By Kalen Patrick
Final Score:
San Francisco 49ers - 3
New Orleans Saints - 24
As the score suggests, the game was pretty brutal for the 49ers. Jim Harbaugh had an extremely tough task ahead of him this year. The lock-out prevented many offseason activities for the young 49er team and throw in MAJOR question marks at QB and you had to expect a very shaky first viewing. Throw in the fact Gregg Williams (Saints DC) decided to blitz the vast majority of the plays, which is typically a rarity in pre-season games.
While Alex Smith looked well like Alex Smith, the blame cannot be put completely on him. Alexcuses? Perhaps, but the o-line was awful, maybe Brady/Manning can work behind a garbage line, but 90% of the NFL QB's can't. Simple fact. The O-Line must get it together, for the 49ers to stand any chance this year. I do expect them to improve and look a whole lot better by September 11th (week 1) when they are much more comfortable in the offense. The positives on the offense were definitely at RB. Gore looked like his old self and Hunter looks like a great pick so far. Of course we can't look too much in to this. We all remember Thomas Clayton.
Colin Kaepernick got the majority of snaps at QB. And was pretty much what I expected, flashes here and there, bad decisions, and athletic. All things considered with the lockout and everything, he performed just as I thought he would.
The defense almost has the feel of the defense the 49ers have had the last few years. Bend not break, will keep the team in most games, and will need the offense to provide much more production if the 49ers aim to go anywhere this year. Aldon Smith looked very solid in his 49er debut, getting the only sack and providing a great rush all night. Newly signed Donte Whitner had a good game at safety too. Again, I feel this defense will be good enough to keep the team in games, just a matter of what the offense can do.
Harbaugh has essentially 1 month until the season opener. The offense will look better than it did tonight, the real question, is how much better will it look?
Showing posts with label NFL Lockout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL Lockout. Show all posts
Friday, August 12, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
The San Francisco Forty-Blunders
By Kalen Patrick
Well not 2 hours had passed before my suggestions in my last post blew up right in my face. The 49ers released Nate Clements and Jonathan Joseph became a Houston Texan. Now the 49ers need to rethink what they will do and try to, you know, improve the team? The Free Agency period so far has been a disaster for the 49ers, they have lost or in the process of losing 5-6 starters on a defense that is underrated and actually performed well. While the offense is missing its most important player in Frank Gore to a holdout. In other "shocking" news, Michael Crabtree is out with, yes, you guessed it, a foot injury.
In recent years the 49ers have gone from Steve Young and Eddie DeBartolo, to Alex Smith and bad HC's.
So what exactly have the 49ers done so far? Well Kicker Joe Nedney retired and they replaced him with the very professional long time Eagle, David Akers. One thing which is concerning are Akers numbers in Candlestick where he is only 4-8 in FG Attempts beyond 30 yards. Also QB Bethel-Thompson who was a backup for the AFL San Jose Sabercats. That pretty much sums up the 49ers activity. Leaves a lot to be desired.
So REALISTICALLY moving forward, what can I expect the 49ers to do? Well for one, I feel we really lack a tall red zone target, apparently the 49ers are interested in both Plaxico Burress and Malcolm Floyd. Personally I prefer Floyd, no baggage and you know, has played football the last 2 years. That solves 1 issue.
2nd, if I'm the 49ers I'm still going after either Olin Kreutz or Shaun O'Hara. The Offensive Line needs a veteran leader. Joe Staley is too much of a joker to be a real leader. Guys like Anthony Davis, Chilo Rachal and Mike Iupati need a leader to look up to, and a strong presence to learn what it takes to be a good professional.
3rd, 49ers need secondary help, big time, however, the 49ers Front Office ineptitude has led to them missing out on any impact players. I look for solid band-aid signings in either Richard Marshall or Carlos Rogers, maybe a Safety like Brodney Pool. Again nothing special, but band aid fixes.
4th and most important, the 49ers must re-sign Aubrayo Franklin and try and get Manny Lawson back too. Both were integral parts of a defense that has performed very well the last 2-3 years.
Overall there isn't much I can do or say to fill myself or fellow 49er fans with much optimism of the upcoming season. Essentially a completely new coaching staff, still have Alex Smith at QB, lost quality starters on defense, have not replaced them, offense has its best player angry with contract and holding out, while the top WR has yet another foot injury to possibly keep him out until the regular season starts. Sometimes you have to look and wonder at how far down this once proud franchise has become. For all intents and purposes a laughing stock in the NFL and a place where free agents avoid like the plague.
Thats it for now for the 49ers. Promise I will get cracking on reactions around the NFL.
Well not 2 hours had passed before my suggestions in my last post blew up right in my face. The 49ers released Nate Clements and Jonathan Joseph became a Houston Texan. Now the 49ers need to rethink what they will do and try to, you know, improve the team? The Free Agency period so far has been a disaster for the 49ers, they have lost or in the process of losing 5-6 starters on a defense that is underrated and actually performed well. While the offense is missing its most important player in Frank Gore to a holdout. In other "shocking" news, Michael Crabtree is out with, yes, you guessed it, a foot injury.
In recent years the 49ers have gone from Steve Young and Eddie DeBartolo, to Alex Smith and bad HC's.
So what exactly have the 49ers done so far? Well Kicker Joe Nedney retired and they replaced him with the very professional long time Eagle, David Akers. One thing which is concerning are Akers numbers in Candlestick where he is only 4-8 in FG Attempts beyond 30 yards. Also QB Bethel-Thompson who was a backup for the AFL San Jose Sabercats. That pretty much sums up the 49ers activity. Leaves a lot to be desired.
So REALISTICALLY moving forward, what can I expect the 49ers to do? Well for one, I feel we really lack a tall red zone target, apparently the 49ers are interested in both Plaxico Burress and Malcolm Floyd. Personally I prefer Floyd, no baggage and you know, has played football the last 2 years. That solves 1 issue.
2nd, if I'm the 49ers I'm still going after either Olin Kreutz or Shaun O'Hara. The Offensive Line needs a veteran leader. Joe Staley is too much of a joker to be a real leader. Guys like Anthony Davis, Chilo Rachal and Mike Iupati need a leader to look up to, and a strong presence to learn what it takes to be a good professional.
3rd, 49ers need secondary help, big time, however, the 49ers Front Office ineptitude has led to them missing out on any impact players. I look for solid band-aid signings in either Richard Marshall or Carlos Rogers, maybe a Safety like Brodney Pool. Again nothing special, but band aid fixes.
4th and most important, the 49ers must re-sign Aubrayo Franklin and try and get Manny Lawson back too. Both were integral parts of a defense that has performed very well the last 2-3 years.
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| YOU HAVE TO WONDER IF JIM HARBAUGH (HC) AND TRENT BAALKE (GM) DO ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN. |
Overall there isn't much I can do or say to fill myself or fellow 49er fans with much optimism of the upcoming season. Essentially a completely new coaching staff, still have Alex Smith at QB, lost quality starters on defense, have not replaced them, offense has its best player angry with contract and holding out, while the top WR has yet another foot injury to possibly keep him out until the regular season starts. Sometimes you have to look and wonder at how far down this once proud franchise has become. For all intents and purposes a laughing stock in the NFL and a place where free agents avoid like the plague.
Thats it for now for the 49ers. Promise I will get cracking on reactions around the NFL.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
NFL Lockout Update
By Kalen Patrick
Sooooo looks like the NFL Lockout will only be lasting another 24-48 hours. Awesome news for football fans all around the world. Of course this is great news, but the better news is that it seems as if the Lockout will resolve many of the major issues regarding the NFL.
Look the NFL was never really at risk of losing money, this isn't the NBA, where 20 teams are losing money. The NFL is a money making machine, the main issues were how to split up all the money that IS being generated. The 2 main issues that appear to have been solved are as follows:
Reinstatement of the Salary Cap - I for one was always a very big fan of the salary cap, further reinforces that every team has equal opportunity. The New York or Boston teams don't have any financial advantage over other franchises, like that exists in Baseball. What is even better news is that 2 of the 49ers bigger rivals are going to be in salary cap trouble immediately, the crosstown Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys.
Rookie Salary Cap - There is no question that the money rookies (especially top 5 picks) have been making is insane. It just puts unrealistic expectations of the players and should they not work out it can kill a franchise for years. The Draft is meant to help the teams who did the worst, but the way the rookies got paid meant that more often than not, it held the franchise back. Should Matthew Stafford get paid more than pro-bowl caliber QB's? No way.
Not only this, but think of it as a rookie. You are Cam Newton, imagine being GUARANTEED $35 Million. What incentive do really have to work your tail off? You're 21 and have more money than you could ever imagine. Hard to blame someone who just can't find the motivation to give it 100%.
Sooooo looks like the NFL Lockout will only be lasting another 24-48 hours. Awesome news for football fans all around the world. Of course this is great news, but the better news is that it seems as if the Lockout will resolve many of the major issues regarding the NFL.
Look the NFL was never really at risk of losing money, this isn't the NBA, where 20 teams are losing money. The NFL is a money making machine, the main issues were how to split up all the money that IS being generated. The 2 main issues that appear to have been solved are as follows:
Reinstatement of the Salary Cap - I for one was always a very big fan of the salary cap, further reinforces that every team has equal opportunity. The New York or Boston teams don't have any financial advantage over other franchises, like that exists in Baseball. What is even better news is that 2 of the 49ers bigger rivals are going to be in salary cap trouble immediately, the crosstown Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys.
Rookie Salary Cap - There is no question that the money rookies (especially top 5 picks) have been making is insane. It just puts unrealistic expectations of the players and should they not work out it can kill a franchise for years. The Draft is meant to help the teams who did the worst, but the way the rookies got paid meant that more often than not, it held the franchise back. Should Matthew Stafford get paid more than pro-bowl caliber QB's? No way.
Not only this, but think of it as a rookie. You are Cam Newton, imagine being GUARANTEED $35 Million. What incentive do really have to work your tail off? You're 21 and have more money than you could ever imagine. Hard to blame someone who just can't find the motivation to give it 100%.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
NFL - Crazy Times Ahead
By Kalen
In recent reports from reputable sources like ESPN's Chris Mortensen and SI's Peter King, all indications are the talks between the NFL Owners and Players Association have been very positive. It has been speculated that a deal could be reached and Free Agency could be upon us in mid-July. If this happens, well let the craziness begin!
In recent reports from reputable sources like ESPN's Chris Mortensen and SI's Peter King, all indications are the talks between the NFL Owners and Players Association have been very positive. It has been speculated that a deal could be reached and Free Agency could be upon us in mid-July. If this happens, well let the craziness begin!
The Free Agency period is always a crazy time of year, but this year it would be magnified 10 fold. Teams will be scrambling to sign their draft picks, re-signing their own potential free agents, looking in to signing undrafted rookie free agents and then of course bringing in other teams free agents. And for the cherry on top, players and coaches will be extremely busy planning Training Camp practice sessions and in the film room all day. So now I wanna give my thoughts on some of the burning questions many people will have. Lets do this.
Question #1
Which rookies (defense and offense) will have the biggest and most successful impact?
Offense: Julio Jones WR - Atlanta Falcons. Jones basically has everything going for him, he is in by far the best situation to succeed compared to any other rookie. He has a very talented franchise QB throwing to him, the Falcons already have well established veteran weapons in Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Michael Jenkins and they have a great Offensive Coordinator in Mike Mularkey. While we can argue how much it cost the Falcons to land Jones, I absolutely envision a big season for the rookie. If I had to guess I'm thinking he has approximately 900-1000 yards and 5+ TD's. Teams won't be able to matchup with the Falcons receivers and I also predict for Matt Ryan to have best season by far as a pro.
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| JULIO JONES IS A PERFECT FIT FOR THE FALCONS |
Defense: Aldon Smith OLB/DE - San Francisco 49ers - In a recent post, I talked about how initially the pick seemed like a headscratcher, but in fact Aldon looks to be in a perfect situation to succeed. He will be the Demarcus Ware/Clay Matthews of the defense, his responsibility will be to get the QB or go where the ball goes. And I think he will be damn good at it. Of course being a 49er fan my opinion is biased but I don't care, he is not even close to being the focus of an opposing OC, and should be able to make many plays. It's too tough to predict tackle numbers, but I think he shocks the NFL world by attaining 10+ sacks and help the 49ers have one of the top defenses in the league.
Question #2
Where will Nnamdi Asomugha end up?
To answer this question, lets ask ourselves some other questions, what team has an obvious need at CB, has money to spend and is gonna be competitive right now? OK so the team I am going to say is more a team that is projected to be competitive. I'm gonna throw a curveball and say the Detroit Lions make the move to bring in Asomugha. Can you imagine that defense then? Suh, Fairley anchoring the line with arguably the best CB in the backfield. The Lions need help in their secondary, especially at CB. Asomugha is as shutdown as they come and would help tremendously in stopping the pass happy NFC North opponents. The Lions are most peoples surprise team, but if they add Asomugha they won't be sneaking up on anybody. Other possible destinations include: Baltimore, San Francisco, San Diego, Pittsburgh.
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| WOULD GOING TO DETROIT BE A WISE MOVE FOR NNAMDI ASOMUGHA? |
Question #3
Where will the following QB's play in 2011; Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb, Donovan McNabb and Kyle Orton?
Lets take it in the order I posted, if you guys have checked out my older posts, you'd already know my answers to Palmer and Kolb, I will keep it short, Palmer goes to Arizona and Kolb goes to Seattle. Both teams need franchise quality QB's and those QB's fit their potential respective teams perfectly. As for McNabb? I think he ends up in Minnesota. I don't think you wanna throw Ponder to the wolves just yet. McNabb can suffice for most of 2011 and give them a fighting chance. I think Orton probably stays in Denver for this year. It's a big transition year in Denver and while Tebow looked well in his play time in 2011, you can't trade away Orton just yet until the new coaching staff knows and trusts Tebow to be 'the guy'.
These were all the questions I could think of right now, if anyone has any questions just let me know and I will try and give my best answer. It's great hearing some positive news about the NFL and I for one am sooooo ready for some crazy times ahead!
Kalen from the Sports Cave.
SPREAD THE WORD
Friday, June 17, 2011
Aldon Smith - The 'Other' A.Smith
By Kalen
With the 7th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Aldon Smith, Defensive End Missouri. After Roger Goodell had said the previous words, followed confusion and anger among many 49er fans (including myself). I was 100% positive the 49ers would be taking Prince Amukamara or Blaine Gabbert, but no, the 49ers selected Aldon Smith or as I called him on facebook immediately after, Aldon who?
With the 7th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Aldon Smith, Defensive End Missouri. After Roger Goodell had said the previous words, followed confusion and anger among many 49er fans (including myself). I was 100% positive the 49ers would be taking Prince Amukamara or Blaine Gabbert, but no, the 49ers selected Aldon Smith or as I called him on facebook immediately after, Aldon who?
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| ALDON SMITH PICTURED WITH HEAD COACH JIM HARBAUGH AND GM TRENT BAALKE |
Already I feel like Aldon Smith has become forgotten, which is so strange for such a high draft pick. Of course the NFL Lockout probably has a lot to do with this, but I still find it strange that the 7th overall pick is getting zero media attention in the Bay Area. Aldon Smith in my opinion has higher potential than 2nd overall pick Von Miller, of course my opinion is biased but even Miller himself kind of agreed with me. Miller was asked who he thought would be Defensive Rookie of the Year, did he say himself? Patrick Peterson? Marcell Dareus? No he said he thought it would be Aldon. Throughout the entire draft preparation process, Miller would have gotten to know the other top Defensive prospects very well, there must have been something about Aldon that thought "Hey, this guy is the real deal".
While so many draft experts called the pick a 'reach', I say, wait 3 years and then see if the pick was a reach. When I first started watching the draft, I would slam every team that "reached" for a guy, but when I realized that players who were considered steals failed just as often as players who were considered reaches, I came to the conclusion, that every team has their guy. No GM or scouting department is perfect. The draft prep process is so long and detailed, I never buy when "draft experts" say one team panicked when a player got picked, and then reached. That is the biggest load of garbage I have ever heard. These guys have spent months and months, planning out the draft days, you think GM's don't have a Plan B, C, D, E, F? Come on now!
Of course the 49ers wanted Patrick Peterson there at 7, but I have no doubt in my mind, that the 49ers had imagined every possible scenario of what could happen, and then took the best player available on their board (Aldon Smith). Trent Baalke mentioned, calling teams to trade down, sure, in a perfect world the 49ers get an extra pick or two and still get Aldon but it takes two to tango and it takes two teams to make a trade work. 49ers tried and didn't get an offer they liked, so they took the guy they had highest rated on the board. After some research into the pick, I love it more and more.
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| THE 49ERS HOPE AND EXPECT TO SEE ALDON SMITH TERRORIZE QB'S |
In the 2009 college season Aldon may have been one of the top pass rushers in college, in 2010 he suffered through an injured year, yet played through it (shows toughness and competitiveness), had a productive year all things considered, and is 100% healthy as we speak. He has a variety of moves and has potential through the roof. I know potential is one of those words people tend to hate, but this guy seems to have all the tools to succeed. Not to mention he is going to a defense which will be very aggressive under new Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio. What Clay Matthews does in Green Bay, is what Aldon will do in San Francisco, only difference is Aldon will have the best MLB in the league beside him in Patrick Willis.
If I'm 49ers GM Trent Baalke, I'm building the defense around these 2 guys, meaning, you have to give them protection with a good D-Line, and always put them in a position to play to their strengths. Which is why I think the 49ers should do what they can to bring back Aubrayo Franklin, Takeo Spikes and Manny Lawson. These 3 players are very talented, and along with Pro-Bowler Justin Smith, provide enough talent to allow guys like Willis and Aldon to make plays. I think Aldon is in the perfect defense for his skills, I think he will become a star in this league, I think he will be a pro-bowler, and I think the NFL world will soon (if there is football) know the name Aldon Smith, even if most 49er fans don't right now.
This is Kalen from The Sports Cave. SPREAD THE WORD.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The NFL Lockout - Where do you stand?
By Kalen
The most popular sport in the US has been locked out for over 3 months now and while we do hear rumors of progress being made, how much? We really don't know. What makes this Lockout so difficult is that both sides have valid arguments. Now while fans in general tend to agree with the players, there are numerous issues where I do have to side with the owners. I think that, ultimately the game will be better for the fans if the owners come out on the winning side of this (and they most likely will).
Now I don't think they should get everything they want, I do agree with several issues. Such as:
Installing a rookie salary cap - The draft was designed in order to help the bad teams get better, correct? Well the Raiders take Jamarcus Russell #1 overall, and at the time I think most people thought it was a solid choice. That Russell had all the talent, tools etc etc etc. 3 years and a guaranteed $32 million dollars later, Jamarcus is not only out of the NFL but out of sports. There is no such as a sure thing when it comes to the draft, why put teams in a horrible position should the draft pick not work out. It defies the logic of the draft. Also think about this, a lot of the guys coming in to the league are maybe 21 or 22? And they are being guaranteed $30-40 million now? What incentive do they have to put in the work? I know I know, the draft screening process should reveal this, but if so many draft "experts" get it wrong so often then can we really blame teams for this? I think the NBA has it right here, I think there should be a price slot allocated to each draft position and a contract of 3-4 years. Paying crazy money to rookies is already an insult to veterans who are proven, why potentially cripple an entire franchise over 1 selection not working out?
The future ramifications to fans - Should the owners lose out in the new CBA, you know prices for basically everything football related is going to increase significantly. Imagine ticket prices? Jersey prices? That $10 beer suddenly turns in to $15. And the NFL owners know they can do this and get away with it because of the popularity and demand for basically anything football related. Who knows how far owners could take things in order to recuperate the losses made, should the players come out on top.
Salary Cap needs to be reinstated - I'm not 100% sure on how the owners or players feel on this issue. I tend to feel that the owners would be in favor of the Salary Cap. It keeps things fair and keeps every team at a similar competitive level. Do we really want to see the Redskins and Cowboys turn in to the Red Sox and Yankees? I feel if owners are able to budget and know exactly where they stand financially with player contracts, we can expect better prices. Put a decent size Salary Cap in place and I think a minimum amount needs to also be implemented so the NFL does not have a Pittsburgh Pirates on their hands (18 straight losing seasons would never fly in the NFL).
A get out of Contract Clause - I think this should be implemented in most professional sports. What I mean by "get out of contract clause" is that teams should be able to terminate a contract with zero financial consequences under certain circumstances. I feel that a team should be able to put forth 1 contract per year for review by a neutral party (or else a party with an even vote between players association and league representatives). For example, lets say the San Francisco 49ers signed Nnamdi Asomugha and gave him a 7 year $100 million dollar contract. Now if Nnamdi comes in and plays well the Niners will have no problem paying him that. Now lets say if Nnamdi has constant injuries or else his level of play drops dramatically and he comes in to camp out of shape and is basically a huge bust, then the 49ers should be allowed put forth that contract to the 3rd party and from there a verdict can be made on how to restructure or terminate the contract. A good real life example would be Albert Haynesworth in Washington. Now there would have to be a drastic significant decrease in the level of play for a change to be made.
These are just some of the issues that I think I would favor the owners in AND would benefit the League. There are however many issues that I disagree with; such as retirement medical insurance, wanting players to play 2 extra regular season games without improving the current contracts or medical coverage. While 4 preseason games can be torturous, think about this, each team will have maybe 10 fringe players to make the 53 man roster and 8 to make the practice squad. That is 18 per team. We times that by 32 (for all the teams) and we get around 575 players who need all those 4 games to prove themselves to make the team in some capacity. Plus owners keep complaining about their high priced stars getting injured, yet you want more games to put them in harms way? In these cases it clearly can be perceived that the owners care about their wallet and not for the players health and safety.
The whole CBA issue is so complex, and there are so many issues which can be looked at so many ways that it's hard to even digest the whole issue. This is why it has and will take a long time to solve. Ultimately all I can ask for is we still have the game we all love back ASAP and not ruined by this whole ordeal.
Let me know what you guys think about my points, let me know what issues of the CBA are on your mind and maybe we can get a discussion going. Thanks for reading (if you made it this far).
This is Kalen from the Sports Cave.
SPREAD THE WORD.
The most popular sport in the US has been locked out for over 3 months now and while we do hear rumors of progress being made, how much? We really don't know. What makes this Lockout so difficult is that both sides have valid arguments. Now while fans in general tend to agree with the players, there are numerous issues where I do have to side with the owners. I think that, ultimately the game will be better for the fans if the owners come out on the winning side of this (and they most likely will).
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| THE LEGACY OF ROGER GOODELL WILL HINGE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE LOCKOUT |
Now I don't think they should get everything they want, I do agree with several issues. Such as:
Installing a rookie salary cap - The draft was designed in order to help the bad teams get better, correct? Well the Raiders take Jamarcus Russell #1 overall, and at the time I think most people thought it was a solid choice. That Russell had all the talent, tools etc etc etc. 3 years and a guaranteed $32 million dollars later, Jamarcus is not only out of the NFL but out of sports. There is no such as a sure thing when it comes to the draft, why put teams in a horrible position should the draft pick not work out. It defies the logic of the draft. Also think about this, a lot of the guys coming in to the league are maybe 21 or 22? And they are being guaranteed $30-40 million now? What incentive do they have to put in the work? I know I know, the draft screening process should reveal this, but if so many draft "experts" get it wrong so often then can we really blame teams for this? I think the NBA has it right here, I think there should be a price slot allocated to each draft position and a contract of 3-4 years. Paying crazy money to rookies is already an insult to veterans who are proven, why potentially cripple an entire franchise over 1 selection not working out?
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| THE FUTURE OF FOOTBALL RESTS IN THE HANDS OF THESE GUYS |
Salary Cap needs to be reinstated - I'm not 100% sure on how the owners or players feel on this issue. I tend to feel that the owners would be in favor of the Salary Cap. It keeps things fair and keeps every team at a similar competitive level. Do we really want to see the Redskins and Cowboys turn in to the Red Sox and Yankees? I feel if owners are able to budget and know exactly where they stand financially with player contracts, we can expect better prices. Put a decent size Salary Cap in place and I think a minimum amount needs to also be implemented so the NFL does not have a Pittsburgh Pirates on their hands (18 straight losing seasons would never fly in the NFL).
A get out of Contract Clause - I think this should be implemented in most professional sports. What I mean by "get out of contract clause" is that teams should be able to terminate a contract with zero financial consequences under certain circumstances. I feel that a team should be able to put forth 1 contract per year for review by a neutral party (or else a party with an even vote between players association and league representatives). For example, lets say the San Francisco 49ers signed Nnamdi Asomugha and gave him a 7 year $100 million dollar contract. Now if Nnamdi comes in and plays well the Niners will have no problem paying him that. Now lets say if Nnamdi has constant injuries or else his level of play drops dramatically and he comes in to camp out of shape and is basically a huge bust, then the 49ers should be allowed put forth that contract to the 3rd party and from there a verdict can be made on how to restructure or terminate the contract. A good real life example would be Albert Haynesworth in Washington. Now there would have to be a drastic significant decrease in the level of play for a change to be made.
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| WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? |
These are just some of the issues that I think I would favor the owners in AND would benefit the League. There are however many issues that I disagree with; such as retirement medical insurance, wanting players to play 2 extra regular season games without improving the current contracts or medical coverage. While 4 preseason games can be torturous, think about this, each team will have maybe 10 fringe players to make the 53 man roster and 8 to make the practice squad. That is 18 per team. We times that by 32 (for all the teams) and we get around 575 players who need all those 4 games to prove themselves to make the team in some capacity. Plus owners keep complaining about their high priced stars getting injured, yet you want more games to put them in harms way? In these cases it clearly can be perceived that the owners care about their wallet and not for the players health and safety.
The whole CBA issue is so complex, and there are so many issues which can be looked at so many ways that it's hard to even digest the whole issue. This is why it has and will take a long time to solve. Ultimately all I can ask for is we still have the game we all love back ASAP and not ruined by this whole ordeal.
Let me know what you guys think about my points, let me know what issues of the CBA are on your mind and maybe we can get a discussion going. Thanks for reading (if you made it this far).
This is Kalen from the Sports Cave.
SPREAD THE WORD.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Whats to Come
So this week I will be updating my blog some more. Some of the things to look forward too include: my latest MLB Power Rankings, my thoughts on the NFL Lockout and updates on the 49ers. Also the impact for the San Francisco Giants getting Pablo Sandoval back and the great play of rookie Brandon Crawford. I also plan to give my thoughts on both the NBA and NHL finals. With my predictions on who is going to win each series and they are both tied 2-2 after 4 games played. Gonna be a fun week. Be sure to check in regularly, leave comments, vote on the polls and spread the word!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The NFC West - Trades That Should Happen
The NFC West is easily the worst division in football, after the draft not much has changed in that regard. Why is the NFC West the weakest division? Lets take a look at the projected starting QB's for the teams in the NFC West as it stands right now:
Arizona - John Skelton, San Francisco - Alex Smith, Seattle - Matt Hasselbeck and St.Louis - Sam Bradford. Besides for Bradford, the rest of the projected starters leave a lot to be desired. However, once the lockout is over and trades can happen, I can see the NFC West being extremely active in acquiring QB's. So these are my projected trade ideas.
Trade 1
Kevin Kolb to Seattle for two 2nd rounders and Matt Hasselbeck (essentially do a sign and trade). Lets look in to the reasoning of each team in this trade, and why it makes sense.
For Seattle - They need a new QB, the fact that they didn't draft any in April is telling to me. In this trade Seattle would get a young potentially franchise QB. Not only this, but they get a QB who is familiar with the West Coast Offense, so even in a shortened offseason, the transition to Seattle won't be too difficult for Kolb.
Kevin Kolb would be a welcome addition to the Seattle Seahawks
For Philadelphia - I'm thinking behind the scenes in Philly that Kolb has been hinting at wanting out. He feels he deserves a starting job and he won't get that in Philly. So in this scenario, Philly gets two 2nd rounders and they get an excellent veteran in Hasselbeck. Should Vick go down during the season Hasselbeck would be an ideal back up for Andy Reid.
Trade 2
Carson Palmer to Arizona for 1st and 3rd round picks.
For Arizona - I keep reading on ESPN how the Cardinals will go get Kolb, but the better fit is definitely Carson Palmer. Now of course you guys reading will quickly think, "oh but the Bengals won't trade Palmer!" well I say read my post titled "The Carson Palmer Dilemma". Now the price is quite steep from a Cardinals perspective, but they showed how good they can be with an established veteran QB. Palmer has more years in him than Warner did when he took over the starting gig in Arizona. You know Fitzgerald is pushing for a big move to get a QB and not drafting a QB tells me they are looking at trade options. Ken Whisenhunt cannot afford another season like last year. They go with the big splash, and something tells me this move will keep him in Arizona for some time.
For Cincinnati - Andy Dalton is the QB of the future in Cincy, there is way too much bad blood between Carson Palmer and the Bengals organization to stay together. Eventually the Bengals will wise up and trade him. In this scenario they get some nice picks to build their franchise from. Odds are Cincy won't be too competitive starting the rookie Dalton. So having two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks (explained later) and two 3rd round picks should go a long way to getting them back in playoff contention.
Now, not all the trades in this division will involve QB's, lets take a look at what else I think should happen.
Trade 3
Chad OchoCinco and 4th round pick to St. Louis for a 2nd round pick.
For St. Louis - Lets face it Sam Bradford needs weapons. He did a solid job with some not so spectacular options at WR. OchoCinco would instantly become the best WR on the team, would provide a reliable productive target for the young Sam Bradford and honestly, he would bring some media attention to the Rams. They have almost become forgotten after so many awful seasons. Now they are ready to take the leap in to the big stage.
How good would OchoCinco look in a St. Louis Rams uniform?
For Cincinnati - Its rebuilding time in Cincinnati, and they need a fresh start. They need to move on from Palmer and OchoCinco. Opposite to St. Louis, Cincinnati needs less unnecessary attention in the media while they get this team rebuilt. I can't imagine OchoCinco being too happy to get passes from a rookie with little to no workouts in the offseason. This trade helps give Cincy 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds.
As for San Francisco, I don't project any major trades to occur for them and I don't think they should be looking for a big trade. Their future at QB is Colin Kaepernick, and they have a nice surrounding cast for him on offense with Gore, Vernon Davis and Crabtree. I do see them looking in Free Agency at a CB like Ike Taylor or Jonathan Joseph.
Arizona - John Skelton, San Francisco - Alex Smith, Seattle - Matt Hasselbeck and St.Louis - Sam Bradford. Besides for Bradford, the rest of the projected starters leave a lot to be desired. However, once the lockout is over and trades can happen, I can see the NFC West being extremely active in acquiring QB's. So these are my projected trade ideas.
Trade 1
Kevin Kolb to Seattle for two 2nd rounders and Matt Hasselbeck (essentially do a sign and trade). Lets look in to the reasoning of each team in this trade, and why it makes sense.
For Seattle - They need a new QB, the fact that they didn't draft any in April is telling to me. In this trade Seattle would get a young potentially franchise QB. Not only this, but they get a QB who is familiar with the West Coast Offense, so even in a shortened offseason, the transition to Seattle won't be too difficult for Kolb.
For Philadelphia - I'm thinking behind the scenes in Philly that Kolb has been hinting at wanting out. He feels he deserves a starting job and he won't get that in Philly. So in this scenario, Philly gets two 2nd rounders and they get an excellent veteran in Hasselbeck. Should Vick go down during the season Hasselbeck would be an ideal back up for Andy Reid.
Trade 2
Carson Palmer to Arizona for 1st and 3rd round picks.
For Arizona - I keep reading on ESPN how the Cardinals will go get Kolb, but the better fit is definitely Carson Palmer. Now of course you guys reading will quickly think, "oh but the Bengals won't trade Palmer!" well I say read my post titled "The Carson Palmer Dilemma". Now the price is quite steep from a Cardinals perspective, but they showed how good they can be with an established veteran QB. Palmer has more years in him than Warner did when he took over the starting gig in Arizona. You know Fitzgerald is pushing for a big move to get a QB and not drafting a QB tells me they are looking at trade options. Ken Whisenhunt cannot afford another season like last year. They go with the big splash, and something tells me this move will keep him in Arizona for some time.
For Cincinnati - Andy Dalton is the QB of the future in Cincy, there is way too much bad blood between Carson Palmer and the Bengals organization to stay together. Eventually the Bengals will wise up and trade him. In this scenario they get some nice picks to build their franchise from. Odds are Cincy won't be too competitive starting the rookie Dalton. So having two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks (explained later) and two 3rd round picks should go a long way to getting them back in playoff contention.
Now, not all the trades in this division will involve QB's, lets take a look at what else I think should happen.
Trade 3
Chad OchoCinco and 4th round pick to St. Louis for a 2nd round pick.
For St. Louis - Lets face it Sam Bradford needs weapons. He did a solid job with some not so spectacular options at WR. OchoCinco would instantly become the best WR on the team, would provide a reliable productive target for the young Sam Bradford and honestly, he would bring some media attention to the Rams. They have almost become forgotten after so many awful seasons. Now they are ready to take the leap in to the big stage.
For Cincinnati - Its rebuilding time in Cincinnati, and they need a fresh start. They need to move on from Palmer and OchoCinco. Opposite to St. Louis, Cincinnati needs less unnecessary attention in the media while they get this team rebuilt. I can't imagine OchoCinco being too happy to get passes from a rookie with little to no workouts in the offseason. This trade helps give Cincy 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds.
As for San Francisco, I don't project any major trades to occur for them and I don't think they should be looking for a big trade. Their future at QB is Colin Kaepernick, and they have a nice surrounding cast for him on offense with Gore, Vernon Davis and Crabtree. I do see them looking in Free Agency at a CB like Ike Taylor or Jonathan Joseph.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Alex Smith and the 49ers in 2011
So all signs are pointing to Alex Smith returning to San Francisco for the upcoming 2011 season. Under any normal offseason I'd bet my money on there being no chance of seeing Alex Smith in a 49ers uniform again, however this has not been a normal offseason. Unless you have been living under a rock, you'll know the NFL is locked out, and thus, no free agency period has happened or will likely happen before preseason.
This has lead many teams, like the 49ers, who have gaping holes at the QB position to go to desperate measures, whether its drafting Jake Locker 8th overall (Titans) or Christian Ponder 11th overall (Vikings) or in this case, the 49ers bringing back Alex Smith. New 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and 49ers GM Trent Baalke recognized that they needed some kind of veteran solution to allow their rookie QB Colin Kaepernick time to develop. Which has lead to Harbaugh saying all the right things about Alex, and doing whatever he can to get the former 1st overall pick to come back to the 49ers for what I assume will be 1 more year.
As bad and as frustrating as Alex Smith has been his career, his last 2 seasons have been somewhat respectable, compiling a stat line of: 4720 yards, 32 TD's 22 INT's and a 60% completion rate.
Alex Smith, QB of the San Francisco 49ers
So while many 49er fans will cringe at the thought of watching more games with Alex Smith under center, understand that the 49ers could do a lot worse. I mean, who else could you get in a realistic scenario? Kaepernick is the teams future QB, so it doesn't make sense to trade a bunch of picks to pick up Kevin Kolb or Carson Palmer. Donovan McNabb you say? The guy who refused to wear an arm band with the play calls on it for offensive guru Mike Shanahan in Washington, the guy who had a notable lack of work ethic in the offseason and who honestly just looked downright awful, do you really wanna give up picks for that, when you can have Alex Smith? I don't.
So now we have established why the 49ers want Alex Smith back, but why does Alex Smith wanna come back to the 49ers? Despite being booed multiple times in Candlestick Park by 49er fans, reasons I came up with as to why Smith would wanna come back were as follows:
First of all, he knows he will be the starter here in 2011, thus giving him a chance to play and maybe driving up his market value for the 2012 offseason and earn a decent contract and maybe even get a starting gig somewhere else.
Secondly, he knows and is familiar with the personnel in San Francisco, guys like Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree etc.
Finally, I think Alex is much more of a competitor then people believe and I'm thinking he may feel like he has unfinished business in San Francisco. Had Alex Smith decided to not come back here next season, he leaves himself way too many question marks, such as, where will I be next season? When will I know where I will be? Will I go somewhere with a realistic chance to start? How will I cope with a whole new offensive personnel in a shortened offseason?
The future in 49er land - HC Jim Harbaugh and QB Colin Kaepernick
While I think from a personal and professional standpoint that Alex Smith really needs to get out of San Francisco and the 49ers also needing to move on from Alex, the lockout has created an unusual circumstance, where oddly enough, the best situation for both the 49ers and Alex Smith is to come together for 1 more year.
This has lead many teams, like the 49ers, who have gaping holes at the QB position to go to desperate measures, whether its drafting Jake Locker 8th overall (Titans) or Christian Ponder 11th overall (Vikings) or in this case, the 49ers bringing back Alex Smith. New 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and 49ers GM Trent Baalke recognized that they needed some kind of veteran solution to allow their rookie QB Colin Kaepernick time to develop. Which has lead to Harbaugh saying all the right things about Alex, and doing whatever he can to get the former 1st overall pick to come back to the 49ers for what I assume will be 1 more year.
As bad and as frustrating as Alex Smith has been his career, his last 2 seasons have been somewhat respectable, compiling a stat line of: 4720 yards, 32 TD's 22 INT's and a 60% completion rate.
So while many 49er fans will cringe at the thought of watching more games with Alex Smith under center, understand that the 49ers could do a lot worse. I mean, who else could you get in a realistic scenario? Kaepernick is the teams future QB, so it doesn't make sense to trade a bunch of picks to pick up Kevin Kolb or Carson Palmer. Donovan McNabb you say? The guy who refused to wear an arm band with the play calls on it for offensive guru Mike Shanahan in Washington, the guy who had a notable lack of work ethic in the offseason and who honestly just looked downright awful, do you really wanna give up picks for that, when you can have Alex Smith? I don't.
So now we have established why the 49ers want Alex Smith back, but why does Alex Smith wanna come back to the 49ers? Despite being booed multiple times in Candlestick Park by 49er fans, reasons I came up with as to why Smith would wanna come back were as follows:
First of all, he knows he will be the starter here in 2011, thus giving him a chance to play and maybe driving up his market value for the 2012 offseason and earn a decent contract and maybe even get a starting gig somewhere else.
Secondly, he knows and is familiar with the personnel in San Francisco, guys like Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree etc.
Finally, I think Alex is much more of a competitor then people believe and I'm thinking he may feel like he has unfinished business in San Francisco. Had Alex Smith decided to not come back here next season, he leaves himself way too many question marks, such as, where will I be next season? When will I know where I will be? Will I go somewhere with a realistic chance to start? How will I cope with a whole new offensive personnel in a shortened offseason?
While I think from a personal and professional standpoint that Alex Smith really needs to get out of San Francisco and the 49ers also needing to move on from Alex, the lockout has created an unusual circumstance, where oddly enough, the best situation for both the 49ers and Alex Smith is to come together for 1 more year.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Carson Palmer Dilemma
Carson Palmer, was once thought of as the 3rd best QB in the NFL behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, then Kimo von Oelhoffen shredded Palmers knee in a 2006 Playoff Matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then he has never been the same player, however in this QB driven league, a guy like Palmer will always have very high value.
Carson Palmer, QB of the Cincinnati Bengals
Since the onset of the 2011 offseason, Palmer has stated that he has no intention of playing another down for the Bengals. So how have the Bengals reacted to this situation? They have stated that they refuse to trade their franchise QB under any circumstance. What do I think of this stance? I think up to this point, the Bengals have played their cards perfectly. And now I will tell you why.
What the Bengals have is a huge asset, there are a number of teams which would love to have the services of Carson Palmer (Arizona, Seattle, Washington, San Francisco, Miami, Oakland). The stance the Bengals have taken has given them the best leverage they can possibly get. Why should the Bengals say anything but "We will not trade him", even if they wanted to trade him they can't with the lockout. Assuming the lockout ends sometime in the summer, I'd imagine teams will come calling Cincy. Now if the Bengals had been saying things along the lines of "We will consider a trade" or "We will listen to offers" that gives the impression he can be had, and thus drives down the possible value they can get.
What the Bengals have done, is made other teams considering Palmer, now having to initiate talks and have to immediately come in with a big offer. I take everything the Bengals have said with a grain of salt, I am going by the assumption that they are bluffing and that with the right offer they would go ahead and trade Palmer. If they just let him retire and get nothing in return? Well that quickly turns them from geniuses to idiots.
MLB Power Rankings coming later today.
Since the onset of the 2011 offseason, Palmer has stated that he has no intention of playing another down for the Bengals. So how have the Bengals reacted to this situation? They have stated that they refuse to trade their franchise QB under any circumstance. What do I think of this stance? I think up to this point, the Bengals have played their cards perfectly. And now I will tell you why.
What the Bengals have is a huge asset, there are a number of teams which would love to have the services of Carson Palmer (Arizona, Seattle, Washington, San Francisco, Miami, Oakland). The stance the Bengals have taken has given them the best leverage they can possibly get. Why should the Bengals say anything but "We will not trade him", even if they wanted to trade him they can't with the lockout. Assuming the lockout ends sometime in the summer, I'd imagine teams will come calling Cincy. Now if the Bengals had been saying things along the lines of "We will consider a trade" or "We will listen to offers" that gives the impression he can be had, and thus drives down the possible value they can get.
What the Bengals have done, is made other teams considering Palmer, now having to initiate talks and have to immediately come in with a big offer. I take everything the Bengals have said with a grain of salt, I am going by the assumption that they are bluffing and that with the right offer they would go ahead and trade Palmer. If they just let him retire and get nothing in return? Well that quickly turns them from geniuses to idiots.
MLB Power Rankings coming later today.
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