Connolly - The Perfect Patriot OL

[captain stone]

I agree, and the phrase "shockingly threw away a 4th-rounder" is pretty comical. There's nothing "shocking" about missing on a 4th-round pick, it's the norm.

In fact: I invite anybody to go back to the 2009 draft with perfect 20-20 hindsight and pick any other center prospect you like in place of Ohrnberger. Heck, pick two! What you'll find is that of the 18 o-lineman selected starting at pick #123, 16 ended up getting cut by the team that drafted them.

Nothing shocking about picking - and missing on - a 4th-rounder who displayed 4th-round physical talent & production; what is shocking is picking in the 4th round somebody who displayed UDFA physical talent & production. The fact that he did absolutely nothing whatsoever here is not only not shocking, but was in fact quite predictable.

And as for what Center prospect I preferred at 123 besides O'Burger: why should I be limited to just picking a Center? I instead wanted either James Casey - who would've been a great passing-game FB for us - or Lawrence Sidbury, who maybe could've been a better 3-4 OLB for us than he is a 4-3 DE for Atlanta.

 

[IllegalContact]

The perfect guy.......

 

[IllegalContact]

The perfect guy......

 

[IllegalContact]

The perfect guy......

 

[IllegalContact]

and finally, the perfect guy.......

 

[mayoclinic]

And as for what Center prospect I preferred at 123 besides O'Burger: why should I be limited to just picking a Center? I instead wanted either James Casey - who would've been a great passing-game FB for us - or Lawrence Sidbury, who maybe could've been a better 3-4 OLB for us than he is a 4-3 DE for Atlanta.

FWIW, I was a big James Casey fan in 2009, and was particularly annoyed that Houston got both Barwin AND Casey.

But the bottom line is, while I try to project guys who I think would be good fits for the team, I don't realistically expect BB to necessarily take the guys I like. And just because he picked someone else and they didn't work out doesn't mean it was a bad decision. Enough people were high enough of Ohrnberger to make that a reasonable pick at #123. The Pats had Ben Watson and Dave Thomas on the roster at the time of the 2009 draft, so it's not ridiculous that they prioritized a possible starting center replacement for Dan Koppen over a developmental TE.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Box was big on TJ Lang in 2009, but he went to the Packers at #109. In retrospect, he would have been a nice pick instead of Tyrone McKenzie at #99. But that's entirely hindsight. And Lang was also limited to the guard position.

And rotten luck with McKenzie getting injured in rookie minicamp.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

and finally, the perfect guy.......

If those are your fantasies involving Connolly —well, who am I to argue?

 

[Off The Grid]

The Pats drafted Ted Larsen in 2010 and...hoped to sign Larsen to the PS but Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers.

Somewhat similar to what happened to Green Bay with McDonald.

Revenge of Bay of Pigs???

 

[Off The Grid]

The perfect guy......

OK...

ONCE was funny...

FIVE TIMES...is SERIOUSLY suspect.

 

[Off The Grid]

Off the Grid is at his fiendish best in terms of his fanaticism for the OC position, calling it the 3rd most important position on the team after QB and DT. An ideal center really has to have QB-like ability to read the opposing defensive alignment and make the line calls.

I find it interesting that McDonald was among other things a backup QB (along with a RB and TE, which obviously helped his footwork) before being moved to OL in college. In terms of his size, smarts and processing ability he reminds me a little bit of Cleveland's Alex Mack.

And YOU are at your Extra Mayo Extra BEST when you focus your outstanding Insight INTENSELY on a guy like McDonald and awaken ALL of us to his IMMENSE potential, Brother Mayo!! PROPS, my Brother!!

 

[patchick]

If those are your fantasies involving Connolly —well, who am I to argue?

We're all a little nostalgic for these days...

http://www.purduesports.com/drewbrees/pur-drewbrees-lifeguards.html

 

[Off The Grid]

I just realized that I have been unconsciously picturing Off the Grid as looking like Borat.

How'd you KNOW???

 

[Off The Grid]

We're all a little nostalgic for these days...

Purdue Official Athletic Site - Football

I know what you mean.

How fondly I recall Spring Break...

GOD, I love FootBall!! :rocker:

 

[Off The Grid]

There is something rather Sacha Baron Cohen about my fanatical brother.

Though I picture him as more of a Jean Girard type from Talladega Nights:

Talladega Nights - Ricky meets Jean Girard - Video Dailymotion
My Husband Gregory - Video Dailymotion

"We invented democracy, existentialistm, and the blow job."

"Your injury is one of ignorance and pride. Au revoir."

The part about his "husband" is a likely show stopper, however.

Yes, I've heard that character was based on me!!

"We invented democracy, existentialistm, and the blow job."

"Your injury is one of ignorance and pride. Au revoir."

Seriously: That is exactly the sort of shytte I actually say!!

 

[Off The Grid]

LOL! That's great! I kind of had a Marty Feldman thing going for him with one eye defiantly "Off The Grid".

Yeah, I get that a lot.

 

[Off The Grid]

We're all a little nostalgic for these days...

Purdue Official Athletic Site - Football

I know what you mean.

How fondly I recall Spring Break...

GOD, I love FootBall!! :rocker:

Now, THAT'S an "Offensive Line"!! Yowza, Yowza!! :singing:

 

[patchick]

And as for what Center prospect I preferred at 123 besides O'Burger: why should I be limited to just picking a Center? I instead wanted either James Casey - who would've been a great passing-game FB for us - or Lawrence Sidbury, who maybe could've been a better 3-4 OLB for us than he is a 4-3 DE for Atlanta.

I know, you wanted Sidbury, you've said it many times. And Sidbury has turned out to be...nothing at all.

But I agree, it's fair to say that you didn't want them to draft any OL at all in 2009. So for a better comparison, let's go back a year and compare Ohrnberger to the lineman you were livid that they DIDN'T choose in the 4th in 2008:

He should've done that last year by choosing Roy Schuening instead of short, slow Johnny Wilhite in the 4th round or the excreble Matty Slater after the trade-up in the 5th.

Roy Scheuning. 1 career game played -- that's 4 fewer than "Inexecusable" Rich Ohrnberger.

In other words, DAY 3 DRAFT PICKS ARE A CRAPSHOOT. Wilhite and "Execrable" Matt Slater have each made a bigger impact and played more games than Scheuning, Ohrnberger and Sidbury put together. That's life in the NFL.

 

[captain stone]

FWIW, I was a big James Casey fan in 2009, and was particularly annoyed that Houston got both Barwin AND Casey.

But the bottom line is, while I try to project guys who I think would be good fits for the team, I don't realistically expect BB to necessarily take the guys I like. And just because he picked someone else and they didn't work out doesn't mean it was a bad decision. Enough people were high enough of Ohrnberger to make that a reasonable pick at #123. The Pats had Ben Watson and Dave Thomas on the roster at the time of the 2009 draft, so it's not ridiculous that they prioritized a possible starting center replacement for Dan Koppen over a developmental TE.

Your point is well-made, though I respectfully disagree that O'Burger was a reasonable pick at 123.
If I had to choose an OLman there, I would've taken Jamon Meredith, who's barely hanging on to a career,
but at the time I felt could've been a good 2-position (LG & LT) backup with starter-in-a-pinch potential.
Another option would've been Austin Collie, a favorite of many (incl. me) on the draft board. But after Tate
was chosen in the 3rd round, I would not have taken another WR in the 4th round.

 

[mayoclinic]

I instead wanted either James Casey - who would've been a great passing-game FB for us.

BB makes mistakes, but he generally recongizes and learns from them. If you liked James Casey in 2009, then you should be very excited about the addition of Spencer Larsen for 2012.