The Crystal Ball 2014 Preseason Preview - NFC South

“When you go out there, and I would just encourage people, the politicians that have fun with our football team’s name, I would encourage them to go out there and learn and listen to really what’s happening in Indian Country so they can help Indian Country. This is not PR. We do not have PR people doing this stuff. This is really genuine.” – Snyders owner Dan Snyder using his charitable acts as yet another flimsy defense of his team continuing to use a term derogatory to Native Americans as a nickname

I love the part where, in trying to brag about his charitable acts and justify his teams’ racist nickname, he cannot even be bothered to refer to them as Native Americans. What a jackass.

How’s about some installment 6?

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

2013 – Finished 4-12 3^rd in Division

Well, 2013 happened.

Did anyone see that coming? Obviously not Mike Smith. That was just a bad season from start to finish, and the injury to Julio Jones did nothing to help things in any way. It was a lackluster ending to the career of Tony Gonzalez, but that turned out ok. Seems he managed to get a gig on CBS, some prime spot formerly held by some ex Dolphin quarterback.

Roddy White had an interesting off season. He made a foolish bet on Twitter regarding the NCAA tournament with a random fan, and lost. White bet the fan season tickets on the 50 yard line. The fan, to his credit, didn’t seem to care. But social media wouldn’t leave White alone, and he did pay up. White gave the fan the tickets, a sideline pass for a game and a day at training camp. White said he learned a lesson,

"Never bet anything unless you're willing to pay up."

That’s a good lesson. I think there’s a better one in there for all professional athletes. You have nothing to gain by being on social media, and more to lose than you think.

But don’t feel too bad for Roddy. He also inked a fat extension with the team, so it’s not like he can’t spring for those tickets.

In other news, the Georgia Dome this season will offer alcohol infused cupcakes for sale. No way could this turn into a bad idea, not with normally reserved and respectful NFL fans.

If you think about it, this is a great idea; comfort sweets with intoxicating affects would help fans cope with and forget about bad play and losing football. Although it should probably be an idea employed by the Texans, Jaguars, Raiders, Cowboys, Vikings and Browns.

Projected outcome –I see improvement, but still a third place finish. Mike Smith finds himself on the unemployment line, and Arthur Blank starts morphing into another power mad, super impatient owner in the same vein as Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder.

Carolina Panthers

2013 – Finished 12-4 1^st in Division

Well, what a season for Ron Rivera and his Panthers. They had a great season and fought tooth and nail for the division. Now, the media is abuzz about this team for 2014, and everyone is falling all over themselves discussing the newly mature leader that Cam Newton has become. Never mind how they had almost thrown him onto the scrap heap with Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell.

Projected outcome –Cam does look to be prepped for a better season, however with flux surrounding his offensive line, and his receiving corps being almost completely rebuilt, I don’t see them repeating the dominant season they had last year. With their defense they’ll surely put up a fierce fight, but in the end, it will only be enough for second place.

New Orleans Saints

2013 – Finished 11-5 2^nd in Division

Sure, we could go over so much about the Saints, Drew Brees’ health, the reshuffled skill position players, the defense, but sometimes, there’s something much more interesting.

In this case, the more interesting is Kriste Lewis. This year, Kriste achieved a dream of becoming an NFL cheerleader by becoming one of the news members of the Saintsations, the New Orleans cheer squad.

Yeah, I know, that happens every year. But what makes Kriste unique is that not only does she suffer from kidney disease that she has refused to allow to hold her back, she is also a 40 year old married mother of two. See, I told you it was a good year for 40.

See kids; don’t ever be afraid to chase your dreams, even if you think it might be too late. You might be surprised to find those dreams just may come true.

She’s also from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I wonder if her family is friends with the Favres’.

Projected outcome –Ok, back to football. Good team, good players, good coach, good quarterback, I say they retake the division from Carolina, but it’ll be a fight for both.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2013 – Finished 4-12 4^th in Division

Well, I hope Greg Schiano finally convinced everyone what an awful, awful football player Josh Freeman was. It cost him his job to do so.

But that is the past, as are those too, and the Darrelle Revis experiment, and more than a few other issues in Tampa. The team is starting fresh this season, with a younger defense, a new attitude and a rejuvenated Lovie Smith at the helm.

Unfortunately, they will be taking the field wearing these ridiculously designed, atrociously colored, reflective jerseys that look like they were made for a backyard league that plays in the evenings. The font is terrible, like something used in the title credits of a bad movie. And I’m not sure what they were going for with the numbering, did they want the numbers to look like they came from the display of a scientific calculator from 1986?

I know moving fresh merchandise is Goal #1 in the NFL, but there are very few people who would feel comfortable being seen in public in these ludicrous uniforms unless they were getting paid $1.2 Million a season or blackout drunk. If you’re going to throw tradition and iconic looks on the altar of the latest ridiculous trends, which seems to be the trend du jour, at least give the fans something they want to buy. I blame Seattle, Nike and the University of Oregon for these monstrosities. Seriously, you can’t tell me these are better than the creamcicle specials.

Projected outcome – I’m sure Lovie will have the team improved, but until the trifecta of Josh McCown, Mike Glennon and Mike Kafka can somehow morph into a competent NFL quarterback, and someone gets this team a change of clothes, I cannot see them yet leaving the basement of the division. At least it’ll never get to scary dark in the basement with those reflective numbers.