It's June. It's supposed to be the NFL off-season. It's OTA and mini-camp season. It's the season that is dominated by boring baseball plays on Sportscenter Top 10 and other boring NFL "news "that is pumped up to be ever so important by the media. "Coach X said Player Y was dominating OTA's and is poised to have a huge year." Awesome, can't wait to draft all 50 guys on my fantasy squad this year only to watch them fall flat on their face.
So why am I bothering to blog about this? Well, unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you already know that Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson is headed to jail for 30 days, Adam "Pacman" Jones has been arrested and charged with assault and the Evil Empire (Read: New England Patriots) have signed #1 Jesus fan Tim Tebow.
Chad Johnson might be a funny guy, but he's an idiot. First off, if you are on probation for domestic violence for head butting your former wife, and then you violate that probation due to a "miscommunication", any court appearance you make should be in a business suit....not a button down half-sleeve like you're going clubbing in Miami straight after. Secondly, when you want the judge and the opposing party to do you a solid, you don't show up in aforementioned button down half-sleeve, chewing gum, and smack your lawyer in the "back-side" and make the courtroom laugh out loud during your proceedings. Finally, don't tweet about it after you get sent to jail.
Pacman, bro, you just don't get it. You cannot keep your nose clean. I don't understand why he is on an NFL roster. There's been guys that have been cut for far less. And I get that he's very talented. But he's a headache and a liability. He cannot help your team from jail. Pacman was charged with assault because he allegedly assaulted a woman outside a Cincinnati bar. Now, there's three versions to this story just like any - Pacman's, his victim's, and the truth. According to Pacman the alleged victim and her friend were taunting him and later asked for his autograph at which point the principled Mr. Jones declined politely and then the alleged victim threw a beer bottle at Pacman who, in an act to defend himself, hit the alleged victim in the face. According to the alleged victim, "He was harassing my friends and saying derogatory things towards my friend and I stood up to him and he called me a 'bitch' and punched me in the head." Now the video does not show her throw a bottle at him but instead does show her pour beer at him. I've seen some crazy white chicks but never a 110 lb girl pour a beer on a jacked up NFL player with his even bigger friend next to him for no reason. Who knows what happened. All I know is, Pacman, shouldn't you be at home reading newspaper and then sipping on your lemonade before you go to bed at 10pm?
Finally, Tywin Lannister, I mean, Bill Belichick...touche. (Yes that was a Game of Thrones reference. If you don't watch it, screw you). Nobody gives out virtually no information in his press conferences like the evil genius. And he's mastered it. He enjoys it, evidenced by the smirk that escapes his grip every now and then. I listened to his nine minute press conference after the Patriots signed Tim Tebow to a two year contract, and I think I counted one instance where Billy B refers to Tebow by name. In fact, he started off that press conference like he was just talking about the Patriots offseason in general, as if Tebow was just one piece of the enormous puzzle. That's exactly how it should be. Love him or hate him, you gotta respect Belichick. He either knows exactly how they will use Tebow or he doesn't, but what will he gain from relaying that information? It stands in such stark contrast to how the Jets handled Tebow.
As far as Tebow, he has been signed to one of two or three teams that I consider are perfect places for him to land for several reasons:
1. There will never be a question as to who the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots is. As long as Brady is healthy, he's the guy. No amount of media questioning or fan/front office pressure can make Tebow the starter in New England.
2. Nobody knows how to use Tebow in the NFL better than Josh McDaniels. He, formerly the head coach of the Broncos, who traded three picks to draft Tebow in the first round and hitch his team's success and his future as a head coach to Tebow.
3. No other team handles media scrutiny better than the New England Patriots. Belichick's press conference was just a taste. Later on, Tebow's introduction to the media consisted of a 30 second "hello" followed by no questions. Again, in stark contrast to how the New York Jets handled his signing just last year.
4. Belichick loves versatility. He covets it in his players. That's why you see him pick relative unknowns in the draft every year. Dare I say, it's the skill he covets the most. And that's exactly what Tebow brings to the table, athletically. He can play fullback, H-back, running back, tight end, up-back or personal protector on punt teams, and oh yeah - quarterback. Or at least, he can present a higher danger of throwing the football than, say, Ronnie Brown out of the wildcat.
Bottom line, Tebow is not guaranteed anything (money or a roster spot). Watch Tebow put on camouflage and fade into the background this year so he can focus on doing his job and the Patriots can continue winning. Or he ends up being a bust and cut by the end of training camp. Either way, you won't be hearing much on him from Foxboro anytime soon. And that's exactly how it should be.
So why am I bothering to blog about this? Well, unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you already know that Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson is headed to jail for 30 days, Adam "Pacman" Jones has been arrested and charged with assault and the Evil Empire (Read: New England Patriots) have signed #1 Jesus fan Tim Tebow.
Chad Johnson might be a funny guy, but he's an idiot. First off, if you are on probation for domestic violence for head butting your former wife, and then you violate that probation due to a "miscommunication", any court appearance you make should be in a business suit....not a button down half-sleeve like you're going clubbing in Miami straight after. Secondly, when you want the judge and the opposing party to do you a solid, you don't show up in aforementioned button down half-sleeve, chewing gum, and smack your lawyer in the "back-side" and make the courtroom laugh out loud during your proceedings. Finally, don't tweet about it after you get sent to jail.
Pacman, bro, you just don't get it. You cannot keep your nose clean. I don't understand why he is on an NFL roster. There's been guys that have been cut for far less. And I get that he's very talented. But he's a headache and a liability. He cannot help your team from jail. Pacman was charged with assault because he allegedly assaulted a woman outside a Cincinnati bar. Now, there's three versions to this story just like any - Pacman's, his victim's, and the truth. According to Pacman the alleged victim and her friend were taunting him and later asked for his autograph at which point the principled Mr. Jones declined politely and then the alleged victim threw a beer bottle at Pacman who, in an act to defend himself, hit the alleged victim in the face. According to the alleged victim, "He was harassing my friends and saying derogatory things towards my friend and I stood up to him and he called me a 'bitch' and punched me in the head." Now the video does not show her throw a bottle at him but instead does show her pour beer at him. I've seen some crazy white chicks but never a 110 lb girl pour a beer on a jacked up NFL player with his even bigger friend next to him for no reason. Who knows what happened. All I know is, Pacman, shouldn't you be at home reading newspaper and then sipping on your lemonade before you go to bed at 10pm?
Finally, Tywin Lannister, I mean, Bill Belichick...touche. (Yes that was a Game of Thrones reference. If you don't watch it, screw you). Nobody gives out virtually no information in his press conferences like the evil genius. And he's mastered it. He enjoys it, evidenced by the smirk that escapes his grip every now and then. I listened to his nine minute press conference after the Patriots signed Tim Tebow to a two year contract, and I think I counted one instance where Billy B refers to Tebow by name. In fact, he started off that press conference like he was just talking about the Patriots offseason in general, as if Tebow was just one piece of the enormous puzzle. That's exactly how it should be. Love him or hate him, you gotta respect Belichick. He either knows exactly how they will use Tebow or he doesn't, but what will he gain from relaying that information? It stands in such stark contrast to how the Jets handled Tebow.
As far as Tebow, he has been signed to one of two or three teams that I consider are perfect places for him to land for several reasons:
1. There will never be a question as to who the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots is. As long as Brady is healthy, he's the guy. No amount of media questioning or fan/front office pressure can make Tebow the starter in New England.
2. Nobody knows how to use Tebow in the NFL better than Josh McDaniels. He, formerly the head coach of the Broncos, who traded three picks to draft Tebow in the first round and hitch his team's success and his future as a head coach to Tebow.
3. No other team handles media scrutiny better than the New England Patriots. Belichick's press conference was just a taste. Later on, Tebow's introduction to the media consisted of a 30 second "hello" followed by no questions. Again, in stark contrast to how the New York Jets handled his signing just last year.
4. Belichick loves versatility. He covets it in his players. That's why you see him pick relative unknowns in the draft every year. Dare I say, it's the skill he covets the most. And that's exactly what Tebow brings to the table, athletically. He can play fullback, H-back, running back, tight end, up-back or personal protector on punt teams, and oh yeah - quarterback. Or at least, he can present a higher danger of throwing the football than, say, Ronnie Brown out of the wildcat.
Bottom line, Tebow is not guaranteed anything (money or a roster spot). Watch Tebow put on camouflage and fade into the background this year so he can focus on doing his job and the Patriots can continue winning. Or he ends up being a bust and cut by the end of training camp. Either way, you won't be hearing much on him from Foxboro anytime soon. And that's exactly how it should be.
