Monthly Archives: April 2012

by | April 24, 2012 · 7:04 am

The Cove: Dolphins dead in the water

Either the Miami Dolphins have given up on the 2012 season already, or they know something we don’t know (which is likely the case).

That’s the only logical way to explain the moves, or lack there of, so far in free agency.

Now, we can postulate all we want without knowing the full story, but it’s not hard to see that new coach Joe Philbin has already lost a couple of wagers in his pursuit of this season’s top quarterback free agents.

Peyton Manning, who was all but guaranteed by the national media to the Dolphins when it became apparent the Colts were cleaning out the closet, obviously wanted to go to a team that didn’t suck and one where he wouldn’t have to play Tom Brady twice a year.

Matt Flynn, who has an established relationship with Philbin from their time in Green Bay, decided to sign a contract with Seattle where he’s all but guaranteed to start over Tavaris Jackson.

With those two off the market, Miami took the next logical course of action… and signed David Garrard. Yes, the guy who got cut before the start of last season. Yes, the guy who hasn’t hiked a ball in over a year. Yes, THAT DAVID GARRARD.

Hello, Miami. I'm here to seduce you. Uh, I mean save you.
Photo Credit: ESPN.com

Looking at the last few years of management moves from the Dolphins, they have been in a constant state of rebuild even before their dismal 1-15 season. When Bill Parcells came aboard in 2008, he came with a basic fundamental: that any good football team has to be able to protect the passer (JEEEZ, THANKS FOR THE ADVICE, BILL! HERE’S A FEW MILLION AND A NIFTY TITLE TO GO WITH IT).

In the years since, the Dolphins have made countless moves at offensive line and really only ended up with three decent players: Jake Long, Mike Pouncey, and Richie Incognito. They’ve focused on the offensive line for five years — is now the time to find the franchise quarterback?

To look at Garrard as anything but a back-up or a veteran presence for the youngblooded Dolphins is foolish, and neither he or Matt Moore will be Miami’s quarterback of the future. Plus, the loss of Brandon Marshall has left a void in the offense that couldn’t be filled with all the Legadu Nanee’s of the world.

The way I see it, this Thursday’s draft is a defining moment for the Dolphins, and could make-or-break the team before the season starts.

Does the team draft David DeCastro or Riley Reiff, adding a sure-starter to what is already a promising, but still lacking, offensive line?

Do they go with a talented wide receiver, such as Justin Blackmon or Michael Floyd, paired with Nanee to replace the void left by Marshall?

Maybe they draft a promising pass rusher, filling a hole recently left by the departed Kendall Langford?

Maybe they draft a kicker? I hear Finkle is available.

These are questions the Dolphins management should ask before going with the forgone conclusion of Ryan Tannehill. As BVI put it last week, why blow your load on a QB that isn’t ready, that obviously needs to be developed, when other aspects of the team need just as much work?

But all signs point to Miami drafting Tannehill. Come Thursday, the Dolphins will either be giving up on the 2012 season, or they know something we don’t know. Can you guess which mindset the fans will have?

Comments Off

Filed under Articles, Ramblings

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | April 23, 2012 · 5:49 pm

Face to Face with Beanie Wells (Interview)

Writer’s Note: The following is reposted with permission, originally printed in Mountainside Fitness’ Spring 2012 edition of M Magazine. If you’re in Arizona, check out a Mountainside. They have badass TRX stations if you want to look cool while playing with a gigantic string of rope.

Just like this.

Not included in this article is our conversation about Jim Tressell, his desire to play for the Bengals or Browns, or how we made fun of Vontaze Burfict, who was working out on site. Stay tuned for those sordid tales…

Beanie Wells has reached his goal. Now, he just has to keep it.

“When you’re a kid, your dream is to make it to the NFL,” Beanie said, “But when you’re in the NFL, your dream is to stay in the NFL.” Playing football professionally, among such elite athletes, is a career coveted by many yet claimed by few, and though the benefits can be enormous at times, longevity is not a quality common among its participants. “So often, you see guys get in and out, in and out, in and out,” Beanie said. “People are here one day and gone the next, and you never know when that last day will be.”

But Beanie isn’t worrying about that at all — instead, he enjoys every second spent in the league, and works hard to ensure his playing days last for the long haul. Taking time to rest after hitting the free weights at Mountainside Fitness’ Gilbert location, Beanie is already hard at work preparing for the 2012 football season. “When you’re doing this, you have to prepare like a professional. Not only on the field, but off the field.”

And even though the team hasn’t reported to camp, the time off hasn’t given him an excuse to let up. “You’ve got a time period, like the first month of the offseason, you can kind of relax, eat all your junk food, and party a little bit,” he said. “But it has to come to a point where you have to kick it in, turn it into gear. You have to be prepared and you have to work out.”

Now that he’s a professional, he said, he’s at a level where he’s playing among the most talented in the game. He needs to be disciplined, and that includes working out everyday — even during the offseason.

“Working out is the most important thing. The offseason is huge.” Beanie said. “It’s more intense. In the regular season, you’re just doing weightlifting stuff to maintain strength and stay in shape.”

But Beanie’s offseason is the opposite, he said. He’s working out more, lifting more, hoping to build upon his already considerable strength. And he’s running often, always improving his endurance, speed, and quickness.

“You have to go hard” Beanie said.

Health is one of Beanie’s main concerns this year, having ended last season with a knee injury. He’s worked hard to repair the damage, and recently underwent a minor arthroscopic surgical procedure.

Now the Cardinals running back is healthy. He’s working out, and he’s preparing for an even better season than the one he had in 2011, which won’t be an easy feat. Despite the injury, he finished 2011 as the Cardinals’ leading rusher, attaining 1,047 yards in 14 starts.

He stomped through the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the New York Giants, in Week 5, rushing for over 130 yards and scoring three touchdowns. The next week, in a tough loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Beanie showed an impressive physical display when he plowed Cedric Griffin, knocking the imposing cornerback’s helmet off, before getting a first down. (“That play made it worthwhile,” Beanie said.) And toward the end of the season, against the St. Louis Rams, Beanie had his best career game yet, gaining 228 yards on the ground including a breakaway 71-yard-run stopped just short of the goal line.

The Cardinals had some troubles on offense throughout the season, but Beanie’s consistency on the ground became an integral part of their scoring attack and was a large part of the team’s 9-7 finish. Beanie said his success has earned him some confidence with the coaching staff, and that he’s really looking forward to a full off-season unhindered by a lockout.

“I love what I do,” he said. “I know, at the end of the day, this is what pays the bills but you have to be good at your job in order to have it.” Beanie’s work ethic is rooted in advice his father gave him in college.

“Just take care of yourself. You have to take care of YOU, first and foremost, because nobody else will,” he said. “Nobody is going to take a hit for you, nobody is going to run the football for you, nobody is going to lift a weight for you. You have to carry yourself that way.”

Beanie cites his parents as the source of his inspiration, who raised him along with 11 other brothers and sisters. Now a father to two children of his own, he said he wants to be a great parent to his kids just as his mom and dad were to him. “Being a father, that’s beyond anything,” Beanie said. “I want to raise my kids to grow up to be great young men, and everything else is secondary to that.”

Maturity comes at a young age for Beanie, who will turn 24 this August. His success has come with notoriety, and he’s using that for a good cause — currently, Beanie and his camp are teaming with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, organizing an event in Scottsdale to raise money for Arizona children.

“We’re going to do a charity poker tournament,” Beanie said. “We’re going to get a couple local celebrities and a few of the Arizona Cardinals teammates.”

It’s clear that Beanie’s own parents instilled a sense of responsibility he carries on and off the field, working hard for his team, his family, and his community.

Beanie might not act it, but he is a young man. He shared with us his playful side when he mentioned he’s a ‘90s kid who grew up watching shows like Ren & Stimpy and Legends of the Hidden Temple. His favorite superhero is the Flash, which is fitting for a pro running back. In his teens, he watched “The Notebook” with hopes of learning more about the opposite sex. And despite his strict diet and workout regimen, he’ll still partake in a seasonal Thin Mint cookie binge, courtesy of the Girl Scouts of America.

I dare you to talk shit about Ahh! Real Monsters.

Don’t mistake these as signs of immaturity, for they are anything but. Instead, take them as notice that Beanie knows how to have fun and doesn’t take himself too seriously. And though he still indulges in ‘90s Nickelodeon cartoons from time to time, he maintains a sense of dignity and class.

He prefers spending his spare time fishing for bass and catfish instead of playing video games. He strays away from Twitter controversy, which has become an all-too common commotion among today’s athletes. And he prefers to mellow out to the smooth sounds of Marvin Gaye before a game, instead of the typical frenetic pump-up music echoing throughout the arena. That sense of maturity is hard to come by among professional athletes today.

Beanie attended Ohio State University for three years before declaring for the NFL, and he says his time in college was integral to his growing up.

“You not only learn a trade, you also learn how to grow up,” Beanie said of college. “It teaches you how to take responsibility and accountability for what you do.”

He hasn’t graduated yet, having entered the NFL before getting his degree, but Beanie said he has plans to finish his education through online school before transferring back to Ohio State.

“I have 12 credit hours left,” he said. “My parents stressed to me and my brothers and sisters, to get an education because, ultimately, you can’t do anything without it.”

A product of no one’s hard work but his own, Beanie handles his responsibilities with pride. And now that he’s become the foundation of the Cardinals’ running game, he’s working to keep his spot at the top of the depth chart.

“I came from a system at Ohio State where I was used to getting the ball,” he said. “For me to get back to that this past season was amazing … This year I’m looking forward to going into it a lot healthier and still getting the bulk of the carries.”

Looking into his crystal ball, Beanie channeled the infamous Bart Scott in making his prediction:

“I can’t wait. 2012 is definitely going to be a big year.”

Comments Off

Filed under Articles, Ramblings

Tagged as ,

by | April 20, 2012 · 12:13 pm

Cam Newton Really Wants to Get Injured Next Season

Thanks, Cam. I was finding it hard to dislike you last year even though I didn’t like you in college. Thanks for giving me a reason.

Things I hate about this video:

  • 40 seconds of nicknames
  • vlog style Cam Newton uncomfortably talking to camera
  • William Shatner-esque breaks in sentence
  • There is no Madden 2012 for Sega
  • He said laratory instead of laboratory.
  • THIS IS SEVEN FUCKING MINUTES LONG.

Things I like about this video:

  • The phrase “these thumbs are official” is so dumb that it can be printed, framed, and hung up on a wall under the title “stupidest phrases of all time.”
  • A clip of him completely discounting the Madden curse will inevitably be juxtaposed by clips of him throwing 47 interceptions, and that will be funny.
  • One of the comments on the youtube video, completely out of context, reads, “I literally had sex like a half hour ago. Cam Newton is lame.”

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

1 Comment

Filed under Articles, Ramblings

Tagged as , ,

by | April 19, 2012 · 10:43 pm

The Rise of Ryan Tannehill

This was actually a one handed catch he made while playing receiver.

If you had any doubts that this is a quarterback driven league, the lead-up to the 2012 draft has probably clarified that issue for you.  After Washington traded up to presumably select RG3 it was originally thought by most experts that there weren’t any other quarterbacks going to be taken in the first round.

And then came the rise of Ryan Tannehill.  If it was a movie the trailer would have Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. yelling at each other.

I will premise this by saying that I have not put in as many hours watching tape of college players as the scouts and network analysts have.  Studying the pull blocking technique of a guard from the WAC is neither my job nor my hobby, but I think this storyline goes beyond X’s and O’s.  Tannehill is a player with a lot of physical tools and a great deal of upside.  Combine this with the fact that most teams are willing to lose their shit about a quarterback at any given moment, and this is the result.  With certain rule and philosophy changes, it is becoming more and more important to have an elite quarterback behind center.  But at some point teams need to come to grips with the fact that they don’t just hand out hall of fame signal callers.  Sometimes you have to be patient and build a solid team so that when that quarterback comes along (either through draft or free agency) you are ready to compete.

The Oakland Raiders could have accepted their fate last season after Jason Campbell’s injury.  They could have accepted that the season was more or less in the tank at that point.  After all, it was an AFC that they didn’t stand much of a chance to make noise in regardless.  Instead they pulled the trigger on a panicky trade for Carson Palmer that has made the immediate future considerably less bright.  This is completely different than the Tannehill situation in some respects, but still a symptom of the same lack of critical thinking.  For regular readers of the blog, you know by now that I never pass up an opportunity to take a crap all over that Raiders/Bengals trade!

Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the teams that I think should be discouraged from drafting Tannehill.

Miami Dolphins, 8th Overall Selection – I wouldn’t mind the Dolphins drafting Tannehill if they had a pick around 14 spots later in the draft.   But I personally think there’s too much value to be had this early on.  Even Tannehill’s biggest supporters don’t think that he will be ready to make an immediate impact on an NFL roster.  So let’s say the Dolphins draft Tannehill and somehow the combination of Matt Moore/David Garrard doesn’t manage to win a lot of games (hard to imagine, I know) and next year they have a high draft pick again.  And then let’s say there is an elite college QB available in that spot that is far more NFL ready.  As a front office, wouldn’t you just feel silly that you blew your load on a project QB in the 2012 draft when you had so many other pressing needs?  Thing is, this scenario seems very likely to me.  If Miami wants a sexy draft pick to make the fan base excited, how about reaching a tad and drafting Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd?  After Brandon Marshall left who exactly does any of these quarterbacks have to throw the ball to anyway?

Kansas City Chiefs, 11th Overall Selection – Of all the teams that might reach for the Texas A&M QB, this is the one that makes the most sense.  I still don’t particularly like it, however.  I am not as quick as most to bury Matt Cassel’s career at this point.  He is just one season removed from throwing 27 touchdowns to 7 interceptions and last year he got hurt midway through the season. 

Seattle Seahawks 12th Overall Selection – Well, Pete Carroll has lost his fucking mind.  After his team went out and signed Matt Flynn who was arguably the second biggest free agent QB behind Peyton Manning, and then went on to announce that Tarvaris Jackson is his starter going into camp, Pete has apparently become enamored with Tannehill.  He is also apparently enamored with the prospect of  answering a bunch of stupid questions every week from reporters about why so and so is getting more reps in practice.  If you ever stop and wonder why some franchises just never seem to get completely over the hump, draft decisions like this are why.  For the Seahawks to even consider taking Tannehill here is complete batshit lunacy. Seattle needs a pass rusher, and they need one in the worst way.  Chris Clemons had 11 of the team’s 33 sacks in the 2011 season.

Philadelphia Eagles, 15th Overall Selection – So after one of the most disappointing seasons that I have ever seen in my twenty something years watching pro sports, and several catastrophic defensive meltdowns, the Eagles are considering drafting a back-up QB that has no chance to see the field unless there is an injury?  With the 15th overall pick?  Am I missing something here?

Who should take him?  That’s a fair question at this point.  I think ideally he should be going to the Browns at the 22nd pick, but he’ll never make it that far.  One of these teams is going to lose their patience.

Where do you think Ryan Tannehill should go?  Let us know in the comments section.

2 Comments

Filed under Articles, Ramblings

Tagged as , ,

by | · 10:42 am

So Hey, We Were On a Podcast

Thomas Holzerman’s blog primarily focuses on the world of professional wrestling, which is near and dear to my heart.  However sometimes he likes to talk about other stuff, like his deep seeded hatred for Tyson Alualu.  His monthly non-wrestling related podcast is titled “Outside the Squared Circle” and this month he had Nate, myself, Mike Tunison of Kissing Suzy Kolber and Josh Zerkle of The Go Route on to do a mock draft.  Punters for everyone!  

So click here and check it out.

Comments Off

Filed under Articles, Ramblings

Tagged as ,