Langston Walker Update

[spartacus]

What's curious: Melvin Fowler, I read in some report, basically went to the coaches last year and said he didn't want to play against the 3-4 defenses. So, they glued him to the bench. That has always struck me as, well, more than a little strange. He was the pivot on an offense that was 4-1, IIRC, at the time.

 

Peters said in a recent interview that he was so exasperated with the contract negotiations that he told his agent to tell the Bills he didn't want to hear any more offers. He was going to play out his contract and leave. At that same time, the Bills called and told him he was traded.

 

Now, there is this story that Dockery watched Redskins games on Monday, crying in his beer as he was handed his game check from the Bills.

 

Finally, we have the unexpected cut of Langston Walker. He sounded less than eager to be switching from RT to LT and his play in practice and pre-season has been labeled, "mailing it in".

 

That is 4 starters out of a unit of 5 that are gone and seemed, shall we say, less than gung-ho about playing for the Bills.

 

Maybe it is all just a coincidence...

 

and all of these players were happy the prior year under the tutelage of McNally.

 

Enter Turk (as OC) and Kugler(as OL coach) and everyone is running for the exits.

 

couldn't be the coaching or front office hi-jinx - -

must be the Flouride in the water in Buffalo

[rstencel]

in January 2008, when it mattered and when they could have easily made their best player happy,

Brandon point blank told Peters to stuff it and were adamant that they were not going to give him an upgraded contract... in 2008 since he had 3 years left on his contract.

 

if they rewarded their best player for pro bowl performance at this time, there would not have been a hold out.

 

in retrospect, this situation is too stupid to comprehend. The 2 guys that were getting megabucks that pushed Peters to ask for more money have now been cut outright savings tens of millions of $$$$. Of course, none of this money saved has been applied to fixing the LT hole, as the Bills are again employing the lowest paid LT in the league.

 

They have been on low end of pay scale for LT for several years. Not like anything has changed there.

[Doc]

I'll be watching the Eagles-Panthers game with great interest. Peppers on Peters. Should be interesting.

[Corp000085]

Hey, since Walker was so damn good, who picked him up this week?

[Tcali]

Hey, since Walker was so damn good, who picked him up this week?

Not a fair question because all teams are solid at O line

[Doc]

He'll probably be picked-up tomorrow.

[RayFinkle]

Hey, since Walker was so damn good, who picked him up this week?

Nobody is picking up anybody until after week 1. If they are signed before that, their contract is guaranteed. The same reason Runyan hasn't signed yet.

[Bad Lieutenant]

Langston is at it again.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kk3fm8buQw

[San Jose Bills Fan]

An excellent example of why youtube may actually suck I.Q. points out of your brain right through the internet.

So true Thurman. Sad and pathetic. Without the internet, the only way we'd hear about this guy is when they remove his dead body from the room he hasn't left in 20 years with a forklift.

I'm sure you saw what you saw but I would draw a different conclusion. I think you seeing him play differently is a reflection of his lack of ability to play LT. I also don't recall Langston saying he wasn't motivated to play LT I assume you are equating his lack of optimism with lack of trying. He was obviously not optimistic but I wouldn't be optimistic going into the ring with Mike Tyson. I just know I'm not the right guy for that job!

 

I'm sorry but it is just a complete fantasy that a significant contributing factor to his failure was lack of enthusiasm. The lack of enthusiasm was a symptom not the problem. HUGE difference.

I totally agree with this. He had an interview about one month ago and sounded "philosophical" about the switch. Now people are latching onto that trying to equate it with a lack of effort.

 

A few things we know about Langston. He went to Cal which is one of the top five Universities in the country. He graduated with a degree in economics. That's not possible as a student athlete unless you're a hard worker. He's traveled the world. He's an intelligent, articulate man who knows damn well he won the lottery when the Bills signed him. There was never a question of his attitude or effort before.

 

The Bills put him in a position to fail. They also scapegoated him.

 

He's an average right tackle with very little explosiveness. I don't think it's his weight. Very few football players 6'8" have explosion. The ones that do are freaks...exceptions. He's like the big guy on the basketball team who lumbers up and down the court, gets to one end and has to turn around because the play's going the other way. He's very limited as an athlete and I don't think losing weight would make any difference.

 

And this part is also true. Many people on this board thought he'd be adequate at LT. He played a bit last year and didn't embarrass himself. But he's not cut out for the position really and now he's gone.

 

He's not as horrible as some are saying and he's not as good as others were saying before. Symptomatic of our country, it's that inability for most people to see the truth which typically resides somewhere between the opposite extreme opinions. Most people unfortunately can only see black or white.

[Armchair GM]

Not a fair question because all teams are solid at O line

 

Tell that to the Steelers!

[supertutor13]

Cal-Berkeley is nowhere near one of the top 5 academic universities in the country. It is a university that has historically been the scene of political activism, but that does not make it a top 5 university

 

So true Thurman. Sad and pathetic. Without the internet, the only way we'd hear about this guy is when they remove his dead body from the room he hasn't left in 20 years with a forklift.

 

I totally agree with this. He had an interview about one month ago and sounded "philosophical" about the switch. Now people are latching onto that trying to equate it with a lack of effort.

 

A few things we know about Langston. He went to Cal which is one of the top five Universities in the country. He graduated with a degree in economics. That's not possible as a student athlete unless you're a hard worker. He's traveled the world. He's an intelligent, articulate man who knows damn well he won the lottery when the Bills signed him. There was never a question of his attitude or effort before.

 

The Bills put him in a position to fail. They also scapegoated him.

 

He's an average right tackle with very little explosiveness. I don't think it's his weight. Very few football players 6'8" have explosion. The ones that do are freaks...exceptions. He's like the big guy on the basketball team who lumbers up and down the court, gets to one end and has to turn around because the play's going the other way. He's very limited as an athlete and I don't think losing weight would make any difference.

 

And this part is also true. Many people on this board thought he'd be adequate at LT. He played a bit last year and didn't embarrass himself. But he's not cut out for the position really and now he's gone.

 

He's not as horrible as some are saying and he's not as good as others were saying before. Symptomatic of our country, it's that inability for most people to see the truth which typically resides somewhere between the opposite extreme opinions. Most people unfortunately can only see black or white.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Cal-Berkeley is nowhere near one of the top 5 academic universities in the country. It is a university that has historically been the scene of political activism, but that does not make it a top 5 university

Dude, you could save a lot of unnecessarily used space if you cut only that part of the quote which you are responding to.

 

And yes, Cal-Berkeley is one of the top five schools in America, undergraduate, graduate, public or private.

 

http://www.learn4good.com/top10/universities.htm

 

This particular study shows it is one of the top five worldwide. I could cite several other sources also...but why should I do the work for you?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

http://www.arwu.org/rank/2005/ARWU2005_TopAmer.htm

[GaryPinC]

and all of these players were happy the prior year under the tutelage of McNally.

 

Enter Turk (as OC) and Kugler(as OL coach) and everyone is running for the exits.

 

couldn't be the coaching or front office hi-jinx - -

must be the Flouride in the water in Buffalo

 

 

Can't say I was ever very impressed with the O-line play under McNally. Between having mostly inadequate centers, Walker who was never that highly regarded when he was brought from Oakland, Dockery who left his heart in DC, and Peters who couldn't believe he was making less to much less than the rest of these immobile turds, the magnitude of the last few years' O-line problems is completely obvious.

 

I don't think it's McNally's fault. It seems like he did favor those roadgrader-type lineman, the FO just never got in guys with the proper motivation and/or talent.

 

It's obvious Kugler favors more mobile, slightly smaller guys with a nasty attitude. After watching the NE game, especially on a screen pass when Hangartner got out in space and basically layed out to make a block on a defender to spring Freddy, I'm very much liking this O-line.

 

I think Kugler wanted this group of guys together and so guys like Langston/Dockery may have gotten screwed a bit.

 

But where was Vince Wilfork in that game? This O-line has a ways to go to become a cohesive, dominant unit but I feel more optimistic about them then I have in at least the last 5 years. They at least seem to have a high sense of pride in doing their job well.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Well stated GaryPinc

[BillsWatch]

I think Kugler wanted this group of guys together and so guys like Langston/Dockery may have gotten screwed a bit.

 

Langston maybe but Dockery? He got a huge signing bonus and got paid again by Washington. Bills could have released later, could have publicly questioned his work ethic, etc. Charley Casserly mentioned Dockery was studying game tape every Monday - Washington's game tape. As demonstrated by Dockery's public comments his heart was not in Buffalo even when wallet was.

[rstencel]

So true Thurman. Sad and pathetic. Without the internet, the only way we'd hear about this guy is when they remove his dead body from the room he hasn't left in 20 years with a forklift.

 

I totally agree with this. He had an interview about one month ago and sounded "philosophical" about the switch. Now people are latching onto that trying to equate it with a lack of effort.

 

A few things we know about Langston. He went to Cal which is one of the top five Universities in the country. He graduated with a degree in economics. That's not possible as a student athlete unless you're a hard worker. He's traveled the world. He's an intelligent, articulate man who knows damn well he won the lottery when the Bills signed him. There was never a question of his attitude or effort before.

 

The Bills put him in a position to fail. They also scapegoated him.

 

He's an average right tackle with very little explosiveness. I don't think it's his weight. Very few football players 6'8" have explosion. The ones that do are freaks...exceptions. He's like the big guy on the basketball team who lumbers up and down the court, gets to one end and has to turn around because the play's going the other way. He's very limited as an athlete and I don't think losing weight would make any difference.

 

And this part is also true. Many people on this board thought he'd be adequate at LT. He played a bit last year and didn't embarrass himself. But he's not cut out for the position really and now he's gone.

 

He's not as horrible as some are saying and he's not as good as others were saying before. Symptomatic of our country, it's that inability for most people to see the truth which typically resides somewhere between the opposite extreme opinions. Most people unfortunately can only see black or white.

 

While what you say about his effort issue makes sense, I don't think being asked to do something outside your comfort level is a reason to go public with your complaints about being asked to do it, or to not finish your blocks or show any hustle on the field.

 

Still think lack of hustle and openly complaining about being asked to move outside his comfort zone played a part in his being cut, as opposed to giving him a chance to move back to RT. Having the OC change probably played a big part in it as well.

 

If he was unhappy with the move, and due to that didn't give full effort because of that, then he should be cut, as is a young line around him, and they learn from the Vets.

[supertutor13]

How about this annually highly respected source...it ranks Cal-Berkeley #36 worldwide, #18 in the US and #4 in California...quite a bit away from top #5 in the US

 

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/w...ollege-rankings

 

Dude, you could save a lot of unnecessarily used space if you cut only that part of the quote which you are responding to.

 

And yes, Cal-Berkeley is one of the top five schools in America, undergraduate, graduate, public or private.

 

http://www.learn4good.com/top10/universities.htm

 

This particular study shows it is one of the top five worldwide. I could cite several other sources also...but why should I do the work for you?

[Meathead]

is anyone else turned on?

[MattM]

How about this annually highly respected source...it ranks Cal-Berkeley #36 worldwide, #18 in the US and #4 in California...quite a bit away from top #5 in the US

 

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/w...ollege-rankings

 

And your point is? It's a fact that Cal is one of the best schools in the US, especially if you measure bang for your buck, it being a public school and all. Personally, I'd say that UCLA doesn't belong anywhere near ahead of Berkeley, but that's just me (and my in-laws, UCLA alums both, will have my hide for saying that).

 

Walker, too, is a smart guy, there's no doubt about that. Perhaps a bit too smart to buy into some of the rah rah aspects of the NFL--he may prefer to cash a paycheck while expending minimal effort to earn same and with minimal impact on his long-term health prospects that the League can cause. Just ask Kyle Turley, the latest victim of the long-term effects of playing in the NFL as per Florio yesterday.....