NFL Offseason 2012: Because contract negotiations are part of the excitement

[Neil]

The Saints might have tried headhunting, but the 49ers are just tough.  Even their offence is blue-collar.  Instead of the star being some namby-pamby QB, me-first WR or even an RB, their go-to guy is a big, tough TE who likes curling.  What a mensch.

[MadBurgerMaker]

With how it started, I thought "go for the head" and "kill the head" was just an extension of the metaphor, but yeah, he was obviously talking about targeting specific body parts.  I was actually expecting the whole thing to be much ado about nothing-- just some rough locker room talk taken out of context.  But there are some nuggets in there.

I bet whomever recorded that audio just lost some friends

Dude who recorded it is the same guy who did the Ricky Williams 30 for 30.  He was there recording because he's doing a new thing about Steve Gleason.  Here's what he has to say about it:

http://theusof.com/2012/04/tru-dat-gregg-williams-saints-audio-bountygate-pay-for-pain/

[katmai]

Hey Seedy and Neil, I know he is removed from Ravens by a few years, but what do you know about Jason Brown(?) who signed with Rams and lost his job so Niners are looking at him to compete for RG job.

[CountDeMoney]

Hey Seedy and Neil, I know he is removed from Ravens by a few years, but what do you know about Jason Brown(?) who signed with Rams and lost his job so Niners are looking at him to compete for RG job.

Somewhat consistent albeit unspectacular.  Journeyman quality.

[Neil]

Brown's a solid player, but no Grubbs or Yanda.  He won't single-handedly improve a line that's broken, but he'll be a good component on a line that works.

[frunk]

From Grantland

A crowd of 15,000 attended Easter services in Texas to hear Tim Tebow speak. When it turned out that there were only enough fish and loaves for about 100 people, Tebow miraculously created more, but then ruined everything when his attempt to throw them to the worshipers fell incomplete on the filthy ground.

[MadBurgerMaker]

From Grantland

A crowd of 15,000 attended Easter services in Texas to hear Tim Tebow speak. When it turned out that there were only enough fish and loaves for about 100 people, Tebow miraculously created more, but then ruined everything when his attempt to throw them to the worshipers fell incomplete on the filthy ground.

But hey, only 15,000?  I had seen that they were estimating 30,000 for that thing, which is more than half the total population of Georgetown itself.

[CountDeMoney]

Leave the man alone already.

[frunk]

Leave the man alone already.

ATM it's funny because I'm looking forward to the Jets collapse this coming season.  I'll probably be tired of it again soon.

[Valmy]

But hey, only 15,000?  I had seen that they were estimating 30,000 for that thing, which is more than half the total population of Georgetown itself.

The funny part was that it was just an interview with Tebow by the minister, he did not address the crowd directly and it was just a small part of the service.  Once that little interview was done thousands of people just got up and left before the Sermon.

[CountDeMoney]

A New Orleans filmmaker has accused former Saints defensive quality control coach Mike Cerullo of being the man who blew the whistle on the team's pay-for-pain bounty program that resulted in the suspensions of head coach Sean Payton, GM Mickey Loomis, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the bounty system architect.

"Based on my sources, and I believe they're very good, the former defensive quality control coach, his name is Mike Cerullo with a 'C,' was let go after the Super Bowl season and, for whatever reason, he was unable to find work in the NFL, and he believed that it was Gregg Williams and Sean Payton and others in the Saints organization blocking him from getting other work," Alan Donnes, who also wrote a book about the Saints, told America's Radio News Network on Tuesday.

"To the best of the sources I have and everybody else has, we all have that name."

Cerullo, a member of New Orleans' staff from 2007-09, now works at UConn.

"As we have stated, our information was corroborated by multiple independent sources," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to CBSSports.com when asked about Cerullo's role in the investigation.

NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp seemed to strongly suggest that former Saints TE Jeremy Shockey was the whistle blower in a tweet last month.

Shockey subsequently tweeted a text message exchange with Payton which seems to absolve him of outing the team he played for from 2008-10. Shockey's tweet read: "The truth shall set u free!!"

The text conversations read:

    Payton: "... hug!!!!!"

    Shockey: "Thx coach"

    Shockey: "Coach sux to hear the news u know I love u and that (stuff) is unfair! Sapp is saying I was the rat ... u know me and u know this is media (expletive)"

    Payton: "Shock your my guy and always will be!! I know you had nothing to do with that stuff (Sapp) said!! Hell you were in the offensive (meetings) with me!!! Love ya. Sean"

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld Payton's suspension for the 2012 season Monday, and the team is now considering interim replacements after Bill Parcells bowed out Tuesday.

Goodell is expected to discipline Saints defenders who participated in the bounty program soon.

Shame.  I would've loved to have seen the Big Tuna back on the sidelines one more time.

[CountDeMoney]

Poor Cleveland.    Poor Rams.  Poor Baltimore. 

2012 NFL Strength of Schedule By Team

A look at the most difficult schedules in 2012 (based on opponents' 2011 record).

Rank    Team    Combined W-L Record    Winning Pct.    Games vs. Quality Opp.**
1    N.Y. Giants*    140-116    .547    7
2    Denver*    139-117    .543    7
3    Cleveland    135-121    .527    7
4    St. Louis    134-122    .523    5
4    Baltimore*    134-122    .523    7
6    San Diego    133-123    .520    6
7    Philadelphia    132-124    .516    8
8    Minnesota    131-125    .512    7
8    Arizona    131-125    .512    6
10    Carolina    130-126    .508    5
11    Seattle    129-127    .504    5
11    Dallas    129-127    .504    7
11    New Orleans*    129-127    .504    5
14    Jacksonville    128-128    .500    8
14    Cincinnati*    128-128    .500    5
14    Pittsburgh*    128-128    .500    6
14    Indianapolis    128-128    .500    7
18    Oakland    127-129    .496    5
18    Miami    127-129    .496    6
20    N.Y. Jets    126-130    .492    6
20    Kansas City    126-130    .492    5
20    Chicago    126-130    .492    7
20    Detroit*    126-130    .492    6
24    Washington    125-131    .488    7
24    Atlanta*    125-131    .488    4
24    San Francisco*    125-131    .488    5
27    Tampa Bay    124-132    .484    5
28    Tennessee    123-133    .480    6
29    Houston*    121-135    .473    6
29    Buffalo    121-135    .473    5
31    Green Bay*    120-136    .469    7
32    New England*    116-140    .453    4

* 2011 playoff team.
** Quality opponents are teams that had at least nine wins in 2011.

[katmai]

I'll take that for Niners, now lets see how Harbaugh's mojo does in season two.

[CountDeMoney]

I'll take that for Niners,

No shit, man.  Talk about a red carpet to the NFC Championship game.

[Ed Anger]

32    New England*    116-140    .453    4

You have got to be fucking kidding me.