The Sports Thread

[King Richard]

I have a football (NFL) question. What exactly is the / a "franchise" tag? I always hear about players being "franchised". Is this a desirable thing for a player? What does it all mean? Will our hero escape in time to say the day? How do they cram all that graham?

Nec was right, but for a more detailed explaination...

A franchise tag is basically a flag that English settlers carried around claiming land in the name of king. There's two different types: exclusive and non-exclusive.

The exclusive tag means the player must be paid a salary that coincides with the average top 5 salaries of their position of the year the tag is placed upon them. The player is also prohibited to negotiate with other teams during their tag; aka they are a lifer.

The non-exclusive tag is almost the same thing except the player can negotiate deals with other teams. However, the team that placed the tag can at least match the offer given to the player by another team, and the player under the non-exclusive tag is paid the average top 5 salaries of prior season, not the current. If the team that tagged the player declines to match the offer of the other team, they are compensated with 2 first-round draft picks.

Each year a team is given 1 tag available to them, and they are not allowed to tag someone twice in a row. Players hate it because they are not guarunteed a contract or a signing bonus, just a one year salary. They are pretty much held in check until the they reach a long-term deal, if they do at all.

Hope that helps.

 

[Blind Guardian]

This is all I could find on the Eduardo injury, because the video is so bad it isnt allowed to be shown on TV.

Taylor is an idiot,he did it on purpose that fucking scumbag

 

[seedofvengeance]

I understand what you are saying, but this is how the NFL has the playoffs set up. The NFL believes the 8 division winners deserve to be rewarded for winning their division. If they plan to change it, they should do away with divisions and just seed 1-6 based solely on record.

They're rewarded by an automatic playoff bid and it affects the seeding. I'm not saying that if said 8-8 team wins a division they should be the 6th seed, but that they should stay the 4th and just have to visit the 5th seed's stadium. That's the way they do it in the NBA and it seems to work.

 

[King Richard]

Everything about the NBA is retarded, especially when it comes to the playoffs.

 

[seedofvengeance]

I'm guessing you don't like basketball, though.

 

[Blind Guardian]

"It puts the ball in the basket....it puts the ball in the basket....PUT THE BALL IN THE FUCKING BASKET"

 

[seedofvengeance]

Clippers fan?

 

[King Richard]

I'm guessing you don't like basketball, though.

I still am. The Pacers just happen to suck, and have sucked since that brawl in Detroit. I just think their playoff system is horribly flawed.

 

[seedofvengeance]

What's so flawed about it?

 

[King Richard]

Too many teams.

 

[seedofvengeance]

I like it. Even though it was my team who did last year, the possibility of Golden State happening makes it more exciting. The only thing is that I think they should end up adding 2 more teams so it's exactly half of the teams that get in.

 

[King Richard]

Adding teams? That would mean 9 teams in each conference would be in the playoffs, and there is only 30 teams.

 

[seedofvengeance]

I mean two expansion teams.

 

[Blind Guardian]

Peter Forsberg signed for Colorado last night,i wonder if he still can deliver the goods like in the good old days. I like to think so,his greatest skill has always been his sense of passing,and that wont go away that easy i think.

 

[seedofvengeance]

Brad Richards was traded to the Stars today. I don't follow hockey, but checking the scores on ESPN, but I might now because the Stars have a chance.

In other news that no one cares about... Yao Ming is out for the season!!
No more Rockets!

 

[Ender Rises]

The fuck? How did that happen?

 

[seedofvengeance]

No one cares about basketball, but I still have to post about it every now and then because it's my thing... it's what I do, ok?
A poor man's explanation of the Jason Kidd trade:
Jason Kidd is the fake French chick from the '80s classic "Better Off Dead," and Cusack plays the Mavs. The Finals vs. Miami were Lane Meyer getting dumped by his girlfriend, losing the drag race to the Asian Howard Cosells is the equivalent of getting upset by Golden State, and trading for Jason Kidd is the French girl moving in next door. Jason is gonna help the Mavs get that bitchin' Camaro fixed. It's not so much a personnel problem as a confidence problem with the Mavs. Yes, they are REALLY shallow at Center, but I've never seen Dampier play with more enthusiasm than he has with Kidd. I'm telling you, they'll be parking that Camaro on the infield and raising that trophy yet.

Some guy sent this in to my favorite columnist's mailbag, and I had to share it.

 

[Zephyrus]

Randy Moss has re-signed with the Patriots for three more years.

 

[skeptik]

lol at Ben Roethlisberger's ridiculous 8 year $102,000,000 contract. I'm glad the Steelers have finally actually made a commitment on a player for once. Too bad they lost Faneca though...

 

[AchrisK]

The Falcons signed Michael Turner, who was LT's backup running back, and who is definitely starter RB material. I guess he's getting 15 million, I don't remember over how long.