Tank
This tank talk needs to stop right now.
Reggie Bush seems like the real deal, but in five years from now, will this tank talk truly be worth its words?
Houston defeated Arizona on Sunday, giving them two wins in their last fourteen games... an amazing feat, I tell you. Apparently, fans were upset that the home team won?!?! Down in Jacksonville, the Jaguars barely got by San Francisco to inch closer to their first playoff birth in seven years. Meanwhile, the twelth loss of the season gives the 49ers another chance to reunite Alex Smith with his former high school teammate. In all seriousness, it's a little maddening to read articles about how both the Texans and the Niners need to tank (or professionally forfeit, shall we say) the remainder of the season until the "Bush Bowl" on New Year's Day.
Each season at this time, when teams are so terrible that their vacations had been set by October, propaganda is thrown out for teams to intentionally, for the lack of a better term, suck. The first statements on that could be quite funny, I admit. Yet, the groundswell has turned into a flood. Newsies in both cities are asking coaches and players what would it be like to have the junior tailback in the backfield. Kevan Barlow, who for all who forgot, happens to be the starting back in San Francisco, proclaimed that he is the future of the franchise and not Bush. Why shouldn't he feel a little miffed at the suggestions that he, Frank Gore (who should be the no. 1 back) and Maurice Hicks can't get the job done? Barlow hasn't exactly shown that he could handle the job and there are some viable solutions that are proven in the league. About-to-be-canned Dom Capers pretty much said "hell no" to all the tank talk. Giants GM and former Colts GM Ernie Accorsi reminded media in the NYC area that sabotaging the season is "fan talk" and is unbecoming of a football team that would bleed itself dry for a win with all the preparation it takes to get one in the NFL.
Is this the "Tim Duncan Plan" reincarnated? If you recall, the Boston Celtics, led by former coach and GM Rick Pitino, supposedly coached and traded into a professional forfeit that would have set up Boston in the Draft Lottery to have the number one pick. Boston has still yet to win a NBA title since 1986, San Antonio has added gold three times since 1999.
It is hard to not be impressed by Bush's skills, even if is college, where poor tackling would make our parents look like All-Americans. Plus, Bush just might part of the handful of legitimately good Heisman Trophy winners of the last twenty-five years. The last running back out of college whose skills translated well into the pros was some guy out of Oklahoma State named Barry Sanders. And while sports pundits believe that his size or lack thereof (6', 200lbs.) will be his detriment to becoming an every-down player, two of the top ten running backs in the league over the last decade have the same dimensions (Tiki Barber and Warrick Dunn). Yet, there is something that holds me back from joining fellow 49ers fans. I can't seem to put my finger on it... oh, yeah, don't teams who seem to need this one savior actually need a few more good men? If your favorite FOOTBALL team is bad enough that one player can truly make a difference, then you may not be looking at the whole picture.
If you look at Houston, they have invested in a young nucleus or David Carr, Andre Johnson and the current RB, Dominack Davis. Every time Carr drops back, the paramedics actually root for the opponent to sack him so that they can rush him to a nearby hospital. Johnson was to have emerged this season, but was beset by injuries. If Carr gets rocked at every snap of the ball, it's a sure thing that Davis won't be able to get much of a running start. Skill players aren't able to display themselves without an offensive line that can block. The franchise based themselves on strength upfront. Even though they drafting Tony Boselli from Jacksonville in their expansion draft, the line had never been able to hold their QB upright (and Boselli never played a down for Houston because of injuries that led to a premature retirement).
If you look at San Francisco, there isn't much of a nucleus to look at. As the previous post may remind you, coach Mike Nolan has much to work on. Alex Smith has yet to throw a TD and has fumbles nine times to go along with ten INTs. Other than the powerful Gore, there hasn't been the running game that allows for the West Coast Offense to succeed. Brandon Lloyd's great catches prove to be for naught without the help at the other end of the field. Not to mention Eric Johnson was already out for the season, their two best linemen are on injured reserve and they have two rookies on a patchwork line. They've had injuries on the other side of the ball as well, including losses of Tony Parrish, Mike Rumph (converted to FS from CB), Ahmed Plummer, Derek Smith, Julian Peterson, etc.
Think Bush can solve all of those problems?
San Fran has been stockpiling draft picks for next season through trading Tim Rattay and Jamie Winborn during the season for undisclosed picks (adding two picks to the seven for next April) They do have cap room, despite the rumblings of the past problems with the cap due to the DeBartalo scandal. As all teams, they will be looking for line help on both sides of the ball as well as any speed at receiver. Houston, meanwhile has eight picks, including two in the third round. Though they haven't made too many moves in their brief history, they are hoping to continue to build through the draft and attract a big time free agent. Fans of both teams, including my loyal Niner self, should be just as attentive to the other picks and possible draft day manuverings as the chance of grabbing The President.
Basically, this better be a Bush that can actually perform to task. He better be for real. Yet, Gore and Bush working together? Hmmm....
Say Word?!?!: Kobe was disgusting the other night. And speaking of KB8, during the much hyped showdown in Miami on Christmas, the Lakers guard will debut his new sneakers, Zoom Kobe I on the court. It's interesting to see that Nike has been the only endorser to have "rolled the dice" with promoting anything related to Kobe Bryant. While the company signed LeBron James to that $90 million contract, they simultaneously (and somewhat quietly) signed Bryant to a five year, $45 million deal and are finally using him halfway into the deal. Not that Colorado will be the source of most of the sneaker sales, but it seems as if Nike wants to do what the NFL, EA Sports and Under Armour had done for Ray Lewis a short time ago. Put a talented player back on Madison Avenue. Advertising magnate and egomaniac Donny Douche... I mean Deutsch had said Nike was making a mistake when signing Bryant. Yet, if you look at what those companies did with Lewis after his acquittal in 2000, they had kept the linebacker to familiar territory; football and football only. Nike had started rolling out some promotions with Kobe lately, keeping it strictly on basketball, knowing that it is hard to deny the man's talent. Is it fair? That depends on if you thought he was guilty of rape or was railroaded by the judicial system.
On another note, Happy Holidays to all and I'll see you on the other side of the calendar (2006) and country (the Bay) in later days.
Reggie Bush seems like the real deal, but in five years from now, will this tank talk truly be worth its words?
Houston defeated Arizona on Sunday, giving them two wins in their last fourteen games... an amazing feat, I tell you. Apparently, fans were upset that the home team won?!?! Down in Jacksonville, the Jaguars barely got by San Francisco to inch closer to their first playoff birth in seven years. Meanwhile, the twelth loss of the season gives the 49ers another chance to reunite Alex Smith with his former high school teammate. In all seriousness, it's a little maddening to read articles about how both the Texans and the Niners need to tank (or professionally forfeit, shall we say) the remainder of the season until the "Bush Bowl" on New Year's Day.
Each season at this time, when teams are so terrible that their vacations had been set by October, propaganda is thrown out for teams to intentionally, for the lack of a better term, suck. The first statements on that could be quite funny, I admit. Yet, the groundswell has turned into a flood. Newsies in both cities are asking coaches and players what would it be like to have the junior tailback in the backfield. Kevan Barlow, who for all who forgot, happens to be the starting back in San Francisco, proclaimed that he is the future of the franchise and not Bush. Why shouldn't he feel a little miffed at the suggestions that he, Frank Gore (who should be the no. 1 back) and Maurice Hicks can't get the job done? Barlow hasn't exactly shown that he could handle the job and there are some viable solutions that are proven in the league. About-to-be-canned Dom Capers pretty much said "hell no" to all the tank talk. Giants GM and former Colts GM Ernie Accorsi reminded media in the NYC area that sabotaging the season is "fan talk" and is unbecoming of a football team that would bleed itself dry for a win with all the preparation it takes to get one in the NFL.
Is this the "Tim Duncan Plan" reincarnated? If you recall, the Boston Celtics, led by former coach and GM Rick Pitino, supposedly coached and traded into a professional forfeit that would have set up Boston in the Draft Lottery to have the number one pick. Boston has still yet to win a NBA title since 1986, San Antonio has added gold three times since 1999.
It is hard to not be impressed by Bush's skills, even if is college, where poor tackling would make our parents look like All-Americans. Plus, Bush just might part of the handful of legitimately good Heisman Trophy winners of the last twenty-five years. The last running back out of college whose skills translated well into the pros was some guy out of Oklahoma State named Barry Sanders. And while sports pundits believe that his size or lack thereof (6', 200lbs.) will be his detriment to becoming an every-down player, two of the top ten running backs in the league over the last decade have the same dimensions (Tiki Barber and Warrick Dunn). Yet, there is something that holds me back from joining fellow 49ers fans. I can't seem to put my finger on it... oh, yeah, don't teams who seem to need this one savior actually need a few more good men? If your favorite FOOTBALL team is bad enough that one player can truly make a difference, then you may not be looking at the whole picture.
If you look at Houston, they have invested in a young nucleus or David Carr, Andre Johnson and the current RB, Dominack Davis. Every time Carr drops back, the paramedics actually root for the opponent to sack him so that they can rush him to a nearby hospital. Johnson was to have emerged this season, but was beset by injuries. If Carr gets rocked at every snap of the ball, it's a sure thing that Davis won't be able to get much of a running start. Skill players aren't able to display themselves without an offensive line that can block. The franchise based themselves on strength upfront. Even though they drafting Tony Boselli from Jacksonville in their expansion draft, the line had never been able to hold their QB upright (and Boselli never played a down for Houston because of injuries that led to a premature retirement).
If you look at San Francisco, there isn't much of a nucleus to look at. As the previous post may remind you, coach Mike Nolan has much to work on. Alex Smith has yet to throw a TD and has fumbles nine times to go along with ten INTs. Other than the powerful Gore, there hasn't been the running game that allows for the West Coast Offense to succeed. Brandon Lloyd's great catches prove to be for naught without the help at the other end of the field. Not to mention Eric Johnson was already out for the season, their two best linemen are on injured reserve and they have two rookies on a patchwork line. They've had injuries on the other side of the ball as well, including losses of Tony Parrish, Mike Rumph (converted to FS from CB), Ahmed Plummer, Derek Smith, Julian Peterson, etc.
Think Bush can solve all of those problems?
San Fran has been stockpiling draft picks for next season through trading Tim Rattay and Jamie Winborn during the season for undisclosed picks (adding two picks to the seven for next April) They do have cap room, despite the rumblings of the past problems with the cap due to the DeBartalo scandal. As all teams, they will be looking for line help on both sides of the ball as well as any speed at receiver. Houston, meanwhile has eight picks, including two in the third round. Though they haven't made too many moves in their brief history, they are hoping to continue to build through the draft and attract a big time free agent. Fans of both teams, including my loyal Niner self, should be just as attentive to the other picks and possible draft day manuverings as the chance of grabbing The President.
Basically, this better be a Bush that can actually perform to task. He better be for real. Yet, Gore and Bush working together? Hmmm....
Say Word?!?!: Kobe was disgusting the other night. And speaking of KB8, during the much hyped showdown in Miami on Christmas, the Lakers guard will debut his new sneakers, Zoom Kobe I on the court. It's interesting to see that Nike has been the only endorser to have "rolled the dice" with promoting anything related to Kobe Bryant. While the company signed LeBron James to that $90 million contract, they simultaneously (and somewhat quietly) signed Bryant to a five year, $45 million deal and are finally using him halfway into the deal. Not that Colorado will be the source of most of the sneaker sales, but it seems as if Nike wants to do what the NFL, EA Sports and Under Armour had done for Ray Lewis a short time ago. Put a talented player back on Madison Avenue. Advertising magnate and egomaniac Donny Douche... I mean Deutsch had said Nike was making a mistake when signing Bryant. Yet, if you look at what those companies did with Lewis after his acquittal in 2000, they had kept the linebacker to familiar territory; football and football only. Nike had started rolling out some promotions with Kobe lately, keeping it strictly on basketball, knowing that it is hard to deny the man's talent. Is it fair? That depends on if you thought he was guilty of rape or was railroaded by the judicial system.
On another note, Happy Holidays to all and I'll see you on the other side of the calendar (2006) and country (the Bay) in later days.
posted by Jason Clinkscales @ 10:10 PM
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