The NFL Thread

I guess the difference between a massive support group and no one cares is 1646 yards and being the league leader in receiving yards for 2013.

I agree, this whole situation is extremely hypocritical. However, we don't really know how bad Blackmon is/was versus how bad Gordon is. I mean we know he's gone through stage 3, but we really don't know all that much else.

I think part of the difference in support is also that Blackmon's been in trouble for weed/drugs before, so people are less willing to give sympathy. For Gordon, I'm sure being the league receiving yards leader helps, as does not playing for the Jaguars.

I would take that explanation if it weren't for the fact that Gordon is also a repeat offender. Hell, Gordon got kicked off the team at Baylor due to his drug use in college, while Blackmon only had one DUI incident, and in the NFL, Gordon was further in the NFL's substance abuse program than Blackmon was.

But this is more than likely it, and what I had deduced, sadly.

edited 28th May '14 10:49:18 PM by NoChorus

Didn't know about Gordon being a repeat offender, I'm not really familiar with him at all except for his monster season. I think it may also be in part that the Jaguars GM has pretty openly condemned Blackmon, saying there's almost no chance he'll play in the NFL, whereas to my knowledge Browns fans/ownership are still hopeful about Gordon...probably unfairly.

NFL suspended Cardinals ILB Daryl Washington for "at least" a year for violations of the league's substance abuse policy.

NFL suspended Giants S Will Hill six games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Yet despite that, the biggest news of the day is:

Josh Gordon issued speeding ticket over the Memorial Day weekend; his passenger was cited for marijuana possession.

It's like this guy is daring for Goodell to do his worst.

edited 30th May '14 4:15:39 PM by NoChorus

While Washington does very much deserve to be suspended, I think they're suspending him for the wrong reasons. He has done two things wrong recently. He tested positive for marijuana, and he was also recently convicted of aggravated assault on a former girlfriend. Guess which one of those things the league gave him a yearlong suspension for, and which one the league has decided not to address?

Once again, the NFL's questionable prioritization rears its head

Will Hill is gone. The Giants have cut him after his third violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy.

So I ask again, when is the league going to make a decision on Josh Gordon? We've seen what they did to Daryll Washington and Will Hill. If this is what they do to the lesser known players, why is Gordon still without punishment?

Wouldn't call Daryl Washington a lesser-known player, but I'm sure we'll get news on Josh Gordon soon.

And judging by Washington's suspension I don't expect it to be anything good.

Colin Kaepernick has reached $126 million, 6 year extension with $60 mil guaranteed.

In remotely stupider news, the NFL will be calling Super Bowl L "Super Bowl 50" instead, taking a one year break from the roman numeral naming convention. Personally, I think it's just because nobody wants to be known as the team that won Super Bowl L because all of the non-fans who watch only the Super Bowl don't really know how to read roman numerals and will assume it just means loser.

Speaking of Super Bowl 50, Jackie MacMullen said today that she was in favor of the name "Super Bowl L" because "L is a Romo Numeral."

Have to admit that I chuckled.

edited 4th Jun '14 3:36:44 PM by NoChorus

Somebody's been taking cap management lessons from Jerry Jones again...

details on Kap contract

Turns out that it's actually extremely flexible and ideal for the Niners because a lot of the guaranteed money is not actually guaranteed. I was looking forward to the Wilson, Newton, and Luck extensions, but now they are probably going to be secretly reasonable.

If they called it Super Bowl L, the winner would be "taking the L," so to speak. I think the change was to avoid this and other 'L=Loss' puns, and also just the fact that, in my view anyway, L is by far the least attractive Roman numeral, with neither axial symmetry nor curves.

Add Sean Weatherspoon to the list of players suffering ACL injuries.

And then promptly remove him from the list because he actually suffered an Achilles tendon injury, not an ACL injury.

Regardless, he's going to be out for some time. So I get specifics wrong, sue me.

In Falcons-related news, The Atlanta Falcons are your 2014 Hard Knocks Team!

Detriot TE Tony Scheffler has retired due to concussion-related injuries.

Per Schefter, Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey signed a 5-year, $44M extension, making him the highest paid center in the NFL.

Mike Pettine has told reporters that as of Browns training camp, Brian "Hoyer the Destroyer" will be going in as the number 1 QB. Nice to see they're not going to rush Manziel into service if they can't help it.

edited 12th Jun '14 12:35:08 PM by EagleFan

The coach with more Super Bowl victories than any coach in history, and the architect of the Steel Curtain and Steelers late-70's dominance, as well as the first coach to have a black starting QB, Chuck Noll,passed away at home late yesterday night, of an undisclosed illness. He was 82.

Packers RB Jonathan Franklin will retire after just one year because of his neck injury.

Man, what is it with Packers players and career-ending neck injuries?

On the bright side, Johnny Jolly has received clearance to return from his January neck surgery.

I had a dream that Colin Kaepernick was responsible for Uber's information leaks, and we had to fire him from the board/49ers. I was very sad.

Philly Sports Beat Reporter Paul Domowitch reported that Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson (4th overall pick of 2012 draft) has been suspended for the first four games of the season after testing positive for PEDs.

Not less than an hour later, another Philly reporter Tim Mc Manus has reported that "NFL has said no suspension has been handed down by the league."

So who's right? As far as I can tell, the official NFL site has not commented on this at all (usually a very good indicator on whether or not these things are true), yet multiple sources (such as everyone's favorite hack Mike Florio and his site PFT) are reporting this as though its already occurred. I'd say let's wait and find out, but it appears the media has already made up its mind.

edited 30th Jun '14 1:26:31 PM by EagleFan

Bills Linebacker Kiko Alonso out for the year with an ACL tear.

edited 1st Jul '14 8:46:26 PM by EagleFan

Sorry for the triple postings, but:

More suspensions announced:

La Von Brazill (2012 Draft, 6th round by the Colts) suspended for an entire year without pay due to substance violations.

5th round 2012 St. Louis Rams draft pick and current Chiefs OL Rokevious Watkins suspended four games due to substance violations.

2013's 3rd Overall pick, defensive end Dion Jordan of Miami has been suspended four games due to PED violations.

Still no official word on whether Lane Johnson, the next pick in that draft by the Eagles, will be suspended. And after nearly a month or two, still no word on what the punishment for Josh Gordon, last year's best wide receiver, will be.

It's getting apparent that substance abuse in the NFL is finally starting to be cracked down on (or at least they're putting on a good show of trying to do something about it). What does the thread think the NFL should do about it at this point?

I think they should get a bit tougher. Lifetime bans. Set examples.