Random Musings

The facts show that Jay Ratliff needs to move to a DE spot. He just has to do it. I don't usually use anyone else's opinion to validate my own, usually because I don't care if someone agrees or disagrees with a given perspective. What I do care about is why a person sits on the side of an issue they sit on. Bob Sturm, whose articles I find somewhat maddening because I think he reads my stuff and then decides to write an article on the topic as though the ideas were both his and novel, recently wrote an article on this idea. The idea was mine. Mine all mine. I took the heat for saying he should move over 3 years ago and now he wants the credit for saying he should make the move? Let...me...at...him!!! Alright, kidding aside, Ratliff has worn down season after season as we watched him become a non-factor in important December games. Watching the best 3-4 defenses play this year, it wasn't hard to see that guys like B(east)J Raji and Vince Wilfork and Haloti Ngata (who also rotates over to DE at times) are different body types than Rat. These aren't guys who expect to beat the centers and guards with just quickness, these are guys who use their strength to stand O-linemen up and walk them back into the QB's and RB's faces, forcing them to move laterally, which makes the throw or run more difficult. For those of you who live for the blockquotes, here's Sturm's take

The Milwaukee Journal is actually featuring this very topic this morning as they ponder the reasons for the Packers' defensive success. Many believe it is all Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews. But the truth is that they are free to fly around the ball because BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett occupy a lot of the opposition's blockers.

As you can see, DE's in the 3-4 are all about Ratliff's size. But, the nose tackles are considerably heavier. In fact, if you add in Vince Wilfork (325) and Haloti Ngata (350) or the recently eliminated 3-4 defenses, you can see that they all have "listed" weights way more than Ratliff could ever approach.

And then he has the audacity to say this?

Ratliff, I have always preferred as a DE in the 3-4. I think he is great at beating guys in pass rush, but in traditional run downs, I think he is adequate, but not quite the ideal size. What he accomplishes because of quickness and will power, I think gets worn down over the course of a season, and then over the course of his career. Wouldn't it makes sense to preserve his special traits by targeting major space eaters in the offseason?

"Always preferred?"..."ALWAYS PREFERRED?!?!?!  Ohhhhhhhhhh, sure you have. Send me the 10 articles you wrote on the topic when Tuna was the coach, buddy. I need some chamomile tea to calm down. Screw that...Oban neat...AND MAKE IT A DOUBLE!!!!

 ...and a Cheerleader

Amazing what good brown liquor and cheerleaders can do for a guy. Unless you're an angry drunk. I hate people who become belligerent when they drink too much. Why can't people at least keep some of their wits about them when they are drunk? Hmmmm...come to think of it, I should be happy they don't. The large majority of my most meaningful one-night relationships were a direct result of the wonder that is tequila. Speaking of which...

I went to this pub in Atlanta called Ormsby's recently (highly recommended). While there, I got to play indoor Bocce (first time I had ever played) and it's basically like shuffleboard where you roll balls about six inches in diameter 25 feet down the field (a patch of carpet bounded by two-by-four's) and get them closest to this little yellow ball called the Pallina. Well, it quickly became apparent that my partner (this redhead who was awfully good at knocking the other guys' balls (look, there's no good way to say it...I tried a few different ways and this was the best of...ugh...ANYWAY!!!) away from the Pallina.  The problem was that I was very focused on trying to get my balls closest to the Pallina (re-reading this now, I see I should have picked a different story altogether) and we did not have a cohesive strategy playing off of the other's strengths. We were down several points, but it was early. So, I told her if she'd focus on covering up my balls (yeah...I got nuthin) when I was able to get them close to the Pallina by leaving her balls (leave it alone...it's a family blog) a foot or two directly in front of mine, I told her that there is no way the other team could knock both balls away from the Pallina and that we'd win and I'd buy her a drink. The tide quickly turned and we spanked those drunken Georgia Bulldog doofs.

Booyah! Cheerleader me!!!

The reason I tell that story to you, and believe me it was a struggle, is that I've been thinking a lot about the hiring of Rob Ryan. I am wholly supportive, but I am going to be interested to see how much Ryan lets Garrett (assuming he will, and I am) look over his shoulder and stay involved with the defense. That's not to say a team can't win with the HC being heavily (or totally) focused on one side of the ball. Tony Dungy had little to do with how Tom Moore and Peyton Manning ran the offense and they won a bling. Same for the Saints where Sean Payton didn't get in Gregg (wasn't one ‘g' enough?) Williams' way. It's my theory that the schemes on offense and defense have to be in sync. If your defense is going to revolve around turnovers, then your offense might be best served as having quick strike ability because you're likely to get into some shootouts. If you have a bend-but-don't-break philosophy on defense that gives up yards but not many points, you'd probably want to be able to control the clock on offense and run the ball consistently and effectively so you can get a lead in the 4th quarter and ice it when you need to.

Another thing about Rob Ryan. Ask me if I care about who HIS DAD is and what HIS DAD thinks of the Dallas Cowboys. I mean really, tell me why I should give a rip. Buddy who!??! Puhleeeeeze!!! Let me be clear, I would support the hiring of someone from the Taliban to coordinate the defense if I thought he could help us win a bling.

Tony Romo on the golf course, Tony Romo at the Mavs game, Tony Romo and Candace getting hitched...wow. Maybe Parcells was right about not allowing yourself to become a Celebrity QB in the NFL. How many Super Bowls has Brady won since he started spanking Giselle on the culo and doing cameos on Entourage? It seems like the more you're adored in the public eye off of the football field, the less likely you are to reach the pinnacle on it.

Cheerleader, take my mind off of this stuff!

I'm really torn on this CBA negotiation thing. From a purely humanitarian point of view, I don't like the idea of NFL retirees not having the kind of medical care and coverage to take care of them as they age. It just feels wrong. At the same time, what company can you work for 3-4 years and get medical benefits for life? Heck, even the Government jobs don't do that. Firemen and Policemen don't get those benefits and it seems like one of them dies in the line of duty every day. What about our military men? The care they get is sub-standard and I see it every day and it infuriates me. These are issues without simple solutions.

So, I am at a moral crossroads. I want my NFL, but I want them to get this done right. Philosophically, I am vehemently against labor unions and I think they are part and parcel to the decline in America's GDP. We have morphed into a service economy and unions are the central cause. But unions aside, there is also just some utter BS in the CBA; for instance, teams having to pay 50% of their revenues to salaries? Are you kidding me? What other business could operate under a financial burden where the operating cash flow (OCF) is so watered down by a single contract clause?

Rookie salaries are ridiculous. How does Jake Long get to be the highest paid LT in the NFL before he has ever played a freaking down!?! On the flipside, I don't want 18 games. I don't mind a shorter preseason, but I don't want a longer regular season. Four and a half months is just fine with me, thank you very much. For goodness sakes, 18 games would rival (gulp!) baseball!

Cheerleader, save me!

I keep reading about how if the Steelers win this year's bling, THEY will be America's Team. Bollocks! Why is it that people in the Media just don't get it? This isn't about who is the role model franchise in the NFL (clearly, the Steelers are it), but you just cannot argue that fact that when people mention the Steelers, unless you're a Steeler fan, you get moderate to non-descript reactions.

Now, bring up the Cowboys in any social setting and even the dumb redhead at Ormsby's is going to have an opinion about them, "Ohhhh, I love the QB...I have his jersey, that Tony Romano" or some goofball who's a Tampa Bay Bucs fan and says, "EFF THE COWBOYS, I HATE THEM!".

Well, good. That's exactly what Jerry Jones wants. In fact, it's like angels singing when he hears that because that guy is going to fly to Dallas in the hopes that his Bucs can take down the (effing) Cowboys and make his year. Meanwhile, Jerry will thank him for his $125 SRO ticket and $60 worth of beer and dogs. Think that girl has a Big Ben jersey? Nope. Think that guy will fly to Heinz to see the Bucs play them? Uh uh. No, Dallas is firmly entrenched in the role of America's Team, regardless of what the talking heads say.

As if that wasn't enough, here's one of the biggest reasons Dallas will ALWAYS be America's Team!!!

Lastly, I have to say that I'm pleased another potential DC for Philly bit the dust this past week. Dick Jauron, who is one of the most underrated defensive minds in the NFL and someone I have a ton of respect for, replaced our very own Rob Ryan in Cleveland. Philly's cupboard of DC candidates got more bare as time wore on. We've seen how devastating the loss of Jim Johnson (God rest his soul) has been on the Eagirls. Jauron is one guy who could have helped them regain the defensive prowess that they have missed for a couple of years now. I'm secretly hoping Dave Campo lands there as the DC with Brian Stewart as his key lieutenant. 

 GO COWBOYS!!!