No Worries On Signing McCoy
July 23rd, 2010
Bucs fans concerned that manbeast Gerald McCoy might not sign with Tampa Bay before training camp as part of a sinister ownership plan to squeeze rookies seeking outrageous paydays need not worry one bit, so says “The Professor,” John Clayton, one of the senior NFL analysts at BSPN.
Speaking today on The Fabulous Sports Babe show on WHBO-AM, Clayton shrugged off any notion there would be a rash of draft picks unsigned come Aug. 1.
“The owners didn’t spend money in the offseason. All the money is sitting there to sign the draft choices,” Clayton said. This should be “no different” than any other season, he said.
Clayton spoke on a variety of topics. And Joe will bring you his take on Raheem The Dream tomorrow.
Joe was intrigued by Clayton’s confidence that NFL owners will approve an 18-game season later this summer. He was certain that owners have the votes to pass it. And he said he was quite sure players would embrace “swapping a $1,000 a week preseason game check for veterans for a game check,” which would represent “roughly a 14 percent pay increase.”
Joe would love an 18-game season, even though it surely would shorten careers and likely affect the quality of the product.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:27 pm
18-Game seasons would be far better than 16 games. 4 pre-season games blow.
Only thing is it will take getting used to more 1,000 yd rushers and receivers, more teams winning 10 games not making the playoffs… that will be strange.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I’m not sure I understand the “14 percent pay increase”. The contract is a set value with the base salary paid out equally over 16 games. If they move to 18 games, the same base salary is thus divided by 18 rather than 16. The only potential “increase” is that players have 2 extra games to reach statistical incentives for bonus money. Ultimately, it would appear they lose 2 $1000 checks – so a salary reduction.
I could be wrong, just thinking aloud.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Say NO to 18 game season.
-It would mean higher ticket prices because the players would want more.
-In the long run, roster size would increase, so raise those ticket prices some more.
-Players would be injured more
-More backups would play, level of play would diminish
-3-5 games will probably be meaningless at the end of every year for a few teams
-Long term, probably even more rules to protect players and QBs as the owners realize the longer season is costing them some $$ because their stars are on the DL.
I see NOTHING good about it.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Dave:
Well, yeah, because two of those games would actually mean something. Now season ticket holders are paying to watch UFL games at NFL prices.
Perhaps.
True. Joe believes that there must be at least two bye weeks, maybe three if there is an 18-game schedule.
This argument was used when the schedule was expanded to 16, as well as every time the NFL had expansion teams.
You could argue the same now and every sport has the same issue. Wouldn’t shock me if the season is expanded, so to is the playoff field.
Rookie salary cap which would deter your first issue.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:56 pm
So Joe, you say an 18 game season would shorten players’ careers and affect the quality of the product, but you “would love it”? We love the NFL because it’s quality over quantity. If you want quantity, watch baseball ::yawn::. NFL football is as good as professional sports gets. Why mess with a good thing?
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I think the 16 game season is just fine.
I think we should probably keep the preseason at 4 games also. I agree, it’s really long and boring, but it gives us a lot of time to see all the players on the team play before the games start counting.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:04 pm
I would not mind a couple of more bye weeks. It would make the season longer without more injury to the players. It’s the six months without any football that drives me nuts.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Forget the added bye weeks. They need to go with 4 game DL, instead of just IR. All 53 players should be eligible to play on gameday. Practice squads need to be protected from in-season poaching. Practice squad players shouldn’t be required to pass through waivers when returning to the PS…
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Raheem could get to 100 losses quicker…………..
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:12 pm
it doesnt take four junior varsity games for the coaches to figure out who can or cant play. nfl teams arent redshirting players and veterans dont need more than one or two scrimmages to get ready for the regular season.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:16 pm
100 losses quicker-LOL
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Eli:
So let’s go back to the 12-game schedule where the football season was over by Christmas.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:22 pm
How could anyone, unless you are an actual NFL player, not want 18 games? They already play 20 and 4 of them are pointless. The 4 pre-season games are just being converted to regualr season games… big whoop.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:22 pm
correction out of the 4 pre-season games, 2 are being converted.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
I think with 18 games, there should be 36 teams. Time for 4 more teams. 2 NFC, 2 AFC. Re-align the divisions into 3 per Conference instead of 4. Instead of 4 teams per divison, they will have 6. More division rivalries with 12 games and the other 6 could be against another division, rotating through the other 4 over a 4 year period.
Other than that, I have “No comment”.
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:05 pm
The Buccaneers have an expansion team right about now… would the fans be able to handle Raheem dropping us to 36 in the power rankings?
Raheem would immediately become the 36th ranked coach in the NFL as well… with 36 teams.
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Raheem could go 3-15 jerk
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:16 pm
@jlynch
LOL!!!!
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Or he could be the first coach to go 0-18, 1-17 or a promising 2-16.
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Eric, thanks for being you:
“Raheem could get to 100 losses quicker…………..”
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I am not sure how many fans of the old USFL there are lurking here but if you remember they had an 18 game regular season. Those guys seemed to handle it just fine and for a lot less $.
Go Bandits! I mean Bucs!!!
Sung by Jerry Reed – RIP
We come from down in gator country
We are proud of Tampa Bay
We play football and we are called the Bandits,
and we think our brand of ball is here to stay.
.
Better look out world, here comes them Bandits.
They’re lookin’ proud and standing tall.
So, come on folks, let’s get the fever,
be a Bandit Ball believer.
We believe you’re gonna love Bandit ball.
.
Bandit ball – first and ten, do it again: Bandit Ball!
Bandit ball – hit ’em a lick, and make it stick: Bandit Ball!
We gonna be running, gonna be throwin’,
gonna be showin’ ev’ryone
that Bandit ball is a brand of ball that’s an awful lot of fun.
.
Bandit ball – gotta hang tough, gotta be rough: Bandit Ball!
Bandit ball – touchdown play, all the way: Bandit Ball!
.
C’mon folks, let’s catch the fever,
be a Bandit ball believer.
We believe you’re gonna love Bandit Ball!
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Just the thought of Raheem being here for 100 games repulses me.
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:47 pm
I don’t know about you guys, but this doesn’t look all that easy to me.
http://www.nfl.com/schedules/interactive#/team=TB
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:52 pm
1-5 by the time we play the Rams
2-11 by the time we get to the Lions
Browns, Rams, Lions and Seahawks are our only REAL chances at winning… and we won’t win all 4 of those. Anyone want to bet me on that?
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Yeah, at max I see 8 wins. Im predicting something more like 5-7 depending on if we split with Atlanta and Carolina. But I think we will start out pretty terrible with our only wins against Cleveland and St. Louis. Maybe we can pull off a win at Arizona, but im not putting money on it. I think we’ll be 3-5 or 4-4 at the halfway mark.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Pete, I liked Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers, Then Kelly went to the Buffalo Bills and I hated him ever since, but a good QB for sure.
July 23rd, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Didnt ex=buc Chuck Fusina win a USFL Title?
July 24th, 2010 at 1:17 am
LOL Philadelphia Stars. Or was it the Baltimore Stars?
Jim Mora was the coach.
July 24th, 2010 at 5:54 am
I’m siding with Joe here, I want the 18 games. Shoot, I would take 20 games.
However, I do think certain things should be addressed if this is done:
– Since fewer preseason games will be played, this means fewer opportunities for camp tryouts. So I suggest expanding the practice squad roster, and making it 24 months instead of 12, and not permitting people to be signed off wavers during hte forst 12 months. This way the practice squad can become a mini-farm system of sorts.
– I like the idea of adding anoth bi-week, but I think 2 per year is plenty. Right now, one per 16 games works, and with the addition of 2 more games, adding one more bi-week should be more than enough rest.
– I don’t think either of the 2 additional games can be against division rivals…because it leaves one rival out and this could create an imbalance in division standings.
– I hope that 14% is a raise to existing contrancts, other wise it’s not a raise. They would get less per game in actuality.
– It’s a pipe dream, but I really wish the NFL had an off season farm system like baseball does. Having them play games in the off season would be great too.
July 24th, 2010 at 5:55 am
Wow…too many typos…
July 24th, 2010 at 8:47 am
ill take two more weeks of fantasy football. My team jason Campell toes will be kicking ass and taking names.