NFL 2011 season

[CountDeMoney]

Luckily, there's only one factor in determining defensive players: the number of snot bubbles an offensive player blows out his ear hole after getting thumped by Ray Lewis.

[CountDeMoney]

Let's see what's happening over at NFL Properties, LLC:

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. How will the Steelers get under the cap?

According to the new collective bargaining agreement, the Steelers have until Thursday to get under the $120 million salary cap. Despite a flurry of roster moves last week, Pittsburgh remains about $7 million to $10 million over, which is where the team started this summer.
The Steelers made several key salary cuts, including veteran receiver Antwaan Randle El and offensive tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams. But the re-signings of in-house free agents such as cornerback Ike Taylor have basically nullified those moves.
Expect more tough decisions to be made this week.
"We have to find ways to get under [the cap] and in compliance," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. "We're going to look at every and all possibilities."
There is some good news for the Steelers.
The new CBA allows teams to use three $1 million exceptions in 2011, and Colbert says he will use them all. Teams have this onetime flexibility to add an extra $3 million to the cap, which essentially brings the Steelers' number up to $123 million. This could allow Pittsburgh to retain some veterans it otherwise would lose.

2. Has Pittsburgh fixed its pass defense?

The last memory Steelers fans have of their defense is Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers carving up the secondary for 304 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XLV. Since then, Pittsburgh hasn't made any significant additions to the secondary, leaving many to wonder whether this problem is fixed.
Because Pittsburgh is fielding the same players in the secondary, it's difficult to imagine the pass defense being better than it was last season. The Steelers re-signed veteran corners Taylor and William Gay and drafted rookies Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen.
"You can't worry about what people think outside the locker room, because we've been so successful on the field," Taylor said of the criticism. "So it really doesn't matter. Everybody has their own opinion. It comes with the territory."
Expect many teams to spread the Steelers out this season by using three- and four-receiver sets. That will force backups such as Gay or some of the young corners to play important roles on the defense.

3. How thin is Pittsburgh's offensive line?

Pittsburgh's offensive line could be the thinnest group in the league.
Outside of second-year center Maurkice Pouncey, who is a stud, the rest of the line is littered with questions. Jonathan Scott plays the important role of left tackle and was inconsistent last year. Guards Ramon Foster and Chris Kemoeatu are decent run-blockers but struggle in pass protection. And right tackle Willie Colon is coming off an Achilles injury that forced him to miss the entire 2010 season.
Cutting Starks and Adams severely hurt the talent and depth of this group. Those were two of the most experienced linemen Pittsburgh had. Cap issues make it unlikely the team will sign another starting offensive lineman in free agency.
"You can't go into it and expect to have veteran depth at every position," Colbert admitted. "It just doesn't work out financially. You have to trust some of your young guys."

[CountDeMoney]

Shitting around on ESPN this morning, found this interesting article on The Patriots Logo That Almost Was

[CountDeMoney]

More uniform news:  The Buffalo Bills have made it official, and are going back to the future with the Joe Ferguson-late 70s-early 80's white helmets of the pre-red helmet era.

Two thumbs up for the Bills: one for the white helmets, and one for dumping the ocassional messy red jerseys for blue home jersey/white pants and all-white road unis.

Kudos to the Bills! All we need now is Joe Cribbs!

the Bills couldn't use their own players as models for the uni unveiling. So instead they used United States military personnel, including one soldier who was an inspired choice. That's Army Specialist Nick Stone in the center of that photo. Nice move by the Bills to include him in the unveiling.

[Neil]

Stone's going to get a fine from the league for that missing sock.

[MadBurgerMaker]

  Colt McCoy autographing Amish water bottles and canned goods:



Nice neckbeard, psycho.  The little blond kid is serious about getting those beans signed.

[derspiess]

Shitting around on ESPN this morning, found this interesting article on The Patriots Logo That Almost Was

Lordy.  That looks like something straight out of the USFL.

All we need now is Joe Cribbs!

He was my favorite player for a couple years

[Sophie Scholl]

I'm a big fan of the change in the Bills unis.  The recent ones were just so damn awful.  The only thing that would have been better in my opinion would have been to go back to the merger unis for their every day home and away and then go with the late 80's early 90's Jim Kelly/Thurman Thomas/etc. run Bills unis for the throwback games.

[sbr]

I think Randy Moss was the most physically talented person to ever play WR, and may have been the most talented player to ever strap on NFL pads but mentally and emotionally he was a disaster.  On Mike and Mike (ESPN Radio) this morning his good friend Cris Carter called him mentally soft, which is the second worst thing you can call a football player; physically soft being the worst.  Can you imagine a guy with Moss's physical ability and Jerry Rice's work ethic and determination? 

I still think Moss is in the discussion for 2nd best WR ever, behind Rice.  Carter, Tim Brown, T.O., are in the mix along with a few others that I am not sure about (Issac Bruce, Marvin Harrison, Andre Reed and some old-timers like Don Hutson that really aren't relevant in today's game unfortunately).

[sbr]

Let's see what's happening over at NFL Properties, LLC:

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. How will the Steelers get under the cap?

According to the new collective bargaining agreement, the Steelers have until Thursday to get under the $120 million salary cap. Despite a flurry of roster moves last week, Pittsburgh remains about $7 million to $10 million over, which is where the team started this summer.
The Steelers made several key salary cuts, including veteran receiver Antwaan Randle El and offensive tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams. But the re-signings of in-house free agents such as cornerback Ike Taylor have basically nullified those moves.
Expect more tough decisions to be made this week.
"We have to find ways to get under [the cap] and in compliance," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. "We're going to look at every and all possibilities."
There is some good news for the Steelers.
The new CBA allows teams to use three $1 million exceptions in 2011, and Colbert says he will use them all. Teams have this onetime flexibility to add an extra $3 million to the cap, which essentially brings the Steelers' number up to $123 million. This could allow Pittsburgh to retain some veterans it otherwise would lose.

2. Has Pittsburgh fixed its pass defense?

The last memory Steelers fans have of their defense is Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers carving up the secondary for 304 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XLV. Since then, Pittsburgh hasn't made any significant additions to the secondary, leaving many to wonder whether this problem is fixed.
Because Pittsburgh is fielding the same players in the secondary, it's difficult to imagine the pass defense being better than it was last season. The Steelers re-signed veteran corners Taylor and William Gay and drafted rookies Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen.
"You can't worry about what people think outside the locker room, because we've been so successful on the field," Taylor said of the criticism. "So it really doesn't matter. Everybody has their own opinion. It comes with the territory."
Expect many teams to spread the Steelers out this season by using three- and four-receiver sets. That will force backups such as Gay or some of the young corners to play important roles on the defense.

3. How thin is Pittsburgh's offensive line?

Pittsburgh's offensive line could be the thinnest group in the league.
Outside of second-year center Maurkice Pouncey, who is a stud, the rest of the line is littered with questions. Jonathan Scott plays the important role of left tackle and was inconsistent last year. Guards Ramon Foster and Chris Kemoeatu are decent run-blockers but struggle in pass protection. And right tackle Willie Colon is coming off an Achilles injury that forced him to miss the entire 2010 season.
Cutting Starks and Adams severely hurt the talent and depth of this group. Those were two of the most experienced linemen Pittsburgh had. Cap issues make it unlikely the team will sign another starting offensive lineman in free agency.
"You can't go into it and expect to have veteran depth at every position," Colbert admitted. "It just doesn't work out financially. You have to trust some of your young guys."

I heard the Rapistburger was going to restructure his contract to help get them under the cap, that was on the radio though and I don't feel like looking for a source.

[sbr]

Stone's going to get a fine from the league for that missing sock.

I like the new uni's but could those models look any less comfortable? 

[Sophie Scholl]

   Fucking Raiders.  Letting Zach Miller go to the Seahawks?  Seriously?!  What.  The.  Fuck.  Let Nnamdi go.  Miller.  Keep Campbell over Gradkowski.  Not resign Bush yet.  Think everything will magically work with McFadden carrying the load.  Why not just give DHB a raise, bring back JaMarcus, rehire Art Shell and be done with it.  You fucking retard Al.  I really, really, really want to see you dead.

[CountDeMoney]

I heard the Rapistburger was going to restructure his contract to help get them under the cap, that was on the radio though and I don't feel like looking for a source.

Yeah. both he and Harrison are redoing their shit, but they're still going to be over by several million come Thursday.

[Neil]

  Fucking Raiders.  Letting Zach Miller go to the Seahawks?  Seriously?!  What.  The.  Fuck.  Let Nnamdi go.  Miller.  Keep Campbell over Gradkowski.  Not resign Bush yet.  Think everything will magically work with McFadden carrying the load.  Why not just give DHB a raise, bring back JaMarcus, rehire Art Shell and be done with it.  You fucking retard Al.  I really, really, really want to see you dead.

Watch out.  Somebody might prosecute you for uttering threats.  Unless you live in a country that has real freedom of speech, then you're probably alright.

[Sophie Scholl]

  Fucking Raiders.  Letting Zach Miller go to the Seahawks?  Seriously?!  What.  The.  Fuck.  Let Nnamdi go.  Miller.  Keep Campbell over Gradkowski.  Not resign Bush yet.  Think everything will magically work with McFadden carrying the load.  Why not just give DHB a raise, bring back JaMarcus, rehire Art Shell and be done with it.  You fucking retard Al.  I really, really, really want to see you dead.

Watch out.  Somebody might prosecute you for uttering threats.  Unless you live in a country that has real freedom of speech, then you're probably alright.

I'm pretty sure it would be written off as justifiable homicide.  Who likes Al anymore anyway?  There's a few nutjobs that I see on some message boards, but I would venture even the majority of Raider fans can't stand him anymore.  The rest of the league has always hated him.