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If you want scary-good, and scarier-intense, analysis, you of course head to Field Gulls.  There are times when we wonder about whether we take hardball a leeeetle too seriously.  Then we head to a football blog and... everything's going to be okay.  ;- )  Field Gulls had an impossible task, replacing that John guy who moved on to bigger and better, but they've done the impossible.  It is as data-rich a cyber environment as it ever was.

If you don't want scary-good analysis, but just a chat sitting in the top row of C-Link, you can get that at SSI this year.  Here's what I'll be watching tonight.  The mainframe spit out one vintage SSI 1977-era computer-code dorky subhead.  That'll be all we'll need today.

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=== Matt Flynn ===

It isn't yet established that Flynn won't be a superstar.  Sky's the limit, at least for a few more games, and that's a delicious situation.  Where hope exists in sports, I'm grabbing the opportunity.  Dr. D is wayyyy too old for routine 4-2 baseball games pitched by Miguel Batista and Jeff Suppan.  He lives for that which is special.

For those who are just joining us, the rap on Flynn is that he can't drive the football in Carson Palmer style; he's not going to gun a 40-yard pass between closing safeties.  Niether is he going to drive the football is Tarvaris Jackson style, gunning an 18-yard pass between closing safeties.  This, of course, was true of Matt Hasselbeck also.

The rap on Flynn is also that he's not all that mobile, athletic, or all that anything.  This, of course, was true of Matt Hasselbeck also.

The REP on Flynn is that he has a knack for timing, anticipation, and hair-fine accuracy.  His signature pass is the 7-yard seam throw.  This, of course, was true of Matt Hasselbeck also.  Next thing you know, I'll be telling you that Flynn was a late-round draft pick who understudied at Green Bay.

Matt Flynn's first start last year, he threw for 900 yards.  For all we know, he's going to have a bunch more of those 300- and 400-yard games modeled after the Dan Marino, Dan Fouts type of air game.  Quick drop, get rid of the ball, BOOM! you don't get sacked that way.  Bill Walsh didn't invest as much in his offensive lines as other coaches did.  He spent his money on the secondary, on speed rushers, and groomed a quarterback who could do things 0.5 seconds more quickly than other quarterbacks.

It's the first preseason game.  Thanks, Egbert, very good.  Now shaddap and sit down.  ::turns to others in bleachers:: We know that Flynn can deliver a ball on the helmet.  For Flynn to be an impact quarterback, he'll (eventually) need to be special in his timing.  

Hasselbeck would let the ball go, AND THEN AFTER THAT THE GAP WOULD OPEN between receiver and defender, and then the ball would get there, and then the gap would close.  Maybe Flynn, on game day, is that good too.  Maybe he's better.  Maybe he's better than Dan Marino.  For a month or so here in August, we can dream.

I'm watching Flynn's timing tonight.  Not that Bruce Irvin, Terrell Owens, and a defensive secondary full of 220-lb. All-Pro's won't be fun to watch also.

Bring it,

Dr D