NFL 2020: the TB (Tom Brady) Buccaneers

[Simon G]

I've been listening to the Any Given Wednesday podcast recently and it's great in that it caters for people who are just getting into gridiron like myself.

One of the episodes talks about the film and series - Friday Night Lights - and talks about after high school that could be it for some players, then if they go onto College but don't go into the NFL then that's it.

Does Gridiron in the USA not have any junior league at all like baseball?

[ursus arctos]

Not really, college football are the effective "minor leagues" for the sport (as is also the case with basketball)

There are a handful of semi-professional outfits, but they are very hand to mouth, playing in high school stadia or parks and haven't guys get dressed in their cards

There is simply no incentive for the NFL to invest anything in development given the billions colleges are willing to throw at the sport

[Southport Zeb]

There have been various attempts at setting up minor leagues, such as the AAF and XFL in the last couple of years, but these have generally lasted only a season or two before running out of money.

NFL Europe is perhaps the most successful attempt at having a minor league, largely because it was run by the NFL who were able to cover the losses and whose teams could provide the (majority of) players.

There are a number of semi-professional leagues across the country, generally run on a regional basis, but it would be incrediably rare for a player to play in one of these and then play in the NFL. As well as outdoor leagues there are also a number of leagues playing various versions of indoor football, but again these are part time at best.

[ursus arctos]

I think it is important to note that those leagues (and their predecessors, the USFL, original XFL, etc.) were set up as alternatives or even potential competitors rather than as a structure for development. The NFL's takeover of the (World League of America Football (to become NFL Europe) was different in concept - the idea was to grow the geographical appeal of the sport while providing a NFL-controlled environment for players with some promise (but not enough to make NFL squads).

As with indoor football (most notably Kurt Warner), there have been a handful of reasonably successful imports from Canadian football (Doug Flutie, Rocket Ismail, etc.), but virtually all of those players played college football in the US.

[jason voorhees]

Half of the teams in that division spit on the legacy of Bum Philips and Earl Campbell

That said, should they lose to Pittsburgh again (this time in their best-ever player instead of an AFC Championship,) they will be offering a very high tribute to Luv Ya Blue.

[Eggchaser]

I've been listening to the Any Given Wednesday podcast recently and it's great in that it caters for people who are just getting into gridiron like myself.

One of the episodes talks about the film and series - Friday Night Lights - and talks about after high school that could be it for some players, then if they go onto College but don't go into the NFL then that's it.

Does Gridiron in the USA not have any junior league at all like baseball?

If you're getting into the game, check out the NFL channel on YouTube, it's a goldmine, especially the America's Game series, each episode tells the story of the Superbowl winners right back to the Packers in I. And because they made them long enough ago, they caught the older players before they died or got too old to properly tell the tale.

Mind you, the 1970 Colts seem utterly unable to enjoy their win as they are consumed with the loss to the Jets two years earlier.

[Hot Pepsi]

I think it is important to note that those leagues (and their predecessors, the USFL, original XFL, etc.) were set up as alternatives or even potential competitors rather than as a structure for development. The NFL's takeover of the (World League of America Football (to become NFL Europe) was different in concept - the idea was to grow the geographical appeal of the sport while providing a NFL-controlled environment for players with some promise (but not enough to make NFL squads).

As with indoor football (most notably Kurt Warner), there have been a handful of reasonably successful imports from Canadian football (Doug Flutie, Rocket Ismail, etc.), but virtually all of those players played college football in the US.

College football is a suboptimal system for
developing professionals, especially quarterbacks. College coaches are paid to win, not develop players for the next level.

Contrast that to minor league baseball, where coaches will take risks and let guys with potential fail a bit while they figure things out.

[Simon G]

If you're getting into the game, check out the NFL channel on YouTube, it's a goldmine, especially the America's Game series, each episode tells the story of the Superbowl winners right back to the Packers in I. And because they made them long enough ago, they caught the older players before they died or got too old to properly tell the tale.

Mind you, the 1970 Colts seem utterly unable to enjoy their win as they are consumed with the loss to the Jets two years earlier.

I've seen all of them, a few multiple times. The Missing Rings ones are genuinely heartbreaking, especially the 98 Vikings.

I've actually been following the game for a few years now, but never in any depth. An old colleague of mine was the sort who could reel off all the players in the Vikings and could talk about prospects from college and whatnot ready for the draft.

My following of the game seems to stick around Washington with the other bits added on the side. I've watched about a million NFL Films top 10s, I've seen a few of the draft documentaries, some of the other NFL Films ones as well such as Vince Lombardi at Washington (I never knew he coached them), and the Fog Bowl game.

I don't think I'll ever know the game like I know football, but I've learnt a lot over the past year or so and I can watch Redzone and know all that's going on with no real issues.

[Eggchaser]

The Redzone is great, it gives you the good stuff without the absolute mind numbing boredom that accompanies 90% of a live game.

The Vikings are cursed, beaten cruelly in the early Superbowls and they manage to find a way to lose every time.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Serious buzz growing in Seattle that Russell Wilson is looking to be traded.

[Simon G]

In a report this week he apparently said he wants to play in Seattle and hasn't formally asked for a trade.

But....

If he was to be traded he'd only consider the Raiders, Bears, Saints or Cowboys.

[jason voorhees]

By all means I agree to a Wilson-Winston trade. Only 2 letters to change on the shirt! PLLEEAASSEE let us have Sean Payton work with Russell Wilson and have him play as long as Breesus.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Petey's run based attack is not to Wilson's liking. He'd like an offensive line that could protect his passing (I think we'd all like that.) Allegedly Wilson "stormed out" of a team meeting before Christmas when his suggestions for fixing the OL were "dismissed."

[ursus arctos]

While the club is briefing that the reason the offensive line is poor is because they spent too much of the salary cap on Wilson . . .

[Amor de Cosmos]

Oh dear. The 12th Man won't be at all happy.

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1379258809315643394

A sixth round pick this year, a second and fourth next year

Fire sale prices are low

[caja-dglh]

I am glad for Darnold. He will shine for the next couple of years while the Jets destroy another prospect.

Maybe they will trade to get Rapey Guy from Houston.

[Billy Casper]

I've been torn on what I thought the Jets should have done - especially when I saw what Miami got in the trade with the 49ers.

If it was me, I'd have kept Sam if the Broncos or Panthers were willing to give us something similar in return. Then hoped that the Bengals chose a WR instead of Penei Sewell, so we could draft him instead. Not a particularly exciting choice,, but with Becton on the o-line too, Sam could have avoided seeing ghosts for awhile.

This is the Jets though. Instead of taking Zach Wilson we'll trade eight number ones for Watson. He'll promptly go to jail and Darnold will win the Superbowl throwing the winning touchdown to Robbie Anderson.

[ursus arctos]

Spoken like a true fan of the team

[ursus arctos]

The draft will start shortly.

The big news today is that Aaron Rodgers has told Green Bay that he no longer wants to play for them. Attempts to work out a trade with the Niners appear to have foundered.

[Incandenza]

Niners take FCS quarterback Trey Lance with the third pick, the second-highest pick for a FCS player (after Carson Wentz). Lance has only started 17 games in college, but he was really good, and he's the only QB in the draft who matches the offensive style that San Francisco has.

[ursus arctos]

Both of those FCS players being North Dakota State quarterbacks

[San Bernardhinault]

The Draft is so baffling to a non-American, as I’ve said before.

Rich white men buying - largely - black men. Into an indentured (if high paying) servitude. Where they don’t get any choice about where they ply their trade or how much they get paid.

Of course it’s a step up for the players who were previously not getting paid by the rich white men while they were in college.

Almost as bizarre is all the showbiz stuff around it. I bumped into the draft channel surfing. Theme songs and Kings of Leon performances and cheering fans for what - in other countries - would effectively be contract negotiations with agents.

[ursus arctos]

You missed the National Anthem

[caja-dglh]

San Bernardhinault just doesn’t understand draft culture.

Important I think is that these people work their asses off for over a decade for this opportunity.