And San Francisco almost wins again, finally making the list at 90, the second to last team standing.
The regressive rookie contract situation is out of control. What may have been a good idea at one time has become a yearly embarrassment of competing, unproven, ego's.
There are so many failures that walked away with large dollars. There are so many players that have held up teams. That's teams; the plural means people: owners, coaches, players, fans.
The contracts the first picks receive are insulting to the journeyman and professional veterans that have already given of their blood and tendons etc., and proven their worth on the field.
It's time that the money and contracts were standardized for rookies.
The first pick should be a chance to turn things around, like it was intended, not a nightmare headache, franchise destroying roll of the dice before you ever even get to see them play.
Someday, players will have to realize that they can't keep asking for more of the pie, as the owners are putting up the money, and the fans are paying for all of it. A national sport that quickly becomes a diversion of millionaires for millionaires while the peasants pay for it with stadium financing bills and tax breaks.
(And, the basic salaried players can't complain as they often approve of things, rank and file, for the millionaires benefit with the idea that it could be them, though for the majority it will never be.)
But, that's another issue.
Houston, clearly scared of Bush demanding too much money, the best defensive pick is possibly the better long term choice anyway (wouldn't San Francisco be a better team with Merriman or Tatupu, then Smith? Houston a better team with first round offensive lineman then Carr?); and other issues like the length of contracts and later choices wanting more than their correct share because they were slighted and think they should have been first even though they weren't.
Gee, Seattle should just call themselves the Superbowl champion, since many clearly think they are, thinking they lost only because of the ref's perceived incompetence, and, having been cheated; they should demand the league make them co-champions or not play the next season! Gosh, just like Saddam Hussein saying he is still the leader of Iraq and refusing to recognize the court he's being tried in! Hunger strike, anyone?
Wow, Bush is clearly on to something here. Why, this type of thinking could infest our whole society and change everything! Oh, wait, were talking about the N.F.L., which has no guaranteed contracts; so they don't have to pay for players who can't perform or don't want to, and, players routinely complain they're not paid enough and renegotiate, hold up teams, destroy seasons, and generally refuse to honor the contract they signed.
But, wait, the rest of society could use that too! We should be able to ignore our contracts as well without repercussion. They're only legal documents anyway. Who cares.
Oh yea, were just the little people. The insignificant, common ants that these players look at from their suites' balconies.
I should have more perspective; I should be more enlightened and understanding. I should simply worship Bush, or, say, Terrell Owens, and be thankful that I was allowed to exist at the time of the realization of, their greatness; their Ascension.
Anyway, Gore worries me with the injuries last year. His line is not good, his team is even worse.
He showed talent and a nose for the end-zone, and, he could be the focal point of scoring for the team in '06. (Very important concept here!)
There is a good possibility that San Francisco will have entire games where they don't score. With this in mind, and the health issues; not to mention a veteran who might suddenly find his 'special' power, Gore is a cannon fodder player.
If he's not on a team mid-season, a strong possibility, then he'll be a good pickup with the right match-up.
The reality is, that you should strive to have players that are on the best teams. Playoff team players make up most of the top fantasy performers.
Gore might have a great year and would be a good late, late round flyer, but, San Francisco is even odds to have the dilemma, and pocket book pains, of the #1 pick once again.
I can't help wondering, though, if Bush was the franchise savior every pundit thought he was, then why didn't a single team trade up for him, especially, since Houston didn't want him?
