Re: Bill Belichick joins The Big Show and offers a strong defense of RB Laurence Maro
The people grasping at straws are individuals, like yourself, who keep insisting/spinning that Belichick just gave a 'glowing', strong defense of Laurence Maroney.
That's about as glowing as BB gets. You're again grasping at straws with cherry picking your definition of "glowing". So, since you seem to think that he's offered up much more glowing plays of other running backs on the team since he's been coach (or just other players in general) to the point where he's gushing at them, please feel free to post the quotes with links.
You keep ignoring:
1. That in our offense a routine pass play gives just as many yards as a home run RB can occasionally give. We need a consistent 3.5 ypc back, not a home run back. Maroney isn't a good fit for the offense.
Maroney's YPC average for this year: 4.3
Maroney's YPC average for 2007: 4.5
Maroney's YPC average for 2006: 4.3
Laurence Maroney
You really destroyed your own argument on that one. But anyway, the Patriots have (had) two running backs on the roster that were "pound it between the tackles" backs in Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris. However, both of them are now hurt. But, for comparison's sake, let's post their YPC averages for this year as well and see where Maroney grades out among the other two...
Fred Taylor: 4.5
Fred Taylor
Sammy Morris: 3.6
Sammy Morris
According to these stats, the "pound it between the tackles machine who never gets stopped for negative yardage" Fred Taylor (who is also my boy) is only .2 YPC ahead of Maroney and Sammy Morris is under 4.0 YPC.
Here's another fun fact - Maroney has only had a YPC average under 4.0 once in his entire career - that being last season when he shattered his shoulder (yet still tried to play for a game) and had to go on IR for the rest of the year.
2. You keep refusing to comment on whether you think Maroney is worth re-signing at starter-level RB money when his contract is up soon. I'd wager that the vast majority would be against it.
Wow. You really think you have a home run hit with this so called "point", don't you? The question of whether or not we should give starter money to Maroney is ridiculous at this point given the fact that the Patriots have clearly shown that they wish to be a running back by committee type of team. How many times, since BB has been head coach of this team, have they given starter, or big money, to a running back? They sure as hell didn't do it when it was a one man wrecking crew, and they sure as hell aren't going to do it now when they can get two more capable bodies in there for the price of "starter" money. So, in short, if Maroney is expecting starter money, then he is out of his mind. He won't get it, and it won't be because of his production.
Even the strongest Maroney supporters can't put up strong arguments on these two points, because there aren't any.
Hmm. I believe I just did. However, the first point wasn't that hard considering that you destroyed it on your own before I even got to it...