Official 2013 NFL Discussion Thread: Giant Bomb Style

Here's some true class

And Gary isn't being racist, just pathetic u_u

Still shaking my head about that Bowman play, though.

BAH GAWD THAT'S SHERMAN'S MUSIC

Really good write up about Sherman's rant earlier.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tommytomlinson/2014/01/19/22-brief-thoughts-about-that-richard-sherman-interview/

Shockingly, someone super hyped up in an aggressively competitive setting expressed themselves poorly.

@peasantabuse said:

Here's some true class

And Gary isn't being racist, just pathetic u_u

I don't see how Gary's comment was "pathetic". He thought it was a disgrace. Sure, why not? Unsportsmanlike conduct can be embarrassing to see, and it's discouraged for a reason. He acted out of line in a previous play, and then he spouts off like a nut in an interview afterward. It's understandable that some people might be put off by it.

I feel like Sherman was like a lot of people who say nonsense when hyped up; so, I'd consider it more embarrassing than offensive. But I'm not surprised that some other people may respond differently than I do.

@peasantabuse said:

Here's some true class

And Gary isn't being racist, just pathetic u_u

Seriously? Hard for children to hear? WWE says hi.

@peasantabuse said:

Here's some true class

And Gary isn't being racist, just pathetic u_u

And this is a guy that was making fun of the Seahawks and their fans during the game before it turned in the Seahawks' favor.

What is mortifying about a guy speaking his mind about a guy who said he wasn't the best using no profanity?

We complain when our athletes are boring and say nothing interesting then complain when they show emotion.

The dude acted like a punk. Defend it all you want but he was a complete prick.

lol

This whole thing is dumb and I can't believe it has blown up like this. You'd think he dropped a n-word or two by the way people are reacting.

I mean hell, if you're angry about that, then you should probably be angry about Harbaugh's blowups every time a call goes against him.

Even you admitted that you only liked it because it was your team. I hate you.

Here's a question: If you say you're the best at something and you actually are the best, is that arrogance?

Also, holy shit, I've heard the word "class" enough times tonight to last a lifetime.

People are way way overthinking and overreacting to Sherman's post game comments.

It really sucks that a post game interview seems to be getting more attention than the fantastic game that preceded it.

I really like Sherman, he's one of the best right now, and I like that he doesn't shy away from telling people what he's thinking. That said, I think what he did was kind of dumb and uncalled for. I like his personality, I just think he could probably do with a little bit of modesty. Calling yourself the best is fine, worst thing that happens is you make a fool of yourself later if you can't back it up. Criticizing another players skill isn't fine. You'll never look like the good guy in that situation.

Ok, Super Bowl talk. On paper, this SB sounds like it could be amazing. #1 Offense vs #1 Defense. Can't get much better than that. Let's see which one actually proves to be #1

Seahawks vs. Broncos is going to be one hell of a Super Bowl!

Broncos/Patriots game was honestly a little disappointing from an entertainment perspective. I mean, aside from watching the Patriots lose, it wasn't all that exciting. Broncos took the lead, then kept it. We got to see Eli styling though:

Eli looks like a little kid who just got off of a roller coaster and Papa Peyton is asking him what his favorite part was.

Niners/Hawks was wild though. That Erin Andrews interview is fucking legendary. As for what Gary Whitta tweeted, he's totally off base. Sherman just got really amped up and maybe went too far, but I enjoyed it. This whole thing is just distracting from the real disgrace in that game, which was the officiating.

@thepickle: It was really entertaining for a Broncos fan, especially with the luck we've had against the Patriots the last couple of years.

Looking forward to the Super Bowl. I actually told my friends before the the season that I thought Denver and Seattle would meet in a former AFC West Reunion for the Super Bowl. Wondering that if Seattle wins, will Sherman talk trash to Manning like he did to Brady last year?

Fun fact: this is only the second time that the team with the league's number one offense has met the team with the league's number one defense in the Super Bowl in NFL history - and if you like advanced stats, this will be the third time that the two teams who led the league in total DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average, go to Football Outsiders for a full explanation) through the season played in the big game. The only other SB was in 2003, when the Oakland Raiders (a juggernaut offense led by Rich Gannon, Charlie Garner, and Jerry Rice) faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a ferocious defense with Warren Sapp leading the line, Derrick Brooks leading the linebackers, and John Lynch leading the secondary). The Raiders were four-point favourites going into the game...and got absolutely slaughtered 48-21, with Gannon throwing five interceptions, three of which were returned for TDs.

Sherman did good for the NFL's ratings, therefore he'll be fined 100K or so. Going to Stanford makes you smart, confirmed.

Whoa there buddy, this is not how to start an argument.

@dethfish said:

I'd give a slight edge to Hulk in that picture. Rope-a-dope?

@fredchuckdave said:

Facts are facts: in 2002 the Raiders were second in offensive DVOA (behind only Kansas City), third in passing DVOA (KC and New York Jets), and Gannon led the league in passing DYAR and passing yards, and was second in completion percentage - and he was as old then (37) as Peyton Manning is now. And Gannon wasn't a one-season-wonder; he finished with over 1,000 DYAR every year between 1999-2002, and was second only to Kurt Warner in 2001.

Go to Football Outsiders or Pro-Football-Reference and see for yourself. Looking back at the seasons totals is worth any football nerd's time.

@atlas: Gannon was a competent QB, Jerry Rice is the best WR in the history of the league, thus it would be an "offense lead by Jerry Rice..." and so on, even if Jerry Rice was past his peak at that point. But, he's still Rich Gannon; like even if you bring up someone like Brett Favre; an excellent QB in the 90's you can't even begin to compare him to Rodgers/Manning/Brees/Brady.

The NFL is also the least stats driven thus far of any of the professional sports, matters somewhat to GMs and coordinators but compared to Basketball it is very fleeting and compared to Baseball they're almost entirely meaningless. Stats are everything in baseball but aside from random milestones people know very little and pay very little attention to stats in football. Sure you can look at Jim Brown and say "That's fucking Babe Ruth," but you can't really look at even LT and say the same thing (Peterson maybe, yet to be seen), and you look at people like Terrell Davis, Shaun Alexander, and Priest Holmes and the whole situation is baffling. The rules of Football are also extremely fluid relative to Baseball so stats can change meaning routinely, a .400 wOBA in baseball is always going to be amazing but 40 passing TDs from a QB not so much.

@fredchuckdave: You're crazy if you seriously think Favre can't compare to modern QBs. I don't want to get into an argument about the best QBs since I hate that stuff but passing has gotten tremendously easier over the last ten years so you can't really compare people like Marino and Favre to modern QBs.

@topsteer: Favre is maybe my favorite player of all time (Packer fan), but there's not even a shred of doubt in my mind apart from Ironmanliness that he is clearly inferior to Rodgers, Rodgers will throw maybe 5 balls all year that have a decent chance of being picked (might get more Ints because of tips and what have you) while Favre threw dozens, nay hundreds (the one Vikings season aside). Passing may have gotten easier in general but there is a clear distinction in skill between these two players even then. I'm not going to decry Joe Montana since he actually displayed some of the skill demonstrated in the modern era and it's easy to foresee a situation where he had 50 TDs and 5 ints or whatever, but for Favre there's no question. I have a post written up for @atlas that's much more interesting, just waiting for him to respond.

@fredchuckdave: Favre is one of my favorite players as well so I'm biased and which is why I overreacted a bit. I still can't believe the Packers went straight from Favre to Rodgers.and how quickly he took over that offense.

@atlas Well here's something I wrote an hour or two ago:

In baseball it is very clear and consistent who is the best player at each position every year, in football aside from QB and WR it is a total goatfuck. For example: If I say: Who was the best 3^rd baseman in baseball last year? Well it’s not Miguel Cabrera since he’s a 1B/DH so it’s probably Evan Longoria (Josh Donaldson might inherit the title soon), and he’s been the best 3^rd baseman for 5 or 6 years, and before that was A-Rod, and before that there was Chipper Jones, and before that was Wade Boggs, and before that there was Mike Schmidt, and so on and so forth.

If I ask you to name the best center every year or the best middle linebacker, or the best safety, or the best fullback, or the best defensive tackle, it is not only not certain, even those whom you are certain about are extremely variable. Was Ray Lewis the best MLB last year? Of course not, but most of his value is associated with leadership, which is absolutely never going to be a statistic; in baseball leadership is a tiny amount of a player’s value except in a few rare situations and even in those situations it seems to be mostly meaningless. But the Ravens won the Superbowl last year, and there is no doubt that Ray Lewis was an integral part of this happening, with no stats to really back it up.

I would highly disagree that he acted like a dick. He went to congratulate the opponent after the play on a well-fought matchup, and he was snubbed. You have dickhead analysts that want to shit on Sherman, but his numbers don't lie about how good he is.

Moreover, with the amount of adrenaline that was most likely running through that guy's veins after making that play? Stick a microphone in his face afterwards? What the fuck does anyone expect?

No one said he had to have class. He spoke brutal and honest truth. People need to deal with that. At least he's not giving the same ol' cliched interview chock full of bullshit drivel.

HAWKS.

Sherman's rant was dumb, but whatever. Sports.

lol @ Erin Andrews.

She sincerely asks, "Who's talking about you?"

HE SAID CRABTREE, GOSH! OPEN YOUR EARS, ANDREWS!

People who got upset at Sherman's heel promo need to get the stick out of their asses. It was pure passion, right after the game, which by the way HE WON WITH A GAME SAVING PLAY. He can say whatever the hell he damn wants. I'm tired of this fucking boring ass bullshit. "Can you give me your thoughts on the game?" "Well I think we went out and executed. They played well, but we made the plays we had to" blah blah blah. Fuck that. Say what you REALLY want to say, which is probably "fuck them they aren't on our level lulz".

If telling the truth and being real is classless, then fuck everything.

I never get why people want to shove microphones into dudes after a grueling activity. Always bugs me with MMA fights. Dude just got his brains bashed and you want him to break down the fight.

Nothing about what he did after that play was meant to be congratulatory dude. I'm a Seahawks fan and even I know that that is some bullshit no matter what the dude says. Right, directly after the play is over, he decides to be all sportsmanlike? Right...

Richard's a dick, but he's our dick.

I'm all for the Pete Carroll / "Legion of Boom" / tuff stuff attitude affected by the Seahawks, but I'm getting sick of Sherman. He went from lovable dickhead to just plain dickhead in my eyes.

I mean I'm also pissed about the refs handing the game to the Seahawks on a silver platter (no call on roughing the kicker, bullshit non-reviewable fumble recovery, etc). It's not the *only* reason that my Niners lost, but that missed roughing the kicker call resulted in a scoring drive for the Seahawks.

Damn. I was hoping for a good game but it was just a bloodbath from the first snap of the game.

Eli looks on in horror. He must avenge his brother by taking the New York Giants to the Super Bowl over the Seahawks in 2014.