NFL 2020

[LL!]

2 hours ago, damsher hatfield said:

Not exactly the biggest endorsement of Earl Thomas here.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/earl-thomas-had-to-go-inside-the-ravens-stormy-year-with-star-safety-and-the-road-to-his-release/

I stress this as hopefully as unbiased as possible. The Ravens, at least under Harbaugh, have almost never had an issue like this. There's never been a player to my knowledge who the entire team has basically said "get rid of him". I would never, ever sign a player like that.

Also it didn't help he was the weakest player on the defense last year. He's slowed down a lot and I don't know what you do with that in the super fast modern NFL.

And yet this wasn't the case for Ray Rice. 

[GhostMachine]

Watched the E-60 on Alex Smith, and....damn. Requires a strong stomach to watch, because it does show his leg at various stages between injury and recovery. It required 8 debreedings due to Necrotizing Faschitis, and I've seen chicken drumsticks that have been eaten with more meat on them than his leg when they finished. His injury was so bad that they had to get clearance from the Secretary of Defense to send him to a facility for the military.

With what he went through, anyone who doesn't hope he plays again has no soul.

 

[gunnar hendershow]

14 minutes ago, LL. said:

And yet this wasn't the case for Ray Rice. 

Regrettably it was not. One major difference is Rice was at the time a locker room leader by some accounts where Thomas was not. I don't remember there being a lot of guys, if any, vouching for him after his release, but they never came to the coach and asked for him to be cut.

In a football player's head, especially in 2014, whatever happened outside the team didn't matter. I think some players have gotten better at it since, but that was a nearly universal mentality until as recently as 5-6 years ago.

[VerbalPuke]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29739156/lions-cancel-practice-protest-police-shooting-wisconsin

The Lions canceled practice in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting. The old white Metro Detroiters are angry about this because "The Lions suck and they should be out working for my entertainment, how dare them have an opinion". 

But good on them for doing something, anything. Also, Ahmaud Arbery was Tracy Walker's cousin (our starting safety) so this hits very close to home for him especially.

"The Lions are now choosing to try to change the world using their platform as football players. "The Detroit Lions will be the change. We won't be silent," Harmon said. "We will not become numb to police brutality and social injustice.""

Well....bad franchise when it comes to winning games, but suddenly I feel pretty good about them. I mean not about winning games but that we've got players with good hearts. 

[Lineker]

 

[DMN in the House]

Enough has come out of that organization that I think it's clear that the problem lies at the top. Daniel Snyder needs to go.

[gunnar hendershow]

No question, but he'll fight this tooth and nail. A day or two before the story broke (as in, within the timeframe for him to be aware it was coming) he joined Twitter. You don't go more public if you don't intend on fighting to keep "your" team.

[Lint]

 

[Lineker]

Quite a few other teams are now following suit with Detroit yesterday and not practicing today.

[gunnar hendershow]

Sounds like most teams discussed whether to practice or not. The Ravens are practicing, unfortunately, but they do plan to have a candid discussion after practice to discuss a plan to help work on social justice issues.

 

[Lineker]

This must be watched.

[Lineker]

Schefter sums up this incredible statement perfectly.

 

But how time flies...

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Pretty solid work by the Ravens organization to collectively come up with a message and get it out there.

 

[DFF]

That's a spot-on statement, absolutely smashed it out of the park. 

[Lineker]

 

 

[gunnar hendershow]

No matter how you slice it that's a steal for Minnesota.

[Lineker]

 

[gunnar hendershow]

What a dumpster fire of a franchise. They have to pay his whole salary.

Congrats to everyone who drafted Ryquell Armstead for their fantasy teams.

[The Buscher]

Weird to think that the Jaguars were like one play away from going to a Super Bowl.

[Krabby]