In 2009, first year GMs had first year coaches in Tampa Bay, Detroit, Kansas City, Denver, Cleveland, and St Louis. For comparison, they are mixed in with the records of some past first-year-coaches:
John McKay 0-14 (1976, Tampa Bay)
Tom Landry 0-11-1 (1960, Dallas)
Steve Spagnuolo 1-15 (2009, St. Louis)
Jimmy Johnson 1-15 (1989, Dallas)
Jim Schwartz 2-14 (2009, Detroit)
Bill Walsh 2-14 (1979, San Francisco)
Raheem Morris 3-13 (2009, Tampa Bay)
Bill Parcells 3-12 (1983, NY Giants)
Norm Van Broklin 3-11 (1961, Minnesota)
Bud Grant 3-8-3 (1967, Minnesota)
Todd Haley 4-12 (2009, Kansas City)
Marv Levy 4-12 (1978, Kansas City)
Dick Vermeil 4-10 (1976, Philadelphia)
Don Coryell 4-9-1 (1973, St. Louis Cardinals)
Eric Mangini 5-11 (2009, Cleveland)
Andy Reid 5-11 (1999, Philadephia)
Lou Saban 5-9 (1960, Boston Patriots)
Bill Bellichek 6-10 (1991, Cleveland)
Tony Dungy 6-10 (1996, Tampa Bay)
Mike Shannahan 7-9, (1988, LA Raiders)
Jeff Fisher 7-9 (1994, Houston Oilers, first full season)
Vince Lombardi 7-5 (1959, Green Bay Packers)
John Gruden 8-8 (1998, Oakland)
Joe Gibbs 8-8 (1981, Washington)
Josh McDaniels 8-8 (2009, Denver)
Marty Schottenheimer 8-8 (1985, Cleveland, first full season)
Don Shula 8-6 (1963, Baltimore Colts)
Hank Stramm 8-6, (1960, Dallas Texans)
Dan Reeves 10-6 (1981, Denver)
Mike Tomlin 10-6 (2007, Pittsburgh)
Bum Phillips 10-4 (1975, Houston Oilers)
Bill Cowher 11-5 (1992, Pittsburgh)
John Madden 12-1 (1969, Oakland)
Chuck Knox 12-2 (1973, LA Rams)
This is pretty definite evidence that past performance does not dictate future results.
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tampa Sports Media: Screaming For Vengeance in 2009, Part 1
Former General Manager Bruce Allen did not get along with everyone in the Tampa Sports Media. It appears current General Manager Mark Dominik is paying the price.
Part 1: Kickers are too valuable to cut?
One sad but humorous aspect of the reporting on the Buccaneers this year has been the fascination with kickers.
Let me recap: General Manager Mark Dominik brought in Mike Nugent to compete with incumbent Matt Bryant during the preseason. This is consistent with the message Dominik and Head Coach Raheem Morris have been dishing out since they were appointed: there will be competition every year for every position on the team. Unexpectedly, Matt Bryant hurt his hamstring during the first week of the preseason which should have been a feather in first year GM Mark Dominik's cap. Certainly a job well done for being prepared for unforseen circumstances, right?
Oh, no. None of that for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Later in the preseason (while still injured) Bryant showed he was not up to the challenge of the every-sport-is-50%-mental aspect of the game with a radio rant. Unable to kick for the entire preseason, Bryant was cut in favor of Nugent. So the new GM got it right -- kudos to him, right?
Oh, no. Certainly not for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Unexpectedly, some sports media reported this as blasphemy instead of a kick-save by the Buccaneers GM (pun intended). Some reported with glee when Bryant was lined up by the NY Giants for a tryout but then mysteriously (not!) dropped the storyline when he didn't get signed.
Back in the real world Nugent got off to a horrible start and was released in favor of Shane Andrus.
Andrus was inconsistant in practice and missed his only field goal attempt during game action, so he also was released.
Since then, the Buccaneers have had the services of Connor Barth.
So I ask, what should the General Manager have done? Kept two kickers on the roster, preventing some wiggle room for getting waiver wire pickups in addition to double-kicker-salary? Kept Nugent and let him kick his way out of the slump? Keep Andrus and give up field position on every kick? Bring back Matt Bryant who couldn't handle competition, wasn't good enough for the Giants, and could only find work in the UFL?
Wouldn't the correct move be to do everything possible to correct this issue this year? And that is exactly what Dominik has been trying to do. It's exactly the philosophy which has been utilized since Dominik reached the GM chair -- fix the problem and move on. Barth may not be the final answer and he can certainly expect an open competition during the 2010 offseason. Just like every other player on the team.
Against this backdrop begins the odd, strange comedy (folly?) driven by some in the Tampa sports media:
-- The first chuckle comes from the conspiracy theory about how the radio show comments really matter. Really?? Some athletes get in trouble, serious trouble, and the team works it out. Why would a radio show matter since it's just an entertainment medium in the first place?
-- The second chuckle comes from how some in the Tampa area sports media believe the money given up for Nugent was a mistake ($2 million), yet none of them predicted his poor performance. It also appears several are willing to publicly demonstrate that they have no idea how NFL teams work. There are many cases of players who are signed and cut in the same season and leave "dead salary cap" behind. One instance is Joey Galloway ($1.7 million) and the New England Patriots. Another is Jason Elam ($3.3 million guaranteed) and the Atlanta Falcons. This seems to be a surprise to them when in reality this is business as usual. So why the negative press?
-- The final chuckle comes from those who on one hand complain because the Buccaneers have cap room and on the other hand (same person in at least one case) complain because the Buccaneers used thier cap space to try to solidify the kicking game. Maybe they don't realize that two million is less than 1.6% of this year's cap? I would think that people who are paid to understand the NFL would understand this common, league-wide situation, but it seems I am asking too much?
And now the puchline: in late November, the 2008 NFC Super Bowl representative Arizona Cardinals held kicker tryouts . . . (c'mon, click the link for full effect!)
(Note that neither got the job -- wow the Buccaneers did know what they were doing -- now why wouldn't something like that be reported in Tampa after all that early season drama?)
To top it all off Atlanta signed Matt Bryant just after the Buccaneers played at Atlanta. That will add some extra fun to the Buccaneer's last (home) game of the season (don't boo him -- remember what happened to his family). The media coverage around that last home game should be the final test of who in the Tampa Sports media "gets it" and who's trying to make themselves feel better.
You would think that by halfway through the season the rampage would be over, but, sadly, this article is titled "Part One". More to come.
Part 1: Kickers are too valuable to cut?
One sad but humorous aspect of the reporting on the Buccaneers this year has been the fascination with kickers.
Let me recap: General Manager Mark Dominik brought in Mike Nugent to compete with incumbent Matt Bryant during the preseason. This is consistent with the message Dominik and Head Coach Raheem Morris have been dishing out since they were appointed: there will be competition every year for every position on the team. Unexpectedly, Matt Bryant hurt his hamstring during the first week of the preseason which should have been a feather in first year GM Mark Dominik's cap. Certainly a job well done for being prepared for unforseen circumstances, right?
Oh, no. None of that for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Later in the preseason (while still injured) Bryant showed he was not up to the challenge of the every-sport-is-50%-mental aspect of the game with a radio rant. Unable to kick for the entire preseason, Bryant was cut in favor of Nugent. So the new GM got it right -- kudos to him, right?
Oh, no. Certainly not for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Unexpectedly, some sports media reported this as blasphemy instead of a kick-save by the Buccaneers GM (pun intended). Some reported with glee when Bryant was lined up by the NY Giants for a tryout but then mysteriously (not!) dropped the storyline when he didn't get signed.
Back in the real world Nugent got off to a horrible start and was released in favor of Shane Andrus.
Andrus was inconsistant in practice and missed his only field goal attempt during game action, so he also was released.
Since then, the Buccaneers have had the services of Connor Barth.
So I ask, what should the General Manager have done? Kept two kickers on the roster, preventing some wiggle room for getting waiver wire pickups in addition to double-kicker-salary? Kept Nugent and let him kick his way out of the slump? Keep Andrus and give up field position on every kick? Bring back Matt Bryant who couldn't handle competition, wasn't good enough for the Giants, and could only find work in the UFL?
Wouldn't the correct move be to do everything possible to correct this issue this year? And that is exactly what Dominik has been trying to do. It's exactly the philosophy which has been utilized since Dominik reached the GM chair -- fix the problem and move on. Barth may not be the final answer and he can certainly expect an open competition during the 2010 offseason. Just like every other player on the team.
Against this backdrop begins the odd, strange comedy (folly?) driven by some in the Tampa sports media:
-- The first chuckle comes from the conspiracy theory about how the radio show comments really matter. Really?? Some athletes get in trouble, serious trouble, and the team works it out. Why would a radio show matter since it's just an entertainment medium in the first place?
-- The second chuckle comes from how some in the Tampa area sports media believe the money given up for Nugent was a mistake ($2 million), yet none of them predicted his poor performance. It also appears several are willing to publicly demonstrate that they have no idea how NFL teams work. There are many cases of players who are signed and cut in the same season and leave "dead salary cap" behind. One instance is Joey Galloway ($1.7 million) and the New England Patriots. Another is Jason Elam ($3.3 million guaranteed) and the Atlanta Falcons. This seems to be a surprise to them when in reality this is business as usual. So why the negative press?
-- The final chuckle comes from those who on one hand complain because the Buccaneers have cap room and on the other hand (same person in at least one case) complain because the Buccaneers used thier cap space to try to solidify the kicking game. Maybe they don't realize that two million is less than 1.6% of this year's cap? I would think that people who are paid to understand the NFL would understand this common, league-wide situation, but it seems I am asking too much?
And now the puchline: in late November, the 2008 NFC Super Bowl representative Arizona Cardinals held kicker tryouts . . . (c'mon, click the link for full effect!)
(Note that neither got the job -- wow the Buccaneers did know what they were doing -- now why wouldn't something like that be reported in Tampa after all that early season drama?)
To top it all off Atlanta signed Matt Bryant just after the Buccaneers played at Atlanta. That will add some extra fun to the Buccaneer's last (home) game of the season (don't boo him -- remember what happened to his family). The media coverage around that last home game should be the final test of who in the Tampa Sports media "gets it" and who's trying to make themselves feel better.
You would think that by halfway through the season the rampage would be over, but, sadly, this article is titled "Part One". More to come.
2009 Cleveland Draft Class
On Roster
Round 1, 21st: Alex Mack, C (Overall 21st)
Round 2, 4th: Brian Robiskie, WR (Overall 36th)
Round 2, 18th: Mohamed Massaquoi, WR (Overall 18th)
Round 2, 20th: David Veikune, DE (Overall 52nd)
Round 4, 4th: Kaluka MaiavaI, LB (Overall 104th)
Round 6, 4th: Don Carey, CB (Overall 177)
Round 6, 18th: Coye Francies, CB (Overall 191)
Round 6, 22nd: James Davis, RB (Overall 195)
Round 1, 21st: Alex Mack, C (Overall 21st)
Round 2, 4th: Brian Robiskie, WR (Overall 36th)
Round 2, 18th: Mohamed Massaquoi, WR (Overall 18th)
Round 2, 20th: David Veikune, DE (Overall 52nd)
Round 4, 4th: Kaluka MaiavaI, LB (Overall 104th)
Round 6, 4th: Don Carey, CB (Overall 177)
Round 6, 18th: Coye Francies, CB (Overall 191)
Round 6, 22nd: James Davis, RB (Overall 195)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
What Is The Game Plan?
The plan before the 2009 season was for new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski to to install a running game using a zone blocking scheme. This new scheme would take advantage of the young offensive line and talented running backs on the Buccaneers roster to create a powerful rushing attack. This philosophy was detailed by Head Coach Raheem Morris during his first offseason (Apr 2, 2008):
But the lure of what Coach Jagodzinski brought to the interview table is obvious. He was fresh from dealing with college players. His program at Boston College had just graduated the (arguably) top rookie QB the year before (Atlanta's Matt Ryan). In the context of an upcoming draft with plans to grab a young signal caller, the fit is natural and too good to pass up. Protect that new young quarterback with a solid running game and have a proven coach in place to groom him into the passing game.
Ah, but the best laid plans . . . .
Before the 2009 season a zone-blocking run system was installed to replace the assignment blocking system of the prior coaching staff. During the preseason players gushed about how they could tell it would work and they liked it. Then, just before the last preseason game, Coach Jagodzinski was dismissed and Coach Greg Olson was promoted to Offensive Coordinator.
Suddenly, Tampa Bay came out throwing. And throwing. And the Buccaneers have rarely stopped since. What was to be a powerful rushing offense finds itself throwing 57.5% of the time through Week 14. In only 3 of 13 games so far in the 2009 season have the Buccaneers rushed the ball more than pass the ball. Those run-focused games were against Washington, at Carolina, and Miami -- three of the four narrowest losses this season. While there have been games when the run/pass count was different by less than 5 attempts (Miami, Atlanta, New England), there have been four games with 15+ more passing attempts than running attempts (Carolina, Philadelphia, NY Giants, and Buffalo). In contrast, the widest margin for the run game so far this season has been 8 more rushes than passes (Washington, at Carolina). The win against Green Bay was fairly balanced with only 6 more passing attempts than rushing attempts. In raw numbers, the most rushing attempts in a single game this year has been 31 twice (Dallas, Miami) and the most passing attempts in a single game this year has been fifty (50!) twice (Buffalo, Philadelphia).
There is no discernible pattern -- the high pass attempts are not specifically in games where the Buccaneers were far behind and playing catch-up football (for example, the Buccaneers were down by only 6 points at the start of the fourth quarter at Buffalo, one of the 50 pass attempt games). And it was not a matter of which quarterback was playing: games with Byron Leftwich averaged 20 rushes and 39 passes, games with Josh Johnson averaged 26 rushes and 30 passes, and games with Josh Freeman have averaged 25 rushes and 33 passes (Leftwich and Johnson each had a 50 pass game, Freeman's high attempt mark was 44 in his game against Carolina).
So very clearly we see that Coach Olson is a pass-first type of offensive coordinator. This is not entirely surprising as his background includes time at Purdue as quarterbacks coach with Joe Tiller and time in Detroit as quarterbacks coach with Steve Mariucci. As the season has progressed the offense has lost more and more of the zone blocking schemes and returned to the rather West Coast look of the past few years (just as the defense has also returned to what has previously been utilized).
While the debate about having a rookie quarterback and using a run game to remove the game from his shoulders is valid, it is not the subject here.
The change from the Jagodinski-run system to the Olson-pass system has severe consequences for the upcoming offseason. During the 2009 offseason, the offense was tooled to be a running football team with good, young size up front, blocking wide recievers, versatile tight ends, a fullback, and a multiheaded tailback. Several of these facets of the offense were established in free agency last year. By addressing these things last offseason the Buccaneers are primed to be aggressive on the defensive side of the ball this year.
However, if the Buccaneers are going to be a pass-system team then it's not so clear that the offensive side of the ball is where it needs to be. In fact, several positions on offense may need to be addressed during the 2010 offseason (free agency and draft). Wide receiver is underproductive for the number of pass attempts -- perhaps the Buccaneers need to give up some downfield blocking ability for speed, route precision, or hands/physical size. Offensive linemen need to be evaluated on pass-blocking ability and changes made if needed. You could also assert that the multiple back scheme is not necessary and replace tailbacks with more wide receivers. Perhaps the fullback position is not necessary and can be used for a defensive player instead.
The downside of all this is that it will detract from adding more young talent to the defense which is clearly in need.
While currently there is no clear sign that the direction will be anything different from what we've already seen, three games remain in the 2009 season. It is possible to establish an identity in these games different from the prior 14 games, though unlikely.
It will be intersting to watch how this plays out. The issue of the Tampa Bay offensive identity will most likely be the single most important driver of the 2010 offseason.
"'When you talk about the violent football teams, the physical football teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, you think about downhill running and people smashing,' said Morris. 'That's just what it is. When you talk about violent football teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, you talk about people smashing you and running the ball downhill. We want to become those guys.'" -- Head Coach Raheem MorrisUnfortunately, Coach Jagodzinski was released during the preseason due to prolonged attention-to-details issues which I interpret as poor performance under game time conditions (such as play calling or working with assistants to get the right personnel on the field, etc). This interpretation of these events makes sense since game day trouble would not be detectable during a normal interview or during training camp. Coach Jagodzinski had been a head coach at Boston College. The focus of a head coach on game day is strategy. A coordinator must focus on tactics. The only other offensive coordinator duties that Jagodzinski had previously had was "passing game coordinator" at Green Bay. As such he had never flown solo as an offensive coordinator before and therefore may have been an ineffective tactician.
But the lure of what Coach Jagodzinski brought to the interview table is obvious. He was fresh from dealing with college players. His program at Boston College had just graduated the (arguably) top rookie QB the year before (Atlanta's Matt Ryan). In the context of an upcoming draft with plans to grab a young signal caller, the fit is natural and too good to pass up. Protect that new young quarterback with a solid running game and have a proven coach in place to groom him into the passing game.
Ah, but the best laid plans . . . .
Before the 2009 season a zone-blocking run system was installed to replace the assignment blocking system of the prior coaching staff. During the preseason players gushed about how they could tell it would work and they liked it. Then, just before the last preseason game, Coach Jagodzinski was dismissed and Coach Greg Olson was promoted to Offensive Coordinator.
Suddenly, Tampa Bay came out throwing. And throwing. And the Buccaneers have rarely stopped since. What was to be a powerful rushing offense finds itself throwing 57.5% of the time through Week 14. In only 3 of 13 games so far in the 2009 season have the Buccaneers rushed the ball more than pass the ball. Those run-focused games were against Washington, at Carolina, and Miami -- three of the four narrowest losses this season. While there have been games when the run/pass count was different by less than 5 attempts (Miami, Atlanta, New England), there have been four games with 15+ more passing attempts than running attempts (Carolina, Philadelphia, NY Giants, and Buffalo). In contrast, the widest margin for the run game so far this season has been 8 more rushes than passes (Washington, at Carolina). The win against Green Bay was fairly balanced with only 6 more passing attempts than rushing attempts. In raw numbers, the most rushing attempts in a single game this year has been 31 twice (Dallas, Miami) and the most passing attempts in a single game this year has been fifty (50!) twice (Buffalo, Philadelphia).
There is no discernible pattern -- the high pass attempts are not specifically in games where the Buccaneers were far behind and playing catch-up football (for example, the Buccaneers were down by only 6 points at the start of the fourth quarter at Buffalo, one of the 50 pass attempt games). And it was not a matter of which quarterback was playing: games with Byron Leftwich averaged 20 rushes and 39 passes, games with Josh Johnson averaged 26 rushes and 30 passes, and games with Josh Freeman have averaged 25 rushes and 33 passes (Leftwich and Johnson each had a 50 pass game, Freeman's high attempt mark was 44 in his game against Carolina).
So very clearly we see that Coach Olson is a pass-first type of offensive coordinator. This is not entirely surprising as his background includes time at Purdue as quarterbacks coach with Joe Tiller and time in Detroit as quarterbacks coach with Steve Mariucci. As the season has progressed the offense has lost more and more of the zone blocking schemes and returned to the rather West Coast look of the past few years (just as the defense has also returned to what has previously been utilized).
While the debate about having a rookie quarterback and using a run game to remove the game from his shoulders is valid, it is not the subject here.
The change from the Jagodinski-run system to the Olson-pass system has severe consequences for the upcoming offseason. During the 2009 offseason, the offense was tooled to be a running football team with good, young size up front, blocking wide recievers, versatile tight ends, a fullback, and a multiheaded tailback. Several of these facets of the offense were established in free agency last year. By addressing these things last offseason the Buccaneers are primed to be aggressive on the defensive side of the ball this year.
However, if the Buccaneers are going to be a pass-system team then it's not so clear that the offensive side of the ball is where it needs to be. In fact, several positions on offense may need to be addressed during the 2010 offseason (free agency and draft). Wide receiver is underproductive for the number of pass attempts -- perhaps the Buccaneers need to give up some downfield blocking ability for speed, route precision, or hands/physical size. Offensive linemen need to be evaluated on pass-blocking ability and changes made if needed. You could also assert that the multiple back scheme is not necessary and replace tailbacks with more wide receivers. Perhaps the fullback position is not necessary and can be used for a defensive player instead.
The downside of all this is that it will detract from adding more young talent to the defense which is clearly in need.
While currently there is no clear sign that the direction will be anything different from what we've already seen, three games remain in the 2009 season. It is possible to establish an identity in these games different from the prior 14 games, though unlikely.
It will be intersting to watch how this plays out. The issue of the Tampa Bay offensive identity will most likely be the single most important driver of the 2010 offseason.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Kansas City: Pioli Dealing With Unrest
Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is not subtle. Nor does he conduct himself at all times as a perfect gentleman. Nevertheless, it appeared that somehow Coach Todd Haley had reached an understanding with Johnson which put LJ on the path of a model teammate. That is, until Larry blew up his career with Twitter.
Pioli spent his 2009 bye week suspending, then reaching a settlement with Johnson and his agent regarding the one-game-but-two-paychecks suspension (settlement was that only one paycheck would be lost -- a little weak for Pioli considering the player called his coach "unqualified" and used derogatory slurs publicly).
The Chiefs came out of the bye to lose at Jacksonville, dropping the Chiefs to 1-7.
The next day, Larry Johnson was cut from the Chiefs roster.
Johnson was 75 yards away from becoming the all-time yardage leader among Chiefs running backs. Is this the only scourge on the roster? Is more bloodletting needed to bring order in Kansas City?
The Chiefs are a non-factor in the NFC West as well as the NFL in general having not won a playoff game in over 15 years (how long? . . . since Joe Montana was QB!). With apathy having set in long ago, the Chiefs fan base is angry but exhausted.
Pioli still has years of work ahead of him to shake off the cobwebs in the Chiefs organization. And then will have to win back a fanbase which is more tuned in to college sports than pro sports. Only Cleveland and Jacksonville appear to be bigger challenges. Which franchise will win a playoff game first? Answer: get to .500 and then we'll talk.
Pioli spent his 2009 bye week suspending, then reaching a settlement with Johnson and his agent regarding the one-game-but-two-paychecks suspension (settlement was that only one paycheck would be lost -- a little weak for Pioli considering the player called his coach "unqualified" and used derogatory slurs publicly).
The Chiefs came out of the bye to lose at Jacksonville, dropping the Chiefs to 1-7.
The next day, Larry Johnson was cut from the Chiefs roster.
Johnson was 75 yards away from becoming the all-time yardage leader among Chiefs running backs. Is this the only scourge on the roster? Is more bloodletting needed to bring order in Kansas City?
The Chiefs are a non-factor in the NFC West as well as the NFL in general having not won a playoff game in over 15 years (how long? . . . since Joe Montana was QB!). With apathy having set in long ago, the Chiefs fan base is angry but exhausted.
Pioli still has years of work ahead of him to shake off the cobwebs in the Chiefs organization. And then will have to win back a fanbase which is more tuned in to college sports than pro sports. Only Cleveland and Jacksonville appear to be bigger challenges. Which franchise will win a playoff game first? Answer: get to .500 and then we'll talk.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
2009 Denver Draft Class
Round 1, #12: Knowshon Moreno, RB (Overall 12), Georgia
Round 1, #18: Robert Ayers, LB (Overall 18), Tennessee (From Bears)
Round 2, #5: Alphonso Smith, CB (Overall 37) ,Wake Forest (From Seahawks)
Round 2, #16: Darcel McBath, CB (Overall 48), Texas Tech
Round 2, #32: Richard Quinn, TE (Overall 64), North Carolina (From Steelers)
Round 4, #14: David Bruton, FS (Overall 114) , Notre Dame
Round 4, #32: Seth Olsen, OG (Overall 132), Iowa (From Steelers)
Round 5, #5: Kenny McKinley, WR (Overall 141), South Carolina (From Browns through Eagles through Patriots and Ravens)
Round 6, #1: Tom Brandstater, QB (Overall 174), Fresno State (From Lions)
Round 7, #16: Blake Schlueter, C, (Overall 225) TCU
Trade Analysis: Gaines Adams to Chicago
Why would a winless team trade away a former first round draft pick starting at Defensive End? Is an unknown draft pick really that valuable? Is it worth leaving a hole in the starting lineup for the rest of the season?
It would only be a smart move if there was a capable replacement already on the roster. In this case the replacement would be Stylez White. Good move. However, what made this A Great Move was a free agent picked up during the first week of the 2009 season.
Tim Crowder was signed by the Buccaneers on Sept 14th, 2009, the opening weekend of the 2009 NFL Season. He had been released less than two weeks earlier by the Denver Broncos. The week after his signing, Crowder hit the playing field against the Buffalo Bills. And that was just the start of the impact Crowder would make on the 2009 Buccaneers.
When Gaines Adams was released after five games in 2009 he had season totals of 8 tackles, 2 assists, and no sacks. Crowder played in his fifth game of 2009 in Week 6. By then, Crowder had amassed 15 tackles, 2 assists, and no sacks. This production obviously was noted by GM Mark Dominik. Dominik must have believed White and Crowder could support the Right Defensive End position. This allowed Dominik to shop Adams as a trade candidate. Credit goes to Coach Nunn (DL), Coach Bates (DC), and Coach Morris (HC) for giving Crowder a chance to show his productivity.
The message since Dominik and Morris took over has been to get younger, get productive players, and improve through competition. While adding Crowder and trading Adams does not fit the "get younger" part of the plan, it certainly meets the "more productive" part of the plan based on the first few games of 2009. The trade also shows commitment by Dominik to make players accountable plus it's a strong statement to the rest of the youth on the roster: Underperform and you are replaceable whether you are a first or final draft pick. Dominik has quickly shown a willingness to make bold changes to move the roster forward as rapidly as possible.
The second part of the story is what the Bucs were able to get for Adams. Gaines Adams was drafted for a coach who ran the Tampa 2. Chicago Head Coach Lovie Smith uses the Tampa 2. It's the perfect match -- a player who can be traded and a team which should covet his skills. The result was Tampa Bay getting a 2nd round draft choice for Adams -- a brilliant move from the Bay side, and another crafty move by GM Mark Dominik.
And still there is a third part to this story: through Week 8 Crowder has more solo tackles than the man he backs up on the depth chart, Stylez White (15 vs. 13). But White has 1.5 sacks to Crowder's zero. Certainly these two men will continue to compete for playing time for the rest of the season, pushing each other to improve, meeting the third goal laid out by the new Bucs leadership -- "competition at all positions".
For clarity, consider the sum of these moves: a swap of Gaines Adams for Tim Crowder (who appears to be more productive in the new defense) plus an extra second round pick in 2010. Certainly an excellent step towards improving the team.
By watching the waiver wire and sticking to his core philosophy, Dominik has continued to force his philosophy on the roster and find ways to improve the talent of the team week in and week out. And that is exactly what a GM with an underperforming team should do.
It would only be a smart move if there was a capable replacement already on the roster. In this case the replacement would be Stylez White. Good move. However, what made this A Great Move was a free agent picked up during the first week of the 2009 season.
Tim Crowder was signed by the Buccaneers on Sept 14th, 2009, the opening weekend of the 2009 NFL Season. He had been released less than two weeks earlier by the Denver Broncos. The week after his signing, Crowder hit the playing field against the Buffalo Bills. And that was just the start of the impact Crowder would make on the 2009 Buccaneers.
When Gaines Adams was released after five games in 2009 he had season totals of 8 tackles, 2 assists, and no sacks. Crowder played in his fifth game of 2009 in Week 6. By then, Crowder had amassed 15 tackles, 2 assists, and no sacks. This production obviously was noted by GM Mark Dominik. Dominik must have believed White and Crowder could support the Right Defensive End position. This allowed Dominik to shop Adams as a trade candidate. Credit goes to Coach Nunn (DL), Coach Bates (DC), and Coach Morris (HC) for giving Crowder a chance to show his productivity.
The message since Dominik and Morris took over has been to get younger, get productive players, and improve through competition. While adding Crowder and trading Adams does not fit the "get younger" part of the plan, it certainly meets the "more productive" part of the plan based on the first few games of 2009. The trade also shows commitment by Dominik to make players accountable plus it's a strong statement to the rest of the youth on the roster: Underperform and you are replaceable whether you are a first or final draft pick. Dominik has quickly shown a willingness to make bold changes to move the roster forward as rapidly as possible.
The second part of the story is what the Bucs were able to get for Adams. Gaines Adams was drafted for a coach who ran the Tampa 2. Chicago Head Coach Lovie Smith uses the Tampa 2. It's the perfect match -- a player who can be traded and a team which should covet his skills. The result was Tampa Bay getting a 2nd round draft choice for Adams -- a brilliant move from the Bay side, and another crafty move by GM Mark Dominik.
And still there is a third part to this story: through Week 8 Crowder has more solo tackles than the man he backs up on the depth chart, Stylez White (15 vs. 13). But White has 1.5 sacks to Crowder's zero. Certainly these two men will continue to compete for playing time for the rest of the season, pushing each other to improve, meeting the third goal laid out by the new Bucs leadership -- "competition at all positions".
For clarity, consider the sum of these moves: a swap of Gaines Adams for Tim Crowder (who appears to be more productive in the new defense) plus an extra second round pick in 2010. Certainly an excellent step towards improving the team.
By watching the waiver wire and sticking to his core philosophy, Dominik has continued to force his philosophy on the roster and find ways to improve the talent of the team week in and week out. And that is exactly what a GM with an underperforming team should do.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
2009 Kansas City Draft Class
Round 1, 3rd: Tyson Jackson, DE (Overall 3), LSU
Round 3, 3rd: Alex Magee, DT (Overall 63), Purdue
Round 4, 2nd: Donald Washington, CB (Overall 102) Ohio State
Round 5, 3rd: Colin Brown, OL (Overall 139), Missouri
Round 6, 2nd: Quinten Lawrence, WR (Overall 175), McNeese State
Round 7, 28th: Jake O'Connell, WR (Overall 237), Miami (Ohio) (From Panthers through Dolphins)
Round 7, 47th: Ryan Succop, K (Overall 256) (Compensatory selection), South Carolina
Round 7, 3rd Javarris Williams, RB (212), Tennessee State
Kokinis Fired
A member of the GM class of 2009 has been fired.
Cleveland has fired their GM George Kokinis. Media reports that Kokinis and coach Eric Mangini have not worked well together. The Browns now find themselves 1-7 with upheaval in the front office and the coach who wanted Kokinis in trouble.
Cleveland has fired their GM George Kokinis. Media reports that Kokinis and coach Eric Mangini have not worked well together. The Browns now find themselves 1-7 with upheaval in the front office and the coach who wanted Kokinis in trouble.
Friday, October 30, 2009
2009 Detroit Draft Class
Round 1, #1: Matthew Stafford, QB (Overall #1)
Round 1, #20: Brandon Pettigrew, TE (Overall #20) (From Cowboys)
Round 2, #1: Louis Delmas, S (Overall #33)
Round 3, #12: DeAndre Levy, OLB (Overall #76) (From Saints through Jets)
Round 3, #18: Derrick Williams, WR(Overall #82) (From Cowboys)
Round 4, #15: Sammie Lee Hill, DT(Overall #115) (From Redskins through Jets)
Round 6, #19: Aaron Brown, RB(Overall #192) (From Cowboys)
Round 7, #19: Lydon Murtha, OT(Overall #228) (From Jets)
Round 7, #19: Lydon Murtha, OT(Overall #228) (From Jets)
Round 7, #26: Zack FollettOLB(Overall #235) (From Falcons through Broncos)
Round 7, #46: Dan GronkowskiTE (Overall #255) (Compensatory selection)
2009 Tampa Bay Draft Class
| Round 1, 17th: Josh Freeman, QB (Overall 17) (From Jets through Browns) |
| Round 3, 17th: Roy Miller, T (Overall 81) |
| Round 4, 17th: Kyle Moore, DE (Overall 117) (From Dallas) |
| Round 5, 19th: Xavier Fulton, T (Overall 155) |
| Round 7, 8th: E.J. Biggers, CB (Overall 217) (From Jaguars) Round 7, 24th: Sammie Stroughter, WR (Overall 233) (From Ravens) |
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Grading Draft Classes
Draft classes are an important measure of the organization of the front office. There are thousands of college players and coaches need players that fit their system, demeanor, or personality. The successful GM constructs an organization that can find the right talent for their team.
To grade drafts across multiple teams the following criteria will be used to track individual draft classes:
Starting point:
Round by Round Expectations:
Round 1 guys should start the next fall or before the 6th game of the season.
Round 2 guys should get playing time all year, maybe start.
Round 3 guys should get playing time all year, maybe start.
Round 4 guys should get playing time next year, start in year 2-3
Round 5 guys should get playing time next year, start in year 2-3
Round 6 guys are special teamers or project players probably destined for some practice squad time
Round 7 guys are special teamers or project players probably destined for some practice squad time
Using these criteria, a "Got What They Should Have Gotten" Draft Class Score would be in the 250 point range after three years.
To grade drafts across multiple teams the following criteria will be used to track individual draft classes:
Starting point:
- One point for each player chosen.
- Adjust draft rating each year until no players from that draft are on the squad.
- Accumulate points year over year.
- Free agents and other additions to the roster are not graded.
- -4 first time player does not make the roster; never counted again even if they rejoin team.
- 3 year "target case" totals allow for a player to miss two games per year for injury
Round by Round Expectations:
Round 1 guys should start the next fall or before the 6th game of the season.
- Before game 6, +1 if played, -1 if DNP.
- After game 6, +1 if starter, -1 if DNP.
- Over three years an excellent score would be 42 points.
Round 2 guys should get playing time all year, maybe start.
- Each Game: +1 if played, -1 if DNP
- Over three years an excellent score would be 42 points.
Round 3 guys should get playing time all year, maybe start.
- Each Game: +1 if played, -1 if DNP
- Over three years an excellent score would be 42 points.
Round 4 guys should get playing time next year, start in year 2-3
- Each Game: +1 if played
- Year 2: +1 if start
- Year 3+: +1 if start, -1 if DNP
- Over three years an excellent score would be 42 points.
Round 5 guys should get playing time next year, start in year 2-3
- Each Game: +1 if played
- Year 2: +1 if start
- Year 3+: +1 if start, -1 if DNP
- Over three years an excellent score would be 42 points.
Round 6 guys are special teamers or project players probably destined for some practice squad time
- Each Game: +2 if contributed in non-special teams role
- Over three years an excellent score would be 22 points.
Round 7 guys are special teamers or project players probably destined for some practice squad time
- Each Game: +2 if contributed in non-special teams role
- Over three years an excellent score would be 18 points.
Using these criteria, a "Got What They Should Have Gotten" Draft Class Score would be in the 250 point range after three years.
Monday, September 7, 2009
And so began the Third Era
On January 17th, 2009, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers promoted Mark Dominik to General Manager. This marks the third GM since the arrival of the Glazer ownership (and the birth of the Pirates of Pewter Pants).
The General Manager drives the composition and character of the team more than any other front office position. Besides Tampa Bay, seven other teams changed General Managers after the 2008 season: Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New England, and Saint Louis. This blog is dedicated to chronicling the NFL General Manager Class of 2009, emphasizing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And, who knows, maybe some scoop here and there.
Bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Bay!!
The General Manager drives the composition and character of the team more than any other front office position. Besides Tampa Bay, seven other teams changed General Managers after the 2008 season: Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New England, and Saint Louis. This blog is dedicated to chronicling the NFL General Manager Class of 2009, emphasizing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And, who knows, maybe some scoop here and there.
Bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Bay!!
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