09-10-2015, 12:42 PM
I really don't know why this year would be any more of a "legacy" year than last. At least as far as the thinking that "this has to be the year or else...".
After Andy and AJ's first season all I heard was that, with a year of seasoning and a full off-season under the belts, year 2 was to be the year. This was the year to expect big things from Marvin and Co. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year.
In year 3 all I heard was that, with yet another season of experience AND added weapons in Bernard and Eifert, this was truly the year it was going to happen. This was the year in rebuild 2.0 that you could either demand or expect more from Marvin and his merry men. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year.
Which brings us to last year. Now this, this had to be the year. No more excuses. Mike, Marvin, Andy, AJ, etc. They had to win this year. This was year 4. There was no youth excuses any longer. Surely this was to be the year. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year. That "no excuses" mantra turned into a ton of excuses.
And here we are now. Why does this year have to be the year any more than any of the last 3? Year, 2, 3, and 4 of Reboot 2.0 were all, in differing degrees, "have to get it done" years. Yet they weren't. And our front office gave and bought into another year. Many of our fans did, or do, the same. So why exactly should we expect any different if they fall short this year? What greater demands are being put on the team by ownership in year 5/year 25. Why now, after all this time, should we think there is any more urgency than before?
I hear many people talk about upcoming free agency. That is the reason it has to be done. I think the team crying poor may have fooled some into believing that these upcoming contracts are greater than what they are. They will, if they want to, to be able to keep the bulk of this team intact. People rattle off potential deals and dollars amounts as if we're adding them to our totals now. As if money doesn't come off the books first, before a player hits free agency.
This team has a projected 60 million dollars in available money under the cap for next season. Names like Hall and Jones are probably not going to be resigned. We may only need to keep one of the duo that is Marvin Jones and Muhamed Sanu. Andrew Whitworth will most likely make less next year (cap wise) than he did this year. And there is a possibility that they part ways with the Noodle, or ask him to restructure. Regardless, the idea that this team has to blow up this experiment because of lack of money simply isn't true. So if that's your reasoning, on why this is a legacy year, then I don't buy it.
If this team falls short I would love the idea of the experiment ending. Kick Giggles to the curb. Shake up the staff. Be open to personnel and approach changes. That would be great. But I'm not going to be at all shocked if next year at this time we're doing the same thing we've been doing... "This has to be the year for this bunch." Until Mike makes no changes and we're saying things the following year.
After Andy and AJ's first season all I heard was that, with a year of seasoning and a full off-season under the belts, year 2 was to be the year. This was the year to expect big things from Marvin and Co. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year.
In year 3 all I heard was that, with yet another season of experience AND added weapons in Bernard and Eifert, this was truly the year it was going to happen. This was the year in rebuild 2.0 that you could either demand or expect more from Marvin and his merry men. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year.
Which brings us to last year. Now this, this had to be the year. No more excuses. Mike, Marvin, Andy, AJ, etc. They had to win this year. This was year 4. There was no youth excuses any longer. Surely this was to be the year. For whatever reason it wasn't. People gave them another year. That "no excuses" mantra turned into a ton of excuses.
And here we are now. Why does this year have to be the year any more than any of the last 3? Year, 2, 3, and 4 of Reboot 2.0 were all, in differing degrees, "have to get it done" years. Yet they weren't. And our front office gave and bought into another year. Many of our fans did, or do, the same. So why exactly should we expect any different if they fall short this year? What greater demands are being put on the team by ownership in year 5/year 25. Why now, after all this time, should we think there is any more urgency than before?
I hear many people talk about upcoming free agency. That is the reason it has to be done. I think the team crying poor may have fooled some into believing that these upcoming contracts are greater than what they are. They will, if they want to, to be able to keep the bulk of this team intact. People rattle off potential deals and dollars amounts as if we're adding them to our totals now. As if money doesn't come off the books first, before a player hits free agency.
This team has a projected 60 million dollars in available money under the cap for next season. Names like Hall and Jones are probably not going to be resigned. We may only need to keep one of the duo that is Marvin Jones and Muhamed Sanu. Andrew Whitworth will most likely make less next year (cap wise) than he did this year. And there is a possibility that they part ways with the Noodle, or ask him to restructure. Regardless, the idea that this team has to blow up this experiment because of lack of money simply isn't true. So if that's your reasoning, on why this is a legacy year, then I don't buy it.
If this team falls short I would love the idea of the experiment ending. Kick Giggles to the curb. Shake up the staff. Be open to personnel and approach changes. That would be great. But I'm not going to be at all shocked if next year at this time we're doing the same thing we've been doing... "This has to be the year for this bunch." Until Mike makes no changes and we're saying things the following year.
