Death in Sports, Good Writing

Brian Phillips on the potential death of a player in sports:

"Athletes fall down all the time. They get tackled. They lose their balance trying to make a move. They hit the ground diving for a loose ball...Every once in a while, though, an athlete goes down and it's … different. There's no good way to describe this, but if you've watched sports long enough, chances are you've seen it once or twice and never want to see it again. A player goes down, and almost immediately there's this miserable, crawly sense that something is different; something is wrong. It's a sensation, a sort of tingle that spreads from the other players to the fans in the stadium to the people watching at home. Oh no. You can tell when this has happened because within about 10 seconds, no one at the game remembers which team they're cheering for. Fans on both sides look on with their hands clasped in front of their faces. The top half of the player disappears under a dome of medics. You stare at the player's foot and will it to move. Did it just twitch? Please get up, please get up, no one is supposed to die playing sports, please get up …"

Not Jags related but definitely worth a read.

Not yet. Apprently.

The deal has hit a hang up and the Jags are back in the mix. The PFT article says the Rams are still interested but an ESPN article released a few minutes ago corrects that earlier report. It appears (just from reading the coverage) the Jaguars may be the only remaining team vying for Tebow's services. We shall see.

It wouldn't really be Tebow if there wasn't a dramatic finish.

-Q

Tebow to the Jets.

First, I was wrong (always like to lead with that). Tebow isn't coming to the Jags, at least not for a while. We also know now that the Jaguars do not think Tebow was worth the price of a fourth round draft pick and converting a 6th to a 7th. I do think it should be noted Tebow is probably in a better situation. The general speculation is that the Jets want him to run a specific "Wildcat" package. Granted, Mularkey could have put together a package similar to how he used Kordell Stewart when he was in Pittsburgh but there's no denying the primary reason for the Jaguar's interest was business-related. For the Jets, he just a football player. No franchise resting on his broad shoulders.

Best wishes to Tebow. I honestly think this will be better for his career. That said, something tells me we'll hear from him again.
-Q

Might as well get ahead of it...

I posted yesterday on the developing Tim Tebow saga and have been consuming rapid amounts of media ever since. I'll post a round up below but figured I might as well go ahead and make a prediction as well. I think the Jaguars are going to do this (trade a pick for Tebow) and honestly part of me feels they have to. Not because it's a good idea (see yesterday's post), but much in the same way John Elway threw Tebow out there hoping to end all the hoopla (Whoops), this may need to happen. I do want to make a few points...

We need to talk about Tim.

I did not foresee the downside of Peyton Manning's release. I was all "the Wicked Forehead is Dead."

If you haven't heard, Peyton Manning is preparing to sign with the Denver Broncos. Consequently, the Denver Broncos are either going to trade or release Tim Tebow. Thus, a very real downside has emerged for Jaguars fans who prefer their football team make decisions based on watching football, rather than marketing/bullshit. There's a couple lost seasons and the specter of a Gene Smith resignation looming in the air so let's work through this a bit...

Good Writing

A very nice piece of writing from David Fleming. Jags fans complaining about Gene Smith, note where these two played college ball.

-Quinton

Why Jags fans should be proud Mike Florio is pooping on Mike Mularkey?

Mike Mularkey, new Jaguars Head coach. Photo courtesy of The Palm Beach Post

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote a little piece basically calling out the Jags, saying they should've waited and interviewed Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. 

The piece is odd to say the least. His criticism of the Jags hire, Mike Mularkey, is based on a poor offensive showing in the Falcons last game, when Mularkey was offensive coordinator, and the fact that the Bucs, who've played Mularkey twice a year for the last few years, reportedly didn't interview him. Mularkey has been coaching in the NFL for 18 years. If he's worthy of being a head coach, it has essentially nothing to do with his last game. 

As to the Bucs criticisms, I have no idea why the Jaguars should be modeling themselves on the Buccaneers search. Raheem Morris, their last head coach, was so clearly overwhelmed by the job that the Bucs seem to be reacting and reaching for a safer, more established coach. I think that is a fine and sensible strategy. It should have no impact on the Jaguars. 

I don't know if McCoy or Mularkey will be a good head coach. If Mularkey doesn’t work out, I'm sure PFT will link back to their initial criticism. You know what they won't link back to? Their reaction to the hire of Mike McCarthy, the Green Bay Packer's head coach, in 2006. They described him as not being “worthy of a promotion” and described his previous experience as “six years of relative mediocrity.” They insinuated that Green Bay’s GM Ted Thompson was only hiring McCarthy to preserve power and control. Heck, in the same piece they call Sean Payton Bill Parcell’s “biatch.” Well, five years later, those are two of the most respected head coaches in the NFL, and the two odds on favorites to win the Super Bowl this year.  Florio is a well connected guy and I enjoy his site but his criticism of a head coach should be a badge of honor.

The two archived PFT pieces are here and here.

-Quinton