It does rarely work.......in fact in rarely works in most sports.
That's all I was sayin'..
That said, sometimes it does work, and I find it's best to grade each move on it's individual merit's as opposed to believing it won't work, simply because similar moves didn't work for others in the past
However the odds are a lot higher.
He only cost us a 3rd and 5th round pick.......which is peanuts, compared to the kind of impact he could have on the entire defense.
Ya, and we said a 2nd round pick was peanuts for A.J Feeley since the Qb position is so important. We also said a 2nd round pick was peanuts for Culpepper who looked good at the time (also comng off injury like Jenkins) as he was leading the NFL in certain QB categories at the time.
we also said trading a 4th to move up one single spot in the draft was a good idea, when in fact we didn't have to..
Sure, they all look like good moves at the time. But the mistakes add up if you don't make it to the super bowl ( or the playoffs for that matter). And those picks are pure gold.
As you know, NT is quite possibly the most important piece of the puzzle to a 3-4 defense.......and something we desperately needed. With no one worth going after in FA, we landed one of the best, for a few mid rounders.
Just like we traded picks for guys who we thought would make a difference-- there's too many to mention.. Snider over there in Washington is notorious for trading picks for veterans ( he just paid us a 2nd and 6th for a 34 year old Jason Taylor
), and I am sure he thought it looked good at the outset.. We'll see what he thinks at the draft when his team didn't make the super bowl and he could use that VERY valuable 2nd round pick that could land him a very good player for 10 years.
Regardless of how it works out, (and his durability is a concern)....I think it's a move we had to make, no matter what.
Most of the time it looks good at the outset. Hence, at the outset.
We overpaid a little......but it's not that much more than Parcells and crew tried to lure him in with, which was rumored to be 36 million over 6 years, and 15-17 million guaranteed.
It's been well reported that Parcells had no interest in Pace. That all he wanted to do was drive the price up.
Thing is.......and this goes hand in hand with the Gholston pick......is that our pass rush was one of the worst in the league last year, and was something that HAD to be addressed.
While it had to be addressed, Gholston was the wrong move IMO. I think he will be a bust because of his hips. However I do like Pace as a player, even though he only had one good year.. Still overpaid though.
As for the cap issues......Mike Tannenbaum is widely considered the best capologist in the NFL, and has been in charge of our cap for years now, and we've never had any cap problems..
Until now. With your signings, you are inviting a nice rendezvous with "cap hell" in the near future if you don't make the super bowl and have a subpar season.. I mean, it's just like a downward spiral once you start (ask Snider). If you don't make it to the dance you will just spend the little money you will have left trying to get over the hump- and it will all be in vain as you just weren't good enough to begin with.
They're Superbowl winners...........we're coming off a 4-12 season, and just trying to make it back to the playoffs.
Yes, they were super bowl winners. And they became super bowl winners by building exclusively through the draft.. Not by $40 million signings like a 31 yr old Faneca, and $42 million signings like Calvin Pace etc etc.
IMO you don't spend to the cap limit and tie yourself for years when you're 4-12.. If you are going to tie yourself with big contracts to veterans, do it when your 10-6 (after successful drafts) and are looking to go over the hump..
Also, Brett Ratliff has shown some incredible poise early in his career........and Ainge has the potential to be a starter down the road as well.
I was hoping you would cut one of them so we can sign one as our 3rd QB and cut Beck.
I can't imagine the Jets coming out with anything but a ton of emotion, with Brett Favre at the helm, and knowing it will likely be the most watched game of week 1.
And Miami won't have a ton of emotion? They won't have a ton of emotion trying to bust their balls to win it for Pennington ? (as he has been a HUGE locker room influence already on the team).. And you don't think that Miami, after a terrible 1-15 season, won't be UP for this matchup trying to start a new era with Parcells and company at the helm ?
Let's face it, ALL the pressure is on the Jets with signing Favre and the other signings... Miami is in the best shape in the league by being $19 million under the cap, and we are doing it the right way, methodically through the draft.. ALL THE PRESSURE and expectations are on YOU.. Miami is loose. What have we got to lose ? We were 1-15 last year ! If you think Miami is going to lay down you're nuts ! :nono: . LOL
My concerns.........are how much of a running game we're going to be able to mount. As great as the O-Line has looked in pass protection this off-season, they've yet to show me the kind of push I expect from them......to which Thomas Jones 2.7 yards per carry this preseason, can attest.
Our run defense looks improved 100% . Now we just need to wait and see if it translates into the season.
I've also got some concerns in our defense..........they've yet to show me that they're really gelling, and I haven't seen the preasure up front that I was hoping for...........that said, if we can stop the run, I see us having a relatively easy day with the Fins offense as a whole.
That is a HUGE
if with Miami's running game.. especially with a much improved O-line, and with Ricky and Ronnie playing 100%..
Heat's a factor........it's not that big of a factor.
Let's not forget that last year during the first two months of the season, you guys were 0-4 at home, including a ass whoppin at the hands of the lowly Raiders.
Let's not forget that Miami's coach last year had the dolphins out of shape. It was a "club med" training camp.. In the first game of the season at Washington, I saw something I have never seen with a Miami team-- they were actually huffing and puffing (winded) in the 3rd quarter.. It was surreal. As we are usually one of the most fit teams in the league.
Fast forward to this year--- Sparano has had a VERY physical training camp this year.. The few players who are still around from last year have emphatically stated how last year was a "club med" atmosphere in camp compared to this year.. I mean, last year the team only hit once a week in camp. This year is a HUGE difference, a totally different atmosphere. The team is in outstanding shape.
Seriously.........would the game being played at 1 o'clock, really ahve prevented us from trouncing you 40-13 at Dolphin stadium last year?
That's nice.. But keep in mind what time of year that game was played.. Early September is a WHOLE NEW ballgame compared to late fall. I lived there, the weather is hell in early september.
ie- The last 2 times the Jets came to Miami in early to mid September, Miami won by the scores of 30-3 and 52-14 ..... :thumbsup(22): .. Also keep in mind that it's been a dry cool summer in the northeast, so the south florida humidity will have even more of an effect.
For a 25 year stretch, Miami had the best September record in the NFL, for a reason.. Last year was an anomaly with the pathetic coaching staff we had.. And with the light training camp, a lot of players got injured very early in the season because they were out of shape.. It was a mess.. It's a totally different story this year.
I conceed the heat can be a factor........I just don't see it being the kind of factor you seem to..........from your post, it almost appears like you're going to win the game from the heat alone....:lol
Living in Miami beach for 17 years, I have seen too many opposing teams wilt in the heat to mention ( both pro and college). Especially in September. That humidity is sick.. You Better hope it rains. hehe.
Honestly, I can't think of a time I was either.........no matter who wins, I think it's gonna be a special day of football no matter what.
I agree. No matter what happens, the Fins and Jets look to be on the upswing in the division.. If the Jets win, I will be the first to congratulate the Jets in this thread.. Just make sure you do the same when/if Miami wins week 1 :sarcasm
Also, in getting into a discussion about the Jets-Phins game.......you didn't answer my original question about our O-Line.......hahaha.
I will need some time to see how they perform.. Offensive lines are hard to judge early because so much involves chemistry.. I didn't like the woody signing as he was nothing special in Detroit. And was injured ( I think he missed a whole season recently). And thought you paid too much for Faneca throwing him $40 million. But with that said, they have some good pieces to be a good line. It's all about chemistry.
I do think it is concerning that Mangold and D-Brick looked like garbage as soon as Pete Kendall left to Washington last year.. I mean, Vernon Carey and Samson Satele didn't look like garbage last year even though they had a garbage guard between them.. The problem was, the other 3 linemen looked like crap besides those 2. And those 3 linemen were replaced with Jake Long, Justin Smiley and Donald Thomas -- massive improvements as well, just like you think your line has improved.
As far as Gholston, I will get into that more tomorrow.. I will just say "Mike Mamula", who was drafted 7th overall - another DE/LB with similar measurables to Gholston, who was also highly touted before the combine, and looked like a freak during the combine, ended up a bust in the NFL. :smilewinkgrin: .. Hips Hips Hips are so vital for an outside linebacker in a 3-4.
