Camp Questions....and perhaps even...

[Synovia]

Fred Smerlas is a former NT who should probably be in the HOF. Last week in talking football on WEEI (something many here claim seldom happens) he summed up what happened in that one failed game. The Giants did something few teams are willing to do, they changed their entire defense - as opposed to adding a few wrinkles - in a two week span leading up to the Superbowl. Most teams won't risk that because there is no guarantee players can or will execute sufficiently to not make the change an unmitigated disaster. The upside if they do is your opponent, who has been dutifully studying tape of your last 18 games, is left in total disaray because none of the tells or keys they have a savant on staff to decipher and players have committed to memory and practiced and game planned to take advantage of are valid.

Being a hall of famer doesn't make you a qualified analyst, and smerlas, from what I've heard, isn't one.


I didn't see any scheme changes, what I did see was a hurt guard, some bad backups, and a QB with a bad ankle. All very bad things when dealing with a team with a great pass rush.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Well there you go, a growing boy! Heck, by November he might be an option at OLB. FWIW I'm going by Combine weigh-ins, which are usually the most accurate numbers.

Well now! Here's a camp question for you, Ken. Is Wilhite really bigger than Wheatley?

 

[patchick]

Well now! Here's a camp question for you, Ken. Is Wilhite really bigger than Wheatley?

One of my favorite camp pastimes, spot the "generous" size listings. For instance, Vince Wilfork has never gained a pound over his college weight.

 

[patfanken]

Well now! Here's a camp question for you, Ken. Is Wilhite really bigger than Wheatley?

Mike, If he is truly 2" taller, as he is listed, I should be able to eyeball it even from the stands. I'll let you know within a week. I should be abel to get a look at them next to eachother before then to confirm...or recant.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Mike, If he is truly 2" taller, as he is listed, I should be able to eyeball it even from the stands. I'll let you know within a week. I should be abel to get a look at them next to eachother before then to confirm...or recant.

Yes, you definitely should. And I'll look forward to hearing.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Being a hall of famer doesn't make you a qualified analyst, and smerlas, from what I've heard, isn't one.


I didn't see any scheme changes, what I did see was a hurt guard, some bad backups, and a QB with a bad ankle. All very bad things when dealing with a team with a great pass rush.

Oh yeah, I forgot, only self appointed message board know it alls have any credibility here...

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Oh yeah, I forgot, only self appointed message board know it alls have any credibility here...

Thank goodness, it's all I have going for me. :snob:

 

[patfanken]

BTW I know Fred a little. I've even had a chance to talk football with him, though this was a few years ago. Fred is a good guy and if you want to talk defensive line play, things like techniques, strategies, and schemes, he's as knowledgeable as it gets. I don't know if he was a HOFer, but he played very well for a lot of years, and as far as the DL info goes, you can't do better.

However if you are going to go BEYOND that area of expertise, you should give Fred has as much (or as little) credence as you would any knowledgeable observer of the game...no more.

It is amazing that even when you play the game, you really don't understand the entire scope of what is going on. Believe me when I tell that you THINK you do, but its only after a several years of coaching or studying the game do you BEGIN realize how much you DON'T know, and you start to get it. And BTW- one of the beauties of the game is that you never completely ever do.

I can listen to guys like Jaws and Boomer all day, when they talk offense, and even defensive stragegies as it relates to the offense. I look forward to listening guys like Rodney talk defense. I only wish they would ever ask him the right questions, so he and other knowledgeable defensive analysts can actually broaden our football knowledge and awareness, instead of struggling to come up with catch phrases to describe a good hit. WE KNOW its a good hit.

My point being, just because you played the game, even at the highest levels, it doesn't make you a football maven, capable of talking intelegently about ANY aspect of the game. Guys like Jaws and Boomer still STUDY the game. Do a lot of tape work, sit down with coaches, etc

Like I said, guys like Jaws are UNDERUSED and are directed to give up only the most superficial stuff, like we wouldn't understand or turn it off if they got into more "depth". Jaws used to do a show, in which he broke down a lot of coaches view game tape. Stuff we rarely see. It was great...except they put on the air about 7:30 AM for a half hour. Then later on they give 3 or 4 hours of highly slick, over produced crap of pregame shows, that I have long since tuned out, because its RARELY worth watching.

Sorry about going off about a pet peeve.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I couldn't agree with you more, Ken.

When I read MLR's post I immediately thought of all the air-time that the NFL Network has. It makes me angry that they don't use it for some real, in-depth football analysis. Here's a claim about one of the most important games ever played in the NFL. Well, who's right? Why not put on a proper show with coaches tape and some qualified analysts (coaches or ex-coaches) to answer it. I'd watch it for one (even if the tears would be streaming down my face!) Instead, I pay money for a network I never bother to switch on because all I get is repeated, stupid, personality-driven opinions (will Brady be nervous because of his injury? yes, no, maybe. etc., etc.)

Coming back to the Game That Must Not Be Named, Shmessy likes to call football "violent chess". I often think that "violent poker" would be better. Sometimes the strategically rational thing to do is to stack all your chips and go for broke. (Edward G. Robinson/Lancey Howard says it in The Cincinnati Kid": "Poker is about making the wrong move at the right time.") Well, if Mo is right (see above) then that is just what the Giants did. And a top-flight NFL co-ordinator should be prepared for that kind of a roll of the dice. The Rams were caught out in 2001. Arguably, so were the Patriots.