Phil Sheridan's Conspiracy Theory

Phil Sheridan touches on the NBA's conspiracy theories that have resurfaced after Derek Fisher's foul of Brent Barry in the Lakers-Spurs series.

I'm a huge Sheridan fan, but unfortunately this column is like all too many about the league-influence on referee calls. Sheridan raises the issue under the guise of generic fan suspicions, gently touches on evidence to bolster these beliefs but then winds up defending the leagues - in this case, again the NBA - by picking apart one questionable call and by suggesting that it is unthinkable or inconceivable that a league would risk its reputation to tilt games for TV ratings (i.e., money).

Alas, Sheridan falls into the same old traps as so many others.

One, Stern does not send "encrypted messages dictating the outcome of games." No, that is too blatant. Sheridan needs to understand how these things are done in Washington. It's called "plausible deniability."

I always have to laugh at the radio half wits who complain that no "smoking gun" has ever emerged about a commissioner's complicity in influencing games. As if Stern would ever dare to put on paper (much less utter) some instructions like, "Crawford, make sure the Lakers win tonight."

No, the messages are much more subtle and deniable. Ref assignments, vague comments, etc. Those within the league, in this case the refs, get the message loud and clear. But the actual words are harmless or can be argued to be misconstrued if a ref ever tried to make it public.

Second, Sheridan writes,

"The key to a successful conspiracy is to make everything look as if it's on the level. Second, if the motive for all this is to set up a Boston-L.A. matchup to boost TV ratings, then why push the Spurs to the brink of elimination in Game 4?

I would say, precisely. Stern wants to give the appearance that everything is on the level. How easy it is to fix an early game in a series - like game 4. The series has yet to fully play out and the details of games 5 and 6 will easily displace the controversy of game 4. And isn't it preferable to fix an early game than a game 6 or 7 when everyone KNOWS the series is on the line. As it is, the NBA has tilted the series to the Lakers by giving them one game and only requiring them to win 3 of the next 6. Again, the NBA isn't blatantly "fixing" games per se, but they are tilting the playing field in favor of certain teams by certain calls being made or not made.

Interestingly, Sheridan glosses over "poor officiating" after "too many big games" but doesn't cite even one example.

Here's one: Game 6 of the Lakers-Kings 2002 conference finals (see a theme among this incidents?) By general consensus the worst officiated NBA game in the 21st century. The game in which the Kings' two centers (Divac and Pollard) both fouled out, the Lakers shot 27 free throws to the Kings 9 in the 4th quarter, and was so bad even Ralph Nader demanded an investigation at its conclusion.

Finally, Sheridan doesn't mention the elephant in the room. The rampant suspicion that the NBA and Stern fixed the 1985 draft lottery to send Patrick Ewing to the Knicks. If you want to discuss sports conspiracies, that is the incident from which the NBA has never really recovered and which has ultimately led to such deep-seated fan skepticism.

Indeed, Sheridan is wrong to conclude that the fans won't watch if it is ever proved the games are fixed. Crooked ref Tim Donaghy has already shown that. No, the real risk to the integrity of the game itself is the constant whispers - to the point they are published by respected columnists in papers like the Inquirer - that the integrity isn't real.

Can the Kolb

Kevin Kolb makes some excellent points about the salary cap, veteran pay, and rookie contracts in criticizing Matt Ryan's $72 million contract. And yet, I can't help but slightly feel that the second year veteran and #3 quarterback should just keep his yap shut.

Pens Win!

Last night had to be Gary Bettman’s wet dream come true. An absolutely thrilling Stanley Cup Final game on national TV (and won by the Penguins which helped tighten the series).

 

Wow, what a game! End to end rushes, the Golden Boy’s two goals, and a desperate final minutes as Detroit tied to get the tying goal.

 

Hockey at its very, very best.

Justice out to answer his critics- NJ.com

Hopefully Winston Justice can rebuild himself and his "technique" to out of the wreckage of last year's Giants' game to be the projected starting tackle the second rounder should be.

"(Head coach Andy Reid) was very supportive (in a postseason meeting with the coaching staff)," Justice said. "He said, 'be ready to play and get stronger in the offseason.' So that's what I did."

To that end, Justice enlisted the help of a personal trainer who may have helped him more with improving his quickness than with building his body.

"One of the things I worked on was my upper body strength and another thing was reaction time," he said. "Because I think last year, especially in the Giants game, I had a problem with that. I think this year, it will be a big difference.

Eagles to run some 3-4 defense?

Future Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins hints at some of the defensive changes mastermind Jim Johnson is incoroporating this year, including some 3-4 alignments sure to give QB fits and that LB/DE Chris Gocong excelled in, particularly versus the Patriots.

Dawkins seems to be as excited as the fans about the subtle tweaks defensive coordinator Jim Johnson made to his unit near the end of last season, in which the linebackers moved around more -- sometimes behind a three-man front.

"That something that you can expect to see a lot more of," Dawkins said. "... Just look at the guys we drafted (and signed as free agents). We brought in basically the same type individuals, speed guys that can get after the quarterback and can drop into coverage.

"Then, with the way Chris (Gocong) played that jack linebacker in that 3-4 set, I think you can expect to see a lot more of that."

Pittsburgh

Here’s hoping the Pens can turn it around and get their offense back on track. Writes my brother about Steel City generally:

 

Pittsburgh is awesome.  Great place to go drinking and watch sports.  Passionate fan-base makes games better.  The new baseball stadium is great.  Good drunk food is a bonus.  Pittsburgh is great and no one ever thinks to go there because it’s Pittsburgh.

The Preakness Stakes

Running the Port-O-Potty gauntlet on the Preakness infield. Brings new meaning to the term, "Baltimoron."

Reid's Playcalling Cost Eagles' Game

Yes, the title is redundant. Reid's playcalling often loses games. Indeed, long time fans know that for all of Andy Reid's strengths as a coach, in game strategy and decisionmaking are not two of them. Now comes scientific data to buttress this belief.

According to a comprehensive analysis of "critical" play calling, the Eagles are ranked 25th and Reid's calls cost the Eagles a total of one game over the course of the 2007 season.

Choose Who

Read this profile of Eagles rookie WR DeSean Jackson and determine for yourself whether he is the next Allen Iverson, Terrell Owens, or Freddie Mitchell.

And is his dad the new Carl Lindros or Wilma McNabb?

I just hope Jackson can be the next Steve Smith.

Feeling the Draft

Lorenzo Booker is quick but not an everydown back, Jack Ikegwuono is a long-term investment, and King Dunlap has "Outland Trophy" talent (?) says Eagles personnel chief Tom Heckert.

Press Confirms Media's Support for Obama

The New Republic's John Judis adds further confirmation to the belief that the media is in the tank for Barack Obama. Typically reporters have denied such charged allegations but not Judis, who pulls back the curtain on the journalism industry's complicity in Obama's rise.

Writes Judis:

Clinton's second great political mistake lay in how she dealt with Obama's challenge. Sometime in December, having realized that Obama was going to be a genuine rival for the nomination, she and her campaign decided to go negative on him. ...

John McCain and Mitt Romney were doing similar things to each other--and Obama did some of it to Clinton, too. But there a was difference between her doing this to Obama and McCain's doing it to Romney--a difference that eluded Clinton, her husband, and her campaign staff. My friend David Kusnet, Bill Clinton's former speechwriter, explained the difference to me by citing what ex-heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson had once said about Muhammad Ali. "I was just a fighter," Patterson had said, "but he was history." Obama, too, was, and is, history--the first viable African-American presidential candidate. Yes, Hillary Clinton was the first viable female candidate, but it is still different. Race is the deepest and oldest and most bitter conflict in American history--the cause of our great Civil War and of the upheavals of the 1950s and '60s. And if some voters didn't appreciate the potential breakthrough that Obama's candidacy represented, many in the Democratic primaries and caucuses did--and so did the members of the media and Obama's fellow politicians. And as Clinton began treating Obama as just another politician, they recoiled and threw their support to him.

Sorry, but there is just no other way to read it. The "they" that "recoiled and threw their support to him" are clearly referring to the "many" in the primaries/caucuses AND the media and politicians, particularly since the they comes immediately after the last two interest groups identified. And yes I called the media an interest group. What else are they in the wake of Judis' revelation?

The Final Flyers Word

Comes from my friend and long-time Flyer fan (though he’s originally from Staten Island):

They overachieved and lost to a superior team, but at the same time made incredible strides and the future is bright.

Most pressing need is defense, so that will be priority in the offseason. And while we have a wealth of gritty 20 goal scorers, we need a little more offensive power. Maybe a skilled playmaking center like thornton from sj. Also I like the idea of getting brian campbell. One negative is the salary cap. I see carter or umburger going.

In sum, as flyers fans we should be more than happy about this season. I'm proud of this team. they rebuilt and fought to the end, and philly has a new sport hero in bobby clarke jr, mike richards. I can't say enough about this guy. I will be wearing his jersey on opening night in wachovia.

Who Was Walsh's QB Contact

Pats videographer Matt Walsh continues to explain that he worked with one of the Patriots' backup quarterbacks in showing the QB the opposing team's defensive signals, who on gameday would relay them to the Charlie Weis, who called a no huddle play for Drew Bledsoe.

But the voluble Walsh refuses to give the name of the backup QB. During the 2000 season, the QBs behind Bledsoe were John Friesz, Michael Bishop, and Tom Brady.)

It seems that such a job would be the perfect task for a rookie backup and not the veteran #2. So it was most likely Brady or Bishop. If it were Bishop, would Walsh have so much reservation about naming him? Especially since Bishop is now out of the league and playing in Canada?

What did Tom Brady know, and when did he know it?

The Patriots kept the circle of people who knew small. The only ones who knew, Walsh said, were Dee and another video department employee, Fernando Neto, Belichick, Adams, the offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the quarterbacks...

After filming opponents’ signals, Walsh would edit the tape or deliver the original to Adams. Walsh said a quarterback — he declined to say whom — would learn the signals, and the next time the Patriots played that team, the quarterback would relay that information to Weis, who would use the coach-to-quarterback communication system to send the information to the field.

The first time Walsh filmed an opponent’s signals was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2000 preseason — Belichick’s first as the Patriots’ coach...

The Patriots then opened the regular season against the Buccaneers. Walsh said this was the first time he had seen quarterback Drew Bledsoe operate a no-huddle offense when not in a two-minute or hurry-up situation.

In the week after the game, Walsh said he asked a quarterback — again, he declined to name whom — how helpful the signals were. Walsh said the quarterback told him “probably about 75 percent of the time, Tampa Bay ran the defense we thought they were going to run — if not more.”

Flyboys

I can’t be too upset with a series loss when you are so clearly the inferior team. The Flyers had a great playoff run, exceeding all expectations. I mean, the conference finals? That’s terrific. Along the way they beat the #1 and # seeds. Unfortunately, they also had to play the #2 team. In fact, the entire season has to be considered a marked success over last year’s dismal last place finish.

 

The future is encouraging, as this analysis correctly states. Biron proved himself in goal and as my friend the “Big O” points out, they have Bobbie Clark, Jr. in the play and leadership of Mike Richards.

 

But the Pens are a young team and the Caps are similarly young and improving too. So the Flyers can’t just stand pat and let these guys further develop. They need some upgrades, particularly on defense

 

Cheating for the Sport of It

Mark Bowden rises to the defense of all sports cheaters - at all levels of competition - in today's NY Times. Bowden asserts that sports cheating is merely standards operating procedure in this country and has infiltrated even little league sports, based on his own personal experience. While it's a cute story, I seriously doubt any pee-wee football coach did what Bowden avows he did.

When I played football as a teenager in a youth league, my coaches routinely tried to spy on our opponents by sending someone to watch them practice. And if we obtained intelligence about the other team’s play calling (like the time one of my teammates had a friend who could decode the other coach’s defensive audibles), it wasn’t reported to them, but put to good use.

Right. Pee-wee coaches "routinely" spied on other teams' practices. And this occurred 20-30 years ago? I'm calling bulls*#t.The NY Times need better fact checkers for its editorial page.

Homer Spadaro

Any Eagles fan has come to expect the consistently sunny optimism of Eagles house organ, Dave "Homer" Spadaro, to the point where there is an odd affection for Sapadaro's company-line (if for no other reason than it is so easy to mock).

But is there trouble afoot for Spadaro among the mainstream Philadelphia sports scribes?

Writes Kevin Cooney,

"The real threat to journalism in the new millennium is Dave Spadaro.

For years, Spadaro has been the Eagles' minister of information — a.k.a. the “Insider” for the team's Web site. Basically, it goes like this: The Eagles' brass thinks it, and Spadaro writes it as fact.

Team doesn't think it needs a wide receiver. Spadaro really doesn't think it needs a wide receiver. Team loves its draft. Spadaro really loves its draft.

For the most part, the rest of the Philadelphia media accepted this as a guy just trying to collect a paycheck and doing his job. Sure, there were some giggles, but Spadaro seemed like a nice guy to those who met him and everybody went along their merry way.

That was until “Spuds” decided to become the lecturer on all things journalism on the first day of minicamp."

Apparently, the press can tolerate his one-sided stories. But want they won't abide is any suggestion, especially from Spadaro, that their stories are somehow biased against the home team. The Philadelphia media too negative? Say it ain't so!

"When things go poorly, Spadaro turns around the mirror and tries to blame people who had nothing to do with it. If this town were really as negative as Spadaro portrays it to be, the head coach would have been run out of it for what happened in his personal life last year.

There are a lot of ticked-off sports reporters in this city who feel the same way I do. This was a low blow that threw down the gauntlet between the franchise and some circles of the city's press corps. "

Should make for an interesting season: Spadaro vs. the Philadelphia media.

Little Known Draft Factoid

When the Eagles drafted Andy Studebaker out of Wheaton College, he was one of only two players drafted out of Division III this year (the Colts took Pierre Carcon, WR, Mount Union). Coincidentally, both players were taken in the 6^th round.

Why Gas Is So Expensive

On an unrelated sports matter, I came across an interesting article about Americans' gas usage, and perhaps why our pump prices are so high. Hint: It's not China but is related to the Iraq war, but not in the way you might assume.

Writes Michael Klare:

Every day, the average G.I. in Iraq uses approximately 27 gallons of petroleum-based fuels. With some 160,000 American troops in Iraq, that amounts to 4.37 million gallons in daily oil usage, including gasoline for vans and light vehicles, diesel for trucks and armored vehicles, and aviation fuel for helicopters, drones, and fixed-wing aircraft. With U.S. forces paying, as of late April, an average of $3.23 per gallon for these fuels, the Pentagon is already spending approximately $14 million per day on oil ($98 million per week, $5.1 billion per year) to stay in Iraq. Meanwhile, our Iraqi allies, who are expected to receive a windfall of $70 billion this year from the rising price of their oil exports, charge their citizens $1.36 per gallon for gasoline.

When questioned about why Iraqis are paying almost a third less for oil than American forces in their country, senior Iraqi government officials scoff at any suggestion of impropriety. "America has hardly even begun to repay its debt to Iraq," said Abdul Basit, the head of Iraq's Supreme Board of Audit, an independent body that oversees Iraqi governmental expenditures. "This is an immoral request because we didn't ask them to come to Iraq, and before they came in 2003 we didn't have all these needs."

In other words, the American military is burning up 40% of Saudi Arabia's daily output. There's no speculative oil bubble per se, it's a supply shortage. The Iraq Troop Surge has caused a Gas Price Surge. And like the war in Iraq, there is no end in sight. (and nevermind about the US paying retail for oil, or that we are protecting a country with the second largest known oil reserves and they are making us pay through the nose - via oil prices - for the privilege of doing so.)

Why Spygate is Important

Washington Post political reporter Paul Kane hosted an interactive chat with readers today. While the thrust of the questions centered on the demise of the Republican party, several questions came up about Spygate given Kane's encouragement of Arlen Specter's role in the evolving scandal.

Kane eloquently articulated why the scandal, cover up and Specter's intervention are so important and worthy of congressional attention.

Should probably ask Wilbon: But you said: "Compel the NFL to conduct at least a semi-legitimate investigation into the New England Patriots cheating scheme that helped them produce three Super Bowls." Seriously, you think that's a significant part of why they won three Super Bowls? And that they are the only team spying on signals from other teams? I think the NFL is hoping this goes away so it doesn't blow the cover off a systemic issue that could smear the whole league, not just the Patriots.

Paul Kane: Arlen Specter is a hero to all NFL fans who want answers to this scandal. I'm speaking here solely as a fan of the single most important sports and cultural league in America. Why do 100 million people watch the Super Bowl? Because we love the National Football League more than any other sports, cultural or societal organization in America.

As of now, there has not been a single scintilla of evidence produced that any other team participated in any form of cheating in the manner of the Patriots. There have been whispers other teams did it, but not a shred of evidence put forward. Tonight, on HBO, a former Patriots worker will explain the amazingly complex organization wide effort to steal opposing team's signals -- using multiple cameramen, then folks in an editing room who spliced the film together, then pulling in backup players to study the film along with assistant coaches, then positioning those backup players right next to the assistant coaches so, once they stole the signals during games, the backup players could immediately tell the offensive coordinator, who would then radio into the Patriots quarterback what play the defense was going to run against them.

So, my question to you is, do you think this didn't help the Patriots? Come on, buddy. You think they went to all this trouble -- probably employing a dozen or more people in this scheme -- they went to all this trouble and it didn't give them a "competitive advantage"?

Go Arlen.


Indianapolis: Do you truly believe that, given the shape this country is in, what we need is a congressional investigation of the NFL?

Paul Kane: I believe that this country's in bad shape and that it's up to the president and congressional leaders to sit down and work those things out.

But, listen, there are 435 members of the House, 100 senators, and there are almost 50 different committees combined in the two chambers. Not all of them are supposed to deal with war and energy and home mortgages. If not for the heroic work of Henry Waxman and Tom Davis exposing Major League Baseball's duplicity in the steroids scandal, we'd all still have our heads in the sand applauding Barry Bonds as he strokes his 800th home run.

I'm sure people wondered just what the heck young Bobby Kennedy was doing when, as a Senate counsel, he helped lead an investigation into the mob in the 1950s as really big things were happening around the globe (Soviets marching into Hungary, the beginnings of the space race, the Castro takeover of Cuba). Why would a Senate committee then bothered to explore a little corruption in a few corners of a few cities? Because it was there, it was rotting to its core and someone needed to do something.

That's what Tom Davis and Henry Waxman did with steroids, and that's what Specter is trying to do with the Patriots.

Thank Hillary, Don't Demonize Her

For all the Obamacans out there who are seething that Hillary Clinton has yet to withdraw from the race, think about this. She probably did Obama a favor by staying in this past week.

Given her margin of victory in W. Va., the Senator from Illinois might have lost the state, albeit not as badly as he actually did, even with her out of the race but her name still on the ballot.

Has any presumptive nominee ever lost an uncontested primary? Obama should thank Clinton for preventing us from finding out.

And on another note, why are superdelegates who are now switching their allegiance from Clinton to Obama viewed as a sign of Obama's momentum and nomination inevitability (and not portrayed as the opportunistic turncoats they really are), while suggestions by the Clinton campaign that delegates can switch from Obama to Clinton are treated as tampering
with the electoral process?

Marshall Faulk

Interestingly, Rams star RB Marshall Faulk performed the unusual job (for him) of returning kicks in Super bowl 36. Coach Mike Martz must have thought it would be a surprise to the Patriots. However, Arlen Specter’s investigation suggests the Pats were well aware of what the Rams were going to do.

Notes Specter:

Matt Walsh and other Patriots employees, Steve Scarnecchia, Jimmy Dee, Fernando Neto and possibly Ed Bailey were present to observe most if not all of the St. Louis Rams walk-through practice in advance of the 2002 Super Bowl, including Marshall Faulk’s unusual positioning as a punt returner.

David Halberstam's book, The Education of a Coach, documents the way Belichick spent the week before the Super Bowl obsessing about where the Rams would line up Faulk.

Walsh was asked and told Assistant Coach, Brian Daboll, about the walkthrough.

Walsh said Daboll asked him specific questions about the Rams offense and Walsh told Daboll about Faulk’s lining up as a kick returner. Walsh also told Daboll about Rams running backs “lining up in the flat.” Walsh said Daboll then drew diagrams of the formations Walsh had described.

(According to media reports, Daboll denied talking to Walsh about Faulk. We do not know what Scarnecchia, Dee, Neto or Bailey did or even if they were interviewed.

Specter Statement Highlights

Excerpt highlights of Sen. Arlen Specter’s Spygate statement

“WHAT WE KNOW:

The extent of the taping was not disclosed until the NFL was pressured to do so. Originally, Commissioner Goodell said the taping was limited to late in the 2006 season and early in the 2007 season. In his meeting with me on February 13, 2008, Goodell admitted the taping went back to 2000. Until my meeting with Matt Walsh on May 13, 2008, the only taping we knew about took place from 2000 until 2002 and during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Walsh said he did not tell Goodell about the taping during 2003, 2004 and 2005 because he was not asked. (emphasis added)

The NFL confiscated the Jets tape on September 9, 2007; imposed the penalties on September 13, 2007; on September 17, 2007, viewed the tapes for the first time; and then announced they had destroyed those tapes on September 20, 2007. Commissioner Goodell made his judgment on the punishment to be levied before he had viewed the key evidence.

The Patriots took elaborate steps to conceal their filming of opponents’ signals.
Patriots personnel instructed Walsh to use a “cover story” if anyone questioned him about the filming.

During at least one game, the January 27, 2002 AFC Championship game, Walsh was specifically instructed not to wear anything displaying a Patriots logo. Walsh indicated he turned the Patriots sweatshirt he was wearing at the time inside-out. Walsh was also given a generic credential instead of one that identified him as team personnel.

These efforts to conceal the filming demonstrate the Patriots knew they were violating NFL rules.

II. THE VIDEOTAPING HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE GAME

Walsh was told by a former offensive player that a few days before the September 11, 2000 regular season game against Tampa Bay, he (the offensive player) was called into a meeting with Adams, Bill Belichick and Charlie Weis, then the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, during which it was explained how the Patriots would make use of the tapes. The offensive player would memorize the signals and then watch for Tampa Bay’s defensive calls during the game. He would then pass the plays along to Weis, who would give instructions to the quarterback on the field. This process enabled the Patriots to go to a “no-huddle” offensive, which would lock in the defense the opposing team had called from the sideline, preventing the defense from making any adjustments. When Walsh asked whether the tape he had filmed was helpful, the offensive player said it had enabled the team to anticipate 75 percent of the plays being called by the opposing team.

(2) Among the tapes Walsh turned over to the NFL is one of the AFC Championship game on January 27, 2002 in which the Patriots defeated the Steelers by a score of 24-17. When the Patriots played the Steelers again during their season-opener on September 9, 2002, the Patriots again won, this time by a score of 30-14.

On October 31, 2004, the Steelers beat the Patriots 34-20, forced four turnovers, including two interceptions, and sacked the quarterback four times. In the AFC Championship game on January 23, 2005, the Patriots won 41-27 and intercepted Ben Roethlisberger three times. The Steelers had no sacks that game.

With respect to the 2002 AFC Championship game, it was reported in February of this year that Hines Ward, Steelers wide receiver, said: “Oh, they know. They were calling our stuff out. They knew, especially that first championship game here at Heinz Field. They knew a lot of our calls. There’s no question some of their players were calling out some of our stuff.”

In addition, Steelers cornerback, Sheldon Brown, reportedly said earlier this year that he noticed a difference in New England’s playcalling in the second quarter of the January 27, 2002 AFC Championship game.

(3) Tampa Bay won the August 20, 2000 pre-season game by a score of 31-21. According to the information provided by Matt Walsh, the Patriots used the film to their advantage when they played Tampa Bay in their first regular season game on September 3, 2000. The Patriots narrowed the spread, losing by a score of 21-16. After the game, Charlie Weis, the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, was reportedly overheard telling Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, “We knew all your calls, and you still stopped us.”The tapes Walsh turned over to the NFL indicate the Patriots filmed the Dolphins during their game on September 24, 2000, a game the Patriots lost by 10-3.

According to Walsh, when the Patriots first began filming opponents, they filmed opponents they would play again during that same season. The Patriots played the Dolphins again that season on December 24, 2000; they again narrowed the spread, losing by a score of 27-24.

(4) The Patriots filmed opponents offensive signals in addition to defensive signals. On April 23, 2008, the NFL issued a statement indicating that "Commissioner Goodell determined last September that the Patriots had violated league rules by videotaping opposing coaches' defensive signals during Patriots games throughout Bill Belichick's tenure as head coach.” However, the tapes turned over by Matt Walsh contain footage of offensive signals. The tapes turned over to the NFL and the information provided by Walsh proves that the Patriots also routinely filmed opponents’ offensive signals.

(5) Why the Patriots videotaped signals during games when they were not scheduled to play that opponent during the balance of the season unless they were able to utilize the videotape during the latter portion of the same game. The NFL has not addressed the question as to whether the Patriots decoded signals during the game for later use in that game.

III. The NFL’s Investigation was not objective, transparent or adequate

(1) Walsh said that Dan Goldberg, an attorney for the Patriots, was present at his interview and asked questions. With some experience in investigations, I have never heard of a situation where the subject of an investigation or his/her/its representative was permitted to be present during the investigation. I strains credulity that any objective investigator would countenance such a practice. During a hearing or trial, parties will be present with the right of cross-examination and confrontation but certainly not in the investigative stage.

(2) Commissioner Goodell misrepresented the extent of the taping when he said at the super Bowl press conference on February 1, 2008: “I believe there were six tapes, and I believe some were from the pre-season in 2007, and the rest were primarily in the lat 2006 season. In addition, there were notes that had been collected, that I would imagine many teams have from when they scout a team in advance, that we took, that may have been collected by using an illegal activity, according to our rules.” Later, Goodell said of the taping “[W]e think it was quite limited. It was not something that was done on a widespread basis.”

(3) Commissioner Goodell materially changed his story in his meeting with me on February 13, 2008 when he said there has been taping since 2000. (emphasis added).

(4) There has been no plausible explanation as to why Commissioner Goodell imposed the penalty on September 13, 2007, before the NFL examined the tapes on September 17, 2007.

(5) There has been no plausible explanation as to why the NFL destroyed the tapes. Commissioner Goodell sought to explain his reason by saying during his February 1, 2008 press conference that: “We didn’t want there to be any question about whether this existed. If it shows up again, it would have to be something that came outside of our investigation and what I was told existed.”

(7) The overwhelming evidence flatly contradicts Commissioner Goodell’s assertion that there was little or no effect on the outcome of the game: during his February 1, 2008 press conference, Commissioner Goodell stated “I think it probably had a limited effect, if any effect, on the outcome on any game.” Later during the press conference, Goodell stated again “I don’t believe it affected the outcome of any games.” Commissioner Goodell’s effort to minimize the effect of the videotaping is categorically refuted by the persistent use of the sophisticated scheme which required a great deal of effort and produced remarkable results.

(8) In the absence of the notes, which the NFL destroyed, of the Steelers’ three regular season games and two post-season games, including the championship game on January 23, 2005, we do not know what effect the videotaping of the earlier games, especially the October 31, 2004 game, had on enabling the Patriots to win the AFC Championship. It is especially critical that key witnesses (coaches, players) be questioned to determine those issues.

IV. An Objective, Thorough, Transparent Investigation is an Absolute Necessity

There is an unmistakable atmosphere of conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest between what is in the public’s interest and what is in the NFL’s interest. The NFL has good reason to disclose as little as possible in its effort to convince the public that what was done wasn’t so bad, had no significant effect on the games and, in any event, has all been cleaned up. Enormous financial interests are involved and the owners have a mutual self-interest in sticking together. Evidence of winning by cheating would have the inevitable effect of undercutting public confidence in the game and reducing, perhaps drastically, attendance and TV revenues.

The public interest is enormous. Sports personalities are role models for all of us, especially youngsters. If the Patriots can cheat, so can the college teams, so can the high school teams, so can the 6th grader taking a math examination. The Congress has granted the NFL a most significant business advantage, an antitrust exemption, highly unusual in the commercial world. That largesse can continue only if the NFL can prove itself worthy. Beyond the issues of role models and antitrust, America has a love affair with sports. Professional football has topped all other sporting events in fan interest. Americans have a right to be guaranteed that their favorite sport is honestly competitive.

In an extraordinary time, baseball took extraordinary action in turning to a man of unimpeachable integrity – Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis – to act forcefully and decisively to save professional baseball from the Black Sox scandal in 1919.

On this state of the record, an objective, thorough, transparent investigation is necessary. If the NFL does not initiate an inquiry like the investigation conducted by former Senator George Mitchell for baseball, it will be up to Congress to get the facts and take corrective action.

Belichick is Lying

Belichick has tried to explain his videotaping cheating to Commissioner Closeau as a differing “interpretation of the rules.

Yet, as Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) points out,

“The Patriots took elaborate steps to conceal their filming of opponents’ signals. Patriots personnel instructed Walsh to use a “cover story” if anyone questioned him about the filming.

For example, if asked why the Patriots had an extra camera filming, he was instructed to say that he was filming “tight shots” of a particular player or players or that he was filming highlights.

If asked why he was not filming the play on the field, he was instructed to say that he was filming the down marker.

The red light indicating when his camera was rolling was broken.

During at least one game, the January 27, 2002 AFC Championship game, Walsh was specifically instructed not to wear anything displaying a Patriots logo. Walsh indicated he turned the Patriots sweatshirt he was wearing at the time inside-out. Walsh was also given a generic credential instead of one that identified him as team personnel.

These efforts to conceal the filming demonstrate the Patriots knew they were violating NFL rules.”

Not Just the Eagles

Tampa QB Jeff Garcia is unhappy with the status of his contract, halfway into his two year deal. It wasn’t that long ago…wait, it was last year, that the Eagles were slammed for not acceding to Garcia’s contract overtures. It’s seems it just wasn’t the Eagles who are cool to extending the contract of a 38 year old QB.

Specter to the Rescue?

A friend writes:

"I didn't accept Bill Belichick's explanation, and I still don't
today."

So said Goodell at today's presser.

That's an amazing statement. Yet, he's tanking the entire thing.
He won't go into it, won't investigate further. He has set up the
fake straw man of whether or not they "taped" the Rams walk through. And
since there's no tape of the Rams game, case closed.

This is stunning. Specter is my only hope.

NFL Take on Walsh

From the NFL press release:

“The NFL released the tapes Walsh provided, and they didn't show any previously undisclosed rule violations. The clips cut between shots of opposing coaches sending in signals and the play that followed.

"The fundamental information that Matt provided was consistent with what we disciplined the Patriots for last fall," Goodell said at a news conference.”

Really? The league knew the Patriots had taped games as far back as 2000, as Walsh’s tapes prove? The league knew the Patriots taped the Steelers in the 2002 AFC Championship?

The NY Times is reporting that Walsh would hand the tapes over to Belichick confidant Ernie Adams. Says Closeau, "I don't know where else I would turn."

Here's a thought! Maybe the league could rouse itself and bother to interview Mr. Adams, still an employee with the Patriots, about what he did with the tapes he received from Matt Walsh. But given Inspector Closeau’s performance in this entire “investigation,” it’s probably doubtful if such a promising lead were pursued.

Sal Pal to the Rescue

Philadelphia’s own Sal Pal is one of the few sports journalists, and the only one at ESPN, willing to write that Spygate may not come to the quick conclusion both the league and most of its source-dependent scribes seem to wish.

With Matt Walsh meeting with NFL Commissioner Inspector Closeau this morning, Sal Pal writes, “

As far as we know, Walsh is the first person currently with no ties to the Patriots organization with direct knowledge of Belichick's videotaping shenanigans who will be answering the commissioner's questions, and Walsh can provide some much-needed context, background and intent.

Intent is critical. Why? Well, when Belichick was first punished by Goodell in September 2007 for illegally taping the defensive signals of the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, the Patriots' head coach said he had no idea he was doing anything illicit.

Will Roger Goodell finally get to the bottom of Spygate? Only if he puts Matt Walsh on the spot. So, Goodell should pursue a very simple line of questioning to test Belichick's original contention that he was ignorant of the league rules: When Walsh was taping the opponents' sidelines, how much was he told to conceal his activities? What measures were taken to conceal his taping? How concerned were his superiors that what Walsh was doing would be uncovered by a member of the opposing team? Was Walsh worried about getting caught? Why?

What kind of instruction did Walsh get in how to tape the opposition's sideline? Who gave Walsh those instructions? Whom did he report to?

What happened to the tapes? Where did they go? Who analyzed the tapes of the defensive signals? Were there written reports based on the tapes? Who wrote those reports? And, more important, who saw the reports or was told what was in them? Did Tom Brady? Or Charlie Weis, when he was offensive coordinator during the Patriots' run of Super Bowl titles?

What was Walsh told about why this widespread practice of taping the opponents' defensive signals was vital to how the Patriots prepared for an opponent?

These will be difficult questions for Goodell to ask. Why? Because the commissioner has already said publicly many times, dating to September, that he believed the Patriots derived "minimal" benefit from their secret, illegal taping system. Questioning Walsh along those lines may reveal information that contradicts Goodell's earlier conclusions.

But Walsh has already provided some valuable context. In September, the Patriots handed over what Goodell described as "six tapes … from the preseason in 2007 and the rest were primarily late in the 2006 season." Goodell said this at the Super Bowl in Arizona, on Feb. 1, 2008, answering a direct question about how far back the illegal taping went.

Now, it's clear from Walsh's tapes that the illegal taping went back to 2000. When Goodell punished Belichick and the Patriots, did he know the illegal taping went back to 2000? If not, would the punishment have been more severe?

The league clearly wants Walsh's appearance on Tuesday to end the Spygate nightmare. The Patriots certainly do.

King Likes Keeping Lito

Peter King for one, applauds the Eagles for trading their first round pick in the deal they got, but more importantly praises the Eagles for keeping Lito Sheppard.

 

3^rd corners play 57% of defensive snaps, researched King, and that means even if he doesn’t start, Lito will be getting plenty of playing time. Interestingly, that contract he’s not happy about would still be a sizeable payout for a CB that doesn’t start. (though we recognize that given playing time and health, Lito is a pro bowl caliber corner.) I’m just saying.

Spygate "Journalism"

A friend of mine who is a Philadelphia native and reporter for a major national newspaper writes the following regarding Spygate:

 

Stunning!. Seriously, we are witnessing the single greatest conspiracy of our time in this Patriots saga. It's unreal, indescribable. Sadly, the co-conspirators are ESPN.  It's actually the single worst act of journalism I've seen in my lifetime.

 

This guy Walsh is producing video tapes of the Pats-Steelers AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game and people are acting as if this is not a big deal.

 

The Mortensen-ESPN analysis just used the phrase "old news" to refer to what Walsh is turning over.

 

OH MY GOD.

 

This is a full scale corporate coverup. This is what makes "The Insider" happen. It's unreal. The whole thing is unfolding, the Pats dynasty is ending. It's over. They cheated, with every single institutional fiber of their being, from the very moment he arrived as their evil, corrupt coach. Belichick corrupted every single element of his organization.

 

He cheated. He cheated institutionally in a way that no other coach in the history of organized professional sport has ever been found guilty of. It's over. He did it. We now know, without question, he cheated in the very 1st AFC championship game he ever faced. That's it. Lights out.

 

He's evil. Why is the sports media conspiring to downplay this story????? I hate my sports media colleagues. They embarrass me thru their very existence. If you disagree with me it's because you're afraid to step outside the MSM sports media preconceived notion of the world.

 

I hate the world, I hate the sports world I live in. Why is this not the single biggest story in America??????? Go Arlen!

A Whimper?

ESPN's John Clayton exemplifies the blase attitude he and most of his "journalistic" colleagues share about Spygate. Writes Clayton, "Barring strong testimony to the contrary by Matt Walsh on Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell probably will close the Spygate scandal and throw away the key," and " Goodell all along has said he would reopen the investigation if new evidence emerged."

Apparently, a new tape of the Patriots filming the Steelers during the AFC championship is no big deal to Clayton. And what of the "investigation." How can new evidence emerge if Goodell isn't bothering to look? Why has he not questioned any of the Patriots players - both offensive and defensive - about how the taped signals were used? Tom Brady couldn't shed some light on the issue? If it really is no big deal, let the Golden Boy publicly explain that. Or how about asking Ted Johnson, Tedy Bruschi or others about how the defense used the tapes.

And what about the coaches? Why haven't Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel been interviewed? And how about Eric Mangini? He knew enough about the taping to call attention to it, and reveal the cheating. Why has Goodell never asked Mangini what else he knows about how the tapes were used?

Simply incredible.

Un-Patriotic

Former Patriots videographer Matt Walsh has turned over tapes of 8 games in which the Pats illegally taped the opposition. One of those games was the 2002 AFC championship versus the Steelers. There was no tape of any Rams pre-super bowl run through, and Walsh has denied saying he had such a tape or was the source of those reports.

 

One has to wonder if the lack of a smoking gun of a super bowl tape will somehow overshadow the shocking news that Patriots cheated in the AFC championship game. In other words, the game immediately behind the super bowl in importance to the league.

 

If the Patriots forfeited a first round draft pick and half million dollar fines for taping regular season games, it boggles the mind to think what the potential punishment could be for cheating in a playoff game – and again, not a crappy wild card round game, but the freakin’ AFC championship. (Does it add insult to injury that the infraction occurred in the House that Rooney Built?)

 

And it will also be interesting to see if what the Pats previously turned over matches with what Walsh has provided. If not, Kraft and Belichick will have some explaining to do. And if they did, then NFL Commissioner Inspector Closeau will have to explain why he wasn’t more forthcoming about the Patriots’ cheating in a playoff game. As always, the cover up may become worse than the crime.

Take Your Pick

The just concluded minicamp has allowed everyone to try to get a read on Donovan McNabb and his opinion of the team’s off season personnel moves, and whether the Eagles got the “playmakers” he was seeking (on both sides of the ball).

 

There appears to be a difference of opinion in gauging McNabb’s feelings. So which of these local news headlines is to be believed? Is it:

 

McNabb, Westbrook Have No Complaints

 

McNabb Shows Little Excitement Over Upgrades

 

McNabb Not Displeased by Eagles’ Moves

 

Like I said, take your pick.

 

And in a previous post, I harkened to the days of Kremlinologists analyzing every utterance and appearance of the Soviet leadership for signs of what was happening inside the secretive government. So too, it seems, are we in a similar observation phase with the Eagles, their coaches, and star players.

Playmaker

Very encouraging observations about DeSean Jackson from an AFC Scout about the impact he will have with the Eagles, even if it is only as a punt returner. Here’s a sample: “He may not be the biggest guy, but he plays big. He's fast and he's quick. On top of all that, I think he's going to get [up] to about 180, 185 pounds when he's all said and done."

Kremlin Watch at NovaCare

Looks like the Lito Sheppard situation has evolved into a "Kremlin-watch" where observers try to discern who is in and who is out based on proximity to the reviewing stand, party boss (head coach), etc.  based on this Inqy report.

"What the Eagles did on this day was rotate Sheppard in at both left cornerback and right cornerback. Sometimes Samuel would be on the field with the first-team defense and sometimes Sheppard would replace him. One time, the two even slapped hands as Sheppard returned to the field and Samuel left. Other times, Sheppard went in for his close friend Sheldon Brown at right cornerback and shared the field with Samuel.

At no time did any of the three run with the second-team defense."

April Losses Don't Bring Pennants

"I think you can lose pennants in April," said O'Dowd. "I don't think you can win them, but you can definitely lose them. Go back historically and look at teams that got nine games back in April and still [finished first]. You won't find many."

 

Yep, just ask the Phillies of the past few years. And by the way, congrats to the Phightin’s for finishing April with a winning record…for a change.

Black and White

A 5 minute major for boarding? A full 2 minute 5-3 advantage? A questionable call around the crease?

such were the terrible calls the Flyers managed to overcome in last night's 3-2 Game 3 win. They're the calls the Flyers expected the Capitals to get in their Game 7 to ensure the league got the Crosby-Ovechkin young gun marquee matchup it so wanted. So it does happen and can sometimes be expected. Alas, that game was fairly called. Not so last night. Sam Donnellon thinks it could be a conspiracy - of Candians taking care of their own. We'll see how the rest of the series goes, but last night was so bad it would have made David Stern proud.

TO Saga Continues

The announcement that the TO-Eagles affair was finally over earlier this year when an arbitrator ruled that Terrell Owens needed to pay back nearly $800,000 in bonus money was a bit premature. It seems that TO hasn’t paid the money back yet, and the Eagles have now filed suit to get it. Given the Eagles sloppy bookkeeping (see Westbrook, Brian $3 million overpayment), we presume Lurie and Banner checked more than twice with the accounting and receiving departments to see if TO’s check ever arrived.

 

When will the TO-Eagles relationship ever end? It’s like a bad marriage/divorce.

 

Villanova reference of the week

And it’s connected to the draft and the Pride of the Blue Hens (as well as famed Eagles #7).

 

From Peter King, “Ron Jaworski had the best analysis of the pre-show. It was about Joe Flacco, and about how the complex zone blitz of Villanova really bothered him. I mean, when a guy gives you a tidbit from Delaware-Villanova, you've got to respect that.”

More Draft Thoughts

Here’s what I sent a friend who asked my opinion about the Eagles just concluded draft.

 

 

I’m somewhat ambivalent about the draft. I am not in the gnashing of teeth camp that cannot believe the eagles traded the #19 pick. Getting a 2, 4 and a #1 next year is a really good deal, especially for a draft that supposedly had a lot of 2^nd and 3^rd round talent.

 

The eagles wanted to move up to pick Branden Albert, but were outbid by the Chiefs for that pick.

 

Honestly, at #19 there was no one who was going to be the difference maker that everyone was clamoring for. The most obvious pick would have been OL Jeff Otah. But does he really get everyone excited? No. (neither for that matter would have Branden Albert had the Eagles been able to trade up and select him.)

 

I heard some complaining that the Eagles should have gotten Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois) (taken by Pittsburgh in the 20s). Well, but I doubt he would have had a huge impact given how “hard” the Eagles offense is to pick up for rookie skill players.

 

Really, if you wanted a true impact player for 2008, the eagles would have had to move up into the top 10.

 

Having said that, I’m slightly disappointed by the Desean Jackson choice. I can’t believe our first pick was for a guy whose primary job will be punt and kick returner. He’s really fast, but really small. Right now he’s 169 lbs. but hopes to be up to 180 lbs. by training camp  The Jeremy Bloom debacle continues to reverberate two years after we drafted him and nearly one year after cutting him loose with no Plan B for the return game. – to the point where we have to expend a second round pick for a returner who the team hopes can play some WR.

 

I had the same thought about the similarities in size and speed to the great Todd Pinkston . On the other hand, Carolina’s Steve Smith is 5’ 11” 180 lbs so maybe there’s some hope. And he is faster than Pinkston ever was (and 2-3 inches shorter). And Kevin Curtis is only 6 foot, 186 pounds (for what that’s worth).

 

My biggest complaint is that 3^rd rounder they used on the McNeese St. defensive end. Why not take another WR there? Early Doucet was available. That way either one Jackson or the other WR pick could pan out.(weirdly, I though the Skins two WR picks would have been great Eagles picks). Do we really need another small school undersized speed rushing D-End more than a WR? Then again Rich Hoffman makes some interesting observations today about the Giants’ ability to bring front 4 pressure in the super bowl and the Eagles perhaps making a conscious decision to load up the d-line: Cole, Patterson, Bunkley, Thomas, Abiamiri, Clemons, etc.

 

And don’t discount getting Lorenzo Booker. That’s now an experienced pass catching RB the Eagles got for a fourth rounder. Should contribute WAY MORE this season than any fourth round back they could have hoped to draft.

 

They also have this Lito situation still out there. The media in Philly (or maybe just WIP) are either in a panic or doom and gloom about the Eagles inability to trade him. Lots of stuff can still happen. Jason Taylor is being shopped, as is Jeremy Shockey (not saying we’d trade for either one of those guys, only that teams are still trying to trade big names/starters). And then of course are the Boldin, Williams, and Chad Johnson rumors that just won’t die.

 

This draft looks very different if the Eagles eventually land Anquan Boldin for Lito and the Panthers #1 pick next year.

 

I’m also trying to read between all the lines in some of these articles, Reid comments…is it possible that the Eagles extend Lito and Sheldon Brown with new deals to bring them somewhat closer to Samuels’ contract and keep everyone happy and on the team?

PK: Desean the Next Stinkston?

My friend PK writes:

well, for whatever it's worth, put me in the largely unsatisfied camp from this year's draft.

Feel like every year, for the past few years, we've gone into the draft thinking we're just a couple playmakers away from being a Super Bowl-contending/winning team, and each year we come out of the draft with Banner and Reid making selections that will have little impact on the next season but are intended to be potentially big impact several years down the road.

Just like last year, when we drafted a guy who might be ready to be an NFL starting QB in 2010, we've selected a bunch of guys who might be starters in 2010. And, wow, what a stunning surprise -- we drafted another tallish, incredibly skinny wide receiver who looks ready to get pushed around by bigger, stronger corners. Desean Jackson -- 6-0, 178 lbs -- come on down, you're the next contestant on the Challenge to See Who Can Become the Next Todd Pinkston!

A Booker

Why is the Philadelphia media discounting the acquisition of Lorenzo Booker? He would appear to be a solid complement to Brian Westbrook, a running back with pro experience that the Eagles got for the cost of one fourth round pick.

 

Seriously, in any true evaluation of the Eagles’ 2008 draft, both immediately and four years hence, you have to include Booker’s performance in the analysis.

 

And what I’m seeing is encouraging. While he technically “played” in two games midway through the season (vs. Buffalo and, ironically, the Eagles) it wasn’t till the last five games of Miami’s miserable season that he actually carried the ball. Based on those five games, Booker averaged 4.5 yards/carry. More impressively, in those same five games he caught 28 passes (coincidentally, the same number of carries he had) for an average of 5.6 receptions/game…for a situational player on a lousy team!

 

For comparison purposes, the great Brian Westbrook averaged 4.8 yards/carry and 6 receptions/game in 2007. Yes, B. Westbrook played in ten more games than Booker but #36 also played on a much better team than the lowly Dolphins. And at 5’ 10”, 191 lbs, Booker is the same height (if you believe both players’ figures) and only ten lbs. lighter than Westbrook.

 

Perhaps most importantly, having gotten his first NFL year under his belt, Booker can be expected to contribute more this year than a rookie getting acclimated to the league.

 

All in all, a very good pickup. A pity the Eagles aren’t getting more credit it for it.

The Q Rating

I love the fact that new Eagle Trevor Laws wanted a cheesesteak upon his arrival in Philadelphia yesterday. But I really love this guy Quinton Demps. I love his comments in a post-draft conference call, and I love the fact that he pointed out he picked off Kevin Kolb twice back in college. I also love that he seems to be aware that Donovan McNabb wanted the Eagles to get “playmakers” in the off-season and thinks that he fits the bill. Hell, if he is half as good as he thinks he is, or is as good as his mouth, maybe the Eagles did land their successor to Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.

 

"I am a playmaker. If the Eagles wanted a playmaker, they got one as a steal in this draft. I am not a Pro Bowl player, I'm a Super Bowl player. I am ready to go. I am fired up."

 

(Note, transpose those last two sentences and you essentially have Barack Obama’s catch phrase, “Fired Up! Ready to Go.”)

5 Alive

Don't despair McNabb-lovers. Best comment on the Philly.com boards. "There was no one at #19 that was going to help #5 immediately."

 

In other words, the eagles can get the same guys in the second round - WR, DB - that they would have had to take at #19. Plus they got a whole bunch of other picks.

 

I like the deal/move.

Eagles Not Done

Surprise trade to the....Panthers? Bewildered giving up the #1 when the Panthers had already selected their #1. Big draft for Carolina to take a RB and a big tackle.

 

But the Eagles getting their 2nd, 4th and next's #1 is a steep price.

 

The Eagles aren't done. My guess is that the Eagles really wanted Branden Albert, tried to trade up to get him and when the Chiefs outbid them, they didn't want to settle for Jeff Otah (predraft predictions to the contrary).

 

Expect a trade packaging some of those 2nd and 3rd rounders to get back into the 1st round - Tennessee? Lito and picks to Tennessee...for what?

 

Or package some picks and stockpile some #2s, move up in that round. Kind of like what the Eagles usually do in the first round only in the second - Kenny Phillips, Limas Sweed?

Pats Screw Picks

It just occurred to me that with the Pats forfeiting their first round pick that some poor college kid is going to get screwed out of some money because Bill Belichick is a cheater. Because there are now only 31 first round picks this year, the first player taken in the second round really should have been a first rounder (the same theory holds for the first player taken in each of the new rounds). But the biggest impact would be in the difference between "first round" money and "second round" money. i'll have to check on what the differences have been in the past but it is gotta be at least tens of thousands of dollars.

 

So thanks, Bill. You're cheating is now negatively impacting innocent bystanding college kids. Maybe the Commissioner should use some of the fine money paid by Bob Kraft and Belicheat to reimburse these picks for their lower salaries due to the Pats' forfeited pick. Or maybe Bill could be a big enough man to contribute it out of his own $5 million annual salary.

DL In the Draft Now

First the Eagles missed out on Jared Allen, now it looks like the Broncos had more interest in DeWayne Roberston than them too.

Best Draft?

Funny about draft analysis. How often has the meter swung back and forth on whether the Texans were boneheads for picking Mario Williams over Reggie Bush? Could swing the other way three times during the course of this season.

 

Hard to evaluate any draft till probably 4-5 years afterwards. Here’s looking forward to Mel Kiper’s instant analysis on Saturday.

 

Lito and #19 for Roy Williams?

 

Lito for Anquan Boldin straight up or with some exchange of picks?

 

Could happen.

 

Saturday?

Lots and lots of interest and theories on the Eagles.

 

Basically it all comes down to whether (if?) they trade Lito on Saturday and what they get for him, i.e, player and/or picks (move up in 1^st).

 

Many think offensive line for the first pick, others are pushing WR. But it seems first round is deepest at defensive back which is also big Eagles need (especially if they trade Lito) so people think that will be first choice.

 

Personally, I would not be surprised if Lito is or isn’t traded. And I would not be surprised if the Eagles traded up in the first round and made another trade to get another 1^st round pick or packaged some picks to move up into the early second round..

 

See earlier post about trading players for draft picks and a theory about trading holdouts (which is almost what happened twice with the eagles so far this year – Lito for larry fitzgerald and Lito for Jared Allen).

 

Bottomline, the Eagles are expected to be very active on Saturday in moving around the board so it should be interesting.

 

Didinger

Ray Didinger makes a compelling (pleading?) case for the Eagles NOT to pick an offensive lineman with their first round pick and instead grab somebody who can contribute this year...right away. Besides, as Didinger notes, the Eagles have lots of quality offensive line reserves that could still develop (Max Jean-Gilles, Winston Justice).

 

Didinger's take: cornerback in the first round (perhaps moving up by dealing Lito), d-tackle in the second, WR in the 3rd. www.comcast.net/sports/articles/nfl/2008/04/23/Didinger.Eagles/

Wide OUT

It's not just Andy Reid that can't pick wide receivers. "In fact, a quick study of the past 10 years of the draft suggests more first-round gaffes are made at wide receiver than any other position," reports the Washington Post.

Why? Extra variables and - if you read between the lines of former Titans GM Floyd Reese comments - prima donna issues.

"'The wide receiver position, in spite of what people think, is a hard position to evaluate and draft,' Reese said. 'There are so many variables: Does he fit our scheme? Are the coaches going to like him? Are there talent or character issues? If you find a big tackle who's strong and willing to work and has good feet, the chances are that he's going to be able to come in and play for just about any team in the league. But receiver is different. Everyone just says 'receiver,' but in reality a West Coast receiver is different from a deep threat is different from a spread receiver is different from a slot receiver.'"

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome concurs, "They're asked to do so many things before the snap and then when they start running. And that's before they catch it. I think it's a tough position for guys to come in right away and play, especially with what they have to go through in college."

So it's not all Andy's fault.

Still want to take Delvin Thomas in the first round?

Trading Up, Trading Down

The rising concern about exploding rookie contracts only makes me more bewildered about the apparent discount NFL teams typically pay for acquiring proven talent for draft picks.

 

With talent evaluation such a crap shoot (i.e., Freddie Mitchell, Jerome McDougle, Tim Couch, Akili Smith), why wouldn't more NFL teams be interested in trading relatively high draft picks for solid veterans? Especially when these rookies are costing so much more relative to what veterans make - even assuming renegotiated contracts for the veteran.

 

I get a kick out of everyone (Peter King in particular) decrying the Brinks job the Patriots pulled over the Dolphins in getting Wes Welker for a 2nd rounder. That kind of value for the Dolphins #2 receiver is typical in today's NFL. What was the outlier was Welker's performance for the Patriots this past season nd the attention his trade value received. Seriously, before this year everyone would have been killing the Patriots for giving up anything more than a second rounder for Welker.

 

There is a general mindset in the NFL about "signing your own players," which is code for drafting well and extending your promising youngsters. The second part of that equation is that these newbies learned the team's "system" and are proving themselves in it. The flip side belief is that it is harder to break in or re-train players brought in from other teams. I think there is too much of a premium placed on this "growing your own" idea. If you can trade for relatively young players, all it costs you is a draft pick or two, that seems like a good deal.

 

All of which brings us to Lito Sheppard, a 27 year old Pro Bowl cornerback.The Eagles so far have failed to get a first round pick for Sheppard. My question is why more (any) teams aren't eager to give up a possibility for a sure thing?

 

Take for instance the Patriots. Had they had their #31 pick they would have been an ideal candidate to trade it for Sheppard. The Eagles get a first rounder, the Pats get a starting corner (to replace the one they lost to the Eagles in free agency). Even if the Pats renegotiate Sheppard's contract, they'll still come out ahead than what they would pay for a first rounder. They also get a player that can start, and excel, immediately.

 

Much has been made of Sheppard's injuries and how he's missed 14 games in 3 years. How many games would a rookie cornerback drafted in the first round expect to start? Probably none. So even if Sheppard gets hurt and misses four games, the Patriots would still be 12 games ahead compared to what they would have gotten out of a rookie in their first year.

 

heck, even if the rookie starts all 16 games in their second year and Sheppard again got hurt enough to only play in 12 the Patriots would still be 8 games ahead in playing time for the veteran compared to the draft pick.

 

After that, Sheppard's expendability increases given his age and presuming a four year contract. Really, after that second year and particularly after the third year the Patriots could cut bait with Sheppard and move on with little future salary cap ramifications. Not so with your rookie, now in his third year. If he gets hurt, you almost have to keep him (and continue to pay) to preserve your ability to see how he bounces back in year four if for no other reason than he's young, you picked him, and you still have the opportunity to extend him if he pans out.

 

The Patriots were just one example. Measuring the gold standard to a gold standard. But the same logic applies to any other team. This year, anyone interested in taking a "shutdown" corner in the draft should think long and hard about trading that pick for Lito Sheppard. They get a proven player and transfer the risk of the pick not panning out to the Eagles.

 

As rookie salaries explode and the risk of damaging a team's future salary cap increase if they pick wrong, more teams are interested in trading down in the first round of the draft. The wonder is why more teams trade not down in the first round, but out of the first round, by acquiring proven, cheaper veterans for a roll of the draft dice.

EnBoldined?

Another disgruntled player seeking an extension in the wake of his teammate's new deal is Cards' WR Anquan Boldin. After the Cards re-signed Fitzgerald there was some talk about about the Eagles and Boldin. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Keep an eye on this on Saturday.

The Switcheroo

So here's where we are in 2008 with teams like the Eagles exercising "cap discipline" by not re-negotiating contracts, i.e., Lito Sheppard. Pro Football Talk and the Delco Times report that the Eagles offered Lito and picks to the Chiefs for disgruntled D-end Jared Allen

 

Allen's unhappy with his current contract which is why the Chiefs want to move him. Trading for him would mean the Eagles would likely have to renegotiate the contract. Of course, the Eagle are getting rid of Lito cause he wants a new contract, and presumably the Chiefs would have to renegotiate with him.

 

So if you are keeping score at home, the Eagles and Chiefs won't renegotiate with their own players but are willing to swap them and enter into new contracts with the "new" players.

 

Makes sense, right?

Out of Position

What position is the Eagles’ greatest need in the draft? Inqy’s Bob Brookover says WR/KR which is why he thinks they’ll take Devin Thomas.

 

I’m thinking offensive lineman. The Eagles bookend tackles are both entering the final year of their contracts. And based on that, Brookover suggests that the position isn’t a pressing need.

 

Howver, if we’ve learned anything from the Reid era is that 1) he loves drafting linemen 2) avoids skill players in the first round and 3) drafts on need for the following year.

 

Thus, we got Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, and Michael Lewis all taken in a draft while we still had pro bowl corners Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor under contract.

 

My best guess is that the Eagles either move up in the first round to grab the O-lineman they really want (Ryan Clady?), or take whoever’s left at 19 (Jeff Otah?) and perhaps package some picks to move up in the second round or into the late first round to grab Kenny Phillips, the “U’s” stellar safety and BDawk heir apparent.

 

I write that with the disclaimer that I think it ridiculous to speculate on who exactly the Eagles will draft given the vagaries of the other teams picking ahead of the Eagles. Certainly some draft predictions last year would have been much more accurate if the Patriots hadn’t snagged Brandon Merriweather ahead of the Eagles. And let’s not forget that NO ONE saw the John Welbourn trade and Shawn Andrews pick coming. That was a total shock on draft day. Or, for that matter, trading down for Kevin Freakin’ Kolb after Merriweather became unavailable.

 

Should be interesting.

 

Tomorrow: Why don’t more teams trade picks for players?

Ocho Cinco

It’s going to take more than two potential first round picks for the Eagles to land Chad Johnson. That’s what the Redskins offered the Bengals yesterday, the “first-round pick, No. 21 overall, and a conditional third-rounder in 2009 that could escalate to a first rounder if Johnson and the Redskins hit certain performance levels,” according to ESPN which Marvin Lewis since confirmed.

 

The PA primary

Since the professional political class has gotten so much of the 2008 presidential campaign so wrong, so often I thought it safe to offer my own predictions about the results of tonight’s Pennsylvania primary. I can’t do any worse than the people who get paid to predict and/or analyze the elections.

 

Hillary Clinton will win tonight, no surprise there. Though she wins by less than double digits. So will the coverage focus on her inability to win by double digits and truly cut into Obama’s popular vote and delegate count leads? Or will the theme be that despite being outspent by a 5:1 ratio Clinton still managed to pull out a solid victory.

 

And I also predict that the election results will sadly but starkly breakdown along racial lines. So stark, in fact, that it will be hard for the media to ignore the growing issue of racial polarization in this race. Whether there will also be coverage of what this portends for Obama’s chances in the general is likely doubtful.

Right Away?

“If the Birds do stay at 19, Heckert said, he still feels they could get a player who can contribute right away - something that didn't happen last year, when the Eagles traded out of the first round, then drafted quarterback Kevin Kolb and defensive end Victor Abiamiri in the second,” reports Les Bowen.

Really, Heckert thinks they could draft a player who can contribute right away? Could contribute, or will contribute. Let me fresh Mr. Heckert’s memory about recent Eagles drafts and #1 picks. Hint: they don’t contribute right away.

Not even Donovan McNabb contributed right away. Remember Doug Pederson? Of the Eagles’ #1 picks under Andy Reid, only Corey Simon played significantly in his rookie year. I will give them Shawn Andrews, who started the season opener but broke his leg in that game and was lost for the season. Other than that? Mike Patterson didn't start but did have 3.5 sacks and was in the mix for tackles.

Freddie Mitchell, Lito Sheppard, Jerome McDougle, Brodrick Bunkley, Kevin Kolb. None of these first selections (Kolb was technically a second round pick but the Eagles first pick of last year’s draft) played meaningful minutes in their rookie years.

So if Heckert thinks they can get a player to step in right away, well, more power to him. I’m just not holding my breath since history suggests they will draft a lineman and he will not play much if at all in 2008.

Busted

ESPN lists the top 50 NFL draft busts of all time. Ryan Leaf leads the list of mostly familiar names.

 

Though I’m not sure I agree with ESPN’s definition of a “bust.” Can a 3^rd round pick like Maurice Clarett or a 2^nd rounder like Alex Van Dyke or Reggie Rembert be considered busts? Or players from non-football powerhouses that happened to go early, like Mike Junkin (Duke).

 

For my money, a true bust – and there are plenty to choose from – have to be one of the top 10 players taken in the first round, and maybe even  a top 5 pick.

 

And can Lawrence Phillips or Keith McCants seriously be bigger busts than “franchise quarterbacks frauds” Akili Smith or Tim Couch?

 

Two Eagles made the list: Mike Mamula and Jon Harris. Surprisingly, former Eagles first round pick and convicted felon Kevin Allen did not make the list.

Devils Redux?

Saturday’s game 5 reminded me of the disastrous game 6 versus the Devils back in 2000. Garth Snow gave up a soft insurance goal with less than 5 minutes to go to make it 2-0 only to have the Flyers score with under a minute to play to make the final score 2-1. Sort of like Saturday when the Caps got an insurance goal and the Flyers got what could have, would have been the tying goal late.

 

Here’s hoping the Flyers don’t blow another 3-1 series lead.

sports blogging

Sports blogging is the hook for this Times article about the changing landscape of sports journalism and the mainstream news media’s relationship with the professional sports leagues and their newly assertive stance over coverage. Oddly, no mention of the NFL Network.

More than Smoke?

To this rumor that the Eagles are interested in Jets defensive tackle DeWayne Robertson?

 

“Two league sources” say Robertson recently visited the NovaCare complex. Denver is also reportedly interested in trading a 3^rd or 4^th round pick for the former #4 overall player taken in the 2003 draft.

Kickin It

So is this guy competition for Rocca, Akers, or both? Or he is competing against Rocca with the added bonus that he can be the kickoff specialist to spell Akers?

Need 2

No more razor gator or stub hub?

The Keystone

Very encouraging profile of Eagles starting center Jamaal Jackson and his new and improved off-season workout regimen and diet. Also impressive that he tries to shoulder much of the blame for the Giants game sack-a-thon debacle.

 

Rumortown - Sheppard to the Saints?

Andy Reid has a good sense of Kevin Kolb’s development, reports this news item. Among the other tidbits is the rumor that the Saints are interested in dealing for Lito Sheppard and Jeremy Shockey on draft day.

High Praise Indeed

Three quick thoughts from last night’s Mets-Phillies game:

 

I’m just fascinated by the new ESPN stat graphic that shows a player’s “years of MLB service.” Guys that I consider to have been around a long, long time are barely cracking 10 years of service according to ESPN. Guys like Jason Varitek, who ESPN lists at 10 years. I used to think that “10/5” players (ten years of total MLB service, 5 years with the same team), a status which allows them to block trades under the collective bargaining agreement, were much more common than apparently they are if the ESPN numbers are to be believed. I do have my doubts, though.

 

For instance, former Phil Marlon Anderson pinch hit last night and ESPN listed him at 8 years of MLB service. But then the announcers mentioned that he made his major league debut with the Phils back in 1998. So how does that compute? I presume that the MLB service is calculated based on pension eligibility. And major league players vest in the pension plan after one game in the bigs. And is ESPN counting 2008 as a year of service? Like I said, I am just fixated on this new stat.

 

Phils’ call up TJ Bohn looks like a big, blonde meathead. And I can totally understand the thinking Morgan mentioned about managers like Manuel wanting the hottest hitter in the minors for a short 15 day assignment. The guy is going to get, what 7 at bats? Why not go with the hitter seeing the ball and making the best contact at the moment?

 

Was the most impressive stat of the night Chase Utley’s batting average improvement over the past four seasons? He’s raised his average like 20 points a year so that now he’s hitting well over .300. And when Joe Morgan, one of the best hitting second basemen in history, says that Utley could become the best hitting second basemen in baseball history – as he did last night - it is high praise indeed.

 

Full Weekend

A glorious weekend for viewing Philadelphia sports, especially for those fans outside the Delaware Valley who don’t have the usual access to the home teams’ broadcast stations.

 

The Flyers got things started off on Saturday afternoon with their nationally televised game 5 playoff game vs. Washington on NBC. That was followed almost immediately by the Mets-Phillies game on Fox which was the national game of the week. On Sunday, the Sixers-Pistons playoff game was on TNT, which nicely segued into the final game of the Mets-Phillies series that was ESPN’s Sunday night game of the week. That the good guys were only 2-2 in all those games doesn’t diminish from being satiated by the weekend sports buffet.

 

Now if only the Flyers can close out the Caps tonight….