The I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Omni-Doing-This NFL Playoffs Thread

[ShibbOleth]

@Ellis Dee

And really, the Patriots are just another NFL team. All 32 of them are pretty much populated by douchebag players with asshole coaches. Anyone want to get a beer with the coach of your local team? I certainly don’t, and I have two to pick from. They’re both raging assholes.

The current coach of our local NFL affiliate is a douchebag of the highest order. But the one we let go, because he didn’t win enough, was a great guy. Doesn’t drink as far as I know, but a true class individual. He’s still beloved here in Tampa. The defensive coordinator he left behind is also a legend, and does drink (and I know where). I’ve not personally met him but he’s supposed to be a heckuva guy to throw back with.

Now, most of them I’d agree with you on, usually the more successful the more bellicose. But I’d love to see Tony win a Superbowl.

[jsc1953]

@Ellis Dee

Celebrations by their nature are classless. Mocking a celebration, by contrast, is damn near noble. Anything that gets players to think twice about celebrating is aces in my book. Think about it: if no Chargers had any signature celebrations to mock, there would not have been an issue. Celebrating – especially signature celebrations – is pure unfiltered “in your face” attitude.

Can I get an “amen”! If you don’t want somebody mocking your silly little dance…don’t do a silly little dance.

(Nobody asked me, but this is another check mark in the ledger of why college football is better than the NFL…along with the OT rule, one-foot-inbounds, and stopping the clock on 1st down.)

[EllisDee]

@jsc1953

(Nobody asked me, but this is another check mark in the ledger of why college football is better than the NFL…along with the OT rule, one-foot-inbounds, and stopping the clock on 1st down.)

Heh, it’s funny how things can be so different to different people. To me, the OT rule, one-foot-inbounds, and stopping the clock on a 1st down are all compelling evidence as to why the college game is a pathetic joke. Those rules do nothing but prop up offense while downplaying defense. I hold offense-first philosophies (like the Colts, Chiefs, and the entire college game) in contempt.

@ShibbOleth

But the one we let go, because he didn’t win enough, was a great guy.

Not the best father, though.

I was wondering a couple weeks back about the “coaches are assholes” topic. Of all the “good guy” coaches, a disproportionate amount are black: Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith, and to a (far) lesser extent, Herm Edwards. Any other good guy coaches out there? You’ll have to bring the hard sell to convince me that Joe Gibbs is a nice guy. Brian Billick? Sean Payton? Jim Fassel? Probably as nice as the white coaches get, and all three are pretty clearly huge assholes.

I’m wondering if there isn’t some insidious “Uncle Tom” racism when it comes to black coaching candidates, with the “nice guys” seeming to be more palatable to the white owners.

So far as I can tell, Dennis Green is the only truly equal black coach. He’s a raging asshole, and he’s also been fired and rehired. As the PTI guys put it yesterday, it’s not getting hired that makes you equal; it’s getting fired and rehired by somebody else that demonstrates true equality.

Anyone else notice that black coaches tend to be nicer guys than white coaches, and wonder if racism isn’t the cause?

One other note on racism in the NFL: I heard the other day that Jerry Reese, the newly minted GM of the Giants, is the first black GM in the history of the league. That can’t possibly be true, can it?

[galvatron]

One other note on racism in the NFL: I heard the other day that Jerry Reese, the newly minted GM of the Giants, is the first black GM in the history of the league. That can’t possibly be true, can it?

I read somewhere that Reese is the third black GM in the NFL. I could not name the other 2.

I think you definitely have a point about the black coaches being nice guys. I cannot imagine a black coach surviving in the NFL acting the way Bill Parcells does.

[galvatron]

@galvatron

I read somewhere that Reese is the third black GM in the NFL. I could not name the other 2.

I think you definitely have a point about the black coaches being nice guys. I cannot imagine a black coach surviving in the NFL acting the way Bill Parcells does.

I found it. The other 2 are Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore & Rick Smith of Houston

[jsc1953]

@Ellis Dee

Heh, it’s funny how things can be so different to different people. To me, the OT rule, one-foot-inbounds, and stopping the clock on a 1st down are all compelling evidence as to why the college game is a pathetic joke. Those rules do nothing but prop up offense while downplaying defense. I hold offense-first philosophies (like the Colts, Chiefs, and the entire college game) in contempt.

I will absolutely grant that reasonable people can disagree, etc…except on the OT format. College OT eliminates the dramatic bias towards winning the coin toss = winning the game.

(The 2 pt conversion would also be on the list, until the NFL got smart and adopted it. )

[SenorBeef]

Add Romeo Crennel to the nice black guy coaches list. Also, add him to the flight manifest of a flight out of Cleveland, please.

[galvatron]

@SenorBeef

Add Romeo Crennel to the nice black guy coaches list. Also, add him to the flight manifest of a flight out of Cleveland, please.

Maybe he’ll come back to NE has Defensive Coordinator & heir to the Belichick Throne.

[Omniscient]

@Ellis Dee

I was wondering a couple weeks back about the “coaches are assholes” topic. Of all the “good guy” coaches, a disproportionate amount are black: Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith, and to a (far) lesser extent, Herm Edwards. Any other good guy coaches out there? You’ll have to bring the hard sell to convince me that Joe Gibbs is a nice guy. Brian Billick? Sean Payton? Jim Fassel? Probably as nice as the white coaches get, and all three are pretty clearly huge assholes.

I think there’s a good deal of perception bias here. While I wholeheartedly agree that a black coach would have to be something awfully special to get away with the shit Belichick, Parcells and Coughlin do, but I’m not sure there’s that disproportionate a ratio of nice guys to typical guys.

I’d say that Billick, Payton and Fassel are just typical guys, not nice guys, but not raging assholes either. Billick is the most offputting, but that more due to smugness than prickiness.

For the black guy camp, Herm Edwards isn’t a very cuddly guy, though journalists love him because he’s a good quote, and he’s had more than his share of idiotic and jerky moments. He’s not an asshole, but he’s not a nice guy from what I’ve seen either. Marvin Lewis isn’t exactly Mr. Rogers either.

Denny Green and Ray Rhodes are certifiable assholes and Art Shell is a statue.

From the white guy group, Dick Vermeil is up there with Dungy as one of the nicest coaches ever, Dick Jauron is a good egg, if a little too dull for the job, and Jeff Fisher is about as well regarded as anyone. Bill Cowher, angry face aside, has always been considered a stand up guy too.

I think it’s true that nice guys are more apt to get jobs in the league than assholes, and since there aren’t many long tenured black guys with the resume to warrant being an asshole they are going to be mostly from the nice guy camp. But I think the same could be said about the rookie white guy coaches too. With the exception of the guys from the Belichick/Parcells pedigree they are all going to be nice guys too, skin color aside. Basically, if an owner is going to take a chance on a guy he knows very little about, he’s going to do it with a clean, likable guy. I’m not conviced skin color has all that much to do with it. I don’t think Romeo Crennel would have had trouble getting a job if he were a raging prick, the fact he was a Pats assistant is all that mattered. For guys without the jewelry being a nice guy is almost mandatory.

[Omniscient]

@Ellis Dee

As I said before, the Chargers are near the top of the list when it comes to showboating assholes. To then whine about somebody else showboating is pathetic beyond measure. For me, with this petty whining, Tomlinson just spent all the considerable credit he built up by handing the ball to the ref after scoring instead of celebrating.

I think you’re wrong in the way you’re treating the Chargers as one entity. As you’ve noted LDT has always been the ultimate class act. I don’t completely agree with him making such a big deal out of it, but I think he had every right to be angry. If this were Merriman, Castillo or any of the other loudmouths on defense crying foul I’d totally agree with you. That’s what was so wrong with what the Pats did. They insulted the entire Chargers team when all they really wanted to do was show up Merriman.

I hate showboating as much as you do. But I hate taunting and mocking about a thousand times more. That’s the difference between TO and Chad Johnson. One is mean spirited and vain, the other is just vain.

[Sal_Ammoniac]

I’m in the camp that says this whole thing was out of character for the Patriots. However… water under the bridge.

So what say our sages about this weekend?

[SenorBeef]

Both games are going to be really interesting, I think.

Indy vs Pats rematch has the potential to be game of the year.

For some reason, I feel like it’s Indy’s year. Peyton has sucked, and yet everyone else on that team, particularly the defense, has come up to save his ass. So, if he can have a decent day, and the rest of them keep up their level of play, they can win.

But I have a hard time betting against Bellichick.

I’m rooting for the Saints, because, as a fan of a team that has a nasty case of chronic suck, I’d like to see another team with a case of chronic suck have a magical year. And I really like what they’ve done - the way they play, the way their coach … well, coaches, especially. It’s what the Browns should’ve done instead of going for the safely mediocre choice.

[Omniscient]

@Sal Ammoniac

So what say our sages about this weekend?

Expect a full and complete breakdown after my nap.

[EllisDee]

@jsc1953

I will absolutely grant that reasonable people can disagree, etc…except on the OT format. College OT eliminates the dramatic bias towards winning the coin toss = winning the game.

I recognize all those words, but put together in that way it just reads as gibberish.

Omni, excellent example citing Dick Vermeil, though even he has some asshole fire in him. (Time for Larry Johnson to take off his diaper? WTF?) It’s just my opinion, but I think Billick, Payton, Fassel, Cowher, and especially Fischer are pretty much complete assholes. Note that being a stand-up guy is largely unrelated to being a nice guy.

For an example, think of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket. Definite stand-up guy, but god help you if you aren’t squared away. Along those lines, I’d have to put Nick Saban in the good guy camp for his steadfast loyalty to Ricky Williams. Assholes tend not to give out very many second chances.

Take Fassel, for example. While I remember about 1000 local interviews that shaped my opinion of him, the only evidence I need is when he refused to let Ron Dayne even dress for an entire season. Talk about being in the doghouse! That was also around the time he stripped Sean Payton of his playcalling duties. Karma came back on him, though, as Billick ended up doing the same thing to him. (Btw, I love asshole coaches, and am a big fan of Fassel’s.)

Still, you may be right that it’s just perception bias.

@Omniscient

As you’ve noted LDT has always been the ultimate class act.

He was the polar opposite of the ultimate class act after the game. There is such a thing as the high road, and he opted not to take it. Character is revealed by adversity, not success. That’s why in my opinion he spent all his handing-the-ball-to-the-ref credit by losing his cool after the game. After the success of scoring a touchdown, magnanimity is cheap; his actions during adversity were much more telling. To me at least.

Also, to clarify for no particular reason: I don’t mind all celebrations. Spontaneous, genuine outpouring of emotion is aces in my book. Pumping your fist, or jumping on each other after a touchdown, stuff like that is all good. It’s the premeditated, choreographed celebrations that fill me with disgust. If I never see another fucking mimicked jumpshot for the rest of my life it will be too goddamn soon. Signature celebrations are so contrived and low-rent; just thinking about them annoys me.

[Oakminster]

After my spectacular 1-3 record with my picks for the divisional round, I’ll rebound this week with a perfect 2-0: Saints and Colts.

Saints have enough offense to score on the Bears. Deuce really stepped up last week, and I expect more of the same from him. We also have Reggie and Karney to run at em, a hot QB, and Colston, Henderson, and Copper as receivers. Haven’t heard if Horn is going to play this week or not. I’m hoping Grossman has an off day. The Saints are vulnerable in the secondary…

Colts are on a roll, and Manning oughta be due for a good game by now…

GEAUX SAINTS!

[jsc1953]

@Ellis Dee

I recognize all those words, but put together in that way it just reads as gibberish.

This guy says the same thing, but more coherently.

[Sal_Ammoniac]

@Omniscient

Expect a full and complete breakdown after my nap.

Damn, that’s a long nap. Are you sure you’re not hibernating? Check your body temperature and report back.

[Khadaji]

OK, today I’m rooting against the Bears and probably for the Patriots. I haven’t been too impressed with any of the QBs so far, so I’m hoping we’ll get some better performance today.

[Kiros]

Pats and Bears today, methinks. And if it works out that way, Omni will be quite happily insane by the time the big game comes around.

It is kind of curious that last week’s Pats-Chargers game was The Real Super Bowl… unless the Pats won, in which case this week’s Pats-Colts game is The Real Super Bowl and the Pats are the 'dogs… probably unless the Pats win, in which case every article will be about how the Saints are the embodiment of America’s hope and the proverbial “Team of Destiny”, or stories about how hard it is to beat a team twice in the same season and describing how Grossman rises to the occasion (as seen by him winning the last two playoff games)… Hmph. 'Tis the nature of the beast, I suppose.

[EllisDee]

@jsc1953

This guy says the same thing, but more coherently.

You don’t really want to get into this debate, do you? I could easily go on for pages about how that guy’s argument is as ridiculous as the college OT format itself.