With the end of football season its the end of MMBSD and time to turn to Flash Facts......
#1 The NFL is a QB League
As we switch from the 2009-2010 season to the 2010-2011 season (or what will be known as the last season before the Year of the Labor Strife) it's important note that consistency in the NFL comes from QB play. Take a look at the teams that made the playoffs and ask if they have an elite QB, if the answer is No, then put them on the endangered list. In particular eyes will be on Mark Sanchez to see if he can improve his QB play or if the the dreaded sophomore slump will get him.
#2 Jerry Sloan Wants to Punch You in the Mouth
I'm old enough to remember what a tough smart player Jerry Sloan was while playing. Which brings me to the Utah Jazz. Nothing particularly stands out about the Jazz. Yes Williams is an all-star but hardly a super-star. They have a pair of good but not great PFs. However they play great team ball which means higher percentage shots (lead the lead in FG%) and they rotate well (top 10 in defensive FG%). The result is that statistically the Jazz are as hot as anybody right now. They will play the Lakers on Wednesday and from all signs show that despite the star power, the Jazz can give the Lakers a run for their money.
#3 Auburn's Gene Chizik Isn't That Bad
After hiring Iowa State's Gene Chizik, Auburn, Chizik, a bunch of orphans were booed (this is Alabama after all). However Chizik was able to bring in a top 5 recruiting class, often besting Saban for the heart's and mind's of players in Alabama. Not too shabby. Auburn made big strides last season is becoming competitive and if Chizik can continue to recruit like this Auburn might be able to get back to being relevant in the conference crown race.
#4 Spring Game Will Bring QB Battles
The Big 10 will experience a series of QB competitions this Spring. Penn State will have to replace Darryl Clarke with either Sophmore Kevin Newsome or true freshman Robert Bolden. Michigan might have its own QB competition with the nation's best dual threat QB David Gardner enrolling early. Add, Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois, and potentially Michigan State and that's lot's a QB battles.
9 comments:
You remember Jerry Sloan's playing days? He retired in 1976, a little less than a year after I was born and I'm pretty sure I'm four years older than you... :-)
Jerry Sloan was so tough that he transcended the space-time barrier so I could watch him in 1979 :)
The Utah Jazz are to the NBA what the Minnesota Twins are to MLB and what the Pittsburgh Steelers are to the NFL: well-run franchises that are almost always competitive, even when on paper you'd think they shouldn't be. It's a testament to their ability to put good people in charge off and on the field/court. Teams like this are tough to hate - because we all want our favorite teams to be as well-run.
1) the nfl is indeed a QB league right now. i almost think we should start keeping better tabs on offensive coordinators and/or people who call plays. that's also realy important.
2) the utah jazz are a great team. they still have solid players at every position (even if not elite).
3) the gene chizik story still makes no sense to me. how could he be such a failure and then succeed so quickly?!?
Hitman, I get your comparison of the Jazz to the Twins...but why the Steelers? To me, it seemed like you were making an implied argument about market size and financial resources ("even when on paper you'd think they shouldn't be.") but I don't see how Pittsburgh fits the bill here. Revenue-generation notwithstanding, all NFL teams have the same chance to be competitive given the salary cap, etc.
As to old Gene...one is I think this situation underscores how important location/team is for recruiting. No one can do well at Iowa State. The other is he had the resources to bring in quality assistants...namely for the OC spot which has improved both on the field and recruiting.
you know what's funny? I thought Pittsburgh fit the bill but not the Twins! ha! Pittsburgh always drafts well and always seem to have someone to fill-in... it's not like Harrison was supposed to be a defensive player of the year. I realize current Steeler teams are expected to compete, but you don't have to go back far to see Tommy Maddox somehow getting a playoff appearance.
I wasn't intending to make a small-market comparison. I merely meant that these three teams always seem to be competitive, even in years when the "experts" think they won't be. With respect to the Steelers, given the up-and-down nature of the NFL, it's pretty impressive that Pittsburgh is almost always a double-digit-win team.
Gotcha. Yes, I agree that Pittsburgh (NFL) and Minnesota (MLB) are pretty well-run teams.
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