Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator

[JSn]

Good stuff, actually.

Tully Banta-Cain fits back in - BostonHerald.com

Excerpt:

The only curve Banta-Cain has been thrown since being released by the 49ers and rejoining the Pats last month was watching Mike Vrabel get traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Like many, the fellow outside linebacker didn’t see that one coming.

“That was a big shock because he’s a core guy here, a big leader,” Banta-Cain said. “They brought me in here, in my mind, I think I’m backing him up on the defense as a role-playing spot duty guy. When he left, I’m thinking, I guess, maybe I have to really, really step my game up, because he was like a coach on the field. He was a leader in the locker room. So he’s greatly missed. He’s a good friend of mine, too.

“That’s a tough loss, but with the coaching and the players we have, we’ll make up for it somehow.”

Banta-Cain tries not to focus on who’s at his position, or who may be brought in. In other words, he’s not concerned with the Julius Peppers rumors. He believes his role will evolve over time.

“I think there’s good competition at outside linebacker. There’s definitely an undercurrent of young guys coming in here, so I’m going to let it play itself out,” he said. “But I think they brought me here with the thought in mind I can get after the quarterback, and I can help in the kicking game. Those are the two things that I’m going to primarily focus on.

“But, all in all, I want to be an all-around, every-down starting linebacker. I’m going to start with the role they give me and then let it play itself out.”

 

[unoriginal]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Article on the Tullinator.

“I think there’s good competition at outside linebacker. There’s definitely an undercurrent of young guys coming in here, so I’m going to let it play itself out,” [TBC] said. “But I think they brought me here with the thought in mind I can get after the quarterback, and I can help in the kicking game. Those are the two things that I’m going to primarily focus on.

That was a good thing to note. I remember about two years ago BB was asked about the progress of James Sanders (I think), and he said the most impressive thing about Sanders was that he worked hardest at the things he wasn't good at, and was developing into an all-around safety. BB then made a general comment that "it's easy to practice what you're good at."

Not saying that rushing the passer and STs are easy, and TBC "is what he is" at this point moreso than Sanders, but I'm a little worried TBC sees himself as just a specialist, given that we almost always have at least one bad injury at OLB every year.

 

[jays52]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Is that actually her last name? If so, congradulations on making it through elementary school with a shred of dignity left.

 

[JSn]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Is that actually her last name? If so, congradulations on making it through elementary school with a shred of dignity left.

No, but my revision is more entertaining and easier to remember.

 

[jays52]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

No, but my revision is more entertaining and easier to remember.

Ah. See, caffine intake has been minimal for me this morning, ole synapses aren't exactly firing at the moment. Nice work through. It seems like something a morbidly obese person would do to cure a sore throat.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Glad to see Ian Anderson is on the team.

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sunday.

 

[PatsChamp88]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

LOL nice thread title

 

[letekro]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Glad to see Ian Anderson is on the team.

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sunday.

I appreciate the reference.

 

[JSn]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

LOL nice thread title

I believe that the Herald occasionally has decent Pats output, but unwritten code since the betrayal would have us belittle the paper and its associates at every turn.

And so I have done my duty.

Do you guys think TBC has the tools to become more than a role-player? He's not old yet and if he is able to work hard (maybe his foray into the land of suck will help his motivation), he could become an every down back, like he mentions. Could he compete? I never saw him play, to my knowledge.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Do you guys think TBC has the tools to become more than a role-player?

In short... No. The very definition of JAG.

 

[fgssand]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Glad to see Ian Anderson is on the team.

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sunday.

Is that you sitting on that park bench eying little girls (over 21) with bad intentions??

 

[JSn]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Is that you sitting on that park bench eying little girls (over 21) with bad intentions??

Have you guy's read his book?

Tully's Book

 

[satz]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Do you guys think TBC has the tools to become more than a role-player? He's not old yet and if he is able to work hard (maybe his foray into the land of suck will help his motivation), he could become an every down back, like he mentions. Could he compete? I never saw him play, to my knowledge.

We have never had a OLB develop in our system. tully had had a better career till now then mike vrabel had at his age. so if this question was asked at the same point of his career on vrabel people would have want him cut.

i think the way some one compares a top 10 pick OLB to these UDFA guys is unreasonable.

so the answer maybe ?.He was horrible against the run and he has the size so maybe this 2 yrs has motivated him to develop better skills and be effective at the point of attack.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

Is that you sitting on that park bench eying little girls (over 21) with bad intentions??

You poor old sot, you see it's only me...

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Nice interview with the Tullinator.

My first thought was: there actually exists a person with the name Gurgleburger?
My second thought was: at the age of 21 why didn't she immediately get a legal name change?
My third thought (after checking the article) was: Your headline is a LIE, her name is actually listed as Guregian.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Article on the Tullinator.

When he left, I’m thinking, I guess, maybe I have to really, really step my game up

Gee, Tully.... ya guess, maybe, if you had really, really stepped up your game you wouldn't have been a role-playing spot duty guy to begin with?

That was a good thing to note. I remember about two years ago BB was asked about the progress of James Sanders (I think), and he said the most impressive thing about Sanders was that he worked hardest at the things he wasn't good at, and was developing into an all-around safety. BB then made a general comment that "it's easy to practice what you're good at.".

Excellent point.

 

[Sicilian]

Re: Karen Gurgleburger: Article on the Tullinator.

That was a good thing to note. I remember about two years ago BB was asked about the progress of James Sanders (I think), and he said the most impressive thing about Sanders was that he worked hardest at the things he wasn't good at, and was developing into an all-around safety. BB then made a general comment that "it's easy to practice what you're good at."

That's one of the things that makes me optimistic about Meriweather's continued progress. After his rookie year, when he couldn't catch a towel if it fell over his head, he spent a ton of time working out his hands in the offseason. Sophomore year, five interceptions. It's good to see.

As for TBC being an everydown LB... in the short term, like a game or two, sure, he could be fine. If you're plugging him in for the year for a lost starter, I think he's going to be exposed by year's end.

 

[billdog3484]

is her last named actually gurgleburger?

 

[unoriginal]

Incidentally, here was the press conference with BB where he mentions the way Sanders practices, from August '07:

Q: We were just talking about James Sanders and I was thinking about last year, I think it was the third game where he had a tough time and then he sort of responded after that. Did you learn a lot about him through that adversity and how he handled himself?

BB: Yes, I would say last year was a very defining year for James as a professional football player. There were times earlier in the year where things didn’t go as well for him as I’m sure he would have liked for them to go. The way he bounced back was to work harder, to prepare harder, to try to be more attentive on the practice field and really to try to correct the mistakes that he made. We’ve talked about that before with other players, guys like Kevin Faulk and people like that, where those guys make a mistake and you correct them on it, they’re obsessed with getting that straightened out and it not happening again. I give James a lot of credit. For a young guy, really he stepped up. He addressed some things that he had trouble with. He improved them significantly and really by the end of the year they were strengths not weaknesses. That’s not easy for a player to do. Most players like to work on the strengths, work on the things that they’re good at and they’re not as anxious to work on their weaknesses or things that need a lot of work. They’d rather work on the things that they do well. I think a really good player, and a real professional player, does that. He knows that’s where he’s going to be attacked and that’s what he has to shore up. James did a great job of that last year. It was really impressive for such a young kid.