makes fast players faster whereas Gittleman made fast players slower.  Michigan players will be much leaner than in year's past.  It will take 3 years to get the kind of players Rich Rod needs so I think next season could be an ugly 4 loss season.

I live in Marina Del Rey, California about 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean.  I have been a Giants fan since the late 1960s/early 1970s.  I grew up in the NYC area but moved out to California about 6 years ago.  I'm a University of Michigan graduate, both undergraduate and graduate school.  I bleed the maize and blue as well.

I've worked in investment banking my entire life, more specifically in fixed income structuring and trading structured mortgage derivative products, basically the exotic securities that are bringing down the world credit markets.  I love to golf, surf, ski and hike.  Living here is fantastic if you enjoys those hobbies.

I must say that I have found the tone on this board to be wonderfully more civil than on the previous BBWC board.  Many of the same folks migrated here, but I am not reading posts that rip other posters. 

Peace to all.