NFL 2011 Draft Thread

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Aaaargh, the appeals court has granted a stay, the lockout is back in effect...

I don't think it makes one bit of difference.

An injunction against the lockout isn't a solution. It's an illusion of a fix. Until there is an agreement between the league and the players, the NFL is in a broken state.

*Legion* wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Aaaargh, the appeals court has granted a stay, the lockout is back in effect...

I don't think it makes one bit of difference.

An injunction against the lockout isn't a solution. It's an illusion of a fix. Until there is an agreement between the league and the players, the NFL is in a broken state.

The fundamental problem is there's no illusion of a deadline while the legal wrangling is going on. Both sides are sitting around waiting for legal rulings, and what we need (big collective "we") is for there to be a final lockout ruling, at which point the two sides have to sit down and start talking it over.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

The fundamental problem is there's no illusion of a deadline while the legal wrangling is going on. Both sides are sitting around waiting for legal rulings, and what we need (big collective "we") is for there to be a final lockout ruling, at which point the two sides have to sit down and start talking it over.

Fair point. These guys have been champions at negotiation procrastination.

garion333 wrote:

I want to know how much money he's giving his friend.

However much he paid him, it worked.

Rat Boy wrote:
garion333 wrote:

I want to know how much money he's giving his friend.

However much he paid him, it worked.

Noted for future use.

Pro tip: "It's not mine!" works every time.

Mayock will be doing commentary for the NFL Network's primetime games. Thank god no more Matt Millen.

garion333 wrote:

Mayock will be doing commentary for the NFL Network's primetime games. Thank god no more Matt Millen Theismann.

I would rather listen to Matt Millen read me the collected works of Shakespeare than hear Joe Theismann call a game. Millen is bad. Joe Theismann is one of the worst sportscasters in history.

I like Millen's commentary because he isn't afraid to call people out. The only time he irks me is when he is doing a college game and talks about a kid's pro potential. As a Lions fan, we know all about his judge of pro potential

I once really liked Millen, but he has the stench of his Detroit stint about him, and it's impossible to take him seriously now. He's going to go down as one of the singly most incompetent executives in the history of sports, and that has utterly ruined his sportscasting career forever for me.

As a Lions fan, I'm happy to see him back in the booth where he belongs. From what I hear, he's one of the nicest people you will meet which is how he stayed on so long in Detroit. The old man loved him.

I have to agree with Milkman - Theismann is the guy that I especially won't miss.

Mayock needs to work on his game broadcasting chops a bit but he has the knowledge - and the ability to share the knowledge without going over everyone's heads - that very few broadcasters do.

As an unrelated side note, when Belichick was interviewed on NFL Network during the draft, I loved when Mayock gave him a tiny bit of grief for cutting him from the Giants.

Leroyog wrote:

The old man loved him.

Not to mention any college wide receiver prospects.

SHOCKING JOSH FREEMAN-RELATED POST BY ME.
Josh Freeman was ranked #86 in the Top 100 players of 2011, as voted by fellow players.

Yeah, yeah, fanboyism and all, but it's not like there's much else to talk about these day in the NFL.

I find that list (what I've seen of it) to be complete crap, but I do think Freeman probably belongs on such a list.

*Legion* wrote:

I find that list (what I've seen of it) to be complete crap, but I do think Freeman probably belongs on such a list. :)

Being it's supposed to be the best players of 2011, I have utterly no idea how Donovan McNabb gets to be #100 and T.O. #91. People do realize it's not 2005, right?

These lists are always incredibly flawed, but the NFL Network has to fill air time somehow. It's at least a fun exercise.

I expect exactly one line-of-scrimmage dominating 1-technique will make the list, but a bunch of undersized run-and-hit linebackers who can only operate behind such a player will make the list.

It's like the Pro Bowl except without the position requirements actually forcing you to think about defensive tackles and fullbacks.

For once, I'd love to see such a list done purely by team personnel departments. The difference would be shocking.

Would longsnappers make the list then?

garion333 wrote:

Would longsnappers make the list then?

Only if they did an "Unsung Heroes of the NFL" list.

Gus Johnson headed to FOX.

He's brought down......AT THE 19!!!!

Rat Boy wrote:

Gus Johnson headed to FOX.

Apparently, Fox really doesn't want me to watch any games that they broadcast.

iaintgotnopants wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Gus Johnson headed to FOX.

Apparently, Fox really doesn't want me to watch any games that they broadcast.

Well FOX has the NFC, so really, what is there to watch anyway?

I remember the very first year DirecTV did the Red Zone Channel, and it only had the rights to show FOX games. Man did that piss me off. Luckily, CBS was onboard the next year and the glorious AFC got included.

Gus is awesome. As is the NFC.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Gus is awesome. As is the NFC.

I concur.

It appears the Vikings are much closer to staying in Minnesota thanks to the stadium deal being announced today. They're putting it on top of the old ammunition plant; I'm already dreading Chris Berman's jokes about it.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

It appears the Vikings are much closer to staying in Minnesota thanks to the stadium deal being announced today. They're putting it on top of the old ammunition plant; I'm already dreading Chris Berman's jokes about it.

I never expected them to leave, though I hardly followed the story. I just assumed that all this was politics and eventually the team would get a new stadium. Regardless, glad to hear it might be moving forward. How many more years do they have to play in that broken down stadium?

garion333 wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

It appears the Vikings are much closer to staying in Minnesota thanks to the stadium deal being announced today. They're putting it on top of the old ammunition plant; I'm already dreading Chris Berman's jokes about it.

I never expected them to leave, though I hardly followed the story. I just assumed that all this was politics and eventually the team would get a new stadium. Regardless, glad to hear it might be moving forward. How many more years do they have to play in that broken down stadium?

Probably three years of construction. And yes, the dome is a godawful dump. A super-godawful dump. As for Arden Hills being "10 miles outside of the cities", no, it's not. It's a relatively close-in suburb, right on the 694 loop around the city. Not too far out, really.

Considering budget issues, I was expecting them to go; I'm just amazed Ramsey county came up with that much on their own. As long as the lockout is over by week 2 so I can watch the Bucs kick the Vikings all over the field in that crapfest of a stadium, I'm happy.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Probably three years of construction. And yes, the dome is a godawful dump. A super-godawful dump. As for Arden Hills being "10 miles outside of the cities", no, it's not. It's a relatively close-in suburb, right on the 694 loop around the city. Not too far out, really.

I'd buy 10 miles. It's about halfway between me and the U which is 20 miles. That said, it's kind of a sh*tty place for the stadium.

iaintgotnopants wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Probably three years of construction. And yes, the dome is a godawful dump. A super-godawful dump. As for Arden Hills being "10 miles outside of the cities", no, it's not. It's a relatively close-in suburb, right on the 694 loop around the city. Not too far out, really.

I'd buy 10 miles. It's about halfway between me and the U which is 20 miles. That said, it's kind of a sh*tty place for the stadium.

Yeah, it's basically in the middle of nowhere (though relatively close-in nowhere), and it's pretty obvious that Ramsey County is using this as a way to kick-start some development in that area. My wife has a friend that lives in Shoreview just north of there, and it's really not built-up at all compared to other areas right off 494/694.