I imagine learning how to fall when you’re playing sports at 12 is a little different then learning how to fall when a 250 pound lineman runs into you at a full sprint.
There’s a difference between “learning how to fall” and “learning how to bounce”.
Anybody can fall once with zero training. It’s the second and third time that get tricky.
Not as much as you think. Same rules apply. Don’t stick your arm out to try and catch yourself. Don’t break your fall with your head. Falling on your side is better than your back. If you watch Tua’s concussions, those were pretty avoidable if he just doesn’t ragdoll.
250 pound lineman? This isn’t High School.
Edge rushers in the NFL these days are usually in the 245-270 range. Micah Parsons is listed at 245, T.J. Watt at 252 (though he seems to be technically an OLB), and Maxx Crosby at 255.
Defensive tackles, on the other hand, definitely bring the meat, and are nearly always well over 300.
Welp, the draft is next week, and I’ve done next to no research. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but Trey Lance … oops, Imean Anthony Richardson … going in the top 15 picks is patently ridiculous and that Nick Herbig should be a nice get for most teams. Luckily I have the weekend to overstate my tiny bit of research as genius level analysis.
Speaking of which…2023 NFL Draft Thread - Fair to middling
4 Lions and 1 Commander get suspended for gambling:
I chuckled when I read this part of the Lions statement: ""As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that a few of our players had violated the league’s gambling policy. … “These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules. We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately. We are disappointed by the decision making demonstrated by Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward.”
Let me translate: Jameson Williams (and Stanley Berryhill) are too good for us to release for gambling, but those other two guys are pretty replaceable.
That wouldn’t surprise me, though as Moore and Cephus received indefinite suspensions, it suggests that they had also been more egregiously in violation of the rule.
It looks like the two cut were betting on NFL Games. The other two were betting on non-NFL games but while they were on team property.
Toney was a 7th round draft pick in 2021. Probably doesn’t even earn enough to count against the cap. But he plays DE and Washington is lousy with better players than him at that position. He’ll be released.
With the pervasiveness of legal sports betting now (legal in 36 states and DC), and with the NFL (and other major sports leagues) getting into official sponsorships with gambling sites, this is a problem that’s going to just keep growing.
I have to believe it’s just a matter of time before we get a new game-fixing scandal.
And that’s why these punishments are so severe. The NFL wants to have its gambling cake and eat it too, so players better satisfy themselves with any of a dozen other vices.
So, perhaps, they were using their phones in the locker room to (legally) place a bet on the World Series or a college basketball game. They could drive across the parking lot and across the street, make the same bet, and it wouldn’t violate NFL rules.
Yep. Idiots.
They didn’t use the Official Sports Book of the NFL™?
The Jordan Love Era has begun:
Why do I feel like Aaron Rodgers won’t be the magic that the Jets need to become a champion?