Jerry Rice on Doug Gabriel, Patriot...

[patsox23]

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=159018

"if he can get healthy 100 percent, I think with the Patriots, they got away with a steal getting him onboard.”

**********************************************************

"Doug is fast. He has that breakaway speed,” said Rice, who played alongside Gabriel in Oakland during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. “He can make big plays similar to a Deion Branch. He just has to get in there and find himself so he can contribute to the team and help out that offense.”

**********************************************************

Joe Montana’s former go-to-guy was stunned Gabriel was traded for so little in return.

**********************************************************

"I really felt Doug should have been the receiver opposite Randy Moss because he’s just that talented,” Rice said. “With the scenario with Jerry Porter and the soap opera going on ... with the Raiders, with the receiving corps with so many guys, I guess they just decided to let him go. But I was surprised.”

***********************************************************

Rice, who officially retired in August, said he and Gabriel formed a friendship basically because Gabriel never left him alone. He kept following him around like a puppy dog, sponging as much information as he possibly could from the three-time Super Bowl champion and former Super Bowl MVP.

***********************************************************

“He’s a good guy and he’s going to play hard. He’s not going to cause any problems,” Rice said. “Off the field, he’s not all to himself, but you’re not going to hear anything about him starting fights in bars. He’s just excited about this opportunity and I think Doug is going to be one of the guys who’s going to step up.”




Sounds good to me.

 

[RPCity]

I got no complaints...I just hope he picked up a little something about route running and hands from Jerry in that time he spent following him around.

 

[DarrylS]

I like the part where Rice talks how Gabriel followed him around to learn the NFL trade, although we have not seen much from Dougy, the more I read the more I like this guy. Gotta prove it to me on the field though.

 

[LloydBraun]

Felger sarcatically writes " waiting for Gabriel to make a play..." in the Herald today.

When does this crap stop. Felger fails to realize last week was Gabriel's 1st game. If Brady doesn't underthrow him, he may have had a long TD catch. Gabriel also dropped a laser that may have been a score.

Felger is bitter. Why? Is he going thru personal troubles? Is he jealous that Holley had such close access to the team? Who knows.

 

[fgssand]

Felger sarcatically writes " waiting for Gabriel to make a play..." in the Herald today.

When does this crap stop. Felger fails to realize last week was Gabriel's 1st game. If Brady doesn't underthrow him, he may have had a long TD catch. Gabriel also dropped a laser that may have been a score.

Felger is bitter. Why? Is he going thru personal troubles? Is he jealous that Holley had such close access to the team? Who knows.

Instead of being an idiot antagonist, Felger could have done a little research and told us how Doug graded out with his blocking assignments and special teams play. Of course that might require working. He could have checked into how he is fitting in with the team (all he had to do was read his own papers report of his night a comedy connection with Dillon, Graham & Watson).

I think this guy will be contributing a heck of a lot to this team by the time the 2nd half of the season is upon us.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Oh I like the guy fine too. I live him AND Chad Jackson just fine. I like it even better that the GOAT likes him and says he's a knowledge sponge, because that's the kind of guy we need and love.

Yep, like him and Chad just peachy. Jussssst fine and dandy.

Now let's get them all worked in with Brady and see what we've really got. We just DO NOT KNOW... I doubt we'll be looking at game 8, as the "worst passing team in the NFL" or anything, but we're also a long way from "Indy Junior" (as regards the passing game.)

There's always adversity my brothers, and this year it's in the receiving corps. Let us not rush to annoint these two guys the saviors... nay, be instead thankful we hath talented tight ends and backs; and that our wideouts need only keepeth defenses honest, yea verily.

Sorry, been in general talk too much lately.

PFnV

 

[patchick]

For those ready to write off Gabriel after his first game as a Patriot, a little memory for you:

When Steve Young first took over for Joe Montana, Jerry Rice was very whiny about how that bum Young threw a much less catchable ball, and didn't put it where he liked it the way Joe did. It took a little time for them to get in sync and become one of the top QB-WR pairs of all time.

 

[jefmblrd]

I have a great feeling about Gabriel and what he's going to do with the Patriots; it's gotten even better since I read Rice's observations on him. Once he gets acclimated, he's going to be a producer out there. Plus, he looks huge on the field, much like Jackson; I hope they both play that way. Both of them seem to have great speed as well.

 

[zippo59]

Who's this Rice guy and since when did he become an expert on WR's? I've never heard of him.

 

[SVN]

Felger sarcatically writes " waiting for Gabriel to make a play..." in the Herald today.

When does this crap stop. Felger fails to realize last week was Gabriel's 1st game. If Brady doesn't underthrow him, he may have had a long TD catch. Gabriel also dropped a laser that may have been a score.

Felger is bitter. Why? Is he going thru personal troubles? Is he jealous that Holley had such close access to the team? Who knows.

now that caldwell has made a couple of plays..he needs a new player ..receiver to be exact to b**ch about...he needs attention and we are giving it to him in his columns and radio show

 

[BelichickFan]

Give me a break. Why should Rice think he'll be good when Felger has already pointed out he has done nothing ? Who is this Rice guy anyway ?

Seriously I have no idea how these guys will do. But I am confident that our top three WR, Jackson, Gabriel, Caldwell have as much talent as the Branch, Givens, Davis trio from last year. How they can develop and use that talent, we'll see.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Give me a break. Why should Rice think he'll be good when Felger has already pointed out he has done nothing ? Who is this Rice guy anyway ?

Seriously I have no idea how these guys will do. But I am confident that our top three WR, Jackson, Gabriel, Caldwell have as much talent as the Branch, Givens, Davis trio from last year. How they can develop and use that talent, we'll see.

Rice always works in the negative or the condescending, unless he's talking about how great he was. I was a big 49er fan through their 2 decades of brilliance, but I always liked Joe, Steve, John Taylor, Lott, Craig et al more than Rice. Hope he's right though.

You know, if he can get healthy 100 percent, I think with the Patriots, they got away with a steal getting him onboard.â€

 

[tombonneau]

Nice read, thanks for posting. My favorite bit:

Was he disappointed by his first outing?
"I can't say I was disappointed (I didn't catch a pass). I got in, I helped out, especially with the run blocking and stuff like that," Gabriel said. "Every chance I got to help out the team, that's what I tried to do."

Great to see a WR who isn't a primadonna & doesn't define his impact on offense by his stat line alone. I can't think of many NFL wrs who would say that they weren't dissappointed by their debut where they didn't catch a pass bc they helped out in runblocking.

Love those high character guys. Keep em coming.

 

[BelichickFan]

Love those high character guys. Keep em coming.

According to Adam Shefter, when we asked about Gabriel we had no interest in Jerry Porter . . . I think we know why . . .

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Felger sarcatically writes " waiting for Gabriel to make a play..." in the Herald today.

When does this crap stop. Felger fails to realize last week was Gabriel's 1st game. If Brady doesn't underthrow him, he may have had a long TD catch. Gabriel also dropped a laser that may have been a score.

Felger is bitter. Why? Is he going thru personal troubles? Is he jealous that Holley had such close access to the team? Who knows.

I made the mistake of clicking on that article, I've had to muck out barns in my youth, now that I only have to change the cat litter I have no desire to wade into that kind of mess in print - Felgy, lucky you, you are now on my Borges list - quarantined for public health. Talk about another "journalist" in need of mental hygiene...:trolls: