4th String's GM of the Year!

Beyond the league's cover athlete (I vote for Jamaal Charles), I wanted to throw out the idea of GM of the Year, and have people make their case:

1. Broncos trade Champ Bailey for DT standout D'Ambro Buie, All-Pro FB Leonard Weaver and CB replacement Ellis Hobbs.
2. Selected Rookie TE Tanner Talbert (rated 4th best TE of the Year) with the second pick in the 3rd Round (trading Jabar Gaffney for the pick)
3. Drafted Rookie Lineman of the Year KC "Sweet Barbecue" Williams 9th overall.
4. Traded backup FS Darcel McBath and parts for RE Derrick Morgan (allowing Elvis Dumervil to play ROLB — when injuries hit Jamal Williams for 10 weeks)
5. Traded Old Man Brian Dawkins for the biggest prize of the season: LG Carl Nicks (92 OVR)

Every player listed made a huge impact — Morgan less so, but Dumervil's been a star at ROLB, especially as injuries mounted.

Sure, why not?

1. Bengals make 2 game improvement and make the playoffs with highly-scrutinized move of QB Pat White being first in the depth chart at QB.
2. Traded Carson Palmer (20 TD's, 26 INT's this year) for Bernard Berrian and a first-round pick to the Vikings. Then used that first round pick to draft MLB Titus Ridder, who (used) to lead the league in tackles, but wound up with 55 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF and 3 INT's, 2 of which went for six.
3. Traded highest-rated CB on team, Leon Hall to Falcons for WR Roddy White, yet remained superior on defense (#2 overall, I believe).
4. Took down Todd (another candidate for GM of the year) 41-0. Haha, had to throw that in there.
5. Won 11 games and only had one pro-bowler in Titus Ridder, signifying that I don't lean on just one player too much, and spread the ball around.

Kind of a shitty resume, but hey...

The Redskins

My Case: I turned a team with virtually no talent into a team with the most Pro Bowlers in the league (tied with the Bears). I didn't make the playoffs, but it didn't helped that I was playing against the Cowboys and Eagles all year, both of whom are stacked. The Redskins are younger and more talented than ever before, with the acquisition of superstars like Ben Roethlisberger and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (and future superstar J.D. Nealy) anchoring an offense and defense that should be competitive for years to come.

Offseason
1. Traded Donovan McNabb and a couple 70-rated players for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who lead the NFC in picks and was in the Top 5 for defensive player of the year. DRC is arguably the best cornerback in the entire league. Also got the #1 pick in the 3rd round (see below).
2. Acquired Ben Roethlisberger and the #2 pick in the 3rd round for an offensive lineman and a 2nd round pick. Roethlisberger threw for more than 50 touchdowns and made it to the Pro Bowl.
3. Drafted FS J.D. Nealy in the second round. Nealy finished with 8 sacks and 4 picks while leading Defensive Rookie of the Year voting for most of the year. Also made the Pro Bowl.
4. Final draft pick was CB Verlon Hardnett. Hardnett finished with four picks and did a very solid job at CB given that he was a mere 61 overall (gotta look at the particulars)
5. Traded the Cardinals throw-in 3rd round pick for ROLB Anthony Spencer (90+ overall on the defensive line). He finished with six sacks and helped anchor one of the strengths of the Redskins defense.
6. Traded ROLB Lance Briggs for DT Kris Jenkins. Jenkins would be the centerpiece of another trade that would give the Redskins a tremendous infusion of young talent.
7. Acquired HB Jerious Norwood for a backup middle linebacker. Norwood and his 95 speed became the Redskins second leading receiver.

During the Season
1. Traded an aging London Fletcher, Clinton Portis and Kris Jenkins for the Panthers 2nd Rounder (now a middle round pick), WR Marques Colston and Jonathan Stewart. Stewart is a major upgrade over Portis, and figures to be one of the top backs over the next couple year.
2. Traded Colston for MLB Paul Poszluzny. "The Poz" went on to have a tremendous second half, finishing ahead of London Fletcher in the Linebacker of the Year voting while anchoring the Redskins defense. He's also roughly a decade younger than Fletcher, and doesn't figure to be retiring anytime soon.
3. Acquired 84-rated, A potential DT Tony Brown for a 2nd round pick from the Titans. Brown completes a line that includes 3 90 overall players.

Bottomline? A series of highly profitable trades over the past year have given the Redskins one of the best QBs; one of the best middle linebackers; the best defensive line; one of the best younger corners in the league and an outstanding young safety. That wasn't enough to make the playoffs in a division where the other two teams went 14-2 and 13-3, but the Redskins will be in the mix next year. Count on it.

Sorry. Is this the off-season fanfic thread?

omgitsbabyseat wrote:Sure, why not?

1. Bengals make 2 game improvement and make the playoffs with highly-scrutinized move of QB Pat White being first in the depth chart at QB.
2. Traded Carson Palmer (20 TD's, 26 INT's this year) for Bernard Berrian and a first-round pick to the Vikings. Then used that first round pick to draft MLB Titus Ridder, who (used) to lead the league in tackles, but wound up with 55 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF and 3 INT's, 2 of which went for six.
3. Traded highest-rated CB on team, Leon Hall to Falcons for WR Roddy White, yet remained superior on defense (#2 overall, I believe).
4. Took down Todd (another candidate for GM of the year) 41-0. Haha, had to throw that in there.
5. Won 11 games and only had one pro-bowler in Titus Ridder, signifying that I don't lean on just one player too much, and spread the ball around.

Kind of a shitty resume, but hey...

I'd say your examples make you out to be one of the worts GMs.

Trading your top CB to get a WR, when you admit yourself that your QB is cawbage. And that you rely on your defense to win.

RealJeffSolo wrote:

omgitsbabyseat wrote:Sure, why not?

1. Bengals make 2 game improvement and make the playoffs with highly-scrutinized move of QB Pat White being first in the depth chart at QB.
2. Traded Carson Palmer (20 TD's, 26 INT's this year) for Bernard Berrian and a first-round pick to the Vikings. Then used that first round pick to draft MLB Titus Ridder, who (used) to lead the league in tackles, but wound up with 55 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF and 3 INT's, 2 of which went for six.
3. Traded highest-rated CB on team, Leon Hall to Falcons for WR Roddy White, yet remained superior on defense (#2 overall, I believe).
4. Took down Todd (another candidate for GM of the year) 41-0. Haha, had to throw that in there.
5. Won 11 games and only had one pro-bowler in Titus Ridder, signifying that I don't lean on just one player too much, and spread the ball around.

Kind of a shitty resume, but hey...

I'd say your examples make you out to be one of the worts GMs.

Trading your top CB to get a WR, when you admit yourself that your QB is cawbage. And that you rely on your defense to win.

The WR was mainly to help my running game and take away a defender. My defense held strong, even after getting rid of him, so no huge loss. And just because my philosophy doesn't match yours, oh well. I didn't think I'd be 11-5 or anywhere close, so my plan was to grab a QB in this next draft/FA pool, but it worked out well. Defense can win games just as much as offense, and that's how I built my team.

By no means do I think it makes me out to be one of the worst?

omgitsbabyseat wrote:

By no means do I think it makes me out to be one of the worst?

Probably not the best, but definitely not one of the worst. I built my team with an identity and I think that goes a long way towards being a decent GM.

I am:

1. Daring. I wasn't afraid to put a first round pick on the line in exchange for a fierce HB that wins me games in Shonn Greene. No matter what you think about me losing that pick, I've already shown that I was right.
2. Swift. I acquired important, young talent in Aspha Savage and Michael "Silver Toe" Koyack in the draft, but I really showed up in free agency by getting SS Rico Ash, and especially putting faith in 39 OVR return specialist Yamon Figurs, who is one of the best in the league in returning kicks, and has won multiple games for me thanks to that.
3. Dashing. I re-tooled my O-line with guys like Jon Stinchcomb, whenever that happened, and based my offense around Shonn and Andre, and later, Jacoby and Bo Scaife.
4. Ferocious. I made trades happen. I got DeMarcus Ware. I got Brandon Hiller, an incredible rookie LB. I have sack machines in Antonio and Will Smith alongside DeMarcus. I created a defense when the Texans had none to speak of, with Aspha, Cortland Finnegan, Sam Shields, and Darcel McBath in the secondary, Hiller, Brian Cushing, Dannell Ellerbe, and Ware at LB, and a tough D-line. My defense is pretty stacked, and I came in with little to speak of in that area this season.
5. Strategic. This season, I printed and bound over 150 pages of Madden strategy materials, including a lot of playbook stuff. I've spent hours and hours every week reading, studying, and practicing. This semester, I did half of my coursework (I'm sure I'll still pass my classes) and opted for midnight-to-3 am practice sessions to get better at my game. I found playbooks I love, and actually created schemes. I'm not just better at Madden, I'm better than ever at having a football mind. This makes me a better GM and coach.

I know that I'm GM of the year. I'm not the best Madden player (7-9 will tell you that), but I managed my team to be excellent. In fact, I don't have to change much and still think I can compete next year.

mikesuszek wrote:1. Daring. I wasn't afraid to put a first round pick on the line in exchange for a fierce HB that wins me games in Shonn Greene. No matter what you think about me losing that pick, I've already shown that I was right.

Was it that Shonn Greene was a great power back, or that you buckled down and learned how to truck effectively? I would argue the latter.

I do not need a long list.

First I got Joe Flacco from the Ravens in the offseason.

Secondly I improved with two more wins then last year.

Third I have a great young defense that tore it up throughout the second half of the season.

Lastly if my receivers would have made a few more fourth quarter catches I would have (for sure)closed out two more games(Including Division Rival Rams) and made the playoffs with a division title. I played tough going 2-2 against the vaunted NFC East.

I am so looking forward to next season when Joe "The Herder" Flacco and company look to storm the NFC and earn 12 wins.

Katbot wrote:

mikesuszek wrote:1. Daring. I wasn't afraid to put a first round pick on the line in exchange for a fierce HB that wins me games in Shonn Greene. No matter what you think about me losing that pick, I've already shown that I was right.

Was it that Shonn Greene was a great power back, or that you buckled down and learned how to truck effectively? I would argue the latter.

I've played extensively with power backs in Madden. I'd rather have Shonn Greene over ANY (any!) running back in the game. So no, it's more of the former.

But nice try deflating my argument. I had Arian Foster. I ran OKAY with him. I got Shonn Greene. Then I embarrassed some people. Less correlation, more cause-and-effect.

Like a true great GM, my moves this season will only begin showing in the future.

I'm the Sam Presti of this league.

I'd nominate as perceived worst GM. I am the only GM that had their team taken over by the league a la Isaiah Thomas and the Knicks..

Chairman7 wrote:I'd nominate as perceived worst GM. I am the only GM that had their team taken over by the league a la Isaiah Thomas and the Knicks..

Ultimately, you did make a decision that wound up bettering your team and guided your team to a good amount of wins. I'd consider you a good GM.