MLB Trade Rumors: Cleveland could still a be landing spot for David Price
December 9, 2013MLB Trade Rumors: Indians “listening to offers” for Justin Masterson
December 10, 2013Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while we’re all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrow’s edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“FINALLY. We’ve waited way too long for some impact plays from Paul Kruger, Jabaal Sheard, and Barkevious Mingo. With the assistance of a third-string right tackle for the Patriots, all three Browns defenders delivered in one game. The sacks were meaningful, too, preventing the Patriots from kicking a field goal, resulting in a turnover, etc. Kruger also did a good job helping break up two bubble screen passes for wide receivers.” [Pokorny/Dawgs By Nature]
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Destined to be a Brown? “Jadeveon Clowney was pulled over Saturday evening for speeding after police said he was going 110 MPH in a 70 MPH zone in South Carolina.” [Bromberg/Dr. Saturday]
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“This doesn’t mean that the Cavaliers can’t have success this season. But the reality is that young players are inconsistent. Experience in the league is a big deal, not just in games played, but meaningful games battling for playoff seeding. These loses early force the players to look themselves in the mirror and ask what role they can play that best helps the team to win. It’s not just about numbers and development anymore, it’s time to start winning.
They are going to win some games that they shouldn’t have any business winning this season, and they are going to get blown out by bad teams and cough up big leads. This is what young inexperienced teams do, it doesn’t worry me that these are some of the character traits this team is showing. They are far from finished products as players and the team is barely 25% done with their first season as a unit. They will continue to mature and grow throughout the year. Not all of them will realize their potential, but playing them and giving them the opportunity to sink or swim is necessary in order to find out who can play and who can’t. It is important to try and not to read too much into every mistake and loss. You can’t expect a finished product with a team this young.” [Rowan/Fear the Sword]
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“So could it be as simple as when Thompson plays well the Cavaliers win? Maybe.
The Canadian left-hander right-hander has scored at least 12 points in each of his team’s seven wins this year while averaging 16.4 during those victories. He’s also recorded a double-double in six of those seven wins (only non-double-double was 18 points, 9 rebs vs BKN) while collecting an average of 12.9 rebounds.” [Bowers/Stepien Rules]
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“In this case, Gronkowski is vulnerable and laid out, but it’s by a shot to his legs that Gronk can’t protect himself from, not by the traditional shot to the head. I don’t know how you tell Ward that he can’t hit Gronkowski high or low in that situation without basically suggesting that Gronkowski is allowed to waltz into the end zone for a touchdown anytime he catches a seam route. Ward had no intent to injure Gronkowski on the play, and yet the only hit he could really get off was a very dangerous one. There’s no simple solution to that quandary, just the reality that it’s impossible to make professional football with 240-pound athletes a safe game.” [Barnwell/Grantland]
3 Comments
The Canadian left-hander right-hander
I love the ridiculous quotient of this phrase.
I know on the orginal site they used a strikeout script for the left-hander portion. Don’t know if they can’t do that on this site…or if it was a simple copy and paste of the text (and didn’t pay attention to the format.)
But yeah, when I first read that here, I had to laugh.
In fairness, it should be pointed out that going low on huge guys like that isn’t new, but nonetheless it’s clear the NFL has a problem on its hands.
IMO the problem is less with the way the rule is written than the way it is interpreted and called. (which the NFL can and does control) Using the helmet as a battering ram has to stop, and targeting the head has to stop. The way it’s called now, though, is that any time the helmets touch at all the flag flies. Because of this, hits around the shoulders are effectively illegal as well. Moreso, when an offensive player puts his head down (and not in the now-illegal, Trent Richardson way) the defender has to go below the waist or there’s still a risk of helmet contact, which is currently flagged despite the offensive player putting his head into the “tackle zone.”. (Remember the dallas game last year? Gipson against Jermichael Finley a few weeks ago?) If it’s going to be a subjective call anyway, I’d rather the officials get a mandate that they are only to call it when they feel the head is targeted and/or the tackler was leading with the crown of his helmet, and not when the helmet-to-helmet contact is incidental. This still takes the most dangerous hits out of the game, but it opens up the abdomen area for the defenders to aim at.
Also, the rule about hits to a defenseless player needs to be clarified. The way it’s called now basically just penalizes hard hits and not certain types of hits or hits at certain times. Are you not allowed to hit a receiver until they’ve come down with the ball and started running? That sounds ridiculous, but that’s effectively how it’s called sometimes if the hit looked bad. Theoretically you’re just not supposed to be able to lead with the crown of the helmet, but again, because of the way helmet to helmet hits are called, keeping your head up is risky too, so defenders are just taking guys out at the knees.
I’m no happier than anybody else to see Gronk out for a year, and maybe forever. I hope the NFL fixes this quickly.