Green Lightning

Some good thoughts pro and con listed here, but I'm lining up with giving these guys the benefit of the doubt. Some Points: 1) To those who assail Chan as not being successful enough as a coach, check out the record of Marv Levy when he was hired by Buffalo. This board would be all over that pick as well and that turned out pretty well. 2) Nix is taking a big step up to be GM. Donahoe took a lateral step and puked it up. Nix has impressed me by: a) Doing what he says he's going to do. b) Acutually having a plan and hiring a coach who buys into his plan, and c) Showing patience in the face of media cries of woe and the gnashing of TSW posters teeth. He's immune to all that and is not wavering from his path. The LT and OL situation is a perfect example. He wants to see the guys he has first before he acts - period. That's what he's going to do. You make think it's a big gamble, but is it really? If these guys don't pan out he's got the next few years of drafts and cap space to fix it. If it works - bingo, he can concentrate on other needs. That is patience and the way he's going to do business. Nix knows he's in for a rebuild and it's not going to be done in one year. 3) Both Buddy and Chan are singing a song I really like - we need to be tougher, stronger, bigger and meaner. After years of watching little fast guys get flat out pushed around in the 4th quarter, I am very happy to see the change. These are football guys and maybe old school, but that's what this team needs. Practice in pads and hit. Train like pros. Compete for your job and dominate your opposition in a one on one battle. That's what the damn game is about and we have two guys committed to that. 4) Show me the baby. I think these guys get it. Win. We all know we are in a rebuild, but you don't hear the FO equivicate and talk about growing pains. They are instillling in their players the the expectation is to compete, improve, grow and to win. They are not giving their players any wiggle room and they are not giving themselves any as well. THe expectation is to improve and win. What's not to like? So many of you will second guess and point to all the possibililties of failure. And those do exist. But the fact is Buddy and Chan are here - will be for the next 3-4 years and they are going to do business the way they feel it will take to build a winner. Buddy doesn't want to end his career on a down note and go out a loser. Chan knows this is his last shot at HC. They are both serious as a heart attack and I, for one, am looking forward to this ride.

I believe your scenario of bell/levitre/wood/calloway/meredith, is what the FO is banking on. It's a gamble but one worth trying at this point. If these guys can't do the job he's got the next few drafts and cap room to make a move. If it works, Buddy hits the jackpot and can use the next few drafts on QB, LB, and other need positions to build a winner. A few things I'm learning from watching Nix is that he generally does what he says he's going to do and he is patient. He's not going to let media, national or local, move him off his path. I think your line up is Buddy would like to see. He would have Hangartner and Green as pretty solid back ups with Wang in training to push the two tackles.

Okay. We're good.

Quick check and came up with a good Chuck Knox quote that applies to Buddy and Chan: “Always have a plan, and believe in it. Nothing happens by accident.” Wasn't it Lou Sabin who came up with the 'Half a loaf is better than none" quote? Maybe a game against Denver?

This one I remember "thats just spilled milk over the dam." This one I was reminded of: "We keep beating ourselves, but we're getting better at it."

Fixed!

What I get is you are all over the intellectual board and abusive when someone legitimately questions your ramblings. All the OP of the exchange pointed out was that the Cowboys has less of a proven answer at LT than we have. You went off like a bottle rocket with insults and crazy logic. If you can't be sane at least be civil.

I agree here as well. Show growth, toughness and effort from week to week. That's how you learn confidence and how to win. I want to see the team improve game to game and to see the FO put a solid plan in play. Then I'd like to see solid QB play. If it comes from TE, it will be fun to read Darth Ice's rants.....

I expect more from this team but that is one sweet scenario to be sure.

Again, so LT is not important if the rest of the team is good?

Lou, I miss the old avatar!

Yes, all those things AND he heard an announcer clearly say that Stafford was indeed a franchise QB. Now let's go back to the great discussion of the mighty Lions and the lowly Bills. I hear the Lions got squat in the 3rd down specialist department. Other than that they look like a lock for the SB.

You're crackerdogs friend.

Maybe you ought to evaluate where you are in life right now. Time to take stock - maybe enroll in a trade school and learn a craft. Because right now you sound like a kid on the short bus wearing a hockey helmet swearing at the cars that go by.

Yeesh sorry. Bad typo. Chris Johnson.

Just like Chris Henry was unproven.....until he proved himself by getting the ball. Spiller has 21 touchdowns of 50 or more yards! How do you keep that on the bench? I gotta believe Gailey is going to pound Marshawn and Jackson and give CJ 12 to 16 touches a game in some form to start with. If he does what he did in college you gotta hand the ball and let him run

That's a valid point, but giving up the only proven sack guy we have is a blow. We don't know how he'd line up and play in a 3-4 but as a situational pass rusher, he'd be the best we have. Just to get off the damn field on third and long would be nice and to do that we have to pressure the QB. I think Aaron would give us the best shot at that and maybe he could teach Maybin a thing or two about having more than one freakin' move.

This post nails it. The Trolls just cannot grasp that Nix and Gailey have their plan, they are sticking to it and they cannot get it through their heads that they know a lot less about football than Buddy and Chan do. We are in year one of a rebuild. Deal with it. We're not going to fill all the holes in one year. What the HEll is so hard to understand about that?

So LT is not important if the rest of the team is good? Good to know. And why should the poster be ashamed for making a good point? Jesus, get a grip..it's a fan board.

Hang in there Lou. There's not a bowl of cheerios these guys won't p*ss in. Fact is they don't know what Buddy and Chan know and we're just going to have to wait and see how these guys play before we wail, moan and wring our hands about how horrible the line is. We are rebuilding. I wish the trolls would stop living in the past and wrap their heads around that. You can't fill every need in one year.

Too many ?'s at OLB and NT to be that optimistic against the run. I would just like us to get off the damn field on 3rd and Long and not give up big yards. I'd be happy with a #20 D.

Nice work Frogger. As I said in an earlier post, Buddy & Chan must know what they are doing. I'm keeping an open mind.

Above is pretty much on target. Can't see Kelsay as OLB unless they are playing a hybrid and not true 3-4. Let's hope Batten is for real and Ellis pans out. The player I feel badly about is Harris. He's tough and good for a hard stick and sure tackle. Seems undersized for a 3-4.

+1

First off kudos to OP for a good thread. Good points made by both the usual negs, MP & others, and by the optimistic posters (I'll include myself). Overall, I can't see anything but improvement in our run defense and to hold our own in pass D. That points to an overall improvement. I'm fine with all the personnel changes save OLB. Having Kelsay at OLB speaks to more of a hybrid defense than a 3-4. Maybin & Kelsay at the OLB positions is at least unsettling. Still I expect improvement - especially in the 4th quarter when our "small fast guys" were pushed around like ragdolls.