The most leveraged contract in the NFL 2014-15 WEEK 2 thread. Uncuttable and untradeable.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants
Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Hatcats
New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals
New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers
Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts

also, do this, starts from tomorrow:

ILNFL™ Belated 2014-5 Survival/Pick'em Leagues thread

Cant wait to see what the Cards secondary does to Eli Manning. That could be hilarious.

put a hat on the jaguars to make it fair fight

lol

cards giants is a good one to pick out. we should have a v good idea exactly how bad the giants are going to be this year after that.

eagles colts will break 100 pts

niners are going to score a lot of points

titans 2-0 and doing a fair impression of a playoff team after 2 weeks

falcons vs bengals is the most fascinating matchup maybe, in the nfl and also the animal kingdom. if atl comes away with a W that would be p legit

@AdamSchefter ARZ LB John Abraham suffering from memory loss and has been for over a year, per sources.

:(

why do we watch the nfl again

Holy shit.

Too bad. Abraham was a great player.

falcons vs bengals is the most fascinating matchup maybe, in the nfl and also the animal kingdom. if atl comes away with a W that would be p legit

― Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, September 10, 2014 1:02 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Agree. Falcons o-line performed admirably against a pretty stout Saints front. Thats definitely the Bengals' strength so this should be a telling game.

@AP: BREAKING: AP Source: Law enforcement official sent copy of Ray Rice tape to NFL executive in April

ok, fire goodell already

feeling the idea of this taking down goodell

Maybe it'll just take down this lady

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxMz1enIIAA5qUX.png

i know this story, the female voice was actually Ronaiah Tuiasosopo

lol

guilty lol

Olbermann is going completely ham rn

staggering levels of incompetence being displayed.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/10/roger-goodell-cancels-appearance-at-banquet-for-jerry-richardson/

Ironically or coincidentally (depending on your perception) the award Richardson is receiving tonight is from a group dedicated to “human dignity, justice and moral courage.”

https://twitter.com/jharrison9292/status/509832809570377729

bobhorner says:
Sep 10, 2014 5:47 PM
So let me get this straight. Goodell was going to a banquet where Richardson was getting an award for ‘human dignity and moral courage’? The same Richardson who owns the Panthers and is allowing Greg Hardy to play after being convicted of Domestic Abuse…

I really didn’t think it could get worse. I was wrong.

Last week I was 9-7, which actually doesn't sound too bad considering how many games I feel I completely whiffed upon. You really got to let it go for a month or two to really know who the good teams are and even then a big chunk of the league is mediocre, either 2 games above or below .500.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - Well it is kind of appropriate this game should be this week. To me, it's a pickem. I'm going Pittsburgh for now.
Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants - I got a feeling AZ is going to be decent in a tough division. It's feeling right now this is the last ride for Coughlin, I don't see this working out. Cardinals.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Hatcats- Washington got clocked. Jags went to pieces in the second half last week. Total pickem, go Jags.
New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings- Interesting game for week 2, as the Vikings played quite well and the Pats didn't. The chatter will be loud if NE goes 0-2. I kinda want it to happen, but I'll take NE at 1-1 Sunday afternoon.
Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals- Ryan's not exactly consistently great as the guy will have weeks where he kinda disappears. That said, Ryan had some games that are amazingly good and last week against the Saints is one for that list. Interesting matchup, give me the Bengals at home. Cincy needs TDs not FGs if they want to take that next step.
New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns - the Browns gave them a game, but I don't see them hanging with the Saints.
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans- Cowboys were bad and the Titans pretty good. I think Titans are a better club and should win at home.
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers- If Anderson starts, I got Detroit. If Newton starts, I got Carolina.
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills- AFC east matchup. I'll take Miami.
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Both these clubs were terrible last week. I got to think the Rams should win.
Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers- Seahawks, but I believe this could be a good game.
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos- rival game, but obviously Denver until proven wrong.
Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders- I think close game, I'll go Texans.
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers- Packers should win but the Jets seem to be able to win some ugly games.
Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - Kind of a big game for Chicago. I can't see the Niners losing at home to the Bears.
Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts- Interesting matchup...I'll be a homer and take the Colts.

it is not entirely clear to me how stl is supposed to score points this year. i think they could end up single figures again on the road vs lovie and tampa

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - The Steelers have never employed Ray Rice. Steelers
Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants - Daryl Washington was accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend, grabbing her by throat and shoving her to the ground. Giants
Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Redskans - Dan Snyder is the worst. Jaguars
New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings - Aaron Hernandez murdered a buncha dudes. Vikings
Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals - Adam Jones was accused of punching a woman outside a Cincinnati bar on June 5, 2013. It was his eighth run-in with the law since 2005. Falcons
New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns - Browns' owner Jimmy Haslam agreed to pay a $92 million penalty for cheating customers out of promised rebates and discounts. Saints
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans - An Oklahoma woman sued Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Monday, accusing him of sexual assault during a June 2009 incident in a North Texas hotel. Titans
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers - Greg Hardy beat up his girlfriend and threw her on a bed of guns or something. Lions
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills - Miami players bullied and harassed their own dang teammate just for kicks. Bills
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - These guys both seem okay for the most part. TIE
Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers - Leroy Hill was accused of third-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment in dispute with girlfriend. Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos - Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend 10 times, then drove to team facility and fatally shot himself in head. - Broncos
Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders - JJ Watt looks like a Na'vi. Oakland
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers - Michael Vick murdered a bunch of dogs like it was no big deal. Packers
Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - Chris Culliver was accused of hitting a bicyclist with his vehicle, felony hit-and-run and possession of brass knuckles in San Jose. Sam Hurd was accused of accepting a kilogram of cocaine from undercover officer and trying to set up drug distribution network. Bears 17, 49ers 14.
Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts - What's up with Andrew Luck's beard? Eagles

i had forgotten abt that jovan belcher shit ugh

the nfl is really the worst

impressive work poly

DONKEY KONG SUIT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RGmXA4jnFA

if "stay protected from donkey kong suit" isn't the title of the week three thread, someone's sleeping

"Ndonkeykong Suit" has GOT to be the name of cam's fantasy team right?

donkeykong suh?? is that a burn or...

it was in eighth grade

this is like a Key and Peele sketch

i think it's less a burn and more "stop asking me asinine questions that you know I can't answer"

well come on, it's also a burn

I am really, really enjoying Roger Goodell these last few days

Got to love the Carolina Panthers are NEVER going to get rid of that 90s looking logo and script. I'm surprised the thing is'nt in Times New Roman.

James Brown with a moving plea to think about all of the wife beaters who don't play football

BALTIMORE -- She stood between two cars beneath an underpass outside of M&T Bank Stadium, but Christina Burke wasn't hiding early Thursday evening -- far from it.

The Bel Air, Maryland, resident and Baltimore Ravens season-ticket holder displayed the Ray Rice jersey she wore not so much as a matter of pride but as a show of her belief in fairness and redemption.

"I still support Ray Rice," Burke said at a tailgate outside of the stadium. "I just don't believe one action or mistake should define a person."

The home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is the Ravens' first game since Rice was released by the team and then suspended indefinitely by the NFL after video was released Monday of him striking his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City, New Jersey, casino elevator in February. Rice had been serving a two-game suspension for the incident, which was scheduled to end Friday, at the time of the video's release.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has come under intense fire for his handling of the situation.

A handful of Ravens fans told ESPN.com that they believe Rice was not treated fairly since nothing new about the case emerged this week except the video, which sent shockwaves from Capitol Hill to California.

Sandra Mattocks, a Ravens season-ticket holder, said Rice has been condemned and further punished only because of the public outcry that the video stirred.

"I have a problem with that," said Mattocks, who lives in Essex, Maryland. "They knew exactly what the facts where when they made [Rice's initial] punishment. I'm very disappointed with the NFL and the Ravens for their treatment of Ray Rice."

Burke and Mattocks both took issue with the Ravens abruptly releasing Rice and the NFL suspending him indefinitely since it had long been in the police report that Rice punched Palmer. Mattocks said Rice should have been suspended six games at most since the policy that the NFL enacted after initially punishing Rice mandates a six-game suspension for first-time offenders of domestic abuse.

Burke echoed similar sentiments.

"People were so quick to hang him out to dry," she said. "People saw the video, but did they get new evidence?"

Bobby Kemp, a longtime season-ticket holder, said he also had a problem with how so many were quick to judge Rice.

"The Man above is the only one who's perfect," said Kemp, who lives in Baltimore County.

Some who wore Rice jerseys were getting heckles, while others received high-fives.

"You support a wife-beater!" one female fan yelled at male fan wearing a No. 27 about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Outside of at least one entrance, a memo explained the "Ray Rice Jersey Exchange" policy, aimed at "particularly families, women and children" who wish to exchange a Rice jersey for that of another Ravens player. The Ravens are no longer selling Rice jerseys, but at least one independent vendor had some Rice action figurines on sale next to his collection of vintage Baltimore Colts wares.

Paul Kilduff, 65, put two pieces of duct tape over the letters "Ray R" on the back of his faded shirt so that it read "Be Nice" instead of "Ray Rice." But the tape kept falling off, so he took off the jersey, then put it back on without the tape.

"Everybody deserves a second chance," he said, a refrain heard often in the parking lot.

Kemp said he attended Severna Park High School with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and that he thought the organization could have handled the situation better.

"I'm not going to say disappointed. I just thought it was sad they put (coach) John Harbaugh out there to speak first," Kemp said of the Ravens' response to the Rice situation. "You've just got to be positive and support the team."

Steve Barnett, another longtime Ravens season-ticket holder, said he also has issues with how Rice has been treated since the release of the video. But, from his seat on a bench outside of M&T Bank Stadium, he said the controversy has not taken away from tonight's game.

"It's still Steelers-Ravens," said Barnett, who lives in nearby Glen Burnie. "That's why they call it a team. One man don't make a difference. We'll miss [Rice] but we'll be good. The team will still play hard."

I don't feel great about the Steelers being the national conscience tonight.

they have such an upstanding human at qb

nfl's not going to mention the history of that upstanding human #7 that would be a 'distraction' right

Lets also not forget that any team with a Pouncey brother on it should not be taking any moral high road.

lol ravens fans are such utter lowlifes, wtf is it with that team

i can't think of a team i'd like to see win the super bowl less than the ravens and that includes the romo-led cowboys.

Phil Simms, making an excuse for Ray Rice's diminished 2013 stats: "Well, he was beat up last year."

Steve Smith looking fucking great

jesus christ the one time in my life i actively root for the steelers and they look like they're getting incentivized for committing 15 yard penalties

lol otm

totally otm. then midway through the third i remembered who ben roethlisberger is so fuck both these teams imo.

tbf I've never seen a "roughing the passer" call in which the QB still had the ball in hand and wasn't hit in the head or anything

steve smith: hall of fame?

without looking up any stats i'd say absolutely

if he'd been drafted by a competent franchise he'd be a lock but...

DENIED

https://vine.co/v/OazhFtii3Oi

tbf I've never seen a "roughing the passer" call in which the QB still had the ball in hand and wasn't hit in the head or anything

― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Thursday, September 11, 2014 11:29 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

There were some terrible personal foul calls made by the refs against both teams. Let them play for fucks sake.

ok i'm kinda done with ray rice story news but this is amazing:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/09/11/felger-mazz-bill-polian-you-are-an-embarrassment/

21 minutes apart bill polian goes on sportscenter and says completely contradictory things about the nfl office.

what did polian learn in that 21 minutes...

I saw that on deadspin. TOTALLY fucked up. Im not a big conspiracy theory guy, but come on.

uh adrian peterson just got indicted for injuring a child??

can't wait for the corporal punishment apologists to go apeshit over a man's right to beat his own child bloody.

Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson has been indicted by a Montgomery County, Texas, grand jury on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The team deactivated him for Sunday's home game against the Patriots.

Peterson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, issued a statement Friday saying his client's conduct "involves using a switch to spank his son." According to a report by Sports Radio 610 in Houston, Peterson removed the leaves of a tree branch, which he referred to in a police report as "a switch," to strike the child.

"This indictment follows Adrian's full cooperation with authorities who have been looking into this matter. Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son," Hardin said in his statement. "He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas. Adrian has never hidden from what happened."

Hardin said Peterson has cooperated fully with authorities and voluntarily testified before the grand jury for several hours.

"Adrian will address the charges with the same respect and responsiveness he has brought to this inquiry from its beginning," Hardin said. "It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury."

He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas.

Was going to add, I'm sure he got worse coming up but to get hauled in on spanking in Texas...

the pictures aren't entirely shocking, definitely broke the skin tho

75% of the ppl in my office didn't know what a switch is

I got the shit kicked out of me as a kid by my dad and I turned out ....not great. I really hope nobody defends this as some sort of "east Texas justice".

A friend of a friend of mine just got sentenced to 6 Months in jail in Georgia for tripping while carrying her kid after having a couple of drinks and breaking the kids leg. That's bad but beating a kid with a switch is worse.

this is really good: http://deadspin.com/the-only-thing-unusual-about-ray-and-janay-rice-is-that-1633583402

this is really good: http://deadspin.com/the-only-thing-unusual-about-ray-and-janay-rice-is-that-1633583402

Yup v good.

this AP shit is sickening

reading the details of this peterson stuff and if he were on fire in front of me i'd have a hard time getting motivated to look for water.

ugh. i just saw the photos. and then i saw they were taken a week *after* AP doled that out.

fuck any sites reporting that he "swatted" his son or playing it down.

that's a fucking beating & i need to go look at something else bc this is fucked up

Could someone explain how the fuck some ppl think this is OK? If Michael Vick had been caught doing the same to a dog these apologists would be condemning him

yeah i don't know

i think parents get away with a lot of bullshit under the guise of 'discipline' & ppl will rally around him & defend a father's right to lay down a whipping on a 4 year old

at any age it's fucked up but what really makes me want to scream is that this kid will believe for most of his young life that he deserved it. what the fuck could a 4 yo ever do in their life to deserve *that*

some ppl just really want to reserve the right to beat their kids

also wtf that that is supposedly a "spanking"

Not nfl but relevant this week:

http://deadspin.com/mayweather-on-being-a-serial-woman-beater-only-god-c-1634290732

I'm just gonna watch golf the rest of my life. This is a joke.

I truly long for the days when we all got pissed that a guy fucked a Perkins waitress. Goddamn.

fuck AP forever, that giant piece of shit

Poor kid was probably so excited to visit his dad, the big time NFL star. Then gets the shit kicked out of him. Seeing those pics made me start crying.

me too, Bill

drew stanton to start for az

can someone remind me, do the Patriots have a secondary?

"miscommunication"

idk i never think much about the first series

oh got did rgiii get hurt nooooooo noooo nooooo

I flipped from the giants game just in time to see rg3 go down

no one could have predicted. sigh

pats secondary figured it out

cousins!

glad they decided to wake up

do not throw to revis island

Chandler Joooooooooones!!!!!!!!!!!

loool vikes

Spiller!!

klassic giants special teams

first-place buffalo bills

yaaay raiderpaws :(

Where the heck was Colston today for the Saints? I can buy Cleveland giving NO a game, as they got pretty good DBs, but winning is another story.

Miami got pounced. Buffalo is overdue to have a decent club, hopefully this year won't be a tease like they got that one year people thought Fitzpatrick could play QB.

The Titans have been the model of mediocrity the past couple years. They will win a game that you figured they had no chance in doing and then come back the next week against another middling opponent and get beat good.

They might has well strike the set with the Giants, it's going to be a rebuild there. That club's got a weak roster.

Bengals OL was just pushing arount ATL up front. Dalton's efficiency in the red zone is laid out there in the open, they left alot of points on the field the past couple weeks. I think Dalton is a fairly smart player, he just doesn't have the arm with the touch like that next level and I when the field shortens up and the windows are smaller to hit it's getting exposed.

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

*kills self*

need gif of beast mode chilling out in front of the giant fan

the announcers said it was like 112 degrees on the field in san diego? did i hear that right?

they just reported that in the end zone that is ten degrees hotter than the other.. it is currently 120 degrees. o_O

Raiders have GM and Head Coach openings

Derek Carr and Khalil Mack look solid and promising, the rest of the team is the definition of Just A Guy.

cairo santos is a p cool name

antonio gates is having a serious throwback game

in retrospect the cardinals-chargers game was a Super Bowl preview

looooool jets

could not be happier being a 49ers fan, even if my baseball team Giants did lose.

The whole AP thing really was nagging at me so I didn't watch the Vikings today, just between that and Ray Rice and all this shit I dunno....we went to the Ren Fair instead

^ yeah i think i'm done. just no desire to look at this sport rn and don't see it returning.

i wish i hadnt watched

Football was depressing as fuck all day, especially after I was sitting on the sofa giving Cris Carter AMEN!s for what he had to say about Peterson in one segment and Rice/Hardy/McDonald in another. I didn't even watch 4pm games at all.

watching a movie rn tbh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=361ntOLs2Cc

three penalties on the bears on the same play

illegal use of hands
player ran out of bounds
holding

ludicrous amount of penalties in every game i've caught today

http://giant.gfycat.com/BrownCheerfulBluejay.gif

aw shit we may have a jimmy clausen sighting

Brandon Marshall!

brandon marshall <3

it's hard to believe but Rolando McClain has been excellent for the Cowboys

can't stand tony dungy's gay-hating face anymore

yeah i feel u

can i also say: lol jets

noob question: since the bears have apparently a few receivers who are slow after coming back from injuries why dont the second string guys get a run out instead?

most perfectly jets way to lose a game

wow @ chicago. glad i stayed watching

I can't remember the last time I saw someone get two interceptions this good in the same game

upside down 3 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxiwE72CYAEeuEN.jpg:large

The Arizona Cardinals in control of the NFC West.

could not be happier being a 49ers fan, even if my baseball team Giants did lose.

― Bee OK, Sunday, September 14, 2014 7:49 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag

Lol. How u feeling now

brandon marshall has the most amazing suit jacket
collinsworth is trying it on

bears brought the pain!

xpost it'd be like a kimono on collinsworth wouldnt it? lol

so glad i just discovered nbc sports network has a postgame show w/collinsworth and harrison on it. don't have to listen to berman anymore

xpost it actually fit him pretty okay! but did not look cool like it does on brandon marshall obvs

http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img661/1994/zOVpz0.gif

loool

god bless jay cutler

i cant believe that hit he took in the chest right before the half

I saw the Cris Carter thing on deadspin and that was great

not only did the Jets blow that TD they also nullified a Rodgers interception by calling timeout right before that play as well. as a Packer fan I'm glad to just take the victory and move on. was weird to hear my wife say, "wow, this team is really good, aren't they?" in reference to the New York Jets

I saw the Jets/Packers score early on and said to Mr Veg, "I hope that the Packers come back and the Jets blow the game in hilarious lol-jets fashion"

thank u football gods

The Jets blew that game in a Lions-esque fashion. The 49ers were the ones who blew their game in lol-Jets fashion. Though that may be quibbling.

i mostly only saw them build their lead but they do look....functional! good at both o/d lines

the carter near breakdown was devastatng; this from hannah storm equally so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ucthzgpEgM

i was raised a southern boy among rural working class people and saw a great deal of spouse and child abuse growing up. My parents had to actively lobby for my teachers not to be given the right to hit me and I distinctly remember being told by a teacher (who liked me!) as a second/third grader that I would have to go pick out a switch if I kept it up. There's absolutely a violent tradition at play but carter is fucking right on: tradition doesn't mean that's it's positive. That anyone would even begin to suggest that beating a four year old bloody is justifiable under any circumstances is insane. AP almost certainly comes from a tradition where "beatings built character"; he needs counseling to understand that his actions are completely wrong and probably needs to have his children in safe space until he can come to terms with that. I don't want to see the man in jail but I also don't want to see him on the football field. I hope him and his family get the help they need.

i dunno man. it's hard to justify watching these days and my girl has reached the point where she's kinda told me she'd appreciate it if I not watch the game when she's around. it's increasingly difficult to separate the balletic brutality of the sport and the social brutality of the players. It would be less problematic if the fucking league weren't being scumbags about this and acting more focused on damage control than the humanity of their fans and athletes.

here's the carter video for those disinclined to go hunting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjDG2j__ENI

when professionals devoted to the field of football are breaking down crying on air out of frustration and hurt over the league's treatment of these immensely fucked up situations, something has gone terribly wrong.

i've been as harsh on ray rice and peterson as anyone, and i truly don't even LIKE non-eagles football that much, but i think it's kind of silly to not be able to watch the game because of a few high-profile cases like this. the evidence actually shows NFL players being less criminal than the average adult male (though the extent to which they benefit from their status could probably be debated), so to blame domestic violence on football seems dishonest. players becoming injured/losing their memories/the league basically saying fuck you to them post-retirement seems like a much more worthy reason to boycott viewing. i mean, with peterson, the reaction from the vikings was pretty swift. not a lot to be upset with other than the man himself

it's less about the few high-profile cases i guess (though they certainly have brought this sort of weariness to the fore) and more about the nfl as representative of some amazingly ugly attitudes about women and children. The litany of justification from talking heads and the utter blind eye that the league turns on this in their broadcasts and marketing is depressing. And the shitty labor conditions too! And the homophobia and racism! And the fact that the game causes mental damage in those who play it! It's cumulative and it's starting to wear me down.

i'm not even calling for boycotting watching and will likely drag myself in front of MNF tonight.
it's just morally exhausting to keep finding reasons to justify doing so in the name of entertainment.

yeah. there are 1500 active players in any year, plus practice squad guys, IRs, and dudes in limbo bagging groceries who might have been on a roster last year and are one injury away from getting called in for a roster spot so I dunno call it 2200 guys who could be described in the media as "NFL players" any given year. 95% stay out of the papers afaict.

it occurs to me today, which seems awfully late in the game, that there's a lot more anguish (my own included) wrt ray rice and AP than there was with Aaron Hernandez.

is it just because Hernandez is so far out there on the far edge of crazyville where the others seem more symptomatic?

basically

forks, fwiw I read a lot of this as symptoms of the world getting better. it's not long ago (like, maybe even a matter of months) that this kind of stuff was getting swept under the rug as a matter of course.

that's no longer possible, and that means a lot.

and yeah, Chris Carter OTM. he only catches touchdowns.

again, it's not so much about the atrocities of the players as it is the general ethos of the league and the way the NFL office carries themselves like swaggering bullies above the need to address the atrocities of their highest profile players. AP/Rice/Hernandez's cases (along with a half dozen other less famous guys in the past few months) are coalmine canaries; imagine the stories we don't get.

but yeah, you're right that discussion and open revulsion is a much more sane social response than a "welp, just let em play" attitude from the vox populi. but what did john oliver say last night about the raven's owner's response of 'we're making a change and that's worth it'? "There had to be a busdriver to be a Rosa Parks and I'm that busdriver. You're welcome" is a hella shitty argument.

I dunno call it 2200 guys who could be described in the media as "NFL players" any given year.

People are disgusted with the nfl atm, which is far better described as being the commissioner, owners and upper management, plus the networks that profit so heavily from the games, not so much the players you're referencing here. Although when a player does benefit from his celebrity status to get away with crap that ordinary people never get away with, that is disgusting, too.

I think that fans know that in any pool of adults there will be some bad actors. What matters is how those people are treated when their misdeeds are uncovered, more than the misdeeds themselves. In this case, the nfl and networks are showing themselves up as greedy, money-grubbing bastards who don't gaf who gets hurt, so long as the cash rolls in.

i'm not like 'officially' boycotting

it's just

maybe i'm not gonna plan my sunday around an organization that's basically brought be nothing but frustration to watch someone who beat a child get a standing ovation (and that WILL happen) in a league that does morally reprehensible shit all the time

i do fundamentally enjoy watching football, but i dunno, maybe i can check myself and ask why i need to be so invested in this stuff?

the evidence actually shows NFL players being less criminal than the average adult male (though the extent to which they benefit from their status could probably be debated)

I don't think it 'can be debated'. They have a poverty rate of zero %. Comparing them to the average adult male is beside the point. 538 compared numbers and wrote: Moreover, relative to the income level (top 1 percent) and poverty rate (0 percent) of NFL players, the domestic violence arrest rate is downright extraordinary.

i don't judge anyone's official or unofficial reason to boycott the NFL, but i'll still watch it and enjoy it why? bc the hegemony colonizes all institutions and bc i'm not prepared to punish myself (by withholding the enjoyment of watching the game of football) bc i really want to punish those who are compromised and bereft of ethics.

we vote most impactfully with our wallet and our time

The big guns at the NFL and networks definitely fear the loss of 'eyeballs', as they are the major driver of the league's wealth.

i'm skeptical re the efficacy of voting

peter king on walking away from nfl:
http://mmqb.si.com/2014/09/15/monday-morning-qb-nfl-week-2/

As I watched the games Sunday in my viewing-room perch at NBC, I noted the brutality of the game.

heh

I noted the brutality of the game.

otoh, there is evidence that mesoamericans played a ball game that could result in the ritual beheading of members of the losing team.

Were these players even hit?

1:21 p.m. ET: Cincinnati wideout A.J. Green leave Falcons-Bengals with a foot injury. He didn’t return.

1:22 p.m.: Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III leave the game against Jacksonville with a dislocated ankle. Didn’t return.

i saw RG3 fall and iirc he wasn't injured by a hit - he dove out of boards in a really awkward way

a.j. green has turf toe, rg3's was total non-contact

it occurs to me today, which seems awfully late in the game, that there's a lot more anguish (my own included) wrt ray rice and AP than there was with Aaron Hernandez.

is it just because Hernandez is so far out there on the far edge of crazyville where the others seem more symptomatic?

― resulting post (rogermexico.), Monday, September 15, 2014 5:57 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

What about Rae Carruth?

Carruth would file with Hernandez or Sam Hurd right? A sole data point so out there that it couldn't possibly mean anything...

Warren Moon otoh

John Abraham somehow not retiring

Another Adrian Peterson abuse investigation breaking in Houston

not remotely shocking

but yeesh

The Vikings press conference today was beyond pathetic

I really don't have anything good to say about the NFL off the field. I would figure for the right comic using a line like Goodell would have only gave Rae Carruth 4 weeks suspension might have worked if people remembered who Carruth was. All this domestic violence is just covering over dudes like Aldon Smith who just seem to be kinda f-ing nuts.

On games...
I still can't believe the Bears came back and beat the Niners. I'm still not sure what happened to the championship juggernaut from Seattle who got beat in San Diego and can't blame that loss on playing out of their time zone.

Cowboys have one good game and now ESPN is already talking DeMarco Murray to potentially rush for 2000 yards which had me shaking my head while I lifted weights today.

I'll give the Chargers this much... if you're going to call out Richard Sherman, it doesn't hurt to do it after the game, three years before the next time you'll face him.

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2014/09/pftcommenter_what_stephen_colbert_is_to_dumb_infuriating_politicians_this.html

This is a really good NFL story in a week full of crappy ones

http://m.nydailynews.com/sports/football/bengals-promote-devon-daughter-battling-cancer-active-roster-article-1.1935200

pftcommenter needs to cut back on the misspellings

mccoy in beast mode tnite

wow that was an absurd pick

wow fletcher wtf

god, terrible pass roles

AHHH SPROLES

sproles + mccoy celebration dance greatest thing ever

sproles & shady are so gdamn xplosive

sproooollllleesssss

oh my god sproles!

SPROLES

woo! maclin TD! tied game!

COME ON IGGS

sproles time

this game is a thriller

oh man sproles. who knew?? this guy, srsly.

sproles all day

ugh i miss akers

we got parkey off the colts. if we ever cared about kickers this would be an epic face-off.

they froze him. tools.

well, didn't "freeze" him, since that's bullshit. tried.

he's awesome - IGGLES WIN

WOOOOO

2-0!!!

The Vikings press conference today was beyond pathetic

― rap steve (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, September 15, 2014 7:08 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Apparently they are in deep deep shit with their sponsors after that fiasco and the new Peterson news

"I never intended to hurt him". Well don't fucking beat him in the balls with a fucking stick.

Bill Barnwell @billbarnwell
The Colts traded a first-round pick for Trent Richardson. The Eagles traded a fifth-round pick for Darren Sproles.
10:46 PM - 15 Sep 2014

I didn't realize until Berman mentioned it at half time that Philip Rivers has SEVEN children. I knew he had a few, but is he trying to field his own team?

When you've lost the fans, you've lost. And by that standard, the Minnesota Vikings are in trouble.

VikingsMessageBoard.com, a longtime board devoted to discussion of the Minnesota Vikings, has shut down forever because of its owners' disgust with the burgeoning Adrian Peterson scandal. And oh, are there plenty of people to be disgusted at. Sure, there's Peterson himself, indicted on charges of child abuse. But the proprietors of the message board also offered the following note, via SB Nation:

Vikings Message Board has been shut down permanently. It will not return. There are two primary reasons.

1. The Vikings' cowardly decision to reinstate a child abuser and think that an apology will make this blow over. We will not stand for this arrogance and we will no longer be the home of any support of the Vikings. We stand for those who cannot defend themselves.

2. We will not give a voice to thugs who think child abuse is "cultural" or worse, openly advocate child abuse as a reasonable method of punishment. This ends here. Yes, a few board members have ruined it for everyone. Congratulations, [jerks].

ugh "thugs"

at least zygi's getting his stadium built

Anheuser-Busch has issued what's basically a threat to the NFL: get your house in order or we'll stop giving you money.

^ Just trying not to get dragged down in the general PR disaster.

time for a week 3 thread?

yes, this is how it's supposed to work. companies don't want to associate their products with abettors of abuse.

I didn't realize until Berman mentioned it at half time that Philip Rivers has SEVEN children. I knew he had a few, but is he trying to field his own team?

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, September 16, 2014 3:34 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

with his highschool sweetheart. Interesting fellow, Phil Rivers.

If you got an owner that got convicted of keeping a second set of books to screw a partner in a deal, you probably are a bit loser with the reigns than some. Really cutting bait while expensive I think will end up being the cheaper way out of the problem, but hey they got tons of money and I don't. Maybe looking the other way when a guy beats up a 4 year old is how you get to that level of success.

http://imgur.com/a/2o2rp#0

amazing collection of screencaps showing position of washington receivers on completions vs jax.

newsflash: the jags are really really bad!

xp JUNIOR high school sweetheart, apparently. and he converted to catholicism. he's so square i can almost respect it.

also he wore nick hardwick's number on the back of his helmet sunday which is cool.

lol that's exactly why I think the "Kirk Cousins > RG3" rhetoric is so overdone right now - hell he may indeed be a better QB going forward but tearing up Jacksonville is not exactly an accomplishment.