NFL N/V August: Antonio Cl-(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Football Funhouse > NFL N/V August: Antonio Cl-(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

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shirts and skins: Jun 25, 2007; Good morning!

Man. I can believe it. Sherman got all the press but Earl was easily the craziest member of the LOB. He was also the *best*, but he's one of those people who can never drop the intensity level.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 14:38

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# ? May 23, 2024 19:50

Diva Cupcake: Aug 15, 2005

Thomas is 1 year into a 4/$55m contract and he played very well last year on an elite defense. He immediately goes to the Cowboys for dirt money if he�s cut.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 14:51

kiimo: Jul 24, 2003

Chase Claypool is now on my dynasty team so I'm sorry to say that he'll sit for two years and then get kicked off the team, apologies to the yinzers for cursing him

# ? Aug 22, 2020 15:26

Fate Accomplice: Nov 30, 2006

Diva Cupcake posted:

Thomas is 1 year into a 4/$55m contract and he played very well last year on an elite defense. He immediately goes to the Cowboys for dirt money if he�s cut.

Given his �come get me� to the cowboys years ago it�s not out of the realm of possibility that this was his plan

# ? Aug 22, 2020 15:41

Spoeank: Jul 16, 2003; That's a nice set of 11 dynasty points there, it would be a shame if 3 rings were to happen with it

Earl Thomas is going to end up with the Eagles if he gets cut

city of brotherly love

# ? Aug 22, 2020 15:51

sharknado slashfic: Jun 24, 2011

Twitter rumor had it that ET punched Clark. All the reporters really could say is something happened and it didn't look like your normal training camp squabble.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:02

D-LINK: Oct 1, 2007; I was talking to peachy Peach about kissy Kiss. He bought me a soda.

kiimo posted:

Chase Claypool is now on my dynasty team so I'm sorry to say that he'll sit for two years and then get kicked off the team, apologies to the yinzers for cursing him

He will get a million red zone targets due to being 6'4" with a 44' vertical jump, even if he sucks at every other aspect of WR

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:07

SKULL.GIF: Jan 20, 2017

If you haven't heard, the Packers decided to throttle media coverage of their training camp and practices. Here's an article reacting to that that I thought made a bunch of good points, and on top of that revealed certain things about how teams actually engage with sports journalism despite pretty much every single front office openly scoffing at the idea.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2020/8/20/21378012/packers-gm-brian-gutekunst-defends-reporting-restrictions-as-practical

quote:

No one is being oppressed or having their freedoms overridden because poor old beat reporters can�t breathlessly tweet out precious practice information. In fact, the actionable information NFL teams might actually find valuable � who is playing well and who is struggling � will still show up in Twitter timelines, columns, and stories. But when Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst defended new restrictions on media reporting as practical on Thursday, he missed the crucial reason it�s so troubling.

If media reports of who is playing on the first team or who is playing multiple positions are suddenly state secrets, then nearly all reporting falls into this category and becomes open to restriction by NFL teams.

Using a global pandemic to restrict access under the guise of competitive advantage doesn�t just feel opportunistic, it reveals a broader intent. Teams like Green Bay would love to restrict information more than they already do, but they can�t because there are explicit rules forbidding it. Instead, they capriciously dole out credentials and more often reject those requests, even from established digital brands or Hall of Fame beat writers like Bob McGinn trying to make it independently.

Gutekunst admitted that as part of normal due diligence, scouts will read local reporting from beat writers to get additional information related to player development. In a non-COVID season, that functions as supplemental information to more tangible tape study. But without preseason games, the team would be left to make decisions based almost entirely on the say-so of cargo-shorts wearing typewriter jockeys like us.

This admission reveals that teams already rely on the very information they seek to limit from their own shop, and that�s precisely the point. What they don�t realize is if they�re doing it because other teams are doing it, the rest of the league will no doubt follow suit. Competitive advantage neutralized. Now no one will get anything and they�ll have to like it.

Take that face, how do you like it without a nose?

And this is where the NFL, in conjunction with its media stakeholders and even the NFLPA, need to step in. Consulting with the Pro Football Writers Association, whose Green Bay chapter decried this decision but can offer little in practical pushback, would be a reasonable start. If one team does this, others will follow. Why would the Browns continue to stream their practices for fans if the Packers won�t even allow reporters to say who is running with the starters as opposed to rotating in with the No. 2s?

Gutekunst referenced this domino effect directly in his Thursday Zoom call.

�As we got into the first three days (of practice), and seen the landscape of what other teams were doing, and just the information we were gathering,� Gutekunst explained, �Without 8,000 people at practice and four preseason games, I thought we were at a disadvantage, and I wanted to equal the playing field.�

In short, why would we help other teams if they aren�t helping us? On its face that�s exactly right. But they do regularly hold practice in front of thousands of fans, practices that non-credentialed media, bloggers, and maybe even a curious NFL scout or two could attend. The Browns do stream practices. The same competitive disadvantages would theoretically apply, but this time the difference is preseason games?

The answer is they limit the information because they can.

There�s little stopping them from creating an NFL Cold War environment where every team is so paranoid about releasing information that no one allows anything to come out. How long before non-team site reporters only get to watch warm ups and stretches? And for what? A marginal advantage that goes out the window once everyone else does the same thing, one teams didn�t seem to care about before as more and more franchises realized how much fan engagement could be lucrative.

But given a little power to do a thing that teams � at least on the football side � likely already wanted to do? Crush those nerds and their spreadsheets.

Boo hoo, poor fake news reporters right? They�ll just have to come up with unscrupulous click-hungry narratives some other way. Here�s the problem: that�s right. The less information reporters can share, the more clickbait columns get written because that�s suddenly the only other thing that can be printed. Suddenly the proverbial blocking and tackling reports from practice turn into body language doctoring of Aaron Rodgers helping out Jordan Love during a drill. Imagine what Colin Cowherd�s programming would look like with literally no actual reporting from practice.

That�s bad for fans and for the teams. No one wants that.

Engagement from coverage drives attention. Fans crave this stuff. A commentary about a 1-on-1 rep gets hundreds of retweets. A.J. Dillon goes viral for wearing practice shorts from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. A Patrick Mahomes absurd throw becomes 8 minutes of a Fox Sports 1 talking head show. This is what incites the kind of attention that puts money in the pockets of the league.

If it�s not a big deal to hold public practices in front of thousands of fans wearing green and gold, then it�s hardly going to change the outcomes of the 53-man roster if some blogger reports which guy is playing right tackle and right guard. If teams believe the balance of their seasons are truly that tenuous, it�s not showing very much faith in their own process � not to mention they�re only encouraging other teams to follow suit, which actively hurts their own scouting of other teams, because now they�re also relying on the word of a guy typing from his mom�s basement. He might even *gasp* care about analytics. Then what would teams do? How would they live?

This isn�t the first time the league and its member teams had to walk back media restrictions. At one point during a recent, misguided attempt to limit video in training camp, beat reporters resorting to sarcastically tweeting crudely executed photos seemingly made in Microsoft Paint. Local Packers writers have taken similarly sarcastic approaches to their Twitter activity, sending out purposefully nebulous messages. It�s ridiculous.

When fans return next year, assuming that happens, what�s to stop non-credentialed people from doing this? Plenty of members of the blogosphere, podcasters, and other established media creators aren�t credentialed. CheeseheadTV and Acme Packing Company have done it for years. Some of those people even became credentialed media (and then got un-credentialed before getting re-credentialed). Why have a policy that would be moot under normal circumstances? The benefit now is only marginally greater than it was before.

There�s no actual advantage once this becomes a trend. It hurts fan engagement and creates a media environment that must rely more on clickbait and engenders antipathy from those covering the team itself. It�s a no-win decision cloaked in pragmatism.

That�s why this move looks either blatantly punitive, or obviously short-sighted ... or as is often the case in the NFL, both.

Are there any other teams taking similar actions? From this article, I know the Browns aren't :v:

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:11

SirPablo: May 1, 2004; Pillbug

That's a lot of blue in frame.

https://twitter.com/AroundTheNFL/status/1297174183063904256?s=19

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:20

sharknado slashfic: Jun 24, 2011

Reminder that it's Jason La Canfora, so Earl Thomas will probably be the owner of the Ravens by the end of the weekend.

https://twitter.com/Connor_J_Hughes/status/1297192611921440770

sharknado slashfic fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Aug 22, 2020

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:20

Android Apocalypse: Apr 28, 2009; The future is
AUTOMATED
and you are
OBSOLETE; Illegal Hen

SKULL.GIF posted:

If you haven't heard, the Packers decided to throttle media coverage of their training camp and practices. Here's an article reacting to that that I thought made a bunch of good points, and on top of that revealed certain things about how teams actually engage with sports journalism despite pretty much every single front office openly scoffing at the idea.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2020/8/20/21378012/packers-gm-brian-gutekunst-defends-reporting-restrictions-as-practical

Are there any other teams taking similar actions? From this article, I know the Browns aren't

I enjoy reading about the fourth estate in my football news.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:47

AndrewP: Apr 21, 2010

ET is still good and I hope he stops being a weird rear end in a top hat and they don�t cut him

# ? Aug 22, 2020 17:24

Hamhandler: Aug 9, 2008; [I want to] shit in your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you.

SKULL.GIF posted:

If you haven't heard, the Packers decided to throttle media coverage of their training camp and practices. Here's an article reacting to that that I thought made a bunch of good points, and on top of that revealed certain things about how teams actually engage with sports journalism despite pretty much every single front office openly scoffing at the idea.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2020/8/20/21378012/packers-gm-brian-gutekunst-defends-reporting-restrictions-as-practical

Are there any other teams taking similar actions? From this article, I know the Browns aren't

It's an NFL rule, but teams are implementing and interpreting it differently. The Dolphins are also taking a hard line, and it's been really loving stupid. They're training a guard to play center and some his snaps were rough and it was clearly obvious the guy was playing the position but they had to describe how he was in a "new role" and that it somehow caused issues with the snap. Then several times the players have said stuff(like a Center talking about lining up next to a rookie RG) which the media couldn't actually seemingly say even after the media.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 18:14

Shimrra Jamaane: Aug 10, 2007; Obscure to all except those well-versed in Yuuzhan Vong lore.

The Patriots won�t allow the press to report on who is returning punts.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 18:26

fartknocker: Oct 28, 2012; Damn it, this always happens. I think I'm gonna score, and then I never score. It's not fair.; Wedge Regret

Shimrra Jamaane posted:

The Patriots won�t allow the press to report on who is returning punts.

Twist: It�s Stidham.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 18:33

fsif: Jul 18, 2003

Yeah what exactly is the rationale behind tighter reporting restrictions for beat writers this season?

Best I understand it, the teams had some leverage to bar reporters from covering the teams at all because of Covid, so they instead wielded said leverage to reach a "compromise" where reporters can still attend practices but can't report on anything but the most superficial details. Which, you know, now means getting the drawback of an increased chance of Covid exposure for the teams, but without any tangible benefit of meaningful reporting.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 19:20

sharknado slashfic: Jun 24, 2011

I'm beginning to think Earl Thomas doesn't have good decision making skills

# ? Aug 22, 2020 20:44

Hamhandler: Aug 9, 2008; [I want to] shit in your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you.

fsif posted:

Yeah what exactly is the rationale behind tighter reporting restrictions for beat writers this season?

Best I understand it, the teams had some leverage to bar reporters from covering the teams at all because of Covid, so they instead wielded said leverage to reach a "compromise" where reporters can still attend practices but can't report on anything but the most superficial details. Which, you know, now means getting the drawback of an increased chance of Covid exposure for the teams, but without any tangible benefit of meaningful reporting.

I can't really find anything but I was under the impression that because they're cutting down on the amount of media in attendance(largely to the detriment of some of the smaller outfits), they're restricting the reporting to not "favor" the organizations that do have access. Seems like a bit of an excuse to cut back in general though.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 20:47

shirts and skins: Jun 25, 2007; Good morning!

sharknado slashfic posted:

I'm beginning to think Earl Thomas doesn't have good decision making skills

In an interpersonal sense, I suppose. On a football field? He's top notch.

Hm. This may be a problem after he retires.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 21:33

Hamhandler: Aug 9, 2008; [I want to] shit in your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you.

Shimrra Jamaane posted:

The Patriots won�t allow the press to report on who is returning punts.

The Dolphins local press has gotten around it by saying that a player "has been given every opportunity" to earn a starting job rather than saying that they're starting.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 21:33

Mystic Stylez: Dec 19, 2009

https://twitter.com/sgellison/status/1297217589920374789?s=19

I'm the helmet

# ? Aug 22, 2020 22:32

sharknado slashfic: Jun 24, 2011

He also had to pull it becaaaaaaaause

https://twitter.com/jamisonhensley/status/1297245846539567104

# ? Aug 22, 2020 22:40

Mystic Stylez: Dec 19, 2009

imagine the Ravens actually signing Antonio Brown and Marcus Peters & Earl Thomas covering him in practice :fireemoji:

# ? Aug 22, 2020 22:41

sharknado slashfic: Jun 24, 2011

Per the Athletic

quote:

When the Ravens went to Seattle and beat his old team in Week 7, Thomas was given a game ball by Harbaugh. Afterward, Thomas spoke about how much it meant to him to have his new team play so well to make sure his return home resulted in a victory. Thomas, however, didn�t return home with the Ravens. He started his bye week early and went on vacation, missing a team meeting that Monday that Harbaugh had set up heading into the bye, sources said. Thomas then returned from the bye week, a day later than players were scheduled to be back.

It was not the only time during the season where Thomas either was late for or missed a team or position meeting altogether, sources said. Players were due back at the team facility for a season-ending meeting with coaches the day after the shocking playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans. Thomas didn�t show for that one either, sources said. He also was late for at least one position meeting since training camp started earlier this month.

The Ravens tried to give Thomas some latitude, but his unpredictable nature has worn on some players and coaches. Punching Clark, one of the team�s most respected and popular players, was reportedly the final straw for some teammates.

If the hitpieces are starting to roll out, he's probably toast. I guess, uh, Tony Jefferson is available?

# ? Aug 22, 2020 22:50

D-LINK: Oct 1, 2007; I was talking to peachy Peach about kissy Kiss. He bought me a soda.

Mystic Stylez posted:

imagine the Ravens actually signing Antonio Brown and Marcus Peters & Earl Thomas covering him in practice :fireemoji:

AB has owned Marcus Peters over his career

# ? Aug 22, 2020 22:55

Eifert Posting: Apr 1, 2007; Most of the time he catches it every time.; Grimey Drawer

I've seen a few teams try and switch des to te, what's up with that?

# ? Aug 22, 2020 23:00

SKULL.GIF: Jan 20, 2017

Eifert Posting posted:

I've seen a few teams try and switch des to te, what's up with that?

It's rare to find the right combination of strength, size, and speed to make a Gronk or a Kittle, and DEs are the position group that typically comes closest to the measurables you're looking for. If you have some DEs languishing on the bottom of the roster and you're hurting for TE help, you might as well try to convert them and see if they can also catch/block along with being big, tall, and fast.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 23:16

Diva Cupcake: Aug 15, 2005

Kaufusi would be like DL9 and if he can catch maybe he hangs on as TE4 or practice squad. Probably just a business decision.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 23:32

Mystic Stylez: Dec 19, 2009

sharknado slashfic posted:

Per the Athletic

If the hitpieces are starting to roll out, he's probably toast. I guess, uh, Tony Jefferson is available?

I think they most likely would give Elliot a chance and resign Brandon Carr

# ? Aug 22, 2020 23:38

Professor Funk: Aug 4, 2008; WE ALL KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN

Diva Cupcake posted:

Kaufusi would be like DL9 and if he can catch maybe he hangs on as TE4 or practice squad. Probably just a business decision.

Kinda sucks for him given the Jets two deepest positions are probably DL and TE (now that Griffin and Brown are back).

# ? Aug 22, 2020 23:51

The Puppy Bowl: Jan 31, 2013; A dog, in the house.

*woof*

Thomas is for sure an rear end in a top hat coworker but he's still very good on a football field so hopefully things workout. That said if it comes down to Clark and team chemistry vs. Thomas, Earl has got to go. Barring injury Clark is going to make the Ravens look brilliant signing him to that cheap contract.

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:01

a neat cape: Feb 22, 2007; Aw hunny, these came out GREAT!

I cant wait to go here one day

https://twitter.com/LindseyThiry/status/1297301439434260480?s=19

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:08

ShaneMacGowansTeeth: May 22, 2007; I think this is it... I think this is how it ends

Oh Chad

https://twitter.com/ochocinco/status/1297309617328984066

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:09

Hamhandler: Aug 9, 2008; [I want to] shit in your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your fucking mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you.

Eifert Posting posted:

I've seen a few teams try and switch des to te, what's up with that?

Colleges aren't really producing enough traditional "Y" tight ends to meet demand anymore. A lot of guys don't learn to block worth a poo poo and college programs hide them with slot/H-back reps, and even the guys who have solid experience in-line generally seem to be pretty mediocre. Some of the inherent "mismatch" properties of the position in the passing game isn't just being 6'5" or whatever, it comes from creating a gap in the run game- forcing the defender in coverage to also defend the gap in the run game, and all of the different ways you can then leverage being in conflict against the run and the pass. Some of the stuff you get by virtue of showing up- but if a guy can block it's better and more effective.

DE makes sense because a lot of the guys who would be playing the position 20 years ago are probably getting slotted as a DE by colleges now. Some of the basic physicality probably translates well- they know how to square up with guys in their weight class, and the emphasis on explosion off of the LOS(and the pass rush moves) seem like they might translate pretty well to in-line TE releases. The learning curve is probably still steep enough that you're going to end up with like an Anthony Fasano or Dan Campbell or whatever rather than the next Gronk or Witten, but those guys are still kinda rare as it stands.

I don't know why the NFL doesn't go back to playing more with four true wide receivers anymore and just don't loving worry about the extra gap. A 4th CB is probably a pretty good target for a mismatch, and it worked pretty well in the 80's and 90's in the NFL.

Hamhandler fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Aug 23, 2020

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:26

Eifert Posting: Apr 1, 2007; Most of the time he catches it every time.; Grimey Drawer

Bengals seem poised to go that way. They have like 5 guys behind Boyd and Green who would be above average 3rd wrs.

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:44

SKULL.GIF: Jan 20, 2017

Catfish Noodlin posted:

I don't know why the NFL doesn't go back to playing more with four true wide receivers anymore and just don't loving worry about the extra gap. A 4th CB is probably a pretty good target for a mismatch, and it worked pretty well in the 80's and 90's in the NFL.

Pre-snap scheming. A TE can block or catch, a 4th WR can't really. If you have 4 WRs on the field, the defense knows pretty much what's coming and can adjust for it.

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:52

Eifert Posting: Apr 1, 2007; Most of the time he catches it every time.; Grimey Drawer

How many established quarterbacks have the line and the skill right now to make 4 reads?

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:54

a neat cape: Feb 22, 2007; Aw hunny, these came out GREAT!

Eifert Posting posted:

How many established quarterbacks have the line and the skill right now to make 4 reads?

Philip

# ? Aug 23, 2020 00:59

Ches Neckbeard: Dec 3, 2005; You're all garbage, back up the truck BACK IT UP!

one of the all-pro names of the league is making noise

https://twitter.com/FalconsKelsey/status/1296902919778967555?s=20

# ? Aug 23, 2020 01:28

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# ? May 23, 2024 19:50

Spoeank: Jul 16, 2003; That's a nice set of 11 dynasty points there, it would be a shame if 3 rings were to happen with it

Koo got himself at least 5 more years in the league with the like 3 successful onside kicks in one game last year

# ? Aug 23, 2020 01:49

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Football Funhouse > NFL N/V August: Antonio Cl-(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

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