Tag: PFT

The XFL Draft is Going to Be Like a Fantasy Football Draft On Speed

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PFT – The XFL will be making some noise next week, with a two-day draft that will allow the eight teams to fill out 71-man rosters. The draft happens on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 15 and 16.

Quarterbacks won’t be drafted, at least not all of them. One quarterback — presumably a perceived starter — will be “assigned” to each team by the XFL. The draft then will proceed with five phases: (1) skill-position players; (2) offensive linemen; (3) defensive front seven; (4) defensive backs; and (5) open draft, for all positions and specialists. The first four phases will result in teams choosing 10 players each; the last phase will continue until the 71-man rosters are filling.

Teams will have only 90 seconds to make their picks, via video conference with the XFL’s main office in Connecticut.

You know what my biggest complaint about live fantasy football drafts always is? That after the first 2 rounds every pick takes 7 minutes because Steve didn’t do his research. And by Steve, I mean me, because I don’t know who the freaking backup TE is in Jacksonville. Either way those live drafts are fun, but can easily take 4 hours, which is why online drafts are great. Even if you don’t know who you want to pick, tough shit because you’re getting someone. Now the NFL gives each team 10 minutes per pick in the first round and then 4-7 minutes per pick after that. Well the XFL is here to speed things along.

Each team will get a grand total of 90 seconds to make every one of their picks. LIGHTNING ROUND! Whether thats enough to make an intelligent business decision is none of my concern.

Vince McMahon promised change, speed, and entertainment. I don’t know if that necessarily translates into good football, but thats where the AAF failed; they didn’t bring anything new to the table. Sure the XFL made an official announcement that LANDRY JONES joined the league (former Steelers backup QB) as its first player, which probably speaks more to the quality of competition than I care to admit, but hey at least the XFL will be different. If that means I can bang out an entire XFL game in the time it takes to rewatch Happy Gilmore for the 100th time then I’ll check it out. What I’m not doing is devoting 2-3 hours to a subpar product. The XFL is fast food, which is fine. Theres a place in my diet for fast food every once in a while. Just don’t pretend to be something you’re not and I think 90 second draft slots are the first step in that direction.

Pro Football Talk is NOT Happy With WEEI or Kirk and Callahan

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Pro Football Talk – We posted an item earlier today regarding a report from WEEI that the Patriots will be trading tight end Rob Gronkowski in the coming weeks. The report, which was being picked up by other websites, appeared in a single tweet that had no equivocation of any kind. It was clear, it was plain, and it was getting noticed. And it was all some sort of time-delayed April Fool’s Day gag, apparently. Chris Curtis of WEEI called me a little while ago to explain that it was a joke. I’m still scanning the tweet for the setup, the reinforcement, and/or the payoff. That is a humorous anecdote. I can’t wait to tell that one at parties and other social gatherings. I told Curtis I’m not happy about any of this. Needless to say, nothing WEEI ever reports again will be taken seriously in this space. It’s hard enough to keep people up to date on everything that’s happening in the NFL without people throwing gratuitous and unfunny hurdles in our path.

Nothing like a little sports media beef to get you through a Tuesday afternoon. Pro Football Talk is absolutely bullshit that they got hoodwinked by an April Fools joke from WEEI. WEEI’s Kirk and Callahan show tweeted out that one of their guys was reporting Rob Gronkowski would be traded in the next couple of weeks.

Now if you ever listen to Kirk and Callahan you know they like to screw with people, especially those in the media. So while its not a particularly hilarious joke, April Fools jokes aren’t really meant to be funny. They’re meant to pull one over on people and make them look stupid.

So for PFT to get so pissed off seems like a little much. I understand the frustration of posting something on your website that ultimately turns out to have zero truth to it, but you should probably also be checking sources to confirm before posting a story OR just run it with the disclaimer that WEEI is saying this but you can’t confirm or dispute it. Problem solved.

You gotta be extra vigilant on April Fools Day or sometimes you get hoodwinked on Twitter and risk taking the L like me.

Johnny Manziel May Be Close to Signing With a Football Team

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Yahoo – Johnny Manziel has officially told the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to squat or get out of the litter box. David William Naylor of TSN reports that Manziel has activated the 10-day window that compels the CFL team that holds Manziel’s negotiating rights to make him a contract offer. The move forces the hand of a franchise that has been slow-playing its flirtation with Manziel in the aftermath of the failed effort to hire Art Briles. Naylor says the Tiger-Cats must sign, trade, or release Manziel within the next 10 days.

LETS GO. Get Johnny Football back in my life. I don’t care if I have to (legally) stream CFL games from some undisclosed bunker, I need Money Manziel back in my life. #FreeJohnny

It seems like Manziel may be back on the (wider) football field sooner than later. I still don’t fully grasp the goofy CFL contract rules because I know random teams still “hold” the rights of guys like Vince Young, Tim Tebow and other NFL flameouts. So thanks to this David Naylor guy for clearing that up for me. Looks like Johnny might have to play on the cheap though if the TiCats try and low ball him

As PFT understands it, however, the Tigers-Cats are required simply to make Manziel a “fair offer,” not sign him. If so, it makes the move a calculated risk for Manziel; the Tiger-Cats may choose to simply serve up a lowball offer, forcing Manziel to either take it or to continue to not play.

Do it Johnny, just play ball, get out there and dominate the CFL and win a few Grey Cups. It worked for Doug Flutie and it can work for you.

Its pretty much Manziel’s only shot of playing football again, ya know, unless the USFL makes a comeback.

Plus I would 10/10 buy a Johnny Manziel Hamilton Tiger-Cats jersey because I am a child. So its a win-win situation really.

Rex Ryan Working for “Free” at ESPN

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PFT – So how much will former Jets and Bills coach Rex Ryan make over the next three years as an employee of ESPN? Probably not a dime. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Ryan’s contract with the Bills has offset language that applies not only to other coaching jobs but also to broadcasting jobs. Thus, with $5.5 million due to Ryan for each of the next three years, the biggest winners in light of Ryan’s employment at ESPN are owners Terry and Kim Pegula, who will be getting credit for every dollar Ryan earns at ESPN, up to $5.5 million per year.

Well that’s not entirely true. He’s not working for free, but because of a clause in his contract that covers broadcasting jobs as well as other coaching jobs, any money he gets paid over the next couple of years will split the difference with what the Bills owe him.

How about the Pagula’s with the big brain thinking? “Yea, if we shit can you we are 100% more worried about having to still pay you to bullshit on Sunday NFL Countdown than actually landing another coaching job.” Good for Rex though, either way the guy gets paid $5.5 million a year. As a head coach? Meh. As a guy with a mic in his face?

At least this way he can literally say whatever he wants. We gotta get back to the days of “Lets go eat a goddamn snack” Rex. This fat bastard was built to be a TV personality.