This week's Out-Takes...

[patsox23]

Friday Out-Takes: River Phoenix and the Myth of Dancing

Thanks, Ian. Maroney haters, take your best shot.

 

[Gwedd]

John,

Great read, as usual. Keep up the good work! I agree completely with your take on Maroney.

 

[Gwedd]

I couldn't help but notice that the haters are out in force rating this thread. Sad to say, but it just reinforces how some folks flat-out refuse to let the facts get in the way of their storyline(s).

 

[patsox23]

Well, they're entitled to their opinion. I understand it's not a cut and dry issue, and it doesn't help that a lot of people in the media disagree with me (and Belichick.)

 

[Joker]

as always, J.C.,entertaining read.....keep up the good work. I'm not much of a pro /con player type fan unless it is absolute team killer abominations like Rucci and Lane from the 90's squads...now THERE were a couple of reasons to b!tch. The BB era has seen our fanbase learn to readjust their thinking about how to judge OUR team's players, or else sit in the catbird's seat and constantly snipe and denigrate wqhat is ultimately the decisions of Bill Belichick. I still maintain this vitriolic fan reaction we see here and across fan boards of all the other teams is the result of the rise of "fantasy" football.Now all it takes is some clown who wins his league by outcrunching mountains of picayune data to log on and use YPCAC's and YCVDFE's and ZZZZZ's and ...ad infinitum... to illustrate what a gigantic "unknown" football genius HE is and why HIS viewpoints should be heard and respected over that of PAID REAL WORLD FOOTBALL PROFESSIONALS. I think it's a form of mass insanity, AND I think THAT is why you are getting so much negative feedback....it's all run amok ego unable to deal with any counter point to their imagined "GENIUS!!!".I would NEVER have the temerity to walk up to Bill Belichick and say "Maroney is a bust ,Bill and YOU should listen to me!!!!", but there's literally hundreds of members here that think this would be an outstanding thing to do as a Patriot fan.

 

[patsox23]

Well, I hear ya, Joker, though I do enjoy fantasy football. I think you may be right, but I also think folks get a little lazy in their thinking - they see Maroney as having had an issue with "dancing" at times, and start allowing their past frustrations with that cloud their PRESENT interpretations of what they perceive to be going on on the field. Except they are MISperceiving what's actually going on.

I can't tell you how many times I've watched Maroney get clobbered less than a second after the ball was handed to him - nowhere to run, DLs all over the backfield - and people ***** at him for stutter-stepping and trying to make something happen as though it's the same situation as in the past when he would do that WITH NO ONE AROUND HIM.

I understand the kneejerk stuff, I do it myself sometimes, but I feel strongly that, as hard as it may be to accept, that is not what's ACTUALLY happening this year. And from what I've heard from Belichick for WEEKS now, and on multiple occasions during those weeks, I'm pretty sure the Patriots coaching staff agrees. It's on the OL more than it is on Maroney.

 

[Gwedd]

And let's not forget that the other side has a say on each down as to how the play will turn out. Regardless of who they are, they are also professional players and and are expected to show up.

Except maybe the Titans.....

 

[patsox23]

And let's not forget that the other side has a say on each down as to how the play will turn out. Regardless of who they are, they are also professional players and and are expected to show up.

Except maybe the Titans.....

I'd go with the Cleveland Mangenii, but your point is well taken.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

Good read but it was just a Maroney message board post at its heart....although a good post.

Everybody has an opinion on Maroney and a lot of them have been stated here for all to see....so no need to go into them (but I might against my will, like a moth to a flame). I will keep my opinion, formed over Maroney's career, until I deem it appopriate to change it....as I am also sure most of you will.

As a couple small notes.....in his game review last week, even Bruschi said it was good to see Maroney finally running the ball hard.....hmmmmmm.....truth from a fellow player? See.....everybody can point to something to support an opinion.

The only thing every Patriot fan hopes for is he continues to show up like he did against Miami.

As far as BB's comment.....we all understand he knows far more about football than anybody on this board ever will, but most of also know he has screwed up.....especially when it comes to free agent aquisitions over the years.....yes some hits...some big misses....so the idea that BB thinks he is doing OK is nice to hear, but even BB's opinions don't give an automatic "see..I'm right" pass to somebody's opinion. As proof of this, how many of you were yelling at your TV during our SB loss to the Giants to have Brady in the shotgun or to change up the offense, especially after halftime? I bet a lot of fans were cursing out BB/McDaniels for not making any appeciable half time offensive adjustments.

See....sometimes you can lose the forest because of the trees...

 

[patsox23]

....sometimes you can lose the forest because of the trees...

I agree, thanks for the feedback. All I can say is that, for whatever it's worth, I went back and reviewed every running play from LoMar this season and in he vast majority of cases, any behind-the-line stutter steps came AFTER the line of scrimmage had been breached by DLs and poor blocking up front.

Anyway, appreciate the thoughts, pro or con. Thanks.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Nice rant, Joker. Even better article. I'm honestly mystified by the Haters. Maroney's problem when he came into the league was being impatient in the backfield and breaking toward the first bit of daylight, even if it was away from the point of attack. It lead to some big gains, but also a lot of nothing on well blocked plays.

The coaching staff (and Dillon) tought him to be patient and to trust his line, and it just so happens that while waiting for the hole to develop he keeps moving his feet in little stutter steps. Other backs might glide and break when they see something, but he feels more comfortable keeping his feet moving while waiting for the blocks to develop. The so-called dancing is so irrelevant to his effectiveness that I just don't get it. It just seems a matter of style.

When there's a crack, he hits it. When there's nothing, he falls toward the line of scrimmage. It's not like he gives up on the play and cuts back into pursuit and gets slammed for a big loss. If anything, he might lack the vision to make the reads in a zone-blocking scheme to take advantage when those cutbacks are there, but that's Ok because this line isn't the best group of zone blockers anyways.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

The best prediction I can make about Maroney is that, if he sticks around with the Pats (and I think he will), he will be our new Faulk in a few years.

Most Patriot fans remember how Faulk had an extreme case of fumbleitus eariler in his career to the point I hated to see him in the game in a critical situation. Now....there is nobody I would rather see in there as the third down back than Faulk. I think Maroney has this potential to take his place in the future and be as effective with the discussions then being "remember when Maroney was always dancing in the backfield"?

I can't claim this prediction as others have thought the same on his future, but it is the one I think is the most promising. I don't see him as a long term answer as full time RB, but.....what do I know.....my wife tells me "nothing"....
besides...I don't see the Pats getting away from a RB by committee anytime in the near future.

Let's hope Maroney goes for 100 yds and 2 td's against the Colts.....I have him on my fantasy team!

 

[patsox23]

Ghost, I so appreciate the respectfulness and insight you bring along with your dissenting view. I think that "the heir apparent to Faulk" is a legitimate prediction, but that it's the minimum we'll get from Maroney. I see him as occasionally vexing, but with a bigger upside than that. He's shown, sometimes over several games, that he can be THE #1 RB. Not sure if Belichick will ever necessarily care if he has "THE #1 RB" no matter who it is, but I can see Maroney filling that role. (And, to be fair, I can see how many others believe that will never happen - they have a reasonable argument.) All of that said, I'd take him, and his less-sure-than-Faulk hands, as a 3rd down back, no problem. It would be a bit disappointing for a #1 pick, but not horrific.

Whatever happens, I think we all love to watch the guy run when he has the space and dynamism to make it happen, and I know we all - haters included - want very much for the blossoming to continue. Let's just pray he stays healthy and see what happens.

Very glad to have garnered some response on this issue - not that hard to do on this topic, lol - and even more glad to have the give and take dialed down a notch from the huff-and-puff that usually accompanies it (including from myself). Thanks to all and please keep reading and letting me know what you think!