tsylvester

Apparently everyone does or he would not have a job. Look, I heard him, Preston, say directly that when the staff for the Ravens came out for the presser, John uttered a "we are ordered to sit this way". Preston said, on radio mind you, that he heard it clearly. Did he? Sure, but not in the context he claims. Byrne is in control of press conferences. Every team, I repeat, EVERY TEAM has the same set of rules for press conferences. They want to present a certain look, so the media staff makes an order of who sits where who comes out first etc. Not an order such as rule from the owner as Preston was trying to say, but as 1, 2, 3, 4, order..... Some fans are now saying Byrne is just putting out fires, covering up. I submit, as proof, the above of what Preston, how he turns things into controversial issues. The sad part was, Norris & davis both have been through press conferences before, they know exactly the context those words were used and yet, they too let Preston keep going on that point as if it was some hidden cookie, or is that a hidden donut.

no, Preston wants just wht he got, your post, people talking about him, radio shows talking about him, having him on air, callers phoning in, .......

to an extent, yes. However, Kubs is best for putting players in a position to do well, using them to the best of their ability. Now, if he calls a play with an 11 set, say a hitch on the right, a stop & go on the left, tight end curl and half back leaking out and the quarterback locks onto his receiver, is that on Kubs or the quarterback? If the back leaks out too early, despite being taught, drilled into the timing of the play, is that on the coach or the back? We all know a quarterback, once outside the pocket, can throw the ball away, even into the stands so long as it goes past the line of scrimmage. Now, the coach drills this into his head, he practices it perfectly on bootlegs, but in the game, he either forces the throw while under pressure leading to a pick, or eats it for a sack, is that on the coach of the player? Again, take last season out, there was a lot going on there that most do not realize, most of it not on Kubs. Foster had major issues off the field plus some nagging injuries on the field. Tate was injured for most of the season as well and then to have to use three quarterbacks it all = a losing season and very little of that is on Kubs. Time will tell, on the surface this looks like a very good move. A fresh set of eyes for the offense. A new tight end coach, maybe a new set of positional coaches entirely. Frankly, Harmon was, even after all this time, unproven. Who did he ever develop? Sharpe? He was on his way to the Hall of Fame when he dropped in for a visit. Heap? He learned from Sharpe and most of his succes was in his hands, natural, not his route running. He could not block to save his life. Pita? Please, just like Heap it is his speed and hands that make him look like a good tight end. However, his route running stinks. So a fresh set of eyes, some more coaches with a different mindset maybe leads to a truly better tight end, offensive line, better blocking receivers which all equal a better running game. When the running game improves, play action, something Kubs loves and Joe does very well, opens up, works better. I will give Castillo a break, now he has an OC who lives in the zone blocking scheme, that may make a difference. It is also a fresher set of eyes for the draft and free agency, so we shall see.... All in all I think it is the best move they could have made for this offense.

Um, most of that was not the play calling, rather the execution. It is difficult to win games, to rebound in games when your quarterback throws consecutive pick sixes. Shaub played horrible this past season, that was the main reason for the losses. Foster was banged up, maybe washed up, the defense just didn't have it either, being on the field all the time. Pre season rankings are for fans, to generate conversation which = money; they mean little. Proof of that is this year, the first time in what 20 years that two #1's are playing in the Super Bowl.... I do agree, expecting a number 1 offense next season is quite the stretch, they realy can't get much worse. Much of it is on the offensive line, if they improve there, the offense, even if Cavs is calling plays, would be better....

yeah, mid season can make all the difference. had it been the end of the season, that might have made a difference. He has something to prove, so I expect his full attention....

Mort was saying Kubs wanted to bring five coaches with him, to Cleveland, and they balked. I wonder now who else will come if indeed he stuck with his guns of five coaches......

Kubs prefers zone blocking, so it is likely the line coach stays. Odd man out is likely to e Hostler. The 4th quarterback coach in six years, 3rd offensive coordinator in six years, yeah, let's put the final verdict on Joe next season........... According to ESPN, Kubs was waiting for the Ravens call, came in yesterday, signed today. This tells me they had him penciled in all along and were just feeling out other coaches incase they offered a better choice than Kubs. So I doubt either Preston or pinkie were correct in their opinions............

wait, no, Harbs would never make that move, two people who can replace him if things go wrong? No chance.......... even so, sometimes too many cooks in the kitchen ruins a dinner, just saying.

If reports are to be believed, it is down to two; Shannahan and Hostler.... oye vey

well, perhaps Kubs didn't want the job here, he may not like Baltimore or his family might not want to live here. That is, afterall, why Derrick Mason took less money to come here rather than New englad not so long ago-family... Could be his style of offense is not what Harbs wants, there are many reasons, I am sure, job security is way, way down the list. But knowing pinkie as I do, if it gets peole talking (about him) he will print it.....

Anyone could be hired to replace Harbs at any point; Kirby included if he did a good enough job. Quite a reach to get readers by pinkie...

In my opinion, it does not. To label a guy based soley on the on field interview right after a heated, contested game is stoooopid to the enth degree. Thus my stance, neither he nor the media should give this "race issue" and play time; be a duck, let it roll right off the back like water off a duck. FYI this goes back well before the game, the issue of Crab and LOB leader. Both are trash talkers on the field, but only one stands behind his words it isn't Crab. There will always be racists, unfortunately. In oder to overcome them now, in today's world, is to shut them out, not give them the audience they so desire.

If so, too general, too broad a brush. Are some? Sure, will they always? Sure. However, they are the ones to ignore, let fade away, not give them power. There are many who use the thug label to mean just that; a bully, a person using force, coersion, intimidation to get their own way. To me, the bigger "issue" if one, are those who claim he cannot be one, because he went to Stanford. Thugs come from every back ground, in every skin color.

Let me see. First, defenders of Sherman say he cannot be a thug because he went to Stanford........ Now He, Richard Sherman is saying only black people can be thugs........ Oh my how the worm turns.... Me, muchado about nothing....

Didn't Rip win it in a strike shortened season? That makes a big difference as well. Also, rip had some hal of fame receivers or those who were top tier receivers and one of the best offensive lines in football at the time.... Quite different than what Flacco had to work with even last season....

Sitting here trying to watch the Senior Bowl practice; trying because NFL Network really stinks at coverage..... Anywho,,, Watched a lot of games this year, college and I have to say, there are many, many very good receivers coming out and this is just seniors. I doubt and do not think they need a free agent, that the Ravens dip into free agency for wide out. Too many good ones, with a quick twitch, great hands and good at fighting off press coverage in the draft....

At the risk of repeating my self, I would put a lot of it on their lack of actual practice time together. With the new practice rules coming in, this year, and after a Super Bowl run/win, that takes a lot of time away from timing with receivers. If you look around the league, the tandems who did very well this year, Brees and his crew, Manning, etc, they spent a lot of time in the off season working together, and worked late after practices, spent time together watching film. Now, I can't say for certain Joe and his crew did NOT do any of this, but we rarely saw and reorts of it here, (could just be poor reporting by our local media) but when you think of all the off the field things they all had to deal with, sponsors, family life especially, babies, marriages, we can see, time would be limited. Add to that two of the main receivers to start the season were rookies, not allowed to work before camps, and one can see, timing, familiarity, was a big issue. My biggest gripe with the coaching was the inability of the receivers to get seperation against press coverage, whether that was match up zone or straight man. You don't have to be very talented to accomplish this, it is a matter of proper technique and strength in the upper body. Since they, the receivers, were never able to beat press coverage this year, this tells me the coaching is to blame; improper technique, not the best conditioning for strength. I do think they will be better next year. Smith with another year (wait till he has to be paid!), Brown made very good strides this year and now they know how to handle their time, what it will really take, See, it used to be teams could work on full timing during practice, work on getting off press, in practice. With the new rules, not so any more, so coaching is really needed now. I think they will get together before the mini camps start, work harder during camps etc because now they know. Yes, some of that timing is because of the offensive, offensive line, allowing Flacco time, the receivers time to work open. Add to that, if you are not familiar with a receiver, it is very difficult to trust them to run say a dig route, timing, to the right depth and to turn the proper way, inside or outside. That route, for best results, has to be thrown before the receiver makes the break. Joe has been throwing it afterward, thus no room for rac, and for contested catches, another issue with the receivers, not winning battles. With a better familiarity between them, a better line, and, receivers with more experience, I expect the timing routes to be better, which in turn, opens up other route combinations, true double moves.

Agree, picture the SeaHawks in two years having to pay Wilson and all those DB's "top in the league" money = good luck.... The quarterback pay is the reason I still maintain that an amendment will be put in place to help teams pay quarterbacks, but retain more cap space. we are getting to the ppoint where we have more very good quarterbacks in the league than ever before and with escalating costs, they will have little choice. The players either overlooked this, small cap increases, higher salary demands, or did not care at the time. There are only so many ways to structure a contract and stay under the cap while having a top qb, lt, wr, lb, corner and safety. Years a go it was no big deal, one could count on the cap going up 20% or more. Right now, not even close to that %. As for Flacco's deal, he is young enough that when the big money hits, just as past years, they will simply add more years. Baring injuries, a qb is good to what, 35-37 years old, unlike most other positions.

TC, I saw plenty of rubs, plenty of tiered routes to get guys open. What I did not see was good route running. Sure, some of that is onthe players, as we said. However, how can you runa slant route, quick/hot read, when the receivers a) are not running proper routes and b) are not reading the defense properly? That is all on the coach. I think you have hear me say this many times, since the RAvens got here, they have never, as an organization, developed a receiver, Heap was as close as they came and he was a tight end, and even he did not run good routes, it was more his speed at the postion and hands. Good route running involves many things, not just squaring it off properly, or using the head fake. It is running them at the right depth and, especailly, at the right speed. Some routes are designed to piggy back off another route, a clear out of sorts. If the 2n man through runs too quickly, it doesn't work. If the first man runs it too slow, or even at the wrong depth, it will not work. How many times have you seen 3 receivers within five yards of each other? Answer, too many and that is not the play design, that is the receiver running the wrong route. This all goes on the coach or coaches. So we can blame Caldwell, Hostler or the candy man. No matter what, it comes down to play design and route running to get open. Ever watch Smith try a double move? He gives it away. See him run a straight nine? He stays too close to the boundary not giving Flacco room for error. Smith still struggles fidning the ball in the air and adjusting on deep throws; he flails trying to catch it. He has one of the smallest catch radiouses in the league. Brown is great, I love the kid, so much mor epotential than anyone on the team. His catches got better, yes, especially in the red zone. However, the only part of his route runing that got better was his confidence in running the play. He still ran too shallow or too deep on crossing routes. He still did not run the right way, pending the position of the safety on deep routes, Smith does that too. So many people blame a quarterback for an incomplete pass, or the coach for a lack of imagination in route combinations, yet they overlook the fact that as small as five yards can make a pass look 20 yards off target. Listen to the talking head cry about Brady and his poor receiving core, how he should be MVP because he took them so far with so little. Let me tell you, Flacco had less to work with, Brady's receivers are better route runners, got proper coaching, got benched if they kept on running improper routes. You don't see that here. Maybe it was because of all the injuries at the postion, who knows. Far beit for our local media to cover such an issue. Preston, Wilson, the rest of them just talk about team issues, popular team issues, not positional. Sure they might tell you there is a need, but not why. They will tell you Flacco completed his career worse, but not why. By the way, Brady completed his career worse, and I just told you why; his receivers. Some of the issues are just because the receivers are so young, yes. Smith has talent as we have seen, but he is not, at this point, a number one. Brown has talent, a great slot receiver, dependable over the middle so long as it is zone and Joe has time to wait on him. With proper coaching nd work, Brown will be a top guy in the league shortly. I know they are high on a guy on the ps/injury list, I forget his name; speed, quickness and supposedly good hands. Evenso, Hostler has proven nothing, a qb coach for Alex Smith, who was a dud until Hostler was gone, hmmm No receivers developed under him on any of the 49ers, Jets, Cheifs, Saints..... None.. Every player not on the Ravens did not like his coaching style, not just SanFran, which I am sure he learned how NOT to call plays there..... Joe liked Cam too, for a while, until the offense sputtered, food for thought.

Keep in mind, Wilson does not have a strong arm, while he can make all the throws, they tend to float. If the wind is a factor there, this will be inteesting. I think the Settle D and Bronco O cancel each other out. So the question is, what can the SeaHawk O do against the Denver D.. Specials teams too, both teams have electric returners. Frankly I hope Denver wins, not a big fan of Pete Carrol and I would like to see Manning win one more before he retires.

Based on the lack of improvement from the receivers over the course of two seasons, I just cannot get behind Hostler as an OC. Sure, some of that is on the players, but none of them took a step forward this year, the ones from last year even stepped back in their route running. Secondaries knew what routes were being run because the players were not able to hide them in their movements. That is on the coach imo. Of the top four, yes, Shannahan is my choice, even then, I am sceptical. If he choses not to come, Hostler will be the choice and that, is scary.

He is their top choice, the other three on their list, really stink.... not encouraged by what I am hearing..... this could set the offense back for half a decade...

NFL says Super Bowl is in warm weather areas, domes to make sure of an "even field"..... If a team plays home games in warm weather/dome, and another team plays outdoors in winter weather, how is a dome for the Super Bowl an even field? Teams that play in a dome build their players a certain way-for speed. To both take advantage of the carpet and the crowd noise. While teams in winter areas with turf or natural grass fields generly build their teams to pound. So again, where is the even field if say NO plays NE in a Super Bowl in a domed stadium? Frankly, every new stadium should have a retractable roof, imho, something the stadium authority here screwed up on when they improperly designed the stadium. They did such a poor job they can't grow grass because it faces the wrong direction........

Seattle will need the weather to cooporate, even then, I don't know that defense will be able to stop Manning, and his beavy of receivers. Yes, Baltimore, number 2 total defense back then (because of one game, the Jets) destroyed the number 1,2 & 3 offenses in the league on their way to the Super Bowl, but Seattle has not faced a receiving core like the Broncos have; they've been beaten, as home even, by far lesser offenses. Add Manning's ability to get the offense is favorable matchups and wow,this should be fun. Now, cold rain, big wind, will slow Manning, but enough? Both Thomas's, Decker, (all over 6-2) and Welker... add to that, their running game is pretty darn good too... Oh and then there is their defense, playing markedly better against a pretty one dimensional Seattle offense. Sure, Wilson moves around very well, but, aside from some "flukey" passes, he has not been very good this year, later parts of this year let us not forget. I don't know how this game will turn out, Auburn had a good run of "lucky plays" and lost to a better team. Denver is clearly the better team, the wild card is going to be Harvin, will he make game changing plays on offense & special teams?

Yes, a better throw. That pass should be to the corner, outside, not inside and should be dropped in, something Kap has trouble with, . He will learn though....