SB Nation User Blog: 3k

I understand we have to win. It's not fair to our fans or the ownership. If we don't, I know it...

3k — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:21:50 -0000

I understand we have to win. It's not fair to our fans or the ownership. If we don't, I know it starts with me.
It's probably my final chance.

I just came across a piece from Fox Sports' Alex Marvez in which Bulger recognizes this could be his last go-round as the starting QB for the St. Louis Rams. I'm pulling for the Bulge as much as anyone, but I also agree that if he falters (not statistically, but in terms of poor play like last year), it's time to draft/sign a young QB to lean on for the next couple of years.

Final chance to add yourself to the Turf Show Times map!

3k — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:02:32 -0000

Final chance to add yourself to the Turf Show Times map!

Just comment with your zip and I'll get you on there. And it doesn't matter if someone's already thrown your zip code out there; I'll just put you right next to them to add density. Let us know where you're reading from!

Of pillars and paucity, part 1 of 2

3k — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:55:34 -0000

More photos » by Louis Lanzano - AP

New York Giants football player Plaxico Burress exits Manhattan criminal court in New York City, March 31. Burress, Brandon Marshall and Michael Vick form a trio of enticing talents that many teams will be tempted to bring on board for the 2009 NFL season. Along with that talent, however, is the personalities that consistently put them in a courthouse.

Browse more photos »

In the last month, the one storyline that has consistently had this community buzzing is "Should we sign 'x'?" In the last month, we've seen a story on Plaxico Burress (by VanRam), one on Brandon Marshall (by DekaJ), and five (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) on Michael Vick. Bryan Burwell, of Post-Dispatch fame, even joined in Wednesday with this piece, suggesting the pillars should be made more of dough and less of concrete.

While I can understand the uncomfortability many of us feel with the roster and the depth chart as it exists, this seems motivated more out of desperation than acumen. It seems we have gotten to the point where some of us are willing to sacrifice what integrity this team has for the potential on-field accomplishments of one of these three. So while I have stayed largely silent throughout these debates, I feel it is time to opine.

Adding any of these three would wreck everything this team has built in the last five months, and while that may not seem very long, I believe the next 6 years of this franchise are already in place. Adding Burress, Marshall or Vick would put us on the road to ruin, and I'll offer why I think so after the fold.

You have to look at the entire equation: At what point do the negatives outweigh the positives? - Dan Lebowitz, executive director of Sport in Society

For those of you who may not be familiar with the "four pillars" of Spagnuolo's approach to heading up the Rams, he laid them out during his first press conference: faith, character, core values and team first. While I may disagree with the wording (I don't think it's fair to ask people to express faith, if it is in a religious sense, despite my piety. And what core values?), the essence is simple: no primadonna knuckleheads allowed. This team is going to be built around adults who can push their egos aside to commit to one another in the pursuit of a singular goal: the Vince Lombardi Trophy. I think that's something we can all agree on.

What Burwell touched on in his piece Wednesday is something I agree with: you have to be flexible in building a depth chart to include a variety of characters. We can't put together a team of bible thumpers, nor a team of good fathers. We need all kinds of personalities and talents on this team that Coach Spags can mold together into a single force that is capable of succeeding against any team in the NFL. I'm in total accord with Burwell on this, but not as it applies to Vick, Burress or Marshall.

Each of these three has a history of misconduct. They are not "good guys who messed up." These are adults who habitually engage in behavior that does not comply either with American law, or the common conduct one would expect of a man.

Michael Vick had his own history. Of course, it all starts with the company you keep. In 2004, two of Vick's homeboys were arrested for trafficking marijuana.... in Vick's car. (That link details some of Vick's accomplices that were with him from day 1 all the way up to the federal RICO case) There was Watchgate, an episode that saw Vick's friend, Quanis Philips (who would later be involved in the dogfighting escapade), steal a security guard's watch at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. There were the misadventures of Ron Mexico, a name Vick allegedly used in seeking medical treatment for herpes after (again, allegedly) knowingly passing it on to a "lady friend." Of course there were the dogs. Most importantly to me, was that even in the midst of the publicity surrounding his case, Vick still failed a drug test. This was not a mistake; this was a pattern.

Plaxico Burress had a string of incidents himself before his most notable incident. Twice in late 2008, Burress' wife called the cops to break up a domestic disturbance; after both times, a temporary restraining order was issued. Of course, the most memorable of his "slip-ups" was the "Ouch, I think I shot myself" story from December last year. There's a couple details I think that are notable from that. One, Burress took an unregistered Glock into a club. In fact, Burress had never even applied for a license in New York. Two, when the cops searched his house, they found a second pistol and a rifle. He is yet to produce any paperwork that would suggest he owned the firearms legally. A month after his self-shooting, Burress was in court for a "mix-up" in 2006; a car dealership gave Burress a Chevrolet Avalanche to drive around town and use to attend promotional events for the dealership. Shockingly, Burress never showed up at any of the events. The dealership was soon contacted not by Burress, but by the New York Police Department who had just impounded the 'Lanche. Upon retrieving the vehicle, there was noticeable structural damage that Burress claimed "was only partially his fault." Of course, there was the car crash Plaxico was involved in just two weeks after shooting himself; Burress was driving without valid insurance at the time. This isn't an error in judgment, or a night of carelessness. This is behavior.

Brandon Marshall similarly has quite a track record. Because he has such a track record, I would rather summarize with numbered links instead of spelling them out, so here we go. #1. #2. #3. #4. #5. #6. #7. #8. #9. #10. Suffice to say, Brandon Marshall is just as dependable off the field than on it, although where you can depend on him to succeed on the field, you can depend on him to get in trouble off of it.

So what if they have a past? Don't these guys deserve a second chance? Sure they do. But they've already had it. And third chances. And in Brandon Marshall's case, someone soon will be giving him his 11th chance. Sure, it's a bit harsh to suggest that someone who had a domestic disupte is being "given a second chance" when he returns to the field, but this is more. We're talking about players who have strings of problems, patterns of behavior that explicity demonstrate that their personalities create problems.

If we are to put any stock into what Coach Spagnuolo is preaching, then we can't even consider these three. It's one thing to give someone a second chance (which I'll address in part two), it's another to allow them to string you along as they destroy their lives and your franchise. For all our failures on the field, we've remained a well-behaved team. Even though we have suffered from a paucity of talent, we shouldn't make ourselves suffer from a paucity of principle.

Poll

Can Plaxico Burress, Brandon Marshall and Michael Vick become role models, or are they fated to repeat the errors of their past?

Add your zip code to the Turf Show Times Map

3k — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:18:51 -0000

Add your zip code to the Turf Show Times Map

We've got readers from New Zealand to Alaska, and even in China. So make sure you rep yo hood! (Too ghetto for TST? I think not.) Just drop your zip code in the comments like everybody else and we'll get it on there.

The Turf Show Times map

3k — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:45:17 -0000

I've seen this on a couple SBN sites this week (BCC, TN), and I'm consistently amazed at how spread out the readership is for various teams. All you have to do to get on the map is comment with your zip code, and I'll get it on there. I've got my house pinpointed on the map.

Does TST have any readers in Bahrain? How about Andorra? Maybe Papua New Guinea? And I wonder how many of you guys are actually in the Lou.

Turf Show Radio - June 11th, 2009

3k — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:56:35 -0000

Another quality episode is in the books. Depth chart, illnesses, D-line techniques: it's all in there.

The Rams at Twenty: June 8th, 2009 (Brett and PacMan)

3k — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:29:00 -0000

Pac Man Jones and Brett Favre were both in today's NFL news for their potential returns in 2009. Given the question marks they both have (for entirely different reasons), the probability either will play a full 16-game slate is relatively low.

View full size photo uploaded June 8, 2009

It's been a while since I dropped one of these on everybody, but then again, we've had a pretty quiet summer. Well, this morning was anything but quiet for the NFL's favorite offseason story of the last, what, 5 years?

First, we learned that Brett Favre underwent shoulder surgery last month after avoiding the operation as much as possible. The saga continues, but at this point, it looks like he and the Vikings are going to come to terms so that Brett can enact his revenge against the Green Bay front office. Expect to hear more about this...every week...until the season starts. Ugh.

Meanwhile, everyone's favorite parolee program, the Dallas Cowboys, is feeling a bit reticent about cutting ties with their failed reclamation project in PacMan/Adam Jones. Jerry Jones suggested he is open to bringing him back, although at this point, it's far from being nearly as certain as the Favre-Viking marriage.

With these two in mind, I'll throw this at you guys: who plays more in 2010 and why? Brett is old and coming off a substantial surgery to his throwing arm, while Pacdam/A-man doesn't really have a team lined up.

Poll

Who plays more in the 2009 season - Brett Favre, or Adam "Pac Man" Jones?

Brett Favre - Jones doesn't have an honest suitor outside of Dallas who just cut him.

95 votes

Adam "Pac Man" Jones - Brett is too old and too banged up. He may start in week 1, but he won't last. Plus, they have options. Tarvaris Jackson just needs to play mistake-free and let Adrian Peterson win games for them.

60 votes

155 votes | Poll has closed

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Carriker is stronger and "looks like he's a little quicker," coach Steve...

3k — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:27:35 -0000

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Carriker is stronger and "looks like he's a little quicker," coach Steve Spagnuolo observed between Thursday's two minicamp practices at Rams Park.
Carriker is strictly a left tackle in defensive coordinator Ken Flajole's scheme. He'll line up in different spots, based on the offense's alignment. But always on the same side.
"It's nice to kind of get homed in on one thing," Carriker said. "I'll just be on the left side and ... trying to wreak some havoc."

From today's P-D, a piece on Adam Carriker's development and his revived motivations.

Official TST nicknames: Oshiomogho Atogwe

3k — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:43:56 -0000

Oshiomogho Atogwe -- part human, part deer.

View full size photo uploaded June 3, 2009

It's time for another installment of everyone's favorite/most hated/least cared about series, official TST nicknames. We covered Steven Jackson first, and James Laurinaitis next. Again, just because the title says "official" doesn't mean I or anyone else must refer to a the winner of the poll; it's just to distinguish our nicknames from anywhere else, so that when you're at a bar and someone calls James Laurinaitis "Crabgrass", you know you're among a fellow TSTer.

So now, we move back to a non-rookie, which should avoid some of the ire this series inspired last time, by looking for a nickname for Oshiomogho Atogwe. Yes, he's more commonly known as O.J., but that's not a nickname. I mean, has there ever been a football player named OJ that anyone has ever heard of? Who? Oh, I always called him Orenthal. Anyway, let's get one for Atogwe. I came up with a couple more than usual, but if you think of a good one, drop it in the comments.

And yes, I will be keeping his official photo in mind. For those of you who don't remember, OJ Atogwe had the best official photo last year. I think he's not used to opening his eyes...

Poll

What's a good nickname for Oshiomogho Atogwe?

O-Togs / J-togs / The Togs - As in A"tog"we.

40 votes

O-Way - The last syllable from his last name.

26 votes

Headlights - His picture still cracks me up.

12 votes

Franchise - He got the tag.

13 votes

The Wizard of Windsor - Born & raised in Windsor, Ontario.

12 votes

The Disturbance - Off. Coord.'s will have this guy in mind when constructing their game plans.

12 votes

The Nigerian Nemesis

38 votes

153 votes | Poll has closed

Official TST nicknames: James Laurinaitis pt. 2

3k — Sun, 31 May 2009 03:19:13 -0000

via www.buckeyelane.com

View full size photo uploaded May 30, 2009

Yeah, I get it. Some of you guys are angry at the fact we're doling out a nickname to someone who is yet to play a single down in the NFL; nevertheless, we're at this point, so let's trudge on. The poll closes tonight, so vote if you haven't. If you have a great idea for a nickname, post it here. This is more for everyone else to be able to refer to Laurinaitis from here out as it is for myself.

As I write this, "Animal Jr." is far in front with 38%, but there's a close battle for 2nd with "The Disease" at 21% and "St. James" at 19%. Apparently, some of you are more than ok with anointing the rookie MLB before stepping on the field.