Tag: Cleveland Browns

Al Davis, Cleveland Browns, Football, Mike Holmgren, NFL, Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders, Sports

And The Fallout Begins …………………

Posted on by tophatal ...........

And The Fallout Begins ……..

Well it comes as no surprise to me that the Oakland Raiders find themselves in a mess of idiotic proportions . Team owner Al Davis for some unfathomable reason felt it necessary to fire Tom Cable after the team having swept their division now find themselves without any semblance of continuity. Many of the fans of the team feel angered by this decision but at the same they know that Al Davis marches to a beat of a very different drum. Even if he can’t hear the damn drum to begin with and this is an individual who I feel is no longer cognitive of what’s happening around him !

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In Cable’s place Hue Jackson will assume the position as head coach. This is a team that during the season had found a sense of purpose and direction but it’d appear that the inconsistency displayed by both Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski played its part in derailing the ambitions and hope for the Raiders this past season . Statistically the Raiders have been mid rank amongst the teams within the NFL in a number of categories but the real inherent problem has been the lack of leadership on this team. It certainly hasn’t come from the playmaking of either quarterback and even with a seasoned veteran such as Richard Seymour it would appear that his teammates weren’t always prepared to follow his example.

Nnamdi Asomugha perhaps the team’s best player on either side of the ball now finds himself perhaps on the outside looking in as the team now has rescinded all of the incentives on his record breaking contract ($45 million three year contract). Having failed to meet the incentives this season the organization has sought in part to renegotiate that deal but it appears that the player and management are now at an impasse. In failing to renegotiate the player’s deal the Raiders aren’t in a position to place the franchise tag on the player and at the same time should they seek to trade him the compensation sought by them could prove to be far too high for a number of teams around the league for the four time Pro Bowl cornerback . Oakland isn’t unlike a number of teams around the league that find themselves in something of a financial morass albeit that they fare well with the millions that they derive in revenues each season. With Asomugha being an unrestricted free agent the only alternatives that the Raiders now have will be either to seek a trade resign the cornerback to a long term contract which he and his agent will no doubt be seeking . The Raiders cannot place the franchise tag on the player in order to retain his services , so therein lies the dilemma that the Oakland Raiders now face at this juncture .

Courtesy of NFL Network

Asomugha’s Raiders deal voided because of missed incentives

By Jason La Canofora of the NFL Network

Nnamdi Asomugha isn’t under contract with the Oakland Raiders.

Asomugha didn’t reach certain incentives this season, voiding the last year of a three-year, $45.3 million contract and making the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback an unrestricted free agent, a source with knowledge of the deal said Sunday.

Raiders senior executive John Herrera later confirmed to The Associated Press that the contract had been voided. The 2011 option was worth either $16.8 million or the amount of the quarterback franchise tag, whichever is greater.

The Raiders now must decide whether to pay big money to keep Asomugha or use it to shore up other positions.

“We have to wait on the ramifications of the new CBA to be able to move on,” Herrera told The AP.

The Raiders could have many other key free agents this offseason, depending on the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour, safety Michael Huff, cornerback Stanford Routt, tight end Zach Miller, left guard Robert Gallery and running back Michael Bush are among the Raiders’ other potential free agents.

Entering this season, Asomugha had to participate in more plays or boost his interception, fumble recovery or sack totals from their 2009 levels to pick up the last year of the contract. But Asomugha played in just 14 games — two less than 2009 — because of an ankle injury, and he didn’t post an interception, a fumble recovery or a sack. He also had 19 tackles, 15 fewer than last season.

The Raiders can’t use their franchise tag on Asomugha, who will be 30 next season, because of another clause in the contract, which the cornerback signed in February of 2009. Asomugha was paid $28.5 million in the first two years of the deal.

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It remains to be seen how this situation will work itself between the player and the organization will come to a satisfactory conclusion. I’ve no doubt that Asomugha can still contribute to this team as he has done since his entry into the NFL some 7 years ago . Since then this perennial Prow Bowler has been one the main constants for this team and he has drawn the admiration of his peers and coaches alike around the NFL .

I’d repeatedly said at the time the moment that team President Mike Holmgren sought to retain Eric Mangini as the team’s coach until his firing this season I felt that the Cleveland Browns simply had no idea what the hell they were doing. For two mercilessly uninspiring seasons Mangini simply ran this team into the ground .

Now Holmgren has to constitute a wide ranging search for a candidate whom he feels can successfully resurrect the fortunes of this franchise. I’ve no doubt that the search will be widespread and will be amongst a number of candidates that Holmgren will look to interview . Jon Gruden , Bill Cowher and Mike Mularkey are names that come to mind and I’ve no doubt that with the recent hiring of Jim Harbaugh as coach of the San Francisco 49ers Mike Holmgren will look amongst the college ranks .And amongst those who may well gauged as to their interest may well be Les Miles of LSU , Chris Petersen of Boise State and Chip Kelly of Oregon . But the feeling is that many of these coaches mentioned within the college ranks might just be happy to remain with the programs that they’ve built up over the years.

Courtesy of NFL.com

Falcons OC Mularkey offers no details after Browns interview

Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey doesn’t know the Cleveland Browns’ time frame for hiring a new coach following his recent interview with the team.

That was about all Mularkey would acknowledge publicly about his candidacy in Cleveland. He interviewed Saturday with Browns team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert.

“I’m going to move on from commenting about that,” Mularkey said Sunday. “I’ll move on to anything else you want to talk about.”

Mularkey, who is helping the Falcons prepare for a home playoff game Saturday, hopes to become an NFL head coach for the second time. He had a 14-18 record with the Buffalo Bills in 2004 and 2005.

Mularkey canceled an interview with the Denver Broncos last week. He isn’t sure if the Browns will request a second interview, but Mularkey was adamant that his primary focus is the Falcons’ next game.

“I just know this has been very important to me,” he said. “It’s important to our team. I’m not sure when a decision is coming down.”

NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi confirmed that St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, the first candidate to interview, is the Browns’ front-runner.

In his first three seasons with Atlanta, Mularkey has helped quarterback Matt Ryan become a burgeoning star. Ryan was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008 after the Falcons drafted him No. 3 overall.

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There’s no denying that some pieces are in place for the Browns but in reality what they’ve lacked over the years has been leadership from the upper echelons within this famed franchise and the fact the coaching if anything has been mediocre at best ! Whoever assumes the reins of this team will have to go about their job with a great deal of expediency but at the same they will have realize that time is of the essence trying to achieve any modicum of success and that’s what will be asked of the successor to Eric Mangini. Chances are that the person assuming this position will now be put on a great of pressure to succeed.

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Picture gallery for your perusal.

What thoughts if any do you have with regards to the ongoing fallout that’s now taking place as to the managerial upheavals within the NFL ? Also what conclusions if any do you believe will come from the situation now involving the Oakland Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha ? Simply chime with a comment as to your thoughts on the topics raised and your and that of the NFL at present as you view it ?

NB: Click here for the latest NFL News .

Weekend scores & results .

As a bye note I’d just like to put this out there to the “idiot” who made the statement that Matt Cassel is the best quarterback in the NFL that has been produced by USC . Given Cassel’s display against in the team’s 30-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens let’s just say that Cassel much like his USC peers who are now playing the position in the NFL aren’t good enough to wear jock itch much less strap on a set of cleats and call themselves quarterbacks in the NFL . Matt Cassel , Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer collectively just aren’t that good by any stretch of the imagination. The trio are merely a bunch of over-hyped so called wannabe’s and ’til they prove that they’re good enough to be amongst the elite of the NFL please stop with dumb ass prognostications ?

No one start to ride on the Mel Kiper bandwagon but that guy has had more misses than hits over the years never mind the fact that much of the time he merely cites these players . because he’s suborned to do so by his association with the players’ agents rather than him gauging these players through his own observations. Plainly and succinctly what Kiper puts out there simply isn’t worth the time of day !

Alan aka tophatal …………………………..

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Vanessa Wilson

Eye candy ……. Vanessa Wilson . Tasty eh ?

Vanessa

Any problems with this particular position ?

Well Vanessa I like what it is that you're showing baby !

Well Vanessa I like what it is you’re showing off baby ! And I trust my patrons do as well ?

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AFC East, Dallas Cowboys, Football, New England Patriots, NFL, Sports

All Things Must Come To An End ! Even The Good Ones ……….

Posted on by tophatal ...........

All Things Must Come To An End ! Even The Good Ones ……….

All good things come to and end it’d appear that calmer heads ruled the day as Jerry Jones made the decision to fire his much maligned incumbent head coach Wade Phillips. At 1-7 one might ask why it took Jones so long to come to a decision where clearly it was evident that Phillips had lost control of a Dallas Cowboys’ team that had for all sense and purpose was “mailing it in”. Highly overpaid athletes who as such couldn’t strap it all on and play hard for 60 minutes. I’ve often heard it said that NFL players are tough and some of the best athletes on the planet. Pardon me for saying this if the Cowboys are meant to be the basis for that argument then I feel everyone who subscribes to that premise really needs to pull their head out of their ass. This current Cowboys’ team couldn’t match the tenacity of teams past who wore a Cowboys jersey with pride. What we’re now witnessing are a bunch of high priced primadona players. As for Phillips his sacrifice was to fall on the sword without Jones being prepared to accept responsibility for this gaffe and the team’s fall from grace.

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Jerry Jones believes that the team can somehow rebound and play with a great deal of pride. Phillips’ offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will now become the interim coach of the team and he’ll be assessed by Jones as to whether or not he’ll become Wade Phillips’ successor. From my own perspective this might just be the only appropriate thing that Jones can do while he gauges the interests of former coaches Jon Gruden , Bill Cowher and quite possibly from the college ranks Mark Dantonio , Chip Kelly , Gene Chizik , Les Miles and quite possibly Jim Harbaugh of Stanford . Though from what we all know of Jones it’s highly unlikely that he’d be willing to hire a coach from the college ranks unless he knows that he won’t have to acquiesce any power whatsoever to his new hire.

Jason Garrett was originally meant to be their heir apparent to Phillips and while his title was in essence the team’s offensive coordinator he had also been assigned the title of assistant head coach. Collectively however, I do think that while much of the blame lays squarely on the shoulders of Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones , I do feel that Garrett simply has shown that as a coordinator and assistant coach he’s simply brought nothing at all to the table. This team lacks leadership, accountability but overall the Cowboys lack complete purpose and the will to win !. And given the inept display by the team in their 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers it’s easy to see why the Dallas Cowboys have become one of the biggest jokes of the NFL season. Other than the hapless 0-7 ___ Buffalo Bills has there been a more maligned team and none sensical story of this NFL season ? Granted we’ve had so many idiotic prognostications as to why the Cowboys ought to have been viewed as a preseason favorite for the Superbowl . I must’ve missed something here because this is the same Dallas Cowboys’ team that hadn’t won a playoff game in over decade and whose presence last year in the playoffs lasted almost as long as a sobriety rehab stay of Lindsay Lohan. Mauled and manhandled by the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC divisional playoff game it is easy to understand the reason why I personally think that this team is vastly overrated !

How in God’s name can a 6-1 team look so inept in every facet of an NFL game ? Given the premise that the New England Patriots were now being viewed as the best team in the AFC record wise. It was clear that they were going to be in for a rude awakening . And that came about in the Patriots’ humiliating 34-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns where former Patriots’ offensive coordinator , now coach of the Browns Eric Mangini and his coaching staff out-coached Bill Belichick . If the postgame interview and statement by Belichick was anything to go by then it’s clear that the Patriots’ coach in his own naivete took the Browns far too lightly. The New England Patriots were outplayed in every facet of the game and defensively this team still has its flaws , as they were continually exposed in the team’s pass and run defense. And if that wasn’t enough Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense were so inept that it is inconceivable that they actually ended up scoring fourteen points in this game. To top it all , Browns’ quarterback Colt McCoy had what might have been the best performance of his career in the NFL since his entrance, leading his team with a great deal of aplomb. Assisting him in that endeavor also was his teammate Peyton Hillis who racked up 184 yards on 29 carries , scoring 2 TD’s (avg 6.34 yards per carry). And if that wasn’t cause for concern it’s clear that this Patriots’ defense has a long way to go if the ambitions of Belichick are to be met in his aim to win a fourth Superbowl championship as a coach joining former Steelers’ coach Chuck Noll as the only four time winning Superbowl coach of the modern era in the NFL.

Within the AFC East the division has become something of a competitive one and it can no longer be viewed as the Patriots’ domain . Rex Ryan and the New York Jets have now become a welcome foe for the Patriots and with a rejuvenated and always forceful Miami Dolphins now looking for some semblance of respect from their divisional rivals as well as the rest of the teams within the AFC. It has to be said that whoever makes it out of the division as its divisional champion will be considered to be one of the favorites within the AFC for the Superbowl 45 (SBXLV).

If the Patriots are to get back on track then their next game against conference opponents the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh this upcoming Sunday will be a stern test of their resolve. They’ll be meeting a Steelers’ team having hit its stride and playing some of the best football in the league on both sides of the ball. Ben Roethlisberger having returned from his four game NFL mandated suspension has been guiding the team as its signal caller and with Troy Polamalu and Rashard Mendenhall having banner seasons it has to be said that this will be a tall order that is being asked of the Patriots to rebound from their loss to the Cleveland Browns. Mike Tomlin will have his team prepared to face whatever Bill Belichick has to throw at him strategically . This may well be one of the better games on offer in Week 10 of the NFL and it could go a long way in determining whether or not the Patriots are “for real” and whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers are capable of making another return to the Superbowl in chasing down what would be their quest for a seventh Lombardi Trophy triumph.

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Picture gallery for your perusal .

What thoughts if any do you have concerning the decision of Jerry Jones to fire his coach ? Do you feel that it was a knee jerk reaction on his part and do you feel that under interim coach Jason Garrett the team will fare any better ? With regard to the New England Patriots do you feel that the team will be able to rebound from their rather inexplicable loss to the Cleveland Browns and some defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming weekend ? Simply chime on with a comment on the issues raised within this piece and any other NFL story that was of interest to you this past weekend. Thanks as always for your continued support as it has always been appreciated !

Alan aka tophatal ………………………… 🙂

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Ali Milan

Eye candy Ali Milan . I’d definitely lick her ta-ta’s and other jiggly bits !

17
Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Football, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Sports

Hail Caesar We Who Are About To Die Salute You

Posted on by tophatal ...........

Hail Caesar We Who Are About To Die Salute You ….

For the life of me I can never understand it ! The pundits make their asinine claims anoint players who’ve never ‘ran a down’ , ‘tackled an opposing player’ or ‘passed a ball’ in the NFL . But yet they’re anointed playmakers or the ‘future face’ of a franchise. Such asinine statements, albeit, that this is just one person’s point of view, does seem to weigh heavily by some of the predictions being made not only the bloggers I’ve read recently, preceding the upcoming NFL Draft . But many of them seem to be basing their projections solely by what they’ve either heard by just listening to the tv pundits on television. If the likes of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay were really that good. Then they would be indeed holding down a position within the ‘front office’ of any one of the ’32 NFL franchises’ around the league . But that is most definitely not the case ! Instead they make their living proffering up opinions, for which they’re both highly paid by ESPN . Makes me kind of glad that they’re not offering financial stock tips or any other type of financial advice. It’s bad enough as it is seeing the likes of Tim Geithner , Larry Summers and Ben Bernanke offering advice on the US economy . And they’re meant to be professionals.

Kansas City , Mo,. Brady Quinn (10) of the Cleveland Browns looks on during their NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 20, 2009 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. According to reports on March 14, 2010, the Browns traded Quinn to the Denver Broncos for draft picks and Peyton Hillis. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jamie Squires ....
Kansas City , Mo,. Brady Quinn (10) of the Cleveland Browns looks on during their NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 20, 2009 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. According to reports on March 14, 2010, the Browns traded Quinn to the Denver Broncos for draft picks and Peyton Hillis. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jamie Squires ....

Perhaps it was me but I seem to remember the proclamations that were being made about Brady Quinn as a quarterback while he was at Notre Dame . What was it that the pundits were seeing that clearly made them think that Quinn was about to become a prodigious talent within the NFL ? I mean for God’s sake, under Charlie Weis’ tutelage , the guy has hardly advanced wherein , you’d even now deem him an ‘average quarterback’ in the NFL . The player has failed miserably while with the Cleveland Browns and with a hapless coach such as Eric Mangini , in his first year as the team’s coach , last season. Quinn fared no better, as he and Derek Anderson shared the signal calling duties. If there was a more ‘inept duo of quarterbacks’ within the NFL last season , then I certainly must’ve missed seeing them. Because this duo not only performed abysmally but they brought a whole new meaning and standard in ineptitude to the game, with their poor play.

And now with the Browns having traded Quinn to the Denver Broncos , where he’s meant to challenge Kyle Orton > for the starting position on the AFC West division team . One wonders what the thought process was within the Broncos’ front office and the thinking with Broncos’ coach Josh McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders ? Now we know that McDaniels was of great assistance to Tom Brady while he part of the Patriots’ coaching staff under Bill Belichick . But I’m not naive enough to think that McDaniels is about to turn Quinn into a world beater . He may well be good but not that damn good ! & Somehow , I don’t see the Broncos faring much better than their 8-8 record reflected from last season ! The division remains the San Diego Chargers to lose , should they decide on imploding. Or heavens forbid , should the unthinkable d happen and the Oakland Raiders see fit to actually become competitive under Tom Cable’s lackluster coaching skills. Never mind the fact that they’ve still got the ungainly JaMarcus Russell as the team’s quarterback. One would’ve thought by now that Raiders’ quarteraback’s coach Paul Hackett would’ve given up on a lost cause ? But apparently not , as he still plods away trying to teach the player , the simplest nuances of the game.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) throws a pass during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. Released last week after seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Delhomme is visiting Thursday, March 11, 201, with the perpetually rebuilding Cleveland Browns, who have been busy this week trying to improve their unstable quarterback situation. Delhomme's agent, Rick Smith, confirmed that the 35-year-old free agent QB is at the Browns' team headquarters in Berea, Ohio. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Seth Wenig .....
Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) throws a pass during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. Released last week after seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Delhomme is visiting Thursday, March 11, 201, with the perpetually rebuilding Cleveland Browns, who have been busy this week trying to improve their unstable quarterback situation. Delhomme's agent, Rick Smith, confirmed that the 35-year-old free agent QB is at the Browns' team headquarters in Berea, Ohio. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Seth Wenig .....

Now as much I’ve admired Mike Holmgren as a coach and in particular his years with the Green Bay Packers. I’ve now got to question his notion that in acquiring Jake Delhomme as the Browns’ new quarterback. As team President & Head of Player Personnel , he is now in charge of all roster decisions as it concerns the team. And for Delhomme in the declining years of what been a moderate NFL career. I for one don’t view him as someone who can lead the Browns to success that their long suffering fans have yearned for , for years. It has been bad enough that over the past decade they’ve made only one postseason NFL appearance. But now they’ll have to view a less than fleet footed and accurate passer , seemingly lead this ‘team’ against the might of the AFC North as well as the rest of the NFL ?

For Holmgren to stake his career on Delhomme is tantamount to career suicide at this juncture. I can only surmise that Dr Jack Kevorkian will be on hand to administer that lethal dose of morphine as and when ready , once the Browns’ season starts to head south ! For Delhomme however, every cloud has a silver lining as he will become the highest paid player in the NFL for 2010-11 season. Having been ‘cut’ by the Carolina Panthers . The player was still owed $12 million for the season and having signed a two year $14 million contract with the Browns at $7 million per season . That equates to $19 million guaranteed right out of the box without Delhomme having played for his new team. Kind of makes you wonder how he’ll spend his time counting it all, doesn’t it ? There’s a saying that…”there’s a sucker born every minute”. I think that with the Browns “the suckers” have been in existence there for eons !

David Carr seen here as in a Houston Texans' uniform . The player drafted overall #1 by the team in 2002. He has bounced around the NFL having not been able to secure a starting qb position . The 49ers will become the player's fourth NFL franchise in his 8 year NFL career
David Carr seen here in a Houston Texans' uniform . The player drafted overall #1 by the team in 2002. He has bounced around the NFL having not been able to secure a starting qb position . The 49ers will become the player's fourth NFL franchise in his 8 year NFL career . photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Reece Matthews .................

How is it that someone like David Carr can bounce around the NFL and get paid handsomely, for simply doing nothing ? At least the ‘corporate blowholes’ who wrecked AIG and Citigroup were actually reeking havoc on not only the companies under their custody but the whole entire god-damn US economy. Carr , now being given the chance will more likely than not , ruin the San Francisco 49ers and whatever legitimacy some may well felt about Mike Singletary being a decent coach. The player has been signed by the team as a backup to starting QB Alex Smith . Oh my God, is the one and same Alex Smith that has struggled to acclimatize himself in the NFL , after departing from Utah ? Well I never, wonders will never cease. And there were those who prescribed to the fact that the now departed Niner, Shaun Hill was the better quarterback of the two ? Well, I suppose that’d be dependent upon what you were judging their abilities against ? There are only so many ways you can skin a cat and there are only so many ways to try and sort bulls_it from cow dung . At the end of the day we all know that the smell emanating from both tends to be the same. It’s just a matter , as to whether or not you’re amenable to a certain type aroma , isn’t it ? But it shouldn’t really matter because in the NFC West , the cream will rise to the top and the sediment in the form of the crap, will still remain at the bottom of the barrel , as far as the division goes !

We’re often told that the NFL quarterback is very much like a gladiator on the field of battle or a Praetorian guard in the Roman legion. By the maneuvers that have been taking place as of late within the NFL. The quarterbacks mentioned are nowhere near as menacing, as those famed ancient warriors we’ve read about or having seen on film. These guys are more inclined to make you think of them as being nothing more than a passing resemblance of a make belief soldier. The problem is , they’re being financially rewarded at great expense of their respective teams and the credibility of the coaches and general managers. But as I’ve stated in the title we can view them as the gladiators and can surmise that they too live by the credo ” ………..Hail Caesar We Are Who About To Die Salute You “

Alan Parkins aka tophatal
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Common …………. ‘For The People’

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