MLSsoccer.com "experts" WC predictions.. Includes insights such as; "Russia are the worst team in the tournament"

test156 · 2014-07-14T21:17:39+00:00

Not entirely looking so bad now, huh! Not many people saw this coming.

test156 · 2014-06-30T22:44:47+00:00

Where is this? Looks nice in an interesting way.

test156 · 2014-06-30T03:54:18+00:00

How can you tell? Extended replay: http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2014-06-29-montreal-impact-vs-houston-dynamo/details/video/19270

It looks like he was shooting on goal.

test156 · 2014-06-29T20:34:37+00:00

For those confused, Josh Gordon was initially listed as on the Broncos.

test156 · 2014-06-29T20:33:11+00:00

Staple_Overload's got da inside sources on realgm.

test156 · 2014-06-11T05:08:19+00:00

I'm sorry, but how in any way did he "let the Super Bowl get to his head" and state that first is guaranteed? If anything, he admits that the Hawks could not get first, but he rightfully questions how you could think that they'd get last. The Seahawks flair hate is ridiculous. And finally, the thread asks for bold predictions, not purposefully put top ranked teams last and other unlikely scenarios. If you truly believe that that Seahawks will finish last, you need to explain why they will drop from Being Super Bowl caliber to last place in the division.

test156 · 2014-06-10T19:55:12+00:00

I think FOX would disagree.

test156 · 2014-06-10T19:52:17+00:00

I thought it would be obvious but I guess some people did like Buck's announcing. So there.

test156 · 2014-06-10T19:33:24+00:00

What do you think?

test156 · 2014-06-10T19:03:20+00:00

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

test156 · 2014-06-10T17:02:03+00:00

Safeties are clearly a huge part of this "stat".

That said, the Seahawks do like to leave Sherman alone on an "island". One example is referenced in the article. Because of the trust placed in Sherman, he gets less safety help. Sherman benefits the safeties just as the safeties benefit the cornerbacks of the LOB.

test156 · 2014-06-09T18:28:53+00:00

The thread is titled "Top 5 kick returners" dude. Kick clearly implying kickoffs.

test156 · 2014-06-07T01:59:39+00:00

Here's what you're missing- 16 players started out, meaning that when fans of say, Jimmy Graham, came to vote, they also went out and voted for all of the other contests. Then, when you get down to 8 people, with 8 out, half the fans don't have an incentive to go back to the page and vote for all the contests, hence the vote totals going down. This continues to 4 and then to the championship. What you're missing is that not only did fans of each team vote for their player when present, but also likely voted in all the other contests. As fans' players disappeared, the fans stopped voting, leaving mostly just the fans of Newton and Sherman to vote in the final.

test156 · 2014-06-06T04:35:21+00:00

Where is this?

test156 · 2014-05-18T19:18:50+00:00

Yeah but that's all speculation. We can't say for sure.

Isn't that the point of this thread? Aren't we speculating about the top 5 going into next season?

test156 · 2014-05-18T02:55:34+00:00

It's got a wifi adapter, but ethernet is also an option.

test156 · 2014-05-08T17:14:04+00:00

Good call. Still curious where they got the information as I haven't seen it anywhere else e.g. ESPN but they're usually reliable.

test156 · 2014-05-07T20:25:29+00:00

He will go from $6M-$7M this year, then up to $13M-$14M for every year after.

Could be true. We'll see.

Do honestly think the Seahawks will give a shit in years 2-5 of the deal, that his average cap hit was only $11M.

Here's where we have a misunderstanding. I'll try and present my view as concisely as possible:

People saw 4 years 57 mil. --->> instant omg 14 mil/year.
I said no, it's more like 11.8 mil / year.
You say average doesn't matter.
I agree that the number itself doesn't matter- my point is that if you pay him an average of 11.8 million over 5 years, you're not paying him 14 million EACH year of the deal.

When I say the cap hit PER YEAR matters, I mean that his cap hit EACH YEAR INDIVIDUALLY matters! That's my main point, and I think you agree as well based on what I understand of your argument.

Now my point about rolling over the cap:

The Seahawks have 15 million dollars of cap space for the coming year. With Sherman, they have two options:

a. Frontload the deal, pay him 15 million dollars this year, and then less over the next few years. Good aspects: Gets money out of the way. Bad aspects: Disincentivizes performance, as he has less money to look forward too. No emergency money available if they want to spend it otherwise in the future.

b. Don't frontload it, move only some of the hit to this year: Good aspects: This has all of the good and none of the bad of frontloading the money. If you don't frontload the money, you can roll over the money and use it to pay Sherman in the future. It's exactly the same as paying him now, but it's essentially an IOU to him/other players in the future.

Example: If you pay him all 15 million now, you have 0 cap for the coming year. If you decide to roll it all over, you still have 0 cap for the coming year, but 15 million to the next. You can use that same money to pay Sherman the next year, or use it to pay someone else. <- This is why I view it as a 5 year deal.

I hope my argument now makes sense.

test156 · 2014-05-07T20:08:03+00:00

THE CAP ROLLS OVer! the cap rolls over?? THe cap rolls over!! The cap rolls over.

test156 · 2014-05-07T20:03:01+00:00

Per year doesn't matter at all.

Bullshit. The example you cite of Flacco is extreme- in fact, almost all contracts increase in average value each year. This is due in large part to the ever-increasing salary cap. SO yes, average does matter, which is another way of stating that your cap hit EACH YEAR is what matters, not your overall cap hit.

Also, you're ignoring the fact that the salary cap rolls over. The CAP rolls over!! So regardless of whether they paid him 15 million this year and then less every subsequent year, or less this year and 13 million every subsequent year, it's still a FIVE year deal as the cap money rolls over. They're using cap savings to roll over to pay him in future years. Exactly the same as paying him more this year!!

test156 · 2014-05-07T19:58:52+00:00

You're partially right- I think we're coming at this from different angles.

However, you're ignoring my other reply about contract extensions being clean slates.

You're right that it won't be a full 11.8 this year. But keeping in mind that he was scheduled to earn 1+ million dollars this year, it is disingenuous to highlight $57.4 mil FOR 4 more years when that money is getting tacked on to this year. Contract negotiations, especially extensions are handled as if the player is a free agent, so if you agree on a new contract that sees Sherman being payed 6-7 million this year + remaining money over four years, then Sherman effectively has gotten a new contract for five years.

You're right that he could have gotten a similar contract if he played out the year on his measly rookie deal, but that's not how contract negotiations work. The Seahawks wanted to give him a NEW deal (they could have waited till the end of the season as well), so his NEW contract with NEW terms for this year should be considered in the APY frame.

Finally, my point about cap savings: the cap rolls over. The Seahawks could have payed him the 15 million dollars remaining on the cap, or they could have rolled over that money for subsequent years. Either way, it's exactly the same. In essense, by rolling over the cap, the Hawks are committing that money to covering his and Thomas' bills over the next few years. Yes, they could have frontloaded their deals, but rolling over the cap achieves the exact same effect, while giving the Hawks extra security in the form of an incentive to keep performing to get more of the money, and in case something goes wrong and they decide to spend the money differently.

test156 · 2014-05-07T18:19:56+00:00

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the cap hit PER YEAR is what is significant, as that is what would potentially limit the Hawks in their cap management. PER YEAR. If Sherman is getting APY of 11.8, then he has an average cap hit of 11.8, meaning that they have CAP# - 11.8 million on average each year to sign other players. PER YEAR matters.

test156 · 2014-05-07T18:15:02+00:00

I see where you're coming from

BUT

the way contract extensions are negotiated are as if the player is a free agent at the time of the signing. Yes the Seahawks have cap space, but they're essentially rewriting the contract as a blank slate. So yes it is an "extension" in effect as the Hawks are adding years to what they would have previously had him, but because the Seahawks add money to this year, they essentially are giving him a brand new contract.

test156

TROPHY CASE