The Callers
We bitch, and bitch, and bitch about sportstalk on the radio, mostly locally because that's what we hear a lot of, and rightfully so. People like George Plaster with his "Book It's" and Joe Biddle with his obvious calls on various teams and games. Recently I actually heard him say "the UT/Vandy game has a lot riding on it, UT will be playing for a winning record and a bowl game." Well, no shit, Biddle, thanks a lot for that bit of genius. But, lately the people I've been getting more annoyed with are the callers, and their ridiculous opinions. Nothing wrong with opinons; nothing at all. We express them on this site daily, but some of this crap I've heard lately, and the magnitude of callers that have the same dumb ideas in their head is enough to make you want to go out and shoot them all. Here's a couple of recent things that many, many callers have been saying about the same subject.
1. THE COLTS ARE OVERRATED - This is usually followed by something along the lines of "There's no way they will go undefeated," or "They don't deserve to be called the best team in the league."
First off, if you're 10-0, possibly 11-0 after the game tonight, then I think you deserve to be called the best team in the league; I believe they have earned that right. Maybe I'm stupid, but that just seems like common sense to me.
Second, if you're reasoning is that they won't stay undefeated, then there are a lot of overrated teams in the history of football. Apparently, according to you the only team that hasn't been overrated in the history of football are the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team ever to go undefeated in an entire season. The 85 Bears, overrated. The Raiders and Steelers teams of the seventies, overrated. Lombardi's Packer teams who won the first two superbowls, overrated. Does this make any sense? NO!!!!!!!!!
Saying they won't go undefeated is reasonable; read above paragraph. But let's say in the last six games they go .500, then they'll finish the season at a dissapointing 13-3? Wow! Bring out the coffins and the fat lady, and let the singing begin.
There's no bias here. I'm not KW. I freaking hate the Colts, and I loathe the University of Tennessee, so you can only imagine of what I think about that big ass hick, Peyton Manning. But that doesn't mean I can't look at this realistically, and say the Colts are having a hell of a season, and will probably be the favorites to win the Super Bowl. And that was no cut on you, KW, you should be very proud of your team. Neither one of mine (Raiders, Titans) are doing worth a damn. I wish I could be you most Sundays.
2. THE TITANS SHOULD DRAFT MATT LEINART
This is become a ridiculous idea among the Titan faithful. First off, we're probably not going to be one of the first three draft picks. With our wins over teams that will probably have the same record than us or worse, they will pick above us. It's simple math, people. Leinart should be one of the first three-five picks; he will probably go 1 or 2 depending on what that team needs. So, it's not really even an option.
Well, then one might say, trade up for him. Now you've completely lost me. How does picking up Leinart make a damn bit of sense. Next year we have to work out a 50 million dollar option with Steve McNair. We have another QB on the bench, Billy Volek, who's making somewhere around 4 or 5 million depending on the incentives. We're trying to get out of the salary cap woes. So, why does taking a posistion that we're actually not hurting at and will only hit the cap for roughly 25 million or so over the next four or five years make a damn bit of sense to anyone? And when I say not hurting at, that's arguable, but I'm comparing this to the posistions we actually need. Even if something crazy happens and the Titans have the number 2 pick let's say, because I think Reggie Bush will go number one, I'd be willing to bet a million dollars that we don't get Leinart. Hell, I'll bet two million on that. It doesn't make any sense, it won't happen; quit wasting air time even trying to get the hosts to talk about it.
I really started digging Frank Wycheck as a radio host during the preseason when Pacman Jones was holding out. Caller after caller was calling in saying that we were better off cutting him. Wycheck finally told people to stop calling in with these comments, and that they weren't going to talk about it anymore. He made the commment that no team will cut a number six draft pick before his rookie season starts, and quit being stupid. At least someone has the guts to tell these idiots to shut up. Of course, the next caller asked if Frank thought the Titans would consider trading him. Sometimes you just can't win.
posted by Jonathan @ 11/28/2005 09:31:00 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
On the Colts, who are indeed 11-0 as I write this...I heard the "they haven't played anybody" reason for not calling them the best team in the league.
...
I asked a co-worker, who said the same thing, "Who is anybody?" No one has an answer for that. Any "anybody" you can come up with by rule has played some crappy teams as well, and even if you can come up with a supposed "anybody" then you would have to go into some serious Jeff Sagarin territory to compare. Those type of comments make me want to live in Russia.
And practically every rabid fan of a sports team irks me with their comments about how the team should be run. Matt Leinart? How exactly is he supposed to defend the pass?
And the early Pacman stuff bothered me too. The guy pissed us all off by not signing, but how was that an indicator of his talent? All we knew is that he is a little bit of a hothead--we hope, like with anything, that can be ironed out, along with his corner and kick return play. By the way, I haven't seen anyone call for Zach Pillar's head for having done the same stuff Pacman did.
The Colts are very, very good and have to be considered the Superbowl favorite. I hate the overrated crowd, always positing alternate realities.
"If they wouldn't have made this play, they wouldn't be where they are now."
Fine. But they did. That's why they're good.
As for not having played anyone, 3 words:
Patriots, Bengals, Steelers.
I've also now come to the conclusion that taking a QB with your first round pick is nearly always a bad move. Sure you will get your Mannings and Palmers every so often, but you alos get your Leafs and Harringtons, and Mirers, and Dilfers, and Shulers, and Akili Smiths.
The best strategy, if you have an impending QB retirement in the wings, as is the case with your Titans and my Packers, is to build a solid offensive line and defense, so that no matter who is behind center, he will have the ability to be successful.
In other words, setting up the support staff for the replacement is more important than giving everything away to get a talented replacement.
I'd also like to go on record as saying that the Packers' #2 QB, Craig Nall, will have a more successful NFL career than their #3 QB Aaron Rogers.
This year it's the Colts, and then everyone else. With the Steelers and the Patriots taking a step backwards, and a general lack of confidence in Jake the Snake or the Chargers to continue winning, no one is truly challenging them. So, to say that they haven't played anybody... well, I don't think there is anyone else to play. So, they haven't played anybody. If that makes any sense.
But hey, I wouldn't mind Lienert coming here. I don't trust Volek.
It's not really an issue thought, at least I don't think, of whether or not Leinart would be a better QB than Volek. I don't really think Volek is the answer either, but for the time being the Titans have chosen him to be, and are paying him to be. So, with the structure of the salary cap, Leinart makes no sense whatsoever. And secondly, they just won't be able to pick high enough.
I just want to make clear that I am not doubting the talent of Matt Leinart for one second.
I have been out of commission for a while...no computer (temporarily). The library computer actually won't let me access our blog...it calls it an "illegal site" and boots me off.
Anyway, it hurts me to my soul that you hate the Colts.
Okay, no it doesn't. I get it. Everyone has their teams. And I had to be "objective" and "rational" for two decades, admitting that, yes...the Colts are crap. Jim Harbaugh almost gave us quite the gift one year...but, it was Jim Harbaugh afterall. I am greatly enjoying this season, and hope to have the Colts called the Champs in a couple months. Then, as I was telling Chris last night, I need to be ready to accept that many other people are going to hate the Colts...much like they all started to hate the Patriots.
People just want their team to win...and seeing any other one team win for too long gets annoying.
As far as the Titans...Chris and I also discussed them at length last night...and my personal thing is this: we have to figure out the QB position this offseason. If we're to believe what the Titans told us this past offseason, that we're done "rebuilding" and we've fixed our cap problems and that now we're moving forward....then why don't we get a young QB?
McNair, much as he is loved by all (including me) is again considering retirement. He's having a so-so year. He's got one or two years left in him tops.
Volek is not any sort of guarantee (as no draftee would be either, I understand), and I might take the chance on him being the guy if he weren't already more than half-way through his career. If he were just a second-year pro...I could gamble on him. But he makes a lot of money, and he's got less time left in the league than he has behind him.
So I'm all for Leinhart, Young, or Cutler. Keep Steve for a year and groom the kid...then head for the future.
It makes no sense to have rookie recievers and rookie DBs and second-year DEs and be so freaking young if we're going to trot Old Man Winter out there at QB. If McNair is the guy for two more years...we'll have a great team around him...and then we'll have another two years of growing pains while we break in a rookie QB. Let's get the next QB this year, and then when Steve's done...the kid is ready.
But I do also think Paul's right...no first round QB is a sure thing (unless there are more Mannings out there). In fact, no first round guy in any position is really a sure thing. And that's why I say we play for Cutler...he might be late first round...but he could be a round 2 guy. He's local. Strong arm. And seriously folks...if you take him away from the crap players around him at Vandy...and put him in Leinhart's position, with all the pure-bred USC talent around him...how much better would he look then?
If the early word on what the scouts say about Cutler is remotely true, I think he'll be going a lot sooner than people even realize. Some people are leaking out that many are considering the second highest rated QB in the draft. I guess the Senior Bowl and Combines will tell the real story, but it's going to be interesting to see. I can't even imagine a Vandy QB going in the top ten, but if he was a QB at a major college football school, then I guess this wouldn't seem so out there. Hell, McNair played for Alcorn St.; Rothlesberger played at Miami(Ohio). So, you never know.
As for McNair, this is what scares me. People have been talking on and on about the reasons for this new pass and dunk system the Titans have going on. Passing up the twenty yard bombs for five six yard pick-ups to the TE's. Reasons being people like Bennet and Calico being out. But Bennet was back on Sunday, and when McNair would throw it out to him it was usually underthrown. And that interception at the end of the first half was way off target. People might not want to admit it, but I think the guy's arm is getting to the point of being shot. I'm no expert, but I'm just going by what I see week in and week out.
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