My take on "Cap is Crap"

[Miguel]

My take on "Cap is Crap"


I rather not hijack the Jack Edwards thread with this so I decided to create this thread.

The entire "Cap is crap" concept diminishes the accomplishments of the best team of the salary cap era. If Michael Felger had performed a better job of reporting on the salary cap, I would have never felt the need to start my cap pages. If I did not understand something or do something well like report on the salary cap, I may also say that it is not important. Does not make it true.

Of course, I am a bit biased. I have been covering the Patriots salary cap since 2001. If the cap is indeed crap, I have been wasting my time

 

[Miguel]

Usually the "Cap is crap" mantra is followed by the contention that the Patriots are cheap. The "Patriots are cheap" proponents point to the 82.68% cash spending by the Patriots done in 2013/2014. Somehow they ignore a Super Bowl victory, as if the tool (cash spending) is more important than the result (Super Bowl championship.

If Tom Brady signed his 2013 extension two to 3 weeks later so that it was signed during the 2013 League Year and not in the 2012 League Year, the cash spending percentage would have been 94.4%. The results on the field would have been the same the past two years.

 

[OhExaulted1]

You definately have not wasted your time. You've taken the time to catalog and record the best salary cap managed team for 15 years. I get so excited when you get a mention and kudos on the big stage.

Over The Cap owes you a paycheck, man. That site doesn't exist if you hadn't statred doing this so long ago.

You're a PatsFans.com first ballot Hall of Famer.

 

[farn]

The cap isn't crap. The rise and fall of so many one-hit wonder teams is the proof. BB's mastery of economics coupled with his football knowledge is the driving force to success. And, that is why he basically has a lifetime contract.

Keep up the good work Miguel. And congrats on all the media mentions.

 

[OhExaulted1]

BTW, Michelle Felger is crap.

 

[AzorianPats]

Ask the Saints if the cap is crap or not.

 

[everlong]

Felger forgets that when he started his cap is crap mantra he was advocating for the way the Jets were doing business paying Revis, Cromartie, Thomlinson, Scott, Pace, Ferguson, Woody and others large sums of cash. It bought them a two year window in which they did reach two AFCCG's. Since then they've had to dismantle and have sucked. Since that time the Patriots have made 4 consecutive AFCCG's, winning two plus a SB.

It's like his Patriots drafting theory that trading down is cheap and ineffective and that trading up is the way to go. He deals with trades that failed in a vacuum. Forgetting that Daniel Graham and Chad Jackson were trades up. Graham was a fine Patriot but not when you consider a first and a third for a blocking TE. Jackson the outright bust. The countless trade downs have been well documented on the total value.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Mike Felger

Mike Felger was born a cheesehead and a child of the 60’s, coming into the world in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1969. He has lived in Boston since the summer of 1988, meaning he has reached the point where he has to be considered a Bostonian. Sorry, Boston.

Felger graduated from Boston University in 1992, three years after taking an internship job at the Boston Herald. Felger remained at the Herald for 19 years, over which time he was a beat reporter and columnist covering the New England Revolution (yes!), the Bruins and the Patriots. Felger moved to full-time electronic work when he took over as host of his own ESPN radio show in 2005. The show lasted three years. He’d like to thank his seven listeners. He’s also currently an anchor for Comcast Sportsnet, the television home of the Boston Celtics.

Felger lives with his wife, the Wood (also known as Fox 25 anchorwoman Sara Underwood), and their daughter in Boston. He’s given up most of the hobbies he used to enjoy, including golf, skiing and reading. He enjoys spending time in places he can’t afford, most notably Nantucket. E-mail Felger at [email protected].

http://boston.cbslocal.com/personality/mike-felger/

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I volunteer my body to save Sara from Felgie.

 

[Danger Zone]

I occasionally have an idea about capping the salary each position can earn. Something like 15m for the qb, wr, cb and 10m for everyone else (or whatever).

Why is this a bad idea for the Patriots? Because it helps us that other GMs are so god awful at managing their cap.

Because the cap isn't crap.

 

[jlu52]

Miguel, thanks very much for the very good work you do. If anything or anyone is a "fraud" or crap, it is certainly none other than Felger. Just because he gets ratings doesn't mean he knows what the hell he is talking about....

 

[BobDigital]

This is not meant to be taken the wrong way, But I do think BB gets way too much credit for managing the cap well. It is true he tends not to do stupid things and that is very commendable but I do sometimes question the way he invest money and realize he has the best advantage of any GM in the NFL.

He has a star QB that helps to not only attract players for a chance to win but also he has played much of his career (after his rookie deal) making 20% less than what he could have otherwise if he demanded it.

That is not an attempt to take away a lot of what BB has done here. A lot of other coaches would have messed it up. However is he the best GM in the league? IMO no.

I think he has to his detriment sometimes given contracts to players he should not have while not playing players he should.

 

[BTTA]

Miguel,

That Felger mantra is nothing more than another attempt at getting listeners and clicks. There's nothing of substance to it, and he knows that.

Your work is incredibly significant to the quality of conversation on the Pats, here on this website, and elsewhere as knowledge of it has spread.

For you to spend any time or attention on this is like Stephen Hawking being drawn into an argument with a science denier. He loses by engaging, regardless of what is said. Like playground bullies, if we ignore them, they go away.

Question: now that your brother has passed his fundraising goal for the marathon, now where would you like us to show our appreciation for your work?

 

[Rob0729]

Here are some of my takes:

1.) I am no capologist or numbers expert, but I am pretty sure if you spend close to the cap every year like the Pats do, you are spending as much as everyone else who spends to or close to the cap. the only difference is where they spend the money and on who. Some teams make huge splashes in free agency and pay big name free agents while the Pats spread the money around.

2.) Felger's allegations that teams can spend whatever they want and never get in trouble is ridiculous. All you have to is look at the fire sale that went on in New Orleans this offseason because they were in cap jail. Or the Cowboys last year. Or how the Dolphins unloaded (either by cutting or trading them or letting them walk in free agency) about 8 starters to get room for Suh.

3.) I will also point out that Tampa following the Felger strategy of building a team. How did that work out. They drafted a "stud" prospect in Mark Barron with the 7th pick in 2012. They gave one of the most sought after free agents of 2013, Dashon Goldson, a $41.25 million contract with $22 million guaranteed. They traded a 2013 first rounder and a 2014 fourth rounders for Darrell Revis and paid him $16 million a year. If the Pats did this, Mike's little Felger would be standing at attention. Hell, even most of the NFL world thought the Bucs amassed an awesome secondary.

So how did this all work out for the Bucs? It was an unmitigated disaster. Barron was a bust and was traded away last year for a fourth and sixth. Revis was cut after one year. Goldson was also a bust and was just traded along with their seventh round for the Redskins' sixth rounder. Meanwhile, the Bucs went from an up and coming playoff contender to the worst team in the NFL getting the head coach fired in the process.

Sure the Pats with an aggressive strategy might have done better, but most people at the time felt the Bucs were making good moves that ultimately turned into crap.

 

[Rob0729]

Felger forgets that when he started his cap is crap mantra he was advocating for the way the Jets were doing business paying Revis, Cromartie, Thomlinson, Scott, Pace, Ferguson, Woody and others large sums of cash. It bought them a two year window in which they did reach two AFCCG's. Since then they've had to dismantle and have sucked. Since that time the Patriots have made 4 consecutive AFCCG's, winning two plus a SB.

It's like his Patriots drafting theory that trading down is cheap and ineffective and that trading up is the way to go. He deals with trades that failed in a vacuum. Forgetting that Daniel Graham and Chad Jackson were trades up. Graham was a fine Patriot but not when you consider a first and a third for a blocking TE. Jackson the outright bust. The countless trade downs have been well documented on the total value.

That's the thing. Felger always talks about how there is no such thing as cap jail anymore because he ignores when teams actually get in cap jail.

Also, I think if you look at Belichick's history, I think he has traded up in the first round (or to get into the first round) almost as much as he trades down. He traded up to get Graham, Warren, Chandler Jones, and Hightower. That is five times in 15 years where he traded up in the first round or traded up to get into the first round.

 

[patsfaninpa]

You da man Miguel. Don't let idiots like Felger get ya down. He'd rather lie to gain an audience than be honest with himself. If anyone thinks the cap is crap, you should probably post elsewhere.

Felger also never mentioned that there wasn't a cap in 2010. And, somehow the league ok'd the Jets to release players prior to the start of the new league year so it wouldn't count against their 2011 cap. Yet, Goodell takes cap space from Dallas and Washington for going over an imaginary cap.

 

[jmt57]

Generally speaking talk radio (sports or other topics) thrives on negativity. There are a few exceptions with sports talk radio; specifically that early period when a team is on a noticeable rise from their previous level of performance. However, that honeymoon is short lived, as expectations ascend.

Taking the Boston market out of the equation, for comparison let's look at Tampa sports talk. Over the last twenty years they have been primarily positive twice: the first year the Sapp-Brooks-Lynch team went from losers to the playoffs, and the year they won the Super Bowl. Negativity towards the owner, GM, coach and QB was back by the following year.

Now here are the Patriots. Talking about how good the team is doesn't get nearly the ratings that something is wrong does. Talking about the unprecedented feat of four championships despite the double edged sword of a real salary cap and free agency, with the largest roster in pro sports - that doesn't produce ratings. Finding something - anything - to complain about does. It doesn't matter if the expectations are unrealistic; negativity gets people's attention far more than any intelligent constructive conversation does.

I don't think hosts like Felger even believe in what they say; their only concern is that the call-in board is lit up, and what the numbers are in the Arbitron book next month.

 

[Mike the Brit]

He traded up to get Graham, Warren, Chandler Jones, and Hightower. That is five times in 15 years where he traded up in the first round or traded up to get into the first round.

I don't think "Chandler" and "Jones" are two players.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

This is not meant to be taken the wrong way, But I do think BB gets way too much credit for managing the cap well. It is true he tends not to do stupid things and that is very commendable but I do sometimes question the way he invest money and realize he has the best advantage of any GM in the NFL.

He has a star QB that helps to not only attract players for a chance to win but also he has played much of his career (after his rookie deal) making 20% less than what he could have otherwise if he demanded it.

That is not an attempt to take away a lot of what BB has done here. A lot of other coaches would have messed it up. However is he the best GM in the league? IMO no.

I think he has to his detriment sometimes given contracts to players he should not have while not playing players he should.

Are you saying BB isn't perfect???

Obviously he makes mistakes. So does Brady. So does everyone in the world. So do you. So do I.

But again, it's like evaluating a player after one single hand of blackjack. BB sits on 19, and he'll win a lot more hands than he loses, but he'll lose some no doubt. And everyone will remember every single one of those losses. The difference is that some of us accept that's part of the game, while others think of them as mistakes that he should learn from and change his style.

So BB has made some mistakes, absolutely. They were poor decisions, and they were handled wrongly. But some of his other poor outcomes were good decisions, just bad results. People focus on the Shaun Ellises while forgetting the Andre Carters and Mark Andersons. They're similar gambles though, of aging players who are undervalued by the market.

The most expensive turned out to be the biggest bust, but as a package, $7M for 21 sacks is pretty good return, even if people obsess over the one bad contract and not the two amazing deals.

 

[Ivan]

This is not meant to be taken the wrong way, But I do think BB gets way too much credit for managing the cap well. It is true he tends not to do stupid things and that is very commendable but
I do sometimes question the way he invest money and realize he has the best advantage of any GM in the NFL.

He has a star QB that helps to not only attract players for a chance to win but also he has played much of his career (after his rookie deal) making 20% less than what he could have otherwise if he demanded it.

That is not an attempt to take away a lot of what BB has done here. A lot of other coaches would have messed it up. However is he the best GM in the league? IMO no.

I think he has to his detriment sometimes given contracts to players he should not have while not playing players he should.

Belichick has Brady because drafted him, kept 4 Qb's to keep him around, and then helped develop him into n the GOAT, it wasn't luck. And Belichick as GM has one of the toughest jobs as GM because he always drafts at the end of every round, gets one of the last shots at any released player, rarely has much wiggle room under the cap because he always has a deep, talented, and well compensated roster, and always has his players raided in free agency by teams willing n to overpay for winner stink. In addition they play a first place schedule every season and always have teams gunning for them Despite all of the structures in place to bring about parity Belichick has managed to defy them to compile one of the greatest record's of any coach, GM, and team in history, and his ability to manage the salary cap and find value everywhere is one of the big reasons for that success. Imo Belichick is not only the GOAT coach but also the best GM of the salary cap era and anyone who disagree really needs to show the GM or GM' s who had more success.