The LRZ tracker thread (/general IPP thread)

[Welsh Exile]

The dream would be to ban American Football as that would, without doubt, be a net positive to the world. LRZ being able to play for Wales again would be the cherry on top.

 

[Groundhog]

That's what I get for believing angry people in the WalesOnline replies on twitter for my NFL knowledge

The Welsh need to get back in their lane. Bregrudgery is our thing

 

[dirty harry]

Nah not a one year thing I'm almost certain. If anything they're trying to encourage every team to use international spots. Whereas they selected certain teams to be eligible for an international player slot on the practice squad in the past they have now expanded it so any team can use this slot now.

Basically any international player qualifies for that free practice squad spot. The definition of an international player is basically a non-American who played less than two years of high school football, so not very restrictive. They don't even have to have come through the IPP thing that LRZ did, the teams can scout their own people if they want.

LRZ will probably get another year, he got taken straight off waivers by the Jags because of their UK connections. It's absolutely zero risk for a team to stash him in the practice squad. I have zero dog in this fight, but he has by no definition failed, this was always going to be his trajectory. He was never in a month of Sundays going to play a regular season game for an NFL team.

The rules are a bit vague about whether an IPP player can be re signed for a 2nd season as the IPP player. I've seen accounts for and against it, bit can't find out much.

This year's IPP candidates total 17, plus a few kicking specialists who aren't going through the program but are available for slots. 32 teams, 17 players doesn't fill the NFL obviously, so I'd lean toward the slots being allowed open for multiple years. That would make far more sense.

The big talk about LRZ making a splash was the London game, this obviously didn't happen, and does LRZ, outside of a pretty small rugby community have the pull or potential he did last year? I mean 400k gram followers pales in comparison to Maher 5 mil. His reach just hasn't grown that much.

More bad news for LRZ, Thomas jr the rookie wide receiver has just been named NFL rookie of the month, and has broken all Jags records this season, rumour has it he's about to be given a monster deal which halves LRZs chances to play. At 22 he's touted as the franchises future, or even worse, if WRs aren't a key position for the incoming coach he would be utilised as a trade for someone else.

Also some good and bad news on the coaching front, new coach rumours Aaron Glen, and Ben Johnson would be less interested in risk taking, Lawrence has proved an issue at QB this year, in and out for numerous reasons, and now seems to have big influence with the GM and owner. A bad apple at QB renders WRs useless.

Monken however might be just what LRZ needs. Monken is a stats man, and he's spoken previously about player profiling and peak outputs etc. WRs usual peak at 26/27, plenty of time for LRZ, but they also usually establish themselves 2 seasons before peak also.

Either way New coaches coming in will probably prioritise results from the go, Jags going from 9/8 to 4/13 was awful, and Khan and Baalkes recent interviews highlight they beleive they are a playoff team, and believe variaty in offence and a tighter defence they can turn it around. No wholesale changes to expect, no front of house changes and no major rebuild. Jags will probably also spend their wage cap money on holding 3/4 good rookies (not that LRZ would cost much by NFL standards).

I am probably putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with -17.966 tho, so what do I know.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The dream would be to ban American Football as that would, without doubt, be a net positive to the world. LRZ being able to play for Wales again would be the cherry on top.

Always lose a little bit of respect for non Americans into the NFL. You've a world of sports out there and chose to follow that one?

Weirdos.

 

[Reiser99]

Nah not a one year thing I'm almost certain. If anything they're trying to encourage every team to use international spots. Whereas they selected certain teams to be eligible for an international player slot on the practice squad in the past they have now expanded it so any team can use this slot now.

Basically any international player qualifies for that free practice squad spot. The definition of an international player is basically a non-American who played less than two years of high school football, so not very restrictive. They don't even have to have come through the IPP thing that LRZ did, the teams can scout their own people if they want.

LRZ will probably get another year, he got taken straight off waivers by the Jags because of their UK connections. It's absolutely zero risk for a team to stash him in the practice squad. I have zero dog in this fight, but he has by no definition failed, this was always going to be his trajectory. He was never in a month of Sundays going to play a regular season game for an NFL team.

So I'm only following loosely as for me it seems purely financial at the moment. Did he ever have a chance of playing regular NFL matches or is the off-season/practise squad thing whatever more important than in other sports? If his dream was to genuinely play American Football, then was he hoping to be an exception, he knew it was unlikely or was it just financial? I know it's hard to say what he was thinking, but if the odds were so stacked against him then it's a strange career move.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I never did like the way rugby fans reacted to him moving v Wade was very weird tbh

 

[dirty harry]

Always lose a little bit of respect for non Americans into the NFL. You've a world of sports out there and chose to follow that one?

Weirdos.

American football is very much a cultural all or nothing thing.

I would have agreed with you until moving there and working within it. It's not just the sport, it goes beyond sport, it's social, fantasy football is massive, Sunday and Monday nights are American heritage because of it, legacy, family etc... it's everything rugby wish it could be.
The pageantry of the draft, superbowl and opening day, it really is intoxicating.

Granted its a lesser sport than rugby, but it succeeds in every other aspect than rugby.

 

[dirty harry]

So I'm only following loosely as for me it seems purely financial at the moment. Did he ever have a chance of playing regular NFL matches or is the off-season/practise squad thing whatever more important than in other sports? If his dream was to genuinely play American Football, then was he hoping to be an exception, he knew it was unlikely or was it just financial? I know it's hard to say what he was thinking, but if the odds were so stacked against him then it's a strange career move.

Pre season means nothing, practice squad means nothing, even regular season appearances only really mean a jump in pay.

I suspect LRZs dream has pretty much been realised, being on a squad, living in the US and being part if it. Even if only a minor part.

I don't think it's all money, I think it's celebrity as well, leaving a British influencer GF for an American influencer GF with a bigger audience, the whole 'I'm friends with Mahone, and know Taylor Swift' attitude etc

I don't think most Welsh people are vitriolic on an individual basis, it's more a bitterness a bit like Waboso situation

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

American football is very much a cultural all or nothing thing.

I would have agreed with you until moving there and working within it. It's not just the sport, it goes beyond sport, it's social, fantasy football is massive, Sunday and Monday nights are American heritage because of it, legacy, family etc... it's everything rugby wish it could be.
The pageantry of the draft, superbowl and opening day, it really is intoxicating.

Granted its a lesser sport than rugby, but it succeeds in every other aspect than rugby.

That's why I said non American. The tail gates, Sunday BBQs, backing your cities team makes sense.

How they've got a decent minority share of the European sports market, I'll never understand though. Not like the 100s of thousands of people who got to NFL London or the 10s of thousands who pack out Lansdowne rd for college game all lived there for an extended period.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Always lose a little bit of respect for non Americans into the NFL. You've a world of sports out there and chose to follow that one?

Weirdos.

Proper weirdos. Only have to look at @dirty harry. I rest my case your honour.

 

[Welsh Exile]

American football is very much a cultural all or nothing thing.

I would have agreed with you until moving there and working within it. It's not just the sport, it goes beyond sport, it's social, fantasy football is massive, Sunday and Monday nights are American heritage because of it, legacy, family etc... it's everything rugby wish it could be.
The pageantry of the draft, superbowl and opening day, it really is intoxicating.

Granted its a lesser sport than rugby, but it succeeds in every other aspect than rugby.

This post translates as:

"I know the sport (if you can call it that) is absolute shite and is totally pointless as a game but, hey, there's some cool stuff like BBQs and junk. No other sports have this cultural phenomenon that is fantasy football"

You know it's **** mate.