One day left until the 2012 season kicks off, starting with the Jaguars first day of training camp.

FINALLY. There’s excitement in the air for NFL fans, as they know it’s only a matter of time before they can stop the pain & suffering they’ve felt since February. At this point I’m just excited that football season has finally returned.

With that being said, here are the Top 10 Things I’m Most Excited about for the 2012 season. (Please note these are in no particular order.)

*  * *

1. Blaine Gabbert

Oh poor Blaine Gabbert. It’s no secret at this point, to ANYONE, that Gabbert’s rookie season wasn’t ideal. When drafted he was under the assumption that he would have a year to learn & grow as a backup to David Garrard. However, he should know that in life nothing goes according to plan & the NFL will be no different.

The franchise made a bold decision to go with Gabbert as the starter for the 2011 season. In his debut season he threw for 2,214 yards with 12 TDs & … wait for it 11 INTs. Ouch. That left him with a 50.8% passer rating & the 32nd QB in the league.

Alright, that’s a rough way to start out your NFL career. Luckily for Gabbert, he has a year under his belt & is ready for round 2.

One of the most important factors that critics forget about Gabbert is that it wasn’t ENTIRELY his fault the first season went poorly. What do you expect? He is a ROOKIE.

That’s the point in the argument that someone jumps in & points out how well other rookie QBs did last season. Cue: “What about Cam Newton & Andy Dalton?”

What about them? So they had a successful & unbelievable rookie season. Not to mention I don’t remember seeing Steve Smith or AJ Greene running down the field in a teal uniform. There was not a single WR on the field that even compared to the WR support that Newton & Dalton had on their turf.

Let’s remember that Gabbert was dealing with Mike Sims-Walker & Jason Hill as his WRs. Which brings me to point #2.

» Continue reading “Roaring Black & Teal’s Top 10 For The 2012 Season”

The 2012 NFL season is right around the corner.

Old school picture time. Josh Scobee signing an autograph for me back in 2005. Isn’t this a gem?

Finally! I’ve been waiting to type those words for months now!

As it quickly approaches it is time for Jacksonville to tie up any loose ends still lingering from the off-season.

First order on the agenda… Well maybe not the first priority, but it was on the top of list… Signing Josh Scobee.

It is no secret in Jacksonville that Scobee & the franchise were having some issues coming to an agreement that worked for both parties. However, the struggled ended today in a four year deal.

According to Tania Ganguli’s blog on the Florida Times-Union:

Scobee’s deal is worth $13.8 million, or $3.45 million per year. His deal includes $4.75 million in total guarantees which includes a $3.75 million signing bonus and $1 million first-year guaranteed salary.

The numbers make him the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL on a multi-year deal. His 2012 salary is the third-highest in the league after Sebastian Janikowski ($4 million) and Phil Dawson ($3.81 million for his franchise tag).

It shouldn’t be a surprise to Jaguars fans that the deal was finally reached. Scobee has made it clear he wanted to stay in Jacksonville for the remainder of his career. Not to mention that the franchise would be crazy to let him slip away.

Sure, you may look at it like Scobee is “just” a kicker, but fans in Jacksonville know he is so much more than that. I mean he did account for 40% of the teams points in 2011.

In other news… my season tickets arrived in the mail today! Way to turn this rainy Monday in to the BEST.DAY.EVER!

With the beginning of training camps just around the corner, it’s time for the OTA’s to begin!

As the beginning of the season approaches there is one story circulating throughout Jacksonville… Where is MJD?

The star running back has not attended the OTAs which was caused a media frenzy. Personally, I think everyone needs to calm down. When he starts missing training camp or states that he is unhappy with his current contract & won’t play another down without more money… Well then we will talk!

In the mean time let’s check in on what’s happening in Jacksonville…

 * * *

 For more updates from Duval, follow me on Twitter!

Team Teal pep rallies. 1,200 mi Caravans. 3-Year season ticket offers. And the list goes on…

It seems to me like Jacksonville is doing whatever it takes to make this franchise successful in 2012.

It’s been no secret that the Jaguars organization struggles with ticket sales throughout the pass few seasons. However, they’ve managed to avoid any television blackouts since 2009.

The debate will go on forever about why Jacksonville struggles with season ticket sales. Whether you blame the lack of loyalty due to other major sports teams or the low income families that surround the Jacksonville area, the bottom line is that the Jaguars need to sell more tickets.

In order to encourage fans to invest in the team for years to come, Jacksonville offered a 3-year deal on season tickets. For a discounted monthly rate you could own season tickets for the next three years!

The Jagaurs have avoided blackouts due to the marketing efforts of Team TEAL that including special offers for season ticket holders. For example, in addition to your season ticket purchase you will receive a Jaguars Rewards Card and Teal Deals book.

The Teal Deal book consists of certificates & coupons for more than 80 North Florida area merchants that have teamed up to support Jaguars ticket sales and renewal efforts by offering fans who buy or renew season tickets discounts with a value of over $3,000 in savings. The Jaguars Reward Card will get season ticket holders discounts throughout Duval. For more information about Team Teal’s efforts click here.

Well all of these options are fine & dandy if you live in the Jacksonville area or already a fan, but what is the organization doing to acquire new fans you may ask? Going on a 1,200 mile caravan trip, that’s what!

Starting in just a few days the Jaguars caravan is hitting the road & taking ROAR cheerleaders & selected players with them!  The idea behind the caravan is to reach out to people who live in a reasonable traveling distance that could potentially be Jaguars fans!

According to the Jaguars website:

At each stop, the travelling RV will arrive filled with coaches, players and cheerleaders who will meet with and sign autographs for their fans amidst a festival, rally-like, family-friendly atmosphere with music, food, interactive and inflatable games and drawings for prizes from the Jaguars and local vendors. All Jaguars Caravan stops are free and open to the public. Each caravan stop will also include a visit to a local community center by the group.

In its inaugural year, the Jaguars Caravan is expected to travel more than 1,200 miles across Florida and Georgia, connecting the Jaguars with approximately 5,000 fans.

If you live in the Jacksonville area, don’t worry they didn’t forget about you! With the 2012 Team Teal Pep Rally schedule out & underway, it’s not too late for you to join in on the excitement, check out the schedule!

Hopefully the marketing efforts & new ownership will strike up some interest for this season therefore we can avoid the dreaded conversation of “blackouts” in 2012.

With only one game left on the Jaguars 2011 schedule, it’s a bittersweet ending to the season.

Sure the team only has a current record of (4-11) but if that’s all you think the team has to show for this season you’ve definitely not been paying attention.

Sunday’s game will be the last time the Weaver’s attend a Jaguars game as the owners & not just a fan.

With the end of an era in Jacksonville’s franchise history is only days away, it’s only looking up from here. There’s tons of room for improvement & hopefully Shahid Khan is just the man to make it happen.

Here are the top news stories circulating  in Duval.

* * *

Jacksonville Business Journal – Jaguars get 24-hour extension to lift blackout

Florida-Times Union – Maurice Jones-Drew sees hype in concussions

Rant Sports – Maurice Jones Drew Only Jacksonville Jaguar Player Selected To Pro Bowl

Sporting News - Decisions, Decisions

Bleacher Report – Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert Isn’t to Blame for Team’s Woes

Daily Record – Jaguars announce 2012 ticket pricing

* * *

For more news stories about the Jaguars follow me on Twitter or Facebook.