NewCliche21 Eats Crow: 2010 season/2011 offseason reflection

[NewCliche21]

Posted on ES, but I'd like to see what kind of incorrect assertions that you'd like to man up to.

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I make these threads when I've been proven wrong, but I kind of lost interest after this year, except for being pissed off about the lockout, but I'm due. I figure now's a good time since we're just about to get started with the season and can fully reflect on our time since ShanaAllen came on board.

This isn't an "I told you so!!!!" thread; this is the exact opposite. Remember: What you post here can be used against you, and it probably will be. However, as Burgold brought up in the Hankerson thread, I am a very strong believer that there are fans who would rather be right than see our team win, and I am certainly not one of them. After a 6-10 season, those who are still on this board all have my respect, but we were wrong about a few things.

So, I invite you all to use this space to man up and point out where you've been wrong. Grab your ketchup/catsup, hot sauce, soy sauce, and get a bib. This crow's gonna be a messy meal!

1) Trading for Donovan McNabb was a stroke of genius. No, no it wasn't. In the heat of the moment, with the excitement of having Shanahan and Allen (read: not Zorn/Vinny), I convinced myself that it was a good idea. I bought into all of the convenient stats about third-winningest quarterback, Hall of Famer if he gets a ring, fitting the offense, etc. It was all completely wrong. It cost us a lot in the season and two legitimate draft picks going into 2010/2011. I was wrong.

2) Winning the Jacksonville game was a good idea. No, no it wasn't. I was very happy that Shanahan played the last few games as a real-world preseason, giving second-stringers a shot (by injury and by choice) and the starters a rest. The play of Barnes stuck out to me specifically. However, and I think I argued with HailGreen28 about this, winning the game was meaningless. I claimed "momentum into next season" (uh, kinda replaced a third of the roster since then?) and "experience" (getting the experience happened regardless of whether or not the last field goal was made).

What it did cost us was, as HailGreen28 pointed out, a much higher draft pick. Finishing 5-11 puts us in a tie for the sixth pick, giving us pretty much anyone that we wanted (that pick would the one that the Browns traded to Atlanta for, well, a crap ton of picks to get Julio Jones). Even if we don't take Jones and we make literally the same trade (Shanahan and Allen would've gotten better), we end up at the 21st pick (who was Phil Taylor, for the record). Oh, and their second and fourth rounders this year, and their first and fourth next year. Yeah, uh, that win was NOT worth it. I was wrong.

3) Malcolm Kelly. I think that this one was more just wanting it so bad for him. We all know his talent, but, it was this injury, then that one, but now it's better, but then there's this new surgery that will give him the knees of Superman!, and so on and so forth. As incredible as he could have been, he won't do anything in this league. I was wrong.

4) Ryan Torain. When Johnson/Parker/Portis all turned it in one way or another, this Ryan Torain guy steps on the field. I started looking ahead to who we could draft in the fourth round this year once this Torain guy gets cut. Well, he came out and looked fantastic. Yeah, there's health concerns, so it's a possible Malcolm Kelly situation, but I thought that he was nothing at all. I was wrong.

5) We will always find a way to lose/We can't win games that count/We can't run with the big dogs. I'm happy to have been wrong about this one. Yes, we did find ways to lose and we lost ones that counted, but tucked away in our record are some wins over some pretty impressive teams. Packers, Bears, and Eagles; we found a way to win all of those. Oh, and those were the Super Bowl champion, NFC runner up, and future dream team for those keeping track at home. I was wrong.

We also came damn close with some other games. Colts, Bucs, Giants, Cowboys (of late in the season)? We lost those games by ten points combined. The 2009 Redskins would've gotten blown the eff out in all of these games and had a legit shot at trading out of first overall. I never thought that I'd see the day that we could actually compete and, well, we did. I was wrong.

6) Rex Grossman. Yeah, I liked the "**** it, I'm going deep!" tagline, but that was about it. I was defending McNabb (keep in mind I defended Campbell for a while, too, so I'm no ASF when it comes to quarterbacks ), but Grossman came in and, well, he didn't look too bad. Bad, yeah, but not TOO bad. He looked like there could be something there. Quarterback of the future? Probably not, but he's at least something. I was wrong.

7) John Beck. Much more of a shot in the dark, but, he's competing to be our best quarterback when in years prior it was a competition to be the least bad. I was wrong.

8) We can't draft well. Happy to be wrong, again. We played the draft like a fiddle this year. I couldn't believe that we traded DOWN when Gabbert fell to us. And then traded more picks. And more. We ended up with twelve. That was amazing. Then we picked up Kerrigan, Jenkins, Hankerson, Helu, Gomes, Paul, Thompson, Royster, and Neild? I'm not calling us the 1991 team, but these guys have a legit shot at the bottom, and are really impressing at the top. I was wrong

9) Gibbs was our best shot, and now we're effed in the A. Forever. Well, no we're not. No, we're not going to win it all this year, but things are definitely looking up with the guys in charge right now. In years past I was always thinking "this is the year!", but now it's, "We're opening a window for ourselves, and we've got a really good shot for the next six, seven, or more years." It's nice to have hope. I was wrong.

I'm sure that there are more things that I missed on since Shanahan and Allen have come on board, but even these nine are a good place to start.

 

[Elephant]

I was convinced Brandon banks would not be on our opening day roster against the Giants next week. Looks like I was wrong.

I thought last year's switch to 3-4 would set us back for years to come as long as Haslett was scheming the defense. Well, I haven't totally been proven wrong since we haven't started the season, but I see us being a heck of a lot better on the defensive side of the ball than we were last year.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

I havent been wrong yet, and I would much rather win than be right all the time, its frustrating. It is funny that some people from the other site message me on facebook asking me to make another account to rub it in, but I dont even look at that site anymore, this one is far better.

 

[burgold]

2) Winning the Jacksonville game was a good idea. No, no it wasn't. I was very happy that Shanahan played the last few games as a real-world preseason, giving second-stringers a shot (by injury and by choice) and the starters a rest. The play of Barnes stuck out to me specifically. However, and I think I argued with HailGreen28 about this, winning the game was meaningless. I claimed "momentum into next season" (uh, kinda replaced a third of the roster since then?) and "experience" (getting the experience happened regardless of whether or not the last field goal was made)..

I want to contend with this one and say that you were right.

What winning the Jacksonville game and playing really well in the others showed us and the team was that the system was working. It was the players and the effort out "stars" themselves were giving that was the problem. We got to see who we needed to get rid of and who to keep. We also got to set a tempo and a belief in this team.

Shanny needed to see Sexy Rexy outplay HOF McNabb. It was useful to see that Rogers was half assing it and it was way more than just his hands. It was good to see how hard Portis played to protect himself and what a difference heart and desire meant on the field. We actually broke some tackles and our o line was producing holes.

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Okay, where I might have been wrong. I was not a fan of the Shanny hiring because it was another big name has been. A guy who as a coach/gm assembled a free agent majority team much like Syderatto and that I feared we were going to see a new version of that.

Shanny's brought discipline and best he elevates and plays the guys who are doing well. Pedigree and tenure mean little to him which was Gibbs' big fault.

Still, don't know if he can get us there, but I like where we seem to be heading.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'll eat crow about McNabb - I was hesitant about trading a 2nd & 4th round pick, but I thought it would all be worth it when he stepped on the field and led us to the promise land. I bought all the John Elway part II nonsense hook, line & sinker. Then McNabb and his ego came here and wasn't a good fit. Don't know who was mostly at fault, McNabb for not kowtowing to his new Shanahanian Masters, or the Kyle & Mike for not conforming their offense to an established, potential HOF QB, but it didn't work.

I'm not so sure Kelly is a crow-eating situation; the kid has all the talent in the world, just kept getting freak injury after freak injury. Feel bad for him, but really wanted him to make the team and contribute. Oh well.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I havent been wrong yet, and I would much rather win than be right all the time, its frustrating. It is funny that some people from the other site message me on facebook asking me to make another account to rub it in, but I dont even look at that site anymore, this one is far better.

Yer doin' it wrong.

 

[burgold]

Yer doin' it wrong.

Hey, you shouldn't pick on trillionaires. Cause seriously, if he hasn't been wrong yet... that's what he is.

Otherwise, I suspect exageration and a bad memory.

 

[fansince62]

well...

1) defended Haynesworth way past the statute of player limitations. he is a dirtball.

2) may have over condemned Shanahan's ego. the jury is still out...but maybe this guy does have a long-run plan.

3) overly criticized Armstrong. not sure yet just how valuable he will be - others may pass by him - but he's an intelligent, articulate individual and a great locker room teammate.

but Butterball?! never!!!!!!!

 

[burgold]

well...

1) defended Haynesworth way past the statute of player limitations. he is a dirtball.

2) may have over condemned Shanahan's ego. the jury is still out...but maybe this guy does have a long-run plan.

3) overly criticized Armstrong. not sure yet just how valuable he will be - others may pass by him - but he's an intelligent, articulate individual and a great locker room teammate.

but Butterball?! never!!!!!!!

Armstrong is quickly becoming one of my favorites. How can you not love his story of the underdog made good!

More, he's done it as the number 2 wr and continued to do it even after opposing d coordinators had tape on him. This preseason he continued to make plays. Love his heart, effort, and production.

He may not be a HOFer or even an All Pro, but he's a very fine player.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

Hey, you shouldn't pick on trillionaires. Cause seriously, if he hasn't been wrong yet... that's what he is.

Otherwise, I suspect exageration and a bad memory.

Im doing alright, unfortunately my football ability to prognosticate hasnt translated to the stock market. but feel free to try and find something about football where I have been wrong. it shouldnt be hard, as Om likes to say, I dont often post in the grey area, im all about one side or the other.

The closest thing to me being wrong in the past couple seasons, I said that AH would be a solid signing as long as we used him correctly, in the same post I was very clear that if we did not, it would be a huge waste, my mistake was in thinking we would be smart enough to want to maximise our investment rather than marginalise it.

I was somewhat wrong on Trent Williams, I thought he would be a better pass blocker and not as solid at run blocking, im still a bit confused on that lol. I always thought he had bust potential but that he would be a solid but not elite guy, so we will see.

I was absolutely correct about Mcrapp and its funny that I was pilloried for telling it like it is about him all along. OVERRATED. terrible signing.

I am tired about being right about the 3-4 and Hall, I like Hall but he is a nickel corner at best and we should have traded him when his value was high.

I was right about carter, he still has at least 3 seasons in the tank, dudes in ridiculous shape and is a high character player you build around.

I am right about rak, in a year when he had almost double the rush attempts, he had fewer sacks than when he played with his hand in the dirt, he regressed and I doubt he will ever be the Ware type that shanny envisioned, he is a 4-3 end not a 3-4 OLB. I have said all along that in the right 4-3 he would be a beast, but that he needs to be schemed ala freeney.

I am trying to see what I wrong about, hmmm, I said Blades was not a starting calibre nfl linebacker even in a 4-3, I said that chris wilson was not a guy we should be catering to as he was a marginal player at best.

I said we should sign Cam wake as he would be a beast in the 3-4.

I dont exactly take nebulous positions either, so when I am wrong (and it has been known to happen) feel free to remind me, but as for now, Ive been absolutely correct, maybe I should get paid for this.

 

[Yusuf06]

Wrong:
McNabb-I figured he had enough gas in the tank to be a good transitional QB that would allow us to be somewhat competitive right away until we could draft/coach up a QB of the future. Like Shanny, I misjudged the willingness of the old dog to learn new tricks. Good riddance.

Orakpo-He got a lot of unblocked sacks in college and I figured he'd have limited NFL success. I'll just skip directly to pleading and move on.

Selvish Capers-I thought he was a raw prospect that would take the snub of not being taken relatively early as many expected and use it as motivation to develop into a legit NFL player, if not a starter.

Devin Thomas-I thought he'd end up proving that Shanny had ego issues. Instead all he proved was that Shanny knows a guy who's just not very committed to playing football when he see's one.

Right:
Malcomb Kelly-I remember saying something to the effect that he was a slow possession type WR with bad knees and and attitude problem. What could possibly go wrong there? To his credit, he never seemed to have an issue with his attitude while he was here.

Kareem Moore-See above, minus the attitude problems. He was a guy with speed/coverage issues coming off knee surgery. I felt it was a wasted pick. Turns out I was right.

Fat Albert-Who couldn't see this train wreck coming though?

Sean Taylor-Not exactly football related and a lot earlier than the time period for this thread, but what the heck. Now before any of you gets yer panties all in a bunch, this is NOT an anti-Taylor comment so stop jumping up and down on the couch already.

I remember having a discussion over at ES with Art (who was probably just playing debil's advocate anyway) regarding Taylor's taking the law into his own hands. He felt that Taylor was justified in looking for the guys he thought had stolen his ATV. I think the Javaris Crittenton shooting proved me right when I said that taking the law into one's own hands is generally a piss poor decision.

And since I'm indulging in going to the wayback machine on my comments, I'll also point out that I was one of those few folks who realized early on that emperor Snyderatto was running our F.O. sans clothing. I will also say that I lost a measure of respect for a certain poster over there, who to my knowledge never once owned up to being wrong about backing said naked emperor to the bitter end while often arrogantly belittling others in the process.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

The biggest issue I have had with Dan Snyder is that despite the fact that he has always been willing to drop cash on players, he has never been willing to put together a good front office/scouting department to find the right guys to drop cash on. I cant question his desire to win, but I wonder sometimes at how A guy who made so much money, managed to be so bad at managing a football team.

 

[burgold]

Im doing alright, unfortunately my football ability to prognosticate hasnt translated to the stock market. QUOTE]

Hey, I'm just givin' you a hard time, but if you were right 100 percent of the time you'd own Vegas and be a trillionaire. Think of the bets you'd win, the over/unders you'd cash in on, etc. You can't never be wrong and not have cashed in somehow to an unGodly degree.

Anyone who claims to be perfect... well, I'll just say I haven't met one yet and that degree of hubris I find leads to a fall or at least an undeserved degree of arrogance.




I mean, heck, you never even thought that a running back made a first down when he was caught an inch short?

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

LOL well then I may not be 100% more like 95% or so lmao

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Well, looks like we found something else for Ryman to eat crow on: Chris Neild. Your plate is ready, get it while its hot!

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

I will eat crow when he sustains it for more than one game. He did nothing all preseason when two gapping but he looked very good when one gapping. I am hoping the quick first step he showed was not a mirage because he was getting rolled over all preseason.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

btw using the phrase "something else" would imply there was already something for me to eat crow on, that is not the case.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

but while we are on the subject, you said that 3-4 takes a season to switch during which teams will be bad, , you are wrong about that as evidenced by the Packers, Patriots and Ravens among others who did the switch properly. but this year, you may want to watch a few texans games. when done properly you should improve when you make the change.