quote:

are the average LA sports fan i guess Ivanka Trump is the typical NY sports fan too right?

Funny thing, I know two transplant So Cal couples and they are clones of what you see on that reality show. Its just too funny!

Anyway, you make some good points and some ok ones, however can I assume now that soccer is the most popular sport in S. Cal with the ridiculous influx of Mexicans????

Eli has NOT regressed as far as mechanics are concerned. I don't know how many Giant games you have watched out there on the Left Coast (I doubt many, while I have watched ALL)but the facts are that he has not IMPROVED over his three...NOT regressed.

It took Phil Simms 4 years to come into his own, remember Jim Plunket?? He will be a good QB, people have to be patient and resist the urge to throw him "under the bus" after only 2 1/2 years as the starter. Remember, even the Mona Lisa is not perfect!!!

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It took Phil Simms 4 years to come into his own, remember Jim Plunket?? He will be a good QB, people have to be patient and resist the urge to throw him "under the bus" after only 2 1/2 years as the starter. Remember, even the Mona Lisa is not perfect!!!

2 BIG differences. Simms got good when the Giants got talent and Bill Parcells. Jim Plunkett played on a lot of bad teams in his career. The giants have talent now and I would say it is mainly the QB that has kept them from being better. As opposed to those other 2 QB's you mention who IMO were naturals (Plunkett was never THAT good) that simply needed a strong team around them. Simms also got hurt a lot early in his career.

I will say this - coaching may have a lot to do with his development. We don't know. A better coach may accelerate his development or he's just not that good.

One thing they should do - which they won't is bring someone else in to challenge him in camp a little. But my guess is they don't want to damage his "fragile personality" It's amazing the way that organization "kid gloves" Eli. It's never his fault. "Give him a few more years and you'll see how great he will be" Good luck.

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One thing they should do - which they won't is bring someone else in to challenge him in camp a little

I'm surprised you would make a comment like this. If you really know the ins and outs of the NFL you would know that when a team makes such a huge commitment to a young QB (draft picks and money) that team will NOT push that young Qb with a veteran. Salary cap issues and the denial to look bad will prevent that from happening. They will stick with that QB until every effort to improve him is exhausted..
That is unless you are Chad Pennington who although is extremely smart, ( he would excel better as an engineer than an NFL QB) consistantly throws "hospital balls" to his wide outs.

Obviously I like Eli, however I would be tickled to death if the back up Jared Lorenzen (aka the "hefty lefty") got a shot at as the starter. He has a rocket arm and weighs in at 280lbs. The media would love him! But as I stated in my last post, the Giant brass will go to the ends of the earth to deny making a mistake.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed..believe me.

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If you really know the ins and outs of the NFL you would know that when a team makes such a huge commitment to a young QB (draft picks and money) that team will NOT push that young Qb with a veteran.

He's not a rookie and he's not John Elway. When you are neither - you get challenged. Remember Drew Bledsoe with the patriots? The next "big thing". Their "franchise"? I think they are pretty happy with Tom Brady the last 5 years. Whatever. Football is over me.

Go Knicks!

I think the Jets CAN win with Chad, but they will need a top notch running game and a 1985 Bear like defense.
Hey, because of their defense the Ravens won on 2000 with Trent Dilfer as the QB, so it can be done.

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Go Knicks!

Geez, a 16-21 record gets the fans pumped. Pathetic. But you know that Dolan will give Thomas a 5 year extension if he finshes anyway near .500. The Knicks will not win a championship in our life time...very sad, makes you yearn for the early 90's with Patino and Reilly.

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Originally posted by Wine Wizard:
...Funny thing, I know two transplant So Cal couples and they are clones of what you see on that reality show. Its just too funny!...

you validate my point as well, how can you expect TRANSPLANTS to be avid, passionate, knowledgable fans of teams where they move TO & not FROM!

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Anyway, you make some good points and some ok ones, however can I assume now that soccer is the most popular sport in S. Cal with the ridiculous influx of Mexicans????

what do they say about assumptions? i'm not even going to go there...

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Eli has NOT regressed as far as mechanics are concerned. I don't know how many Giant games you have watched out there on the Left Coast (I doubt many, while I have watched ALL)but the facts are that he has not IMPROVED over his three...NOT regressed.

ive seen more then you give me credit for, it's called Sunday NFL Ticket, and he HAS regressed... again, blinded by passion. let me give you another example - David Carr... ridiculous talent & mechanics while @ Fresno St, and unfortunately for his first few seasons, he was sacked into oblivion and lost all confidence in his ability & the people around him... he's a shell of what he was and nowhere near what he could have been... another example, Michelle Wie (yeah, thats right, im comparing Eli to an 18 year golfer! )... what does she do her 1st pro tourney against the men, shoots a 4 under 68 @ 14 - now, she cant even dig herself out of last place, and its 4 years later! why? at 14 & coming into the Tour, she had no fear. Eli is just another example of tremendous talent beaten down & lacking in confidence... he needs to pull his head out if ass & stop moping around like he saw it coming, as well as the Giant's coaches. i'm not throwing him "under the bus," i'm throwing the Giants staff under the bus!

and i tend to agree with Hunter about the vet QB, not so much to push Eli but to guide him... and, im not blind, the D of the G-men faltered down the stretch along with the offense, injuries never help. and the comments about game MANAGERS @ QB are valid as well... besides being outcoached in the NCAA Championship game, Chris Leak managed the game terrific for UF and he's got all the talent in the world - i know as i've followed him since he played in high school and was choosing between Florida & Iowa

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another example, Michelle Wie

Bad analogy. Comparing golf and football. Dam it man..you are all over the map!!

he HAS regressed...

Sorry, you are all wet on this. In 2006 he had more completions, a better completion percentage and a better QB rating than 2004,2005. He has the third most passes in the NFL this past year. It amzes me hoe people are brain washed by the media and don't really know the facts...like I do.

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another example, Michelle Wie

Bad analogy. Comparing golf and football. Dam it man..you are all over the map!!

he HAS regressed...

Sorry, you are all wet on this. In 2006 he had more completions, a better completion percentage and a better QB rating than 2004,2005. He has the third most passes in the NFL this past year. It amazes me how people are brain washed by the media and don't really know the facts...like I do.[/QUOTE]

c'mon, WW, i thought you were knowledgable? you & i both know QB rating is a joke...

he also had roughly 500+ yards less for the year, a lower yardage-per-completion & 1 more interception then in 05' (his first full year)... but to be honest, its not the stats that make me feel he's regressed but his play during the games... put another way, its not how many INT's you have, it's when you throw them... "remember the Titans?" and that 21 point lead in the 4th quarter with that costly INT? he's faltered down the stretch now in 2 consecutive seasons, and in my opinion, was worse the 2nd half this year then the 2nd half of 2005... the last 3 regular season games of the year he was downright pathetic, i recall 2 picks against the Eagles, less than 100 yards against the Saints, and less than 50% completions and 100 yards against the Redskins... and he DIDN'T regress!?!?!

like i said before, and keep saying, its not entirely his fault... the G-men's D struggled, losing Strahan & Toomer definitely contributed, but Eli and the Coaches didn't help the cause

the kid has become an unfortunate head case for the the near future... i dont think he's a dud for his career, just for the time being... he needs to manage games & himself better & the Coach's in turn need to manage Eli better, not throw for 4000+ yards... oh yeah, 11-5 to 8-8 with no improvement out of your (really 2nd year) QB??? regression my friend

K,
I have no rebuttle. Everything you said was well thought out and true. No doubt you Googled some of his stats (I didn't need to).

Anyway, what NFL team are you a fan of??? You seem to be a man without a home there in LA. Word has it that you will get the next expansion team. Lets think of a name for the team..the "LA Bling Bling" Or maybe the LA Express..back to the USFL days.

I was a big Ram fan way back in the 70's and very early 80's. I know almost every player on that Super Bowl team in 79.

WW,

i confess, the Internet was my friend in the above post, though i knew from watching the games that my digging wasn't going to be for naught...

i am a fan of the Seahawks and have been for about the last 9+ years... as a fan of the NFL but no particular team when i was younger, i went to college near Seattle and spent another year up there after getting my BA and subsequently inherited the Hawks'... was actually a season ticket holder my senior year in school when they were playing at UW while the new stadium was being built.

i do hope the next team LA gets is an expansion team and not a transplant from another city...

Seahawks??? What happened to them? They are a shell of last years team. The defense is shot and Hasslebeck makes too many mistakes.
I think they can beat the Bears though. Josh Brown is a very good kicker, clutch as they come from 50 + late in the game.
Jim Zorn, Dave Krieg, and steve Largent..those were the days.

you hit the nail on the head, the Defense is not what they were last year... though, if you look closely there were a lot of close games last year in which they squeaked by... its all related - the Hawk's D can't keep the other team's Offense off the field (even with the addition of Julian Peterson, drafting the CB Jennings out of Miami and getting S Ken Hamlin back from his head injury) , they give up waaaay too many big plays on D, and when Shaun was out, Hasselbeck tried to do too much on his own. i thought the addition of Deion Branch would help more then it has as well... i dont know and its driving me nuts!!! is it all really beacuse of Hutchinson going to the Vikings???

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Originally posted by kumazam:
Sacramento is good example, theres nothing to do in a 45 mile radius from Arco Arena, thats half the reason they sell out each year, even when they're terrible.

Kumazam -

You don't know what you are talking about regarding the Sacramento area. There is plenty to do. The A's AAA club has led the minor leagues in attendance in every year of its existence. And the reality is that the Kings have been good for some time (and I am not a Kings fan). Many people from the Sac area go to the Bay Area for sporting events (Niners, Giants, A's) on a regular basis (I know quite a few season ticket holders from Sac), so the LA fan not wanting to drive simply furthers the point that they aren't really passionate fans.

And what is the most enduring sight when watching a game that is in SoCal? Fans leaving early.....

PS - and Michelle Wie is only 17....

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so the LA fan not wanting to drive simply furthers the point that they aren't really passionate fans.

I agree with you Dom. Kumazam as far as I can see is an exception to this , but on the whole passion is lacking for pro football in So Cal.
I have never been to N. Cal, Sacremento area, so I can't lend my opinion on the sports atmosphere there.
Someone once told me its a big agricultural area...lots of cows by Sacremento.

Yes, Sacramento has been called a "cow-town" by many, including Phil Jackson.... But the reality is that the cows are pretty much down I-5. Sacramento proper is pretty much built out and extending down through the suburbs....

Dom -

i didnt know that about the A's AAA team, but it doesnt surprise me... it re-affirms my opinion there isn't jack out there, yet i admit i dont know where in Nothern CA they play...

and you are right about Michelle, i jumped to 18 because i knew her first time at The Sony Open was @ 14 and this is her 4th try...

but on the topic of Sacramento people driving to the Bay Area for an A's or Giants' game... how many people do you honestly know that live in Sacramento, and not somewhere closer like Davis or Fairfield, and are full season ticket holders of either of these teams and go to most the games? Football is completely different as the games are on the weekend and once a week... and ive been on I-90 more then a few times, even during repairs/construction by the tolls before the city, its not even in the same breath as the FWY's in LA as far as traffic.

also, about fans leaving early... this is true and i don't pretend to act like its not, but lets not forget most all sporting events on the west coast are @ 7:00 - 7:30 pm local time... you might also notice that the seats aren't full at the beginning of sporting event as well, again, typically Dodgers & Lakers games because they are during the week... and again, this has to do with distance & traffic - i know from experience... i typically get off work @ 5:00 - 5:30 and im about 40 miles from downtown... if i leave straight from work i walk into Chavez Ravine or Staples typically 10 minutes before gametime.

Again, there is plenty to do. I can be tasting wine in great wine regions in less than an hour. I can be water skiing in 10 minutes. I can be snow skiing in just over an hour. Golf aplenty. And how dare you forget about the WNBA and the Sacramento Monarchs .

As for "full" season ticket holders in Sacramento, not very many at all. However, I know many, many people with packages like you have.

As for leaving early, it happens all the time. Day games. Night games. Games on the weekend...

Boston Fans Chant "MVP" for Kobe

LA fans may not be the most passionate sports fans out there, but you'll never catch them chanting MVP for a road team's player!!!

That is pathetic and shameful. Boston fans, have some pride.