Weekly Blogger Debate:

Thanks to John & Matt for joining Steve in weekly Blogger Debate! Now give your answers:

1. Should a coach (Sean Payton) have this much impact on a team that was 13-3 last year?

JOHN:

I think you have to say yes.  1-2 maybe not but now 0-3 with losses to three 1 win teams.  It’s not like the Ravens, Giants or Texans are beating them.  But then again maybe the bigger loss is Gregg Williams here.  Maybe his coaching or maybe his “motivation”?

MATT – GMEN HQ:

yes, there is a reason why coaches are paid what they’re paid. In any sport particularly the NFL head coaching is very important. The attention to detail, the overall demeanor of the team, more times than not, depends on the head coach. Sean Payton, aside from being a gifted offensive mind, brought a certain swagger to the Saints and without him, combined with a new d coordinator, the defensive leader (vilma) being sidelined makes for a huge impact, negatively.

STEVE:

I think it’s shocking that a 13-3 team with Drew Brees is struggling this much without their head coach. But it shows Sean Payton’s impact on this team and Brees.

2. Refs are coming back. But do you think the NFL thought they were above turning off fans with how they’ve handled these lockouts?

JOHN:

Roger Goodell sucks.  That’s all I got on this, tired of hearing about the ref situation.

MATT – GMEN HQ:

absolutely. I don’t think the owners and the NFL had any idea that this would effect the product of the NFL like this, its dragged down the television product, its decided games, its jeopardized player safety to a degree, for the most part its gone back on just about everything the NFL has tried to accomplish over the last couple years. I think the owners and NFL to a degree thought that the league was invincible, and in large part it is, but the fan reaction was so great, especially following the Monday Night game, the league realized it had to take action.

STEVE:

I do think the NFL thought they were above turning off fans.  Thankfully refs are back!!

3.  Who wins the NFC East Sunday Night match-up and why?

JOHN:

This has been a weird series.  Last year the Dream Team was easy favorites to win at home and got worked especiallly Nnamdi the Great.  Then it seemed that the Giants would trounce the Eagles at home but then Vince Young was all excited after making good money from Cash for Gold and the Eagles upset the Giants.  This game never seems to go as expected.  And what really blows is that its almost a pick’em.  So my theory is out the window.  Hopefully Umenyiora and McCoy settle their media and twitter war with fists.  Giants win 20-17.

MATT – GMEN HQ:

Giants in a close one. Philadelphia is up against a wall, which usually translates to them playing their best football, but injuries aside I still think the Giants are a better, more physical team and I think they will impose there will on Philadelphia. Look for Martellus Bennett to have a nice game against an undersized linebacking corp. in Philly. They key will be the d lines in this game. If New York can pressure Vick at all like they kid Cam Newton, it will be tough. If Philly can get to Eli he might force a throw or two that could result in turnovers and in a divisional game that can be the difference between a win and a loss.

STEVE:

Giants in a close one.

4.  Are you looking forward to the new wildcard format in baseball?  Do you think it will be a success?

JOHN:

New wildcard format is dope.  And will only get better next Friday when the one game wildcard games are played.  Imagine if next Thursday that tiebreakers are needed just to figure out who plays Friday?  Hopefully the Yankees christen the new wildcard format while the O’s wait as AL East Champs.  I think it will be a major success.  Bud Selig is more and more looking like the Anti-Goodell.

MATT – GMEN HQ:

no, change is difficult, i understand what baseball is doing, not many people want to watch it anymore, clinging on to life.

STEVE:

Yes, can’t wait to see the reaction after the wildcard games.