SMY is my new favorite Pats reporter

[satz]

I think i have to disagree on alot of stuff.

Usually the pats have done good job in developing players to contribute more in the second year.

butler,chung are going to be real good this year. we basically play a 3 safety defence 50% of the time and i see chung contributing.Buter and whilltie are going to just better. IN nfl last year we saw 2 guys who did not track the ball and got caught playing the receiver. this is a skill that needs to developed. i will bet both will play the ball better and not the WR leading to getting beat[whillite] or horrible PI calls [butler]

Brace- He will contribute along with a draft pick. every DL we have got take the 2nd year step. Even 20-30% of snap from him is going to be better. As a 3-4 end he is a perfect match for huge tackles like long.

ILB-i think the last yr 3rd year pick is going to open some eyes. he was good before he got injured and zolak said Bb was very high on that kid. Also , this means guyton is going to be more effective in sub packages.Mayo healthy is another key. the 2nd ILB for us is also shared spot where we bring in our 3rd safety in 3rd down.

We have gone from the oldest defence in the leagea a few yrs back to the 21yr oldest and with a influx of rookies its going to be a young defence. Its take time for young players improve.she ignores that fact.

kazur - nothing against him he is a decent player and we pay him like one so i have no issues. Its not like he is being paid 5-6 million a year. So being a realist he is fine you pay for what talent you think the guy is.The issue we had was the RG position where a 3-4 ends were creating inside presure.If we solidify the RG i think kazur will actually be back to his decent self.

Dan koppen played all year with a bummed ankle, his backup was bad enough so i would draft a good C/G prospect to back him and neal up.Russ was such a nice addition not sure th 7th from denver was so critical to the team development.

 

[BostonPatriot]

Only SOME of the Pats fans are honest in their assessments. And, to be honest, Your addition of things in parenthesis is your assumption of context.

No offense to SMY because she is a great reporter, but that's just it. She's a great reporter. Her opinions don't amount to sh!t. Just like everyone else.

I find it funny that the Pats added such talented players as Chung, Vollmer, Brace, and Edelman last year, yet they supposedly have more holes now than ever. The OLB situation is actually better than prior to the start of last year because of TBC finally finding success. The secondary is probably the most solid it's been since 2003. The ILB situation hasn't changed since last year except that Mayo and Guyton have both gained experience.

Contrary to her belief the 2006 draft wasn't poor. It was average. The 2007 draft was good because of the additions of Moss, Welker, and Meriweather. Not hitting on the other players is no big deal.

The 2008 draft can't be graded until after this upcoming season. Mayo has been good. Wilhite has filled in well. Slater has been exceptional on special teams contrary to most people's understanding (or should I say LACK of). This is the make or break years for Wheatley and Crable.

People need to stop thinking that it's a poor draft just because the Pats didn't hit on every friggin pick. I believe it's like a 10% possibility that a 5th, 6th, or 7th round pick contributes. Never mind becoming a star. But contributes. Everyone has such high expectations because BB has had luck with Brady, Givens, Edelman, etc. But they are they exceptions, not the norm.

I can't figure out who is the biggest homer on this site, you or emoney.

2009 was an awesome season and we are in great shape for 2010!

 

[RodThePat]

I just love how negativism is instantly praised as objective thinking by some.

The team, right now, isn't in great shape foro 2010. But to say this is an 8-8 squad is just ridiculous.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Only SOME of the Pats fans are honest in their assessments. And, to be honest, Your addition of things in parenthesis is your assumption of context.

No offense to SMY because she is a great reporter, but that's just it. She's a great reporter. Her opinions don't amount to sh!t. Just like everyone else.

I find it funny that the Pats added such talented players as Chung, Vollmer, Brace, and Edelman last year, yet they supposedly have more holes now than ever. The OLB situation is actually better than prior to the start of last year because of TBC finally finding success. The secondary is probably the most solid it's been since 2003. The ILB situation hasn't changed since last year except that Mayo and Guyton have both gained experience.

Contrary to her belief the 2006 draft wasn't poor. It was average. The 2007 draft was good because of the additions of Moss, Welker, and Meriweather. Not hitting on the other players is no big deal.

The 2008 draft can't be graded until after this upcoming season. Mayo has been good. Wilhite has filled in well. Slater has been exceptional on special teams contrary to most people's understanding (or should I say LACK of). This is the make or break years for Wheatley and Crable.

People need to stop thinking that it's a poor draft just because the Pats didn't hit on every friggin pick. I believe it's like a 10% possibility that a 5th, 6th, or 7th round pick contributes. Never mind becoming a star. But contributes. Everyone has such high expectations because BB has had luck with Brady, Givens, Edelman, etc. But they are they exceptions, not the norm.

with all due respect, bro.......brace? if you call high fat content talent, then OK

I think you are a bit optimistic......the OLB position is worse than last year since they only have one (TBC) who has proven the ability to even step on the field who we expect to actually be there week 1(thomas is pretty much done.....as for mayo and guyton......they are the ones who need to have break out years and not wheatley and crable.......mayo and guyton have generated numbers because they have been on the field so much, but they need to make the next step in terms of reading the offense and being able to make some plays.......especially in the passing game

the pats had a good 2009 draft in terms of providing a quantity of NFL caliber bodies who will stick on the roster.......as for full time starters, only vollmer has displayed that capacity......I feel good about butler as a starter and edelman as a 3rd WR......I feel good about chung and pryor as regulars in the rotation.....chung could be a starter in another year....but brace has become a waste, especially given wilforks extension......there were prospects later in the draft that would have been more effective, and that 2nd round pick could have provided any of a number of OLB's who week could feel much better about now.......barwin was cut out to be a patriot and I just think that brace was a stupid stupid choice at that point.....I mean WTF was the FO thinking?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I cannot think of an easier or more pathetic job than "reporter". WTH do I care if a reporter has lost faith in Maroney, or if they think Maroney is fantastic? Give me the facts, hit the buffet, and let me form my opinions.

Brutal, but on target. Case in point, I like Mike Reiss very much, but when he departs from reporting facts and ventures into issuing opinions he's just as fallible as all of us. So is SMY.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I just love how negativism is instantly praised as objective thinking by some.

The team, right now, isn't in great shape foro 2010. But to say this is an 8-8 squad is just ridiculous.

you're kind of talking out of both sides of your mouth here......

it is objective to see the roster and say the pats have a major problem at TE,OLB,WR, and RDE......you can also question the situation at RB, ILB

until the pats do something about those issues, 8-8 is not far off the target.....yeah, sure, the homers can say 'its only march, its only march!!!', but the bottom line is that this is what it looks like right now......

at this point in the cycle, you can say that this is the worst the pats roster has looked at the end of march since 2002......and even then based on the 3-4 scheme, at least you could say the most important part of the scheme (the LB's) were peaking, so you had the brains of the defense intact.....

its one thing to be negative for no reason, its another to sit here and be able to say 'the pats don't have the LB's to be effective in this scheme' because they don't, and they don't grow on trees, and they don't show up pre-packaged to be effective in this scheme

 

[BradyManny]

SMY, like many Pats fans, seems honest in her assessments without having an agenda, which in the case of Breer is his NY-love & aspirations for going Broadway, thus his constant & annoying name-dropping; and in the cases of Bogus, TonAss, Cafardo, Ryan, Spazz & the CHB, is their pathological hatred of Bill.

Providence's loss is indeed Boston's gain.

I like Breer a lot - though I have found the name-dropping peculiar. He does have a tendency to do that...not sure why. But I think Breer may be the best all-around football reporter, with Reiss/Curran closely behind.

SMY has been great for the ProJo, but I'm not sure how I like her start with that Globe chat. That is a woefully negative view of things. Sure, some of her points are valid, but an 8-8 team?

This team held the lead during the 4th quarter in 14 of 16 its regular season games. It's a lot closer to being an elite team than it is an 8-8 team.

All we need is Brady to get weapons good enough to let his killer-instinct takeover 4th quarter games, and a defense that can protect leads. We haven't added the players to accomplish that yet, but we are loaded going into the draft and we have re-signed every critical player from last season, so one can assume that this team can only improve.

 

[spacecrime]

Yeah, "to name just a few?" How bout naming some more?

A few more? How long haave you been a Pats fan? Branch played well his rookie year. Light did. Samuel started at corner as a rook. Many have.We've had UDFA play meaningful minutes. Randall Gay covered TO in the superbowl his rookie year. TO had one catch, and that came when Gay was bowled over by the Iggles' FB on a pic play.

That's 4 players in what, 9 years.

THere have been a lot more than 4 rookies contribute meaningul minutes in 9 years, but how can you say BB's philosophy over 9 years is bad compared to the rest of the league? Who else can compare with the success of the Pats during BB's tenure? I don't get the BB hate.

maybe[/B] two rookies who come in this year and make a big impact at their positions?

Yeah, I'd argue seriously that a one and three 2's will yield one, maybe two or more players who will provide an impact. What is the deal all of a sudden that no rookies contributed for any teams this decade?

I'm hoping that BB drafts better this year, doesn't trade away from marquee talent in the draft, and even tweeks his schemes a bit to allow rookies to make a bigger impact.

Your homerism knows no bounds.

Dislike to get into homers vs haters. I prefer to think of it as a Pats supporters vs pats detractors, but if you insist of a homer-hater delineation: Your hatred knows no bounds.

 

[JMarr]

A few more? How long haave you been a Pats fan? Branch played well his rookie year. Light did. Samuel started at corner as a rook. Many have.We've had UDFA play meaningful minutes. Randall Gay covered TO in the superbowl his rookie year. TO had one catch, and that came when Gay was bowled over by the Iggles' FB on a pic play.

THere have been a lot more than 4 rookies contribute meaningul minutes in 9 years, but how can you say BB's philosophy over 9 years is bad compared to the rest of the league? Who else can compare with the success of the Pats during BB's tenure? I don't get the BB hate.

Yeah, I'd argue seriously that a one and three 2's will yield one, maybe two or more players who will provide an impact. What is the deal all of a sudden that no rookies contributed for any teams this decade?


Dislike to get into homers vs haters. I prefer to think of it as a Pats supporters vs pats detractors, but if you insist of a homer-hater delineation: Your hatred knows no bounds.

Like I said in another post, I'm hopeful that this draft will yield a great rookie crop and that 1 or 2 can make an immediate impact. This is a make or break draft IMO both for now and for the future. If you read my posts you would know that I'm not a "BB hater," nor am I one to get overly caught up in the homer vs. chicken little mentality. I was merely responding to one of the few posters who actually makes the term "homer" a meaningful description.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Like I said in another post, I'm hopeful that this draft will yield a great rookie crop and that 1 or 2 can make an immediate impact. This is a make or break draft IMO both for now and for the future. If you read my posts you would know that I'm not a "BB hater," nor am I one to get overly caught up in the homer vs. chicken little mentality. I was merely responding to one of the few posters who actually makes the term "homer" a meaningful description.

So you're rubber and he's glue... right.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The bottom line, despite all the reporter comments, is that our defense can not get off the field on third down and they struggle to stop people inside the red zone.

These problems need to be fixed ASAP! All the weapons in the world will not help Brady if the defense is not dramatically improved.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Starting from post #1 this thread is not really about SMY the reporter, someone who ferrets out football news and facts using means of access that we fans don't have. Instead, it's really about SMY the editorialist and opinion pundit and how much posters agree with her subjective opinions, not necessarily her reporting of events, salient quotes, etc.

She's a decent reporter.

 

[TheComeback]

Sigh. Let's take them one at a time...

.....

I actually agree with you on SMY, but this chat was full of "conventional wisdom" and very little depth or insight. While it is sure to get high ratings from the reactionary "I can run the Pats better" crowd, it is pretty old and stale. There are plenty of legitimate questions around the team-building and on-field play of the Pats. And almost all of it doesn't involve Maroney's breakfast.

Great post. Can't stand it when lazy reporters get credit for repeating cliches and conventional wisdom.

 

[Patjew]

Starting from post #1 this thread is not really about SMY the reporter, someone who ferrets out football news and facts using means of access that we fans don't have. Instead, it's really about SMY the editorialist and opinion pundit and how much posters agree with her subjective opinions, not necessarily her reporting of events, salient quotes, etc.

She's a decent reporter.

Totally agree, you said it much nicer than I did.

 

[Jangles]

But to say this is an 8-8 squad is just ridiculous.

I agree

8-8 is very optimistic at this point

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I agree

8-8 is very optimistic at this point

I want to see this team by june, before I make a prediction, but this team knew who to resign, and build thru the draft this year... But this draft needs to be a home run, and if not, your right about 8-8 being optimistic...

 

[captain stone]

2009 stats...

TDs: 6th (only 3 behind the mighty Colts)
1st downs: 1st

Sacks: 23rd (obvious need)
Fumbles: Tied for 8th
Ints: Tied for 11th
3rd down %: 12th
4th down %: 13th

Outside of getting to the QB consistently, I don't see a major problem with the sheer numbers. The Pats have players who can do those things. They need players (hopefully even the ones currently on the roster) to get those big plays at big times during big games.

The offensive #s are impressive, but it was the offense more than the defense that lost the Jesters, Donkeys & Doofins games. They had to settle for chip-shot FGs instead of TDs, and couldn't gain 1 or 2 more 1st downs to seal the deal. Offensive stats taken in the aggregate, more than defensive stats, don't tell the whole story sometimes.

The defensive stats pretty much tell the story: This is an average team when it comes down to making stops, slightly above average when creating TOs, but below average in making the QB feel pain. The sum of its parts: Not a championship-caliber Defense.

Sometimes in football, as in life, timing is everything. The Pats indeed need their own players - and some new ones - to make big plays at big times in big games (e.g.: Dolts & Doofins).

 

[captain stone]

I just love how negativism is instantly praised as objective thinking by some.

The team, right now, isn't in great shape foro 2010. But to say this is an 8-8 squad is just ridiculous.

I just love how objectivity is instantly derided as negativism by some.

 

[captain stone]

I like Breer a lot - though I have found the name-dropping peculiar. He does have a tendency to do that...not sure why. But I think Breer may be the best all-around football reporter, with Reiss/Curran closely behind.

SMY has been great for the ProJo, but I'm not sure how I like her start with that Globe chat. That is a woefully negative view of things. Sure, some of her points are valid, but an 8-8 team?

This team held the lead during the 4th quarter in 14 of 16 its regular season games. It's a lot closer to being an elite team than it is an 8-8 team.

All we need is Brady to get weapons good enough to let his killer-instinct takeover 4th quarter games, and a defense that can protect leads. We haven't added the players to accomplish that yet, but we are loaded going into the draft and we have re-signed every critical player from last season, so one can assume that this team can only improve.

You are correct, BM: we do indeed need to add weapons on offense, and defenders who can protect leads. With them, we're prob. 13-3 last year.

You're also right that we are loaded going into the draft, and Wilfork & Bodden have been re-signed; but in order to improve, Bill needs to hit Butler & Vollmer home-runs with All Four of our top picks, not Brace & OBurger pop-outs.

 

[emoney_33]

I agree

8-8 is very optimistic at this point

Care to join tanked in o/u 10-6 bet?