Christian Petersen - Getty Images
For Matt Wallach, the third year in the Dodgers Winter Development Program will be all about learning to use his glove.
For the fifth straight year, the Dodgers will hold their Winter Development Program in Los Angeles, a program designed to help minor league players acclimate to major league life both on and off the field. The week-long program begins this weekend.
Don Mattingly, Tim Wallach, and Dave Hansen from the major league coaching staff will provide instruction, as will several roving instructors and those in player development. In addition to workouts at Dodger Stadium and instruction on diet, media relations, and MLB travel, the prospects will visit various places around Los Angeles. This year, the players will visit a youth center in Los Angeles called A Place Called Home, and will also attend a Los Angeles Clippers' game.
There are 15 Dodgers' prospects taking part in this year's Winter Development Program, including 2011 organizational player of the year Scott Van Slyke (True Blue LA No. 14 Dodgers prospect) and pitcher of the year Shawn Tolleson (No. 8). Joining those two are Alex Castellanos (No. 17), Griff Erickson (No. 19), Tim Federowicz (No. 9), Tyler Henson, Alfredo Silverio (No. 13), Matt Wallach, and pitchers Steven Ames, Michael Antonini, Stephen Fife, Josh Wall, Allen Webster (No. 2), Chris Withrow (No. 6), and established major leaguer Rubby De La Rosa, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
De La Rosa, Erickson, and Ames also participated in the program last year. For Wallach and Withrow, they are the established veterans of the program as this is their third straight year coming to Dodger Stadium in January.
Seven players from last year's program — De La Rosa, Dee Gordon, Jerry Sands, Javy Guerra, Nathan Eovaldi, and Justin Sellers with the Dodgers; and Trayvon Robinson with the Seattle Mariners — played in the major leagues last season.
0 recs | 321 comments
I like how the Dodgers are too cheap to take the players to a Lakers game.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
We do it right in LA. We send them to see the first place team.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
muthaf***as act like they forgot about Andre
nolander - January 7, 2012
Probably not popular to say
but my biggest game is probably still game 7 of the 2002 world series. Waiting for the Dodgers to make it to that promised land still…
nolander - January 7, 2012
Did you go to that? My brother Kelly did with his son. Said the atmosphere was awesome.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
not sure
Why I didn’t try to go to that game
bhsportsguy - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
cash money?
nolander - January 7, 2012
nah
I am sure that wasn’t it
bhsportsguy - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Watched at home pacing behind the couch
Did get to go see them play the yankees though, which was awesome.
nolander - January 7, 2012
i was playing on a Yankees affiliate team that fall, and needless to say they were pissed that the Angels won.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
Game 6 was better.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
it was a better game
this is true
nolander - January 7, 2012
So if the program lasts one week, there are only three Clippers games possible for the Dodgers to attend:
1) tonight against the Bucks (unlikely, since there was no media advisory about it, but possible)
2) Wednesday against the Heat
3) next Saturday against the Lakers (I would like to think the Dodgers press release would have mentioned a Clippers/Lakers game rather than just a Clippers game)
So my money is on the Heat game Wednesday
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Not sure if I’d use the word “established” for Rubby. :)
silverwidow - January 7, 2012
It is once again going to be bullshit when Bagwell doesn’t make the Hall of Fame this year.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Agreed.
I think he’s the most deserving one on the ballot.
My ballot would look like this:
Bagwell
Raines
Martinez
Walker
Murphy
A number of other (non-steroid) guys are borderline, but it’s best to be conservative with these things.
court168627 - January 7, 2012
No Barry Larkin?
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Larkins one of those guys that its too bad he lost so much of his career to injuries, and I can see him taking a while before he gets in. But, he’s also the sort that the more you look at his numbers, the more deserving he looks. Theres really nothing that jumps out at you about his numbers, he just did a little of everything extremely well, and as a shortstop to boot.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
He’s in on Monday.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
at 4:36 AM, this is funny
Hollywood Joe - January 8, 2012
From what we know right now it looks like Larkin and Raines are the only guys that have a shot.
regfairfield - January 7, 2012
Raines is getting in too?
About time.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
Sample size and all but Raines at least has a chance, Larkin is more than likely in.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
And a bunch of new ballots came in that’re making Raines look less likely.
This year is probably just gonna be Larkin. Jack Morris looks like he hit a wall but will probably get voted into the veterans committee.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
Its amazing to me
that Tim Raines is having so much trouble getting in. Bagwell doesn’t surprise me: I think he should be a no doubter personally, but it doesn’t surprise me that the voters have lumped him in with the roiders.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
Could we call left field:
The Riviera front?
Grimjack - January 7, 2012
Sure
Do we have a player named Riviera?
mleadman - January 7, 2012
Or Rivera Front
Grimjack - January 7, 2012
Belated happy birthday, Marty.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
Champagne Room Rivera?
Hollywood Joe - January 7, 2012
When Sands mans left field:
Sands Box?
funkyjam - January 7, 2012 via mobile
And when he mans first base:
Sands Bag?
funkyjam - January 7, 2012 via mobile
And when he starts the year in Albuquerque, the team will be Sans Sands
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Dodgers roster needs some Jerrymandering to fit Sands on it.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
:(
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
This is a Comic Sands subthread
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
San(d)s humor
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Sausage update
Testers checked out post grind – back chilling before we stuff them. Thai sausage is insane and the hot italian are pretty damn good too
totmato sauce done
about to start browning the boar for the braise
serving roasted brussel sprouts with Pancetta and a creamy marscapone/parm polenta
damn I am fat and happy
Hollywood Joe - January 7, 2012
I had a sausage sandwich at lunch in your honor.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Thai sausage sounds delicious BTW
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
sorry i stopped reading at sausage update
early afternoon humor
JLS23 - January 7, 2012
I had lasagna the other day
Made with Italian sausage. Soooooooo gooooooood……….
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
I roasted Brussels Sprouts
And then made a vinegarette with fish sauce, chili pepper, sugar, and rice vinegar.
bhsportsguy - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
I
Think Eric tasted some Kimchi sausage I bought from my butcher. That is always tasty.
bhsportsguy - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
I remember that; was that at the Super Bowl? That was very good.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Kimchi sausage? Oh man that sounds amazing.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
Arian Foster channeling Hakeem Olaujuwon
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Dream shake FTMFW
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Dont the latin players work visa expire after the season?
I’m surprised they can make this event.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
I'm sure
It’s been taken care of
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Belisario won’t make it.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Bengals with a nice showing so far
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
battle of 2 rookie QBs
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Also, how did Arian Foster not get drafted?
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
no idea
I’m sure Nolander will chime in here, but if the Texans’ running/zone blocking scheme is similar to the old Broncos system (Kubiak being the connection there) he is in the Terrell Davis mold. The Broncos used interchangeable parts to fit their system.
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
probably a reason
That seems very silly in retrospect
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
got labeled as having a bad attitude somehow
also had a knee thing and a meh senior year and maybe some fumble questions. If he had come out a year before he might have been a 2nd round pick.
nolander - January 7, 2012
Marvin Lewis’ horrible challenges of these plays make me wonder what kind of horrible plays baseball managers would challenge if given the opportunity.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
so true
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
There’s the killer turnover that loses a game
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
delivering pizza
To first round pick. Gotta love those stories.
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
What a great play by Watt
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
That was a bad ass interception.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
The announcer’s hyperbole was pretty hilarious. At first he just said it was an amazing interception. Then he said it was a play no other DT in the league would make. Then he said not even a wide receiver would have made that catch.
I was waiting for him to say that Watt was the only person who ever lived that would even come close to making that catch.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Mike Mayock, ladies and gentlemen.
J.J. Watt, taking out his 2011 Rose Bowl frustration on Andy Dalton in the last few minutes of the half.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
one of my favorite players
such a hard working awesome dude. HONEY BADGER DON’T GIVE A FUCK
nolander - January 7, 2012
Fonzi Soriano
would be a good fit with the Rays or Indians
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Not a Theo guy
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
or Orioles
But they are balking at even a reduced price it seems
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
If the Cubs eat 90 percent of the contract, he would be a nice fit on almost any team
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
Miss Turkey’s ass!!!!!!!
silverwidow - January 7, 2012
/highfive!
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Charles Barkley on the halftime show
Not turrible :)
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
4th and 3…down 2 TDs.. you gotta go for it.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
that pick
Might be the dagger
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
That was some great footwork by Foster down the sideline. Wow.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
I rewound becuase I thought he was out
he was not
nolander - January 7, 2012
That was awesoke
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
what
nolander - January 7, 2012
Love the NFL Playoffs
and the Super Bowl most of all.
SPRING TRAINING IS COMING
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
Texans at Ravens
Broncos/Steelers at NE
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
how many games today?
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
2
nolander - January 7, 2012
your boys won from what I gather
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
About to
31-10 with under 3 minutes left
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
A good first half, but the Texans made the adjustments they needed to in the 2nd
nolander - January 7, 2012
Posada
Not a HOFer, right?
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
I’d vote for him. Not sure if he makes it though.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
put all his numbers at "for a catcher"
He might have a case
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Compare him to Campy or Bench, then tell me whther or not he’s a H.O.F.er.
iiidown - January 7, 2012
374 OBP from the catcher is mighty tough to not vote for.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
I would most def vote for him, I think if Bernie Williams gets elected so will Posada. I don’t think Bernie Williams will get elected though
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
He’s a tough call..
I think of a guy like Jim Edmonds…and think he’s a no doubt hall of fame CF’er.
Bernie Williams..i dont at all.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Williams
Lofton
Edmonds
Jones
Are all HOFers to me, I think the only one who has a chance is Edmonds
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
I’d be surprised if Druw doesnt make it, especially if he gets to 500 homers before his career is done. He had 10 GGs.
If the writers think he was on the juice, then he wont make it.
Dont think Lofton or Bernie have much of a chance though.
Not enough power, steals or counting stats from Lofton
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Fact that I was a little surprised by
Lofton led the league in steals more times (5) than Tim Raines (4).
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Once again
Raines is hurt from being a contemporary to the otherworldlyness that is Rickey Henderson. Vince Coleman for a few years there didn’t help either.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
Lofton was a elite defender in his prime and a good one in his later years.
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
Lofton late in his career was a total Moneyball guy. Even when his skills were clearly starting to erode (around the time he was with the Dodgers), he was still really good, he just looked not so good because he clearly wasn’t Kenny Lofton anymore.
EMDarrow - January 7, 2012
I was a huge fan of Lofton’s when he was on the Indians. I don’t see him as a HoF player though. I’m one of those that believe the HoF should be a lot pickier about who they let in and it should only be the best of the best.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
So just Griffey and possibly Jones for you?
NotJoeTorre - January 7, 2012
For what time frame? Ken Griffey Jr and Barry Bonds would be the top 2 from that generation of OF’ers. I’d have to look at the list of players again to figure who, if any, would also be on my list. There would probably be a couple more guys I’d be fine with it.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
I’m still mad that I was robbed of seeing his 600th career steal in person. I was at AT&T Park for the final weekend in 2006 and Lofton stole third on the final day of the season but he was (wrongfully) called out and stuck (for then) on 599.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
I remember that. but at least you got to see Greg maddux steal a bag
G.Scott - January 7, 2012 via Android app
Probably not. If he is you have to ask if Ted Simmons is a Hall of Famer. Even adjusting for catchers his peak isn’t anything special. I wouldn’t be upset if he made it in but “you have to be better than Jorge Posada” seems like a decent benchmark for Hall of Fame catchers.
regfairfield - January 7, 2012
if you look at catchers since 1990...
Piazza, Ivan Rodriguez, and ????
Should the hall of fame have an equal amount of players in for each position?
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
There should be but there isn’t.
Every catcher better than Jorge Posada is in the Hall but the guys that aren’t far behind him are names like Thurman Munson, Bill Freehan and Jason Kendall. Hell Joe Mauer has almost already caught him in career offensive value.
Posadas bat makes him borderline but he has a reputation as a terrible defensive catcher. Hall of Very Good, not hall of fame.
regfairfield - January 7, 2012
who ends up the worse contract: werth, Crawford or mauer?
G.Scott - January 7, 2012 via Android app
Mauer if he doesnt remain at catcher
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
assume he does, and all that implies
G.Scott - January 7, 2012 via Android app
Crawford then
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
I think giving mauer that contract and not trading him and morneau for prospects was a huge mistake. even before they both got hurt, if you trade johan you should trade those two as well.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012 via Android app
Going into a new stadium they had to keep Mauer around.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
don’t get me wrong, I understand why they didn’t trade them, but thought then that not trading them didn’t jive with the plan, and I think you should always stick to the plan when it comes to organizational strategy. at least then if it doesn’t work you know you need to change your strategy and not necessarily the personnel.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012 via Android app
That was only the plan until they got to their new stadium.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Hmm, fair point. I hope it works out for them. I like rooting for the Twins in the AL half of the playoffs.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
I dont think there’s anyway they should have dealt Mauer. He’s a superstar player at catcher and the Twins increased their payroll anyway to build around him.
Thats like the Dodgers dealing Piazza
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
But not even getting back a Gary Sheffield…since you are advocating prospects
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
If you’re just looking at cost and stats then they are all horrible and Mauer will probably be the worst.
The signing of Mauer was an absolute must for the Twins as an organization though. Same could possibly be said for Werth as well since spending big on him is showing other free agents that the Nationals will have no problem spending money to build a good team.
Crawford’s deal made no sense to me to begin with.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
No.
iiidown - January 7, 2012
How much does it cost to play golf at Pebble Brook?
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Pebble Brook?
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
beach my bad
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Spend 5 seconds and type in Pebble Brook on Google? Not sure where you live but the only Pebble Brook GC I can find is in Indiana, so I’m guessing you mean somewhere else.
Pebble Beach costs about $500 for the round but that price is if you also stay at one of 3 resorts.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
People who aren’t staying at the resort have to pay that $495 plus whatever the cost of the cart is.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
Here is an easy link that shows you the cost of all the courses as well as resort room rates.
http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/pebble-beach-golf-links/current-rates
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
I think it’s around $395 these days; may be more. Ridiculously expensive. But my wife took me there for my 40th birthday 10 years ago and I got to play Spyglass (the most difficult course I’ve ever played), Pebble, and Poppy Hills (at the time the rotaion for the AT&T tourney).
Like I said, ridiculously expensive, but I’d play there again in a heartbeat. I had a blast.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
Epic reply fail
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
The views have to be amazing.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
I’d love to play PB one time but I wouldn’t want to pay for it. I think I’d enjoy playing on the course. I’d enjoy the views and all the history that would be surrounding me. I’d hate what that wind would do to my game though.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
a now retired co-worker of mine
and a current one paid to play Pebble. The retiree birdied 17, the famous par 3 that has the bay on three sides, so now he had a story to tell well worth the price he paid.
David Young - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
That would make it well worth it.
Hell, could you imagine if you got a hole in one? The fees would have to be astronomically high for that to not be worth the cost.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
I got an eagle on Spyglass..holed out from a bunker 165 yards away. Pure luck. Uphill shot; never saw it go in the hole.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
I par’d #7, the 100 yard par 3 that goes out on the ocean. Other than that I shot about a 200. On the par 5 14th, into the wind I hit Driver 3-wood 3-wood 3-wood 8-iron wedge wdege putt putt putt. It was brutal
mleadman - January 8, 2012
Nicest course I’ve played was the TPC in Scottsdale.
Really cheap in the summer. It cost me $55.
The downside is the temp was about 110.
Greens were like putting on hardwood floors. Really nice joint though.
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
I think it would be difficult for me to decide what is the best course I’ve played. There were only a few courses in Las Vegas I didn’t get to play (plus any course built within the last 6 years). I almost never paid to play any of them which made them all even better.
Badlands in Vegas was probably my least favorite course. I have always and will always hate when I have to play “target golf”. Screw having to constantly hit the balls over canyons and only having average sized landing areas. That plus the wind always blows harder in that part of the valley.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
I think I have been on that course, but didn’t play. Kelly will have to confirm, but I believe on one of our mini-family reunion trips we went to that course one of the days in Scottsdale. I rode along in the cart and made fun of everyone, and drank beer.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
It’s a pretty good track.
Disappoionted you spent time drinking beer instead of hiding whitey.
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
I just don’t play golf. Not going to spend money to play, especially on a good course. But I do like hanging around and shooting the shit.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Roger that. I thought you like to play.
You spent it doing what I would do if I didn’t play then.
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
Yep, we played both of the TPC courses in Scottsdale that day. I nailed the other one and the tourney course ate my lunch. Of course that was after a few beers w/Eric in the morning round.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
I did that too…great place to play in the summer.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
Detroit having no issues moving the ball right now.
This one is gonna be a track meet.
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
I liked NO giving the points
Didn’t bet, but I will be curious if they cover or not.
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Same here with NO.
They’re finally getting the Offense going.
Have a feeling a late turnover may be the difference in this one.
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
State Farm pushing it with a second “discount double check” commercial
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
America’s love affair with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers continues…..
keithc13 - January 7, 2012
My favorite dancer.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Rosenthal says Howie Kendrick agreed to a 4-year deal with the Angels, pending physical.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
now
Is Aybar next?
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Seems like it.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
cool
nolander - January 7, 2012
4/$33.5 is being reported
if so, that is a steal for a guy going to make $5.5M in his last year of arb. Dude is arguably a 4 WAR 2B in peak year. Should fire his agent and or Angels GM should get a happy ending.
Xeifrank - January 7, 2012
They also got a steal on Weaver
man
nolander - January 7, 2012
Next time I see you, I’ll tell you the Weaver story. Remind me.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
you met him?
My cousin lives behind his parents house. He’s got a super lame story about not letting jered use his skate ramp, lol.
Ivdown - January 7, 2012
Never met him.
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
I have no doubt he will put up above average numbers
but didn’t he get a lot of his defensive value last year from playing LF?
Ivdown - January 7, 2012
Please explain
via numbers.
Xeifrank - January 7, 2012
if i'm reading fangraphs right the short answer is no
the long answer is definitily not.
nolander - January 8, 2012
Right
more likely penalized offensively (oWAR) for playing so many innings in LF. LF has a higher standard for hitting than 2B. Still maybe not a lot but enough so that ivdown’s statement should’ve actuallyy read that his fWAR numbers got hurt by playing LF, both on defense and offense.
Xeifrank - January 8, 2012
Huge fumble
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Two big fumbles by Saints so far.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
…but Lions don’t capitalize on either.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
Kershaw mention on NBC!
Played high school baseball with Matthew Stafford.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
I figured it was Margaret Kershaw, delegate from New Hampshire for the upcoming primaries.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
Al Michaels..
“Stafford was catcher for Kershaw”
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Kershaw was his center in football as well, if I recall the story correctly.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
You are correct sir!
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
You sound like my wife!
(Eric will laugh his ass off if he reads this)
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
It's true
She does a great Ed McMahon impression.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
lol
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Amir Carlisle is transferring from USC to ND. I don’t know much about him outside of what I just quickly glanced at on Rivals. Eric or any other USC fan have any knowledge about how good he is or how good he is projected to be?
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
Small guy, decent talent, good speed, Freshman. Played in 8 games, 19 carries on the season for 123 yards. Zero TD. 7 catches for 41 yards and 1 TD.
I’m guessing he feels McNeal and Farmer will get all the yards next year. He’ll have to sit out a year so we’ll see him in 2013.
KellyStephen - January 7, 2012
Really fast, but also undersized. Actually surprised he transferred since USC is pretty thin at RB.
In other news, Carlisle can go fuck himself. Only thing worse is for a Dodger to willingly play for the Giants.
Eric Stephen - January 7, 2012
Duke Snider weeps
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
RIP
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
Apparently this has everything to do with family. He chose USC when his dad was the strength and conditioning coach for the SF 49ers. His dad is now the Director of Sports Performance at Purdue which is only 100 miles from ND. If family wasn’t involved I’m guessing he would have stayed at USC.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
Lions have progressed from not tackling to just not guarding players. Not working out very well.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
That was a great dive by Stafford
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Saints have yet to punt in this game.
Cant remember the last game, let alone playoff game, where a team went the entire game without punting.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
Sadly, I remember the Colts never punting against the Chiefs in the playoffs a few years back.
fbihop - January 7, 2012
almost the 2012 Rose Bowl
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
and that
Could be the dagger
Tommy Blackjack - January 7, 2012 via iPhone app
Dont think the 49ers can beat the Saints.
I think Saints will be a 5 points favorite even being the road team.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
They're not nearly as dangeous on the road
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
or dangerous
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Calvin Johnson – 12/210…
Lions just need 2 successful onside kicks and they can win the game
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
not to shit on anyone’s team, because I myself have no favorite team, but if I were a betting man, I would bet against the 49ers in every game they play this postseason
G.Scott - January 7, 2012
Saints are playing amazing offensive football…
They dont even run out the clock…still chucking it deep.
Joey Joe - January 7, 2012
my kinda team
Ivdown - January 7, 2012
My Titans almost beat the Saints in TN. Saints out in the elements on grass are a completely different team than they are in the dome.
VegasBlues - January 7, 2012
right
and if it’s windy in Candlestick? Give me the running and defensive-minded team every time.
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Pinnacle Saints -3 -115
5dimes Saints -3.5
Xeifrank - January 7, 2012
I’d jump on the 49ers + 3.5 and never look back…unless I lose.
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
Matthew Stanford?
Pure Azure - January 7, 2012
my head
feels like a bunch of drunken dwarves are playing 9-pin inside my skull. I have a game later today, nothing better than to be hungover with a game in front of you, nothing makes me feel more like a baseball player
entertaining football yesterday – I was really hoping the Lions game was closer
25 pounds of sausage, is a lot of sausage, sometime during the day we ran out of natural casings (damn butcher lied to my buddy) and had to resort to patty forming. Equally as tasty but not as fun.
For dinner last night, I slow braised the boar for 6 hours in a red wine and tomato based sauce. Had a heaping teaspoon of red pepper flakes in that sucker, so hot and tasty. Served it over Polenta, in which I whisked in some marscapone and parmesan. It was devoured happily by all.
I am staying at a friends house, and my room has one of those doors which opens to a mini-balcony which is too small to stand on, you can more just set a flower pot out there. First night, in the middle of the night, I am stumbling trying to find the loo, I open that door and am about to a take a step out when I get hit with a bracing breeze of cold air and hear my wife yelling “Don’t go out there, that’s not the bathroom”. That door was 25 feet off the ground
good times, good eats, a trunk full of grinded meats
GO STEELERS
Hollywood Joe - January 8, 2012
You should have told your wife “I’m a male; the world is my outhouse” and let ’er rip from 25 feet up. If it was windy, it would probably dissipate before it hit the ground anyway.
KellyStephen - January 8, 2012
good line
that would have been great, except when I came back in soaking wet from the golden shower
that and avoiding doing a head plant into the hedgerow
Hollywood Joe - January 8, 2012
I want some Thai sausage. Lemongrass, thai garlic, nam pla?
kinbote - January 8, 2012
Did you tell your friend, “if there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now”?
David Young - January 9, 2012
Good times.
Eric Stephen - January 8, 2012
So is our brother going to be all happy tonight or will he be Tebow’d?
KellyStephen - January 8, 2012
I think Pittsburgh will take care of business, but man that would be funny.
Eric Stephen - January 8, 2012
Of course Owen Daniels might have a broken right hand
of course. Oh well, if any team has depth at a position, its the Texans at TE.
nolander - January 8, 2012
Falcons need to burn the page in their playbook labeled “4th and 1”
Eric Stephen - January 8, 2012
Not tackling, not being able to get one yard, not doing anything else on offense… recipe to lose.
fbihop - January 8, 2012
Hope this next game is better than that.
Can’t stand the Tebow mania, but it would be sweet to see the Steelers lose. I’m so sick of them.
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
Yeah, i'm tuning in just to see what this is all about
The broncos are a team i’m okay with rooting for, and the steelers aren’t, so that’s what i’m going for here.
Taylor Maricle - January 8, 2012
So far no close games this weekend. We’re owed one good one, right?
kinbote - January 8, 2012
some good first halfs
but the 2nd halfs have all been one sided affairs
nolander - January 8, 2012
nice throw by tebow
man he had all day on that
nolander - January 8, 2012
so was that
steelers need to find a pass rush stat
nolander - January 8, 2012
TD!
Tebow needs to throw more
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
The Steelers would probably love that.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
not if he keeps throwing strikes like that
nolander - January 8, 2012
Of course not.
He’s more likely to not continue throwing like that though.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
Denver cant run with Steelers putting 8 or 9 in the box
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
well when he is throwing like that yeah
he really needs to find a way to throw that way more often. Maybe the secret is having all day to throw
nolander - January 8, 2012
I never knew how much O lines mattered until i played IM flag football
As a quarterback, i never got rushed in the reg. season, so it was easy to complete passes, but then in the playoffs we faced this team that rushed with 3-4 people every time and i literally had enough time to put my hand on the laces once before having to throw it ONCE out of the 10 or so plays i quarterbacked, our line never learned how to block, it was horrible. Sometimes i had to throw it like a baseball just to get it away in time
Taylor Maricle - January 8, 2012
boom
wallace
nolander - January 8, 2012
Broncos defense has been horrible since Dawkins got hurt
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
and millers hand thingy
I mean this is a defense that was as bad as the texans was last year. Fox deserves props for what he has done this for, but its not crazy to think the D just isn’t going to be able to keep it up.
nolander - January 8, 2012
it sucks for the defense
when you can go empty backfield and still run as if there was a running back back there
nolander - January 8, 2012
Good to see Tebow shake off a couple bad games to play much better today.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Man throws ball in straight line, considered “much better”
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
you must have missed the throws he made
nolander - January 8, 2012
I did, I’m largely piecing this game together through Twitter.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
he dropped two of them in
and put a real good zip on the other one.
nolander - January 8, 2012
So we are congratulating him on throwing the ball straight three times.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
Wait sorry he’s 4-8
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
I don't think you know what dropping the ball in means
I’m talking about dropping them in over the guys shoulder downfield. They where 3 really good passes, I’m not sure what else he is supposed to do, throw it a mile in the air instead?
nolander - January 8, 2012
No that’s fine, just enjoy that Tebow doing his job and throwing the ball accurately is a huge improvement.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
He’s looking better than Big Ben. That’s about all I got.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
Broncos are winning on both sides of the line
nolander - January 8, 2012
Completing passes >50yards is difficult for any QB.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
No, I’m congratulating him for moving the ball against the #1 rated defense in the NFL
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
He’s had a couple good passes, a few easy passes, and a few ugly passes. It’s a minor improvement over how he’s played lately.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
that was one ugly throw by tebow
nolander - January 8, 2012
he couldn't even get a spiral on the throw sideways
nolander - January 8, 2012
That thing was fugly lol
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
so was the 3rd one
probably didn’t matter on that 3rd one though
nolander - January 8, 2012
Division Champs
kicking major ass this weekend. Talk about a true Divisional round next week.
silverwidow - January 8, 2012
Predictions
Saints 27
49ers 13
Packers 34
Giants 24
Ravens 20
Texans 14
silverwidow - January 8, 2012
Aww Rothlisberger thru another INT but offsides wipes it out
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
just another great throw by Tebow
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
so new plan
only letting tebow throw 30+ yards, if you get in the red zone run.
nolander - January 8, 2012
If Denver scores a TD this position, this game is over
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
possession
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Demaryus Thomas drop might have kept Steelers in the game.
Hold them to 3pts and the Broncos dont get to run the rest of the half out
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
new plan
Broncos install single wing offense, trade a deep threat receiver to draft Trent Richardson, win 5 Super Bowls running Student Body Right and Student Body Left
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
Broncos arent winning this game by running the football
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
They also can’t trade a player and draft another before the game is over.
Think you might have missed what she was getting at.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
I dont know what she’s getting at
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
humour
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
make em laugh, make em laugh, but always with dignity
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
That’s apparent.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
that Tebow should have been born sixty years ago and attended USC
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
That doesnt really apply to this game though.
Denver’s thrown for 185 yards and only rushed for 48.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
nevermind, I’m gonna go bang my head against the wall
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
timing timing timing
nolander - January 8, 2012
I’d just go with the Rex Grossman “fuck it, I’m goin deep” offense.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
that’s the exact opposite of the thing I just said!
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
I did not actually understand anything you wrote.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
Dad was a flag football coach, so my speciality is plays that were relevant 60 years ago
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
Happy Birthday David Bowie
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
Rebel, rebel
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012
It Ain't Easy
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
Lady Stardust
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
Ground Control
To Major Tom
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
Take your protein pills
and put your helmet on
Taylor Maricle - January 8, 2012
Six, five
Josie Becker - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
commencing countdown
Engines on
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
HJ
Is gonna be a crabby fellow if this game doesn’t start changing
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
This combination of player and uniform is fitting in oh so many ways
from today’s earlier NFL game:
Eric Stephen - January 8, 2012
his twitter background is proper
NotJoeTorre - January 8, 2012
thats denver ball..lateral is a fumble
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Officials screwed that one up.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
2nd half Vegas numbers
@ViewFromVegasDave Tuley
More ViewFromVegas of Broncos’ 20-6 lead…2nd-half line Steelers -7 -120 (adjusted Broncos -7 for game), o/u 19.5 (adjusted total 45.5)
Xeifrank - January 8, 2012
Big
Whistle and now or is a one score game
bhsportsguy - January 8, 2012
McGahee’s 2nd fumble of the game..first one he got lucky recovering but this one he wont get back
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Playoff OT
That would be boner worthy.
silverwidow - January 8, 2012
Steelers havent punted yet the 2nd half
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Champ BaiLOLey
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
He and McGahee are the reasons this game isnt over.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Quite a game
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
Rothlisberger is good but the Broncos defense has had an utter choke job in this game to cough up this lead…plus the fumble by McGahee was a killer
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
OT
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
silverwidow - January 8, 2012
OT…time to see how those rules affect things
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
WOWOWOWOWOW
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
lmao
NotJoeTorre - January 8, 2012
HOLY SHIT!!!
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
The Lord works in mysterious ways!!
Pure Azure - January 8, 2012
Wow
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
So much for those OT rules
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
I’m not a fan of Tebow. I’ll probably never be a fan of his.
I love him for knocking the Steelers out like that though.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
10-21 316yards
50 yards rushing
3 TDs
0 turnovers
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
I wonder how many of those passing yards are after the catch. Tebow had a good game and all, but his two longest passes had weren’t really that deep of passes. A lot of the yards were gained by the receiver (Thomas both times?).
This game never should have gotten this far though. The blown call on the lateral was bad.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
All the passes were bombs except the final one
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
On the 3 long passes to Thomas of 51, 58, and 80 yards Thomas gained 10, 26, and 62 yards on his own after the catch. That’s 98 yards out of 189 yards.
I’m not saying Tebow played bad or anything. He had a good game. I’m just giving the receivers credit for making plays after catching the ball.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
He doesn't do that if those passes where not thrown as well
you could probably do the same thing to brees or rodgers in a bunch of games. Take away the 62 yards and he still has 250 yards passing.
nolander - January 8, 2012
Brady’s made a living off of WRs getting YAC…
I think Wes Welker has led the league the last few years.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Did you watch the game?
I did. He made some great mid to long range passes. He played great. Now on to the New England mauling.
Xeifrank - January 8, 2012
flabbergasted!
Tebow gets so much crap I have no choice but to root for him…0 turnovers from Tebow is the key (and a straight arm by Thomas). btw…Go Dodgers!
BaldBilly - January 8, 2012
Yes pity poor tebow he receives not nearly enough praise.
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
He doesnt considering how much people hate on him.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
Is Tebow literally Jesus reborn, or does his power merely flow through him. Tim Cowlishaw your thoughts
regfairfield - January 8, 2012
He’s a good QB and a great person.
The liberals and atheists dislike him because of his political and religious beliefs.
But if you just take away that and discuss his football only..his career at Florida is unmatched and he’s had a pretty good start to his NFL career.
People saying that he cant QB a team at the NFL level dont understand football or are holding grudges against him for non-football reasons.
Joey Joe - January 8, 2012
people trying to say he is a good QB or a bad QB 12-14 games into his career
when he has played wildly inconsistently are getting way ahead of themselves.
Most of my friends are liberal atheists and they are simply sick of hearing about him on ESPN/fox/cbs/any announcer on the planets mouth. Its really that simple. You act like no non liberal non atheists are sick of hearing about him, and thats flat out not true.
nolander - January 8, 2012
FWIW
Whether or not I agree with his religious/political beliefs has nothing to do with his ability to play football.
Since I don’t have TV, I can’t tell you if he’s any good and also I don’t care about football get off my lawn.
Maddz - January 9, 2012
You’ve gone and lost it.
A lot of people root against him because they simply don’t think he’s any good or it’s backlash against all the praise he has received.
Others don’t like him nor do they dislike him. They just like to speak up against people who say stuff like “He’s a good QB”.
He may turn into a good QB one day. He isn’t one yet.
VegasBlues - January 8, 2012
its popular now to try to pretend that a group of people that make up 76 percent of the countries population
are persectured. Its silly to me, but w/e
nolander - January 8, 2012
i'm a stats guy
This reminds me when people would say that Choi sucks because they think he has a slow swing…nevermind that it didnt mesh with the numbers he actually put up which didnt suck at all. Or they say Adam Dunn sucks because he strikes out too much.
Similar to citing one stat (completion %) and saying that Tebow sucks – a stat that in football really isnt very important at all..at least not compared to yards per attempt, TDs to INTs, turnover per touch. To me, just like strikeouts dont matter at all…completion % while it matters some isnt that important and there’s other factors involved there anyway (such as drops and the types of passes being thrown).
QB takes awhile to become great at. Not many QBs from their first or 2nd year in the league immediately play All Pro football.
Tim Tebow’s started now 15 games in the NFL. So he’s played almost one season so far. He’s already putting up about a league average passer rating, but he also the 2nd best running QB in the NFL (i still put Cam Newton first).
He’s not a great QB right now – because great QBs are Brees, Rodgers, Brady. But that next echelon of good QBs – i dont know how you leave Tebow out of that discussion when he has the stats to back it up. 15Tds/6Ints, leading all QBs in rushing yards, team is 2 games from the Super Bowl.
What more do you want to see?
I’m sure Tebow wouldnt be getting the hype he does (from some people) if he hadnt had the success he did at Florida. But he did. And while NFL and college are different levels, you cant discount that and pretend that Tebow has no prior history of success. He has had loads of success everywhere.. If Tebow wasnt a good QB, if he couldnt pass the ball (which if you think about is one of the dumbest arguments ever put forth- he’s a pro football QB..of course he can pass) – Florida would have never started him for 4 years because they can recruit a 5 star QB every year. Cam Newton transferred bc he couldnt beat him out (along with him stealing laptops too but thats another story.)
If you have a dual threat guy, that makes good decisions (very low INT rate), and can throw the deep ball pretty well…I dont see why people say he isnt a good QB. Thats a very impressive skill set to start your career with. He makes the guys around him play better. There is an intangible effect there because football is an effort game.
Before Tim Tebow took over as starter permanently, the Broncos had gone 7-24. They put him in at starter, and the overall team starts to play way better – and this Steelers game was all Tebow (now 8-4 as starter this year)
Broncos really arent a good team overall. Their defense was 20th in the league, 24th in scoring defense, and 27th in turnovers forced. The offense traded away their best WR in Brandon Lloyd, so there’s not alot of talent there either. Yet, the QB as the leader of the team has them 2 games away from the Super Bowl.
So when someone says “Tebow isnt a good QB, or Tebow sucks”…those that follow football closely are left trying to come up with a rationale for it because football reasons alone it doesnt make sense at all to say that. Watch the games. Look at the stats that really matter. Look at his age and experience level relative to expectations.
Either the Tebow haters dont like him personally, or just dont want to admit their scouting eyes were wrong.
I’ll be the first to say when he plays poorly or needs to play better. I said it the last 2 weeks. But when he plays a lights out football game against a top notch defense, dont tell me he’s not good. If you werent a “good” QB, you wouldnt be able to make the plays he did vs that defense in a playoff game.
Or, if you’re one of these types of football fans that only believe Brees, Brady, Rodgers are good…and that every other QB in the league sucks…well sorry…thats a tough standard.
There’s 32 starting QBs in the league. A “good” starting QB IMO would be in the top 8 QBs in the league. I’d put Tebow there.
Joey Joe - January 9, 2012
at the top of your essay you say conflicting things. you say you’re a stats guy but then use your own personal opinion (a scouting report isn’t much more than that) to say although he led the league in yards, he’s not the best.
second, when they say he can’t pass they aren’t saying he can’t pass at all, they’re saying he’s going to have trouble making elite NFL passes until he improves, which is true. they game plan around what their players can and can’t do, and he’s included in that. from all accounts he had a good game last night, but if PIT was stacking the box that often to force him to pass, he probably was throwing into zone or man coverage a lot which should allow him to be less accurate and rely on his receivers to make plays for him. whether or not that’s what happened, I don’t know, but I think professionals who watch and have been around exponentially more football than any of us would care to watch should be listened to, even if they are disagreed with.
G.Scott - January 9, 2012 via Android app
If he is forcing 8 in the box because of his ability to run
and getting easier throws because of it, that doesn’t detract from his accomplishments
nolander - January 9, 2012
I should have clarified. I say that as a “he’s not a great QB because his stats say he had a good game”.
Once he starts having more good passing games, defenses will back off more and he’ll have to actually make contested throws.
G.Scott - January 9, 2012
I would not put him in the top 8
not yet, and maybe never. The reality is that QB play drops off insanely after say the top 8 or 10 guys though. But really , what everyone seems to be forgetting is we are still in SSS territory. Tim Tebow has basically Loney’d his first shot at the job. Will he loney the next 3 years?
nolander - January 9, 2012
His TD to INT rate really isn't that great anymore either
after his last 3 games. SSS. He is young, and he may get better, he may not, teams may figure out how to stop him.
nolander - January 9, 2012
quite glad they won
good excuse to comb thru Deadspin
NotJoeTorre - January 8, 2012
ESPN
Is going to be resorting to Tebow fanfiction at this rate
Tommy Blackjack - January 8, 2012 via iPhone app
OPUT
It seems there was a new post several hours ago.
berkowit28 - January 9, 2012
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