AKC

Thanks Doze-

im not saying that a DT or depth at DT isnt important to have. but i must say we do have 2 glariing needs. a CB for depth That goes right to the heart of the string- is the depth at CB more important than the depth at DT? Not for my money, not at all. You can see the depth being built by the winningest defenses in the league right now and it's DT they stock up -look at the CB situation on NE last year- didn't their playing an old receiver in their pass packages stand out to you? Clearly THEY see DT as supremely more critical than CB. and the future and also an o-lineman. we need either a center or a tackle plain and simple. This is just a continued perpetration of the hoax that Trey Teague is not a very good performer in our offense, something that tape of our '04 season does not bear out. In fact, the addition of another big interior run blocking guard to his left side this off-season strongly supports keeping exactly the type of player Teague is at OC- a guy very competent in space who has the time in the league and division to make our line calls. Making an argument at the LT spot could offer some credibility to your argument, the continued harping on one of our 3 best OLinemen does nothing to forward it.

Your transportation is being provided by Santa Maria Hot Air Balloon Adventures. Each guest is allowed to bring not more than 8 total pounds of luggage including the clothes on your back. BTW- the in flight snacks are reserved for the monthly Neverland Excursion.

I'd agree that he's a roster asset, at least as Krumrie has him playing right now, but the asset is exclusive to nickel and dime package play. If he's the team's answer on 1st and 2nd downs I fear for the good health of London Fletcher!

It's odd they've got those numbers listed on NFL PLayers.com and the BB website, according to Stats.com in 2002 he had 25 solo and 15 assisted tackles. The Stats.com numbers are a lot more reminiscent of the season I remember from him in '02. Like KTD says, he's got excellent feet in pass rushing for a guy his size but he's a full on liability in run defense, which is why he was not included in any of our run packages last season. Imagining him all of a sudden in '05 developing sticky hands in the run game seems "unlikely" to me.

Those "Experts" are merely paying attention to the realities of the game today that requires more talent at DT than ever before in the history of the game. They're paying attention to the fact that the better GMs around the league, guys like Scott Paoli, are drafting DTs with their first round picks in consecutive drafts EVEN THOUGH HIS TEAM PLAYS A 3-4. They're paying attention to the fact that Ron Edwards is a poor tackler. They're paying attention to the fact that the while the media and fans promote the foolish notion that the Quarterback is "the most important position on a football team", the simple reality is that in very few cases on very few teams is that true. And if it's true that your QB is "the most important player" on your team, your team is in big trouble!

I think a lot of coaches would love to add Brenston Buckner to their interior line ;-) Freeney plays next to DTs in a one-gap scheme that's fairly unique in the league today, even then Reagor picked up 5 sacks during the '05 season. An outing like that for a DT might make Reagor take some offense to hearing that he's "no DT to speak of". Even then sack totals for DTs don't mean as much as push, but clearly the Indy interior flushes QBs back where Freeney becomes the most dangerous. The bottom line is that opposing QBs for the most part aren't stepping into the pocket against Indy and diminishing Freeney's strength. That's good play from your interior line and it's something Dungy does as good as any coach league-wide. Again you have the chicken and the egg- is Dungy's interior philosophy so good that he makes his outside rushers look better than they are? History on his teams might just support this- Dwayne Robertson gets a lot of flack for not living up to his potential as an early pick from the NY media- but is it justified completely? He was the trigger for the Jet's top 5 rushing D finish in '04 and he applied pressure on passing downs when he was on the field. Is he a dominant interior lineman today? Let's say no- but he may be on his way to becoming one. I think it'd be a real oversight to classify him as a "poor" or "below average" DT. I'm in my 4th year of supporting the DT as the new most critical position in the NFL, due in large part to the renewed success of the pitch and chuck WC style offense we've seen revived (in our division). The most fundamental way to destroy a three step offense is to push the OL into the QB's face. If you started a 27 year old Deacon Jones and a 28 year old Bruce Smith against a pitch and chuck you'd do little to disrupt the flow unless you've got the ponies in the middle to make the QB move his feet and miss his short reads and the windows those routes rely upon on that third step. More of the better big athletes in college are choosing to play the interior DLine because teams are paying bigger bucks for talent there, and the cycle will come around IMO where there will be too many superior interior DLinemen for a team to make a living playing the god-awful "little-ball" offense that's a winner in the contemporary NFL. No doubt it's slick, no doubt there's hardware to show for it right now- but the middle of the DLine is where it will end. Some teams recognize it, not surprisingly Belichick and Paoli- maybe this draft gives us an indication of whether TD recognizes it or possibly if he thinks Tim Anderson is going to be a lot better player than his reps to date suggest to the fan. While I realize PatW was being moved off in passing situations it's hard to imagine the trio we have now being anywhere as effective overall without at minimum one additional quality player being added. Removing the "General Philosophy" theme and focusing on us- our CB needs should be able to be addressed in round 3-5. Kevin Thomas still has good value and we're exclusively drafting for depth. IMO we have all the talent necessary to win it all at DE right now. Where we have a drop off is at DT, and the guys who will suffer will be the men behind them. If Ron Edwards is playing most of our 1st and 2nd downs this season I suspect it will be a VERY long season for one of my favorite hustlers London Fletcher.

In the same way that a great DB feeds off the rush of a great DE, the great DE is reliant on the push of a dominant DT. Great DEs are nearly completely neutralized when they play with average DTs since half their threat area is removed and the job of the OT gets easier by more than half. If you want to find out which of the three positions is the most valuable take a look at NEs first round picks the past two seasons- both DTs. And this is a team that plays predominantly out of a 3-4.

I don't see moving a playmaker with no obvious debits on his balance sheet. A guy like Randy Moss is arguably such a distraction in multiple ways that you can look to get better by moving him, but Nate is simply a football player, and one of the best in the league at affecting the dynamics of a football game. There are probably only 10-15 players around the league with equal overall ability (based on his contributions in two phases) to impact a game outcome- it's hard to justify accepting any unknown for that.

CB is clearly a position at which Donahoe is a superior evaluator. He has balance of good and bad choices around the rest of the field, it's only at QB that he has yet to produce a hit. Losman appears to have a great desire to change that.

I'm very interested in the type of plans a 5 month old might cook up for your birthday- Poop toss! Sugar tantrum! Sorry it won't work out for you- we've got the edge on the Raider golf team anyway since I told them golf carts require a valid driver's license and insurance.

We've challenged a local Raider's club to the A-Whipping they deserve on the golf course. If you're planning to golf you need to be at the Clubhouse this Friday for a 1:00 tee time. You can't miss the golf course when you drive into town, the Pro Shop[ is adjacent to the parking lot when you pull in. If you can't make the 1:00 tee time but would like to join us after the turn be at the Clubhouse at 3:00 p.m. Anyone else arriving in town during the golf tournament should hole up at Madd Bailey's Pub until we finish. The National Weather Service is calling for the Friday Temperature to be in the high 60s. If you're arriving Saturday morning you'll meet us at Madd Bailey's at 8:30 a.m. At my house we're pouring Molson Canadian on tap with a full bar, we're also serving everyone dinner Friday and Saturday night plus you can expect some Western New York specialties like the best Buffalo wings this side of the Mississippi. Madd Bailey's will be serving wings that will not fall into the same category, but they will be complimentary for the beginning of the draft. I've got a cursory idea of head counts and we're making arrangements so everyone has a bed- if I can get an idea of when you plan to arrive it will help us with food portions- email me kurtgraves@dslextreme.com or call (310) 582-1188

Since I can't see a real fit for Travis in Tampa this is a scenario that at least seems possible.

When I heard Gruden say in an interview about Ronnie Brown: "He might have the best hands that I saw in the Combine. The ball is easily caught. He's like a center fielder. He's 233 pounds running well below 4.5 and he is a great kid. Brown can line up in any formation. He's not a fumbler. Ronnie Brown's hands are rare . . . exceptional hands." it was clear that he was up to something- he sees himself as way too much of a poker player to give that kind of report on a kid he might want with the 5th pick in the draft. Now feelers are out on Travis, a back who seems a very poor fit in a scheme that likes to throw flare passes to everyone in their backfield with regularity. It looks to me like Gruden is setting up a smoke screen for a move he's nearly wetting himself over making- I just can't put my finger on what it might be. It's likely to have something to do with the Frisco/Miami/Cleveland/Chicago picks in front of his or a desire to set up a good move down the board.

That's funny- I've known the owner of the "40 Duece" Club for almost 20 years, he used to be a bartender at my neighborhood hangout. Another friend of his told me last night that the Vegas location (40 Duece) isn't doing too good.

That disagreement has never been in question- the further point is the apology I have asked be made to our troops and supported by the history of the Vietnam vet- why is it that liberals have been vociferously demanding apology after apology of the White House and yet when it's the liberals turn to step up and apologize to our troops they refuse? This is not a subjective point- we know troops are treated more poorly upon returning to the U.S. where there has been a loud Anit-war movement. It's impossible to disjoint the movement from the result. Therefore, you must acknowledge that public anti-war stance damage the reception of the returning soldier. If I understand your position it's that "an anti-war stance is not responsible for the negative results we know it causes our fighting persons".

You continue to get lost in the real world. I have no problem with not supporting the war. I have a serious problem with publicly decrying the war, hurting our men and women in uniform, and then promoting the lie the"I still support the soldiers". Can't be done- if you do anything that hurts them ( and PUBLIC resistance to the war without any doubt hurts them) you can't at the same time credibly claimn to be supporting them. The act of lying about "supporting them while I talk sh-- about the war" is a supreme example of hypocrisy. Sound slike that might be hitting a little too close to home for you!

Tyhe average daytime weather for the 22nd would be around 63 degrees and sunny. I'll make sure there's logs for the fireplace at night ;-) Thanks for the map- I'll get to that tonight.

This should not be an excercise in comprehension for objective persons- now for hypocrites the bar is set at a whole different level.

Obfuscation is the greater ally of cowardice. Deal with the facts of the string, not the distraction you try to apply to hide your own guilt. My position is clear- feel however you want about a conflict our soldiers are fighting but control your public stance because history proves a public Anti-War stance ends up anti-soldier REGARDLESS of the intentions of those publicly Anti-War. Was my bother's duty in Vietnam any less courageous or honorable than my fathers in WWII? No way, yet I've seen the reception they both recieved from almost all quarters of this country, from the diminished reception at Veteran's Day parades to the scorn shown for uniformed 'Nam vets. It's a disgusting effect of an Anti-War movement, and yet it's an undenable one. Even our pop culture portrays the WWI vet as an ageless hero while the 'Nam vet is either a My Lai child killer or a nutcase running loose back in the U.S. You're lying to yourself when you refuse to acknowledge it. You're lying to yourself if you refuse to recognize the effect public whimpering has on recruitment. The facts fly in your face, so the only thing I can assume from your continued refusal to accept the facts is that you feel guilty. Go on with your self-loathing, I'll go on TRULY supporting vets in this country with my actions, words and most importantly the RESULTS of my words and actions. Hiding behind lies as you have chosen will do nothing to relieve your guilt.

And now- the first post in a long string absolutely devoid of thought, conviction or purpose- Congratulations!

Excuse my abhorrence of hypocrisy when it comes to those putting their lives on the line for us every day.

Apoligize to all patriots, whatever their conclusions, since without the sacrifices of patriots of all leanings the American experience would not be the greatest example of government by people in the history of the world.

If you have trouble following the thread you might want to sit it out. The premise of the immediate climate suggests today- versus yesterday, the day before,and the day before that in order. Since the substantive position of the thread is impossible for you to argue without continuing to fortify my point you'll try to cloud the semantics of a question made by another poster. Another sign of cowardice as far as I'm concerned. Your continued refusal to apoligize to the fighting heros of our country for your acts that hurt them will not be reduiced by your own attempt to find a more distractive argument to engage in. You ask the leaders of this country for apologies yet when it clearly comes time for you to do the same you refuse. Shame on you and all like you.

Two weeks is an eternity in public opinion. The public, as proven in the rising approval ratings for the President, have shown an uderstanding and maturity in their feelings about Iraq. That includes an upswing over the immediate past in their grasp of the neccessity. You are welcome to continue to deride the country and its leaders but that won't change the fact that the average American disagrees with you.