And we're back. Sometimes it's nice to exercise the vocal chords, so BGF and I thought we'd do just that again. We're going to make every attempt to turn this into a weekly event, but recent history has demonstrated our consistent failure at accomplishing such a task.In today's episode, we discuss Andrew Luck, the Seattle Seahawks, the recent coaching hirings/firings and other random tagents and tirades unique to BotB's writing cast. Enjoy, kind folk.
7 comments:
The thing about this draft is that, unless I'm mistaken, whoever gets drafted this year falls under the next CBA; as in if there's a rookie salary cap, it'll actually kick in for this draft. Again, maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I've read.
The problem with trading is then that there's really no one worth trading up into the top 10 for in this draft. If the rookie cap comes into play this year, then Green, Bowers or Fairely wouldn't be terrible number 1 picks. It obviously wouldn't be Luck, but it wouldn't be like choosing between Jamarcus Russell and Brady Quinn.
I just hope that the Panthers don't freak out and draft another mediocre QB. What'd be the difference between trotting Mallet/Gabbert out next year versus Clausen? At this point, I'd give Clausen another year to "develop" (if he's capable of doing so), the worst that happens is that he sucks, Carolina drafts high again next year and you possibly land Luck.
I love the Giants, but any time you have two games where it's win and you're in and you lose one after blowing a huge 4th quarter lead and another where you get blown out of the water, sorry, you don't deserve it. Like you said, they weren't exactly a "juggernaut." They didn't play an overly difficult schedule and looked awful too many times for me too feel outraged by Seattle making the playoffs.
Do I think it's absurd and hilarious that a team with a losing record will host at least one playoff game? (Remember if Seattle somehow makes it to the NFC championship game against GB or NO, they'll host the NFC championship game too).
In a strange way I'd love to see a losing team host a conference championship game, so go Seattle!
I thinking on the same lines as Rich. My understanding is that the CBA expires in March. The draft is in April. Both sides have agreed to hold the draft regardless, but if no CBA is in place, teams will not be able to sign players until the new CBA. So, the 2011 class will likely be under a rookie cap, as it's 99.999% certain that the owners and players will be happy to throw the current college and high schoolers under the rookie-cap bus.
Of course, if there is somekind of extended lockout and the union decertifies and blah blah then all bets are off... but if that happens, likely some rookie will sue the league, seeing the draft is only protected from anti-trust scritiny due to the CBA, the draft will be voided and it won't matter who was drafted anyways... and then I pull my hair out and curse another professional sports league for their arrogant work stoppages.
Rich,
I think you're right about the CBA. I'm also worried about Luck's future, especially now that Harbaugh won't be there. It's more likely that his stats go down and Stanford has a bad season over anything else.
I think the Panthers will keep the pick, simply because there's not enough value at the #1 slot as there is most years. For their sake, I hope they don't mess it up.
Nunyer,
I agree that a rookie could sue. But I doubt he would win the case for the simple fact that getting drafted in the NFL does not guarantee employment: it's almost like making the second round of the interview process. In theory, a first round pick could sign a training camp deal (without a CBA in place and no rookie salary scale) and then get cut. So I don't think a law suit has any real merit. But I don't really know any of the details, so I'll refrain from commenting more on a subject that I do not know enough about.
Rich, I was kind of confused about that as well. I guess what I was confused about is there was talk Luck hurt himself by staying in school and if a CBA gets worked out it would be under the next rookie class. I may just be confused.
There isn't anyone trading up for. After 24 hours I have been talked into Green or Bowers. Not sure about Fairley, but I think I could handle Green or Bowers. I absolutely don't want Gabbert. Not a fan.
I don't think the Panthers will draft a QB high this year. My mind might change after the Combine but I can see them keeping Clausen for next year and drafting positions around him. I really don't know because they want to open up the offense more, which may not involved Clausen.
I thought the Giants weren't that bad this year. Of course two Giants fans disagree with me, so there's that.
I think if Seattle hosted the NFC Championship...man, that would be kind of crazy.
Nunyer, I don't know if a rookie could sue the league either. I may wrong, again, but it seems like he isn't guaranteed employment so it wouldn't go far. I do have to say the mere fact we are discussing this is an indication of how crazy this offseason may end up being. I am not sure if anyone knows what may end up happening.
Dylan, I don't think the Panthers will screw it up...at least I hope not. If Luck isn't available, then I don't know if I like any of the other QB's more than Clausen. He played terrible this year, but he doesn't lack confidence, it was mostly a bad situation he was put in. He may stink, but without Luck I don't know if I want another young QB on the roster.
This offseason is going to stink. I need to look up if a CBA happens in July if the rookies in April are subject to it. I thought they weren't.
The CBA expires and no draftees are going to be signed until a new CBA is in place. Last year was the year that the agents and money guys were telling players to come out, because this year is the year that the draftees are going to be pay scaled. It's the main reason everybody felt Locker was silly in returning to Washington this year. it didn't matter if he went #1 in this draft, he still wasn't going to make as much as he would have going Top 10 last year.
Any player drafted this year has no options to sue unless the Union decertifies, and then all bets are off. If the union does that, then the draftees will be the same as free agents, no matter what the owners try to spin it as. They were never even members of the Union, so they wouldn't be beholden to the draft or anything else if the Union decertifies. It becomes uncapped, no restraint of trade, pure talent capitalism. In other words the NFL's worst nightmare.
During the discussions about the labor talks on so many boards I find that America's lack of intelligence and reasoning is on display as in no other place. While saying that owners should be able to make salary caps and rookie wage scales, and the players should be happy for what they get, because it's the owners team and that's how capitalism works, they then turn around and support a draft because the NFL has the right to make the rules, and to hell with a kid coming out of college being allowed to work where he wants. Sorry folks, not how it works. You either get capitalism, or you get a trade restrained and agreed upon system. You don't get both.
As for the Panthers. I think that Green would be the best pick for them, but I just don't see them taking a WR at the #1 spot.
Martin, that's interesting. I thought I knew that but apparently I don't. I misstated on the podcast but I guess that's what happens when I start talking without knowing exactly what I am talking about.
I am on record as saying in the NFL I get trade restrained and everyone having to play by those rules. I love pure capitalism but I think in this situation I get the trade restrained thing better.
I think Bowers may be the guy. I wish we could trade down but I don't think it will happen. There isn't a QB I want at all in that spot. I am so afraid one will shoot up the draft board. The owner is on record as saying he wants a better offense so I think an offensive player may be the guy, so it could be Green, you are right. I want a trade back to get a DT b/c they need one badly.
Nunyer,
I agree that a rookie could sue. But I doubt he would win the case for the simple fact that getting drafted in the NFL does not guarantee employment: it's almost like making the second round of the interview process.
Well, that analogy doesn't quite work. It has nothing to do with a guarentee of employment. It's about restricting employement from 31 out of 32 potential employers. Since I started typing this response, I see Martin's response and he touched on it better than I probably could... but yea... The draft only holds water because management and labor collectively bargained it's legitimacy.
To put it another way, engineering firms couldn't enter a cabal to "draft" graduates from MIT and then not allow them to work anywhere else in the cabal for their first year after graduation.
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