JoeF

TD doesn't wipe.....and leaves klingons...

sad but true......I didn't mind playing John Stockton to your Karl Malone...

TD is Vladimir Putin.....

You hit upon a really interesting point OW. First, its not just JP--we have a great blend of coaching creativity (Clements and Mularkey); coaching experience (Wyche and McNally) and skill position talent (Willis, Moulds, Evans, Parrish) on the O side of the ball. This is a great support system for JP in his first year as a starter. Mularkey and Clements almost led Kordell Stewart to an MVP type season three years ago--add Wyche and McNally to that list and plays will be designed that combine low risk with utlization of JP's skills and coverage of our weaknesses (offensive line left side pass protection). Second, the key will be how we as a team, not just JP, handle the blitz and the 8 or 9 in the box the first couple of weeks. Blitzes against us the last two years killed us. I don't have the stats to back this up--but I bet against the blitz no gain or negative plays (Loss or Turnover) outnumbered positive plays 3 or 4 to one. We just couldn't handle it--the line couldn't pick them up (Sans the winning streak last year) and the QB wasn't strong at making quick decisions. If we roll away from the blitz--put the QB on the move more-the need to make quick reads and decisions is somewhat mitigated--it buys time to read and react..this will help with JP's inexperience and its something we really could not do with Drew-I bet that positive play ratio on blitzes improves fairly significantly. Finally, 8 or 9 in the box--great do it--I think we have a speedy set of strong receivers (Evans and Parrish's strength to size numbers are pretty impressive) and a quick passing game design that could lead to some really big plays--ala Peerless on quick slants 3 years ago. Also we have 3 what I would term mooses on the line---Bennie, Chris V and Big Mike---these three can engulf or overwhelm guys inside quickly and Willis hits the whole quickly and is powerful once he gets going--a good tackle breaker and stiff armer...running inside behind big strong lineman with a quick and powerful back can lead to some long runs against a stacked alignment. I won't make any record predictions but I think the elements are there to be very explosive on O in certain situations. If we establish early that we can scheme against the blitz and the stacked line both by successfully running and throwing...watch out...this team will have a dynamic year--and we have the talent to execute in these situations due to a combination of: JP's legs The upgrade of the interior line Parrish's speed Lee's strength and development Willis' improvement in speed and strength...

Or Kick--remember Scott Norwood

Anyone in here seen Bob Kraft's Super Bowl Ring....come to think of it..Bob is just one "o" short of Boob...I never thought of it that way.

I heard that Gary Moody from Gardenir, Maine was a real sh--head and this confirms it. The cops should have locked him in there.

Pete Kendall, Rick Demulling--Hors douvres on Benny Anderson's and Chris Villarrial's plate of life. Mularkey likes his gaurds big, nasty and limited. Wants them to use phrases like: "Bennie love Sheriff Mularkey." "Chris crush Nose Tackle to spring Willis for Sheriff Mularkey." Okay you three (including VA)-- Hows this for a compromise, can you all agree: 1) We need more veteran depth at offensive tackle 2) That we should not pay more than the market will bear for anyone still on the market. Ross Verba will retire if he is true to his word, but something tells me his promise to retire was like Streisand's and Baldwin's promise to move to Canada. 3) We should continue to survey the market and sign one more offensive tackle, who actually has started at least 2 or more seasons at OT in the NFL if at all possible. Wayne Gandy, Verba, Kenyatta Walker all meet this criteria, as does Todd Steussie (apparent 'roid ranger that he is). Signee will compete with existing crew for the LT spot. If not the basis for an agreement--argue on....I was watching The Negotiator on TBS last night so I am in the mood to be an intermediary.

Is he related to Ricky Williams? Drug suspension should get him then..... Oh, you mean upright....nevermind....

The marketplace for Verba is developing very slowly. Given his off the field track record, his "me first" attitude and the investigated but unsubstaniated and uncharged allegations of two rapes at his residence, this is not shocking. There is a lot of baggage with Ross Verba...not sure the Bills want to take that risk, but if they did want to--with the reworking of Big Mike's bonus, they definitely have room to sign him to a contract worth more than he is being offered. We'll see how it plays out. Personally, I think TD is waiting for the Wayne Gandy situation in NO to play out. I think he drafted Gandy and probably has him rated over Verba as a citizen and equal to Verba as a player. If he is going add another competitor for LT he doesn't want to risk a head case. The fact is we need veteran depth at the Tackle position even if the team is sold on Mike Gandy..we still haven't added two veteran tackles to replace the two we lost (Jennings and Price)--we have added just one (Mike Gandy)...I would be very scared going into the season with Dylan McFarland and Jason Peters as our back-up tackles. We need more veteran depth. Whether the depth can beat out Mike Gandy remains to be seen.

Signed through the 2007 season. According to the NFL Players Association web-site his base salaries are 2005 $4 M 2006 $5 M 2007 $5 M The cap hits including bonuses are all in $9-10 M range--the announced restructuring gets this years figure down to $7 M but puts 2006 and 2007 in the $10 M range. He could be the best right tackle in history and probably not justify the cap hit. The expectation when drafted was that he would be a premier LT which would put him about average elite salary and bonus wise. With the free agents we have coming up the next two years-we need to figure out what do with this during off-season 06. A lot will be decided based on his performance in year 2 under McNally. This is what happens when #4 overall draft choices don't progress as planned. This is why, in addition to the implied bad record, that I hate being at the top of the draft...a lot more guys don't meet the expectations of the huge salary than do. They don't suck all the time--but they have to be a superstar to justify the cap hit. Give me an Eric Moulds or Nate Clements anytime--drafted in the 20's and become top shelf with fairly reasonable rookie contracts earning their big pay day later rather than the top 5 which get their big paychecks right away.

Update on Ross--from Lenny P's TIP SHEET. How's vet min tasting Ross... Former Cleveland offensive tackle Ross Verba, who essentially forced his release by complaining loudly about his contract situation, is finding a tough free agent market. Verba, who suggested he wanted a contract worth $6-7 million per year, is garnering just minimum-salary offers so far.

Joe Ferguson The June 23rd update is pretty encouraging. If you look at the June 1 updates, he and his wife are reading all the e-mails they get from fans to get a little inspiration and to pass the time.

I am rooting for him because he used the words Big Kat in a sentence and because I am tired of 9 years of below average to average quarterbacking.

A true classic..look at those lines..the integrated keyboard..that baby just flat out got it done....

This is what the snipered thread must have meant.. Angie Wang

My bad...didn't realize you were joking. Thanks for the response. K loves this kid...it should be interesting to see him play.

So was Shavlik Randolph... all I wanted were some opinions from knowledgeable fans who had seen Paulus play. I could really care less that you are bitter that he didn't commit to Cuse. Or that Col Forbin is a Tarheel fan from Greensboro. The Dookies are making this kid out to be the second coming--figured the knowledgeable TBD fans would respond with some scoop. Too much to ask I guess....sorry.

Whoever started this evolution should be subject to long slow torture and eventual death. My kids look at me strange as they slurp on frozen chocolate water and I say---"you know back in the old days--these were rich and creamy"

All spent on Freezers and Bunsen Burners apparently..no beakers--you want to recreate a flood...

Thanks Joe. Really appreciate it.

You said he threw away kids--meaning got nothing out of them or treated them like trash when they were at Duke in my interpretation--you said nothing about the NBA. Read the quotes from Shav in today's Raleigh paper--he doesn't sound like he was treated like trash... by the way Jay Williams, Bobby Hurley--way to pick on guys who's careers were cut short by serious accidents. Grant Hill is an all-star when healthy (proved it again this year); Laettner has had a serviceable career; Elton Brand, Corey Maggette...I agree it doesn't compare to the Tarheels but don't just make sh-- up. I am not a Duke fan, but if you are going to write something at least stick to the same point. Now to get back to the original point--has anyone other than a Cuse fan seen Paulus play and have an opinion...the Duke staff including the head coach is ga ga over this kid and I want to know if its legit...

A gooey sticky flood Let's see-- fairly warm summer day (80 degrees), something is frozen---it melts--wow.....shocker...no wonder this town won't get the Olympics, they can't even do popsicle art.

Yep--he throws them away so often and has no history of developing kids both on and off the court.

Thanks -- I guess the kid can play. The nickname for Duke locally is the State University of New York and New Jersey at Durham.