Report: Aldon Smith faces no charges for LAX incident

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has decided not to file any charges against Aldon Smith for making a fake bomb threat at LAX airport on April 13, according to Adam Schefter.

In light of this news, how many games, if any, do you think the NFL will suspend Smith next season?

This article has 116 Comments

  1. Assuming he receives no jail time, and along with Jesus, I hope he finds Wilson too, but I think he gets time served….

      1. I have a feeling that Grant wouldn’t draft Jesus in the top 10.

  2. seems like a lesser but still constructive punishment would be fair. Aldon committed not crime..per se….but probably broke some standard league contract rule about behavior that is negatively associated with the NFL and NFL players. So suspending Aldon a game over the LA incident seems too harsh (that’s a lot of money too). A lesser monetary fine would probably not accomplish anything. But maybe some (more?) mandatory anger management an life choices counseling along with some community work would be appropriate.

  3. 4 games. Our countries biggest booze peddler gets pretty dang angry when a player develops an alcohol problem. Though no charges will be pressed, its was still naughty behavior involving alcohol.

  4. For LAX? Nada. No charges, no incident despite being arrested; presumption of innocence.
    Punishment for NorCal charges depend on penalty phase upcoming, but may allow for some Time Served consideration for the voluntary hiatus for treatment. Without knowing the sentencing my ballpark guess is 3-4 weeks.

  5. If the commish takes the 5 games missed last season as time served the suspension will be between 0 and 3 games.

    1. Sounds about right. Recognized the 49ers carried out their own suspension, yet quiets critics that will say stars get off too easy.

  6. He’ll miss 4 games. He’ll be back and peaking just in time for both Seahawk matchups

  7. Two games. Guy has done his best to straighten up but he obviously has some sort of mental disorder on the order of schizophrenia…

  8. One game maximum (if any), for a total of six games. My reasoning:

    1) Roger Goodell has gone on record to state that suspension is not there to punish, but to ensure the behavior stops.

    2) Nearly all of Smiths issues came before his five games voluntary leave (which Goodell was quick to point to as Smith taking responsibility and asking for help).

    3) Smith’s only issue since his voluntary leave was for all intents and purposes a misunderstanding that warranted not more than a warning to “choose your words more wisely when at the airport and don’t let it happen again”.

    4) The issues themselves did not cause injury to any third party. DUI’s did not injure anyone except Smith (although they arguably put others in potential danger), and the assault weapons were not used to threaten anyone.

    Instead of more suspension (which would really just be punitive at this point) it seems more likely Goodell will hold Smith as an example of the right way to handle yourself when you are having issues. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GET HELP.

    Any more suspension would seem to just be punishment. The behavior has stopped (LAX was a misunderstanding/badly timed joke). Goodell’s goal is to stop the behavior. Although my obsessive compulsive side says: one game to make it an even number (six), my rational/logical side says: Goodell sees that Smith took responsibility for his actions and got help, voluntarily missed five games, and he will not punish him by further suspension.

    1. That’s a well-reasoned, persuasive comment. I hope it’s accurately predictive.

  9. If the gendarmes could have made a case, they would have….He’s only guilty of a questionable sense of humor and bad choice of where to display it.

  10. I don’t think the five games he missed last year will factor into any decision on a suspension by Goodell. That was “voluntary”. I think he’ll be suspended for the first 4 games of the season.

    1. Here’s what he said:

      Aldon Smith took a voluntary leave of absence last season after the DUI incident and missed five games while in treatment for substance abuse. When CSNBayArea.com asked in October if Smith’s decision to enter rehab would factor into the league’s decision on discipline, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell answered, “Certainly.”

      Goodell added, “The issue here is not to discipline players. The issue here is to stop the behavior. And Aldon, to your point, has voluntarily said, ‘I need help.’ We are obviously there to support him, and the 49ers did a great job getting him into a facility to try to get that help. And so we all support that. So, yes, it will be factor, for sure.”

      I believe Goodell will fine him 5 game checks and no missed games, but he’ll need to continue classes and meetings, etc.

      1. We’ll see. But I had forgotten that statement.

        I still think he will be suspended for 4 games this season though. While he won’t face any charges over the LAX thing, it still happened, and it happened after he voluntarily sought assistance. Doesn’t exactly show the behaviour has stopped.

      2. I’m curious as to your your reasoning behind the game checks. I would construe that as punishment/discipline after the behavior has not only been resolved legally, but also voluntarily altered through rehab. That sort of flies in the face of Goodell’s statements, no? In most other instances a player would only have the case travel through the legal system. They would not take the additional action Smith took by voluntarily entering a rehab facility/voluntarily missing games and thus the NFL would be obligated to take action and suspend/fine in hopes that the message would alter the future behavior. It seems that Smith’s voluntary action has already fulfilled that obligation. Why does the money matter?

        It would seem that Smith’s course of action would be Goodell’s preferred route. A) Player behaves poorly.
        B) Player voluntarily accepts responsibility and corrects behavior through professional and documented action.
        C) NFL does not need to be involved.

        What is your perspective?

        1. The main thing is consistency. If other players are suspended for certain actions then the same consequences must also apply to everyone. A suspension is not the same as voluntarily going to rehab. Part of the consequence of a suspension is the loss of being paid for the games missed. Aldon was paid for the games he missed so to equalize the penalty and consequence Aldon still owes the amount to the paychecks he was paid when he missed those games. He may have missed those games but he did not suffer the consequence of loss of pay. He still missed those games due to his actions, weather in rehab or not, and therefore should not be paid for something that was essentially his fault. It’s called accountability as apposed to enabling.

          1. Willtalk: But Goodell stated that the purpose of suspension is NOT to punish/penalize/discipline. The purpose is to alter behavior. If the player takes documented action/takes responsibility for their actions and alters their behavior themselves prior to the NFL becoming involved why then should they be punished with an additional fine (that is tan amount to a punitive discipline)? Irrational when you look at Goodell’s own statements. Why is the money so important? Altering the behavior is what is important. It seems like if Smith is able to alter his behavior WITHOUT being monetarily impacted it would be of higher value than if he was forced to alter his behavior through fine/suspension. Not fining him isn’t enabling him. It would be confirming to him that he took appropriate action on his own and got the help he needed to change his poor behavior. This seems to me to be be how Goodell thinks. I’d be surprised with any form of additional punishment by the NFL. It just doesn’t make sense if we take Goodell’s statements at face value.

          2. Also speaking to “consistency”: This is a wholly inconsistent situation. When was the last time you heard of a player screwing up and doing anything more than apologizing to their fans, family, organization, and NFL, then do nothing more than wait for the legal system to take it’s course (and the NFL to pass their own judgement). If they do nothing more to officially alter their behavior the NFL is obligated to send a message via suspension/fine. Smith did more he took action without the NFL forcing his hand through fines/suspension.

            That said it’s a very complex case involving more than just DUI. There are non-violent weapons charges, and also the incident at LAX which although he was not charged Goodell may take into account as evidence of Smith’s behavior since his rehab.

            I tend to think Goodell and the NFL will not get punitive. But we shall see.

  11. The California Penal code 148.1(a) saying the word Bomb or I have Bomb even as a joke is punishable not to excede one year in county jail… He has a very good lawyer.

    1. As no charges were brought, in all likelihood law enforcement/prosecution had minimal contact, if any, with his lawyer.

      1. Barrows has some additional information on the LAX incident resolution: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/01/6527895/49ers-lb-aldon-smith-wont-face.html

        According to Barrows’ story, Smith must appear at a so-called office hearing at the LA City Attorney’s Office on July 30. The office hearing is a bit misnamed – it is neither a judicial nor an administrative proceeding through which a matter may be disposed, and thus is not really a “hearing.” It is procedurally somewhat akin to a deposition in a civil case. Smith will have a lawyer present and his statement will be taken under oath (either with a court recorder present or by electronic recording). Absent some unexpected admission, it is just a means of obtaining an official statement before closing out a case, while providing the prosecution a chance to berate, er, I mean educate, the suspect.

  12. Hacksaw46; He never said he had a bomb or the word “BOMB”. Saying the word “Bomb” by it self would have the same affect as saying “Fire”. What he appears to have said and witnesses have corroborated was not a declaration using the word “bomb” but in the form of a question. He seemed to have asked them if they thought he had a bomb. I have dealt with airport security and a lot of them seem to lack any semblance of common sense. It may be that they are picked for that reason so they will just follow rules without variation. The problem with that is that many seem to be like computers/robots who can not differentiate between a question and a statement.

    Everyone just assumed that because Smith seems lack common sense himself that he had to be at fault in this instance. I mean I know better, and step around airport security like walking on eggs, but should that really be necessary. I mean lets be honest. When have they ever found a terrorist or a bomb in one of their random searches. They find everything else but. It’s basically for show. In a random search only a few are searched and most get let through. They find things by ex-raying luggage, investigations and tips. The random searches I suspect are just to cover their real searches and so the won’t be accused of profiling and to maintain an illusion of PC’nes everyone has to put up with BS.

    1. To clarify my point. Now I am not talking about doing extensive searches based on suspicion, but purely random ones. You no every certain numbered person gets extensively searched. The reason this makes no sense is that if anyone can get through the preliminary search with out arousing suspicion and still have a dangerous weapon or bomb that was not detected through that initial search then many more people are entering planes without having been properly screened. I do not believe this is the case. Rather the initial search is effective enough to catch any thing suspicious and that’s why people are called in to have their luggage inspected. The random searches are just a cover so if the search a person who might fit a profile then they can’t accuse them of profiling. They can just say he was a random search.

      1. He needs to know, that the next episode with the law will result in the hammer meeting the anvil…..

    1. As soon as this whole story broke, that scene was the first thing that popped into my head lol!

  13. Maybe you folks have read more details as this case unfolded than I have, but I don’t think I know what was or wasn’t actually said or in what context. I don’t trust that the impression I have from media accounts is accurate.
    It became obvious in the evolving stories around Cully and the Miami hubbub that initial reports were not factually accurate. I wouldn’t be surprised if that applied in Aldon’s LAX caper.
    That said, it pays to know your surroundings and pick your shots when wise-cracking! Doh!

  14. I don’t think he gets zero. Maybe a fine. He’s been clean since the incident and he took a leave on “his own accord.” The airport incident was nothing. No “wrong doing” just silliness and overreactions. He plays all 16 games (barring injury). There really isn’t any grounds for suspension based on what Goodell said already. So any suspension would’ve likely been 4 games, so Aldon’s still got a “1 game credit,” I’m joking there; but he’ll play all games.

    1. NinersRoc,
      I certainly hope you and the other bloggers (that share your view) are right about AS not missing any games especially with Bowman out for a significant amount of time.

      As I said earlier, I’m glad that charges have not been filed against AS, but it still does not excuse his foolish behavior.
      Hopefully he finds the fast-track to maturity.

  15. The LAX idiocy is in the past already. It will be as if it never happened. Aldon won’t face any jail time for the DUI and the weapons charges happened before he served his “voluntary” rehab so those will be a wash. When it’s all said and done, the only thing the NFL can punish Aldon Smith for is for “tarnishing the shield”. The shield gets tarnished on a pretty much monthly basis, so although there will be a lot of self righteous indignation and hand wringing by gasbags like Tim Kawakami and the other left wingnuts in the media and elsewhere, there won’t be anything more serious than maybe a fine and a reprimand handed down to Aldon Smith by Roger Goodell. There aren’t any legal grounds for any more than that. Aldon will lead the NFL in sacks on the way to the Super Bowl. GO NINERS!

    1. Bar None:
      The thing about Aldon Smith is that he seems to get into trouble on a fairly regular basis. Now, I don’t pretend to know a thing about his cases, cause I don’t. But, sooner or later people with his MO seem to wind up on probation — which is the fast track to hell. They have to be good for an extended period of time. Hope he can get his **** together.

  16. Like the California penal system will become involved with their precious 49ers, b/4 a SB run — think of all the hate mail they’d receive. The only “star” they’ll go after is Lindsay Lohan. Think about that when you wonder where your tax dollars are going.

  17. @RapSheet 1m
    The Jimmy Graham decision is out. Burbank has ruled he’s a tight end. The Saints have won.

    Bad news for VD.

    1. And in other bad news for Vernon (news to me, not to him), CSN Bay Area has a story of how Vernon was one of a group who lost money in a Wall Street Ponzi Scheme. Unclear how much, but the average investment of the group of victims was $350k +. Perhaps he should rethink his financial advisory team.

    2. Jack:

      Thanks for the report.

      Should we expect an entry from Grant detailing how the decision improves Davis’s leverage?

      1. No it will probably be something along the lines of how Davis should have taken Grant’s advice and held out because of course he is the only player that makes the offense work.

        Graham could still appeal this ruling, although I can’t really understand the point of being able to appeal an Arbitrators ruling. He’s a 3rd party decision maker. If you allow either side to appeal his ruling then what exactly is his purpose?

        1. I haven’t read the arbitrator’s ruling, but if Florio’s summary is accurate (on things like this and contract matters, I trust his reporting), then the % of plays in which the player lines up within 4 yards of the tackle determines whether or not he is classified as a WR or a TE.

          Does anyone know how far Davis lines up from the tackle when he is in the slot?

          1. The arbitrator apparently came up with that measurement on his own when trying to figure out how far a TE can be lined up outside, and still fulfill the duties of the position.

            As far as I’m concerned, if the player lines up in the slot more than the outside, while also lining up next to the Tackle on a large percentage of plays, he’s a TE. I don’t think the arbitrator really needed to come up with a measurement, and in fact may have just convoluted this case more that he cleared it up.

            What really needs to happen is a redistribution of Franchise tags and positions. They should really break it down further to include the actual position being played rather than the group. For example, a receiving TE vs. Blocking TE designation, and instead of the Oline being under one designation, you break it down to LT vs. OG vs. C etc.

            Too much of a broad brush being used with the Franchise tags at a time when there are so many specialists in the game.

            1. rocket:

              I agree, but it isn’t likely to be fixed until the next CBA is negotiated.

              1. Pretty amazing. I wouldn’t have thought their job descriptions would have been that detailed.

            2. Rocket, perversely, splitting out the position groups further would only serve to benefit the teams, not the players. The franchise tag is the average of the top 5 salaries at the position, and has nothing to do with the overall average of each position. So if, for example, you split TEs into two groups (receiving and blocking), and lets assume all 5 of the top 5 TE are classified receiving TEs, the franchise tender for a receiving TE would be the same as the existing TE franchise tag, but the tag for a blocking TE would go way down.

              The only way your proposition would benefit a player is if you also mixed groups. For example, if you split out slot WRs and receiving TEs from their respective groups, and then mixed the two together. Not sure who you’d be benefitting, but there is a chance one of those two groups could benefit (though the other would be worse off).

          2. I think Sean Payton had the right of it – Graham is almost always covered by a LB. Which WRs are routinely covered by LBs? None I can think of.

    1. What did you think of the rankings that Sando posted today?

      He polled eight current general managers, two former GMs, four pro personnel evaluators, two head coaches, seven coordinators, two position coaches and a top executive.

      The end result was a ranking of 14th for Kaepernick.

      1. Jack:

        Clearly Sando chose 26 guys who don’t know what they’re talking about and/or hate Kaepernck because of his tattoos.

        Also, they’re all racists.

      2. I just saw that one and don’t have a problem with it either. They want to see more of, and from him, and I can’t argue with that. I’d put him ahead of Stafford and Romo, and on par with Wilson, but the results are fairly close anyway.

              1. Niners Nation gives the following information:

                t-1. Brady – 1.04
                t-1. Manning – 1.04
                t-1. Rogers – 1.04
                t-1. Brees – 1.04
                5. Luck – 1.50
                6. Philip Rivers – 1.77
                7. Ben Roethlisberger – 1.85
                t-8. Matt Ryan – 2.23
                t-8. Tony Romo – 2.23
                t-8. Russell Wilson – 2.23
                t-8. Eli Manning – 2.23
                12. Joe Flacco – 2.31
                13. Matthew Stafford – 2.38
                14. Colin Kaepernick – 2.50
                15. Nick Foles – 2.56
                16. Cam Newton
                17. ?
                18. Alex Smith
                t-19. Robert Griffiin III

                http://www.ninersnation.com/2014/7/2/5864469/espn-quarterback-rankings-2014-colin-kaepernick-russell-wilson

              2. Per Niners Nation, the 26 people polled “were asked to give each projected starting quarterback a 1-5 ranking, with 1 representing the top tier, and 5 representing the bottom tier.”

                Also, from NN

                Here is what Sando’s insiders had to say about why they graded Kap the way they did:

                Evaluators want to see more from Kaepernick as a reader of defenses, playing within the pocket. They acknowledge his strong arm and dynamic running ability: Kaepernick, like Wilson, has good passing stats from within the pocket, with or without play-action. But there’s still a perception around the league that neither is proven in that area.

                “Kaepernick can affect the game on so many levels,” a defensive coordinator said. “He’s been to a Super Bowl, been in a championship game. He has kind of revolutionized some stuff. He is a different kind of ‘two’ than most of them, more multidimensional.”

                Kaepernick, like Wilson, has benefited from a dominant defense and running game, and his team hasn’t asked him to carry the offense week after week.

                But he’s been resilient. “Last year, there were a number of people injured and he still kept finding ways to win,” a different defensive coordinator said. “Those kind of guys who show that moxie at quarterback, as a defensive coach, that does factor [in] to me. It is not necessarily all based on their stats.”

              3. Wow, Claude
                I can’t tell you how much I like that last paragraph about Colin that you shared. It takes me back to some old school attitudes of 49er tough guys.

              4. If the category were most dangerous quarterbacks, I would think Kaep would be much higher. But ranked overall, it looks about right to me. I think Romo is a bit high – but I am not sure who I would put above him. Maybe he should be tied with Flacco or Stafford instead of with Ryan, Wilson and Manning.

            1. @ Jack…rocket

              C’mon….spill the whole list…some of us up here in the “boonies” don’t have the access that you have…Please…

              1. Kap will be way further up that list at the end of the 2014 season. I predict spot #6. Assuming the offensive playcalling does indeed change as has been all alluded by Harbaugh, Roman and Baalke, I think Kap will show significant improvements in progressing through his reads, his mechanics and his overall decision making. I think he has the potential to be top 5 in the next couple seasons.

              2. Okay, this numbering system is *%@?ed up. What’s wrong with listing them 1-19? Are QB’s egos that fragile? This reminds me of the way they score figure skating somehow — what they actually accomplished and wishful thinking factored in. BTW are they considering Luck an “elite” QB????

              3. Mary, the numbering system is simply an average of the scores each player received out of five from the 26 people surveyed.

                E.g., a score of 1.04 simply means 25 people gave that QB a score of 1, and 1 person gave them a score of 2.

              4. ssuming the offensive playcalling does indeed change as has been all alluded by Harbaugh, Roman and Baalke, I think Kap will show significant improvements in progressing through his reads, his mechanics and his overall decision making

                I don’t think those two things – (1) playcalling and (2) Kaepernick’s problems with reads, mechanics, and decision-making – are related. .

        1. Jack: How can any young, developing QB with only a few years in the NFL be considered elite? And, what is the criteria? Just curious.

          1. Jack:

            Don’t get sucked in. If there’s one group more irritated by the high regard for Luck than the Kaep fan boys, it’s Seahawks fans.

            1. Oh right! I’m going to suck Jack in! Jack is one of the nicest guys on this site and extremely polite to his readers also. Claude, you could take some lessons.

              For the record, I think Luck’s an excellent QB. I just rewatched Gruden’s QB Camp on Luck where he calls him the best QB since PM (b/4 he got drafted). What’s not to like about ALuck he’s the total package.

              Sometimes I don’t always articulate what I’m trying to say. Let me rephrase the question: Shouldn’t you pay you’re dues longer than 2 years in the NFL b/4 you’re considered “Elite?”

              How long did it take Brady, Manning and Brees b/4 they were considered elite? Inquiring minds want to know.

              1. Mary:

                1. Sorry, I have witnessed too many Seahawks fans lose their minds when someone dares to suggest that Luck is better than Wilson.

                2. While I often am not polite to certain commenters, I fail to see how my 5:51 pm comment was impolite to you or anyone else.

            2. “I don’t think those two things – (1) playcalling and (2) Kaepernick’s problems with reads, mechanics, and decision-making – are related.”

              My bad, that’s not what I intended to say, I worded that sentence wrong.
              My intention was to say that if the overall playcalling changes the way it’s been alluded it will, allowing more passing opportunities for Kap, he will step up and show significant improvements in his mechanics and decision making.There should be a larger sample size from which to gauge improvement from. By the way, I guess I’m a “Kap fan boy” because I support the QB and leader of my team, the 49ers. Anybody that doesn’t should just beat feet and go root for the Raiders. Nobody wants to hear a bunch of negative drivel about our team’s franchise QB from “supposed” Niner fans.

              1. Bar None:

                Thanks for clarifying.

                By the way, I guess I’m a “Kap fan boy” because I support the QB and leader of my team, the 49ers. Anybody that doesn’t should just beat feet and go root for the Raiders. Nobody wants to hear a bunch of negative drivel about our team’s franchise QB from “supposed” Niner fans.

                1. Yes, I remember all the support you showed for Alex Smith. Wait a minute; no, I don’t. Where was this annoyance at negative drivel about the team’s QB (and the go-root-for-the-Raiders suggestion) when people were spouting ignorant b/s about Smith in 2011-12?

                2. Which “‘supposed’ fans” are spouting negative drivel about Kaepernick? Pointing out areas in which he needs to improve and wanting to see more before anointing him doesn’t constitute negative drivel; nor is it a failure to support him.

          2. Perhaps you should just watch him play. He had a pretty good game last year against your team in particular.

            Unlike Wilson and Kaepernick, Luck doesn’t have the ability to rely on a strong running game. The Colts running game finished 20th, compared to 4th and 3rd.

            He also doesn’t have the luxury of one of the best defenses in the league backing him up. The Colts defense finished 20th in total yards allowed, including giving up nearly a full touchdown more per game than Seattle and 4 points per game more than the 49ers.

            1. Interesting, Luck was better in outdoor road games than Brady and Brees.

            2. Not to mention he was without his #1 TE for the entire year (sorry Coby, you aren’t the Colts’ #1 TE) and #1 WR for most of it.

            3. Jack: thanks for taking the time to write a detailed answer to me. You must know that I pay attention to any team that can beats the 49ers, Broncos and Seahawks; and yet suffer deatdowns by the Rams (38-8) and Cards (40-11) — Shocker, don’t remember if I knew that. They must have watched a lot of videos.

              Anyway the only thing of importance here is that sometimes I don’t always articulate what I’m trying to say. Let me rephrase the question: Shouldn’t you pay you’re dues longer than 2 years in the NFL b/4 you’re considered “Elite?”

              1. Not necessarily. Some guys just “have it” and that’s definitely the case here.

              2. Luck has been viewed as a once in a generation player for sometime and he’s done nothing to change that belief.

  18. On the Smith suspension topic, I think the league will wait until after sentencing on the weapons charges – the felony nature of those are the real issue, even above the DWI. The misdemeanor “bomb” threat is just fodder for fans and journalists, and I would be surprised if the NFL considered it at all other than as a factor in determining what sanction is appropriate for the weapons charges.

    If the final conviction entered on the weapons charges is a felony, as opposed to the judge reducing the charge to a misdemeanor, I believe the NFL will suspend Smith for no fewer than four games, regardless of the actual criminal sentence (which I suspect will be suspended sentence with probation). Given the current political climate with respect to guns and gun violence, which has become the criminal justice cause du jur, even over DWI, I do not see the league suspending a player for less than a quarter of the a season for a felony involving banned “assault weapons.”

    1. “reducing the charge to a misdemeanor” should read “reducing the conviction to a misdemeanor”

  19. “The best guys bring everyone else’s level up and the guys around them can change and they still play at a high level,” an offensive coordinator said. “You saw that comment by Brees talking about Jimmy Graham and he was saying, ‘Well, Jimmy is really good, but I’ve been here for eight years and Jimmy was not here for four of those years and we still had the big numbers.’ With these Tier 1 guys, they’re productive almost regardless.”

    Paying attention, Rocket?

    1. To borrow from Harbaugh: “We’ve plowed this ground already Grant.” It’s complete BS and I provided you numerous examples of great QB’s not bringing up the play of those around them. It’s something people say to build up a legend and nothing more.

      1. The key part of that quote is:

        “The best guys….the guys around them can change and they still play at a high level,”

        1. There is no doubt that a better QB is going to allow a player to put up better stats simply because he’ll be more accurate and get the ball where it needs to go more than a QB who can’t. The point I made the first time Grant and I discussed this, is you need good players around you to be successful no matter how good you are. I don’t care who the QB is, if you are surrounded by poor players you won’t have a great season statistically and more often than not in the win column.

          There was an article from Nate Silver today – and thanks for turning me onto that site Grant – in which he looks at how the better pass catchers like Graham would be affected by average QBing, and there is obviously a difference, but the numbers would still be very good with or without the better QB. That is due to the player, but also the system they play in.

          http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/without-drew-brees-jimmy-graham-is-a-good-but-not-great-receiver/

          1. The best evidence I can provide to show Graham made Brees better more than Brees made Graham better is simply by looking at how high a jump Brees had in the TD column once he had Graham in the lineup.

            Graham arrived in 2010, and up until that point the highest number of TD passes Brees had put up was 34. In 2011, he threw 46. So for the first 10 years of Brees career and first 5 with the Saints, the highest number of TD’s he threw was 12 less than he was able to muster with Jimmy Graham in the lineup. I can’t make it any clearer than that.

            1. The point is, Brees was already considered among the best without Graham. He’s proven that he can play well without him.

              1. That’s not the point Grant was making. He and I had a discussion awhile back about players – namely QB”s – making others better. In this case Brees did not make Graham better, as much as Graham made Brees better. Brees split about 80 receptions between two different TE’s with 4 TD’s the year before Graham arrived. He didn’t elevate the play of those two, one of which was Jeremy Shockey. He actually benefited when the team added a better player at the position.

              2. I know. I’m not discussing this on Grant’s behalf or backing his argument. The point that was made by the coordinator was that the best quarterbacks are able to find a way to be successful.

  20. Claude: You don’t owe me an apology. I was actually going to send you a note saying I had overreacted to your comment.

  21. Question for Coach Harbaw
    (and the Niner fanbase too):

    how many of you believe that
    Aldon Smith will live to see age 45?

    Completely apart from any court action
    or the response of the NFL, his foolish
    behavior does and will have consequences.
    Inescapable consequences. Check out the
    history of similar NFL standouts……

Comments are closed.