American Sports Thread

[gallsman]

Did he homer on his first at bat of one of his returns last year? Jeter has been increasingly crocked for the last number of years. Apparently shaping up well for spring training so there might be a bit of a last hurrah in him.

[AZOffaly]

Over a month since this thread was updated, so probably time to do so based on the fact that March Madness is about to kick off, with all the conference tourneys going at the moment. Anyone interested in a Bracket tournament?

Spring Training is well under way in the baseball, and the NBA and NHL are well on in their regular seasons.

Some of the most interesting stuff over recent days though is from the sport on its offseason, the NFL. Free agency started this week, and I think some of the moves so far have been very interesting. Some teams are going to look very different come next season.

Major Free Agency Moves so far. (In my opinion!)

LB Lamaar Woodley has gone from the Steelers to the Raiders
WR Ted Ginn JR from the Panthers to the Cardinals
DE Justin Tuck has gone from the Giants to the Raiders
DE Chris Clemons of the Seahawks has gone to the Jaguars
WR Eric Decker has left the Broncos for the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets
CB Derrell Revis is heading to the Patriots from the Buccaneers
WR Golden Tate has left the Seahawks for the Lions
QB Josh McCown has left the Bears and is heading to the Buccaneers
DE Demarcus Ware is leaving the ranch at Dallas and heading for the Broncos
RB Donald Brown has left the Colts for the Chargers
S Jairus Byrd has left cold Buffalo to head to the Mississippi Delta and the Saints
RB Toby Gerhart has left the Vikings and is on his way to the Jaguars
CB Alterarraun Verner has left the Titans and is joining the Buccaneers
RB Rashad Jenning has left the Raiders and is on his way to New Jersey and the Giants
RB Dexter McCluster is leaving the Chiefs for a new home with the Titans
LB Karlos Dansby is leaving Arizona again and moving to the Browns
WR Andre Roberts, is leaving the 3rd slot on the Cardinals WR corps to start again in Washington with the Redskins


Another bigger move sees the New Orleans Saints decide to trade Darren Sproles rather than release him as a Free Agent. He's gone to the Eagles

[magpie seanie]

Some really interesting moves. The Broncos are really going for it. Patriots got a great one with Revis and that's gotta hurt Jets fans. Am happy with the business da Bears have done so far. Defense was a shambles last year but have picked up defensive ends Lamarr Houston from the Raiders and Willie Young for Detroit as well as safeties M.D. Jennings and Ryan Mundy. Pity to lose Peppers but at his age and diminishing production it had to happen. Peanut Tillman is still not signed. Hope he is back but age v. salary is probably a problem. Playing at a very high level still. Offense (greatest in Bears history statistically) has all been kept together and Dominik Hixon is an interesting addition. Devin Hester gone is unfortunate but he probably was looking for too much money for a kick returner.

[Minder]

They must be on crystal meth in the Raiders front office.

[AZOffaly]

They must be on crystal meth in the Raiders front office.

Since 1985

[Capt Pat]

The vikings picked up DT Linval Joseph from the Giants.

[AZOffaly]

Yeah, there's a ton of more moves as well. The Cardinals seem to have picked up a couple of O-Linemen as well, which will help. I'll see if I can get a full list.

[orangeman]

Yeah, there's a ton of more moves as well. The Cardinals seem to have picked up a couple of O-Linemen as well, which will help. I'll see if I can get a full list.

AZ


Are offensive linesmen boys that you have along the line to dish out bad manners or are they like wing half forwards ??

[AZOffaly]

Offensive lineman are among the most important in the sport, because their job is twofold. They are expected to protect and give the quarterback time to throw in the passing game, and they are expected to blow holes in the defensive line to allow running backs get through in the running game.

The positions are

Left Tackle   Left Guard  Centre Right Guard Right Tackle

Depending on whether your QB is right or left handed, the Left or Right Tackle are vitally important as they protect the QB's 'Blind Side', hence the movie title. Michael Oher is a Left Tackle. (Now a Free Agent actually).

Most pass rush try to get pressure up the middle, but the ones that tend to really get there are the speed guys off the edges. The Defensive Ends and the like. It's normally the Tackle's responsibility to pick up the edge rushing DE.

On a pass play the Offensive line tends to try and form a pocket by ceding ground to the pass rush, but trying to push it on and around the QB. A good pocket will end up like

                    C
         LG                   RG

       LT         QB          RT

On a run play they try and explode off the ball and drive the Defensive Line back to open up the holes. They usually have fancy  blocking schemes etc for run plays to try and open up hole, like pulling guards etc. In this example the Right Guard has 'pulled around' to the other side of the centre to try and out number the defense on that side and open a hole for a runner to go through. The run would be designed to look for the hole made behind the pulling guard.


       LT  LG    RG     C    RT

                   RB

[stew]

They must be on crystal meth in the Raiders front office.

They havent done a thing right since the signed Bo Jackson, they are pitiful!

[orangeman]

Offensive lineman are among the most important in the sport, because their job is twofold. They are expected to protect and give the quarterback time to throw in the passing game, and they are expected to blow holes in the defensive line to allow running backs get through in the running game.

The positions are

Left Tackle   Left Guard  Centre Right Guard Right Tackle

Depending on whether your QB is right or left handed, the Left or Right Tackle are vitally important as they protect the QB's 'Blind Side', hence the movie title. Michael Oher is a Left Tackle. (Now a Free Agent actually).

Most pass rush try to get pressure up the middle, but the ones that tend to really get there are the speed guys off the edges. The Defensive Ends and the like. It's normally the Tackle's responsibility to pick up the edge rushing DE.

On a pass play the Offensive line tends to try and form a pocket by ceding ground to the pass rush, but trying to push it on and around the QB. A good pocket will end up like

                    C
         LG                   RG

       LT         QB          RT

On a run play they try and explode off the ball and drive the Defensive Line back to open up the holes. They usually have fancy  blocking schemes etc for run plays to try and open up hole, like pulling guards etc. In this example the Right Guard has 'pulled around' to the other side of the centre to try and out number the defense on that side and open a hole for a runner to go through. The run would be designed to look for the hole made behind the pulling guard.


       LT  LG    RG     C    RT

                   RB

So basically they're the big fat fella like the " Fridge" back in the day ??

[Gabriel_Hurl]

They are a lot more athletic than that now - it's not uncommon for OL men to run the 40 yard dash in less than 5 seconds like this fella (all 24 stone of him)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqn4CS-AmAs

[AZOffaly]

No, the Fridge was a defensive tackle. Defensive tackles are normally huge because they line up in the middle of the defensive line normally 'over' (in front of) the Offensive Guards and Centres. Their job is normally to 'stuff' the run.

I do remember the Fridge as an auxilliary full back in the superbowl that year for a play or two, trying to carry Walter Payton over the line.

[AZOffaly]

They are a lot more athletic than that now - it's not uncommon for OL men to run the 40 yard dash in less than 5 seconds like this fella (all 24 stone of him)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqn4CS-AmAs

Fridge would be more of a BJ Ragi type I think.

[orangeman]

They are a lot more athletic than that now - it's not uncommon for OL men to run the 40 yard dash in less than 5 seconds like this fella (all 24 stone of him)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqn4CS-AmAs

6 foot 5 inches - 24 stone - running 60 yards in less than 5 seconds.


If he hit you, he'd break every bone in your body.