upstater1
Hall of Fame Poster
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Re: OT: Larry Johnson wanting Tomlinson money - Like Asante situation wanting Clement
Just to set the record straight, the bust list for PSU RBs isn't as long as you imagine. They have had stellar RBs in the NFL, like Franco Harris, Curt Warner, John Cappelletti, Larry Johnson, Lydell Mitchell, etc. The problem is that 3 top draft choices all suffered debilitating knee injuries in their very first years. Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis. Now, I did have doubts about Curtis Enis' ability in the pros, but Ki-Jana Carter was an amazing back in college, and his style of play should have translated very, very well into the pros. But I think with the PSU RB busts, so much of that was about injury, more than anything else.
There have also been a host of fullbacks and scatbacks who have done well, such as Matt Suhey, Sam Gash, Richie Anderson, Jon Witman, Kenny Watson, Eddie Drummond, etc.
Maybe the PSU bust theory is around because people tend to empasize the negative over the positive stories.
You know, I wondered about that but wasn't sure. To toot my horn, that gives my stance more credence. Nobody expected Holmes to go down so soon. If LJ signed this (second) contract, essentially he was a well-paid and talented back-up (a la the present SD situation w/ Turner). He accepted a good pay-day to be an insurance policy.
As talented as he might become (and has since become), he was an unproven commodity. The list of bust Penn St. RB runs long. While I don't buy into that bunk, a lot of people do, including the pros in NFL personnel.
I think the solution, to avoid these annual debacles, is to either reform the rules (as MLB continues to do) or continue to fight about it endlessly. He took a good "back-up" deal and is now expected to be the supervisor at a layman's wage. That doesn't fly in most places.
But, say LT gets decapitated in game one and Turner had signed a 3 Y, 11 M deal. Turner runs for 1400 yds, catches for 450. He was a borderline elite salaried RB as a back-up (WHEN he signed the contract), but suddenly the cap expands and 5 guys who produced less average 8 M to his ~3.7. If he holds out, does he now deserve to re-work for the 10 M he now WOULD be paid if he was a free-agent again?
Just to set the record straight, the bust list for PSU RBs isn't as long as you imagine. They have had stellar RBs in the NFL, like Franco Harris, Curt Warner, John Cappelletti, Larry Johnson, Lydell Mitchell, etc. The problem is that 3 top draft choices all suffered debilitating knee injuries in their very first years. Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis. Now, I did have doubts about Curtis Enis' ability in the pros, but Ki-Jana Carter was an amazing back in college, and his style of play should have translated very, very well into the pros. But I think with the PSU RB busts, so much of that was about injury, more than anything else.
There have also been a host of fullbacks and scatbacks who have done well, such as Matt Suhey, Sam Gash, Richie Anderson, Jon Witman, Kenny Watson, Eddie Drummond, etc.
Maybe the PSU bust theory is around because people tend to empasize the negative over the positive stories.