JeffSchmeff Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I would love to slap this asshat around. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1884898 Morning After: Jets flying high By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com Only two weeks into the season and already the NFL is all but impossible to handicap. Prime example: Last Monday night, we sat in Charlotte, N.C., convinced that we were watching two franchises headed in distinctly opposite directions. The wounded Carolina Panthers, who lost big-play wide receiver Steve Smith (broken fibula) in that prime time contest and would see tailback Stephen Davis undergo arthroscopic knee surgery just four days later, looked gawdawful. On the flip side, the Green Bay Packers appeared to be a legitimate power team. So what happened on Sunday? OK, of course, you all know. But a little self-flagellation is in order here. The limpin' and gimpin' Panthers went onto the road, to Arrowhead Stadium, where visitors never win, and won by 11. Green Bay staged its home opener at Lambeau Field, against the arch rival Chicago Bears, who they had defeated in 18 of the last 20 matchups, and got shellacked by 11 points. Go figure. Little wonder that Art Schlichter went near-crazy, and broke as well, gambling on this league. Anyone who actually tries to make a living by wagering on the NFL has to be berserk. Or soon will be, given the start to the 2004 campaign, where very little seems obvious after two weeks There were three teams -- the Packers, Steelers and Jets -- we felt we had underestimated after seeing their season-opening games, either first person or on videotape. Oh, well, after this Sunday, maybe one out of three isn't bad. You may recall that, in training camp, we assessed the Jets as more competitive than we had been led to believe. Honest. Don't believe it, go back and wade through the voluminous Len Pasquarelli archives. Granted, we reported that New York wouldn't be a playoff team, just a club capable of making some noise. And now, two weeks into the NFL marathon, we are starting to think the noise might be commensurate with the decibel level of, well, some jets taking off from any of the three New York-area airports. Consider, if you will, the state of the once-proud AFC East. After the Patriots, who might run out their winning streak to about 30 games the way they are playing, the Jets are arguably the best team in the division. Buffalo can't score. Miami can't collectively walk and chew gum at the same time. Who does that leave? Hey, rev up the engines, Herm Edwards. For the first time in 11 seasons, the Jets are 2-0, victors on Sunday over San Diego, which reverted to being the Chargers again. The Jets' schedule, to put it mildly, is kind. A bye next week, ad then games at Miami (Oct. 3), home against Buffalo (Oct. 10) and San Francisco (Oct. 17). Suddenly, the Jets could be 5-0 going into an Oct. 24 showdown at New England. OK, so maybe we've inhaled too many jet fumes, but it could happen. The offense, as long as Chad Pennington is perpendicular, moves the ball. Signing guard Pete Kendall after he was released by Arizona was not only a terrific move but also rounded out a pretty nice unit. Curtis Martin, the ageless tailback, refuses to eyeball the calendar. New defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson has implemented an aggressive style and is getting solid play from unexpected places, like rookie safety Erik Coleman, who has two interceptions in two games. So, laugh if you will, but the Jets have a shot of being not so bad. And, since New York has a bye upcoming, we won't be embarrassed by them for at least two weekends. Last laugh? That other New York franchise, the one where players apparently aren't on-time for club meetings even when they are five minutes early (sort of), may have proven that there is nothing like a little chaos to get things going in the right direction. We are forever grateful to clever Giants coach Tom Coughlin and his team for luring Washington brass into the little-used ruse in which you try to convince an opponent that dissension runs rampant in the ranks (wink and, uh, double-wink). At least the Giants victory keeps the Redskins and sainted Joe Gibbs from going 16-0. Last week, one of the hosts of the popular ESPN-produced show dubbed something like Pardon the Insult suggested on local D.C. television that yours truly was "stupid" for predicting the reincarnation of Gibbs would not succeed. Chances are pretty good that, at some point in the future, said host (who also gloated that he planned to assail yours truly in the FedEx Field press box with his analysis but, um, didn't), will get a chance to rub my nose in it big-time. But for one week -- thanks to Coughlin, and Kurt Warner, who won his first start since the 2001 NFC championship game -- hey, we ain't so dumb after all. The Washington offense, the part of the team run by Gibbs (defensive coordinator Gregg Williams functions pretty much with autonomy, as did Richie Petitbon back in the glory days), struggled mightily. Quarterbacks Mark Brunell and Patrick Ramsey tossed four interceptions. Tailback Clinton Portis was held to just 69 yards by the Giants' mutineers. In the event no one else is keeping tabs, Portis has now averaged a pretty pedestrian 2.6 yards per carry since his scintillating 64-yard scamper the first time he touched the ball in a Redskins uniform. This is a guy who averaged 5.5 yards in two seasons with the Denver offense. Oh, well, enough of this gloating. It is, as demonstrated by Giants resident rabble rouser and erstwhile defensive end Michael Strahan, a tad unbecoming. And, in Strahan's case, a little contrived. It's Strahan, after all, who has most fomented unrest among his mates. He fails to understand that, with management endorsing Coughlin's martinet bent, he won't win this battle. But he did help win a game on Sunday and then proclaimed that a win was just what the doctor ordered. Like he really wanted Coach Tommy the Terrible to notch a victory amid such a week of turmoil. By the way, word is that Coughlin had turned all the clocks in the building ahead, so players would be on time. Monday night spotlight At the end of the Cleveland-Dallas game on Sunday, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson played a little defensive back for the Cowboys, and actually knocked down the Browns' last-play "Hail Mary" attempt. But we're betting we won't see too much of Randy Moss of Minnesota or Philadelphia's Terrell Owens in their respective teams' secondaries on Monday night. So, puh-leeze, enough of these contrived story lines about the matchup between the two great receivers. Moss isn't going to be covering Owens. And Owens isn't going to be "mannin' up" on Moss, either. It's the corners, Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard for the Eagles and the Vikings' Antoine Winfield and Brian Williams, who figure to be smack in the middle of the Monday night spotlight. None of the four is very big and so we're apt to see a lot of high tosses turned into completions. Look for Vikes' defensive coordinator Ted Cotrell to work more outside the box in trying to contain Owens. His Eagles counterpart, blitz-happy Jim Johnson, doesn't really do too much special planning for individual wideouts. His answer to stopping Moss is to apply more pressure on Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper, and to force him to unload the ball quicker than he might like. When so much hype surrounds two players, as it does with Moss and Owens for Monday night, it's usually someone else who steals the show. To be sure, the two great wideouts will make some plays, but the outcome will be determined by somebody else. Our guess: Someone on defense, like perhaps Eagles end Jevon Kearse, will author the game-altering play of the night. Bounce back week A dose of resilience was one of the overriding themes of the weekend action. Did anyone honestly expect the Panthers, minus two key players, to demonstrate the kind of grit displayed in their impressive victory? Kudos to coach John Fox for keeping his team focused and not allowing the depleted Panthers to feel sorry for themselves. Was there any way, after what transpired last week, to figure the Giants would respond so well to their self-inflicted wounds? After being dominated in the first half, coach Tony Dungy's Indianapolis Colts fired back at the Tennessee Titans with superb halftime adjustments and 28 points. So here's hoping that another resilient soul, New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks, uses his stirring Sunday comeback as a springboard. His critics may not realize that Brooks had 11 fourth-quarter comebacks the past three seasons. But the rally on Sunday, culminated by a touchdown pass to Donte' Stallworth, might be precisely what Brooks and the Saints need to get things righted. A loss to San Francisco, which played well behind No. 2 quarterback Ken Dorsey, would have been disastrous. New Orleans, with tailback Deuce McAllister nursing a bum ankle, isn't out of the woods yet. But the jesters who suggested the Saints players had evacuated the city for good as Hurricane Ivan approached, might not have the last laugh. There is still a lot wrong with the underachieving Saints, but Sunday might serve as a catalyst. Time for some offense You've got to feel for the Buffalo defense, a unit that has surrendered 26 points in two games, and lost both because the Bills offense could generate only 20 points. Rookie coach Mike Mularkey and his staff, which have gone to the extreme to play things close to the vest in an effort to salvage Drew Bledsoe's flagging career, might have to open things up and take their chances. Buffalo is playing not to lose, instead of playing to win, and the results have not been promising. Punts The league likes to pitch itself as entertainment but, unfortunately, too many of its players are buying into that analogy and behaving like prima donnas. A couple of tailbacks who had huge fumbles, the Packers' Ahman Green and Quentin Griffin of Denver, gave the media the Marcel Marceau treatment on Sunday. ... You believe that old song about how one is the loneliest number? Try zero. Oakland wide receiver Jerry Rice had zero catches on Sunday, snapping his record streak at 274 regular-season games with at least one reception. And Cleveland quarterback Jeff Garcia, the toast of Lake Erie just a week ago, managed a 0.0 passer rating in Sunday's loss at Dallas. ... Jacksonville rookie wide receiver Ernest Wilford, a fourth-round pick from Virginia Tech, has just two catches for 19 yards in two games. But both receptions have been game-winning scores. ... The seven takeaways generated by the Giants defense on Sunday was the most by the unit since 1986. ... Oh, well, Emmitt Smith quickly came back to earth, with just 31 yards on 13 rushes. ... The $1 million condo that Saints coach Jim Haslett owns in Pensacola was all but totaled by Hurricane Ivan. ... Seattle rookie strong safety Michael Boulware, the second-round pick who played linebacker in college, continues to make a nice transition into the secondary. For the second straight week, Boulware had a late-game interception to quell a rally by the Seahawks' opponent. Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SkinsHokie Fan Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Wow This is going to get good between Wilbon and Pastabelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saqs Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 He'll take shots all season. Here's to hoping he gets shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie0720 Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Wouldn't expect anything different from his fat ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 this article just proved Wilbon right. He is vindictive, and his person vendettas override his judgemnet in his sports writting. oh by the way... if Coughlin set the clocks five minutes ahead.... isn't that kind of setting up the players for failure... I mean really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 He's going to crawl out from under his rock after every loss. Might as well get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins0128 Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Originally posted by SkinsHokie Fan Wow This is going to get good between Wilbon and Pastabelly Yeah actually called out Wilbon for not backing up his talk. This could get fun before the end. Pasta somehow felt vindicated by the loss yesterday, let the fatass gloat if he feels he needs to. To hell with him. :finger: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McMetal Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Ditto WOW. I'm REALLY surprised he chose to respond to Wilbon's comment. And this oh-so clearly demonstrates his smug, arrogant attitude towards the Skins organization. I would be stupefied with rage if I already wasn't so after yesterday's game. I hope he dies in a car wreck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggitmon Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 :puke: :cuss: He actually acknowledges how happy he is the redskins lost. My brother is a journalism student at Missouri and he had to take down his personal web page with political commentary, he said that he can't even have a campaign sign in his yard BECAUSE... showing any signs of bias challenges your journalistic integrity. guess lenny didn't get the memo. i'll take wilbon in round 1, that's if lenny could get up out of his corner without toppling:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstahl Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I love it when dull analysts take out their less that worthy frustrations on one another in public. It is like a bunch of 2 year olds throwing a temper tantrum about who gets to play with the GI Joe action figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 its time for pay per view. fat **** vs wilbon. I cant believe this fat boy is tying to hang with wilbon. laugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 The best thing we can all do here is boycott his articles. Don't post the link and don't read anything he writes. I purposely didn't read the article online and skipped over reading it in this thread. It's obvious he is nothing more than a vindictive arsehole and it no longer worth my time. If I post any more responses to any thread that talks about him or his trashy attempts at journalism, somebody please slap me. :slap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All In Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 What did Wilbon say? I thought we had a clip of it somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASMTrainer Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 God, he is such a jackass :finger: :moon: :loser: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afparent Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 This guy is an idiot. Is he going to call us out everytime we lose. If that is the case, then we will call him out everytime we win. They need to take his credentials away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potato Sack Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Look. He's taking shots. And why shouldn't he? Every player on that offense yesterday let the fans down and let Coach down. I hate to say it, but why not take shots? I don't understand how our players talk about how they want to make Joe Gibbs proud, then come out and drop passes, fumble, and throw ducks up for INTs when a win is within reach. When, as you saw in the 3rd and 4th quarters, Joe made adjustments to put us in place for a win. I'm sorry, I don't LIKE Pastabelchy, but, damn, take all the shots you want. We were horrible. And until we can come into a goddamn season and be consistent for once, our players don't deserve anything less. I'm tired of defending our team. Come out and prove to me in 5 games that we're not worth a shot from an obnoxious journalist and then maybe I'd feel good about taking a shot at said journalist. Until then shut the f_ck up and play football already!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefhogskin48 Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Man, I can't wait til Wilbon responds. Wilbon has a much more powerful forum to destroy Lenny--- national television. Kornheiser will help him take a few shots too. The problem is that ESPN probably doesn't want this feud to expand any more than it has. So Wilbon may be limited to the print media and local radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 well, if he is arguing from the perspective that anything short of winning the Super Bowl proves his point that the Redskins even under Gibbs don't have a quality organization, then he is staking out safe ground for himself in that only 1 in 32 teams gets to drink the champagne. that means that John Fox and Jeff Fisher are losers because their clubs only won 11-12 games and went deep in the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins4eva Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 He's such a loser...and what a sanctimonious a-hole. His use of the editorial "we" really bothers me. Who exactly do his thoughts represent? everyone at ESPN? that's not the case. He's a pastabelly, what can you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Lenny the Fat has been getting slammed on the Czaban show also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilberMarshall Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Originally posted by Henry He's going to crawl out from under his rock after every loss. Might as well get used to it. Yep, that was what was gnawing at me the most as we were losing to the sorry Giants... that all dem haters will be out in full force... IF he WATCHED the game despite the 7 turnovers we still had a chance to win the game... Guys were open... Portis wasn't shackled we abandoned the run... If I was him (and thank God am not)... I won't gloat just yet... The Giants needed 7 turnovers to beat the SKINS by 6 and he is gloating? Gawd, this man is pathetic!:doh: :puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 bubba is right... he just held above his head the ax and the grind and grinned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Originally posted by Potato Sack Look. He's taking shots. And why shouldn't he? Every player on that offense yesterday let the fans down and let Coach down. I hate to say it, but why not take shots? I don't understand how our players talk about how they want to make Joe Gibbs proud, then come out and drop passes, fumble, and throw ducks up for INTs when a win is within reach. When, as you saw in the 3rd and 4th quarters, Joe made adjustments to put us in place for a win. I'm sorry, I don't LIKE Pastabelchy, but, damn, take all the shots you want. We were horrible. And until we can come into a goddamn season and be consistent for once, our players don't deserve anything less. I'm tired of defending our team. Come out and prove to me in 5 games that we're not worth a shot from an obnoxious journalist and then maybe I'd feel good about taking a shot at said journalist. Until then shut the f_ck up and play football already!! bias writing is different from professioanl writing. let me explain. Not once did he not mentioned how bad giants were closing out the game, especially with redskins 7 turnovers. not once did he mentioned how it shouldve been a blow out by the giants or that giants had many chances. not once did he not mentioned with 7 turnovers redskins still had a chance to win it in the late 4th qt. giants had just as many flaws as redskins but ours were devastating and yet fat boy in his writing made it seem llike giants beat us handly. if you didnt actually see the giants vs redskins and read fat boys article, you would think giants beat us , not redskins beating themselves. If you wanna read none bias article , goto foxsports.com and read jimmy johnsons article. he clearly said redskins made too many mistakes but at the same timie giants couldnt do anyting with it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGibbs Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Is Fox bringing back that 'Celebrity Boxing'? I now have two signs for Monday nights game. Club Seat People Suck Len Pasquerelli- Anti-Low Carb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I am looking forward to the time, fellows, when we have the LAST laugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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