NFL Discussion Thread - Hall of Fame Game: August 3rd

[Kimchi Papi]

rumor has it that Marc Trestman is the chicago bears head coach

Yup Jimmy Johnson apparently tweeted that this morning. Looks like Chud is getting Norv Turner to be his OC. Wonder if he used Jimmy Johnson to get Norv to come to Cleveland?

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I've been seeing Bernie Kosar in interviews here & there (Travel Channel NFL show, ESPN 30 For 30 The U & Broke Athletes) & noticed he seemed impaired. I was really alarmed when I heard the radio interview posted below. I thought he might be drunk but I also read it might be CTE related...Interesting story below...

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/16931809/Bernie

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8...d-browns-quarterback-finding-help-concussions

Bernie Kosar happy to find treatment

CLEVELAND -- Bernie Kosar spent more than 10 years in persistent pain, the effects of more than one dozen documented concussions he sustained in 13 years as an NFL quarterback.

There are hits he remembers. There were others, so many others with the Browns, he shook off with smelling salts tucked into the front of his pants on game day.

But the ringing and buzzing in his head never subsided. Kosar couldn't sleep. He slurred his words. His life, troubled by financial woes and a failed marriage, was almost unlivable. He was desperate, masking his misery with medication and trying to pretend things weren't as bad as they seemed.

Desperate for help after tapping into numerous medical resources with limited results, Kosar discovered Dr. Rick Sponaugle, a "pioneer" in brain therapies who runs a wellness institute in Palm Harbor, Fla. Kosar claims through Sponaugle's "groundbreaking" work that his symptoms have improved, his brain is healing and he's feeling better than he has in years.

"It was a gift from God to find this and feel like this," Kosar said Thursday, opening up publicly for the first time about his affliction. "I see all the symptoms going away."

Kosar is spreading the word about his improved condition and his goal is to get help for former teammates and other ex-NFL players dealing with onset dementia, depression and other symptoms caused by playing an inherently violent sport only now coming to terms with the physical toll it has taken on thousands.

Kosar contacted NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and told him about Sponaugle, whose complex treatments to improve blood flow in the brain include intravenous therapies along with dietary supplements.

"They are very interested," said Sponaugle, who has spoken to Dr. Elliot Pellman, a league medical advisor. "Why wouldn't they be?"

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the discussions took place.

Kosar said at this news conference in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, that after first meeting Sponaugle, he was "a little skeptical" about getting any results. However, after five days of treatment, the 49-year-old was already feeling a difference.

"I feel 20 years younger," said Kosar, who has lost 40 pounds and is nearly at his playing weight.

Kosar has undergone 15 treatments with Sponaugle, who had him undergo a PET (positron emission tomography) scan to assess the damage to the quarterback's brain. Sponaugle said the majority of Kosar's damage has occurred to the frontal lobe of his brain, affecting his emotions and speech.

Sponaugle compared the trauma Kosar experienced on the football field to that of someone involved in a head-on, car collision.

"Bernie, in effect, put his head through the windshield every Sunday," he said.

While Kosar was receiving treatments last month, he made an appearance on a Cleveland sports talk radio show in which he became emotional and slurred his words. Kosar sounded intoxicated, and some Browns fans surmised he was either drunk or over-medicated.

Kosar said he "wasn't exactly cognizant" of how the appearance came across. Sponaugle, however, wasn't surprised by it after reviewing several scans of Kosar's brain, rattled by years of being hit by defenders and having the back of his helmet bounced off turf fields in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Houston he described as being as hard as "pavement."

"Once you get decreased blood flow," Sponaugle said, "you're in trouble. I knew why he was weepy. I've seen this in all kinds of people."

Sponaugle did not provide many details about his treatments, which he claims can reverse the effects of brain trauma. He has treated more than 8,000 patients, including those with Alzheimer's, war veterans and other NFL players, including an offensive lineman who came to him for help because he was unable to remember the play call between hearing it in the huddle and going to the line of scrimmage.

Kosar has no regrets about playing. He isn't upset with the medical treatment he received as a player or with the league, which has been proactive in recent years about player safety while also fighting lawsuits brought by retired pros looking for compensation.

When Kosar played, leading with the helmet was encouraged.

"The head-to-head contact was coached," he said. "That's the way you were taught to hit the quarterback."

Kosar made it clear he has no agenda other than to help others get well. His revelation came on the same day researchers from the National Institutes of Health said the late Junior Seau had a degenerative brain disease often linked with repeated blows to the head. Seau ended his life last year by shooting himself in the chest.

Kosar was friends with Seau and former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson, who also committed suicide.

"I see friends of mine and I think a lot of them are losing hope," he said. "There are hundreds, if not thousands of guys who are dealing with issues and pain and stuff. I tried really hard to find it. I don't think a lot of people know there is hope for them. I hope if there are people and players out there suffering, they have an option and something that can genuinely help them get better in a short amount a time.

"You don't have to live the rest of your life in pain and agony."

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

 

[finallyfamous]

Dude is always tanked. You should've heard him from the preseason this year

Classic lines.

 

[lightweight champion]

Great read.

That's huge news for the league and players alike if those treatments really work.

 

[100027]

Would you've cut Ben?

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Nah, you wouldn't have, so what's the point of saying all this? Is it because they're fringe players that you're all moral and self righteous?

I agree with your point.

 

[RyGuy45]

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Friday that defensive end Michael Strahan and defensive tackle Warren Sapp made the final cut, along with tackle Jonathan Ogden and guard-tackle Larry Allen.

Other finalists are running back Jerome Bettis; receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed; LB-DEs Charles Haley and Kevin Greene; guard Will Shields; defensive back Aeneas Williams; coach Bill Parcells; and owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Art Modell.

The two senior nominees are defensive tackle Curley Culp and linebacker Dave Robinson.

Between four and seven new members will be selected Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in New Orleans.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Friday that defensive end Michael Strahan and defensive tackle Warren Sapp made the final cut, along with tackle Jonathan Ogden and guard-tackle Larry Allen.

Other finalists are running back Jerome Bettis; receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed; LB-DEs Charles Haley and Kevin Greene; guard Will Shields; defensive back Aeneas Williams; coach Bill Parcells; and owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Art Modell.

The two senior nominees are defensive tackle Curley Culp and linebacker Dave Robinson.

Between four and seven new members will be selected Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in New Orleans.

Strahan, Sapp, Ogden, & Allen should get in...Not sure if Bettis will garner enough votes to get in. I think he should. Would love to see Carter, Brown, & Reed get in...

 

[elpablo21]

Adam Schefter‏@AdamSchefter

Per @Edwerderespn, the Dallas Cowboys have reached agreement with Monte Kiffin to become their defensive coordinator.

 

[mmg]

Someone mentioned that the 2 corners the boys brought in dont fit the Tampa 2 style?

Why is that?

 

[fear the ibis]

Someone mentioned that the 2 corners the boys brought in dont fit the Tampa 2 style?

Why is that?

Because they are more man to man cover corners and tampa 2 corners play in a lot of zone.

But that's irrelevant because apparently Monte isn't going to even run the tampa 2 there.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

In a Tampa 2 you want CB's who are strong in the run game and are strong @ the LOS in bumping WR's off the LOS. The biggest thing though is in the run game, they have to be strong in getting off blocks and forcing runs back inside

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Someone mentioned that the 2 corners the boys brought in dont fit the Tampa 2 style?

Why is that?

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/tag/_/name/morris-claiborne

How does Dallas personnel fit Monte Kiffin's scheme?
By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

Rob Ryan’s 3-4 is out at Valley Ranch, about to be replaced by Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme.

How will the Cowboys’ personnel pieces fit into Kiffin’s puzzle?

Here’s a breakdown with the help of former Cowboys scouting director Larry Lacewell, whose relationship with Kiffin dates to their days as rival assistant coaches at Oklahoma and Nebraska in the 1970s:

DEFENSIVE LINE

The big question is whether the Cowboys keep Anthony Spencer as a bookend for DeMarcus Ware. That’s a financial issue, with Spencer due $10.6 million if the cap-strapped Cowboys use the franchise tag on him again and primed to get paid big bucks if he hits the market after his career year.

“I don’t know if I would,” Lacewell said of keeping Spencer. “I think I could find another guy that was a pretty good player. In my opinion, I’d rather look for a 4-3 guy. I think a rookie can come in. The mental end of it is so much easier than the 3-4 [for defensive end/outside linebackers].”

Lacewell has no doubt that Ware will be a dominant defensive end in Kiffin’s scheme despite the fact that the perennial Pro Bowler will miss the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Lacewell has little concern about increased wear and tear on Ware as a down lineman, adding the fact that Ware won’t have to drop in coverage might keep him fresher by limiting the amount he has to run.

“He should be similar but better than [Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney],” Lacewell said. “He’s much stronger and bigger.”

Lacewell, who Jerry Jones brings to training camp every year to help evaluate the defensive personnel, also believes Kiffin’s scheme will greatly benefit Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher.

Ratliff would primarily be a 1-technique defensive tackle, shading the center and shooting the gap. Lacewell compares him to La’Roi Glover, who made four Pro Bowls playing that role for the Cowboys when Mike Zimmer ran a Kiffin copycat scheme in Dallas.

“I think it’s going to prolong his career,” Lacewell said of Ratliff, a 31-year-old whose streak of four straight Pro Bowls ended when injuries limited him to six games this season. “And I think it’s going to add misery to the offenses.”

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Hatcher would be a 3-technique defensive tackle, playing over the outside eye of a guard. Hatcher, who has 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons as a starting defensive end, would get a lot of one-on-one matchups with guards.

“I think Hatcher would be an outstanding 3 because he can run,” Lacewell said. “He can really fly. He’s going to be able to use his athleticism.”

Sean Lissemore could contribute at both defensive tackle spots. Tyrone Crawford, a third-round pick out of Boise State last season, has potential to play the 3-technique tackle and would be a candidate to start at defensive end if Spencer leaves.

“Monte’s going to love Lissemore and Crawford because they’re try-hard guys who can run,” Lacewell said. “Kiffin is all about speed. They don’t have to be huge guys, but they have to be able to play hard and run.”

LINEBACKERS

Lacewell on Lee: “I think he will be absolutely great. He’s already great, but when you become a Mike [in a 4-3], that means you’re a whole-field player. In the 3-4, you’re a half-the-field player a lot of times. It’s just going to add to his greatness.”

Lacewell on Carter, whose speed probably reminds Kiffin on Bucs legend Derrick Brooks: “Oh my gosh, I think he could be a great Willy. Speed guy, can come off the edge and rush the passer, drop back in coverage, really do it all.”

Dan Connor, Alex Albright and Kyle Wilber are among the in-house candidates to be the Sam linebacker. Lacewell is intrigued by the intelligence and toughness of “that big, white guy,” aka Albright.

SECONDARY

Lacewell laughs at the suggestion that the major investments the Cowboys made in press-man corners last offseason make Kiffin’s scheme a strange fit.

“I get tickled to hear people say, ‘We’re wasting these great corners!’” Lacewell said. “Well, where were they?”

That’s a not-so-subtle reminder that the Cowboys ranked 19th in passing defense last season despite signing Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal and trading their first two picks to move up to sixth overall and select Morris Claiborne.

Lacewell said Kiffin asks his corners to play “much more man than you think” despite being based on his Cover 2 looks. Whether they’re playing man or zone, the corners play press a lot, which Lacewell figures plays to the strength of Carr and Claiborne.

When the corners do bail into zone coverage, their mission is to take away the outs and comebacks. That puts pressure on the safeties to cover the post.

And, well, that could be a problem.

“The one position I don’t have clear in my head for them is the goddamn safety,” Lacewell said. “I don’t know who it is. I don’t know who the hell it is.”

Asked specifically about Barry Church as a strong safety, Lacewell brightened up a bit: “He’s kind of a Kiffin guy.” Nobody is saying Church is the next John Lynch, but he is tough and smart, two of the ex-Bucs great’s best attributes. However, Church is also recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, so the Cowboys would be taking a big risk by counting on him.

Asked specifically about Gerald Sensabaugh, well, Lacewell was lukewarm.

“I’d say they’re more in hunt of two safeties than any other position,” Lacewell said.

If the Cowboys' front office agrees with Lacewell, Texas' Kenny Vacarro could be a fit in the first round.

 

[licensed to ball]

He said he's not going to use the Tampa 2 in Dallas.

More of a 4-3 scheme instead of the 3-4 they were running.
Ware should be playing more DE rather than OLB now.

 

[mmg]

In a Tampa 2 you want CB's who are strong in the run game and are strong @ the LOS in bumping WR's off the LOS. The biggest thing though is in the run game, they have to be strong in getting off blocks and forcing runs back inside

So Sherman and browner from Seattle would be more fitted for that.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

“I’d say they’re more in hunt of two safeties than any other position,” Lacewell said.

Definitely. Much more of an issue than the CB's

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Brandon Carr should be fine in the cover 2 if that's indeed what Kiffin switches too. Herm Edwards had Carl Peterson draft Carr in CK to play cover 2. He & Claiborne should be fine. Like the article said above, I'd worry about the safeties the Cowboys have...

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Hmmmmmmm So now D Ware is gonna be hand on the turf rush every down DE huh?

Intradesting.

 

[mmg]

So wait, I just read that they aren't going to play the Tampa 2 but a 4-3

So why hire a Tampa 2 Coordinator and have him adjust ?

What the **** are the cowboys doing

 

[Kimchi Papi]

So wait, I just read that they aren't going to play the Tampa 2 but a 4-3

So why hire a Tampa 2 Coordinator and have him adjust ?

What the **** are the cowboys doing

Yeah, asking a 72 year old to change? Just ask LeBeau....

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

So wait, I just read that they aren't going to play the Tampa 2 but a 4-3

So why hire a Tampa 2 Coordinator and have him adjust ?

What the **** are the cowboys doing

?

Tampa-2 is a defense ran primarily from 43 personnel. W/ their personnel the change from the two defenses isn't that big of a deal. If Kiffin did plan on instituting the "Tampa 2" it would be from a 43 rather than a 34 anyways.

 

[childishlatino]

does anybody see the irony in Kaep doing interviews with a Brewers fitted while he's playing the Packers?

 

[fraij da 5 11]

So wait, I just read that they aren't going to play the Tampa 2 but a 4-3

So why hire a Tampa 2 Coordinator and have him adjust ?

What the **** are the cowboys doing

4-3 is the base formation... You run tampa 2 out of that formation.

See below.

4 down linemen (rushing)

Will and Sam backers short 5-10 yard zones

Mike backer takes middle of the field

Corners bump and play outside zone underneath 2 deep safeties.

basic tampa 2.

 

[fraij da 5 11]

does anybody see the irony in Kaep doing interviews with a Brewers fitted while he's playing the Packers?

I think hes from Milwaukee.

 

[ag 47]

4-3 is the base formation... You run tampa 2 out of that formation.

Shhh....Wade Phillips got his head all messed up with that 5-2 3-4 hybrid they run in Houston. Had the nerve to even call for Wade's head too awhile back.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

In all actuality, it's proly easier to switch to a 4-3 than a 3-4. Ratliff is still in Dallas right? He might blossom under this & so should Ware.