Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
znModeratorBump.
This issue shows up now and then. Coupla times a month.
May 27, 2018 at 12:06 am in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86637znModeratorPoll: NFL fans overwhelmingly support league’s national anthem policy
By a significant margin, NFL fans are in favor of the league’s new policy regarding the national anthem, according to a Yahoo Sports/YouGov poll.
When asked if they support or oppose the new policy, which states teams will be fined if players “do not stand and show respect for the flag and the [national] anthem,” 53 percent of self-described NFL viewers said they support the policy, with 32 percent opposing and 15 percent saying neither or no opinion.
What does this tell us?
That NFL owners enacted the policy to appease their audience. From a business standpoint, this of course makes perfect sense and belies the idea that it was done to placate President Donald Trump.
While Trump may approve of the policy, opinion on the anthem issue hasn’t varied too much since 2016, when Colin Kaepernick first knelt and Barack Obama was still president.
According to the Yahoo Sports/YouGov poll, NFL fans are more supportive of the new policy than the general public, which came in 48 percent for vs. 32 percent against.
Racial breakdown
Not surprisingly, white Americans support the policy, while black Americans do not. Here’s a breakdown of support/opposition as it relates to ethnicity:
White: 52% support; 32% oppose
Black: 29% support; 48% oppose
Hispanic: 49% support; 19% oppose(NOTE: This is based on all respondents)
What are the details of the poll?
Number of adults surveyed: 1,184
Number of NFL viewers surveyed: 517
Questions asked:1. As you may be aware, the NFL has announced that it will fine teams if their players “do not stand and show respect for the flag and the [national] anthem.” Players can choose to stay in the locker room during the anthem, without being fined.
To what extent do you support or oppose this policy
2. Do you think that the NFL should or should not have a rule regarding players’ conduct during the playing of the national anthem?
May 26, 2018 at 11:55 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86636znModeratorThe NFL’s new national-anthem policy was not as unanimous as the league wants people to believe
http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-anthem-policy-vote-unaimous-2018-5
In announcing the NFL’s controversial new policy requiring players on the field to stand during the national anthem or face a fine, the league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell, said in a press conference on Thursday that it was “unanimously adopted” by team owners.
But ESPN reported Thursday that the league never took a formal vote on the new policy, adding that “not taking an official tally is atypical for a major resolution.”
An NFL spokesman, Brian McCarthy, confirmed to ESPN that there was no formal vote, saying there were zero “nays” in a show of hands to gauge support.
“That was considered a vote,” McCarthy said.
But news reports and statements from a few team owners show that not everybody supported the new policy.
ESPN reported that Mark Davis, the owner of the Oakland Raiders, and Jed York, the owner of the San Francisco 49ers, abstained from the vote.
York told ESPN earlier this week of the vote: “Teams that voted on it voted affirmatively.”
Meanwhile, Chris Johnson, the chairman of the New York Jets, went so far as to say he would pay fines imposed on his players under the national-anthem policy.
It’s also worth noting, per The Charlotte Observer, that David Tepper, the new Carolina Panthers owner, can’t vote on the policy until the sale of the team officially closes in July.
The NFL’s new policy, adopted in response to several NFL players and others who have knelt during the anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality, has already come under fire by critics — and now it has the appearance that the league was trying to mislead people about its support among team owners.
May 26, 2018 at 11:38 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86635znModeratorDeMaurice Smith: NFL’s anthem rule change about exerting control over players
NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith believes the NFL’s change in policy on the national anthem is designed to exert control on players, per Mike Chari of Bleacherreport.
During an appearance Friday on ESPN’s Get Up! show, Smith expressed his concerns regarding the new anthem rules:
With regard to the rationale behind the policy, Smith told ESPN’s Mike Greenberg (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith), “It smacks as more of a desire to exert control rather than a desire to stand up and support the rights and freedoms that our country was founded on.”
The NFL approved a new policy Wednesday that will fine teams if their players protest on the sidelines during the national anthem before games.
As part of the rule, players will be permitted to stay in the locker room during the anthem if they choose.
On Friday, Smith suggested that owners weren’t fully unified on the policy, saying, “It doesn’t appear to have the full support of all of the CEOs who own teams. It punishes not only players who wish to protest but also could punish players who want to come out and stand and salute the flag.”
Per ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York abstained from taking part in the unofficial vote. Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group reported Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis also abstained.
May 26, 2018 at 11:32 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86634znModeratorCivils rights activists rally outside of NFL headquarters
Civil rights activists gathered outside of NFL headquarters and called on team owners to overturn a new policy aimed at stopping player protests during the national anthem, the Associated Press reports They also encouraged a boycott of the league and its sponsors.
About 50 people gathered Friday at the office building in midtown Manhattan that houses the NFL for a rally organized by National Action Network, a civil rights nonprofit organization.
Kirsten John Foy, the Northeast Regional Director for NAN, was the first of 10 speakers. They took turns criticizing NFL team owners and President Donald Trump.
Foy says “Our demand is that the NFL reverse that immoral and unconstitutional decision.”
The NFL owners voted Wednesday to require players to stand for the national anthem or stay in the locker room. Teams will be fined if players don’t stand.
znModeratorbut fuck that….I want cake and ice cream and for this msg board some pie too. I want all three….
Okay.
My vote…
I hate to see Gurley go but it’s easier to replace a back than it is to replace a qb or a Donald.
znModeratorcirca 1984 I would guess…
Yeah it’s 83 or 84. 84 was Youngblood’s last year as a Ram. Ferragamo’s too.
May 26, 2018 at 10:10 am in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86624znModeratorNFL’s National Anthem Policy Ignores the Original Reason for Protests: Social Justice
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/23/nfl-policy-national-anthem-players-kneeling
ATLANTA — The NFL’s new policy regarding player protests during the national anthem is not a compromise whatsoever. It is a series of half measures dedicated to the attempt of satisfying all frustrated parties while completely ignoring the initial point of the peaceful protests. It is intended to hide its mostly black players who wish to speak up, through their actions, about inequality in criminal justice and police brutality against people of color. The policy treats those players as nuisances and attempts to hide them away in the locker room. It is meant to chill the speech of the players whose voices have grown louder than the players—and owners—imagined they could go.
The NFL was at a crossroads with President Donald Trump breathing down the owners’ necks, the precious white male fan threatening to abandon the sport forever, a mutiny from two-thirds of its players and the disdain from tomorrow’s fans who could eventually jump ship to another sport. As a result, the league’s owners came up with a five-point plan that they believed could satisfy all parties at least a little.
What the NFL certainly could not do is reverse course to pre-2009 and have players stay in the locker room during the playing of the anthem. That would be viewed as the North American sports behemoth capitulating to the liberals and furthering the PC culture damaging this great nation.
Telling teams they can make their own policies seems so apropos today as we enjoy heated debates about states’ rights in our national discourse. A policy for San Francisco or Seattle would not suit the fans in Kansas City or Buffalo.
The policy states that the league will fine teams—not individual players—if players do not “show respect for the flag and the anthem.” When asked to define what respect for the flag and anthem is, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “The general public has a very strong feeling for what respect for the flag is in that moment,” adding that clubs and the league will be the arbiters of what disrespect for the flag and anthem is. Team owners can then eat the fines themselves or exact fine money from players for the violation of team rules—and in that instance, the player fined wouldn’t be public knowledge.
All of this is rooted in the idea promulgated Tuesday by Jerry Jones that “our fans want us to zero-in on football, and don’t want to think about—or think we’re thinking about—anything other than football.” It’s a laughable comment since every NFL game forces us to think about the military and war, among many other reasonable, charitable and valiant causes. Perhaps the league has hard data on the demographics of their fans, but I also enjoy the idea of a clipboard-holding Jones polling the average person as he or she exits the Wal Mart beside AT&T Stadium.
There is a fantastic amount of evidence—both tangible and anecdotal—that shows players protesting during the anthem didn’t tank the ratings. Some of the league’s top stars were injured and some of the most well-followed franchises failed to make the playoffs. Sports Business Daily’s Austin Karp told SI.com in February “it is perhaps worth noting that the league’s 9% decline in its overall delivers matches the 9% season-to-date drop in broadcast prime” television. The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson combined the two, noting that “quite simply, televised football has a television problem and a football problem.” And then there’s the fact that, despite all the myriad issues, six of the seven most-viewed broadcasts so far this year were NFL games, and Sunday Night Football ranked as the highest-rated show on TV.
Furthermore, discussions about people tuning football out for protest-related reasons usually conspicuously exclude those in support of player protests who boycotted the NFL because of what should clearly and efficiently be stated as the blackballing of Colin Kaepernick.
The obvious policy is that there should be no policy. There’s a significant arrogance to the idea that these men, who by definition of their positions are out-of-touch with the majority of society, can predict the future as it relates to police brutalizing black and brown bodies. With this policy, there’s a clear belief that the political landscape will maintain status quo when we should all know the ground beneath us is constantly shifting.
At a time when blackness is being celebrated and continuing to be persecuted—and when blackness is persecuted while celebrating—any attempt to muzzle such celebration will be met with resistance. Now the players have mostly worked out the kinks in the Players Coalition, they’ve been emboldened by comments past and future from the certain owners in these private meetings, and they’ve clearly grown a healthy contempt—like so much of this country—for the president. These players are motivated and organized, and, most of all, they now know their collective power.
This remarkable arrogance from these owners that they can hold their black players in check is matched only by the incredible ignorance from the same owners that these young, rich (mostly) black men will acquiesce to what was decided in Atlanta.
Every so often a commercial is aired, an identifier is published, a promposal goes wrong, a company’s insensitive tagline is stamped with approval where I remark to myself “if only they had consulted one black person.” I’m not convinced that one single black man or woman could have saved the 32 owners from this miserable policy. These men and women were determined to come up with a bad idea by hell or high water.
But this policy clearly shows that, once again in America, there wasn’t a black person in the room.
May 26, 2018 at 10:03 am in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86623znModeratorGolden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called the NFL’s new national anthem policy “idiotic” while talking with reporters ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Albert Breer@AlbertBreer
I like Kerr, but isn’t the NBA rule on the anthem much stricter? So who is the NBA trying to appeal to?May 26, 2018 at 9:52 am in reply to: when arrested Richie Incognito believed he was an NSA agent #86622znModeratorPolice Who Took Richie Incognito Into Custody Say He ‘Was Suffering An Altered, Paranoid State’
The police officer who took Richie Incognito into custody after he caused a disturbance at a Lifetime Fitness in Florida on Wednesday said the four-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman “believed ordinary citizens were government officials that were tracking him and recording him,” according to a police report obtained by Andy Slater of 940-AM WINZ.
The report details how Incognito attacked and threatened people at the gym, including some staff members. According to the report, Incognito threw tennis balls and weights at people. He also “brushed” one man’s leg with a weight sled. The man who Incognito scraped with the weight sled is the one who called police, and according to the report, while he was outside alone with Incognito, the former Bills guard told him, “Get out of my f—–g playground.”
According to the report, Incognito told a Lifetime Fitness employee “don’t f—–g cross the line,” after Incognito was allegedly “acting erratically, throwing things at staff.”
The officers who were responding to the incident met with Incognito in the outdoor pool area, according to the report, and Incognito told them, “There’s a guy walking around with head phones on. I’m running NSA class level 3 documents through my phone. I can’t have anybody in blue tooth capability of me or taking pictures of me.”
Incognito went on to explain that he was “under contract” and could not talk with the officers about what the documents on his phone were because they did not “have a high enough clearance,” according to the report.
Incognito also denied hitting anybody with tennis balls and mentioned he had taken the over the counter supplement Shroom Tech, according to the report. Additionally, “his hands were shaking heavily” when he mentioned taking the supplement, and his “speech pattern was very erratic and he would suddenly change the subject matter to something different” throughout the conversation. Incognito also asked a woman in the pool to call the FBI after the officers expressed their concerns with Incognito’s behavior, according to the report.
According to the report, Incognito was taken into custody under provisions of Florida’s Baker Act, which allows involuntary psychiatric commitment for people seen as a danger to themselves or others. Investigations determined “Incognito was suffering an altered, paranoid state,” he had “no intent to harm anyone” and his paranoia was the reason for his actions.
Incognito has played 11 seasons in the NFL for the Rams, Dolphins and Bills. Earlier this week, Buffalo released him from the Reserve/Retired List because he reportedly said he wanted to continue playing after he had retired from the league on Twitter last month.
znModeratorIs the picture of Obama here, from the article “kindof racist” ?
No, I don’t, actually. Do you see any of the imagery that came with traditional american racist caricature there?
…
znModeratorThe image of the figure is clearly drawn from the history of anti-semitic caricature. If the intention wasn’t anti-semitic then the entire concept is sloppy and indefensible. Legit critics of israeli policies should always be aware enough of these things to avoid fueling “yer just anti-semitic” backlash. Otherwise, again, at the very minimum, you;re just being sloppy. At the worst…you’re actually being anti-semitic.
…
znModeratorMay 25, 2018 at 5:22 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86588znModeratorSteve Kerr: NFL Is Using The Anthem As Fake Patriotism, Nationalism, Scaring People
https://www.si.com/nba/2018/05/24/steve-kerr-nfl-national-anthem-policy-idiotic
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called the NFL’s new national anthem policy “idiotic” while talking with reporters ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Under the new NFL policy, NFL owners voted to allow NFL comissioner Roger Goodell to discipline any league personnel who does not stand and show respect for the flag and national anthem before games. Players are given the option to remain in the locker room if they prefer not to be on the field for the anthem. Teams will have the option to fine any team personnel or players that attempt to sit, kneel or protest during the anthem.
Kerr is no stranger to speaking out against President Donald Trump and has supported NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem. In October 2017, Kerr told the Pod Save America podcast that he believes Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL teams.
“It’s just typical of the NFL,” Kerr said, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “They’re just playing to their fanbase. Basically just trying to use the anthem as fake patriotism, nationalism, scaring people. It’s idiotic. But thats how the NFL has conducted their business. I’m proud to be in a league that understands patriotism in America is about free speech and peacfully protesting. Our leadership in the NBA understands when the NFL players were kneeling, they were kneeling to protest police brutality, to protest racial inequality. They weren’t disrespecting the flag or military. But our president decided to make it about that and the NFL followed suit, pandered to their fanbase, created this hysteria. It’s kind of what’s wrong with our country right now – people in high places are trying to divide us, divide loyalties, make this about the flag as if the flag is something other than it really is – which is a representation of what we’re about, which is diversity, peaceful protests, right to free speech. It’s ironic actually.”
President Trump went on FOX News on Thursday morning to commend the NFL for “doing the right thing.”
znModeratorfrom 2018 NFL Over-Under Win Totals: Rams smell like a legitimate Super Bowl contender
The Rams look like a team that could and should win double-digit games next yearWill Brinson
…
The Rams are the new class of the NFC West, and their 2018 NFL win total of 10 games reflects that.
Early Schedule Analysis
The Rams won the NFC West last year, and their schedule reflects it. They also lose one home game because they’re taking a trip to Mexico to play the Chiefs; it’s cool to play a high-profile international game, but giving up a home contest is a tough break in the NFL. They open at the Raiders, which should be a win, and a home game in Week 2 against the Cardinals sets L.A. up for a fast start. Then things get tricky: Week 3 is the Chargers (home), Week 4 is the Vikings (home) and the next three weeks are road games against the Seahawks, Broncos and 49ers. They get to come off that stretch with a home game against the Packers and follow that up with a road game against the Saints. Woof. The Seahawks at home and Chiefs in Mexico give way to a Week 12 bye. They close out the season with the Lions (away), Bears (away), Eagles (home), Cardinals (away) and 49ers (home). There’s potential to go streaking down the stretch, and if they dominate from Week 4 through Week 11 they just might look like one of the best teams in the NFL.
Why They’ll Go Over
Goff taking a step back would be a major disappointment, and a major surprise considering how much better he looked in Year 1 of McVay’s system. Just like with Kirk Cousins, Goff was given easily definable reads and executed very well. It’s a point-guard style offense, and he can distribute in impressive fashion. If Gurley runs like he did last year, the Rams are just going to be dangerous. And I can’t find a reason why the defense would be bad. They don’t need Ebukam or Longacre to be superstars, they just need to be average pass rushers and this team will be tough. Suh-Donald-Brockers is just absolutely disgusting and Peters-Talib has flamethrower potential, but they can shut any team down. Honestly the only reason to not take this over is the stretch of games they have in the middle of the season that looks like a murderer’s row. But it might look a lot easier midway through and the Rams should be able to handle it.
Why They’ll Go Under
Perhaps teams get a long look at Goff this offseason and figure out how to slow down the Rams offense. It’s possible! Gurley might not have 2,000 scrimmage yards this year. Don’t forget we’re just a year removed from him plummeting to the late-second and early-third round of fantasy drafts because he was so bad in 2016. Gurley is an otherworldly talent but the NFL is fickle when it comes to running backs. Sammy Watkins’ loss might not move the needle, but if Brandin Cooks doesn’t make a major impact, it could be felt. Cooks has been traded by both the Saints and the Patriots, which is the red-flag equivalent of being a highly successful person in your mid 30s unable to hold a serious relationship with anyone. I literally don’t have an answer for how the defense will be bad, but I guess people could get injured. The schedule — which, again, is brutal the way it looks right now — could cause them to take the division with nine wins.
The Pick
he way that things flipped for Los Angeles will have people clamoring to take the over, so that’s a little concerning. Again, I’m worried about the schedule and things not going perfectly. But there is too much talent on both sides of the ball and too much high quality coaching on both sides of the ball not to get on board with the Rams winning double-digit games in 2018.
VERDICT: OVER
znModeratorI can’t listen to the whole thing right now. Where does he discuss liberalism? Where I jumped in he discussing Hume and empiricism.
.
znModerator10 Observations from OTA No. 3
Simmons is of course stressing the positive and he sees clear progress. Makes perfect sense. But to me, the Rams need to improve their “heart” and “clutch” levels in tough games with tough opponents. This has to do with coming through in big games.
Can they do that more this year? Sure. There’s a very good chance. But this is the kind of thing where you don’t know they have it until they actually do it.
Things like what Simmons writes this year tell me that Cooks is a good player, Goff is playing well in practice, and as expected the offensive approach is a good one. But we either knew all that or expected it.
So again I LIKE it–and it’s obviously way better than the opposite–but but I can’t get worked up about it. Too early.
Last year Rams played 5 teams that had both winning records and top 10 defenses. Jacksonville, Minnesota, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. They went 2-3 in those games. Can they do better?
The defense of course has something to do with this too.
…
znModeratorAfter First Week of OTAs, Cooks’ Presence is Already Being Felt
Kristen Lago
Moving to a new environment. Learning a new offense. Getting to know a new set of teammates.
All three of these factors would be challenging for many NFL players. But for Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks, they’ve become second-nature. This season marks Cooks’ third offseason program in a new location over the last four years — as he was drafted by the Saints in 2014, before heading to New England last season.
But after being traded to the Rams in early April, the Oregon State product has made quick work of his transition to Los Angeles.
“I think it’s going great,” Cooks said after the first day of OTAs. “I think just first of all being around the guys, working out with them, getting used to the system and being coached by [Rams head coach Sean] McVay — it’s great.”
The receiver wasn’t the only one happy with his progress. McVay praised Cooks’ approach to the offseason, noting how even as a new addition to the roster, the wideout was already setting the tone on and off the field.
“One of the things that’s been really impressive about Brandin is how smart and conscientious he’s been in the meetings — his attention to detail — being able to translate some of the stuff from Phase II, and then watching him compete today,” McVay said. “You can feel him in a lot of different phases of our offense.”
During the first week of OTAs, quarterback Jared Goff has connected with Cooks on several deep balls downfield. The coaching staff has also been able to involve the receiver in a number of different ways, both on the outside and in the slot.
“It’s a great guy to have in the room with those other guys,” Goff agreed. “I think he did a great job today. I
know Sean will come up with ways to use him and put us in the best situation possible.”
“He’s great and it’s not just on the field that you see, [it’s] when we walk back into this building here, the attitude that he brings and the way that he pushes people,” wide receiver Cooper Kupp said. “His work ethic is not just in the weight room, it’s in the film room, all those things. He just elevates everyone around him.”
And though Cooks’ isn’t completely sure of what exact role he will end up playing come the regular season, he did express confidence that McVay would put him in the best spot to succeed.
“It’s early, but [it’s about] trusting coach,” Cooks said. “He’s been known to put guys in their best spots, I think I’m just going to continue to trust that process. As we go along, I’ll see that shape.”
For now, Cooks is just enjoying the chance to continue learning the Rams’ offensive system, while getting the opportunity to challenge himself against two of the league’s best cornerbacks.
“It’s a dream, to be honest, to be able to go against guys like that in practice every single day,” he said of Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. “As a receiver, that builds my confidence come game time. I think it’s huge for the receivers, and, quite frankly, for the quarterback as well.”
znModerator10 Observations from OTA No. 3
Myles Simmons
Team insider Myles Simmons shares his top 10 observations from the Rams third OTA practice — their final of the week.
1) During individual drills, the linebackers worked on ripping the ball out of a ballcarrier’s arms, plus the proper way to recover a fumble. Again, it’s late May, but the Rams are clearly putting a high priority on both ball security and creating turnovers.
2) On the other field, receivers and quarterbacks worked on timing routes, with the signal-callers throwing the ball before the receivers came out of their breaks. That’s important to establish that chemistry now so that it looks smooth when there’s an actual opponent.
3) L.A. also worked on red-zone specific routes, like fades and slants. That’s one of the first times we’ve been able to see the club work on those kinds of routes in this offseason program. Worked on the red zone, first time we’ve seen that this week.
4) It’s become the norm, but quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Brandin Cooks got their connection going once again. The signal-caller threw a strike to the left sideline for the wideout, who had to climb the ladder a bit to get it. It was a nice throw and catch.
5) Quarterback Sean Mannion made a throw so good to wide receiver Josh Reynoldson the left side of the field that cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant ran over to the signal-caller to congratulate him. The throw was just out of reach for the cornerback and dropped right into the hands of Reynolds.
6) During the 11-on-11 drills, there were points where Goff worked a hard count — inducing some flinching from the defense. That’s another example of a team being able to focus on more advanced aspects of play rather than learning a system during OTAs.
7) The Rams worked on some elements of the red zone in 7-on-7 drills, and Goff threw a few strikes to start the period. The first went to wideout Cooper Kupp in the back of the end zone at about where the goalpost would be. Then Goff found tight end Tyler Higbee on the right side of the end zone after scrambling to his right when the defense’s coverage was tight. It was a pair of strong passes for the young quarterback.
8) During special teams drills, it looked like coordinator John Fassel was practicing kickoffs with the new rules. Players must now begin the play lined up within a yard of the ball to eliminate a running start. That’s what the unit was ostensibly working on during Thursday’s session.
9) In the second 11-on-11 period, Goff completed a pass to wideout Cooper Kupp over the middle that appeared to mildly frustrate cornerback Troy Hill. Hill was matched up with Kupp, who made a move to shake off Hill over the middle. When Kupp made the catch and darted up the field, Hill leaned back with his head looking up to the sky. His body language conveyed, “Man, how did he do that?”
10) The Rams ended the session with some situational work with a two-minute drill. Cornerback Marcus Peters nearly picked off a pass to Cooks on the left sideline, which would’ve given the defense a clear victory in the period. He didn’t end up with the interception, but, as head coach Sean McVay often says, Peters’ presence could definitely be felt on the field.
May 24, 2018 at 10:30 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86567znModeratorNFL conflict over anthem rules: ‘It’s just beginning’
Howard Bryant, author, Senior Writer at ESPN and NPR Sports Correspondent, talks with Chuck over the “culture war conversation” surrounding the NFL’s new policy and why the league thinks “they believe they can profit off of this.”
znModeratorznModeratorNothing but blistering divisive arguments and rancorous controversy.
It’s a board war.
znModeratorPFF: Who is the top CB in the league? Peters + Talib named contenders.
Daily Dose 🗞 » https://t.co/re8Xrg63mN pic.twitter.com/Jw72hlnEyp
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 24, 2018
znModeratorznModeratorBrandin Cooks makes a strong first impression on Day 1 of OTA’s
VINCENT BONSIGNORE
THOUSAND OAKS — As first days of OTA’s go, the Rams workout Monday was about as telling as a table script read upon cast members of a television series gathering back together after a long hiatus. It all looked and sounded good, but there’s a long way to go before the director declares “Action!!!” let alone “That’s a wrap!!!”
About all anyone can say for sure is that the process is now officially underway. But trying to glean anything definitive or conclusive is pure foolishness.
Not that a two-hour practice on the second-to-last Monday of May can’t yield a nugget or two to file away,
Which is why it was impossible for the eyes not to follow the long flight of a Jared Goff-thrown football as it cut across the gray sky hovering above the Rams Thousand Oaks practice field. Or how it fell perfectly into the outstretched hands of wide receiver Brandin Cooks who, thanks to some nifty line of scrimmage scheming by Sean McVay, was able to get an immediate leg up on his defender before exploding down the sideline.
Open. Available. And more than capable of gathering the reception in as he barreled untouched for what would have been a certain deep ball touchdown connection.
And why it was equally impossible for anyone who saw the whole thing unfold not to go, “Hmmmmm. Interesting.”
The Rams don’t appear to have many critical concerns offensively as they transition to year two in McVay’s offense – which defensive newcomers Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters have already declared “crazy good” – but getting Cooks and Goff on the same page as quickly as possible certainly falls under the Must Do list.
All the better if it means a consistent connection on deep balls, which, for as good as Goff was at throwing them last year, you can’t help wonder if he ever came close to maximizing it given the on-and-off chemistry he had with Sammy Watkins.
According to Pro Football Focus, Goff had the NFL’s ninth-best adjusted completion percentage of 42.1 on deep passes last year, and had the 11th-best deep-ball passer rating at 99.5 His 767 yards off long balls was also 11th best in the NFL.
Those numbers were accumulated with just a minimal amount of help from Watkins, who was brought in last year to be the home run threat the Rams have been looking for for years. But while his presence helped direct defensive focus away from other receivers – providing them more room to operate – Watkins didn’t make the major impact the club hoped for upon trading for him. Watkins finished fourth on the team in both in receptions (39) and receiving yards (539) and when he left the Rams in free agency last month, there was an unsatisfied feeling all the way around.
It wasn’t bad. But you were expecting so much more.
Enter Cooks, who is coming off three straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons with 24 touchdown receptions to show for it. With his speed, explosiveness, hands, route running and positional understanding he appears the perfect fit to lift Goff’s long-ball ability to another level..
“If there is one thing that Brandin has done a nice job of, specifically the last few years, it’s being able to go get that deep ball,” McVay said.
Which brings us back to the 60-yard connection between Goff and Cooks on Monday on an otherwise uneventful first day of OTA’s. The cynic will proclaim it amounts to nothing at all, just a couple of NFL players playing pitch and catch in shorts and helmets.
The optimist would counter it’s a tease of what’s entirely possible: Cooks and Goff developing into a dangerous combination to add an explosive new layer to an already dangerous offense. Not just because Cooks brings an elite skill set to the table, but also because of his willingness to bury his head in the playbook and engage with coaches and teammates. A process that actually got a head start earlier this offseason when Goff, Cooks and the members of the Rams receiver group got together for throwing sessions.
“It’s already paying off.” Cooks said.
Still, there’s nothing like live action against fellow NFL players – and in Monday’s case that meant the Rams revamped defensive backfield led by new Talib and Peters, two of the best cornerbacks in the league.
“You can do as much film study as you want, but the beauty is, this is football, so to be able go out there and make some of those mistakes in live action that’s when you really start learning,” Cooks said.
That work ethic – and his intellectual manner – is part of the reason Cooks made immediate impacts in his previous two spots – and in creative, sophisticated offenses for that matter – in New Orleans and New England. And how, based on his approach thus far with the Rams, he should make a rapid transition in his new offense while playing with equally cerebral wide receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.
“He’s a sponge,” is how Goff described his new teammate. “He wants to be great.”
The feeling is mutual.
“With Jared you talk about a guy who’s a natural born leader who works hard,” Cooks said. “Throughout the offseason we were throwing with each other before all this started and now transitioning into OTA’s. I think it’s been great for (all of us)”
That doesn’t mean what happened on Monday is guaranteed to happen throughout next season. But you might want to file it away just in case.
znModeratorGoff Displaying Growth, Leadership During Offseason Program
Myles Simmons
Jared Goff feels more comfortable.
As reporters peppered him with questions on Monday after the Rams’ first OTA practice of 2018, “comfortable” was the word the 23-year-old kept using to describe how he’s feeling about being Los Angeles’ starting quarterback.
“It just continues to get more comfortable. Comfortable is the best word,” Goff said. “Stuff begins to slow down a bit more. It seems like it does every year all the way through high school, through college and now into the NFL.
“It’s every year you kind of start seeing more,” Goff continued. “You’re not seeing it moving so fast, but you’re more actually comprehending what’s going on and seeing the defenses better.”
Those factors may sound a bit abstract, but head coach Sean McVay said he’s noticed plenty of growth from the young quarterback in those areas, too.
“I think he’s confident. I think he truly is becoming that extension of the coaching staff that you hear us refer to commonly. I think the game is slowing down a little bit for him — it certainly is,” McVay said on Monday. “We know there is going to be a lot of great challenges ahead, but I think in terms of the command and really taking a great grasp of the offensive system, while kind of understanding everything that we’re trying to get done, I’ve been really pleased with Jared.”
Goff is coming off a season in which he completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 3,804 yards with 28 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He finished No. 1 in the league with 12.9 yards per completion, leading the Rams to an 11-4 record — and an NFC West division title — in the 15 games he started in 2017.
As a quarterback going into his third year, Goff is also beginning to take more of a leadership role within the club. In many ways, that’s expected from a team’s signal-caller, especially one drafted at No. 1 overall. But having a year as successful as 2017 makes the process a bit smoother.
“I think anytime you can be in the same offense for more than one year, you know what you’re talking about and so you can kind of be confident and have an opinion in being able to correct things,” Goff said. “You have confidence in that because you know what you’re talking about in that to extent, being in it for one year.”
Goff’s teammates have noticed the quarterback’s growth with his demeanor both on and off the field.
“Definitely, you watch him grow everyday at just being our leader and commanding us, taking control of the offense — you see that grow and grow every day,” right guard Jamon Brown said. “The more confident he is, the more confident we are in him. I think that allows everybody around him to be confident. But definitely, you see those leaps and bounds everyday.”
“I think last year having been able to play all the way through, having the year that he did has really helped him,” wide receiver Cooper Kupp said. “[H]e took full responsibility for whatever it was that happened the first year. I know I wasn’t here, but whatever it was, he took full responsibility for whatever that was. And then to be able to go out and work in the offseason, come back and have the year he did, and just moving into this year he’s just elevated it that much more.
“He didn’t take any steps back, didn’t get comfortable at all, and just continued to grow as a person, as a football player, as a leader on this team,” Kupp continued. “Excited about the way he’s kind of pulled guys together and organized guys. In the offseason he was big on getting guys together, working on things, so that growth hopefully will just continue to grow as we move into the season.”
Given all the progress he’s made, Goff now has more leeway to take ownership of the offense in partnership with McVay.
“I think as time goes on that will continue to build. Through last year and this offseason, it has already,” Goff said, adding the practice on Monday “was a good example of that, kind of us bouncing stuff off each other — me asking him questions, him asking me questions and continuing to grow together.”
As the offseason program continues through the second full week of June, Goff said he’s looking to improve every aspect of his game.
“A million things. Like always, just trying to get better, trying to improve,” Goff said. “I want to continue to learn as much as I can about the defense and that side of the ball, and at the same time continue to master our system. Just become the best teammate and leader I can be.”
May 23, 2018 at 10:06 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86526znModerator— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) May 23, 2018
znModeratorWell BT you know this board has one advantage no other board does.
Pie.
May 23, 2018 at 8:07 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86515znModeratorVincent Bonsignore@DailyNewsVinny
By pouring $ and resources into a partnership to address social injustice, the #NFL told players it heard them loud and clear during their peaceful protest and are willing to fight with them. That gives them the right to ask them to stand during anthemWe get so caught up in emotion and distrust we completely lose sight of the players victory. What else is protest for if not to shed light on an injustice and rally support to fix it?
The players protested, the owners heard them, and are now helping them push beyond protest to actual action. That’s a win for players
The victory is $90m and the resources and platform of the #NFL to now go into communities and try to and fix the actual problem.
May 23, 2018 at 8:00 pm in reply to: Teams Will be Fined if Players Kneel During National Anthem #86513znModeratorWhile admittedly a small sample size, some players are telling me they’re *considering* staying in locker room or making a different on-field gesture simply b/c they feel this new policy is a direct challenge to them. Before today, they hadn’t thought about demonstrating in ‘18.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) May 23, 2018
-
AuthorPosts
