E-Boland & Gang Green

What am I supposed to do at work today with no camp notes to look forward to reading

Just go read the last 40 posts over the last week...that should be good enough...Boland's really high maintenance, maybe that's why Rhodes is so hesitant.

"Just go read the last 40 posts over the last week"

I've already read everything on this site

"I've already read everything on this site"

Me too...twice.

my suggestion was to re-read it. Go through it with a fine tooth comb. Boland has a lot of very subtle nuances in his writing which I usually don't detect until the 4th or 5th read. But then again, maybe its because I need a dictionary just to read...he doesn't speak very good mono-syllabic English.

If you want something else to do, dmb, we could just start an argument.

By the way, power rankings are up but maybe I'm late in saying it.

Of surprise, the Jets are 23rd?? the Vikings are only 11 and the Pats are first even though their defense was gutted. Top 5 should be Colts, Cowboys, Pats, Chargers, Vikings.

argument suggestion works

"Top 5 should be Colts, Cowboys, Pats, Chargers, Vikings."

you honestly don't think the Pats should be in the top 5? you're crazy, I see them as the SB favorites again

I don't get it. How do the Patsie get "the NFL's easiest schedule" after being in the super bowl? I hate to be a Conspiracy Theorist, but the Jets constantly get screwed by the NFL schedulers. I think the Jets have opened the season with a home game maybe three times in the last fifteen years. And when the Raiders were hot, the Jets got fed to them, in Oakland, for three years in a row.

"How do the Patsie get "the NFL's easiest schedule" after being in the super bowl?"

Nobody is getting an easy schedule, and nobody is getting "screwed". NFL scheduling is an exact formula and a division rotation and there's not a single person who can help give a team an easy/hard schedule.

The Pats schedule's "ease" is determined by the teams in their division. The Jets have something like the 5th easiest based on the records of the teams they're facing. Since they face the Pats, it hurts their ease but the Jets have a very similar schedule to the Pats. It's all based on who, in your division, has a good year.

The Pats are in my top 5, they're just not the top team. I see the Vikings as the SB favorite. Their defense has always been ridiculous, their running game would KILL the Pats and, to top it all off, they got Booty with Berrian and Rice. They've got 2-3 years of solid contention ahead of them and they will seriously show up this year.

The Pats defense has always been overrated and their secondary was the only reason it got any praise. Teams had to throw on them and if the secondary is vulnerable, consider the Pats dead in the water. The Chargers, the Colts and the Vikings all have better defenses and, all things considered, the Colts have a better offense while the Vikings and Chargers have the ability to control the clock on the Pats.

All I'm saying is that the Pats are not as good this year as they were last year. They won't be. In fact, I'm betting that the Jets split games with them this year and maybe even the Bills too. I understand how good the Pats were last year, but it has been proven time and time again that defenses win championships. Without a solid D to protect a lead, I expect to see the Pats get some serious pain this year.

Cliff, nice to see you're back and in full slam-Boland mode! How the heck are you? I'm not sure which to address first; that I'm "high maintenance" or that there's "subtle nuances" to my writing. I guess I'll address neither of them. Good stuff. And good to see you haven't lost your fastball:).

John Z, I can understand the thoughts about the schedule but dmb is right: it is all done on a rotating basis. I would add to that, too, that what appears "easy" going into a season almost always isn't because there's always, every year, 6 teams or so that are much better than predicted, and 6 teams or so that are much worse.

"All I'm saying is that the Pats are not as good this year as they were last year"

You mean they'll take a step back from 18-1 and that doesn't keep them in the top 5?

Even if they win 4 less games this season, they're still a good bet to be top 5.

Babe, read what I wrote in my initial post, Colts, Cowboys, *****PATS*****, Chargers, Vikings.

If they lose 4 regular season games, they will, maybe, be top 5. I see the Colts, Cowboys, Chargers, Vikings, Browns, Pats, all being capable of only losing 2-4 games.

I'm not saying the Pats are bad, I'm just saying they're certainly nowhere near where they were this time last year.

Thanks for the welcoming Boland, I had to hit hard my first day back, you know how it is.

lol, my bad! but what's with the "babe"? i'm a guy

It's sarcasm, it's what I call everyone. Except Boland. He's persona non grata

Boland, I heard the Boomer/Carton interview as well, and the one answer I keep expecting but never get from Tannenbaum is as follows:

"As the GM of the New York Jets, I have a responsibility to the owner and to our fans to explore ALL possibilities that I believe are in the best interests of the team. If I believe that, at the right price, Brett Favre would make us a better team, it is incumbent upon me to find out what it would take to bring him here. To do less would be to neglect my responsibility to the team and fans. That is what I am doing with Favre, and that is what I will continue to do. Intelligent minds may differ on what is in the best interests of the team, but as long as I am paid to make those decisions I will continue to use my own judgment, regardless of whether a player, fan or member of the media thinks differently."

Oh, and if dmb88886 is looking for something to do, may I suggest perusing David Barrett's MySpace page? I think Barrett has a tribute to dmb on there.

Actually, I think that the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a top 5 team next year. Garrard has proven that he has what it takes, MJD is lightning, Fred Taylor is coming off a pro-bowl season and the WR group has been bolstered by the additions of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson.
Also, Cliff, what makes you so high on the Vikings? Last I heard, Brooks Bollinger is still in contention for that team-- that's never a good sign.

When you've got a solid D and O line, a RB who broke the single game rushing record AND could've (without the cheap GB injury) rushed for 2k yards in his rookie season. As well as a vastly improved secondary, I think you've got a solid shot. It doesn't matter if AP or Taylor is in the backfield, nor does it truly matter who hands the ball off, when your guy can average 5 yards a carry, you're going to win games.

Also, I love the Vikings coordinators. They do a great job of mixing plays up and, if they can get Booty to be the QB this year, they've got the Burners to really run a killer play action. Berrian, Rice and Shiancoe are solid receiving options...throw in the fact that AP and Taylor can be great options out of the backfield. Last year they were solid and the only reason they didnt perform better was the chaos at QB (pick a kid and let them own the spot, dont switch them every week). I love my Jets until the end, but the Vikings team is looking like a superb underdog selection...a Zone D that features a shutdown corner, a pro bowl safety...an offense that has 2 featured backs, with an o line that puts the pats to shambles.

Trust me, I'm skeptical about QB questions...as with all teams...but they've got too many other things going for them. The Jets too, just not as many things.