Asante Samuel Appreciation Thread

[PATSNUTme]

I hope that #22 continues to have a "show me the money' type year right up to and including the SB victory.

 

[skri65]

If he keeps playing the way he's playing, he certaintly won't be on our roster come next year.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Do i appreciate his play? Of course. But i find it funny all of a sudden he's becomming a breakout player in his contract year.

I will leave the Hobbs is worse than Samuel debate alone because i can prove point after point that Hobbs is better but people will disregard the truth for their own bias.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Do i appreciate his play? Of course. But i find it funny all of a sudden he's becomming a breakout player in his contract year.

I will leave the Hobbs is worse than Samuel debate alone because i can prove point after point that Hobbs is better but people will disregard the truth for their own bias.

Biased, emotional, irrational posters? Inconceivable!

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Biased, emotional, irrational posters? Inconceivable!

Sadly its just confusing at times.

Take this for example:

As I said, because of his height, receivers can take advantage of him on those type of plays, quick inside moves where they have the inside move and Hobbs is behind them, to short to defend.

Because of Hobbs height.

Yet Hobbs is 5'9'' 193 and Samuel is 5'10'' 185. The obvious height and weight difference must mean Hobbs is too small and fat to even bother playing in this league.


Stunning at times.

Another thread has Samuel = SHUTDOWN corner,or something to that effect, because Evans had 1 rec. for 11 yards. When way back in week 1 Hobbs let him have two receptions for 25. O THE HORROR! Hobbs plays with an injury and what happens to him? He gets treated like crap.

 

[arrellbee]

I am sorely puzzled. What happened to all of the poster considered wisdom in preseason that said that Samuel was clearly not an outside corner but only good enough to be a nickel DB ?? Looks like we'll just have to make do - sigh.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Stunning at times.

Another thread has Samuel = SHUTDOWN corner,or something to that effect, because Evans had 1 rec. for 11 yards. When way back in week 1 Hobbs let him have two receptions for 25. O THE HORROR! Hobbs plays with an injury and what happens to him? He gets treated like crap.

Perhaps the enviro-nazis are right and the nation's water supply is hopelessly polluted? Assuming the folks suspected of bias drink water, or even bathe in it...

 

[SeanBruschi54]

I am sorely puzzled. What happened to all of the poster considered wisdom in preseason that said that Samuel was clearly not an outside corner but only good enough to be a nickel DB ?? Looks like we'll just have to make do - sigh.

Apparently Samuel caught the scent of Money and decided to play better.

 

[D-cleater]

Pretty typical... player has a good game and everyone's a big fan.

I like Asante for the solid corner he is. But the comparisons to Law are ridiculous, IMO, at least at this point. The numbers may look similar, but I don't remember Law getting burnt hardly ever, and Samuel has definitely given up a few long plays in the past few years. I don't see Samuel have anywhere near the tight coverage skills that Law did in his prime. He can make up for it with speed, and he does make a good break on the ball at times, but he is not the shutdown corner, in coverage or run support, that Law was. Just my .02

 

[Water Boy]

Too many of you don't like the kid. He's done all that has been asked of him this year, and has 3 INT on the year. Give the kid a break. He's a solid CB, give him credit. He's held this secondary together in terms of turnovers.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...ss_id=Boston.com+--+New+England+Patriots+news

This Globe article speculates that Asante's contract value will be in the range of Brian Williams of Jacksonville who got a 6 year deal worth 32 million with a $10 million bonus. Using the franchise tag will cost about $7 million.

I hope Asante doesn't try to break the bank and that the Pats offer him a fair deal.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I am sorely puzzled. What happened to all of the poster considered wisdom in preseason that said that Samuel was clearly not an outside corner but only good enough to be a nickel DB ?? Looks like we'll just have to make do - sigh.

You go too far.

You are asking posters to be rational and to think about things over the long term, rather than a one play-one game knee jerk analysis.

Please remember where you are.

 

[JR4]

Pretty typical... player has a good game and everyone's a big fan.

I like Asante for the solid corner he is. But the comparisons to Law are ridiculous, IMO, at least at this point. The numbers may look similar, but I don't remember Law getting burnt hardly ever, and Samuel has definitely given up a few long plays in the past few years. I don't see Samuel have anywhere near the tight coverage skills that Law did in his prime. He can make up for it with speed, and he does make a good break on the ball at times, but he is not the shutdown corner, in coverage or run support, that Law was. Just my .02

The Law comparison is valid in terms of early career years comparison.
Right now Samuel is just as productive as Law was in his early career.

About Samuel getting burnt. That comparison with Law could be debated.
For one thing in Law's early career he was in a different Defense. I would
like to know if Law was required to do the things Asante is asked to do.
Some of those blown coverages by Asante I believe were a result of a communications break down and NOT totally Asante's fault.

Harrison thinks Samuel has all the physical tools and this year his mental
grasp of this defense has been raised to a higher level.

IMO, IF ... Samuel keeps developing along projected trends and stays in the
PATs system he will be at the level of Law's play. He won't be Law but
he will be as productive as Law but different.
If he opts to chase the money and go somewhere else he may or may not be that good.

If I could take Law at this point in his career instead of Asante ... I wouldn't.

 

[JR4]

You go too far.

You are asking posters to be rational and to think about things over the long term, rather than a one play-one game knee jerk analysis.

Please remember where you are.

Who is taking it on a "one play-one game knee jerk analysis"?
That's nice words for effect but who has done that?

Look at the first three YEARS of Law vs Samuel. early career. Then look
at the 4th year and where Samuel projects to be at end of this year.
That's not knee jerk analysis.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Who is taking it on a "one play-one game knee jerk analysis"?
That's nice words for effect but who has done that?

Look at the first three YEARS of Law vs Samuel. early career. Then look
at the 4th year and where Samuel projects to be at end of this year.
That's not knee jerk analysis.

I'm not talking about a comparison between Law and Samuels. I won't even go into that.

I'm talking about all the past post about Sameuls being no better than a nickle back - or even a dime back. Now, they have him as All- Pro.

 

[PatsRI]

He's already matched his INT mark from last year (3) which was also the team high tied with Hobbs.

 

[ilduce06410]

Ty Law called him a "ball magnet"

Always been an Asante fan.

Amazing what a difference a little stickum makes.

A ball magnet. seems always to be there around the pill, somewhere.
as his coverage skills have improved a call him a Ball Hawk.

it was that comment by mr. big that caught my attention. over the years you can see it. at least twice every game he manages to get his hands on the ball.
now that, even as bad as an IT, messes with a QB's mind, takes that route awayfrom him. that almost-interception, the way he jumps routes, knock-aways, strange special teams play, something.

 

[patchick]

I'm talking about all the past post about Sameuls being no better than a nickle back - or even a dime back. Now, they have him as All- Pro.

I don't believe I've ever posted an opinion either way on Samuels, but I'm always curious about this "they" I hear so much about. Yes, there were posts before the season from people who thought Samuels was best suited to nickel. Yes, there are posts now saying he is clearly the team's best corner. But are they the same posters? And are they claiming he's always been this good, not that he's elevated his game? If either answer is no, there is no hypocritical "they," just a tired straw man.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I don't believe I've ever posted an opinion either way on Samuels, but I'm always curious about this "they" I hear so much about. Yes, there were posts before the season from people who thought Samuels was best suited to nickel. Yes, there are posts now saying he is clearly the team's best corner. But are they the same posters? And are they claiming he's always been this good, not that he's elevated his game? If either answer is no, there is no hypocritical "they," just a tired straw man.

As little as a couple of weeks ago, there were threads about Samuels contract being extended and his declining an offer by the Patriots.

There were posters who had declared him - not that good- more of a nickle back- easily replaceable. I don't know who exactly those posters were and don't want to spend the time to find out.

My point was that just a couple of weeks ago he was a nickle back and now he's a Pro bowl player. I hope he continues to play at a high level the rest of the year.

 

[ilduce06410]

What Height?

Sadly its just confusing at times.

Take this for example:
Because of Hobbs height.
Yet Hobbs is 5'9'' 193 and Samuel is 5'10'' 185. The obvious height and weight difference must mean Hobbs is too small and fat to even bother playing in this league.
Stunning at times.
Another thread has Samuel = SHUTDOWN corner,or something to that effect, because Evans had 1 rec. for 11 yards. When way back in week 1 Hobbs let him have two receptions for 25. O THE HORROR! Hobbs plays with an injury and what happens to him? He gets treated like crap.

yeah, but...
one thing all this chatter suggests to me is:
Hobbs is not Reeallllly 5'9'. deion branch durned sure ain't who knows what samuel really is.
clearly DB and TB had it worked out, routes and changes to routes.
TB threw his passes to DB Much Lower than usual. i believe they had a "flutie effect" going on. we may see a number of TB's passes fall short, deep into this season, because those were deion's old routes.
IMNHO they relly kicked TB in the teeth with that move. over money. he's such a nice fella that he wants to try and accept it. somethin tells me Brett Favre or o'l peyton, mcnabbb, vick would have stomping around the GM's office before, and after, they moved the twig to..........seattle?

been complainig about Hobbs all summer. Thought he was TOOO SMALL. ive wanted a six-footer since march 06.

i tell ya hobbs and the twig, vinatieri,

 

[Oswlek]

I have been saying for quite some time that Samuel is a much better CB than even Pats fans realized. After the first Buffalo game, when Hobbs manned up on Evans every play, I was willing to conceed that Hobbs was a little better, but the "Samuel is a nickelback" crew have been completely off base the entire time.

Samuel is one of the top 20 CBs in the entire game right now, and has been since 2004, IMHO.