OT: Official 2020 Tompa Bay Gronkaneers Thread

RicoG said:

I'm a person not from that era, not from the NE area, and just a casual fan of Basketball.

Due to what he had accomplished, I just assumed he had the size advantage over the opponents as a big center or power forward.

I would think most people like me have the belief that Russell is a giant at his position. I would bet 50 years from now, most future generations would automatically assume Tom Brady is an athletic freak.

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RicoG said:

I'm a person not from that era, not from the NE area, and just a casual fan of Basketball.

Due to what he had accomplished, I just assumed he had the size advantage over the opponents as a big center or power forward.

I would think most people like me have the belief that Russell is a giant at his position. I see much similarities between Bill Russell and Tom Brady. Both the Goat in their sports in terms of winning accomplishments, and both not physically dominant for their positions. I would bet 50 years from now, most future generations would automatically assume Tom Brady is an athletic freak too.

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Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Very few all-time great quarterbacks were athletic freaks. Most were somewhat immobile and even awkward looking...if you watch some old time clips of guys Baugh, Unitas, etc. they're basically lumbering around out there like Brady today. Marino, Manning, are the same way; these guys were also great at avoiding sacks by geting the ball out quickly.

You probably won't see a single throw here where Unitas scrambles.



In terms of the "more mobile" guys, I think Montana had that great combination of pocket presence and scrambling to buy just enough time and occassionally be a threat to run for a first down. He was a pocket passer who also had quick feet when needed.

Young was obviously a great QB who was able to throw on the run and often bailed on the pocket, but his skill set his pretty unique; for every Young, there are so many other guys who can't make up for bad habits through talent, and Young suffered so many concussions too.

I'll take a guy who is 6'4", long arms, and has fantastic footwork and balance over a guy who is 6'1" and has to outrun defense ends to get a throwing lane. "Athleticism" as it relates to quarterbacks is misunderstood; Tom is exceptionally gifted and lucky to have the required physical tools to be an all-time great.

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Actual Pats Fan said:

Charley Trippi is listed as 6' but that might be a little generous. BTW he's 99 and still kicking, by the time he retired he had compiled the most yards of total offense by a player in NFL history, and he's the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the oldest living first overall NFL draft pick, and one of the oldest living former American football players.

Eddie LeBaron was 5'7" and made four Pro Bowls.

Doug Flutie (5'10") was screwed in the NFL - once before, and then again once after he set rushing and passing records, won 6 MVP's and 3 titles in the CFL.

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RicoG said:

I'm a person not from that era, not from the NE area, and just a casual fan of Basketball.

Due to what he had accomplished, I just assumed he had the size advantage over the opponents as a big center or power forward.

I would think most people like me have the belief that Russell is a giant at his position. I see much similarities between Bill Russell and Tom Brady. Both the Goat in their sports in terms of winning accomplishments, and both not physically dominant for their positions. I would bet 50 years from now, most future generations would automatically assume Tom Brady is an athletic freak too.

Click to expand...

RicoG said:

I'm a person not from that era, not from the NE area, and just a casual fan of Basketball.

Due to what he had accomplished, I just assumed he had the size advantage over the opponents as a big center or power forward.

I would think most people like me have the belief that Russell is a giant at his position. I see much similarities between Bill Russell and Tom Brady. Both the Goat in their sports in terms of winning accomplishments, and both not physically dominant for their positions. I would bet 50 years from now, most future generations would automatically assume Tom Brady is an athletic freak too.

Click to expand...

PatsWickedPissah said:

He was smaller 6' 9" than opposing top talent centers

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Actual Pats Fan said:

Tom's not a slouch physically. But to the scouts at the combine, he was. Thank goodness for Belichick and Rehbein for looking at the actual football Tom played.

Russell was physically gifted: He could jump, run, and pound it under the glass. What separated him is stamina, effort, intensity and most of all intelligence. Like Brady, Russell was always a student of the game, and never considered himself its master.

Many people choose not to accept Russ as the best because he wasn't a great shooter, wasn't physically amazing like the Doctor or MJ, and he wasn't flashy.

Denigration of his and the Celtics' success saying the competition wasn't as good, or that the style of play was inferior, or the smaller number of teams made it 'easier', or especially that the pressure was not as intense, is absurd.

But also people do not accept Russell personally. He was the nerdy, dorky younger brother who spent his teen years reading books in the library when his family moved to California. He was not the flashy high school athlete and he didn't have a girlfriend. With his friends he was silly and funny. Publicly he made it completely clear of his awareness and non-acceptance of White Supremacy. With the media he was self-deprecating, and you always got a huge laugh out of him instead of some haughty acknowledgement of his obvious greatness.

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Deus Irae said:

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1960Pats said:

Interesting angle.

What I remember most about Russell was his quickness for a 6'9" guy. He had an incredible ability to block shots but he didn't overdo it and didn't seem to ever get faked out, like Don Nelson used to do to half the league.

It's not a coincidence that the Celts never won a thing before he came here, then won that year and 10 of the next 12 followed by none until years after he left.

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Actual Pats Fan said:

Red definitely had the table set before young rookie Russ arrived after the Olympics.

And Red was the master manager and motivator.

Symbiotic relationship.

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1960Pats said:

It's a common misconception amongst the yougsters that players were smaller in the old days. They never saw Wilt or Wes Unseld play.

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70 Years of Height Evolution in the NBA [4,504 players analyzed]

“You can’t teach height” - Red Auerbach We spent 2 months

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Deus Irae said:

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gobesmug said:

It really looks like the players in that room are concerned are about Covid.

Yep they really are backing up their stance on not going to OTAs.

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VectorPrime said:

You know for a fact that they aren’t all vaccinated?

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gobesmug said:

My comment had nothing to do with being vaccinated.

The players are refusing to go to OTAs because they say it's unsafe due to covid, but that room is full of players without masks, so clearly it shows their excuse to be BS.

I don't care if they are in a room vaccinated or not vaccinated. I was just pointing out the hypocrisy of the players.

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