4 Point Dogs

[Yubaking]

You do realize that three of the players you hated that Telesco signed were originally signed and brought in by AJ right? Your honor, I rest my case. I think the evidence more than speaks for itself.

Novak was brought in after Kaeding was injured during the season. That is not the same situation as giving the guy a four year deal. Goodman was okay as a KR for us, but not a priority signing. Brown seemed like a good add at the time, but we could tell last year that he was done. When the Dolphins were previously at the Q, Brown looked like a total stud, but that guy was long gone and "last legs" Brown was all that was left.

Keep in mind that some have tried to set up financial constraints as a justification for Telesco's less than stellar performance. I don't think you get to argue that when you waste money on the signings above and many others.

[Yubaking]

It's just a shame that AJ chose Norv and then stuck with him. I guess maybe he wasn't so solid after all...

Worst decision A.J. made and it cost him everything. But from a roster building standpoint, A.J. was above average. Telesco thus far has been below average, although he did hire a better HC than A.J. did.

[Panama]

Panama, the genesis of the name indirectly traces back to the name of the northern California county and the first part of the name of neighboring Yuba City, which, for reasons surpassing all understanding, is actually situated in the adjacent Sutter County and not Yuba County. Many years ago there were bunch of us hailing from the same high school in that area that played soccer together in college and we were known as the Yubaboys. And from Yubaboys came my individual moniker of Yubaking.

Thanks for the explanation!

[KYBoltsFan]

It didn't hurt AJ that he had the incredible leverage of the #1 pick in '04 (which I think was partly luck because there was a 4-way tie and they drew names or flipped a coin or something and we ended up w/it) to begin his "above average" roster building, which he did with aplomb. The '05 draft was affected by this as well (another strong AJ outing). However, his mind broke along w/the rest of the franchise w/the traumatic loss in the '06 playoffs and the culmination of the power struggle w/Marty, and he spent the next five years trying to prove to himself that the roster was fine and that the HC was the only problem...even as talent eroded, the HC lived up to his ability, and the "above average" roster turned over. Player development basically ceased w/that playoff loss and the hiring of Norv (aside from Rivers). The rest of the league should pay tribute to AJ for drafting and developing a gaggle of top notch talent that he couldn't (or wouldn't) hold on to.

[SFW]

Novak was brought in after Kaeding was injured during the season. That is not the same situation as giving the guy a four year deal. Goodman was okay as a KR for us, but not a priority signing. Brown seemed like a good add at the time, but we could tell last year that he was done. When the Dolphins were previously at the Q, Brown looked like a total stud, but that guy was long gone and "last legs" Brown was all that was left.

Keep in mind that some have tried to set up financial constraints as a justification for Telesco's less than stellar performance. I don't think you get to argue that when you waste money on the signings above and many others.

So basically if AJ signs players it is justified but if Telesco signs the exact same players then he should be fired. Got it.

[Yubaking]

So basically if AJ signs players it is justified but if Telesco signs the exact same players then he should be fired. Got it.

If A.J. brings in a kicker to finish the season when we would not have one without him doing so, that represents an emergency solution and it is okay. If that same kicker is just a mediocre kicker at best, it is a bad move to give that kicker a four year deal and pay him top 50% of the league kicker money when you could simply draft a kicker that would likely be better anyway and pay him one-third of the money you paid to Novak.

A.J. did not have the benefit of having Brown for a year to prove that he was already on his last legs. Telesco did. With that knowledge, re-signing Brown is a bad signing.

Goodman did not look as good this preseason as he did before, but obviously Telesco did not have the benefit if that when he signed him. My point in mentioning the signing of Goodman was that this was one of his first signings and it was dedicated to a marginal player. Most people hated Goodman last year and yet nobody was critical of Telesco for bringing him back.

[Panamamike]

If A.J. brings in a kicker to finish the season when we would not have one without him doing so, that represents an emergency solution and it is okay. If that same kicker is just a mediocre kicker at best, it is a bad move to give that kicker a four year deal and pay him top 50% of the league kicker money when you could simply draft a kicker that would likely be better anyway and pay him one-third of the money you paid to Novak.

A.J. did not have the benefit of having Brown for a year to prove that he was already on his last legs. Telesco did. With that knowledge, re-signing Brown is a bad signing.

Goodman did not look as good this preseason as he did before, but obviously Telesco did not have the benefit if that when he signed him. My point in mentioning the signing of Goodman was that this was one of his first signings and it was dedicated to a marginal player. Most people hated Goodman last year and yet nobody was critical of Telesco for bringing him back.

I thnk GB and SF would have loved to have had our "mediocre" kicker last year.

Again 18-20 FG including 2-4 beyond 50. Argue all you want, he has done his job very well from a FG standpoint.

[Wheels]

No, I said what I meant. Norv cost us the three years you identified, which means we would have made it from 2006-2012 as I said. And the point is that we wouldn't have a new GM if we had made the playoffs 7 years in a row.

Just curious, how do you reconcile that the hiring and keeping of Norv as head coach had AJ's fingerprints all over it? It almost seems like you think AJ needed to be saved from himself by having Spanos intervene and fire AJ's preferred head coach.

[SFW]

If A.J. brings in a kicker to finish the season when we would not have one without him doing so, that represents an emergency solution and it is okay. If that same kicker is just a mediocre kicker at best, it is a bad move to give that kicker a four year deal and pay him top 50% of the league kicker money when you could simply draft a kicker that would likely be better anyway and pay him one-third of the money you paid to Novak.

A.J. did not have the benefit of having Brown for a year to prove that he was already on his last legs. Telesco did. With that knowledge, re-signing Brown is a bad signing.

Goodman did not look as good this preseason as he did before, but obviously Telesco did not have the benefit if that when he signed him. My point in mentioning the signing of Goodman was that this was one of his first signings and it was dedicated to a marginal player. Most people hated Goodman last year and yet nobody was critical of Telesco for bringing him back.

You call him mediocre and then say his salary is top 50%. Doesn't mediocre basically ordinary or moderate quality? Sounds like you think he is a middle of the pack kicker and Telesco paid him as such.

Ronnie Brown was signed on a one year contract at/near the vet minimum ($840K) with a cap hit of only ($555K). Are you telling me his blocking alone isn't worth the vet minimum? And if didn't make the team then no big deal (see Goodman)

Goodman was also given a one year contract for $630K. Another minimum salary type deal. He was a "marginal" player as you call him that was brought back at a minimum price. You seem to be grasping at straws here.

[Viejo Bolt]

Getting back on topic, maybe the line is where it is due to bettors still believing in the MNF "home dog" advantage. Old tapes, but I still hear people talk about it.

http://sportsgambling.about.com/od/nfl/a/mnfhomedog.htm

[Panama]

If A.J. brings in a kicker to finish the season when we would not have one without him doing so, that represents an emergency solution and it is okay. If that same kicker is just a mediocre kicker at best, it is a bad move to give that kicker a four year deal and pay him top 50% of the league kicker money when you could simply draft a kicker that would likely be better anyway and pay him one-third of the money you paid to Novak.

I remember Wide Rightey all too keenly to be taking chances with the kicker.

[Den60]

Getting back on topic, maybe the line is where it is due to bettors still believing in the MNF "home dog" advantage. Old tapes, but I still hear people talk about it.

http://sportsgambling.about.com/od/nfl/a/mnfhomedog.htm

I was actually looking for information on that today as well. I recalled hearing that the home team for MNF generally does better than if the game was a normal home game. I do wonder if all the SNF and TNF games dilutes this any.