Optimism & Pessimism

Let’s sort out what we see so far in June 2010 for what it means for the Giants’ 2010 season.

If you are optimistic and wrong, you are at least a positive person who was incorrect.

If you are “negative” and wrong, you are a miserable person who will always be miserable.

If you are less than optimistic, you are labeled as negative and “not happy unless you’re miserable.”  There is an association: critical thinking which does not have a positive outcome means the critical thinker is not trying to produce, but merely destroy.  To the contrary, in an analysis, problems exist because we see changes which need to be made to get us on a positive track.

There is no implied agenda by optimists or pessimists. Both call it the way they see it.

Are people who are overly optimistic just misguided fools who can only see the world through rose-colored glasses?  If they do so consistently, then perhaps they are.

Are those that are overly pessimistic just bitter people who do not believe in others?  If they are consistently, then perhaps they are.

Last year, the pessimists were the realists.   Yet, more than a few who had sounded the alarms were still held in suspicion all the way until the end.  Two exclamation thumpings by the Panthers and Vikings sealed the verdict.  That track record deserves a bit of grace. There is less misery and more reality in the view.

Like last year, there are numerous red flags popping up already.  Let’s walk through some reasons why I see more problems in 2010:

1).      Mayor, a frequent commenter on this blog, found an article quoting safeties coach Dave Merritt.  It won’t be anything like a “Tampa 2”. Well, there was an article just a few days before when they said we were.  Logic says  Fewell will fall back to what he has always done- the Tampa 2 scheme.  Needless to say,  I don’t like this defense and I do not believe we have the guys to play it.

2).      The JPP back incident is much more cautionary than some here seem to think.  Andy combines this with the disclosure of Sintim’s work ethic to ask questions about the Giants’ due diligence in missing such important items for such prominent picks.  I agree.

3).     Antrel Rolle showed the side of him that is dangerous if he doesn’t respect the coaches or the system. He demonstrated emotion and frustration which on one hand is good but on the other hand is dangerous. He, not Tuck, will be the leader on this team.

4).      JPP said “I am going to kill people, they can’t stop me.” I bet that will be on every opponent’s locker room wall before each game.

5).      A team that played as badly as the Giants last year brought in exactly one person.  Rolle can play and I like him but he cannot do it alone.

6).      We need two running backs that have it in them to play at the top of their game.  Every year our RBs (Jacobs/Ware/Bradshaw/Ward/Brown) could not be at full strength.  Why should we expect these same RBs to be healthy when they have consistently proven that they cannot?

7).    Will Boss be this year’s Jacobs? He takes huge hits and we saw the first physical problem after the season.

8)     Andy and Glenn have harped on the issues at LBer.  I find it alarming that a guy with loads of health issues, with 7 starts in four years, without any experience at Mike, is our #1 candidate to start at that position.   What does that say about the other LBers we have?

9)    Except for the third defensive coordinator in 4 years, nothing has really changed.

10)   The Saints and the Redskins did a big trade. Jammal Brown, who has been all pro twice, is a Skin. He gets to team up with the #1 draft choice on a reconstituted OL. The motive is obvious.  They must protect McNabb because their time is now. They gave away two top picks next year and I think it was ballsy. It’s exciting to take an intelligent chance.  New coach, new GM, new OL, new QB. The Redskins are going to be a hell of a lot tougher. They already had a pretty good defense but no offense. Now, they are much improved.

11)   Coughlin:  Look at the tepid comments (see link above) made there about Sheridan seemingly before this LBers coach was selected by the head coach back in 2009 to run the defense.  Why such an uninspiring choice?  ‘Why not’ should be the answer.  Coughlin does little to garner true respect amongst his foot soldiers.

I am on record and will stand by what I say going into the season.  It’s not purposely negative, as the list of reasons above clearly builds a case for caution.  We will see how this plays out and will comment as the season moves on.

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