posted by Ironman92

This...not buying anything significant this year. Maybe this is the last year, but I doubt it. What I expect? Patriots win the SB and Brady up on stage in postgame getting his MVP trophy and wearing a shirt with he and Belichick on it with arms around each other.....it might even say “ha ha dumbasses”

Yeah, this is one of those stories designed to generate false optimism for guys like us, when the reality is that Brady and Beli are robots who will swallow everything for however long it takes to win it all. If NE loses in the playoffs, it'll be because Brady finally shows his age and has a shitty game out of nowhere along the lines of Ben's 5-pick day vs. Jacksonville or Gronk gets hurt again (or the latter leading to the former); not because B & B secretly (or not so secretly now, I guess) hate each others' guts.

posted by Heretic

 If NE loses in the playoffs, it'll be because Brady finally shows his age and has a shitty game out of nowhere along the lines of Ben's 5-pick day vs. Jacksonville 

This may have already started. Since Week 13, he's had 6 TD's & 6 INT's. During this same time frame, he's been outplayed by the likes of Blake Bortles and has the same amount of TD pases as (gulp) Deshone Kizer. I know the Pats have a decent running game but those are not Brady-like numbers from where he started the year. 

posted by BR1986FB

This may have already started. Since Week 13, he's had 6 TD's & 6 INT's. During this same time frame, he's been outplayed by the likes of Blake Bortles and has the same amount of TD pases as (gulp) Deshone Kizer. I know the Pats have a decent running game but those are not Brady-like numbers from where he started the year. 

With Gronk he’s still great...without him they are far more game to defeat

posted by Ironman92

With Gronk he’s still great...without him they are far more game to defeat

I'd agree, but against the Jets bottom-dwelling defense in week 17 Gronk was completely shut out.

posted by justincredible

I'd agree, but against the Jets bottom-dwelling defense in week 17 Gronk was completely shut out.

Maybe they gave too much to shut down Gronk and Brady, a decent QB just took what they gave him?

posted by Laley23

I think it's out there that BB wasn't trading him to the AFC no matter what. So Browns were (technically) out. That said, top 10 pick (Hiustons at time) probably changes that...

Plus the fact that Bellichek probably wants to see Garroppolo do well, so why put him into the shitpot that is the Browns.  He'll get hurt and his career will tank there.  

posted by Ironman92

With Gronk he’s still great...without him they are far more game to defeat

Not sure if it's in that article but I'd heard the concern with Brady (starting to show his age) is that he's been dealing with ongoing/nagging achilles & knee issues. He's overcompensating by releasing the ball even quicker than normal to keep himself upright/prolong his career and leaving a lot of plays on the field. Granted, he's the GOAT but it looks like he could've already started the decline.

posted by SportsAndLady

Read the patriots article. Pretty “meh” 

brady was mad he didn’t win “patriot of the week”? Give me a break, espn. 

That article is a joke.  The Patriots aren't falling apart at the seams.  These guys have been the class of the NFL for almost 20 years.  They didn't get there by being petty ass wimps who can't tolerate a mean glance from one another.  Their downfall has been predicted regularly during their reign.  Every time this happens, they seem to win a SB.  So if I'm Brady, Belichek or Kraft, I'm probably calling ESPN today and thanking them for their efforts.  

My opinion is that this is ESPN trying to show "hard hitting" reporting.  If they want to do an explosive piece, they ought to do an expose on how reserved parking places at their HQ are redistributed after each round of layoffs.

Brady at 40 is definitely on the decline. He’s barely going to win the MVP still 

posted by Ironman92

Brady at 40 is definitely on the decline. He’s barely going to win the MVP still 

I think he's got a good shot but his play from early in the season until now is definitely different. Week 1-12, 26 TD's, 2 INT's....Week 13-17, 6 TD's, 6 INT's

posted by Heretic

I know I read somewhere midway through the season that, at that time, NFL ratings were down 5% and prime-time network TV in general was down 8% over that same time. Which made me laugh at QQ's histrionics over the protests.

Nfl down 9.7%

http://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/nfl-ratings-dropped-nearly-10-percent-overall-2017.html

posted by superman

Nfl down 9.7%

http://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/nfl-ratings-dropped-nearly-10-percent-overall-2017.html

Ah, so when the season was done, it was determined their ratings are dropping slightly more than TV in general, assuming the regular TV numbers I remembered reading weren't short of reality as well, considering the article you linked said the NFL had 37 of the top 50 ranked shows and SNF actually was more dominant in its slot than previously. I'm not denying protests are a factor, but that's just it. They're A factor, one of many. By itself, the protest losses are negliable; in conjunction with NFL burnout due to so many games and so many of those games being crappy because of how many key players got hurt, it becomes an issue.

posted by Heretic

Ah, so when the season was done, it was determined their ratings are dropping slightly more than TV in general, assuming the regular TV numbers I remembered reading weren't short of reality as well, considering the article you linked said the NFL had 37 of the top 50 ranked shows and SNF actually was more dominant in its slot than previously. I'm not denying protests are a factor, but that's just it. They're A factor, one of many. By itself, the protest losses are negliable; in conjunction with NFL burnout due to so many games and so many of those games being crappy because of how many key players got hurt, it becomes an issue.

I think you and I agree on the issue.   I was just initially responding to Laley saying that the ratings aren't down and the protests have not hurt the league. 

posted by superman

I think you and I agree on the issue.   I was just initially responding to Laley saying that the ratings aren't down and the protests have not hurt the league. 

My bad on the initial judgement of your post. I shouldn't say protests have nothing to do with it. Any negative press is going be a factor. I just wanted to get across that if you take away all other factors, leaving just protests, we probably don't even notice any dip in ratings.

A little late to the party on this, but two years in a row now that Hines Ward isn't a HOF finalist.  I wish rock still posted, because he and a few other posters said Ward is a first ballot HOFer.  Hines at best is in the hall of good.  He is definitely not worthy of a HOF bust. 

posted by like_that

A little late to the party on this, but two years in a row now that Hines Ward isn't a HOF finalist.  I wish rock still posted, because he and a few other posters said Ward is a first ballot HOFer.  Hines at best is in the hall of good.  He is definitely not worthy of a HOF bust. 

"FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FUCK I'M NOT MAD JUST LAUGHING AT YOUR STUPID ASS BEING FUCKING DUMB!!!!!!!"

Is that a good enough impersonation for you?

posted by like_that

A little late to the party on this, but two years in a row now that Hines Ward isn't a HOF finalist.  I wish rock still posted, because he and a few other posters said Ward is a first ballot HOFer.  Hines at best is in the hall of good.  He is definitely not worthy of a HOF bust. 

I may have been one. Honestly don’t remember. Definitely wasn’t gut

Rock told me to shove the website up my ass. I miss him, too.

posted by Heretic

"FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FUCK I'M NOT MAD JUST LAUGHING AT YOUR STUPID ASS BEING FUCKING DUMB!!!!!!!"

Is that a good enough impersonation for you?

Not bad, but not the best.

posted by Ironman92

I may have been one. Honestly don’t remember. Definitely wasn’t gut

I think you were, but have no proof of it, so I am not going all in.  I know for a fact rock did though. 

I said at the time, you have to look at all the WRs that played during his time.  There are many WRs in that group that I would pick well before Ward.  The fact that TO is now waiting on his THIRD year of eligibility says it all imo.  He should have been a first ballot  HOFER.

Side rant: This is what drives me crazy about all hall of fames.  Let's say TO gets inducted this year.  What did he do the previous 3 years, that all of a sudden made him a hall of famer?  Nothing.  You're either a hall of famer or you're not.  I hate how they make these guys wait.  Everyone should get in on their first year of elgibility or not.  Some years you can have a class of 10, some maybe 2.  

posted by like_that

I think you were, but have no proof of it, so I am not going all in.  I know for a fact rock did though. 

I said at the time, you have to look at all the WRs that played during his time.  There are many WRs in that group that I would pick well before Ward.  The fact that TO is now waiting on his THIRD year of eligibility says it all imo.  He should have been a first ballot  HOFER.

 

Side rant: This is what drives me crazy about all hall of fames.  Let's say TO gets inducted this year.  What did he do the previous 3 years, that all of a sudden made him a hall of famer?  Nothing.  You're either a hall of famer or you're not.  I hate how they make these guys wait.  Everyone should get in on their first year of elgibility or not.  Some years you can have a class of 10, some maybe 2.  

Yep, same.

posted by like_that

A little late to the party on this, but two years in a row now that Hines Ward isn't a HOF finalist.  I wish rock still posted, because he and a few other posters said Ward is a first ballot HOFer.  Hines at best is in the hall of good.  He is definitely not worthy of a HOF bust. 

I tend to agree.....for the most part.   When you watch him week in and week out he did  it seem hof caliber.

But 1000 catches is tough to overlook especially on a team usually that was more run orientated and he also was one of the best blocking WRs.

The league has changed with more passing including the short easy passes.  If if if in 10 years there are still very few players getting to 1000 then I think he may get in late.

As far as ratings....a lot goes into it.  Protests def have some to do with it plus at some point their bubble was going to burst. 

Many said they did protest and didn't watch but I imagine most of them were those who Werent watching anyways.  My MIL this weekend said she was,protesting the nfl and who turned it on their tv....it was me....and then stated she never really watched it anyways.

posted by Heretic

Ah, so when the season was done, it was determined their ratings are dropping slightly more than TV in general, assuming the regular TV numbers I remembered reading weren't short of reality as well, considering the article you linked said the NFL had 37 of the top 50 ranked shows and SNF actually was more dominant in its slot than previously. I'm not denying protests are a factor, but that's just it. They're A factor, one of many. By itself, the protest losses are negliable; in conjunction with NFL burnout due to so many games and so many of those games being crappy because of how many key players got hurt, it becomes an issue.

There are a lot of different factors playing into this. It's far from being just the protests. That might be the case in smaller/rural markets but the NFL ratings, from my understanding, have been on the decline for the last 4 years.

Besides the things you've mentioned, and my comment about the Red Zone Channel, is that a lot of the younger crowd are "cutting the cord" so to speak and ditching cable. They are getting their highlights from other sources where they don't have to lock into games for 3 hours.

If the protests were huge issues, I'd think the NBA would be down significantly (it's up 20%) due to players & the league essentially blackballing the POTUS. Granted, one group is protesting a person, while the other is coming across like they are protesting a country (unpatriotic) but the basketball league seems to have been uneffected.

posted by SportsAndLady

Read the patriots article. Pretty “meh” 

brady was mad he didn’t win “patriot of the week”? Give me a break, espn. 

If you want more humor, go to The Ringer, since Bill Simmons wrote a long, angry, nerd-rage column in rebuttal of it, which is essentially a long-form version of "I don't like this, so it's not true!!!!"