STACK RANKING (EARLY) THE AFC WEST FOR THE 2013 NFL SEASON
By Jaboner Jackson 8 a.m. | Every year, optimism abounds for football fans for every one of the thirty-two NFL teams. Lackluster seasons from the prior season fade from consciousness as rosters get ratcheted together for the upcoming year. While optimism is an admirable trait, the truth remains that the NFL draft is but a single element of team building. Most NFL draft picks will amount to little in the long term for a team. First round draft picks are important for both near- and long-term success, but the returning roster, free agent additions, and coaching talent remain the most important predictor of wins and losses, especially in the immediate NFL season. Accordingly, we take a look at the AFC West with particular attention to player personnel, coaching, and returning talent to Stack Rank the AFC West for 2013.
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NFL IN LA: JABONER JACKSON HAS RETURNED FROM BRAZIL, PART 1
By Jaboner Jackson 2:30 p.m. | After an extended stay in Brazil (Brasil) during which much has changed in the world of the NFL in LA, I have returned to the City of Angels. Since my departure to Rio de Janeiro almost a year ago, Farmers Field has imploded, Los Angeles Stadium has failed to gain momentum, and Brazil has put up more sporting facilities than the entire Southland combined. Coincidence? I think not. Accordingly, it is time to update our patient Wonderful Readers on the NFL in LA. Today, FOOTBALLPHDS reviews what has gone wrong with the NFL in LA during my absence. In Part 2, we look to the future of the NFL in LA. Finally, we close out Part 3 with a leisurely stroll through my (almost) year in Brazil, including updates on all of our Intelligent Staff and the stadium boom occurring in the plastic surgery capital of the world.
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AL DAVIS WAS TOTALLY RIGHT ABOUT LANCE KIFFIN
By Lina S., Rock Mayock’s Pac-12 Research Assistant, 10:30 p.m. | Hey guys, it’s Lina! I don’t know about you guys but I’m kinda pissed about the way the USC season went. I mean Rock Mayock made me spend HOURS of my time studying tape and notes on USC but it was all a waste because the team is so shitty. What happened to the team? They killed it on offense last year and were supposed to be better this year but the entire team regressed. Matt Barkley plays like a scared bitch behind a terrible offensive line and the defense looks like Swiss cheese it has so many holes in it.
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EVALUATING MATT LEINART’S DOMINATION OF THE RAVENS
By Rock Mayock 10:30 p.m. | Today’s 55-20 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens was nothing short of brutal for our beloved Oakland Raiders. The Raiders’ pitiful performance can be attributed to two primary factors : Darren McFadden missing yet another game due to injury and sorry ass Rolando McClain. The only things that made the game watchable are Hunky Heisman Palmer and an even hunkier Hunky Heisman Leinart.
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EXPLAINING WHY THE RAIDERS ARE TERRIBLE IN 2012
By Rock Mayock 12:00 a.m.| With the Raiders struggling to a 1-3 start for the 2012 season the cause for their woes are numerous. Some people would place the blame rookie head coach Dennis Allen who often appears to be under qualified. Other people would blame Offensive Coordinator Greg Knapp who appears to have no idea how to utilize his best offensive weapon, Heisman Palmer. Others would blame Reggie McKenzie for stripping the roster of talent in a pre-season salary purge. Although Raiderettes, not the Raiders, fall within Rock Mayock’s primary area of expertise, it is apparent that their issues can be distilled down to two deficiencies: A terrible offense and Rolando McClain. Lets evaluate the reason why.
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NFL IN LA: CORRECTING MEDIA SPECULATION REGARDING THE OAKLAND RAIDERS
By Jaboner Jackson 8 a.m. | In terms of the NFL in LA, not much has changed in the battle between AEG and Majestic Realty to return professional football to Los Angeles. Even though other less informed media outlets had touted the Minnesota Vikings as a prime contender for relocation even up until last week, footballphds.com had always been steadfast in our knowledge that the Vikings were never a contender for relocation. We have also been steadfast in our knowledge that the St. Louis Rams remain a secondary player for relocation and not a primary one. And we are definitely steadfast in our knowledge that Los Angeles still belongs to one of two teams--the San Diego Chargers to Farmers Field or the Oakland Raiders to LA Stadium. The more things change, the more things stay the same.
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BREAKING NEWS: MATT LEINART SIGNS WITH THE OAKLAND RAIDERS
By Rock Mayock 9:00 a.m. | No, that is not Darth Raider. It is Heisman Matt Leinart and BFF Nick Lachey as they prepare for either the Toyota Grand Prix or Leinart’s new role as the Raider’s back up QB. BOING!
On Tuesday the Raiders and Leinart reached agreement on a one year contract. Leinart joining the Raiders will be a reunion of sorts as he will be reunited with former Texans QB coach Greg Knapp who was brought in by GM Reggie McKenzie to serve as the Raiders OC. Leinart has openly praised Knapp’s work during his tenure as Texans QB coach and the already favorable working relation between coach/QB will be nothing but beneficial. Leinart’s signing with the Raiders will also reunite him with Heisman Palmer, the man he backed up at USC. BOING! BOING!
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AFC WEST DRAFT CAPSULE COLLECTIONS AND NO DARN GRADES
By Jaboner Jackson 8 a.m. | As many of our Wonderful Readers have noted, the NFL Draft is an inexact science. Teams attempt to prognosticate future success based on past performance, which as our good friend and Nobel Laureate, William F. Sharpe, stated eloquently, "Past performance is a thin reed for how to predict future performance." Of course, Professor Sharpe was referencing stock prices. But the NFL Draft mirrors the world of finance--success in college is not a linear predictor of success in the NFL. Accordingly (or maybe nonetheless), we simply state the past successes of all the 2012 NFL Draft picks of the AFC West. We leave it up our Wonderful Readers to determine which stock to buy.
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