zn wrote:

JackPMiller wrote:

The Bucs are an embarrassment. Lovie should have gotten a third year. Even worse, Jeff Fisher, who should be fired, is still the Head Coach.

My bet is that Fisher works out just fine this year.

Unless of course he once more has to deal with both a qb problem and OL issues (including youth and injuries). Cause those were the real cause of the record. IMO scapegoating the coach for that isn’t good football business.

Furthermore, I think there is value in continuity. Teams that constantly start over win less than teams that have continuity. And it’s Kroneke’s style to keep his team stable, so I never thought he WOULD fire Fisher. Whether he should or not is a fair question, but I’m still in favor of keeping Fisher and Snead. They have put together a lot of talent, and it hasn’t produced a winner because of the QBs. And even if you want to blame Snisher for the Foles disaster, I think that’s the only thing that they’ve really screwed up in four years.

Dak wrote:

Sure, he’ll say that.

I would say that he attempted much harder to find a way to get to L.A. than he has to find a way to stay in St. Louis. He stopped taking phone calls from the STL Mayor and MO Governor. At the same time, he was working with Inglewood’s Mayor. I mean, people aren’t stupid. It’s easy to see through.

Pretty easy to see through the argument that he has done his damnedest to build a team, spending to the cap every year, and STILL no fans come to the games. As if, you know, fans buy tickets to watch owners spend to the cap. I mean…I don’t even know how he could include that argument without being ashamed of himself. Not even his friends are going to fail to notice that his team hasn’t been worth buying tickets for in ten years.

nittany ram wrote:

Be warned. If the Rams end up in the AFC I’m going join a militia and occupy the visitor’s center at our local state park until they’re back in the NFC.

I will join you there. Peacefully, of course. And I’m prepared to stay for years…as long as there is internet access and a big screen TV for the games.

Yeah, the schedules are set. There will certainly be no divisional realignment for next year no matter what. But if it ends up being the Chargers and Raiders in LA, they could co-exist for one season. Or they could make the Raiders wait to leave Oakland until the stadium is completed while the Chargers play in the Coliseum. There has been some chat about the Chargers getting into LA earlier anyway so they can get the jump on fan loyalty. Why that is fair and reasonable, I have no idea, but I’ve read that more than once. Spanos seems to think it’s fair because he is closest to LA and claims fans in the area, though both the Raiders and Rams have fans in the area, too, and as I recall, one of the league studies showed the Rams had the most support of the 3 teams within LA itself. But that is the talk.

Anyway, I can’t help but feel somehow the Raiders are going to get the short end of the stick because they are not a Big Boy financially. They are going to get some kind of compromised deal I would think. They can’t do ANYTHING other than stay right where they are without somebody’s help, and I don’t think anybody wants to do them any kind of favors, especially expensive ones. So if the Chargers/Raiders/Carson deal wins out, I would expect the Raiders would move there later, and realignment would happen at that time.

The $500 million relocation fee can be paid in installments over the years, so the Raiders can do it. They will basically take out a 2nd mortgage.

Just occurred to me.

The only guy Kroenke needs to make happy is Spanos. If Spanos can be made happy, everybody will sign off on Kroenke’s move. Kroenke gets Spanos, and he gets all of Spanos’ friends. He has to let Spanos buy a cut of the stadium action.

Well, I hate to get all RFL here, but I don’t think this will get fixed in one year. I agree with the Adequate Hypothesis which argues that the WRs are okay. I think they are. But I think a #1 WR makes them better than okay. I agree that Bailey is a goner, and Quick is doubtful. Is Welker even back next year? They need a #1 and another depth guy. And a TE.

But they will still be limited because they have QB issues. Mannion needs to carry a clipboard another year, I would think, and Foles and Keenum…well, we just saw that movie.

I would sure like to know what Weinke thinks.

I wonder why Carson has more support. Is it cuz of Spanos? I can’t see that being a major factor somehow. LA is a business opportunity, not a popularity contest.

I do recall reading that owners prefer the Carson location.

I still think the big factor in this is that St. Louis has a pretty attractive plan.

wv wrote:

Mermaids hold’em down.

Maybe you are just a product
of that Cali-forn-I-A education system.

So are they going to LA or not?

w
v

I dunno. A year ago, I thought it was about 80% likely they would. I thought SK had the money to do it, he had the land, he had the political clearance, he had the team with the greatest LA legacy, he had a NFL West sizzling design, he had everything.

Meanwhile, the Raiders have no money, and nobody likes them.

But Spanos’ popularity among the gatekeepers combined with the impressive effort in St. Louis have certainly had an effect.

It’s gonna be interesting because neither project has 24 votes. Some owners are going to end up kissing their sister on this one.

Nobody wants the Raiders in LA, and nobody wants to pick up the Raiders’ tab.

Nobody wants to jam St. Louis which has put forward one of the most attractive proposals ever.

But they want a team or two in LA.

I’ve said all along I thought it would end up being the Rams and probably the Chargers, but there have been no rumors to that effect. I think I’d drop the Rams to 50-50 at this point, and if I had to lay money on it, I’d guess the league will defer this a year to see if anything breaks in San Diego.

And why the heck don’t the Raiders share the 9ers’ stadium?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Zooey.

So Havenstein looks good.

Brown was looking good early in the season, and was heralded by some as the best OL, iirc. Anyway, he looks good.

And Wichmann holds promise for backup depth at the least.

Only Donnal looked overmatched, but it’s too early to draw judgement on him. And Battle is a complete unknown, really.

But you have to tip your hat to Snisher/Boudreau. I think this line looks pretty good headed into next season.

QB, WR, and gawdhelpme – never thought I would say this – TE. Plus replacing whomever we lose in FA, of course.

The Rams’ DL has a knack for introducing QBs to “gravity.” Even if William Hayes is skeptical that gravity exists.

I’m not sure who is in the playoffs, but I won’t be rooting for the Seahawks or Washington, or anybody from the AFC, probably. One thing I know for sure is that I’d be willing to murder Nittany’s first born to determine the ultimate outcome.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

wv wrote:

Agamemnon wrote:

After yielding 500-plus yards for the second time in three games, the Rams have plummeted to 22nd in the league in total defense.

Well, I’m still very impressed with the Rams Redzone D.
The Redzone D is possibly the most important defensive
stat.

But losing Quinn was a devastating loss. He
was one of the four or five players that
just could not get injured….usually
I’d put the QB in that category, but…

w
v

I have been biting my tongue for weeks.

I’m afraid Quinn will never be the same. Back injuries are bad things. Backs are tougher to get right again that any other body part I can think of.