2005 NFL Season

[Applespider]

but ONLY after the niners get their sixth ring first 😉

Funny... that's exactly what I said to one of my friends after the game. That if Pittsburgh got there again before the Niners made it to 6, then I'd be rooting against them 😉

 

[jefhatfield]

Funny... that's exactly what I said to one of my friends after the game. That if Pittsburgh got there again before the Niners made it to 6, then I'd be rooting against them 😉

if the niners got to the playoffs next year, it would be a minor miracle

if they won the superbowl, it would be one of the nfl's cinderella stories on the level of the cowboys going from nothing to three superbowl wins in the 90s or the niners from going from a terrible post 70s joke of a team with a backup named joe montana to a superbowl champion

the baltimore ravens were also an amazing cinderella story...as were the tampa bay bucs

with massive trading and a salary cap, i figure in 20-30 years every nfl team would have garnered at least one superbowl ring...only a handful of teams remain without the ring

oh, and in baseball, the florida marlins did themselves very well as well as the la/california/anaheim/la angels who had carew, jackson, ryan and others and, more than any team in baseball history, made stupid mistakes and always were the best team not to make the playoff cut, or had the bad luck to lose giant leads, or be pitching to someone only to make them break some extraordinary hitting record, etc...other bad luck teams at least had glorious moments, or stars (in their prime) breaking records, and some bad luck teams won world series, so it was fitting that the angels would finally win a world series in a seven game struggle

it was getting tiring hearing about the flawless tony gwynn and san diego, willie mays and barry bonds in sf, ichiro and the mariners, the superwinning ways of billy martin and the oakland a's, the glamour boys and world series' wins of the la dodgers...only the angels had nothing to show for over 4 decades on the west coast

sure, we cannot even begin to compare to the yankees, brooklyn dodgers, pirates, phillies, new york giants, red sox, mets, atlanta, and marlins' great baseball histories of the east coast, all with rings, but now we are, in every team with either world series wins or players of legend, finally respectable...but give us a hundred years and we will make baseball's capital the west coast of the united states

 

[zimv20]

and it would be great to have them be the first to win six superbowl rings

i'm going to be greedy and want that for my steelers. they do, after all, tend to win superbowls in pairs...

btw, i was noting the other day that one my two favorite teams, the steelers and bears, has been a participant in every superbowl evenly divisible by 10.

so i am predicting bears vs steelers in superbowl L.

 

[~Shard~]

btw, i was noting the other day that one my two favorite teams, the steelers and bears, has been a participant in every superbowl evenly divisible by 10.

so i am predicting bears vs steelers in superbowl L.

I'm going to remember that 10 years from now and calll you on that if you're wrong. 😛 😉 Yes, I'm a patient bastard. 😀

 

[zimv20]

I'm going to remember that 10 years from now and calll you on that if you're wrong.

okay, but i'm off the hook if any of the following happen:
1. there is no superbowl L
2. the bears and steelers end up in the same conference
3. one or both teams is no longer in existence
4. the refs are sponsored by Fox

 

[quigleybc]

my two favorite teams, the steelers and bears

As a Bears and a Steeler fan...how do you feel about Antwaan Randle El being almost a lock to get sent to the Bears next year?


I'm not happy about that at all..

 

[zimv20]

As a Bears and a Steeler fan...how do you feel about Antwaan Randle El being almost a lock to get sent to the Bears next year?

not happy. i am a steelers fan first and foremost. but if he's gonna go anywhere, i'm glad it might be here (i'm in chicago).

where did you hear about his transaction?

 

[quigleybc]

where did you hear about his transaction?

Oh, I'm on various Steeler rumor boards

http://www.mysportsradio.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=34

and it's been talked about by a few different people for the last few weeks...

Chicago is supposedly prepared to offer ARE some serious $ for his services...so it's up to Rooney to match that...and he's not really known for that so....we'll see.

 

[zimv20]

it's up to Rooney to match that...and he's not really known for that so....we'll see.

it'll be interesting to see if he sticks around for less money. why not? he's playing for a good team, obviously.

 

[yellow]

it'll be interesting to see if he sticks around for less money. why not? he's playing for a good team, obviously.

uh huh. Cause that's what it's all about.. good teams.. 🙂 😎

 

[~Shard~]

okay, but i'm off the hook if any of the following happen:
1. there is no superbowl L
2. the bears and steelers end up in the same conference
3. one or both teams is no longer in existence
4. the refs are sponsored by Fox

Fair enough, especially #4... 😀

 

[jefhatfield]

As a Bears and a Steeler fan...how do you feel about Antwaan Randle El being almost a lock to get sent to the Bears next year?


I'm not happy about that at all..

he was also scouted as a qb and i wouldn't mind having him as qb if alex smith does not work out for the niners

 

[trebblekicked]

Oh, I'm on various Steeler rumor boards

http://www.mysportsradio.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=34

and it's been talked about by a few different people for the last few weeks...

Chicago is supposedly prepared to offer ARE some serious $ for his services...so it's up to Rooney to match that...and he's not really known for that so....we'll see.

if not chicago, somebody is going to overpay for him, and rooney will let him go. he's the kind of guy that can break a game open, but if you have to count on him making the big play for you, you're in trouble.

he's a solid receiver, great kick returner, and defiantly not a quarterback (he can throw a great ball to a wide open guy with no one in his face, but he's too small to see over the OL, and wouldn't be able to stand in there against the rush).

look for a team on the brink to bring him in (chicago, denver, KC, new england), and pay more than he's worth. the steelers may just draft another utility type in the second round, or go after a tall deep threat in the first.

the signing i'm more worried about is chris hope. good safeties are rare nowadays- with them using polamalu the way they do, they need a solid guy who can handle the deep part of the field when troy's doing his zany thing. hope's been good, and going to get better.

also, they need to get a center in the draft- hartings only has another year or two in him.

 

[jefhatfield]

if not chicago, somebody is going to overpay for him, and rooney will let him go. he's the kind of guy that can break a game open, but if you have to count on him making the big play for you, you're in trouble.

he's a solid receiver, great kick returner, and defiantly not a quarterback (he can throw a great ball to a wide open guy with no one in his face, but he's too small to see over the OL, and wouldn't be able to stand in there against the rush).

look for a team on the brink to bring him in (chicago, denver, KC, new england), and pay more than he's worth. the steelers may just draft another utility type in the second round, or go after a tall deep threat in the first.

the signing i'm more worried about is chris hope. good safeties are rare nowadays- with them using polamalu the way they do, they need a solid guy who can handle the deep part of the field when troy's doing his zany thing. hope's been good, and going to get better.

also, they need to get a center in the draft- hartings only has another year or two in him.

he he

are we talking about randel-el (sp? 😉 )?

fifth all time passer in college history, sixth in heisman consideration his senior year at indiana university!

i don't care if he is three feet tall, there are thousands of people who have played qb in college football and only four, ever, have more yards than him

 

[zimv20]

rooney will let him go. he's the kind of guy that can break a game open, but if you have to count on him making the big play for you, you're in trouble.

as if they learned something by the kordell stewart era... 🙂

the signing i'm more worried about is chris hope.

same here. taking nothing from the talents of polamalu, lebeau can use him like he can because of the presence of hope, imo.

 

[LethalWolfe]

he he

are we talking about randel-el (sp? 😉 )?

fifth all time passer in college history, sixth in heisman consideration his senior year at indiana university!

i don't care if he is three feet tall, there are thousands of people who have played qb in college football and only four, ever, have more yards than him

There is a reason Randle El isn't under center in the NFL. He's a very good athlete (just like K. Stewart) but that's not enough to be a good QB in the NFL (just ask K. Stewart). Using Randel El for the occasional trick/option play is great, but being under center isn't playing him to his strengths IMO.

IIRC Randle El is 5th all time in total yards gained in NCAA football and about 1/2 of those yards were on the ground. Running/Option QB's tend to tear it up in college but get torn down in the NFL.

Good in college doesn't mean good in the NFL. Ty Detmer was one of the greatest college QB's ever, but he didn't exactly light it up in the NFL. 😉


Lethal

 

[grapes911]

Good in college doesn't mean good in the NFL. Ty Detmer was one of the greatest college QB's ever, but he didn't exactly light it up in the NFL. 😉

Great example. Detmer did win the Heisman. He also held (maybe still holds, I'm not sure) all time NCAA records for completions, yards, and TDs. None of that lead to a great NFL career.

And for the record, Randle El probably wishes he had the college credentials of Ty. But I'm sure in the end, Ty will wish he had the pro career of Randle El.

EDIT: I looked it up. Detmer is now:
2nd in Passing Efficency
1st in Yards
3rd in Completions
1st in TDs

 

[Josh396]

it'll be interesting to see if he sticks around for less money. why not? he's playing for a good team, obviously.

I remember reading an article in a Chicago newspaper when the Bears played the Steelers in the regular season saying he would love to come and play for the Bears (he's from the south side). He said it was always a dream to play for his favorite team. That, coupled with the fact that Angelo likes to spend money and they're in the market for a help on offense and in the return game I think gives the Bears the best shot at landing him. Personally I would love to see him in a Bears uniform. It would really sure up the return game which was shaky this year after being one of the best 2 years ago. It would also help their young receiving core which showed some decent potential at the end of the year with Gage and Berrian performing well the last few weeks of the regular season as well as Bradley before he got injured. I'm hoping Moose just had an off year after moving to Chicago and will be the sure handed receiver he claimed to be upon arriving to Chicago. Then they need to get a good tight end out of the draft. If the Bears can sure up their receiving core next year they could be a very vert hard team to beat next year.

 

[trebblekicked]

mushin mohammad and randle el would be a pretty solid WR core; if grossman stays healthy, that could be the key to getting over the hump in the NFC for the bears.

now let's get silly. let's see your picks for next year (must include two picks that can only be described as crazy):

AFC:
North: Steelers
West: Chargers
South: Colts
East: Dolphins (crazy #1; but not that crazy if you think about it)

Wild Cards:
Bengals
Patriots

NFC:
North: Bears
West: 49ers (crazy #2; Alex Smith has breakout year, 8-8 wins the division)
South: Panthers
East: Redskins

Wild Cards:
Cowboys
Falcons

(the team that loses the super bowl has had a losing season every year since 2000, so no seahawks next year)

 

[trebblekicked]

mushin mohammad and randle el would be a pretty solid WR core; if grossman stays healthy, that could be the key to getting over the hump in the NFC for the bears.

now let's get silly. let's see your picks for next year (must include two picks that can only be described as crazy):

AFC:
North: Steelers
West: Chargers
South: Colts
East: Dolphins (crazy #1; but not that crazy if you think about it)

Wild Cards:
Bengals
Patriots

NFC:
North: Bears
West: 49ers (crazy #2; Alex Smith has breakout year, 8-8 wins the division)
South: Panthers
East: Redskins

Wild Cards:
Cowboys
Falcons

(the team that loses the super bowl has had a losing season every year since 2000, so no seahawks next year)

 

[yellow]

East: Dolphins (crazy #1; but not that crazy if you think about it)

Whaaaaaat?? The FISH?

 

[Dave00]

if not chicago, somebody is going to overpay for him, and rooney will let him go. he's the kind of guy that can break a game open, but if you have to count on him making the big play for you, you're in trouble.

He'd be making a big mistake leaving. A great second option as a receiver in a run-first offense, and a nice "slash" option and kick returner, he fits in perfectly with the Steelers. I don't see him fitting in another team. No one else does the gadget plays like the Steelers. He's hardly a good drop-back quarterback (the height is a real issue in the NFL, much more so than college) and he doesn't have the height or speed to be a #1 receiver, which is what they'd want him to be if he was paid big money.

He might make more money leaving, but he'd run his career into the ground, a la Neil O'Donnell. I'd sure hate to see him leave. It'd be bad for both the steelers and him.

Dave

 

[trebblekicked]

Whaaaaaat?? The FISH?

like i said, at least two of the picks have to be crazy 🙂

i like miami. they've got a good young back in ronnie brown, and a great defense. they're weak at QB, but Saban said that's their main priority in the offseason. their receivers are serviceable, their OL is decent. why not the fish?

every year someone comes out of nowhere to win a division. the bengals did it this year, so did the bears. i like the fish and the 49ers.

and can i just say that if alexander and hutchinson leave seattle (at least one of them will), the nfc west might be the worst division in the history of the nfl.

 

[Dave00]

now let's get silly. let's see your picks for next year (must include two picks that can only be described as crazy):

AFC:
North: Steelers
West: Chargers
South: Jaguars (my crazy#1)
East: Patriots (although Miami gives them a run)

Wild Cards:
Colts
Bengals (assuming Carson Palmer comes back - otherwise, Denver)

NFC:
North: Bears
West: Arizona (2nd crazy - this assumes Seattle loses Alexander and continues the super bowl loser jinx)
South: Panthers
East: Giants

Wild Cards:
Cowboys
Falcons

Dave

 

[yellow]

every year someone comes out of nowhere to win a division. the bengals did it this year, so did the bears. i like the fish and the 49ers.

I would hardly say the Bungles came "out of no where".. they've been gaining in strength under Marv's tutalge for a while now.

I think the Fish have a bit more rebuilding to deal with before they take the AFC East. Next season it'll be the Pats and the Bills battling for top billing.