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Redskins Plan for Handling
Leadership Concerns
Joe Tarell, April 4, 2010
With the announcement of the contract for
“Fast” Willie Parker, the Redskins signed a
second veteran running back after releasing
most of their backups earlier in the off
season. With Larry Johnson already in the
fold and both signings coming with the
proclamation that there will be an open
competition at the running back position, is
this the end of the Clinton Portis era? More
likely, it is simply the end of the Clinton Portis
“untouchable Diva era.”
There has been a long held belief at AFATT
that the biggest problem the Redskins had
was the inmates running the asylum. There
has been the wrong kind of player leadership
in that locker room and it starts with Portis.
Since he is owed a guaranteed $7 million,
cutting Portis to solve that problem was not
viewed as an option by management. We
believe that Mike Shanahan may have
decided to solve the problem by making
Portis fight for his job. Shanahan may be
telling Portis, “if you are busy trying to keep
your starting job you may have less time to
cause strife.”
The obvious next question is whether Jason
Campbell is willing and able to step up and
take over the team. Thanks to Bruce Allen
and company, we don’t know. And that’s the
way it should be with three weeks to go
before the draft. There is no sense tipping
your hand. AFATT can see Campbell
staying and playing very well with the right
kind of leadership around him and a solid
offensive line. That O-line is the biggest
question mark on this team and one that has
gotten very little attention.
Shanahan has historically had smaller,
quicker, zone blocking lines and believes in a
one cut style of running game. Of course,
this philosophy is a product of Alex Gibbs,
who was the Broncos offensive line coach
during the Super Bowl winning days of the
late 90’s. Gibbs taught the cut blocking
scheme that many opponents found
unnerving but always created creases for an
ever changing array of 1,000 yard rushers.
It does not appear that Chris Foerster, the
new O-line coach is a Gibbs disciple so it
should be interesting what direction they go.
Other than Casey Rabach, none of the
current starting offensive lineman fit the
Gibbs’ mold. They need at least one more
starter quality lineman on that roster,
preferably a left tackle.
The talent level in Washington has never
really been the problem. Injuries,
mismanaged rosters and poor team
leadership have been the biggest reasons
why the team has failed. The leadership
issues start at the top and this is why a
diverse group of coaches have failed to
change that dynamic. If Dan Snyder really
gets out of the way and let’s Bruce Allen and
Mike Shanahan run things, it might work this
time. Vinny Cerrato did a terrible job of
managing the roster. Signing players the
team did not need and ignoring areas of
tremendous need led to strength in one area
while being weak in many others. All these
factors came to a head last year, when they
hung Jason Campbell out to dry while
publicly chasing Cutler and Sanchez, and
there was no way to reel him back in and
make him the leader of that football team.
This is why the team performed so much
better on offense, even after all the injuries
on the offensive line, when Portis was
removed from the mix after the concussion.
The pressure to get Dan Snyder’s golden
boy the football disrupted the entire offensive
flow. Eliminating that dynamic allowed the
offense to blossom. What Shanahan has
done by declaring that all spots, including QB
and RB, are open competitions, is to change
the leadership dynamic. If Jason Campbell
wins the job, then he is the leader because
of his abilities and not a proclamation. If
Clinton Portis wins the job then he too is
there because of his talent, not because he
has the personal cell phone number of the
owner on his speed dial. This can change
the leadership dynamic and produce wins.
Because AFATT Says So….
Leadership Concerns
Joe Tarell, April 4, 2010
With the announcement of the contract for
“Fast” Willie Parker, the Redskins signed a
second veteran running back after releasing
most of their backups earlier in the off
season. With Larry Johnson already in the
fold and both signings coming with the
proclamation that there will be an open
competition at the running back position, is
this the end of the Clinton Portis era? More
likely, it is simply the end of the Clinton Portis
“untouchable Diva era.”
There has been a long held belief at AFATT
that the biggest problem the Redskins had
was the inmates running the asylum. There
has been the wrong kind of player leadership
in that locker room and it starts with Portis.
Since he is owed a guaranteed $7 million,
cutting Portis to solve that problem was not
viewed as an option by management. We
believe that Mike Shanahan may have
decided to solve the problem by making
Portis fight for his job. Shanahan may be
telling Portis, “if you are busy trying to keep
your starting job you may have less time to
cause strife.”
The obvious next question is whether Jason
Campbell is willing and able to step up and
take over the team. Thanks to Bruce Allen
and company, we don’t know. And that’s the
way it should be with three weeks to go
before the draft. There is no sense tipping
your hand. AFATT can see Campbell
staying and playing very well with the right
kind of leadership around him and a solid
offensive line. That O-line is the biggest
question mark on this team and one that has
gotten very little attention.
Shanahan has historically had smaller,
quicker, zone blocking lines and believes in a
one cut style of running game. Of course,
this philosophy is a product of Alex Gibbs,
who was the Broncos offensive line coach
during the Super Bowl winning days of the
late 90’s. Gibbs taught the cut blocking
scheme that many opponents found
unnerving but always created creases for an
ever changing array of 1,000 yard rushers.
It does not appear that Chris Foerster, the
new O-line coach is a Gibbs disciple so it
should be interesting what direction they go.
Other than Casey Rabach, none of the
current starting offensive lineman fit the
Gibbs’ mold. They need at least one more
starter quality lineman on that roster,
preferably a left tackle.
The talent level in Washington has never
really been the problem. Injuries,
mismanaged rosters and poor team
leadership have been the biggest reasons
why the team has failed. The leadership
issues start at the top and this is why a
diverse group of coaches have failed to
change that dynamic. If Dan Snyder really
gets out of the way and let’s Bruce Allen and
Mike Shanahan run things, it might work this
time. Vinny Cerrato did a terrible job of
managing the roster. Signing players the
team did not need and ignoring areas of
tremendous need led to strength in one area
while being weak in many others. All these
factors came to a head last year, when they
hung Jason Campbell out to dry while
publicly chasing Cutler and Sanchez, and
there was no way to reel him back in and
make him the leader of that football team.
This is why the team performed so much
better on offense, even after all the injuries
on the offensive line, when Portis was
removed from the mix after the concussion.
The pressure to get Dan Snyder’s golden
boy the football disrupted the entire offensive
flow. Eliminating that dynamic allowed the
offense to blossom. What Shanahan has
done by declaring that all spots, including QB
and RB, are open competitions, is to change
the leadership dynamic. If Jason Campbell
wins the job, then he is the leader because
of his abilities and not a proclamation. If
Clinton Portis wins the job then he too is
there because of his talent, not because he
has the personal cell phone number of the
owner on his speed dial. This can change
the leadership dynamic and produce wins.
Because AFATT Says So….
Site by Joe Tarell
JoeTarell.com
Sales Manager,
Sales Trainer,
Digital Marketing
Advertising
Consultant
JoeTarell.com
Sales Manager,
Sales Trainer,
Digital Marketing
Advertising
Consultant
How to Find a Bust – Volume
One (updated)
Joe Tarell, February 5, 2010
It would seem with all the analysis being done
today and the freedom of information
available on the Internet that NFL teams
should be further along in predicting who will
make it and who will not when they reach the
NFL level. At AFATT we believe in the old
adage, follow the money. If we can find out
what happens when a 22 year old gets the
taste of money for the first time, we can
answer many of the questions that arise from
this annual fishing expedition called the NFL
Draft.
Last year we identified some players that we
felt might have the highest propensity to
bust. We hit on some and missed on others,
the book is still out on a few more. The
AFATT Instant Millionaire Effect, or IME, is
designed to look for players who will fail if
they hit the lottery that comes with the first
round of the NFL Draft. When people are
put under extreme stress or come upon
instant success, many times their true
character is revealed. The adage that
character is built under pressure is incorrect
in many eyes, including these, who believe
that it is revealed. People revert to their
base instincts in these situations and this is
why the Marine Corps believes so strongly in
tearing them down and building them back
up.
With this in mind, let’s start the process of
analyzing some of the top talent on many
draft boards for 2009. The easy first target
is Andre Smith, the offensive tackle from
Alabama. First he gets himself suspended
from the Sugar Bowl whipping that Alabama
took from Utah for contact with an agent and
then he goes AWOL from the Scouting
Combine. He shows up at his campus
workout with a reported entourage present of
30 family members, three trainers, a publicist
and his agent and he was driving a 2009
Cadillac Escalade ESV, easily a $70,000+
vehicle with no bling added. He has a body
that looks like it has seen way more chicken
fried steak, than barbells and he put 225
pounds up a whopping 19 times.
Taken individually these things would not
cause too much concern because they are
typically known as the “mistakes of youth.”
Taken collectively, they scare the hell out of
me and if I am an owner about to guarantee
this kid $25 million; they should cause me to
run like hell. The 19 reps on the bench
press and the body by Fat Albert are the
items that scare me the most. He has been a
three year starter at an SEC school, who by
all accounts is the most talented left tackle in
the draft. How can you go to school for three
years, claim to want to be the best offensive
lineman of all time as he did in a recent
interview and not find a way to get strong
enough to out lift a kicker (David Buehler
from USC did 25 reps). If he did not find the
time to get in shape before the biggest job
interview he will ever have, what will happen
when he has $25 million in the bank.
The good news for Andre Smith fans is with
that entourage he won’t have the money for
very long, so the second team he signs with
may get a very talented AND motivated
player. If he gets picked in the first round,
unless it is late, he will probably bust. We
have seen examples where sliding on draft
day has helped players, Randy Moss being
an excellent example. When the first AFATT
mock draft is revealed, Andre Smith will get a
second round grade, but we will probably
have him going to Cincinnati (they are still
the Bungals, after all). Not because he is a
second round talent, but because that might
be the only way to save him from himself
(and his entourage). The final mock will put
him where he belongs.
The above article was written in March 2009
and pretty well summed up our feelings for
Andre. Well, guess what? Cincinnati, as
only the Bengals can do, picked him at
number six in the first round and then could
not sign him until training camp was over.
Naturally, ol' Andre was out of shape and got
hurt. He played in only six games and was
not a factor for the Bengals. All of this for
$21 million guaranteed. I guess the IME was
right on the money with this one.
Because AFATT Says So….
One (updated)
Joe Tarell, February 5, 2010
It would seem with all the analysis being done
today and the freedom of information
available on the Internet that NFL teams
should be further along in predicting who will
make it and who will not when they reach the
NFL level. At AFATT we believe in the old
adage, follow the money. If we can find out
what happens when a 22 year old gets the
taste of money for the first time, we can
answer many of the questions that arise from
this annual fishing expedition called the NFL
Draft.
Last year we identified some players that we
felt might have the highest propensity to
bust. We hit on some and missed on others,
the book is still out on a few more. The
AFATT Instant Millionaire Effect, or IME, is
designed to look for players who will fail if
they hit the lottery that comes with the first
round of the NFL Draft. When people are
put under extreme stress or come upon
instant success, many times their true
character is revealed. The adage that
character is built under pressure is incorrect
in many eyes, including these, who believe
that it is revealed. People revert to their
base instincts in these situations and this is
why the Marine Corps believes so strongly in
tearing them down and building them back
up.
With this in mind, let’s start the process of
analyzing some of the top talent on many
draft boards for 2009. The easy first target
is Andre Smith, the offensive tackle from
Alabama. First he gets himself suspended
from the Sugar Bowl whipping that Alabama
took from Utah for contact with an agent and
then he goes AWOL from the Scouting
Combine. He shows up at his campus
workout with a reported entourage present of
30 family members, three trainers, a publicist
and his agent and he was driving a 2009
Cadillac Escalade ESV, easily a $70,000+
vehicle with no bling added. He has a body
that looks like it has seen way more chicken
fried steak, than barbells and he put 225
pounds up a whopping 19 times.
Taken individually these things would not
cause too much concern because they are
typically known as the “mistakes of youth.”
Taken collectively, they scare the hell out of
me and if I am an owner about to guarantee
this kid $25 million; they should cause me to
run like hell. The 19 reps on the bench
press and the body by Fat Albert are the
items that scare me the most. He has been a
three year starter at an SEC school, who by
all accounts is the most talented left tackle in
the draft. How can you go to school for three
years, claim to want to be the best offensive
lineman of all time as he did in a recent
interview and not find a way to get strong
enough to out lift a kicker (David Buehler
from USC did 25 reps). If he did not find the
time to get in shape before the biggest job
interview he will ever have, what will happen
when he has $25 million in the bank.
The good news for Andre Smith fans is with
that entourage he won’t have the money for
very long, so the second team he signs with
may get a very talented AND motivated
player. If he gets picked in the first round,
unless it is late, he will probably bust. We
have seen examples where sliding on draft
day has helped players, Randy Moss being
an excellent example. When the first AFATT
mock draft is revealed, Andre Smith will get a
second round grade, but we will probably
have him going to Cincinnati (they are still
the Bungals, after all). Not because he is a
second round talent, but because that might
be the only way to save him from himself
(and his entourage). The final mock will put
him where he belongs.
The above article was written in March 2009
and pretty well summed up our feelings for
Andre. Well, guess what? Cincinnati, as
only the Bengals can do, picked him at
number six in the first round and then could
not sign him until training camp was over.
Naturally, ol' Andre was out of shape and got
hurt. He played in only six games and was
not a factor for the Bengals. All of this for
$21 million guaranteed. I guess the IME was
right on the money with this one.
Because AFATT Says So….
The Dolphins’ Needs
Patrick Tarell, January 4, 2010
I’m going to take a little time to breakdown
the Dolphins’ needs beginning overall and
then by position… More
Patrick Tarell, January 4, 2010
I’m going to take a little time to breakdown
the Dolphins’ needs beginning overall and
then by position… More
Offensive Line Play is Offensive
Joe Tarell, December 1, 2010
When is someone going to solve the biggest
issue for offenses in the NFL? All the time
we hear about a revolving door at OL
positions because of injuries or whatever is
not allowing continuity. The biggest issue
for an O-lineman is not blocking, it is
knowing WHO to block. Each guy must
know his assignment and get there quickly
or we get injured QB's and the NFL hates
when their glamor boys get knocked out.
When I played OL, my biggest advantage
was that I knew the snap count and I was
quicker than most of the guys I played
against. When you are unsure who to block,
you lose that edge. That was the basis for
my 4-4 defense used in Pee Wee football.
We had six guys standing up and they were
liable to slant or blitz either direction on any
play so those kids on the OL had no idea
who to block.
Okay, so how do we solve these two issues?
Remember my prediction on AFATT that we
would see the next big evolution in football
as smaller quicker O-Lineman? It is coming,
trust me, but what I really want now is
smarter O-Linemen. Why are teams not
requiring their OL to work TOGETHER more
in the FILM Room. Take your seven or eight
guys (because that is all that is dressing on
Sunday) and stand them in a room, five
across, switching positions regularly, pop a
piece of film on the screen, call a play and
then ask them who they block. If all five get
it right, move to the next defensive front and
play call, if they don't, all eight drop and give
me ten push ups or up-downs, then the next
piece of film.
The film study required on the OL is more
extensive than any other position, but I
never hear about them doing this type of
study as a GROUP. You could solve the
issue with continuity, solve for dumb linemen
and doing a few push ups, or run in place
and do an up-down and you have all the
exercise those fat men really need. The
variations on this type of work are endless
and the injuries will be cut down because it
is low impact practicing.
Because AFATT Says So!
Joe Tarell, December 1, 2010
When is someone going to solve the biggest
issue for offenses in the NFL? All the time
we hear about a revolving door at OL
positions because of injuries or whatever is
not allowing continuity. The biggest issue
for an O-lineman is not blocking, it is
knowing WHO to block. Each guy must
know his assignment and get there quickly
or we get injured QB's and the NFL hates
when their glamor boys get knocked out.
When I played OL, my biggest advantage
was that I knew the snap count and I was
quicker than most of the guys I played
against. When you are unsure who to block,
you lose that edge. That was the basis for
my 4-4 defense used in Pee Wee football.
We had six guys standing up and they were
liable to slant or blitz either direction on any
play so those kids on the OL had no idea
who to block.
Okay, so how do we solve these two issues?
Remember my prediction on AFATT that we
would see the next big evolution in football
as smaller quicker O-Lineman? It is coming,
trust me, but what I really want now is
smarter O-Linemen. Why are teams not
requiring their OL to work TOGETHER more
in the FILM Room. Take your seven or eight
guys (because that is all that is dressing on
Sunday) and stand them in a room, five
across, switching positions regularly, pop a
piece of film on the screen, call a play and
then ask them who they block. If all five get
it right, move to the next defensive front and
play call, if they don't, all eight drop and give
me ten push ups or up-downs, then the next
piece of film.
The film study required on the OL is more
extensive than any other position, but I
never hear about them doing this type of
study as a GROUP. You could solve the
issue with continuity, solve for dumb linemen
and doing a few push ups, or run in place
and do an up-down and you have all the
exercise those fat men really need. The
variations on this type of work are endless
and the injuries will be cut down because it
is low impact practicing.
Because AFATT Says So!
See more from Joe Tarell regarding
Automotive Digital Marketing and Digital
Advertising Sales.
Automotive Digital Marketing and Digital
Advertising Sales.
Social Commentary From our
Afghan Correspondent
Jon Tarell, SSGT U.S. Air Force
February 20, 2011
A Rule and Statistical Change for the
Betterment of the Game:
Interceptions Should Be Counted Against
Receivers.
Why in the day and age of the statistics do
we not have a receiver interception stat?
This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Quarterbacks are being judged and
evaluated left and right by their precious
passer rating. They are consistently the
highest paid players in the pro game, and in
college they are easily the most valuable to a
team (Cam Newton, ahem). How can they
take such a huge hit in the statistical
category of ‘interceptions’ when some of
them are not their fault? Interceptions are
basically one fourth of the calculation,
(attempts per interception).
I have watched too many games in which
Drew Brees throws two picks that hit
receivers in the hands. Perfect passes that
bounce out of wide out’s hands, pop up in
the air, and get snatched by DBs. There is
no reason that Brees should be negatively
impacted for such a bone head play by one
of his receivers. In post game analysis, gurus
discuss the game Brees played, saying those
two turnovers were so costly and he should
be more careful with the ball. Yet, the fact of
the matter is that he was on the money with
those passes and is held accountable for
something completely out of his control.
Now, I can play devil’s advocate:
• Did he throw the ball on a screen too
hard, which would be a quarterback’s fault?
• What about O-Linemen who don’t pass
block properly and allow a defensive end to
stick his hand up in the air, deflecting a ball
into the air, getting picked off? Is that the
tackle’s fault, and not the QB? Where does
protecting the QB end? Even the stats are
beginning to favor the delicate quarterback.
The stat is subjective but gimmie a break. As
far as the first point - Bullshit. You play in the
highest level of college or pro ball, if it hits
you in the hands, you should catch it – no
excuses. The other point is ridiculous
because of course a QB is responsible for
knowing how to find the throwing lanes. Plus,
who can ever really know what an offensive
linemen’s’ responsibility was on any given
play besides his teammates and coaches?
This applies to blatant dropped passes on
catchable balls.
If the stat of interception was also attributed
to running backs, tight ends, and receivers,
imagine how differently these vital skill
positions will be evaluated. It could highlight
some of the biggest superstars in the NFL
as significant liabilities and in college it could
really impact the evaluation of kids being
considered for the draft. Drops are big, just
as fumbles. And just like fumbles, getting the
ball back is one thing, allowing it to be a
turnover is game changing.
Pass Interference Must Be Challengeable –
or The College Rule Has To Take Effect.
Pass interference has become too gray an
area for the impact of the penalty. Is there
contact past five yards between receivers
and defensive back (and linebackers and
tight ends, etc.)? Of course! But, hell, there
is holding on every play, as well and that call
only seems to come into play during the most
crucial moments. But we’re not here to
evaluate holding because holding is a ten
yard penalty any way you shake it. You can
barely catch a guy’s jersey or tackle him to
the ground; 10 yards. Pass interference on
the other hand, can be as long as the pass is
thrown.
So I figure, with such a critical call, wouldn’t it
only be fair that one can challenge such a
flag. They allow the coaches to challenge
fumbles and ball spots because countless
games have been determined by such
decisions. Isn’t pass interference just as
essential?
I agree that it would slow the tempo of the
game down, but at the cost of a 40 yard
penalty fans would get over it. The speed of
the game is simply too quick for a ref to make
a conclusive decision with the ball in the air.
Instant replay allows officials to see the
contact as intentional or incidental at
fractions of a second; receivers tripping over
their own feet; defensive backs having a right
to the football; OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
PUSHING OFF; all of these occur regularly
and are rarely if ever called.
However, let’s just say the NFL doesn’t want
to make it a challengeable call. Then, the
only other solution needs to a dramatic
change in the yardage: go back to the
college rule of 15 yards, regardless of the
length of the pass thrown. This way, it still
hurts the defense, but a bad call isn’t as
crippling. The knock of DBs getting beat and
just tackling receivers rings true, yet, for the
life of me, I just don’t see that very often in
college. So wouldn’t logic dictate it would be
the same if implemented in the pros? I think
so.
Because AFATT Says So….
Afghan Correspondent
Jon Tarell, SSGT U.S. Air Force
February 20, 2011
A Rule and Statistical Change for the
Betterment of the Game:
Interceptions Should Be Counted Against
Receivers.
Why in the day and age of the statistics do
we not have a receiver interception stat?
This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Quarterbacks are being judged and
evaluated left and right by their precious
passer rating. They are consistently the
highest paid players in the pro game, and in
college they are easily the most valuable to a
team (Cam Newton, ahem). How can they
take such a huge hit in the statistical
category of ‘interceptions’ when some of
them are not their fault? Interceptions are
basically one fourth of the calculation,
(attempts per interception).
I have watched too many games in which
Drew Brees throws two picks that hit
receivers in the hands. Perfect passes that
bounce out of wide out’s hands, pop up in
the air, and get snatched by DBs. There is
no reason that Brees should be negatively
impacted for such a bone head play by one
of his receivers. In post game analysis, gurus
discuss the game Brees played, saying those
two turnovers were so costly and he should
be more careful with the ball. Yet, the fact of
the matter is that he was on the money with
those passes and is held accountable for
something completely out of his control.
Now, I can play devil’s advocate:
• Did he throw the ball on a screen too
hard, which would be a quarterback’s fault?
• What about O-Linemen who don’t pass
block properly and allow a defensive end to
stick his hand up in the air, deflecting a ball
into the air, getting picked off? Is that the
tackle’s fault, and not the QB? Where does
protecting the QB end? Even the stats are
beginning to favor the delicate quarterback.
The stat is subjective but gimmie a break. As
far as the first point - Bullshit. You play in the
highest level of college or pro ball, if it hits
you in the hands, you should catch it – no
excuses. The other point is ridiculous
because of course a QB is responsible for
knowing how to find the throwing lanes. Plus,
who can ever really know what an offensive
linemen’s’ responsibility was on any given
play besides his teammates and coaches?
This applies to blatant dropped passes on
catchable balls.
If the stat of interception was also attributed
to running backs, tight ends, and receivers,
imagine how differently these vital skill
positions will be evaluated. It could highlight
some of the biggest superstars in the NFL
as significant liabilities and in college it could
really impact the evaluation of kids being
considered for the draft. Drops are big, just
as fumbles. And just like fumbles, getting the
ball back is one thing, allowing it to be a
turnover is game changing.
Pass Interference Must Be Challengeable –
or The College Rule Has To Take Effect.
Pass interference has become too gray an
area for the impact of the penalty. Is there
contact past five yards between receivers
and defensive back (and linebackers and
tight ends, etc.)? Of course! But, hell, there
is holding on every play, as well and that call
only seems to come into play during the most
crucial moments. But we’re not here to
evaluate holding because holding is a ten
yard penalty any way you shake it. You can
barely catch a guy’s jersey or tackle him to
the ground; 10 yards. Pass interference on
the other hand, can be as long as the pass is
thrown.
So I figure, with such a critical call, wouldn’t it
only be fair that one can challenge such a
flag. They allow the coaches to challenge
fumbles and ball spots because countless
games have been determined by such
decisions. Isn’t pass interference just as
essential?
I agree that it would slow the tempo of the
game down, but at the cost of a 40 yard
penalty fans would get over it. The speed of
the game is simply too quick for a ref to make
a conclusive decision with the ball in the air.
Instant replay allows officials to see the
contact as intentional or incidental at
fractions of a second; receivers tripping over
their own feet; defensive backs having a right
to the football; OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
PUSHING OFF; all of these occur regularly
and are rarely if ever called.
However, let’s just say the NFL doesn’t want
to make it a challengeable call. Then, the
only other solution needs to a dramatic
change in the yardage: go back to the
college rule of 15 yards, regardless of the
length of the pass thrown. This way, it still
hurts the defense, but a bad call isn’t as
crippling. The knock of DBs getting beat and
just tackling receivers rings true, yet, for the
life of me, I just don’t see that very often in
college. So wouldn’t logic dictate it would be
the same if implemented in the pros? I think
so.
Because AFATT Says So….
Dolphin Philosophy Must Change
Patrick Tarell, December 1, 2010
I'm not going to rant with the negativity I read
on the SS or MH blogs, but let's face it, a few
things need to change and I think Mr.
Sparano knows it.
Sparano lobbied Ross to take the chance
and pay the money for Brandon Marshall
because Dan Henning told him it would
change the face of the Miami offense. Even
prior to the current injury issues the offense
has not gotten better, it has gotten worse.
Marshall is being used as a decoy. The
reason is because Henning has always been
a run first coach. When he won the
superbowl with the Redskins in the early 80's
he did so with John Riggins running the
Counter Tray. I'll never forget "Burnt Toast"
McNeal falling off of Riggins on 4th down with
Miami leading to give up the winning
touchdown. The other superbowl Henning
won was during the strike year with
replacement players, a perfect scenario for a
coach who is a run specialist.
This game has changed a great deal since
Henning had his moments of glory and I think
Parcells brought him in here because his
experience could help Tony Sparano
transition into being a head coach. Parcells
is gone, Sparano is well on his way and
Henning needs to start thinking about
growing roses. Take a look at the Jets, (I
know how hard that is to do, but do it
anyway) they were known as a run first team
just a couple years ago, but they saw the
writing on the wall. They knew in the modern
NFL they had to throw the ball in order to
compete with the top echelon teams. They
picked up Edwards and then LT, both
because of what they bring to the passing
game. They allowed Sanchez to throw the
ball and make the mistakes while coaching
him through them. They stood by him from
day one, basically going all in with him as
their leader.
Now we look at Miami, we bring in an
offensive line coach for HC and an 80's
smash mouth OC so I guess the Parcells
plan was obvious, we were going old
school... Now 3 years in, we can see that old
school doesn't make it in today's NFL. The
reason is because the defenses are so much
more complicated than when Dan Henning
last earned a superbowl ring. Blocking
assignments no longer can depend on a guy
being in a certain spot so traditional plays
like the Counter Tray get blown up by what
appears to be a missed assignment. Our
linemen get injured in droves and we wonder
why. It's because the old school play calling
and old school blocking assignments no
longer work against the morphing amoeba
type defensive schemes. The linemen are
caught in bad positions chasing defenders
and cannot figure out who to block.
We have seen the past several weeks how
defenses are taking advantage of our
blocking schemes and play calling. To
combat this goes beyond making different
play calls, it means we need a different
blocking scheme as well. Remember this
article?
http://www.miamiherald.
com/2010/08/11/1770504/o-line-learning-a-
flexible-lesson.html
Good teams don't do this! Good teams do
not change the interior of their offensive line
every year and ours has changed, every
year since Sparano took over. Stability on
the offensive line is critical to the functioning
of the entire offense. It is even more
important as defenses get more
sophisticated.
We have a twofold problem, an ultra-
conservative scheme coupled with an ever
changing interior offensive line that can
never gain continuity. These issues need to
be solved. Sparano needs to get out of Dave
DeGuglielmo’s ear and allow the guy to
coach his own unit and select his own
players. If he then fails, fire him. Sparano
needs to fire Dan Henning and switch to a
modern offensive scheme to take advantage
of the skill players on this team.
I have nothing against Henning and I think he
was great coach in his time but his time has
passed. His offense is too predictable for the
modern game and is not built around the
passing game. The league has done
everything short of giving the QBs and
receivers flags to make the passing game
the center piece of the modern NFL. Here we
have this dinosaur who thinks the trend can
be broken by reverting to a formation that
went passé in the 40's. We need to open it
up, and unfortunately that could mean
drafting another QB.
Henne was brought in as part of the smash
mouth plan to be a game manager. Now we
are going to ask him to be a gun slinger and
he really is not that type of QB. The reason
they liked him is because he is as
conservative as the coaches are. If they are
going to change than they better think about
making a change at the QB spot also. The
thing is, if Sparano does not change and
sticks by Henning, he will be following him out
the door. I don't see Sparano diving on the
sword for Henning so I think we are watching
the last of him as the season winds down. I
also think there will be serious consideration
for drafting a QB in the first round next year.
Because AFATT Says So!
Patrick Tarell, December 1, 2010
I'm not going to rant with the negativity I read
on the SS or MH blogs, but let's face it, a few
things need to change and I think Mr.
Sparano knows it.
Sparano lobbied Ross to take the chance
and pay the money for Brandon Marshall
because Dan Henning told him it would
change the face of the Miami offense. Even
prior to the current injury issues the offense
has not gotten better, it has gotten worse.
Marshall is being used as a decoy. The
reason is because Henning has always been
a run first coach. When he won the
superbowl with the Redskins in the early 80's
he did so with John Riggins running the
Counter Tray. I'll never forget "Burnt Toast"
McNeal falling off of Riggins on 4th down with
Miami leading to give up the winning
touchdown. The other superbowl Henning
won was during the strike year with
replacement players, a perfect scenario for a
coach who is a run specialist.
This game has changed a great deal since
Henning had his moments of glory and I think
Parcells brought him in here because his
experience could help Tony Sparano
transition into being a head coach. Parcells
is gone, Sparano is well on his way and
Henning needs to start thinking about
growing roses. Take a look at the Jets, (I
know how hard that is to do, but do it
anyway) they were known as a run first team
just a couple years ago, but they saw the
writing on the wall. They knew in the modern
NFL they had to throw the ball in order to
compete with the top echelon teams. They
picked up Edwards and then LT, both
because of what they bring to the passing
game. They allowed Sanchez to throw the
ball and make the mistakes while coaching
him through them. They stood by him from
day one, basically going all in with him as
their leader.
Now we look at Miami, we bring in an
offensive line coach for HC and an 80's
smash mouth OC so I guess the Parcells
plan was obvious, we were going old
school... Now 3 years in, we can see that old
school doesn't make it in today's NFL. The
reason is because the defenses are so much
more complicated than when Dan Henning
last earned a superbowl ring. Blocking
assignments no longer can depend on a guy
being in a certain spot so traditional plays
like the Counter Tray get blown up by what
appears to be a missed assignment. Our
linemen get injured in droves and we wonder
why. It's because the old school play calling
and old school blocking assignments no
longer work against the morphing amoeba
type defensive schemes. The linemen are
caught in bad positions chasing defenders
and cannot figure out who to block.
We have seen the past several weeks how
defenses are taking advantage of our
blocking schemes and play calling. To
combat this goes beyond making different
play calls, it means we need a different
blocking scheme as well. Remember this
article?
http://www.miamiherald.
com/2010/08/11/1770504/o-line-learning-a-
flexible-lesson.html
Good teams don't do this! Good teams do
not change the interior of their offensive line
every year and ours has changed, every
year since Sparano took over. Stability on
the offensive line is critical to the functioning
of the entire offense. It is even more
important as defenses get more
sophisticated.
We have a twofold problem, an ultra-
conservative scheme coupled with an ever
changing interior offensive line that can
never gain continuity. These issues need to
be solved. Sparano needs to get out of Dave
DeGuglielmo’s ear and allow the guy to
coach his own unit and select his own
players. If he then fails, fire him. Sparano
needs to fire Dan Henning and switch to a
modern offensive scheme to take advantage
of the skill players on this team.
I have nothing against Henning and I think he
was great coach in his time but his time has
passed. His offense is too predictable for the
modern game and is not built around the
passing game. The league has done
everything short of giving the QBs and
receivers flags to make the passing game
the center piece of the modern NFL. Here we
have this dinosaur who thinks the trend can
be broken by reverting to a formation that
went passé in the 40's. We need to open it
up, and unfortunately that could mean
drafting another QB.
Henne was brought in as part of the smash
mouth plan to be a game manager. Now we
are going to ask him to be a gun slinger and
he really is not that type of QB. The reason
they liked him is because he is as
conservative as the coaches are. If they are
going to change than they better think about
making a change at the QB spot also. The
thing is, if Sparano does not change and
sticks by Henning, he will be following him out
the door. I don't see Sparano diving on the
sword for Henning so I think we are watching
the last of him as the season winds down. I
also think there will be serious consideration
for drafting a QB in the first round next year.
Because AFATT Says So!
Editors note: Our Afghan Correspondent is back
home in the United States of America. His family
and AFATT are overjoyed. We just want to say
thank you to Jon Tarell and to the combat teams
who are still over there. Thank you for protecting
Jon, thank you for fighting this war on terrorism. We
have not forgotten you and not forgotten why we are
fighting. The events of 9/11 are still fresh, the threat
is still real and the need for a strong military is as
clear to us as ever. We look forward to the day
when you are all back home from that hell-hole.
THANK YOU
home in the United States of America. His family
and AFATT are overjoyed. We just want to say
thank you to Jon Tarell and to the combat teams
who are still over there. Thank you for protecting
Jon, thank you for fighting this war on terrorism. We
have not forgotten you and not forgotten why we are
fighting. The events of 9/11 are still fresh, the threat
is still real and the need for a strong military is as
clear to us as ever. We look forward to the day
when you are all back home from that hell-hole.
THANK YOU
I Support the FANS...
Players and Owners, you listening
Pat Tarell, March 16, 2011
Every football related sports site on the web
has the magic poll button asking fans to
choose; the players or the owners? I choose
not to choose… Everyone who was ever
been lied to and cheated on in a relationship
understands the feeling of humiliation that
comes with being duped, having trusted
someone with that which is special to you
only to have it thrown in your face like it was
meaningless. This is what the NFL has done
to its loyal fans.
The fans who have shelled out their tax
dollars for stadiums while neglecting the
notion that the money could have been
better spent on educating their children. The
fans who have spent Sunday in front of the
television while neglecting household duties
that eventually lead to angry spouses and
family disconnections. The fans who have
spent hundreds of dollars preparing food,
driving for hours to stadiums, paying a
premium for every concession from parking
to French fries while neglecting a roof in
need of replacement on their own house. I
know these issues because I have done all
of these things. I certainly am not alone in
the folks who have made sacrifices to watch
their teams on Sunday.
We hear talk about the heart and the soul of
the NFL, well these fans are the NFL. I hear
the players say there would be no games
without the players. I hear the owners say
there would be no venue, no teams, and no
structure without the owners. Listen closely
players and owners… There is no game
without the fans. There are no millions and
billions without the fans. We pay your
checks, each and every one of you, so
perhaps before you begin deciding how you
should split up this obnoxious nine billion
dollar pie maybe you should consider where
it comes from.
We don’t ask for much, but we do ask that
our game (and it is our game) be played
without interruption while you haggle over
how to split up the ridiculous amount of
money you are lining your pockets with.
While you worry about how to split a yearly
salary that is more than I will make in a
lifetime, perhaps you could do so without
taking the game away from your cash cow.
The NFL needs a wake-up call, nothing lasts
forever and the end is usually predictable by
the greed that precedes it. When we hear
Adrian Peterson refer to the GAME of
football as slave labor we begin to
understand how far from reality the entire
league has gone. The guy is being paid
millions and calling himself a slave. Not only
is this an incredible insult to anyone who has
ever been indentured but it is beyond the
realm of real world people. The truth is we
really don’t care too much about all this
money. We know the game is physical and
the owners take risks as businessmen, the
money only worms its way into our
consciousness when the game is taken
away.
The NFL needs to get the message real
quick, the game belongs to the fans. Without
the fans there is no game, no checks, no
need worry about being indentured to play
for millions of dollars. Therefore, I do not
choose the players and I do not choose the
owners, my overwhelming choice is us, the
fans, and the ones who are the engine that
makes this great game go. They want to
haggle over splitting the pie, fine but do it
while they’re out there on the field, because
there is no game without the fans and all we
really want is to sit down and watch the
game without worrying about lockouts, de-
certification and the rest of the lawyer
rhetoric. Get on the damn field and play the
game before we show you where you can
stuff your nine billion dollars.
SIGNED: THE FANS
Because AFATT Says So!
Players and Owners, you listening
Pat Tarell, March 16, 2011
Every football related sports site on the web
has the magic poll button asking fans to
choose; the players or the owners? I choose
not to choose… Everyone who was ever
been lied to and cheated on in a relationship
understands the feeling of humiliation that
comes with being duped, having trusted
someone with that which is special to you
only to have it thrown in your face like it was
meaningless. This is what the NFL has done
to its loyal fans.
The fans who have shelled out their tax
dollars for stadiums while neglecting the
notion that the money could have been
better spent on educating their children. The
fans who have spent Sunday in front of the
television while neglecting household duties
that eventually lead to angry spouses and
family disconnections. The fans who have
spent hundreds of dollars preparing food,
driving for hours to stadiums, paying a
premium for every concession from parking
to French fries while neglecting a roof in
need of replacement on their own house. I
know these issues because I have done all
of these things. I certainly am not alone in
the folks who have made sacrifices to watch
their teams on Sunday.
We hear talk about the heart and the soul of
the NFL, well these fans are the NFL. I hear
the players say there would be no games
without the players. I hear the owners say
there would be no venue, no teams, and no
structure without the owners. Listen closely
players and owners… There is no game
without the fans. There are no millions and
billions without the fans. We pay your
checks, each and every one of you, so
perhaps before you begin deciding how you
should split up this obnoxious nine billion
dollar pie maybe you should consider where
it comes from.
We don’t ask for much, but we do ask that
our game (and it is our game) be played
without interruption while you haggle over
how to split up the ridiculous amount of
money you are lining your pockets with.
While you worry about how to split a yearly
salary that is more than I will make in a
lifetime, perhaps you could do so without
taking the game away from your cash cow.
The NFL needs a wake-up call, nothing lasts
forever and the end is usually predictable by
the greed that precedes it. When we hear
Adrian Peterson refer to the GAME of
football as slave labor we begin to
understand how far from reality the entire
league has gone. The guy is being paid
millions and calling himself a slave. Not only
is this an incredible insult to anyone who has
ever been indentured but it is beyond the
realm of real world people. The truth is we
really don’t care too much about all this
money. We know the game is physical and
the owners take risks as businessmen, the
money only worms its way into our
consciousness when the game is taken
away.
The NFL needs to get the message real
quick, the game belongs to the fans. Without
the fans there is no game, no checks, no
need worry about being indentured to play
for millions of dollars. Therefore, I do not
choose the players and I do not choose the
owners, my overwhelming choice is us, the
fans, and the ones who are the engine that
makes this great game go. They want to
haggle over splitting the pie, fine but do it
while they’re out there on the field, because
there is no game without the fans and all we
really want is to sit down and watch the
game without worrying about lockouts, de-
certification and the rest of the lawyer
rhetoric. Get on the damn field and play the
game before we show you where you can
stuff your nine billion dollars.
SIGNED: THE FANS
Because AFATT Says So!
Should we Support the Owners
or Players
By Joe Tarell, March 16, 2011
Football fans are being put in a precarious
situation by the labor strife going on right
now in the NFL. The former NFLPA has
drawn a line in the sand and refused to yield
to the owners on many of the issues that
divide them. For many fans it is difficult to
find the true points of contention because
there are so many issues on the table
affecting the outcome of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement. Is it the 18 game
schedule, the off-season workouts, the
players’ health care benefits, retired players
fund, rookie wage scale or the myriad of
other issues that have been debated
endlessly? Where does the average fan
stand on these issues and who do they side
with as both groups continually state their
case by referencing their everlasting
devotion to the fans (or more likely, their
money).
The description of issues above was merely
a smoke screen designed to confuse the
readers of AFATT in much the same way
these two teams’ of lawyers have tried to
confuse us and each other for the last few
months. None of those topics mean
anything in this debate. To see where the
real issues lie, stick to the age-old proverb,
“follow the money.” The owners have it;
hence their title of “owner” and the players
want it. Many of us face a similar dilemma in
our place of employment. The owners want
to reduce our pay. The problem is that the
owners, in the case of the NFL have done
nothing but increase the pay of their
employees over the last few years. They
have now reached the point where they
have decided it is time to slow the rate of
increase to match the rate of return they are
seeing in their P&L statement.
Nobody likes a pay cut and most of America
is represented by employees, not
employers, so the NFLPA believes they can
win over the fan support and this will help
apply pressure to the owners. At AFATT we
believe this to be a flawed strategy and we
also believe that their tactics are flawed. It is
one thing to start with a bad strategic plan,
but when you use poor tactics along the way
in executing your strategic plan, it almost
always results in failure.
From a strategic standpoint, understand that
most fans/employees do not want to equate
their personal work situation to the players’
dilemma. Playing in the NFL is a fantasy life
for most of us. As my brother likes to say, “I
would give my left nut for the chance to play
in the league.” When your minimum salary
is nearly ten times what most people can
expect from an entry level job coming out of
college with a general studies degree, it is
hard to be sympathetic. In addition, when
the salary cap has risen from $85 Million per
team in 2005 to $128 Million in 2009, no one
should feel that the player’s are being
slighted. Then the NFL proposes to raise it
to $161 Million by 2014 in their current
proposal and the NFLPA says that is not
enough, we would rather let the lawyer’s
settle this one. We believe it is a bad
strategy to appeal to the fans and bad
tactics to decide to fatten the wallets of the
lawyers by de-certifying and taking it to court.
So, with all that pre-amble let’s get to the
heart of the matter. We call ourselves,
AFATT, brought to you by Joe Tarell and
the Tarell brothers. That stands for All
Football All The Time. We damn sure do
not like litigation, lockouts, strikes or
anything else that gets in the way of
football. The anger around here though is
squarely directed at the players. This is
America and if I built it and I own it then I
make the rules. This is a capitalist society
and we here at AFATT are not too
personally thrilled by unions, especially in
this case where our loyalties as fans lie with
our teams. We root for our favorite teams,
not our favorite players.
Joe Tarell is writing this article and I am a
Redskins fan. I have watched my team turn
over in part every year since 1969 and all I
care about is this; for the season in
question, they are a Redskin. My Redskin
heroes are guys like Jurgensen, Riggins,
Bostic, Gibbs, etc. I don’t care where else
they played; Riggins is not a Jet and Jets
fans did not switch their allegiance to the
Redskins when he came to our team.
Likewise, Pat Tarell is a Dolphin Fan, he
hates the Jets even more after they sign
Jason Taylor and hates Jason Taylor for
signing with them. Rick Tarell and Tony
Tarell are Eagles fans, they did not join their
brother Joe when Donovan McNabb signed
with the rival Redskins, no, they taped over
their McNabb jersey and made it a Vick
jersey.
We recognize that fantasy football fans with
no allegiance to any one team, or huge
college football fans may follow their favorite
players to the NFL and root for the team
because of the player, but that is the
exception, not the rule. Fans root for teams
and the faster the NFLPA recognizes this,
changes their strategy and gets a deal
done, the better off they will be.
Further proof of the poor strategic thinking
from the NFLPA was the hiring of DeMaurice
Smith and allowing him to drive this
process. He is a lawyer and an outsider, he
is learning on the job. It is our belief that he
has ulterior motives for personal glory, not
what is best for the players or the league
and he has taken them down a path that can
only lead to a bad deal. All the issues
around player safety and longer seasons,
and rookie wage scales were all smoke
screens designed to punish the owners for
signing a bad deal in the last CBA. The
owners protected $1 Billion from the split of
revenues instead of protecting a percentage
of revenue. That, boys and girls is what
they are fighting over.
It costs money to make money so the
owners’ expenses went up as they drove the
league from roughly $5 Billion in revenue in
2005 to $9.3 Billion in 2010. The billion
dollars they protected from the split went
from 20% of the total to 10.75%, roughly half
as much as a percent of total revenue.
What the owners need to do is not protect a
revenue number, but protect a percentage
of revenue so that the protected money (not
subject to the 64-36 split in favor of the
players) goes up as revenues, and hence,
expenses go up. The players, who used to
complain that Gene Upshaw was a puppet
for the league, had a great deal and now it
has to go away. At least they start the new
deal with twice as much money as they did
last time.
That, my friends, is what we are fighting
about… in the humble (or sometimes not so
humble) opinion of Joe Tarell and AFATT.
Because AFATT Says So…
or Players
By Joe Tarell, March 16, 2011
Football fans are being put in a precarious
situation by the labor strife going on right
now in the NFL. The former NFLPA has
drawn a line in the sand and refused to yield
to the owners on many of the issues that
divide them. For many fans it is difficult to
find the true points of contention because
there are so many issues on the table
affecting the outcome of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement. Is it the 18 game
schedule, the off-season workouts, the
players’ health care benefits, retired players
fund, rookie wage scale or the myriad of
other issues that have been debated
endlessly? Where does the average fan
stand on these issues and who do they side
with as both groups continually state their
case by referencing their everlasting
devotion to the fans (or more likely, their
money).
The description of issues above was merely
a smoke screen designed to confuse the
readers of AFATT in much the same way
these two teams’ of lawyers have tried to
confuse us and each other for the last few
months. None of those topics mean
anything in this debate. To see where the
real issues lie, stick to the age-old proverb,
“follow the money.” The owners have it;
hence their title of “owner” and the players
want it. Many of us face a similar dilemma in
our place of employment. The owners want
to reduce our pay. The problem is that the
owners, in the case of the NFL have done
nothing but increase the pay of their
employees over the last few years. They
have now reached the point where they
have decided it is time to slow the rate of
increase to match the rate of return they are
seeing in their P&L statement.
Nobody likes a pay cut and most of America
is represented by employees, not
employers, so the NFLPA believes they can
win over the fan support and this will help
apply pressure to the owners. At AFATT we
believe this to be a flawed strategy and we
also believe that their tactics are flawed. It is
one thing to start with a bad strategic plan,
but when you use poor tactics along the way
in executing your strategic plan, it almost
always results in failure.
From a strategic standpoint, understand that
most fans/employees do not want to equate
their personal work situation to the players’
dilemma. Playing in the NFL is a fantasy life
for most of us. As my brother likes to say, “I
would give my left nut for the chance to play
in the league.” When your minimum salary
is nearly ten times what most people can
expect from an entry level job coming out of
college with a general studies degree, it is
hard to be sympathetic. In addition, when
the salary cap has risen from $85 Million per
team in 2005 to $128 Million in 2009, no one
should feel that the player’s are being
slighted. Then the NFL proposes to raise it
to $161 Million by 2014 in their current
proposal and the NFLPA says that is not
enough, we would rather let the lawyer’s
settle this one. We believe it is a bad
strategy to appeal to the fans and bad
tactics to decide to fatten the wallets of the
lawyers by de-certifying and taking it to court.
So, with all that pre-amble let’s get to the
heart of the matter. We call ourselves,
AFATT, brought to you by Joe Tarell and
the Tarell brothers. That stands for All
Football All The Time. We damn sure do
not like litigation, lockouts, strikes or
anything else that gets in the way of
football. The anger around here though is
squarely directed at the players. This is
America and if I built it and I own it then I
make the rules. This is a capitalist society
and we here at AFATT are not too
personally thrilled by unions, especially in
this case where our loyalties as fans lie with
our teams. We root for our favorite teams,
not our favorite players.
Joe Tarell is writing this article and I am a
Redskins fan. I have watched my team turn
over in part every year since 1969 and all I
care about is this; for the season in
question, they are a Redskin. My Redskin
heroes are guys like Jurgensen, Riggins,
Bostic, Gibbs, etc. I don’t care where else
they played; Riggins is not a Jet and Jets
fans did not switch their allegiance to the
Redskins when he came to our team.
Likewise, Pat Tarell is a Dolphin Fan, he
hates the Jets even more after they sign
Jason Taylor and hates Jason Taylor for
signing with them. Rick Tarell and Tony
Tarell are Eagles fans, they did not join their
brother Joe when Donovan McNabb signed
with the rival Redskins, no, they taped over
their McNabb jersey and made it a Vick
jersey.
We recognize that fantasy football fans with
no allegiance to any one team, or huge
college football fans may follow their favorite
players to the NFL and root for the team
because of the player, but that is the
exception, not the rule. Fans root for teams
and the faster the NFLPA recognizes this,
changes their strategy and gets a deal
done, the better off they will be.
Further proof of the poor strategic thinking
from the NFLPA was the hiring of DeMaurice
Smith and allowing him to drive this
process. He is a lawyer and an outsider, he
is learning on the job. It is our belief that he
has ulterior motives for personal glory, not
what is best for the players or the league
and he has taken them down a path that can
only lead to a bad deal. All the issues
around player safety and longer seasons,
and rookie wage scales were all smoke
screens designed to punish the owners for
signing a bad deal in the last CBA. The
owners protected $1 Billion from the split of
revenues instead of protecting a percentage
of revenue. That, boys and girls is what
they are fighting over.
It costs money to make money so the
owners’ expenses went up as they drove the
league from roughly $5 Billion in revenue in
2005 to $9.3 Billion in 2010. The billion
dollars they protected from the split went
from 20% of the total to 10.75%, roughly half
as much as a percent of total revenue.
What the owners need to do is not protect a
revenue number, but protect a percentage
of revenue so that the protected money (not
subject to the 64-36 split in favor of the
players) goes up as revenues, and hence,
expenses go up. The players, who used to
complain that Gene Upshaw was a puppet
for the league, had a great deal and now it
has to go away. At least they start the new
deal with twice as much money as they did
last time.
That, my friends, is what we are fighting
about… in the humble (or sometimes not so
humble) opinion of Joe Tarell and AFATT.
Because AFATT Says So…
An NFL Wake Up Call...
Pat Tarell, February 19, 2011
The current economy has affected everyone
in this country in one way or another and yet
the NFL seems to think it can go in
perpetuity without regard to the financial
state of its fan base. While the owners and
the league office continue to hide behind a
veil of indignation, recent articles have
outlined how the owners themselves have
jeopardized the game by taking advantage
of the fans and communities that have
supported them and gave rise to their
fortunes. Jerry Jones may marvel at the
opulence of his palace but the minions
forced to foot the bill of his excess may have
finally reached the proverbial saturation
point.
The live game is no longer viable for the
common fan because the cost is simply
above their means. The communities and
fan bases can no longer build and fill
stadiums for the owners. Our love of the
game has not diminished but when
billionaires want to tax us and charge
ridiculously exorbitant prices we have no
choice but to stay home. By fleecing the
common fan out of the market for their live
product they have left themselves in a
position where only the highest tier of the
economic strata can afford to watch their
game in the stadium. These folks did not
reach this pinnacle by spending frivolously
and while they enjoy excesses they also
know when to call a spade a spade.
In large fan bases like Dallas and New York
there may be enough money to fill a stadium
but what we still have not learned from Los
Angeles is there are limits to what even
wealthy people are willing spend. In Florida,
which has been hit hard by the economic
turn down, all three teams cannot fill the
stadiums. In cities where the fan base is
deeply rooted, the stadiums are still full but
the time is coming where even these loyal
fans will have to give in to the forces of the
economy. In the face of all of this the NFL
has done nothing to support these fans, in
fact they have further alienated them by
blacking out the games locally.
The live game is a losing proposition for
everyone involved except perhaps the
owners when the stadium is full and they are
also earning the profits from the fleecing on
parking and concessions. The revenue
stream for professional football is
overwhelmingly slanted to television rights
fees. How foolish is an enterprise that cuts
off its very lifeblood trying to force its
customers into spending money they do not
have? This same enterprise then creates its
own television network and tries to charge
the fans to watch but then blacks out the
pay station when the local stadium is not full.
If a fan chooses to watch the game at home
they have to buy a ticket and a network?
The antiquated notion of blacking out games
dates to the 60’s and the origins of televised
games when the main revenue stream was
the live product. This will not force people
into the stands today and does nothing
more than further antagonize them. The
advertisement for the product is the product.
Taking away the product takes away the
advertisement and the local fans will soon
lose patience and eventually they will lose
interest as well.
The NFL has gone down a path of taking its
product away from its fans in order to
continue fleecing those fans out of even
more billions of dollars. Roger Goodell, the
owners and the players need a wakeup call
and the only way that is going to happen is
when enough fans can no longer afford the
luxury of professional football. Instead of
fighting over billions of dollars they need to
take a good look at what has brought them
these lottery checks, us, the loyal fans.
Bring the product back to the fans before
the fans decide the product is not worth the
price of admission as is already happening
in Florida. Lower the price of tickets in
communities where the fans cannot afford
them. Do not show games on the NFL
channel unless it is free to everyone who
has cable television. Completely discontinue
the absurd practice of blacking out games.
Allow the product to settle back into the true
economic slot of its fan base. And lastly, ban
the practice of expecting communities to use
tax dollars to build stadiums. This author
realizes the above statements will fall on
deaf ears, but let this article serve as a
warning; the fans can no longer afford this
game. The NFL must change its business
model or the day will come soon where the
cost overrides the allure and the next
generation of fans moves on to another form
of entertainment.
Because AFATT Says So!
Pat Tarell, February 19, 2011
The current economy has affected everyone
in this country in one way or another and yet
the NFL seems to think it can go in
perpetuity without regard to the financial
state of its fan base. While the owners and
the league office continue to hide behind a
veil of indignation, recent articles have
outlined how the owners themselves have
jeopardized the game by taking advantage
of the fans and communities that have
supported them and gave rise to their
fortunes. Jerry Jones may marvel at the
opulence of his palace but the minions
forced to foot the bill of his excess may have
finally reached the proverbial saturation
point.
The live game is no longer viable for the
common fan because the cost is simply
above their means. The communities and
fan bases can no longer build and fill
stadiums for the owners. Our love of the
game has not diminished but when
billionaires want to tax us and charge
ridiculously exorbitant prices we have no
choice but to stay home. By fleecing the
common fan out of the market for their live
product they have left themselves in a
position where only the highest tier of the
economic strata can afford to watch their
game in the stadium. These folks did not
reach this pinnacle by spending frivolously
and while they enjoy excesses they also
know when to call a spade a spade.
In large fan bases like Dallas and New York
there may be enough money to fill a stadium
but what we still have not learned from Los
Angeles is there are limits to what even
wealthy people are willing spend. In Florida,
which has been hit hard by the economic
turn down, all three teams cannot fill the
stadiums. In cities where the fan base is
deeply rooted, the stadiums are still full but
the time is coming where even these loyal
fans will have to give in to the forces of the
economy. In the face of all of this the NFL
has done nothing to support these fans, in
fact they have further alienated them by
blacking out the games locally.
The live game is a losing proposition for
everyone involved except perhaps the
owners when the stadium is full and they are
also earning the profits from the fleecing on
parking and concessions. The revenue
stream for professional football is
overwhelmingly slanted to television rights
fees. How foolish is an enterprise that cuts
off its very lifeblood trying to force its
customers into spending money they do not
have? This same enterprise then creates its
own television network and tries to charge
the fans to watch but then blacks out the
pay station when the local stadium is not full.
If a fan chooses to watch the game at home
they have to buy a ticket and a network?
The antiquated notion of blacking out games
dates to the 60’s and the origins of televised
games when the main revenue stream was
the live product. This will not force people
into the stands today and does nothing
more than further antagonize them. The
advertisement for the product is the product.
Taking away the product takes away the
advertisement and the local fans will soon
lose patience and eventually they will lose
interest as well.
The NFL has gone down a path of taking its
product away from its fans in order to
continue fleecing those fans out of even
more billions of dollars. Roger Goodell, the
owners and the players need a wakeup call
and the only way that is going to happen is
when enough fans can no longer afford the
luxury of professional football. Instead of
fighting over billions of dollars they need to
take a good look at what has brought them
these lottery checks, us, the loyal fans.
Bring the product back to the fans before
the fans decide the product is not worth the
price of admission as is already happening
in Florida. Lower the price of tickets in
communities where the fans cannot afford
them. Do not show games on the NFL
channel unless it is free to everyone who
has cable television. Completely discontinue
the absurd practice of blacking out games.
Allow the product to settle back into the true
economic slot of its fan base. And lastly, ban
the practice of expecting communities to use
tax dollars to build stadiums. This author
realizes the above statements will fall on
deaf ears, but let this article serve as a
warning; the fans can no longer afford this
game. The NFL must change its business
model or the day will come soon where the
cost overrides the allure and the next
generation of fans moves on to another form
of entertainment.
Because AFATT Says So!
