via www.freakingnews.com

As I write this I am humming PIL's Rise:

I could be wrong. I could be right. I could be wrong. I could be wrong, I could be right, I could be black, I could be white, I could be right, I could be wrong, I could be white, I could be black. Your time has come, your second skin. You climb so high and gain so low. Walk through the valley. The written word is a lie.

A catchy tune that seems to linger no matter how badly you might want to forget it. Mind you it is not as venomous as Rebecca Black's Friday but it none-the-less has that similar staying power. What distorts both of those songs is the person behind them. John Lydon and the aforementioned Black can be seen as, respectfully, offensive and sympathetic. John for his overall persona and Rebecca for how the powers handled her. Neither are absolute claims, just a possible perspective.

Jacksonville finds itself with a character who too can be seen as those two adjectives. And you know full well the fans, media and opponents will remind all those who can hear or read of just where he falls. As soon as the pick was made you could hear millions of minds working to come up with the most entertaining or abusive comment. Others tried their best to frame the pick in the best of possible lights. That in turn further fueled the critics.

It was a wildfire. Or a plague. Or direct meteor hit.

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via l.yimg.com

First let me thank Brad Hill (@jaguarsblog and @californiajag) for the microphone on his Jaguarsblog Twitter account last night. Been a while since I have corresponded with many of you and the banter was entertaining and informative. It gave me insight into many of your thoughts prior to the Jaguars selection. There was much gnashing of teeth over a potential trade-up considering the context of the move was specific to acquiring Justin Blackmon. No need to share what some of those tweets were but if you want to see them you can find them.

When Tania Ganguli expressed that the fan based should not be shocked the Jaguars were considering trading up my reaction was specific to their well publicized desire to trade down and get more draft picks. Additionally there was the inevitable fear the team would be giving up far too much for a receiver not considered a "traditional" X wideout. Letting the universe have its way and not stressing over things out of our control inevitably disclosed what at first impression was a solid move to get a receiver sporting a sound resume.

Yet morning radio gave us at least one person who had to make the Tebow connection. The Ox Gator, a favorite of Sports Final Radio 1010XL, lamented what was not done to get the favorite son. Really? Amidst the joy of Gene Smith drafting a wide receiver with fewer questions than past head shakers of Reggie Williams and Matt Jones the Tebow Card is played? What a buzz kill.

It made me wonder what the 4th round has given to the Jaguars fan base. Not sure this makes you like the trade any better. Some names will stand out due to the trade value we got from them (Rob Johnson), the potential they had before injury (Tavian Banks), time wasted waiting for them to elevate their game (David Garrard) or their performance on the field (Seth Payne).

Nothing scientific, just interesting information to impress your friends and family with.

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Sometimes the best advantage we have is that others do the work for us. Thanks to Twitter, the opportunity to pick the brains of folks who spend hours watching whatever game tape they can get a hold of is like shopping in a Super Target. Or just Google "2012 NFL Mock Draft" and a deluge of sites are at your disposal.

Yes we know the Jaguars want to trade out. Yes we know the names associated with the Jaguars at number 7. And for the courageous we have seen who Gene and the boys are taking in successive rounds. Trust me when I tell you...take stock in the other mock drafts you have seen. Unless you want the opinion of "average fan". Hopefully at least one of you will find an element of this perspective intriguing.

I tried not to over think this, taking into account value versus need as well as risk versus reward. Just consider that at the end of the day, regardless of whether the name registers with us based on collegiate play, it is inherently speculative. Obvious to many but bears repeating. It is fine to hate the pick but the best approach is to expect success in spite of affinity. And for the sake of all that his holy give the player a chance to mature and improve.

That said, my hat is in the ring.

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via i.usatoday.net

Listening to 1010xl this afternoon was a test of one’s patience and self-control. The "Tebownites" were out in full force, clamoring for Emperor Khan to open the city gates and allow Tim to enter the city of Jacksonville on his bronco. According to these fervent believers Blaine Gabbert was a failed experiment and should be traded. When asked whether they would be satisfied with Tim being third on the depth chart should preseason prove he was not better than Blaine or Chad Henne, the Tebownites shot back that you cannot engage in hypotheticals with respect to Tim: you must allow him to showcase his abilities and then make a decision.

The irony is palpable.

So amidst some cathartic, tongue in cheek tweets, I pondered the possibility of what a pilgrimage might bring to the city. My opinion that Tebow would not elevate this team beyond a novelty carnival could be completely inaccurate. If so, what might the future look like?

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via photos.indystar.com

The expectation is that opinions on Manning leaving will range from "Good Riddance!" to "Thanks For the Memories!". While his absence will make the AFC South a bit easier on the other three teams, it will also make the games a little less exciting and much less important.

During the Manning era the Jaguars failed to gain the upper hand on a regular basis. The team is 5-14 since 2000. But those 5 wins!

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If you have ever considered what might be an anchor that holds humanity from progressing beyond its present state, consider this tweet from ex-Pats,Lions,Jets OL Damien Woody:

@damienwoody: The bigger question w/ this 'bounty' issue is.....WHO SNITCHED?!?!

Really? That is the bigger question? Not what this means with respect to the integrity of the sport. Not what this means to the safety of players in an already understood violent sport. Not how it impacts the the ethical mindset of those who participate in it, which could reasonably be assumed to carry over to "civilian" life. No, for Woody the bigger question is who broke ranks and turned on their fellow players.

I cannot speak to Woody's motivation. Maybe it is financial and he sees this as an impact to an additional revenue stream. Maybe he grew up in a culture in which you survived by keeping your mouth shut. If there is an explanation that makes sense I would love to read it.

What he fails to understand is that keeping something like this hidden is more damaging to the NFL community than keeping it a dirty little secret. I have coached and played football so I am fully aware that a hit can be both hard and clean. By elevating the hit to a commodity the motivation breaks the sportsmanship frame. Respect for your opponent is what makes the game beautiful. Woody's position is a reprehensible testament to a destructive, narcissistic ethic.

I am reminded, by this tweet, that it takes a special player to be elevated to a position of respect. Much like any area in life, the NFL is lacking that type of person. Let's hope the majority of those playing and retired do not share Damien's opinion.

Later in his Twitter timeline Woody tweeted:

@damienwoody: Simple concept here...if u want better kids, be better parents

I wonder if being a better parent means not being paid to intentionally hurt players?

Curious what others in the NFL community think?

@marcelluswilley: Bounty's in the NFL are a problem now? Only issue is that it became public & now the fans know. I don't think Goodell should discipline. U?

@boomeresiason: NFL admits Saints had a bounty program led by Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams. Now with the Rams he should be fired ASAP!

@chriswarcraft: I mean seriously, think about it. You're talking about paying someone to INTENTIONALLY injure someone else. They put people in JAIL for that (Chris Kluwe)

@kbull53: So bounties taint the Saints the last 3 years?!? Is actually recording your opponent practicing before you play them worse?!?

@shaunphillips95: Purposely hurting someone and trying to inflict pain on someone are 2 different things. I'm sure I have had plenty of bounties on my head

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and dialogue over the past two years while I was a contributor\editor at Big Cat Country. Today I was exposed to circumstances which have prompted me to resign my position as editor-in-chief. It is with a heavy heart that I do this as I have enjoyed being associated with what I considered a great place to talk Jaguars football. However, the atmosphere that once existed has slowly thinned and I can not in good conscience remain.

I am grateful for the opportunity Chris, Jon and Collin gave me and hope you all will continue to find entertainment at BCC and the other Jaguars fan sites. I personally look forward to finding another home to continue writing.

Thanks again for all your feedback,

Brian

When Jason Campbell's final canon shot fell 23 yards short of the target, the Jacksonville Jaguars and their fans exploded in celebration. The attack, which began at 1:00 pm amidst the remanants of a brief December shower, was both relentless and focused. But in the end, much like the sun that broke through and bathed the faithful for much of the second half, the Jaguars escaped the silver and black to stand victorious and prepared to take ownership of the AFC South at Indianapolis next weekend.

Let us hope any damage sustained will not linger long.

If you look back on how this vessel that is the 2010 Jaguars home schedule was christened there were serious questions as to her armaments and sea worthiness. After a festive launch against Denver, blowout losses to Philadelphia and Tennessee left the crew in the stands with thoughts of mutiny. All the investments made to shore up the teal and black seemed wasted. Even an exciting  victory over the Colts, which was sandwiched between embarassments, could not hold the collective confidence.

But the captain has navigated through the treacherous waters and has shown that our home will not be taken from us without a fight. Go on believing they are soft because of the teal coloring to their uniforms. Insist that this warm climate makes them vulnerable. This ship and its on field crew have weathered the storms, becoming tested and hardened.

Just ask the Broncos, Colts, Texans, Browns and now Raiders.

Thoughts anyone?

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If the Jaguars were on the losing end of this one there would be some significant time spent on venting. I won't blame any Raider fan for doing so but as an editor of Big Cat Country I want to give your team the respect they earned today. EverBank was packed to the brim and fans of both teams were in full representation. From where I sat there were not fights, and the only altercation occurred in the bathroom between two guys who obviously didn't want to throw.

Moral victories can be empty but after years of frustration there is definitely a light in the black hole. Your team came out aggressive and made the Jaguars earn everything. Multiple big plays from every facet your offense and a nasty defense gave you every opportunity to fly back west with a win.

This is one of the best games I have had the honor of attending, which actually says a lot considering this years Scobee FG to beat the Colts and the Hail Mary to beat the Texans. I implore any Jaguar fan who visits this site to pay their respect as well.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will once again have a televised home game as the blackout has been lifted for this weekend's critical match up against the 6-6 Oakland Raiders. As of this morning roughly 1,500 tickets still needed to be sold in order to ensure a seventh straight regular season game could be seen by those in the viewing radius.

If you do not yet have a ticket and want to go there are still some available, with most reportedly being in the upper decks. Call (904) 633-2000 or 1.877.4.JAGS.TIX (option 4) to be a part of the excitement. You can also purchase your tickets online through Ticketmaster or other ticket resale outlets.

For those concerned as to the weather, as of this morning any expected rain will make its presence in the AM.

If you listened to BCC Radio last week, or if you've been following this site for the past few years, you know the two games the Jaguars play versus the Titans are must wins. Sunday's victory over Tennessee was a perfect remedy for the seven week hangover that was the 30-3 loss in Jacksonville.

There were so many big players up in Nashville that it is almost unfair Maurice Jones-Drew is getting so much attention. Call it cliche but when Drew stated the offensive line deserved the game ball I believe he was speaking the truth and from the heart. Pocket Hercules was not forcing his way into open territory, he was blowing past would be defenders. The war elephants in front of him made it perfectly clear they were on the march.

On the defensive side of the ball there was a front four bulldozer and blanket back seven which ensured no big plays to be had: You do not stop Chris Johnson by luck and with limited effort. Of his 15 runs, five were for one yard or less including 3 for a negative gain. Huge.

With Dallas beating the Colts, Jacksonville is in the playoff hunt, where they were last year with four games remaining. And like last year a critical game with Indianapolis falls within frame. Let's hope there is more big left in Jack's team.

Now, onto some quick thoughts.

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Correction to article - I missed that if Houston wins out, in one of the many non "best case" scenarios that they would own a tie breaker with the Jaguars. Thanks to Paul Kuharsky for pointing this out.

Be warned, the following article contains playoff scenarios. If you tend to get irritated at such speculation please move on as I don't want your weekend kicked off with anger.

I personally have always loved trying to figure out what a team needs to do in order to make the playoffs. As soon as it can be calculated, I want to know what not only my team needs to do but what is required from other teams. When evaluating the schedules of all AFC South teams I was reminded of just how backloaded 2010 is.

So before you jump, humor me and just exist in the world I have created. Have fun with it!

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Any Jaguars fan who followed the team when Tom Coughlin was their coach knows the man has no tolerance for a running back who fumbles. But when Coughlin announced Brandon Jacobs would start ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw, after Bradshaw's fifth fumble of the season in last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the change was a bit of a surprise.

Is it prudent to bench a top 10 NFL running back as you enter the December playoff sprint? Coughlin must feel confident with his depth.

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It might be cliche but the season of thanks is upon us and as usual it gave me pause for thought. Considering the earthly toil that the Fates have cast to some it is good to be reminded that we have, at the very least, friends, family, job or health for which to be thankful.

For the lucky few cities which have an NFL team there is that "giving back to the community" benefit that comes with the business. You may have recently seen an example of this through Greg Jones's work at Hubbard House.

What many fans get from their team is a sense of civic pride, but more so an opportunity for fellowship. It may be something as grand as game day tailgating or as simple as a day spent on the couch. My focus has always been on it being a time to spend with my family, as I'm lucky enough to have a wife, teen son and young daughter who enjoy the sport and specifically the Jaguars.

This is one of my stories.

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I have to admit; I love writing these. When time is short, throwing out brief thoughts for your reading pleasure serves to feed my personal need while hopefully giving you a good reason to stop by the site. Wanting this to be a better part of our blog I have thought about the format and will try out fewer comments, with them being solely Jaguar related. If you like it or hate, I'd love your feedback.

For those of you who may not know, a "brownout" is defined (thank you Wikipedia) as the following:

• Brownout (medical), a dimming of the vision caused by loss of blood pressure or hypoxia (sometimes referred to as a grey-out)
• Brownout (electricity), drop in voltage in an electrical power supply, so named because it typically causes lights to dim
• Brownout (aviation), reduced flight visibility due to airborne particles, especially from helicopter downwash

In either definition, the "dimming", "drop" or "reduced" reference seemed to aptly qualify the Jaguars play yesterday. As opposed to a "blackout", the team did not lose power and managed to give the fans another reason to believe this team's arrow is pointing up. One of the items we addressed on BCC Radio last night was that this team continues to have fun which not only is translating into victories but is also energizing a fan base that too has seen some brownouts.

The best thing about a brownout is that, unlike a blackout, the vision comes back, the power stays on and the skies clear.

Now on to my quick thoughts.

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Amidst the talk of how well the Cleveland Browns have been playing, one thing has been absent from the conversation. Cleveland is not a good second half team. Save the offensive explosion against New England, where they put up a total of 17 offensive points, this is a team that starts strong but finishes weak.

Cleveland has scored a total of 172 points with two scores being defensive. The majority of their scoring has been in the first half, with only 54 second half points being supplied by the offense. Their victory over New Orleans was more on Drew Brees, who threw four interceptions, and their defense which accounted for two scores.

To accentuate their second half failings, the Browns lost their first three games by blowing fourth quarter leads, scoring 0, 0, and 7 second half points respectively. Their late game tying touchdown to take the Jets to overtime was their only score of the second half, a game which saw them go up 10-3 early and 13-10 late in the second quarter before giving up a Mark Sanchez TD with :23 left in the half.

The Jaguars, while getting blown out in their loses, have a completely different resume. In three of their five victories, Jacksonville has won the game in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland enters the game as the popular pick on the heals of a difficult schedule and winning two of their last three against premier competition. However, with the star of last year's Cleveland victory out for the game (Josh Cribbs) that puts the bulk of the load on Peyton Hillis, and possibly more on Colt McCoy. Can Cleveland win with a one dimensional offense?

With David Garrard leading a balanced attack, if the Jaguars can continue their run of error free football and get up early, 6-4 is a strong probability.

The sun has all but set on the 2007 playoff team yet that season still remains as the standard by which team progress is gauged, and rightly so. Overcoming a litany of injuries and a series of first round busts has not been easy, yet over the past three years the team has shown signs of improvement in multiple areas.

So how can one explain the third blow out loss of the 2010 season? One which has also had a last second win over the Colts along with an opening season win over the Broncos. For every indication that the team is moving forward, they manage to empty the glass to disclose that even greater problems need to be addressed.

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