Alex Bannister

[dryheat44]

Great special teams cover guys don't get cut in June. He might be at the point where he's not likely to regain health.

 

[Dragda]

would you guys prefer him over patten?

Sure. Patten doesn't play ST and this guy excels at it. Patten wasn't anything great. Very average. Look how quickly Washington is done with him.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

If there's one thing we can say about BB, it's that he takes losses harder than anyone, even us. when he loses he takes it very personally and can become downright ruthless about it in the offseason. The 2003 offseason is a good example. And now the 2006 offseason. Watching the Denver game there are a number of players who did not perform up to expectation and Patriot standards. Those players could be...
(1) McGinest, who made a show on the sidelines shoving Izzo
(2) Vinatieri missing a crucial FG
(3) Faulk fumbling
(4) Givens dropping a crucial pass
(5) Dillon not exploding through the hole
(6) Fauria not catching the quick passes to beat the blitz
(7) Ashworth allowing the pressure to get to Brady on the INT
(8) Bethel being such an unreliable return man that after 3 years he wasn't even active for the game. Of course, Troy and Ellis fumbled and should be accountable, but it just speaks to Bethel's glowing absence from the field.

All those players are gone, with exception of Faulk and Dillon, and the team addressed that by drafting Maroney. What about Izzo? The Special Teams in that game lost the game in some respect: a missed FG, and two fumbles. Izzo was special teams captain. BB takes this stuff very seriously.

So, by your line of reasoning you're saying that Brady's stupid game killing INT for an enemy TD and 14 point swing means that Matt Cassell will be starting this season.
Interesting.

 

[DaBruinz]

So, by your line of reasoning you're saying that Brady's stupid game killing INT for an enemy TD and 14 point swing means that Matt Cassell will be starting this season.
Interesting.

Actually, PWP, that is a false evaluation of his line of reasoning.

Also, I don't believe that Ashworth being gone had anything to do with the Denver game considering that Ashworth had a 100+ degree temperature and forced himself to play because Kaczur was out injured.

What would be more appropriate to say is:

1) McGinest - The sideline show with Izzo and the poor play to start the season. It really showed his age.

2) Vinatieri - missing crucial kicks, lack of distance on his kick-offs and Field goals.

3) Faulk - Fumbling and becoming injury prone.

4) Givens - Dropping crucial passes and lack of consistency. There is a saying "If you get open, Brady will get you the ball." I think it applies to Givens. I don't believe he was getting open a lot.

5) Dillon - Not exploding through the hole and the lack of a viable back-up.

6) Fauria - Not catching the quick passes to beat the blitz, not picking up the blitz in the blocking schemes, and becoming less of a blocker otherwise.

7) Ashworth - I honestly can't phathom why BB would WANT to get rid of Ashworth. Ashworth is one of Dante's best success stories. Ashworth played the LT spot for Kaczur very well last year and was better at RT than Gorin.

8) Bethel - 2nd round pick with blazing speed who couldn't run routes properly and seemed like he couldn't/wouldn't take responsibility for himself. The kick returning was more a sign of the poor kick blocking and taking bad penalties than it was Bethel not running well. Though Bethel could have run better.

 

[dryheat44]

I think Ashworth was better than Gorin also, but Ashworth had that back injury, which could be a chronic condition. If I had to choose one to keep, it would be Gorin.

 

[WhiZa]

I'd take both him and Patten

Here's the conference with BB commenting on Bannister (10/13/2004): http://cachewww.patriots.com/MediaCenter/index.cfm?ac=AudioNewsDetail&PID=9306&PCID=85

 

[Pats726]

but what if he is Sean Mory supersized?

O LIKE that..and he is young..NOT old like Hayes was when he came here..or Morey...who was young here and in his 30s now...and Hayes never played special teams

 

[Digger44]

This guy is Donald Hayes lite.

I didn't know hayes played on ST. As far as his body, they are similar, but what are you basing your post on?

 

[Urgent]

This guy is Donald Hayes lite.

Confusing Alex Bannister with a wide receiver is like confusing JeRod Cherry with a safety or Larry Izzo with a linebacker.

Hayes failed because he was a poor receiver. Izzo succeeds because he is a good wedge buster on special teams, not because he can stuff the run.

Bannister is a pure ST guy who accounts for 25 yards receiving a year as a small bonus.

Confusing him with Patten is similarly misleading.

 

[Digger44]

Confusing Alex Bannister with a wide receiver is like confusing JeRod Cherry with a safety or Larry Izzo with a linebacker.

Hayes failed because he was a poor receiver. Izzo succeeds because he is a good wedge buster on special teams, not because he can stuff the run.

Bannister is a pure ST guy who accounts for 25 yards receiving a year as a small bonus.

Confusing him with Patten is similarly misleading.

There wasn't a confusion with Patten. If Bannistah is signed then there will need to be a sacrifice for a spot. As of now, it may by Izzo. I would hate to see that, so a logical step would be to not to sign Patten or bring him to camp then cut.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Great special teams cover guys don't get cut in June. He might be at the point where he's not likely to regain health.

Great ST guys get cut all the time because of the roster spots issue. How many times have the Pats cut and resigned J. Cherry as just one example. I don't know about the exact status of Bannister's health but I disagree with the premise of your generalized statement.

As for Bannister, as I understand it if the Pats signed him it would be for ST only. I believe BB is a better evaluator of talent for that purpose than the fans in the peanut gallery.

 

[jczxohn1]

Great ST guys get cut all the time because of the roster spots issue. How many times have the Pats cut and resigned J. Cherry as just one example. I don't know about the exact status of Bannister's health but I disagree with the premise of your generalized statement.

As for Bannister, as I understand it if the Pats signed him it would be for ST only. I believe BB is a better evaluator of talent for that purpose than the fans in the peanut gallery.

JeRod Cherry got cut because he made the mistake of being the first ST guy to screw up in a season. He got called back when it was determined they were worse off without him.

 

[spacecrime]

Great special teams cover guys don't get cut in June.

Great ST guys get cut all the time because of the roster spots issue. How many times have the Pats cut and resigned J. Cherry as just one example.

The Pats NEVER cut Cherry in June. No half way decent player gets cut in June unless it is a salary cap issue.

Sixth tier UDFAs get cut in June.

Anyone who might have a chance to play is kept until the end because who knows what injury might happen during TC.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Patriots | Team has not contacted Bannister
Wed, 7 Jun 2006 17:34:15 -0700

John Tomase, of the Boston Herald, reports agent Tim McGee said the New England Patriots have not contacted him about free agent WR Alex Bannister (Seahawks). "I have not heard from the Patriots at all, but I know Bill (head coach Belichick) was really high on him," McGee said. "We'll have to wait and see if contact is made."


Bears | Team showing interest in Bannister
Wed, 7 Jun 2006 17:33:42 -0700

John Tomase, of the Boston Herald, reports agent Tim McGee said the Chicago Bears are one of four teams to show an interest in free agent WR/KR Alex Bannister (Seahawks). The Cincinnati Bengals and two unnamed teams are the other three. McGee said Bannister would like a chance to play receiver.