2012 NFL Training Camp and Preseason Thread.

[Hockey]

Originally Posted by browna

Solid Seattle win. Russell Wilson came in for the second half and threw a TD to Edwards and ran for another and looked really poised.

Its only one game, but Tavaris Jackson is already, and not completely surprisingly, looking like the odd man out, especially given Carroll's eagerness for roster moves. I am sure he'll get a half in each of those next two preseason games, but he's a known quantity and a average NFL QB who has the ability inconsistently,but not sure, if Wilson looks as good as he is, will Carroll want him as third stringer.

I was at that game, but was cheering for the Titans. It was pretty awesome even for a pre-season game. Fans were superloud as usual. Our seats were right behind the Titans bench. Also a good amount of Titans fans were there.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Spuds_Buckley

Who would have thought Curtis freaking Painter would have led the Ravens to win from behind while scoring 3 TD's in the 2nd half?

Not me... that's for sure. Still think he is a long shot to stay on the team though.

Really? Harbaugh said he is open to the idea of keeping 3 QB's, that basically means he is a virtual lock for a roster spot. Having Caldwell around will likely help him too. Sadly, this dolt shouldn't be anywhere near an NFL roster again since he has been downright atrocious in training camp practices from everything I have read, getting picked off daily by the 3rd string defense. Hopefully I will eat more words for saying that and he gets flat outright released.

Harbaugh wants to make my smash my head into wall, why is he trying to defend Cundiff after he missed a 24 yard field goal yesterday in practice with some ######ed comment? If he chooses Cundiff over Justin Tucker, he better get used to having to defend him. Justin Tucker has easily pulled away from Cundiff over the last week, but Harbaugh being Harbaugh will go to the end of the world to defend his average kicker.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Alltime irrefutable fact about how pointless preseason is:

2008 Detroit Lions Preseason Record: 4-0
2008 Detroit Lions Regular Season Record: 0-16

[rubecube]

Not really NFL-related but Bleacher Report is getting blasted again.

http://bloggingthebeast.com/2012/08/...deo/#more-5680

A couple months ago, I wrote about Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller and not so subtly suggested that he isn’t actually doing the work he says he’s doing. Well… Here we go again.

Hey now! That’s me! And you know why I appear in Bleacher Report’s video? Because I’ve been at Eagles camp almost every day over the last three weeks, save for a brief trip to Albany to check out the G Men and a couple family things. You may or may not like my work, and that’s fine, but at least there is work that is being put in. You know who I have not seen at Eagles training camp? Matt Miller. He may have been there. I certainly don’t want to definitively say he hasn’t. I just haven’t seen him. And yet, Matt somehow has opinions on who has “struggled” at Eagles training camp.

I actually saw the Bleacher Report video yesterday and was kind of awestruck at how it seemed to go completely against what every other beat writer and blogger had been writing about the Eagles.

[trackercowe]

It's crazy that Hard Knocks was actually able to film Chad Johnson being released by Philbin. Watching him try and plead for his job was kind of sad, as this could very well be his last shot in the NFL.

He really should have known that committing any crime at this point was going to cost him his job.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Hockey

I was at that game, but was cheering for the Titans. It was pretty awesome even for a pre-season game. Fans were superloud as usual. Our seats were right behind the Titans bench. Also a good amount of Titans fans were there.

Give me your thoughts on Marc Mariani....is the new regime going to give him a chance to play wr some? Did his catches come with Locker or Smith?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Drake

Harbaugh wants to make my smash my head into wall, why is he trying to defend Cundiff after he missed a 24 yard field goal yesterday in practice with some ######ed comment? If he chooses Cundiff over Justin Tucker, he better get used to having to defend him. Justin Tucker has easily pulled away from Cundiff over the last week, but Harbaugh being Harbaugh will go to the end of the world to defend his average kicker.

Politics.

Pamper the guys who are stuggling, criticize the one who are acting self-important, keep all honest evaluation between the players and the coaching staff and out of the media.

It sounds like both Harbaughs play the same game and you won't be able to glean very much from what is said to the press. You will only be able to go by their actions.

I wish it was otherwise, but with how bright the spotlight in on the NFL and with how fast (mis)information can travel or be twisted I think this will be more often the case.

[Senator Clay Davis]

If you're a Viking and you touch AP...well....you're cut.

“The rules are simple,” Vikings safety Jamarca Sanford told the Star-Tribune. “Do not touch 28. If you touch him, you’re cut.”

[Flames in 07]

Vilma defamation suit is becoming very interesting

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...m-made-by-nfl/

[Sylvanfan]

A few injury notes of late, James Harrison getting his knee scoped, hopes to be back to start the season. Jason Whitten out with a spleen injury, hopes to be back to start the season.

[Senator Clay Davis]

If Jonathan Vilma doesn't drop his suit now, I hope he gets banned for life

On Wednesday, Judge Helen G. Berrigan ordered the parties to identify by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 17 “the date on which the NFLPA requested that Goodell defer issuing discipline notices to the players rather than issuing them at the same time that he disciplined the coaches.”

In response, the NFL has submitted a March 7, 2012 letter from former NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen to NFL general counsel Jeff Pash requesting generally a 60-day delay in all disciplinary proceedings, for players and non-players alike.

Assessing the letter at the superficial level, the NFLPA technically never made a request that the discipline against the players be deferred; instead, the union wanted all discipline delayed. Goodell explains in his sworn statement that the league nevertheless delayed announcing player discipline on March 21 in deference to the March 7 letter.

Goodell also explains that, despite a March 14 letter from Pash to the NFLPA explaining that there was no basis to delay the discipline “especially with regard to discipline of the club and non-player employees,” Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith agreed in subsequent talks by phone “to address first discipline of the club and then to afford the NFLPA a reasonable opportunity to conduct its own investigation and express its views before [Goodell] imposed discipline on the players.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...arch-21-issue/

I really hope this is now the end of this. Roger Goodell is not going to perjure himself just to screw the Saints.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

If Jonathan Vilma doesn't drop his suit now, I hope he gets banned for life

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...arch-21-issue/

I really hope this is now the end of this. Roger Goodell is not going to perjure himself just to screw the Saints.

I just wish if there was actual proof the league would show it. Just 5 months of the NFL using the 5 D's of dodgeball around the issue. Vilma's suit has 7 people with sworn affidavits that say that their was a pay for performance and not a pay to injure program.

The NFL has ignored safety for generations, and in fact celebrated over the top violence. Now that they are being sued out comes the tough talk and grandstanding to future juries and judges.

Im not sure if Vilma beat your parents but it must have been something serious for you to be so personally disturbed by him. But I do know one thing. You don't know the whole story, in fact you probably know a small fraction of what you think you know. Outside of a very small group nobody does. Yet you hope he's banned for life. Thank god your not a judge.

[Cheerio]

Luck did very well in his first game against the Rams, lets hope he can carry that into the game against the Steelers and into the regular season

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

I just wish if there was actual proof the league would show it. Just 5 months of the NFL using the 5 D's of dodgeball around the issue. Vilma's suit has 7 people with sworn affidavits that say that their was a pay for performance and not a pay to injure program.

The NFL has ignored safety for generations, and in fact celebrated over the top violence. Now that they are being sued out comes the tough talk and grandstanding to future juries and judges.

Im not sure if Vilma beat your parents but it must have been something serious for you to be so personally disturbed by him. But I do know one thing. You don't know the whole story, in fact you probably know a small fraction of what you think you know. Outside of a very small group nobody does. Yet you hope he's banned for life. Thank god your not a judge.

Well Vilma at this point now has no leg to stand on. His claim of being improperly prejudged is now basically dead with this. Continuing to pursue this lawsuit would be petty and ultimately costly only to the NFLPA in the form of legal fees. Roger Goodell did not get to be commissioner of the most powerful sports league in the world by being an idiot. He's a smart, very calculating man. I still have not gotten a good answer to this from a Saints fan, so I might as well ask: Please tell me why Roger Goodell would target the Saints. This isn't the Raiders, a franchise with tons of animosity between it and the league. The Saints before this broke were one of the top 5 most beloved teams by the league, on Sunday and Monday night as much as anyone except New England, Indianapolis and the Cowboys the last few years. Great redemption story before this. And they want to simply get the Saints? I simply don't buy it.

To Vilma, well as the guy has been implicated in another possible bounty program while at the U, and generally speaking I've found his behaviour during all of this to be pretty sad. The number one reason he's fighting this is to get his money. Clearing his name is nice, but nobody isn't going to think he's dirty forever now anyways. The money means a lot more, and that is why he's pushing this as hard as is. He was rumoured to possibly be cut this offseason, and with an entire year off, will anyone actually have any interest in a player whose skills were declining prior to the suspension? He's got a lot of money riding on this. I mean Sean Payton is going to lose $8 million this year and he's not appealing, but he's going to have a job to come back to, whether its in New Orleans or Dallas (and if I were Saints fans I'd be praying for the Boys to succeed this year. If Garrett gets fired you know Jerry will go to Payton with a blank cheque). Vilma might not.

Also, the number one thing Saints fans always seem to forget is regardless of whether its a "Bounty" or "Pay for Performance" program, the league told them to stop. They did not. That alone deserves massive fines and suspensions for disrespecting the league. I'm also sure those involed will be hearing from the IRS as to some likely unreported income. Then there's also the potential salary cap circumvention issue with a pay for performance program.

And if you want evidence, the 2009 NFC Championship Game is it. If you're telling me they weren't trying to injure Brett Favre, well, then I guess you'd be a Saints fan. The rest of us can clearly see what was going on in that game.

Also, I'm a Buc fan. Enjoying every second of this. Not gonna ever feel sorry for the Saints.

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Alltime irrefutable fact about how pointless preseason is:

2008 Detroit Lions Preseason Record: 4-0
2008 Detroit Lions Regular Season Record: 0-16

My Browns destroy Green Bay last night, give the Lombardi trophy to Cleveland now!

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

If Jonathan Vilma doesn't drop his suit now, I hope he gets banned for life

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...arch-21-issue/

I really hope this is now the end of this. Roger Goodell is not going to perjure himself just to screw the Saints.

I couldnt disagree more.

If the NFL doesnt have evidence then banning a player for a whole year is a complete joke. He maybe has 3 or 4 years max left of playing ability and to lose one just so the league looks good to the soft fans who dont think this stuff goes on is a joke.

Rumors have circulated that if Vilma drops the suit the NFL has offered him only an 8 game suspension likely just to save face. I want to see this go to the end to have someone win and the NFL might learn that they shouldnt release information like this publicly about a person if they have no substantial evidence.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I think there's a very good chance those settlement reports were leaked by Vilma's people in an attempt to undermine the NFL and make them look weak. It failed in that regard because they vehemently denied making a plea. If he were smart he'd take that deal in a heartbeat, because he's almost certainly not going to do any better, which is why I don't think the NFL really offered him anything. If they did he would have accepted.

And I've said it before, I think the NFL is protecting itself and the players involved from much worse by not releasing the evidence. Criminal charges (paid assault?) and lawsuits could be out of control. Goodell's job is to protect the NFL and its brand. Again, does anyone think he's stupid enough to jeopardize the NFLs credibility?

[Cheese]

The Pats signed Jeff Demps today...we needed a good guy on returns and he will fill that role very well.

http://musketfire.com/2012/08/17/new...gn-jeff-demps/

After much speculation, the New England Patriots have surprisingly signed London Olympic track star and silver medalist Jeff Demps. A former star running back for the Florida Gators, Demps rushed for 23 touchdowns with nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards for the team. Demps is a premier returner who will greatly upgrade a big position of need for the Pats, the return game.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Well Vilma at this point now has no leg to stand on. His claim of being improperly prejudged is now basically dead with this. Continuing to pursue this lawsuit would be petty and ultimately costly only to the NFLPA in the form of legal fees. Roger Goodell did not get to be commissioner of the most powerful sports league in the world by being an idiot. He's a smart, very calculating man. I still have not gotten a good answer to this from a Saints fan, so I might as well ask: Please tell me why Roger Goodell would target the Saints. This isn't the Raiders, a franchise with tons of animosity between it and the league. The Saints before this broke were one of the top 5 most beloved teams by the league, on Sunday and Monday night as much as anyone except New England, Indianapolis and the Cowboys the last few years. Great redemption story before this. And they want to simply get the Saints? I simply don't buy it.

To Vilma, well as the guy has been implicated in another possible bounty program while at the U, and generally speaking I've found his behaviour during all of this to be pretty sad. The number one reason he's fighting this is to get his money. Clearing his name is nice, but nobody isn't going to think he's dirty forever now anyways. The money means a lot more, and that is why he's pushing this as hard as is. He was rumoured to possibly be cut this offseason, and with an entire year off, will anyone actually have any interest in a player whose skills were declining prior to the suspension? He's got a lot of money riding on this. I mean Sean Payton is going to lose $8 million this year and he's not appealing, but he's going to have a job to come back to, whether its in New Orleans or Dallas (and if I were Saints fans I'd be praying for the Boys to succeed this year. If Garrett gets fired you know Jerry will go to Payton with a blank cheque). Vilma might not.

Also, the number one thing Saints fans always seem to forget is regardless of whether its a "Bounty" or "Pay for Performance" program, the league told them to stop. They did not. That alone deserves massive fines and suspensions for disrespecting the league. I'm also sure those involed will be hearing from the IRS as to some likely unreported income. Then there's also the potential salary cap circumvention issue with a pay for performance program.

And if you want evidence, the 2009 NFC Championship Game is it. If you're telling me they weren't trying to injure Brett Favre, well, then I guess you'd be a Saints fan. The rest of us can clearly see what was going on in that game.

Also, I'm a Buc fan. Enjoying every second of this. Not gonna ever feel sorry for the Saints.

I'm happy to answer that. It's for one of two reasons:

#1 The Saints legitimately had a pay for injure program

#2 The Saints had a elaborate pay for performance program, and in other news the league is, getting absolutely hammered with a tsunami of lawsuits from former players. Who all will have evidence that the league had celebrated a degree of violence not necessarily required in its game. It sold tapes of biggest hits, many of which are illegal now, and fostered a culture of arrogance and ignorance around the effects of its degree of violence and lack of concern for proper medical care. Goodell didn't create this, he inherited this mess. All he can do now is show what a safe concerned league he has, and part of that was finding a scapegoat.

It's one of the two, I'm not sure which one it is, and you sure as hell don't either.

Like I've said before, I'm a football fan first, and follow a specific team second. When this all came out I was happy with the penalties but there is too much in both the behavior of the players and the league to make me question if the league has anything substantial and are hiding behind a CBA that allows the NFL to act recklessly without any burden of proof. If they had a cut and dry case this seem to me to be a dead issue. Instead the league is offering a significant compromise just to make Vilma's suit go away ... why do that if they are rock solid I wonder.

I'm not going to argue your other points, your insanely biased and a long way from caring about a balanced viewpoint on an issue neither you or I truly know that much about.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Also, I'm a Buc fan. Enjoying every second of this. Not gonna ever feel sorry for the Saints.

Everything just boils down to this. They are a division rival, and you are hoping your team can be more competitive. As much as I'm sure you think saints fans can't see clearly, this quote tells me everything about you and your bias.