RuntheDamnBall

Given that Freeman is a quarterback with some talent, it just seems both like bad asset management and a poorly considered hire to go with a guy like Schiano so soon after having drafted Freeman. QBs with first round talent are usually going to be the cornerstone of a rebuilding plan, and following Freeman's drafting with the hire of Schiano suggests a rudderless ship.

Flynn & Kolb took the Billy Volek template and instead of retreating to backup-land, rode it all the way to a sh-- ton of found (not really earned) money.

Undoubtedly.

You know, teammates see that and respond. They see a leader, being born before their very eyes.

Sorry, this sounds like a lot of mumbo-jumbo to me. There are coaches whose style doesn't mesh well with certain players. That doesn't seem that out of the question, nor does the idea that Schiano might not have a very long NFL career ahead of him. It seems like he's had it out for Freeman from the get-go and would prefer to develop and control a guy drafted during his regime. The "passion for football" thing is just a big blanket for a bunch of little things like preparation, studying, actual honest-to-goodness smarts and ability to learn and process information, and more. Sure, those things matter, but one might have said Drew Brees didn't have "passion for football" before he started to find consistent success and "get it." I think we expect way too much, way too quickly of most players. I think very few people who play football aren't really passionate about it on some level. It doesn't need to be reduced to a catchphrase or a kind of new agey characterization of footballness that emanates from the inner core. Josh Freeman could easily find the right match in a system with a coach where mutual trust can develop. He could also be a fine backup for the rest of his career. Schiano seems to be losing control of his team and I'll wager that Freeman will be around long after he is gone.

We really should of just let this one go.

To be fair, he is easily tossed. Agreed 100%

The problem here is that Wilson also motivates his team to play awesome defense, which EJ has yet to be able to do.

Byrd for Freeman and a second. Even though, mostly, that's crazy.

Spiller is definitely worth more than Richardson. But we do not have any idea what's on offer, and frankly, this team needs a (correctly-used) Spiller.

Is it dumb, or SO DUMB IT'S BRILLIANT? But thanks for making my point! Should have traded him for some Carl's Jr.®

Trading him now is selling low, which is never not stupid.

I mean, why not?

Funny, Kelly is a sometimes-decent baseball writer when assigned to the Jays. No idea exactly what he is trying to do here, but the last sentence tells me it's a bit tongue in cheek and he's kind of making a bit of veiled fun at Toronto's cosmopolitan reputation, too. That said... why? If this dude wants a war, let's start: The Maple Leafs last won the Cup before the Sabres existed. They ought to think on that. Also, they picked up Tim Connolly AFTER the Sabres took seven years to discover he was made of porcelain.

Well, yeah.

I think that often happens with young first year head coaches who want to mold their team and build a program. It would be more surprising if they don't stock the cupboard with some vets next year.

Leonhard seems like a very safe, milquetoast pick. 6 years ago, sure. But he isn't even as fast as he was six years ago, which was... not super fast.

I only find it troubling because of the phrase, "to my knowledge" -- because I know you have some connections. Otherwise I would just think that maybe they tried and were rebuffed. Kraig Urbik, Scott Chandler, Lawyer Milloy, Jim Leonhard, Jay Ross, Lee Smith, Shawne Merriman, Jamon Meredith, Corey McIntyre, and Leon Joe beg to differ. But all of these guys besides Leon Joe kind of suck.

Roscoe didn't suck. He was not very smart, and he was pretty tiny and brittle, but he is a much more dynamic playmaker than Graham has proven to be, yet.

ON CJ Spiller - are several NY Jets.

Whoah, whoah, whoah you just lost a good half of the board here. Take it easy.

I agree. See McGee note earlier. But yes. Sure. Everybody loses half of their secondary at once.

Powell was pretty decent against the Pats. Newsflash though: Most backs are mediocre and even ones who look really good for a year or two do just that, before they've taken too much abuse. The elite ones are really doing something just short of miraculous by staying productive over long careers.

Easley or Hogan over Graham seems like a no-brainer at this point. While EJ tries to improve his accuracy, some targets who actually go after the ball and have a bit more size would help him out.