TheMeanDM
2008-07-09, 03:36 PM
For fans of the NFL, SI has an interesting "Challenge" going on between a couple of their writers.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/dom_bonvissuto/06/26/roster.challenge/index.html?eref=T1
The idea behind their debate is to spend $116M on a 53-man NFL roster, making your "dream team" basically, but staying under budget.
Here was my team:
{table=header]Position | Player | Salary | -
QB | Donovan McNabb | $9,360,632 | Starter
QB | Trent Green | $2,605,760 |
QB | Seneca Wallace | $1,405,000 |
RB | Julius Jones | $1,500,000 | Starter
RB | Kevin Faulk | $3,503,720 |
RB | Brandon Jacobs | $1,080,750 |
WR | Hines Ward | $6,705,760 | Starter
WR | Wes Welker | $3,731,720 | Starter
WR | Brandon Stokley | $2,645,416 | Starter
WR | Devin Hester | $795,000 |
WR | James Hardy -r- | $1,000,000 |
WR | Limas Sweed -r- | $1,000,000 |
TE | Dallas Clark | $2,483,333 | Starter
TE | Brandon Manumaleuna | $1,600,000 |
TE | John Carlson -r- | $1,000,000 |
ROT | Marcus McNeill | $757,120 | Starter
RG | Justin Hartwig | $1,487,500 | Starter
C | Matt Birk | $6,012,076 | Starter
LG | Alan Fanacea | $5,640,000 | Starter
LOT | Matt Light | $5,208,387 | Starter
G | Jason Fabini | $491,720 |
T | Jordan Black | $1,800,000 |
C | Casey Wiegman | $1,455,000 |
G | Grey Ruegamer | $830,000 |
T | Jason Capizzi | $301,720 |
T | Ryan Cook | $751,360 |
DE | Patrick Kerney | $3,249,999 | Starter
DT | Adewale Ogunleye | $6,365,575 | Starter
NG | Kelly Gregg | $4,023,386 | Starter
DT | Mike Patterson | $3,131,250 | Starter
DE | Tamba Hali | $1,746,240 | Starter
DT | Tommie Harris | $1,645,470 |
DT | Jonathan Babineux | $814,220 |
DE | Darryl Tapp | $725,000 |
DE | Phillip Merling | $1,000,000 |
MLB | Brian Urlacher | $5,850,510 | Starter
OLB | Shawne Merriman | $2,643,620 | Starter
OLB | Chad Greenway | $1,958,860 | Starter
LB | Tim Dobbins | $493,120 |
LB | Abdul Hodge | $647,000 |
LB | Larry Izzo | $491,720 |
OLB | Jerod Mayo -r- | $2,000,000 |
MLB | Cliff Avril -r- | $500,000 |
LB | T.J. Slaughter | $451,720 |
CB | Fakhir Brown | $2,476,471 | Starter
CB | Antonio Cromartie | $1,731,120 | Starter
CB | Ellis Hobbs | $1,631,720 |
CB | Mike Jenkins -r- | $2,000,000 |
FS/SS | Jordan Babineaux | $1,125,000 | Starter
FS | Atari Bigby | $445,000 |
FS | Tanard Jackson | $489,250 |
P | Dustin Colquitt | $1,186,240 | Starter
K | Jason Elam | $1,461,720 | Starter
[/table]
Total Salary: $115,436,185
Besides winning a Super Bowl, what hasn't McNabb accomplished? He's a proven leader, he's still a very good run/pass threat who is very accurate and he still has a powerful arm. Trent Green has been a starter in the past, but is more pass-focused than McNabb, which can give a different "look" to the offense when/if needed. Wallace is also a good run/pass threat, and he can even play WR in a pinch.
The "three headed monster" at RB can provide many different looks. Jacobs is the hammer you need for ball controll. Faulk is so versatile it's unbelievable--a'la Marshall Faulk. Jones isn't quite the power back Jacobs is, but he's still got strength and good speed.
Hines ward is the toughest WR in football, I believe. He makes the amazing, game-breaking catches look routine. He's a leader, and did I mention Super Bowl MVP? Wes Welker compliments him with great speed and posession ability. Stokley has proven to be a great 2nd or 3rd look for the QB. Hester gives a burst of speed as well as deadly return skills. Sweed and Hardy are rookies with great potential.
Dallas Clark always seems to be in the right place at the right time to catch TD's. He's tough, not afraid to take hits, and is very underrated. Manumaleuna compliments the power-running game, and John Carlson would do well to learn from Dallas and Brandon.
Birk is the "brain" of the O-line. He's tough, smart, and has excellent skills. One of the best in the business. Hartwig and McNeill are proven starters that have been underrated (and underpaid). Theoretically, the QB shouldn't ever get sacked from the left side with Fanacea and Light--two of the best pass blockers currently in the league. The backups are solid, proven warriors that can get the job done when called upon.
The defense is SCARY, I believe. I see this as a base "52-monster" defense: 5 DL, 3 LB, 2 CB, 1 FS/SS.
The bookends, Kerney and Hali, are animals that have amazing motors. The tackles, Ogunleye and Patterson, are ferocious attackers. Gregg is tough-as-nails and his stats prove he needs 2 or more people to block him. The subs are mostly well performing vets, except for Merling--he's got great teachers to learn from.
Urlacher, Merriman, and Greenway are all fast, hard hitters that have a nose for being in the best position to make plays. Greenway can learn a lot from those two. The subs are gritty LB's. Hodge and Dobbins are underrated. I saw them play in college and they were much more impressive than people think, especially Hodge. Izzo and Slaughter are tough journeymen. The rookies, Mayo and Avril, can definitely learn a lot from this LB crew.
Brown and Cromartie are "ball hawkers". Hobbs has always been a steady performer, and can even do return work when needed. Mike Jenkins, a rookie, has "shut down" coverage skills and great speed.
Babineaux and Bigby are high performing safeties with great skills. Either could start.
Colquitt is a great punter who can function as a kicker if needed. He is very good at pinning teams inside the 20. Besides Vinateri, who else is as "clutch" of a kicker as Elam? He has proven time and time again his value.
Head Coach:
I have to go with Jeff Fisher (Titans) here. One of the most respected coaches by his players and the league, he always seems to get the most out of the guys in his charge. He is passionate, but not over-the-top. It also helps that he was a player, I believe.
Offensive Coordinator:
Tom Moore (Indy) is my pick. He has consistently had one of the highest scoring offenses in the league during his tenure. He's shown a willingness to call risky plays at the right time, and has demonstrated an "attack" type of attitude with his playcalling.
Defensive Coordinator:
Marvin Lewis (Bengals). It may be a "step down" in some eyes, but for the chance to coach and scheme for a defense like this, don't you think any defensive-savvy coach would jump at that chance? Remember that he was the defensive coach that won the 2000 Super Bowl with the Ravens--who were an amazing defense during that era.
Special Teams Coach:
Dave Toub (Bears). The Bears' special teams have made people pay for kicking to Hester. Yes, a great deal of it is the player, but the special teams guys need to know how to block, formations, etc. Toub has proven that he can make opponents fear/respect special teams plays.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/dom_bonvissuto/06/26/roster.challenge/index.html?eref=T1
The idea behind their debate is to spend $116M on a 53-man NFL roster, making your "dream team" basically, but staying under budget.
Here was my team:
{table=header]Position | Player | Salary | -
QB | Donovan McNabb | $9,360,632 | Starter
QB | Trent Green | $2,605,760 |
QB | Seneca Wallace | $1,405,000 |
RB | Julius Jones | $1,500,000 | Starter
RB | Kevin Faulk | $3,503,720 |
RB | Brandon Jacobs | $1,080,750 |
WR | Hines Ward | $6,705,760 | Starter
WR | Wes Welker | $3,731,720 | Starter
WR | Brandon Stokley | $2,645,416 | Starter
WR | Devin Hester | $795,000 |
WR | James Hardy -r- | $1,000,000 |
WR | Limas Sweed -r- | $1,000,000 |
TE | Dallas Clark | $2,483,333 | Starter
TE | Brandon Manumaleuna | $1,600,000 |
TE | John Carlson -r- | $1,000,000 |
ROT | Marcus McNeill | $757,120 | Starter
RG | Justin Hartwig | $1,487,500 | Starter
C | Matt Birk | $6,012,076 | Starter
LG | Alan Fanacea | $5,640,000 | Starter
LOT | Matt Light | $5,208,387 | Starter
G | Jason Fabini | $491,720 |
T | Jordan Black | $1,800,000 |
C | Casey Wiegman | $1,455,000 |
G | Grey Ruegamer | $830,000 |
T | Jason Capizzi | $301,720 |
T | Ryan Cook | $751,360 |
DE | Patrick Kerney | $3,249,999 | Starter
DT | Adewale Ogunleye | $6,365,575 | Starter
NG | Kelly Gregg | $4,023,386 | Starter
DT | Mike Patterson | $3,131,250 | Starter
DE | Tamba Hali | $1,746,240 | Starter
DT | Tommie Harris | $1,645,470 |
DT | Jonathan Babineux | $814,220 |
DE | Darryl Tapp | $725,000 |
DE | Phillip Merling | $1,000,000 |
MLB | Brian Urlacher | $5,850,510 | Starter
OLB | Shawne Merriman | $2,643,620 | Starter
OLB | Chad Greenway | $1,958,860 | Starter
LB | Tim Dobbins | $493,120 |
LB | Abdul Hodge | $647,000 |
LB | Larry Izzo | $491,720 |
OLB | Jerod Mayo -r- | $2,000,000 |
MLB | Cliff Avril -r- | $500,000 |
LB | T.J. Slaughter | $451,720 |
CB | Fakhir Brown | $2,476,471 | Starter
CB | Antonio Cromartie | $1,731,120 | Starter
CB | Ellis Hobbs | $1,631,720 |
CB | Mike Jenkins -r- | $2,000,000 |
FS/SS | Jordan Babineaux | $1,125,000 | Starter
FS | Atari Bigby | $445,000 |
FS | Tanard Jackson | $489,250 |
P | Dustin Colquitt | $1,186,240 | Starter
K | Jason Elam | $1,461,720 | Starter
[/table]
Total Salary: $115,436,185
Besides winning a Super Bowl, what hasn't McNabb accomplished? He's a proven leader, he's still a very good run/pass threat who is very accurate and he still has a powerful arm. Trent Green has been a starter in the past, but is more pass-focused than McNabb, which can give a different "look" to the offense when/if needed. Wallace is also a good run/pass threat, and he can even play WR in a pinch.
The "three headed monster" at RB can provide many different looks. Jacobs is the hammer you need for ball controll. Faulk is so versatile it's unbelievable--a'la Marshall Faulk. Jones isn't quite the power back Jacobs is, but he's still got strength and good speed.
Hines ward is the toughest WR in football, I believe. He makes the amazing, game-breaking catches look routine. He's a leader, and did I mention Super Bowl MVP? Wes Welker compliments him with great speed and posession ability. Stokley has proven to be a great 2nd or 3rd look for the QB. Hester gives a burst of speed as well as deadly return skills. Sweed and Hardy are rookies with great potential.
Dallas Clark always seems to be in the right place at the right time to catch TD's. He's tough, not afraid to take hits, and is very underrated. Manumaleuna compliments the power-running game, and John Carlson would do well to learn from Dallas and Brandon.
Birk is the "brain" of the O-line. He's tough, smart, and has excellent skills. One of the best in the business. Hartwig and McNeill are proven starters that have been underrated (and underpaid). Theoretically, the QB shouldn't ever get sacked from the left side with Fanacea and Light--two of the best pass blockers currently in the league. The backups are solid, proven warriors that can get the job done when called upon.
The defense is SCARY, I believe. I see this as a base "52-monster" defense: 5 DL, 3 LB, 2 CB, 1 FS/SS.
The bookends, Kerney and Hali, are animals that have amazing motors. The tackles, Ogunleye and Patterson, are ferocious attackers. Gregg is tough-as-nails and his stats prove he needs 2 or more people to block him. The subs are mostly well performing vets, except for Merling--he's got great teachers to learn from.
Urlacher, Merriman, and Greenway are all fast, hard hitters that have a nose for being in the best position to make plays. Greenway can learn a lot from those two. The subs are gritty LB's. Hodge and Dobbins are underrated. I saw them play in college and they were much more impressive than people think, especially Hodge. Izzo and Slaughter are tough journeymen. The rookies, Mayo and Avril, can definitely learn a lot from this LB crew.
Brown and Cromartie are "ball hawkers". Hobbs has always been a steady performer, and can even do return work when needed. Mike Jenkins, a rookie, has "shut down" coverage skills and great speed.
Babineaux and Bigby are high performing safeties with great skills. Either could start.
Colquitt is a great punter who can function as a kicker if needed. He is very good at pinning teams inside the 20. Besides Vinateri, who else is as "clutch" of a kicker as Elam? He has proven time and time again his value.
Head Coach:
I have to go with Jeff Fisher (Titans) here. One of the most respected coaches by his players and the league, he always seems to get the most out of the guys in his charge. He is passionate, but not over-the-top. It also helps that he was a player, I believe.
Offensive Coordinator:
Tom Moore (Indy) is my pick. He has consistently had one of the highest scoring offenses in the league during his tenure. He's shown a willingness to call risky plays at the right time, and has demonstrated an "attack" type of attitude with his playcalling.
Defensive Coordinator:
Marvin Lewis (Bengals). It may be a "step down" in some eyes, but for the chance to coach and scheme for a defense like this, don't you think any defensive-savvy coach would jump at that chance? Remember that he was the defensive coach that won the 2000 Super Bowl with the Ravens--who were an amazing defense during that era.
Special Teams Coach:
Dave Toub (Bears). The Bears' special teams have made people pay for kicking to Hester. Yes, a great deal of it is the player, but the special teams guys need to know how to block, formations, etc. Toub has proven that he can make opponents fear/respect special teams plays.