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Post by RI Richmark on Mar 16, 2024 7:59:39 GMT -5
Time to put a bow on my weekly reviews of "The Dynasty" on Apple TV+. At least it's over. This was one of the great missed opportunities in the history of sports documentaries. Apple TV+, author Jeff Benedict, and director Matthew Hamachek had a chance to make football's answer to "The Last Dance" - a sprawling, decades-long look under the hood of the greatest dynasty in the history of the sport - but instead they opted for the clickbait, headline-grabbing gossip that dominated local sports radio over the past 20 years. This was a grotesque misfire made not for Patriots fans, hell not even for football fans, but for people who don't watch football but want 10 episodes of juicy drama while they look up from their phones during the boring football parts. And even more unseemly is that it was seemingly made to totally diminish and demonize Bill Belichick's accomplishments. For the past 20-plus years, the conversations around New England and the NFL have been who is the reason for the Patriots' dynasty - Belichick or Tom Brady? Well, it seems like from this documentary that Robert Kraft feels the need to nudge his way into the conversation and say, "well actually I'm the reason!" Kraft is portrayed as the saintly figure who saved New England from losing its franchise (which is true), then did all he could to hold together a winning organization while Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick actively worked to undermine it. If you want perhaps the most obvious proof of that, look to how episode 9 opens - with an extended takedown of Belichick for writing a letter in support of a certain political candidate. But when it comes time to address Kraft's longtime friendship with this candidate, or Tom Brady having a red hat for said candidate in his locker, that gets a quick, blink-and-you-miss-it soundbite. The focus is all about Belichick and how he was hypocritical and undermining his team and its culture. I was surprised (hell, shocked) that episode 10 had such an extended focus on Super Bowl LIII and gave proper credit to Bill Belichick for forming the masterpiece of a gameplan that held the Sean McVay Rams to 3 points and 0 plays inside the red zone. Especially considering the way "The Dynasty" mowed through the 2003 and 2004 seasons and championships - when the Patriots truly became a dynasty - in a matter of about 90 seconds. But one episode lauding the greatest coach in NFL history for perhaps his finest work does not make up for the other nine episodes blaming him for all the team's failures - real and perceived. And that's the other thing that "The Dynasty" focuses entirely too much on - the failures. This show is called "The Dynasty," right? You would think the Patriots were also-rans who lucked into a Super Bowl or two over their 20-year run, because after the first three episodes, which are centered around Super Bowl XXXVI, the episodes then dedicate energy to Spygate, Tom Brady's torn ACL, Aaron Hernandez, Deflategate, the benching of Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, and the end of the Dynasty. Five of the six championship victories are treated like footnotes to the overarching story - Belichick and Brady hated each other and Kraft was doing all he could to hold it together. Just an unbelievably terrible series that seemingly spits in the face of the Patriots' legacy. I wasn't able to watch. I don't have Apple TV+ and I'm not signing up just to watch one documentary. And after reading this and other reviews I feel I'd made the right decision. It sounds like this was made more for the Felger and Mazz crowd than actual sports fans.
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XIII
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Post by XIII on Mar 16, 2024 9:48:40 GMT -5
The Browns already have their team introductions set for next year... Wow, in proper context that’s a super weird clip. The best version of this that I’ve seen is Vince saying “come on out you rapist” and then No chance In Hell hits and Vince comes strutting out. LMAO
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Post by AwamoriRock on Mar 16, 2024 17:42:27 GMT -5
Justin Fields to the Steelers
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Mar 16, 2024 17:49:42 GMT -5
Justin Fields to the Steelers For only a 6th round pick at that Could be a 4th depending on playing time.
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Renslayer
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every time i come around your city...
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Post by Renslayer on Mar 16, 2024 17:53:26 GMT -5
Justin Fields to the Steelers For only a 6th round pick at that Could be a 4th depending on playing time. Got him for free
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mo
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Post by mo on Mar 16, 2024 18:07:00 GMT -5
Steelers confirm Russell is the starter and Fields the backup, which was probably a safe bet with how little they got him for
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Sicho100
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Post by Sicho100 on Mar 16, 2024 19:31:21 GMT -5
So, uh, the Bears currently have four picks in this year’s draft…
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sfvega
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Post by sfvega on Mar 16, 2024 20:12:39 GMT -5
Bears gotta be praying Odunze falls to #9.
Honestly, we know what Russ is. He's not a good QB anymore and he's always been kinda of a diva in the locker room according to most of his teammates. I feel like it'll be 5 weeks before Fields is starting. I still think he can be good, but that train may have sailed.
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Push R Truth
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Post by Push R Truth on Mar 16, 2024 20:59:45 GMT -5
Bears could pick all 5 of the top QB's in this draft and they would all be busts because the Bears are a quarterback graveyard.
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Sicho100
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Post by Sicho100 on Mar 16, 2024 22:19:07 GMT -5
Bears gotta be praying Odunze falls to #9. Given what I said in my previous post about the Bears only having 4 picks this draft, I'd be shocked if they don't trade down from pick #9. After the Keenan Allen trade, WR is a less pressing need (obviously you'd still want a third receiver, but that's much more a mid-round draft pick than a top-10 pick). Now, the biggest things they'll need from that pick is (a) more picks later in the draft, and (b) another pass rusher to pair with Montez Sweat. Given the way this year's pass rusher class seems to be (comparable to the 2021 draft, where the first edge rusher drafted - not counting Micah Parsons since he was viewed and drafted as an off-ball linebacker - was Jaelen Phillips at # 18), the past couple of days seem to be the Bears telegraphing a trade down to the mid-teens and then taking someone like Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu. Bears could pick all 5 of the top QB's in this draft and they would all be busts because the Bears are a quarterback graveyard. Basically all year, I've thought that the best course of action for whoever ended up with the #1 pick would be to get what you can out of the team that got number 2 and let that other team draft Caleb Williams and just take Drake Maye at #2. For two reasons: (1) Given the crap-shoot nature of the draft, teams should really just be worried about getting a player within a particular tier of prospect, rather than getting 'their guy' (the NFL is ok at figuring out what players belong in the league and which ones don't, which is why Brock Purdy is such a story - seventh round picks generally don't do anything, especially seventh-round QBs, so when one like Purdy does, that's notable. However, the NFL is not great at determining who is the best within those tiers, which is how you get Bryce Young drafted over CJ Stroud, or Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye have been 1A and 1B since Maye became UNC's starter, so Maye + more picks > Caleb Williams.) And reason #2: I think there's a good chance that Maye just ends up being better than Williams. Caleb has essentially the exact same flaws that Justin Fields does. He holds the ball a long time (Caleb's average time to throw in college is actually longer that Fields's was), takes a lot of sacks (though Fields had a higher pressure-to-sack percentage in college), and fumbles a lot. And those are three big areas that actually do translate pretty consistently to the NFL - if you are taking a lot of sacks in college, you'll take a lot of sacks in the NFL. And I would suggest that it's not a coincidence that QBs that have previously played at an elite level, like Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson, as well as a high end QB prospect like Fields, all three of whom are famous for holding onto the ball a long time in order to try to generate explosive plays, have struggled in recent years, as defenses have shifted their view toward defending against explosive plays as the most important thing to do. And so, I would not at all be surprised if Caleb Williams struggles in the NFL the same way Wilson, Watson, and Fields have in recent years, whereas Maye strikes me much more comparable to someone like Justin Herbert, and so I would expect Maye to be more able to adapt to the NFL. Anyway, the reason I say all this is because, given the way Jayden Daniels has been hyped up over the past month or two, I am getting major Zach Wilson-over-Justin Fields vibes, and the most Bears thing imaginable would be to trade the #1 pick to Washington, and then draft Daniels instead of Maye. But of course, Zach Wilson was a one year wonder in college whose NFL career was effectively ended by losing a locker room due to his immaturity, and luckily, it's not like Jayden Daniels is rocketing up draft boards thanks to one great year after " start[ing] the [2023] season almost universally seen as a Day 3 draft prospect", and there definitely isn't any reason to think that Daniels may lose a locker room the way Zach Wilson did with the Jets.
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sfvega
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Post by sfvega on Mar 16, 2024 23:23:16 GMT -5
Bears gotta be praying Odunze falls to #9. Given what I said in my previous post about the Bears only having 4 picks this draft, I'd be shocked if they don't trade down from pick #9. After the Keenan Allen trade, WR is a less pressing need (obviously you'd still want a third receiver, but that's much more a mid-round draft pick than a top-10 pick). Now, the biggest things they'll need from that pick is (a) more picks later in the draft, and (b) another pass rusher to pair with Montez Sweat. Given the way this year's pass rusher class seems to be (comparable to the 2021 draft, where the first edge rusher drafted - not counting Micah Parsons since he was viewed and drafted as an off-ball linebacker - was Jaelen Phillips at # 18), the past couple of days seem to be the Bears telegraphing a trade down to the mid-teens and then taking someone like Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu. Bears could pick all 5 of the top QB's in this draft and they would all be busts because the Bears are a quarterback graveyard. Basically all year, I've thought that the best course of action for whoever ended up with the #1 pick would be to get what you can out of the team that got number 2 and let that other team draft Caleb Williams and just take Drake Maye at #2. For two reasons: (1) Given the crap-shoot nature of the draft, teams should really just be worried about getting a player within a particular tier of prospect, rather than getting 'their guy' (the NFL is ok at figuring out what players belong in the league and which ones don't, which is why Brock Purdy is such a story - seventh round picks generally don't do anything, especially seventh-round QBs, so when one like Purdy does, that's notable. However, the NFL is not great at determining who is the best within those tiers, which is how you get Bryce Young drafted over CJ Stroud, or Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye have been 1A and 1B since Maye became UNC's starter, so Maye + more picks > Caleb Williams.) And reason #2: I think there's a good chance that Maye just ends up being better than Williams. Caleb has essentially the exact same flaws that Justin Fields does. He holds the ball a long time (Caleb's average time to throw in college is actually longer that Fields's was), takes a lot of sacks (though Fields had a higher pressure-to-sack percentage in college), and fumbles a lot. And those are three big areas that actually do translate pretty consistently to the NFL - if you are taking a lot of sacks in college, you'll take a lot of sacks in the NFL. And I would suggest that it's not a coincidence that QBs that have previously played at an elite level, like Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson, as well as a high end QB prospect like Fields, all three of whom are famous for holding onto the ball a long time in order to try to generate explosive plays, have struggled in recent years, as defenses have shifted their view toward defending against explosive plays as the most important thing to do. And so, I would not at all be surprised if Caleb Williams struggles in the NFL the same way Wilson, Watson, and Fields have in recent years, whereas Maye strikes me much more comparable to someone like Justin Herbert, and so I would expect Maye to be more able to adapt to the NFL. Anyway, the reason I say all this is because, given the way Jayden Daniels has been hyped up over the past month or two, I am getting major Zach Wilson-over-Justin Fields vibes, and the most Bears thing imaginable would be to trade the #1 pick to Washington, and then draft Daniels instead of Maye. But of course, Zach Wilson was a one year wonder in college whose NFL career was effectively ended by losing a locker room due to his immaturity, and luckily, it's not like Jayden Daniels is rocketing up draft boards thanks to one great year after " start[ing] the [2023] season almost universally seen as a Day 3 draft prospect", and there definitely isn't any reason to think that Daniels may lose a locker room the way Zach Wilson did with the Jets. You don't pass on a premium WR prospect because you have 32 year old Keenan Allen. And Dallas Turner will not last to the teens. I honestly like Verse more than Latu, but why trade down that far? Anyway, I think Chicago should value premium picks more. Who cares about 3rds/4ths when you have two picks in the top 10? Not that I think the Bears are a competent FO who will do the right thing. I think there's a lot of smoke to them trading down, but could always be posturing.
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Post by shockmasterscousin on Mar 17, 2024 10:38:53 GMT -5
So the steelers have gotten russel wilson and justin fields, so are they still a good team or do you all think were headed for the first losing steelers nation season in over 2 decades? Personally, i hold out for another superbowl, but i thought i'd gauge everyone else
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XIII
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Post by XIII on Mar 17, 2024 12:16:23 GMT -5
The Bears could have the entire 07 Patriots offense and still find a way to make them look like shit before running them out of town.
If I’m Caleb Williams I’m telling them to trade me somewhere else.
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Dr. T is an alien
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Post by Dr. T is an alien on Mar 17, 2024 15:27:28 GMT -5
Browns really cornering the market on nasty man QB's. The Browns already have their team introductions set for next year... The Browns just signed Tyler Hundley. What do they know about him that we don’t?
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Sicho100
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Post by Sicho100 on Mar 17, 2024 16:12:12 GMT -5
So the steelers have gotten russel wilson and justin fields, so are they still a good team or do you all think were headed for the first losing steelers nation season in over 2 decades? Personally, i hold out for another superbowl, but i thought i'd gauge everyone else They're the most 9-8 team imaginable.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Mar 17, 2024 17:15:11 GMT -5
The Browns already have their team introductions set for next year... The Browns just signed Tyler Hundley. What do they know about him that we don’t? That nasty man shoulder is probably still f***ed up and they are basically covering their asses just in case At worst they flip one of Winston or Hundley before the season but that Browns trade is all time bad
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Allie Kitsune
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Mar 17, 2024 17:19:49 GMT -5
So the steelers have gotten russel wilson and justin fields, so are they still a good team or do you all think were headed for the first losing steelers nation season in over 2 decades? Personally, i hold out for another superbowl, but i thought i'd gauge everyone else They're the Steelers. Going 9-8 is what they do.
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Post by darbus alan on Mar 17, 2024 17:22:09 GMT -5
Outside of the big trade for Burns and signing Singletary, Giants have been quietly building some nice depth in the weakest parts of the team like the O-line. Makes me think the first round pick is going to be a wide receiver unless one of the major QB prospects ends up falling to sixth (and I don't mean JJ McCarthy).
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sfvega
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Post by sfvega on Mar 17, 2024 20:15:45 GMT -5
Really interested in who the Giants go after at 6. Seems like a big domino for the rest of the draft from there.
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BRV
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Post by BRV on Mar 18, 2024 10:35:55 GMT -5
Outside of the big trade for Burns and signing Singletary, Giants have been quietly building some nice depth in the weakest parts of the team like the O-line. Makes me think the first round pick is going to be a wide receiver unless one of the major QB prospects ends up falling to sixth (and I don't mean JJ McCarthy). I don't know if I can recall a draft prospect who had such high praise from draft analysts and experts yet such a low perception among fans as J.J. McCarthy. No NFL fan base wants anything to do with him on their team, yet he's being mocked as high as third overall in the upcoming draft. Speaking as a fan of a team that desperately needs a quarterback, I'd say Caleb Williams is clearly the consensus top quarterback, followed by Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, or Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels (they're neck-and-neck), with Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy as the kind of quarterbacks you'd be generally alright with as high second-round selections. But given the sudden hype around him, I feel like some GM is going to talk himself into McCarthy as a first-rounder.
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