The Jacksonville Jaguars

[mtraininjax]

Mercedes Lewis is another to trade or release, he had a nice play in the first half, then all but disappeared in the second. He's a big tall WR, surely Henne can find him, when he's not on his butt from a sack. Henne has no mobility, he'd rather gun it than run the ball. I don't know that you keep him either, the QB position is changing in the league, you need to be mobile, unless you are a football god like Peyton Manning, who just checks off of receivers like a video arcade game.

[thelakelander]

Great win. We'll see if the Bucs can keep pace tonight.

[pierre]

With all the distractions in Miami this week, I would not be surprised to see Tampa win in a blowout.

[thelakelander]

I'm a die-hard Dolphin fan and unfortunately, I would not be surprised if Tampa wins either, given the locker firestorm. Everyone has focused on bullying but those guys were two starters the Dolphins are now missing on an OL that was already struggling to protect Ryan Tannehill.

[duvaldude08]

I actually expected the Jags offense to struggle sunday. I'd been reading all season about the Titans front line defense and I knew they were gonna cause us some issue some issues, and they did. But Henne makes terriable decisions, that first interception was just stupid. Whenever you throw the ball right in the arms of the opposing team you are quite terriable.

[KenFSU]

^ Not sure that I've ever seen an NFL quarterback throw so many tipped balls.

It's nuts.

That said, I'm going to enjoy the win for the week and see if I can find myself a Bucs shirt to wear for good luck tonight

[Keith-N-Jax]

They won despite the Hen, Lets go Bucs!!!!!!

[Wacca Pilatka]

Good piece from Jim Bailey in the Daily Record:

Khan should get his second win of the week
Monday, November 11, 10:11 AM EST
From the publisher: James F. Bailey Jr.

Despite having a football team with a 1-8 record, it looks like Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan will have a much easier time getting City Council approval of his planned $63 million renovation than his predecessors had when they went for what was a $134 million remake of the old Gator Bowl.

Back then, there was no NFL team, just a lot of hope from Touchdown Jacksonville, a group of investors led by insurance agent Tom Petway who was hellbent on landing an NFL franchise.

Khan is asking the city to back $43 million of the $63 million it will cost to fund the world's two largest scoreboards and other stadium improvements at Everbank Field. The council could vote on the request during a meeting Tuesday.

For several years, Petway was the name, the face and the soul of the campaign to bring NFL football to Jacksonville.

Petway knew the odds for Jacksonville were long. He also knew there would be no team without a much-upgraded Gator Bowl.

Today, it's easy for us to forget what the struggle was like 20 years ago or all that went into getting the NFL to select Jacksonville for an expansion team in 1993.

For the benefit of those who were not here, it got ugly.

At one point, Touchdown Jacksonville and the city signed a lease agreement based on the city spending more than $110 million for stadium improvements.

The agreement was set to be approved by the council and a big signing ceremony was to be staged in the Jacksonville Landing.

But, at the last minute everything fell apart and the council sent the agreement back to a committee for further review.

My memory is that eventual Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, who had stepped forward as the majority investor for Touchdown Jacksonville, threatened to desert the Jacksonville effort and Touchdown Jacksonville dropped out of the NFL bidding.

Yet, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue wanted to keep Jacksonville in the hunt and personally intervened with Weaver and Mayor Ed Austin to put the deal back on track.

After more than a month of turmoil, the council negotiated a new deal based on a pledge by the city to spend $121 million to renovate the stadium.

And, the rest is history.

Now, as Khan pushes for stadium upgrades, he has an entirely different set of issues.

At the time he needs support, Khan is facing dwindling fan enthusiasm because of the team's poor performance.

It's not unusual to see cynical comments on social media from people who ridicule the idea of the city spending money for super scoreboards and water features while contemplating closing libraries.

Khan and the Jaguars will pay $20 million and Mayor Alvin Brown has said the city will finance its $43 million share by bonds paid for with a portion of the city's bed tax that is currently being used at the sports complex facilities, including EverBank Field.

That means the money to finance the bonds will come from a tax on hotel rooms paid by visitors. Yes, the same visitors who watch the Jaguars and the opposing team on television. The same fans from Indianapolis or Buffalo who see the river, the waving palm trees and the short-sleeved shirts and shorts of the fans hanging around a water feature that would be frozen outside their door.

That money will not come from property tax revenues or any fees paid by local taxpayers.

Although not common knowledge and not communicated well enough, by law, these bed tax funds can not be used to fund libraries or other city services.

As I said earlier, it is hard to like the Jaguars being 1-8, but I have to think that most people here believe the Jaguars are good for Jacksonville.

People sure don't want the franchise to move to another city as has been rumored by national sports writers.

Khan seems to have done everything possible to dispel the notion that he or the Jaguars are leaving Jacksonville.

He's put in millions of dollars to renovate the locker rooms.

He financed the purchase of the Laura Street Trio and Barnett Bank Building.

During the recent London trip, he stepped out in front to turn international attention on Jacksonville that will create investment and jobs.

But, he still faces skeptics.

When Khan spoke to the council last week in an effort to secure funds for the stadium improvements, he was very bullish, calling the team a civic asset and a "world class kind of attraction" that draws economic power to Jacksonville.

The super scoreboards and other improvements are part of what Khan calls improving the game-day experience for fans.

Nothing improves the game-day experience — and generates enthusiastic fan support — like winning football games. I still have a sense that this season, although not the desired record, is part of a plan to build a Super Bowl contender in the next three or four years.

If the Jags were winning, Khan's request of the council would most likely be a slam dunk.

My guess is, for the most part, this council gets it. And, most likely council members will approve the $43 million request on Tuesday, giving Khan his second win of the week.

Let's hope so.


jbailey@baileypub.com

[Wacca Pilatka]

The money comes from the bed tax. The funds from that tax can be used for a few more things than sports venues. Convention centers and river enhancements are two. For the full picture, read section 125.0105(5), Florida Statutes.

At last week's hearing, Paul Harden allowed as how the team will get either all or most of the ad revenue from the jumbotron. You can pretty much bet that with a tremendously bigger screen, the cost to the advertisers will increase, and it seems to me that if the city is putting up 2/3 of the cost, it should receive some significant part of the revenue. At least we sure as hell ought to have some concept of the amount of dollars we are dealing with. Much is made of Khan's $10 million expenditures, but if he is going to get all of that back in a season or two of advertising dollars, it really ain't much of a big f---ing deal. Or so I think.

This is an improvement over the prior misstatements that fantasized about a false choice between stadium improvements and libraries, but you've halved the amount that Khan is spending.

[edjax]

Also keep in mind the Jaguars get the revenue generated from Jags games. The city gets major shares of revenue generated from non Jaguar events. So it stands to reason those revenues will increase also from increased advertising costs from the new video boards and also hopefully from more events. 

[duvaldude08]

^ Not sure that I've ever seen an NFL quarterback throw so many tipped balls.

It's nuts.

That said, I'm going to enjoy the win for the week and see if I can find myself a Bucs shirt to wear for good luck tonight

He's the worse in the league at tipped passes. Your right, no other QB does that! LOL!!

[duvaldude08]

Anybody else notice POZ is in beast mode this year? I would HATE to see him go. He's out there and proving his worth. Hopefully they keep him around. I just admire any player whose out there giving 150%. Thats why I like Shorts. He was a 4th round pick and has worked his ass off to get where he is. He's not elite, but with a better QB (or new QB), he can be even better. Not to mention his work ethic and leadership skills. I seen a pic after the game where he had his arms around Ace Sanders and Mike Brown with a huge smile on his face. I just hope Blackmon's gets it together. I wonder how he feels to miss the team first win. This should be a huge life lesson for him. I really hope he turns around.

[Rynjny]

"Why wouldn't they move? I would if I were them." c/m Joost on Jaguars' commitment to #Jacksonville......Our leadership in this city Y'all..

[pierre]

"Why wouldn't they move? I would if I were them." c/m Joost on Jaguars' commitment to #Jacksonville......Our leadership in this city Y'all..

seriously?

[Rynjny]

"Why wouldn't they move? I would if I were them." c/m Joost on Jaguars' commitment to #Jacksonville......Our leadership in this city Y'all..

seriously?

Seriously! Our own city council doesn't even believe in our city.