Out of Your League

Every so often I’m reminded there are 31 other teams in the NFL. Usually on the days like today when the Patriots take a day off.

Percy Harvin and the Hip Shake of Doom

I admit, when Percy Harvin was shipped off to Seattle I thought, “Damn! He isn’t Larry Fitzgerald but wouldn’t Harvin have looked good catching passes from Tom Brady?” So he had some issues staying on the field in 2012 – how about those 2011 numbers? And those five kick returns for TDs in four seasons? Dude is fast and you can’t coach speed. As news broke that Harvin was electing to have hip surgery that would cost him – best case – all but the last five games of the season, I thought, “Bill Belichick does know more about football than I do.” Not that Belichick had some prescient insight regarding Harvin’s hip, but rather that Belichick would never trade three draft picks for a guy who costs $25.5m. I don’t think Bill Belichick would trade three draft picks for Jesus even if Jesus had clocked a 6.25 three-cone drill and a 4.35 forty at the combine (and you just know His vertical was off the charts). Granted, the Seahawks were a playoff team without Harvin last year but in the NFL, you get better or you go home, which was undoubtedly the reason Seattle acquired Harvin in the first place.

Does this mean the Rams or the Cardinals could move ahead of the Seahawks in the NFC West?

Did I really just ask that question?

Word Association

There were black people at a Kenny Chesney concert?

It will be interesting to see how the rest of Riley Cooper’s life plays out but I have to guess that most African-Americans weren’t shocked to find out that a white guy who grew up in Florida might drop the occasional n-bomb while he’s out with his cracker friends at a Kenny Chesney concert. As is usually the case when people do stupid things, alcohol was involved. Not enough, in this case. Passed out in a puddle of your own vomit going viral would be a step up, wouldn’t it?

[Update] Cooper has made an act of contrition and the Eagles have fined him an undisclosed amount. The NFL has been called out for not acting to suspend Cooper; Commissioner Goodell came up with some variation of double jeopardy, claiming the league doesn't punish players who've already been punished by their team. Or maybe it's simpler than that. Does the NFL have any legitimacy in commenting on racism when they field a team whose name is a racial slur?

Wait, what?

Were Cam Newton’s feelings hurt by general manager Dave Gettleman’s seven second delay? I’d be pissed. Hey, nice try asshole, but this is your team, too! Explain to me again why we weren’t in the Mike Wallace sweepstakes? After calling into question Newton’s won-loss record, Gettleman wasn’t ready for the question?

Reporter: (paraphrasing) Is Cam Newton the man?

Dave Gettleman: (thinking) Whoa! Didn’t see that one coming! Is this a trick question? Stay on message, whatever you do! (aloud) Yes, he is. But now it's time to win. (thinking again) Yes! Nailed it!

Newton’s maturity has been questioned before and maybe this is simply a motivational ploy it feels like a subplot on an episode of Real GM’s of the NFL. Is it ever a good idea to call out your starting QB in the press? Has that ever worked? Okay, it probably has. Still seems like a dick move.