Good article on Goodwin - from the Olympian to NFL star?

[Heels20X6]

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/8/15/4621408/marquise-goodwin-buffalo-bills-texas-longhorns-olympians-nfl?utm_source=sbnation&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=articlebottom

 

Solid piece with thoughts from Marrone and Buddy Nix.

[MOFO]

Nice...thanks for that...

[Ronin]

"Track guys just have linear speed. I have proved I have more than linear speed," Goodwin previously stated in February from the combine. "I have good hands, I run routes, I get out of my breaks. I'm tough, I have taken on hits, I've blocked. I have even got MVP for blocking in one game and I didn't even touch a ball that game. I don't think a track guy could go out there and get MVP for blocking."

 

Where's the evidence of that in preseason or at Texas?

 

What, he runs good routes in practice? Great, I think we've seen enough of stuff like that.

 

Of the 35 men before Goodwin to appear on the highest level of international competition and follow that up by playing in at least one regular-season professional football game, nearly a third were in out and of the league within two years. Sure, the list includes 11 Pro Bowlers, nine All-Pros and four Hall of Famers, but the odds of Olympic success leading to similar returns from the line of scrimmage are dubious.

 

I'd like to know who those 11 Pro Bowlers and 9 All-Pros and four Hall of Famers are.

 

The only ones I know, and it's not that many, were on the defensive side. I can't think of one single WR that ever had such track credentials without the associated receiving credentials that went on to stardom as a WR in the NFL.

 

Either way, what happened at Texas? Strange how they don't explain why his track abilities didn't translate to much more than a few hundred yards and a pedestrian YPR average there.

 

Oh well, I suppose we'll find out shortly. But right now his 7.0 yard average must be deceptive.

 

We'll see, call me a major skeptic, but I expect to see him have a career returning kicks and maybe punts. Not sure we really needed that since we finished 4th last year in KRs and 1st in PRs, but what do I know.

Edited August 19, 2013 by TaskersGhost

[Heels20X6]

Well, here's his blocking...

 

 

[papazoid]

"Track guys just have linear speed. I have proved I have more than linear speed," Goodwin previously stated in February from the combine. "I have good hands, I run routes, I get out of my breaks. I'm tough, I have taken on hits, I've blocked. I have even got MVP for blocking in one game and I didn't even touch a ball that game. I don't think a track guy could go out there and get MVP for blocking."

 

Where's the evidence of that in preseason or at Texas?

 

What, he runs good routes in practice? Great, I think we've seen enough of stuff like that.

 

Of the 35 men before Goodwin to appear on the highest level of international competition and follow that up by playing in at least one regular-season professional football game, nearly a third were in out and of the league within two years. Sure, the list includes 11 Pro Bowlers, nine All-Pros and four Hall of Famers, but the odds of Olympic success leading to similar returns from the line of scrimmage are dubious.

 

I'd like to know who those 11 Pro Bowlers and 9 All-Pros and four Hall of Famers are.

 

The only ones I know, and it's not that many, were on the defensive side. I can't think of one single WR that ever had such track credentials without the associated receiving credentials that went on to stardom as a WR in the NFL.

 

Either way, what happened at Texas? Strange how they don't explain why his track abilities didn't translate to much more than a few hundred yards and a pedestrian YPR average there.

 

Oh well, I suppose we'll find out shortly. But right now his 7.0 yard average must be deceptive.

 

We'll see, call me a major skeptic, but I expect to see him have a career returning kicks and maybe punts. Not sure we really needed that since we finished 4th last year in KRs and 1st in PRs, but what do I know.

 

Jim Thorpe

Bob Hayes

Willie Gault

Ron Brown

Herschel Walker

James Jett

Jeff Demps

[swnybillsfan]

Well, here's his blocking...

 

 

this works for me!

[Doc]

Well, here's his blocking...

 

 

After the Bills drafted him and I said to myself "great, another TJ Graham," I saw that clip and realized the kid is a football player.

[eball]

After the Bills drafted him and I said to myself "great, another TJ Graham," I saw that clip and realized the kid is a football player.

 

Go take a look at TJ's blocking against the Colts two weeks ago.

[Doc]

Go take a look at TJ's blocking against the Colts two weeks ago.

I don't have the game recorded. How was it?

[eball]

I don't have the game recorded. How was it?

 

First couple of plays were runs to Spiller; TJ sealed the outside beautifully. He's definitely been working on it.

[Doc]

First couple of plays were runs to Spiller; TJ sealed the outside beautifully. He's definitely been working on it.

Excellent.

[BillsWatch]

Seems to be a solid article showing pros and cons of Olympians. So many full time college football players fail in NFL despite claims that will be all Pros by NFL evaluators.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

First couple of plays were runs to Spiller; TJ sealed the outside beautifully. He's definitely been working on it.

 

You know, it would be unusual, but I'm wondering if TJ Graham might be a surprise cut.

 

He's been injured, so he hasn't been in the coaches' eyes. He's been dropping balls in practice. And if his blocking has improved due to injury, he hasn't had much of a chance to show it.

 

From what I can tell, Goodwin has every bit as much or more speed, better moves, better hands. All that and he can block, too.

 

It's a surprise when a player who is drafted in the 1st 4-5 rounds gets cut in their 2nd year, but we cut Tank Carder last year before the season started.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Hopeful

[atlbillsfan1975]

"Track guys just have linear speed. I have proved I have more than linear speed," Goodwin previously stated in February from the combine. "I have good hands, I run routes, I get out of my breaks. I'm tough, I have taken on hits, I've blocked. I have even got MVP for blocking in one game and I didn't even touch a ball that game. I don't think a track guy could go out there and get MVP for blocking."

 

Where's the evidence of that in preseason or at Texas?

 

What, he runs good routes in practice? Great, I think we've seen enough of stuff like that.

 

Of the 35 men before Goodwin to appear on the highest level of international competition and follow that up by playing in at least one regular-season professional football game, nearly a third were in out and of the league within two years. Sure, the list includes 11 Pro Bowlers, nine All-Pros and four Hall of Famers, but the odds of Olympic success leading to similar returns from the line of scrimmage are dubious.

 

I'd like to know who those 11 Pro Bowlers and 9 All-Pros and four Hall of Famers are.

 

The only ones I know, and it's not that many, were on the defensive side. I can't think of one single WR that ever had such track credentials without the associated receiving credentials that went on to stardom as a WR in the NFL.

 

Either way, what happened at Texas? Strange how they don't explain why his track abilities didn't translate to much more than a few hundred yards and a pedestrian YPR average there.

 

Oh well, I suppose we'll find out shortly. But right now his 7.0 yard average must be deceptive.

 

We'll see, call me a major skeptic, but I expect to see him have a career returning kicks and maybe punts. Not sure we really needed that since we finished 4th last year in KRs and 1st in PRs, but what do I know.

He can play. He seems to me to have good vision.

besides why not root for the guy? Not be a negative fan of a player for your team?

[Ronin]

Well, here's his blocking...

 

 

 

So his blocking is summed up in a single play?

[Ronin]

Jim Thorpe

Bob Hayes

Willie Gault

Ron Brown

Herschel Walker

James Jett

Jeff Demps

 

Thanks!!!

 

I thought that Darrell Green may have been a track star too.

 

Jim Thorpe (1920-1928)

Bob Hayes (1965-1975)

Willie Gault (1983-1993)

Ron Brown (1984-1991)

Herschel Walker (1986-1997)

James Jett (1993-2002)

Jeff Demps (2012 - ?)

 

Those only account for 1 Hall of Famer, 6 Pro Bowls, and 4 All-Pros.

 

Gault, Brown, Jett, and Demps have nothing.

 

I'm not sure that's who the article was referring to. I'm guessing that Darrell Green was in there.

 

Either way, there are no modern examples to my knowledge whereby a player that is "so blazing fast that no one catch him" one on one, that had almost no receiving credentials in college, that excelled in the NFL as a WR. Plenty have gone on to become great returners, but not receivers.

 

That's the problem here, everyone's expecting the unprecedented to occur. Why? These things don't happen for a reason.

 

The fact that this coaching staff thinks that they're different than the wad of other coaching staffs that tried the same yet failed should be concerning, particularly since it seems to be such a relevant part of their stated game plan.

 

I was neutral on Marrone & Co. entering the season, but it's stuff like that that really makes me scratch my head. Do they not understand NFL history in that way?

 

Do they not understand that the single biggest transition from the NCAA to NFL, as stated by everyone in the game, is the speed of the game and how incredibly faster it is?

 

They're just questions.

 

After the Bills drafted him and I said to myself "great, another TJ Graham," I saw that clip and realized the kid is a football player.

 

Yeah, he's a special teamer.

 

Did we really need to expend a 3rd round pick on a special teams player?

 

Don't you think that we had much greater needs? What, we were a special teams player away from winning the division or something?

 

Again, we finished 4th last season in KR avg. and 1st in PR avg. They didn't draft Goodwin to be a STs blocker.

 

He can play. He seems to me to have good vision.

besides why not root for the guy? Not be a negative fan of a player for your team?

 

I get it, finally.

 

It's all about the individual players. Got it.

 

I have no trouble "rooting for the guy," but you know what, I'd rather root for the team.

 

Unfortunately far too many people don't get the fact that just because you have a handful of good players, and even the Bills have had them, that that doesn't necessarily make the team good.

 

I'd rather see the team in the playoffs because the FO and staff recognized their biggest weaknesses and drafted accordingly. Not drafting players to replace others that were their biggest strengths.

 

Sorry, just a different philosophy I guess. Then again, for me it's all about the team winning, not about having individual players on the team putting up good stats.

[Ronin]

You know, it would be unusual, but I'm wondering if TJ Graham might be a surprise cut.

 

He's been injured, so he hasn't been in the coaches' eyes. He's been dropping balls in practice. And if his blocking has improved due to injury, he hasn't had much of a chance to show it.

 

From what I can tell, Goodwin has every bit as much or more speed, better moves, better hands. All that and he can block, too.

 

It's a surprise when a player who is drafted in the 1st 4-5 rounds gets cut in their 2nd year, but we cut Tank Carder last year before the season started.

 

I agree on Graham, IMO he'll be cut. Goodwin's just like him but slightly faster. They don't need him on returns and didn't use him last year there so he's entirely expendable now. Goodwin will make the roster but primarily as a returner. I doubt he'll ever see much time, and little significant time, at WR.

 

Obviously the team will keep Johnson and Woods. I'd guess Smith and Hogan too, and Easley due to the lack of other options. Goodwin will be listed at WR but he'll be STs and purely a limited use role player as a WR.

 

Johnson's hammy had better heal up or it's gonna be a long season for the QBs Hammy injuries tend to nag all season long, let's hope that's not the case here.

[Matt in KC]

I've seen both Goodwin and Woods be very aggressive about blocking, especially on running plays. Kudos to our coaching staff! I would have just credited the players, but both of them are off-the-charts for effort for rookies, the best I've seen. With the talk of TJ blocking more it sounds like it's coaching point of emphasis, not just the players we happened to land.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Matt in KC

[Doc]

We'll see how and where Goodwin is used. To say he's just a ST'er is short-sighted.

[BuffaloBill]

"Track guys just have linear speed. I have proved I have more than linear speed," Goodwin previously stated in February from the combine. "I have good hands, I run routes, I get out of my breaks. I'm tough, I have taken on hits, I've blocked. I have even got MVP for blocking in one game and I didn't even touch a ball that game. I don't think a track guy could go out there and get MVP for blocking."

 

Where's the evidence of that in preseason or at Texas?

 

What, he runs good routes in practice? Great, I think we've seen enough of stuff like that.

 

Of the 35 men before Goodwin to appear on the highest level of international competition and follow that up by playing in at least one regular-season professional football game, nearly a third were in out and of the league within two years. Sure, the list includes 11 Pro Bowlers, nine All-Pros and four Hall of Famers, but the odds of Olympic success leading to similar returns from the line of scrimmage are dubious.

 

I'd like to know who those 11 Pro Bowlers and 9 All-Pros and four Hall of Famers are.

 

The only ones I know, and it's not that many, were on the defensive side. I can't think of one single WR that ever had such track credentials without the associated receiving credentials that went on to stardom as a WR in the NFL.

 

Either way, what happened at Texas? Strange how they don't explain why his track abilities didn't translate to much more than a few hundred yards and a pedestrian YPR average there.

 

Oh well, I suppose we'll find out shortly. But right now his 7.0 yard average must be deceptive.

 

We'll see, call me a major skeptic, but I expect to see him have a career returning kicks and maybe punts. Not sure we really needed that since we finished 4th last year in KRs and 1st in PRs, but what do I know.

 

Marrone clearly wants very fast skill players. I think Goodwin will have far more opportunity to put his speed to use than what you suggest.

[Ronin]

I've seen both Goodwin and Woods be very aggressive about blocking, especially on running plays. Kudos to our coaching staff! I would have just credited the players, but both of them are off-the-charts for effort for rookies, the best I've seen. With the talk of TJ blocking more it sounds like it's coaching point of emphasis, not just the players we happened to land.

 

Well, we'll see how it goes "for real" here in a few weeks.

 

I don't recall seeing too much of Goodwin on offense in either preseason game. Woods has been more active and I'm sure that he'll be fine at WR, despite his lack of blazing speed. I'm not convinced that he's going to be a perennial 1,000 yard receiver yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up being one.

 

So as to Goodwin's blocking and hustle, I think we need to see a little bit more than what goes on in camp.

 

I know that Goodwin's caught some deep balls in camp to which there's been a massive overreaction IMO in terms of the optimism re: translating that to the season. I've noticed that it's never over Gilmore. So who is he catching these things over such that we should all translate it to success during the regular season? The rest of the roster at CB/DB is weak, inexperienced, and not of starting caliber in the NFL. So I'm not sure I share the optimism simply because Goodwin can outrun someone that's going to be on the waiver wire in less than two weeks.

 

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, just trying to logically discuss why the optimism for the highly unlikely and quite frankly, unprecedented.

 

The team needs to have a solid plan-B in place for this speed kick that they're on. If this ends up in a lenghty list of 3-and-outs it's going to reflect in time of possession miserably. Factor in that they're talking about a hurry up O, well you'd better be able to sustain drives with that kind of philosophy or your D is going to be winded in the mid-3rd.

 

Has anyone on the coaching staff thought that far? Or do those things now not matter anymore in Buffalo in 2013.

 

Someone there had better consider that or it could derail everything that they're trying to do thereby threatening the same-old same-old, again.

 

None of us wants that. We all want to see success, but these things are highly concerning. Sure, they sound good, even great, in print. But when September hits the words are going to have to come off the paper and spring to life on grass.

 

We'll see how and where Goodwin is used. To say he's just a ST'er is short-sighted.

 

To say that he's anymore than that right now is unjustifiably optimistic. There's no basis for the notion that he's ever going to be anything more than a role-playing 5th WR.

 

Again, he's so blazing fast which is why he averaged 11.4 yards-per-catch at Texas. OK.

 

There's no basis for him being a WR that's going to make the kind of impact that you are suggesting. If he turns out to be another also-ran WR, who cares. We don't need those.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

So his blocking is summed up in a single play?

 

He's not a fullback. It's not like there's tons of film on his blocking for the general public. But yeah, I would say it sums it up nicely. A guy doesn't lay down the lumber like that unless he's got the heart of a football player and enjoys it.

 

I forget the team and the player, but there was a play last year where Freddy was left in to block a noteable beast of a pass rusher and he just flattened him. Laid him out flat. After the whistle pointed at him with both forefingers and jumped a little, nothing excessive, but you could tell he really got off on it.

[Ronin]

Marrone clearly wants very fast skill players. I think Goodwin will have far more opportunity to put his speed to use than what you suggest.

 

We'll see here shortly, won't we.

 

As you say, you think. My entire point is that there's absolutely no basis for it,either historically or even particularly to Goodwin. I'll go with the odds and historical trends on this one not thinking that I'm smarter than what history has clearly shown us. Coaches would come across as smarter too and have much greater chances of success if they did not plan for such risky things being so pivotal to what they're trying to do.

 

Historically it's never happened with any receiver, and his stats at Texas also suggest something different, leaving this to have been a project for some coach to attempt to translate pure/raw speed to use in the NFL in a receiving role. We can ignore the fact that it's been tried over and over again by varying teams and coaches but never worked that way.

 

If Goodwin does have receiving skills, then they didn't net him much at Texas.

 

As the Wendy's commercial used to go, "Where's the Beef?"

 

Like I said, this whole overemphasis on speed has me highly concerned for this young coaching staff. It's hardly a novel approach, but it is an oft-failed one. Gailey even said he was going to implement something similar. I know, Gailey was a moron. Unfortunately Marrone & Co. haven't proven that they're geniuses yet though either.

 

He's not a fullback. It's not like there's tons of film on his blocking for the general public. But yeah, I would say it sums it up nicely. A guy doesn't lay down the lumber like that unless he's got the heart of a football player and enjoys it.

 

I forget the team and the player, but there was a play last year where Freddy was left in to block a noteable beast of a pass rusher and he just flattened him. Laid him out flat. After the whistle pointed at him with both forefingers and jumped a little, nothing excessive, but you could tell he really got off on it.

\

 

So are you agreeing with me then that his blocking is not going to be a significant factor this season?

[Matt in KC]

TaskersGhost, I notes at least 3 times in the Vikings game Goodwin looked really good (blocking) on running plays in the first quarter. Seriously, look for it. He and Woods are blocking as aggressively as I've ever seen for rookie receivers, and more than most receivers ever do, regardless of experience.

 

To say that he's anymore than that right now is unjustifiably optimistic. There's no basis for the notion that he's ever going to be anything more than a role-playing 5th WR.

 

Again, he's so blazing fast which is why he averaged 11.4 yards-per-catch at Texas. OK.

 

There's no basis for him being a WR that's going to make the kind of impact that you are suggesting. If he turns out to be another also-ran WR, who cares. We don't need those.

5th WR? Behind who?

 

And why do our games so far strike you as an over-emphasis on the (straight-line) speed game? We've been playing a short passing game so far.

[Mr. WEO]

Wait..long jump?

[chris heff]

 

 

Well, we'll see how it goes "for real" here in a few weeks.

 

I don't recall seeing too much of Goodwin on offense in either preseason game. Woods has been more active and I'm sure that he'll be fine at WR, despite his lack of blazing speed. I'm not convinced that he's going to be a perennial 1,000 yard receiver yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up being one.

 

So as to Goodwin's blocking and hustle, I think we need to see a little bit more than what goes on in camp.

 

I know that Goodwin's caught some deep balls in camp to which there's been a massive overreaction IMO in terms of the optimism re: translating that to the season. I've noticed that it's never over Gilmore. So who is he catching these things over such that we should all translate it to success during the regular season? The rest of the roster at CB/DB is weak, inexperienced, and not of starting caliber in the NFL. So I'm not sure I share the optimism simply because Goodwin can outrun someone that's going to be on the waiver wire in less than two weeks.

 

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, just trying to logically discuss why the optimism for the highly unlikely and quite frankly, unprecedented.

 

The team needs to have a solid plan-B in place for this speed kick that they're on. If this ends up in a lenghty list of 3-and-outs it's going to reflect in time of possession miserably. Factor in that they're talking about a hurry up O, well you'd better be able to sustain drives with that kind of philosophy or your D is going to be winded in the mid-3rd.

 

Has anyone on the coaching staff thought that far? Or do those things now not matter anymore in Buffalo in 2013.

 

Someone there had better consider that or it could derail everything that they're trying to do thereby threatening the same-old same-old, again.

 

None of us wants that. We all want to see success, but these things are highly concerning. Sure, they sound good, even great, in print. But when September hits the words are going to have to come off the paper and spring to life on grass.

 

 

 

To say that he's anymore than that right now is unjustifiably optimistic. There's no basis for the notion that he's ever going to be anything more than a role-playing 5th WR.

 

Again, he's so blazing fast which is why he averaged 11.4 yards-per-catch at Texas. OK.

 

There's no basis for him being a WR that's going to make the kind of impact that you are suggesting. If he turns out to be another also-ran WR, who cares. We don't need those.

The level of your hatred of Graham and Goodwin at this point in their careers is mind boggling.

[Ronin]

TaskersGhost, I notes at least 3 times in the Vikings game Goodwin looked really good (blocking) on running plays in the first quarter. Seriously, look for it. He and Woods are blocking as aggressively as I've ever seen for rookie receivers, and more than most receivers ever do, regardless of experience.

 

5th WR? Behind who?

 

And why do our games so far strike you as an over-emphasis on the (straight-line) speed game? We've been playing a short passing game so far.

 

To your first point, WRs are not kept on to block. Plain and simple. He either turns into a bona fide WR or he does not and is limited to STs where frankly, we really didn't need a major boost.

 

There's not much to argue with there, I think we can agree.

 

To your second point, I didn't say in the preseason games, I said according to what Marrone & Co. have said. Now they could all be lying to us I suppose.

 

As to the games, you raise a very good point. Thus far it's really been very similar to what we've had in the past few seasons. The success of the first teams has been marginal at best against other first teams. But it's been a short-passing fest.

 

So what's going to happen when the season starts? Deep passing game all of a sudden?

 

If you think so, what do you think will happen? Will the offense be prolific, or will it result in stalled drives and poor time-of-possession?

 

These are things that should be on any good coaching staff's minds. If they're not thinking about this then we have good cause for concern so early in their tenure. I'm not suggesting one way or the other, just stating that if they can't get past that fundamental thing, how will they succeed in the NFL.

 

As to the deep passing game being successful, on what would anyone predicate that right now? What, Goodwin catching deep passes, which has happened several times in camp according to reports, one with Hackett acting like a giddy school girl in racing down to embrace Goodwin, over players that won't even be on the team in ten days? Is that a good basis for hoping that it works for real in the NFL's regular season? I dont' think so.

 

Did you see yesterday's game? Steelers at Skins? Did you notice the rabid blitzing that the Steelers were doing? We haven't faced that in the preseason but will face it numerous times during the regular season. If that happens, Manuel's going to be overwhelmed the way that the team has currently played.

 

IMO Marrone & Co. are in for a little bit of a rude awakening in September. I hope not, but my hopes are meaningless.

 

I truly did not know what to think when they got here as a staff, but these trivial oversimplifications are tremendous cause for concern to me.

 

Either way, this staff is going to realize in a few short weeks that they won't be going up against the 40-75 players on the roster currently and will be going up against starting NFL D's playing for keeps.

 

I see Goodwin being of little utility as a WR when that happens, partly because that just doesn't happen like that in the NFL where a receiver routinely runs past his coverage and catches TDs. If it did, then NFL history would be replete with it, but it isn't, far from it in fact.

 

Also, Manuel (or whichever QB) is going to first have the time to set up and throw the ball that deep, and secondly, have to put it on the money.

 

We'll see if he's better than our returners have been in recent years, but I don't see how you improve on 1st and there's little room for improvement on finishing 4th too.

 

The problem with this approach, is that if it does fail, then it's at least somewhat back to the drawing board with one of your receivers having little to no proven value otherwise.

[eball]

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, just trying to logically discuss why the optimism for the highly unlikely and quite frankly, unprecedented.

 

The team needs to have a solid plan-B in place for this speed kick that they're on. If this ends up in a lenghty list of 3-and-outs it's going to reflect in time of possession miserably. Factor in that they're talking about a hurry up O, well you'd better be able to sustain drives with that kind of philosophy or your D is going to be winded in the mid-3rd.

 

Has anyone on the coaching staff thought that far? Or do those things now not matter anymore in Buffalo in 2013.

 

Someone there had better consider that or it could derail everything that they're trying to do thereby threatening the same-old same-old, again.

 

You mean, like an athletic QB who can also run the read option, a top-5 RB teams have to prepare for on every play, another top RB who is also a fantastic pass blocker and receiver out of the backfield, and a reliable TE who has shown a knack for getting open and converting first downs?

 

It is exactly your intention to rain on everyone's parade. You hate everything about the team and still you post, which means you're either a troll or you're a miserable human being. In either case, just leave.

[Ronin]

You mean, like an athletic QB who can also run the read option, a top-5 RB teams have to prepare for on every play, another top RB who is also a fantastic pass blocker and receiver out of the backfield, and a reliable TE who has shown a knack for getting open and converting first downs?

 

It is exactly your intention to rain on everyone's parade. You hate everything about the team and still you post, which means you're either a troll or you're a miserable human being. In either case, just leave.

 

LOL

 

Thanks for telling me what I think.

 

You, with posts like that, are in fact the troll here in this case. I've incited no one, I've said absolutely nothing offensive, except to the mentally or emotionally weak or impaired perhaps, I've broken no terms of service. I've not prejudged anyone on the team with only a few exceptions, like Goodwin.

 

Posts like yours reflect your intellect. Nothing but high level nonsense and frustration because you know that the points I raise are good ones.

 

Then you react like a child.

 

At least, and unlike you, I offer something that everyone doesn't say routinely in varying forums around the country on a daily basis, nothing but emotionally charged buzz words and oversimplified statements of greatness and the like.

Edited August 20, 2013 by TaskersGhost

[atlbillsfan1975]

Thanks!!!

 

I thought that Darrell Green may have been a track star too.

 

Jim Thorpe (1920-1928)

Bob Hayes (1965-1975)

Willie Gault (1983-1993)

Ron Brown (1984-1991)

Herschel Walker (1986-1997)

James Jett (1993-2002)

Jeff Demps (2012 - ?)

 

Those only account for 1 Hall of Famer, 6 Pro Bowls, and 4 All-Pros.

 

Gault, Brown, Jett, and Demps have nothing.

 

I'm not sure that's who the article was referring to. I'm guessing that Darrell Green was in there.

 

Either way, there are no modern examples to my knowledge whereby a player that is "so blazing fast that no one catch him" one on one, that had almost no receiving credentials in college, that excelled in the NFL as a WR. Plenty have gone on to become great returners, but not receivers.

 

That's the problem here, everyone's expecting the unprecedented to occur. Why? These things don't happen for a reason.

 

The fact that this coaching staff thinks that they're different than the wad of other coaching staffs that tried the same yet failed should be concerning, particularly since it seems to be such a relevant part of their stated game plan.

 

I was neutral on Marrone & Co. entering the season, but it's stuff like that that really makes me scratch my head. Do they not understand NFL history in that way?

 

Do they not understand that the single biggest transition from the NCAA to NFL, as stated by everyone in the game, is the speed of the game and how incredibly faster it is?

 

They're just questions.

 

 

 

Yeah, he's a special teamer.

 

Did we really need to expend a 3rd round pick on a special teams player?

 

Don't you think that we had much greater needs? What, we were a special teams player away from winning the division or something?

 

Again, we finished 4th last season in KR avg. and 1st in PR avg. They didn't draft Goodwin to be a STs blocker.

 

 

 

I get it, finally.

 

It's all about the individual players. Got it.

 

I have no trouble "rooting for the guy," but you know what, I'd rather root for the team.

 

Unfortunately far too many people don't get the fact that just because you have a handful of good players, and even the Bills have had them, that that doesn't necessarily make the team good.

 

I'd rather see the team in the playoffs because the FO and staff recognized their biggest weaknesses and drafted accordingly. Not drafting players to replace others that were their biggest strengths.

 

Sorry, just a different philosophy I guess. Then again, for me it's all about the team winning, not about having individual players on the team putting up good stats.

I doubt you do get it.

I have seen so many posters and other fans over the years make negative comments about the team. They then sit there waiting for something bad to happen. IF it does happen they want to say i told you so! Just a crummy way to support your team.

Edited August 20, 2013 by atlbillsfan1975

[yungmack]

Let's see: 35 Olympians is way less than two years of draft & free agent signings for a single team. And out of that you get 9 All-Pros & FOUR Hall of Famers. I don't know about you guys but I'd be over the moon with those results. Seems like Olympians make up one of the best pools of talent.

[tennesseeboy]

Jim Thorpe

Bob Hayes

Willie Gault

Ron Brown

Herschel Walker

James Jett

Jeff Demps

And OJ Simpson who won gold in the 68 Olympics (relay) Another Olympian who played WR was Bo Roberson for the Bills in the 60's.

 

Reynaldo Nehemiah, won gold in the hurdles and has a superbowl ring with the 49 ers.

[Doc]

To say that he's anymore than that right now is unjustifiably optimistic. There's no basis for the notion that he's ever going to be anything more than a role-playing 5th WR.

 

Again, he's so blazing fast which is why he averaged 11.4 yards-per-catch at Texas. OK.

 

There's no basis for him being a WR that's going to make the kind of impact that you are suggesting. If he turns out to be another also-ran WR, who cares. We don't need those.

Wait, you're suggesting he's not blazing fast, based on his Texas YPC? LMAO!

 

Look, just because Texas couldn't utilize him properly, it doesn't mean there's no justification for optimism. The Bills drafted him ostensibly because they saw Graham on tape last year and didn't think he'd amount to much, and wanted a guy with blazing speed. Camp has hinted otherwise (for both, with Graham looking good and Goodwin catching numerous TDs), but ultimately it will have to be proven on the field. We'll revisit this later.

[yall]

It's not like we drafted him in the 1st or 2nd round. We needed more depth at receiver, and might have gotten some value. It looks like he had decent college numbers and was drafted roughly where he was expected to be drafted, so it wasn't exactly a reach pick.

 

Also, if anyone really decided to read the entirety of the information that was presented in the article, they would have seen every Olympian that ever played in the league was listed along with their NFL accomplishments.

 

Lastly, he was offensive MVP in an NCAA bowl game, so it's not like he has zero credentials. Might be best to just wait and see if he delivers in regular season before we get our collective panties in a bunch.

[Braedenstearns]

You see in practice a lot of deep throws to Goodwin. I'm sure they want to keep that stuff secret till the season.