SI: Ten most dysfunctional offseasons

[bronco militia]

:~ohyah!:

Ten most dysfunctional offseasons
about 20 hours ago :: 60119 Views
This time of year most of the NFL news is negative, so it's a good time to look back at what's gone wrong in the offseason. Here's my take on the 10 most dysfunctional teams of this offseason. Keep in mind, this is just for the last five months, so a perennially dysfunctional team like the Cardinals didn't make the cut.

1. Chargers - San Diego fired Marty Schottenheimer because he didn't get along with general manager A.J. Smith despite last year's 14-2 mark. And coordinators Wade Phillips and Cam Cameron left for head coaching jobs.

2. Dolphins - Both fans and veterans spoke out against the selection of Ted Ginn Jr. at No. 9 in the draft. And their handling of the Daunte Culpepper situation has been ugly.

3. Chiefs - It took too long to ship Trent Green to Miami and the QB situation became an unneeded distraction. DE Jared Allen, who will serve a four-game NFL suspension for DUI, was unhappy he got franchise tagged and RB Larry Johnson's impending free agency looms on the horizon.

4. Falcons - They dealt one of the NFL's top backup QBs, Matt Schaub, before the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal broke. Now they have too much invested in Vick to distance themselves from their controversial quarterback.

5. Bengals - The bottom line is Cincinnari was at a zero tolerance for any arrests. There have been two this offseason - A.J. Nicholson (since released) and Quincy Wilson (last weekend at a wedding). Not good.

6. Bears - The Super Bowl loser jinx appears to be alive and well. LB Lance Briggs was furious about being franchise tagged and may hold out, DE Alex Brown wants to be traded and DT Tank Johnson went to jail and will serve an eight-game NFL suspension.

7. Packers - First, the Packers had to wait to see if Brett Favre would come back, then they didn't draft the players Favre wanted. It's not easy to see where Green Bay is going in the post-Favre era.

8. Titans - Tennessee is trying to distance itself from Pacman, but the team hasn't gotten far enough away from the troubled cornerback. And the Titans failed to address some pretty big holes in free agency.

9. Buccaneers - How many QBs does coach Jon Gruden need? Tampa traded for Jake Plummer and signed Jeff Garcia, with Chris Simms still in the fold. Plummer then retired (at least for now) and Garcia has jumped way ahead of Simms in the QB battle.

10. Giants - The Giants ended last season mired in dysfunction. They cut some of the bad apples, but you still get the feeling this locker room isn't on the same page with coach Tom Coughlin. TE Jeremy Shockey worked out in Miami again this offseason and you know he has a major explosion coming at some point this season

http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/22294

[Garcia Bronco]

"They dealt one of the NFL's top backup QBs, Matt Schaub, "


Whhhooo horsey......top QB? Come on...stretching it thin. He might be one day...I hope he is...but he's not a top NFL QB

[BroncoFanatic]

"They dealt one of the NFL's top backup QBs, Matt Schaub, "


Whhhooo horsey......top QB? Come on...stretching it thin. He might be one day...I hope he is...but he's not a top NFL QB

note the word "backup"

[bronco militia]

yeah...what the hell, garcia LOL

[Sassy]

I'll get Garcia some more coffee...

[Hotrod]

"7. Packers - First, the Packers had to wait to see if Brett Favre would come back, then they didn't draft the players Favre wanted"

This is actually pretty telling

[STBumpkin]

"They dealt one of the NFL's top backup QBs, Matt Schaub, "


Whhhooo horsey......top QB? Come on...stretching it thin. He might be one day...I hope he is...but he's not a top NFL QB

It says top BACKUP QBs.

[Los Broncos]

Well Schaub is a pretty good back up, he should be starting in hotlanta.

[fdf]

The bottom line is Cincinnari was at a zero tolerance for any arrests.

Statements like this drive me nuts. What is the NFL going to do, make them forfeit games? Make them wear prison togs instead of uniforms during a game. The players will be punished. The franchise will not.

[bronco militia]

Statements like this drive me nuts. What is the NFL going to do, make them forfeit games? Make them wear prison togs instead of uniforms during a game. The players will be punished. The franchise will not.


I'm pretty sure that comment was taken word for word from the great :approve: head coach that is Marvin Lewis

[JLesSPE]

Statements like this drive me nuts. What is the NFL going to do, make them forfeit games? Make them wear prison togs instead of uniforms during a game. The players will be punished. The franchise will not.

Actually when the new policy came out they were saying that franchises with multiple offenses could be stripped of draft picks.

Goodell unveils new conduct policy
Associated Press

Updated: April 11, 2007, 12:56 AM ET
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NEW YORK -- NFL teams will be disciplined when their employees, including players, violate the league's personal conduct policy.

Moments after announcing the one-year suspension of Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, and an eight-game ban for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released his strengthened conduct policy Tuesday. Along with longer suspensions and larger fines for individuals who violate the policy, Goodell will hold teams responsible, as well.

He did not say how he would punish those teams, although stripping them of draft choices is considered one of the most effective ways to do so.

"It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff," Goodell said. "We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted."

The strengthened standards apply to all NFL employees: players, coaches, officials, owners, front-office and league personnel. And Goodell emphasized in the new policy that those standards will be considerably tighter than outside the league.

"It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime," the new policy says. "Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful.

"Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."

The new policy comes in the wake of a series of off-field issues involving several players, notably Jones, Henry and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

There were 10 occasions in which Jones was interviewed by police, the most recent during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club left one man paralyzed.

Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, and received a two-game league suspension last year. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months. Johnson currently is in jail, serving four months for violating probation in a 2005 gun case.

Two of Henry's teammates, along with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, recognized the need for stronger league guidelines for player conduct.

"You would think it's necessary just because of the negative publicity the NFL is beginning to receive because of what's happening," Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "It was going on for an extended period of time. Each day, each week, something was happening."

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer suspects the new policy will help.

"With all of the things that have been happening recently, I think it will be good and hopefully give the league a little better image. I hope that it works and that guys abide by the rules and do what's right."

So does Upshaw, of course. He consulted with Goodell before the commissioner, now in his seventh month on the job, revised the conduct policy. Goodell also established a panel of players to offer advice on such matters.

"The NFL Players Association and the Player Advisory Council have been discussing this issue for several months," Upshaw said. "We believe that these are steps that the commissioner needs to take and we support the policy. It is important that players in violation of the policy will have the opportunity and the support to change their conduct and earn their way back."

Tony Dungy said placing responsibility on the teams for their players and employees makes sense, even if it results in penalties that affect more than the wallet.

"That seems to be the thing that gets everyone's attention," the coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts said of potentially lost draft picks and player availability. "We talked about fines at the league meetings, and that may not do the trick. But when you start talking about playing time and draft picks, that seems to get your attention."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[Los Broncos]

Man, Goodell is a beast.

[Popps]

Man, Goodell is a beast.

He's exactly what the NFL needs.

[Los Broncos]

He's exactly what the NFL needs.

I agree, it needs to be cleaned up.

[clean]

note the word "backup"

Asking Garcia to read and comprehend? I think you're setting the bar a little too high.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

3. Chiefs - It took too long to ship Trent Green to Miami and the QB situation became an unneeded distraction. DE Jared Allen, who will serve a four-game NFL suspension for DUI, was unhappy he got franchise tagged and RB Larry Johnson's impending free agency looms on the horizon.

Very uninformed. Green's situation wasn't distracting at all and several players have said so. The fact that it got done WAY before training camp indicates it was barely an issue. Allen's issues were so severe he reported to OTAs like a good little soldier, and LJ will get signed.

[azbroncfan]

Queef fans are going to enjoy a 7-8 win year. THis will be after they give LJ the deal he wants and he wastes another 400 plus carry season.

[boltaneer]

Very uninformed. Green's situation wasn't distracting at all and several players have said so. The fact that it got done WAY before training camp indicates it was barely an issue. Allen's issues were so severe he reported to OTAs like a good little soldier, and LJ will get signed.

Then you didn't listen to Tony G's interviews. He wasn't painting a pretty picture about how the players felt.

But it's all in the past now so it's probably not an issue anymore.

[epicSocialism4tw]

The Chargers could very well be a disappointment this season.

[BroncoBuff]

BEST OFF-SEASONS?

1. Denver
2. San Francisco
3. New England
4. Phoenix
5. Cleveland

[Killericon]

BEST OFF-SEASONS?

1. Denver
2. San Francisco
3. New England
4. Phoenix
5. Cleveland

If Moss returns to even 75% of what he was, NE will have had the best, far and away.

[Los Broncos]

BEST OFF-SEASONS?

1. Denver
2. San Francisco
3. New England
4. Phoenix
5. Cleveland

Phoenix?

[BroncoBuff]

Ken Whisenhunt has a chance to be an excellent coach, brought Russ Grimm with him. Leinart set as starter and could have a big year... they still have the best WR duo in league, and if Leonard Pope gets motivated, he could be a matchup nightmare.

Got rid of lazt Leonard Russell, drafted two huge talents in Levi Brown and Alan Branch - both have huge upsides. That Ben Patrick TE might be kind of a sleeper. Lost CB Macklin, but signed Terrence Holt and Roderick Hood and a couple other decent defenders.

They'll have the most improved record in NFC, save maybe San Fran. You watch.

[Los Broncos]

Ken Whisenhunt has a chance to be an excellent coach, brought Russ Grimm with him. Leinart set as starter and could have a big year... they still have the best WR duo in league, and if Leonard Pope gets motivated, he could be a matchup nightmare.

Got rid of lazt Leonard Russell, drafted two huge talents in Levi Brown and Alan Branch - both have huge upsides. That Ben Patrick TE might be kind of a sleeper. Lost CB Macklin, but signed Terrence Holt and Roderick Hood and a couple other decent defenders.

They'll have the most improved record in NFC, save maybe San Fran. You watch.

San Fran will be much improved, but i don't see them winning the division this year.