noone gives a damn about the NHL

Don't know about that, but it was Peter's birthday yesterday!

i estimate that absolutely noone gives a damn about the NHL

Including Gary Bettman.

I give a damn about the NHL but man are they being ####### stupid. The league looked from the outside like it was really well set. They seemed to have recovered in the public's eye from 2004/2005 and the TV deal with NBC looked like it was paying dividends. They've had a couple of great seasons with some exciting young and marketable stars and now...this. The stupidity is off the charts. The inability to find a common ground is crazy.

What is the latest on the NHL CBA negotiations? I heard something about a 50/50 offer. But I suppose the devil is in the details...maybe starting with what counts as the revenue to be split up?

Basically, the players latest offers included provisions to eventually get to 50/50, but the sticking point is they want currently signed deals to be honoured (a not unreasonable request, I'd say. Unlike the last lockout, the league's survival isn't even being portrayed as being threatened -- it's just a matter of degrees of profit). The owners want a clawback of existing deals so as to get to 50/50 sooner. They're pretty close, I think, and they're negotiating today. We'll see if there's any progress. I'd be surprised if they blew up a season over this gap.

If the Colts make the playoffs, does that show just how bad a coach Jim Cadwell was?

If the Colts make the playoffs, does that show just how bad a coach Jim Cadwell was?

I don't know, but I do know it shows just how bad Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter were (not that any additional evidence was required for that conclusion to be reached).

But if the Colts make the playoffs, it's more a product of the AFC being so dreadful than anything else.

I liked this article, I don't know how accurate it is but I like that it names names.

The fact that this:

When it comes to dissent on the owners' side, Bettman only requires the support of eight teams to veto any proposal from the NHLPA.

is an NHL by-law pretty much guarantees never-ending labor strife. ####### ####### bastards.

I actually really, really miss the NHL. The product they've put out over the past few years has been excellent. Games have been very fast paced and interesting, and the fan experience has been very rewarding. I've been consoling myself with DVDs of prior Stanley Cup Finals series (watching 1987 right now), but the constant stoppages and whistles really make me long for the current game.

#3 is dead on. It is absolutely baffling that the NHL and NHLPA still can't find common ground. Cancelling the Winter Classic is a major symbolic sacrifice, which I don't think will prove worthwhile in the end.

Basically, I don't think it's a question of the NHL potentially losing all the ground it's gained over the past 7 years or so. The league has already lost that ground.

I wonder what the WPA of the Saints taking a safety up 4 with 49s left (no time outs) on their own 2? If they were up 6 it would be a no brainer.

The entire city of New Orleans could be destroyed by rain, fire or nuclear bomb and it would be a net win for civilization.

I don't think you can take a safety there. They were much better off making the Falcons score a touchdown, especially indoors.

The Falcons are who we thought they are.

The announcer mentioned it, but he seemed to be figuring it backwards or something - considering a lead of either 4 or 6 points would put them in the same position. There's too much of a difference between 2 and 4.

So what is it about the piles of tv money the NFL and MLB are raking in without a work stoppage that the NHL hates so much?

The strategy of punt and then hold every receiver off the line on the ensuing possession seems to have worked fine for them.

Seriously. New Orleans needs to drown in a flood.

ok, i see one clearly missed tackle. the cornerback with the hard to spell name just flat out missed

He's been missing tackles for years.

So what is it about the piles of tv money the NFL and MLB are raking in without a work stoppage that the NHL hates so much?

The owners have to have more money than anyone else in their business. Not a 'lot' of money, more money. They don't understand in a labor intensive and hard to replace labor force like there is in professional sports, that the labor costs should reflect that. So, they try to force their workers to accept unreasonable demands.

The ads for Silver Linings so far is "Come see sexy Jennifer Lawerence argue about Eagles football!" which is admittedly not bad advertising..

Nick Foles time.

Just as I was about to say the Jets are hopeless, the Seahawks lose a TD on a penantly and immediately follow with another flag....

...oh, but now a gadget play, Golden Tate THROWS a TD.

Nick Foles time.

pop-quiz hotshot:

between the eagles and the phillies, which team has the more recent win?

Nick foles did not look good. If Eagles fans think he's going to save their season, they are kidding themselves.

The season is beyond saving. Anyone who thinks anything can save it is fooling themself.

Most Eagles fans I know gave up on Michael Vick at least 13 months ago. Either he was going to be injured half the time or he was going to throw the ball straight to a defensive back every two or three drives in between periods of greatness.

As for Nick Foles, it was interesting watching an Eagles QB float passes around like balloons with the hope that they would land softly in the arms of a motionless receiver. After ten years of McNabb always erring on the side of rifling the ball at the receiver's feet, and then Vick sowing chaos wherever he goes.

I'm kind of interested in the NHL coming to Seattle with this new arena deal. In a couple years, I should be able to buy a team myself.

Don Fehr seems to be driving the NHL owners nuts. I mean, how dare he try to get the best deal for his constituents? The nerve!

not a good day for the real refs. 80 second clock rundown and nobody notices in STL at SF, then the 2012 version of Jerry rice discarding the football before the end zone which goes unnoticed as well.

A tie! Love it. question: what was the last tie game in I-A history before the advent of OT in I-A (FBS) college football. A truly pathetic game, Hint: 1995 and I'm betting one of our older posters was in attendance.

So the Bears head into their hardest stretch of games and of course have Cutler go down.

mrams

is that the tie against illinois? what a dreary game. blech

that was easy. Yeah, 3-3.

So the Bears head into their hardest stretch of games and of course have Cutler go down.

Hey, Mr. Sunshine is back! We missed you last week!

So the Bears head into their hardest stretch of games and of course have Cutler go down.

No snark intended, but isn't that a positive for the Bears? Cutler has been mediocre at best.

Poulanc, you didn't see Jason Campell play last night.

Poulanc, you didn't see Jason Campell play last night.

You are right, I didn't. And I've always thought that Campbell could succeed in the NFL given a chance. That's probably clouded my vision.

Jason Campbell looked pretty good to me. That tight end they have drops more passes than Braylon Edwards. And neither offense could make any progress in that weather.

The only good part of the Rams-Niners game, other than, I suppose, the Niners not losing a game they were outplayed in, and some kewl fake punts was getting to see Colin Kaepernick in non-garbagetime/non-preseason action.

Summary: Obviously not really ready to be an NFL starter.

The good: Great runner and strong arm. After a shakey start he did complete like 10 of 11 for 100-odd yards, which isn't shabby. Extended a few plays with his feet. No picks

The bad: Some horrific overthrows, not super accurate. Really poor reads - missing wide open receivers, making odd decisions when flushed from the pocket ("I'll run ... no I'll pass no I'll run... ahhhh sideline")

The ugly: 2 fumbles although both recovered - one on a sack, one on a center exchange (that Gore picked up off the ground and ran for 12 yards!)

It could be Backup QB Monday Football next week as the Niners host the Bears! Maybe instead of a coinflip Alex Smith and Cutler can play a game of "memory" or chess or something to see who gets the Kickoff.


I suppose it's better for the Niners to have a healthy Alex smith vs. the Bears. Although I must admit I am intrigued to see what Kapernick can do with a week of practice with the 1st team. I think OCs have a little coaching advantage the first game with a new QB, because of the lack of film. I would guess that it's better with a Runnin' QB like Kaepernick than a check-down artist like Campbell, but eh.

Everybody's beaten everybody. Pretty cool.

So Fred Jackson has a concussion, which means people who own C.J. Spiller have another viable starter.

i still want to talk about yesterdays game, but for now, i'd just like to say this about the coverage of nick foles.

i see a lot of people comparing this situation to troy aikman's rookie year, in that even if he takes a severe beating behind a terrible offensive line, he could still come back and have a great career.

leaving aside whether that last part is possible, is troy aikman really the ideal comparison? i know he won 3 superbowls, but his career was ended because of repeated concussions, and if i were to guess at which is a more likely outcome for foles, i would not choose the multiple superbowls.

i am feeling ok about thinking the jets would win about 4 games

How about we see if Nick Foles is even good enough to be a marginal starter before we compare him in anyway to Troy Aikman.

Ha! Harveys, I was just thinking about that. They still have to go 1-6 to make that happen, but yeah. They're not very good.

No snark intended, but isn't that a positive for the Bears? Cutler has been mediocre at best.

My buddy was telling me last night that occasionally backup QBs come in and surprise you. I sayd yeah, when the backup QB is Steve Young otherwise it's over.

I say the Bears go 3-4 over the last 7 games if Cutler is going to start missing games which I expect to happen since he's gotten the crap beat out of him this year.

i am disappointed in gabe carimi's performance. he has not played at an nfl level

As for Nick Foles, it was interesting watching an Eagles QB float passes around like balloons with the hope that they would land softly in the arms of a motionless receiver. After ten years of McNabb always erring on the side of rifling the ball at the receiver's feet, and then Vick sowing chaos wherever he goes.

how quickly we forget about jeff garcia.

My buddy was telling me last night that occasionally backup QBs come in and surprise you. I sayd yeah, when the backup QB is Steve Young otherwise it's over.

see above.

How about we see if Nick Foles is even good enough to be a marginal starter before we compare him in anyway to Troy Aikman.

And if he becomes a marginal starter, it will be the perfect time to compare him to Troy Aikman.

I'll never waver in my disdain for the super elite status conferred upon Dave Krieg with Bling.

i am feeling ok about thinking the jets would win about 4 games

I thought this year would be even worse than most Jets years. Looking good so far. I would complain about Sanchez starting, but Tebow would be even worse. But at least Rex Ryan is playing to win...oh, he punted down 21 in the fourth quarter? Nevermind.

Is it possible to "play to win" when you're down 21 in the fourth quarter?