“Look at the effectiveness of Jason Witten, or Gronkowski, just complete tight ends both in the run and pass. Blocking is something more of a desire. It’s hard to do, it’s not fun to do, there’s no glory in it. Usually people don’t say, wow what a great block. If you can’t block, you’re a liability to your team. Yeah you’re going to come in during passing situations, but we need to keep that defense guessing. When you’re in the game, they can’t just think here comes the pass. If those guys (Rams TEs) want more catches, they better learn how to block so they can catch more play action passes.”

Its hard to read that,
and then think about Cook,
and not wince.

w
v

Well, RFL my friend, I know you want to
“distinguish between Manifestation and Moonshine.”
You want posting-discipline and you don’t want to confuse ‘hope’ with ‘evidence’.

I get that, and I like the fact you hold people’s posts to the fire…or something like that 🙂

But I just cant agree that the evidence was all foreboding and ominous so far. I think its been more like a kaleidoscope, of confusing signals and omens. (see Cal’s post for some positives)
That’s just how my brain interprets it.

So, I dunno what, if anything the four preseason games showed. Thus, after a confusing preseason, I widen my lens a bit and look at the past and the collection of talent and the levels of experience, and the health of the team and the shape of the division, and I kinda mix all that together and shake it up and add some intuition and gut-feelings and hunches….and what I come up with is a team with a dangerous defense, and very good special teams, and an average offense that wont make as many game-killing mistakes as last year (I mean how could they).

Its not ‘evidence’ but I think this team turns the corner this year and becomes a winner.

I’m excited. You are wary. Ag is Blue. Invader smells shit.

Keep posting comrade.

w
v

So the Barrett Jones era comes to an end.

w
v
————-
2913
1 8 Tavon Austin WR West Virginia
1 30 Alec Ogletree OLB Georgia
3 71 T.J. McDonald SS USC
3 92 Stedman Bailey WR West Virginia
——
4 113 Barrett Jones OG Alabama
5 149 Brandon McGee CB Miami (Fla.)
5 160 Zac Stacy RB Vanderbilt

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by wv.

I’m not sure what the evidence shows. I just can’t tell.
There’s a kaleidoscope of facts and circumstances
and unknowns and partial-knowns and potentials
and experience and youth.

So, i dunno much. But i ‘do’ know
for three years they’ve been in that seven win range.
And now they have a better QB than they’ve had the last
two years, and some new talent, and an essentially healthy
team.

And there’s the fact that Fisher has a history of building
teams that are mediocre for years and then blossom into contenders.

And then there’s the fact that it just doesnt take that much
to make the playoffs these days. A couple wins over .500 and
you are there. If a .500 team wins a couple more close games
they go from eight wins to 10-6.

I dunno. To me the ‘evidence’ this year, so far,
is just all over the place. But when i think about
the evidence this year, coupled with what I know about
the past….well, I’m just more optimistic than you, RFL.

At any rate,
A) Its just football, and
B) I’m excited about the season. I just am.

w
v

Always a pleasure to read
Mike Franke’s report.

w
v

I’m having Pasta stuffed with mushrooms.

And in honor of the Governor or West, byGod, Virginia,
I’m going to make special
Fracked-Toast.
That’s toast thats injected with chemicals
and then ingested, while the Star Spangled
Banner is played.

w
v

No injuries obviously,
and a lot of snaps for Foles
and the Oline.

w
v

I’m less interested in the numbers themselves
than in WHY Fisher teams are always in the top five
most penalized teams every year.

I mean…why is that?

w
v

Laram reacting to Fisher/Boudreau’s decision to move Saffold and
the rookie Guard such a short time before the Seattle game.

w
v
———————————

Laram

Just unbelievable that an NFL HC with experience would do this.

I’ve seen (I know you have as well) o-lines with a positional strength on one side or the other, cover-up deficiencies.

This line has weak links all over. I dunno how you mask them, and I certainly don’t think that Bouds is the guy to do it.

I can’t point to one area of strength on this line. If Saffold could stay on the field I could identify him, but we’ve seen enough to know he can’t.

GRob’s development is concerning. I had concerns when he came out, but said that if Bouds felt they were correctable, he would be a good pick.

Well..I’m not seeing the improvement there yet. Will he ever develop into a top level LT?

Barrett Jones and Rob Havenstein are both train wrecks. Jones no power or athleticism, Havenstein, slow feet, no lateral quickness and a waste bender.

They have about 7-8 games I believe against 34 defenses. A defender on the nose and teams running 3-4 Eagle fronts, they won’t have any idea what to do with that.

This is a disaster man. Just really sickening.

I’m concerned/worried about the OLine, naturally.

But I also, dont see any ‘evidence’ or reason
that would lead me to think they CANT or WONT
develop and get better as the season moves along.

I mean, i dont know that they will, but I cant
conclude they wont, either. And it stands
to reason the Young players will improve
at least some. I would think.

Anyway, we’ll see. I’m excited.
Looking forward to the real games.
I cant wait, really.

w
v

Agamemnon wrote:

wv wrote:

Haven’t seen it yet. Um….at the risk of losing
my accreditation…i thought the game was Sunday night.

Luckily i have NFL gameday-replay.

w
v

So, the corporation helped?

I am a corporate-collaborator.

You know i actually have semi-serious dreams/plans
of kinda ‘going off the grid’ — but one of the
things that makes me hesitate is….the whole Ram thing.

Something is seriously wrong with my brain,
i think.

w
v