La Canfora: Patriots have expressed interest in LJ

[mgteich]

Myra will use her veto.

 

[Rob0729]

If that's what you consider to be racist, you're being way too sensitive. LJ is speaking the truth. As a white guy, I have no idea what it's like to be black.

And no, you can't have the same experience as a black person being white. Yes, you can certainly experience the same economic difficulties, but I'm pretty sure the hard part of being black also involves prejudice. Chances are that unless you grew up in another country, or deep in the inner city, you didn't experience the same level of prejudice in our society for being white as a black guy may have.

"Racist" is when you claim another race is inferior to yours, or when you tell someone they can't be in your place of business because of their skin color, or blah blah blah.

I find that we white people as a whole are even more sensitive about race than blacks are. You say one thing that can even be remotely interpreted as negative toward whites and people start screaming pointing, "SEE? SEE? Blacks are racist, too!"

It's almost as if we are trying to excuse the behavior of our ancestors by pointing out that blacks can be prejudiced, too.

Come on now, it's all in the past. LJ should have known better than to speak so frankly about issues of race.

Also, it's not a coach's job to understand where his players are coming from--he's there to make them better players, nothing else. So while I don't agree with LJ's comments, I think calling them racist is a little a ridiculous.

And I grew up a middle class white guy. And I have no idea what is like to be rich like the Paris Hilton crowd. I grew up in Massachusetts. I have no idea what is like to be a poor white man who grew up in Louisianna. Am I supposed to because all white people have the same experience. I guess I missed white person orientation 101 in college.

Sorry, but Herm Edwards grew up on a military base in NJ. He has no idea what is like to grow up in the ghetto in Los Angeles or in a dirt poor community in Alabama where many of the black athletes grew up. Not every black person have had the stereotypical black experience that Larry Johnson describes. Not all black people have the same experiences and to think so is racist itself. Affluent, well educated black people do not walk around with guns and live the gansta lifestyle as Johnson sugguest black people do.

Also, Johnson claims that white coaches are inferior to black coaches in terms of dealing with black athletes.

I am not more sensentive to race than anyone else who is against racism of all kinds. In fact, the only reason why Larry Johnson wasn't suspended for his comments was because he was black. If a white player made these comments, he probably would have ended his career. Rush Limbaugh was fired from ESPN and blackballed from owing a team because he was labelled a racist for making a comment that dissed the media and was twisted into a being considered a racist comment against Donovan McNabb. So let's not make up crap.

There are racists everywhere. Racism isn't racist and there are racists in every race. It isn't right when a white person does it to a black person and shouldn't be excused when a black person does it for a white person. Sorry, if a white athlete even as popular as Brady or Manning made similiar comments, they would have been suspended and might have had their endorsement career destroyed.

 

[Rob0729]

Hahaha, that's a hell of a stretch. I'm white. Where do I need to go to "qualify" to speak to black people about what it's like to be black? Is there a university for this? I mean, you're treating it like LJ rejected a white guy for a job. He's not excluding people. That's not even close to what he said.

What he's saying is that only a black person can truly understand where another black person is coming from. That's true. I can sympathize with a black guy, maybe even empathize, but I can never say I shared the experience of being black with him. I feel that's what Larry Johnson is saying.

What's wrong with that?

So you are saying there is a black gene that all black understand the gansta lifestyle even if they were never exposed to it. Please tell me which medical journal that is in.

Seriously, there are similiar experiences that a large portion of the black community share, but that is no different than different experiences that are shared by difference races of different socio, economic, and geographic groups. Not every black person knows what is like to go out and have to worry about "the guy around the corner with the gun" as Larry Johnson said. That is not a genetic trait to black people. A white coach who grew up in a poor urban community would know more about it than a black coach who grew up in a suburban middle class town.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Larry Johnson's biggest problem is that he is as dumb as a bag of bricks.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I heard his interview on the Dan Patrick show this morning. I kind of got the impression that he was putting on a show. DP asked him some tough questions about his character. He responded with what sounded like well rehearsed answers. I just don't know. Maybe he's full of sh*t, and maybe hes changed. If it were up to me, i'd pass on him. Thankfully, its up to BB

 

[PatsFan24]

I do not think he will be on the pats, and I hope he is not

 

[NEGoldenAge]

I would be bummed out if the Pats signed LJ. Unfortunately, I think BB would seriously consider it if he could get him on the cheap.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

If you can get him on the cheap you do. NE scenery has done enough for too many "unfixable" babies and head cases for me to complain. IF BB made that decision, it would be for the rest of the league to complain how he buys all the best talent "like the yankees," AFTER he takes the risk, makes the call, brings him in, and [after some alchemy we all pretend we get,] the guy is suddenly productive and happy. (My guess on the alchemy is it's all about the possibility every year that they'd be playing for a ring.)

 

[muzz]

Larry Johnson's biggest problem is that he is as dumb as a bag of bricks.

I'd say that is spot on from where I sit, and that is obviously not in Gangstaville with all DaKillas that LJ deals with on a regular basis.

Listen, the kid was given MILLIONS of dollars to get his shot together and start a life away from the "Gangsta-Killas around every corner", it seems he wants to stay in that environment and just accept that it is what it is..

That's his perogative, it's his life......but don't go crying about it like you don't have a choice, stop being weak and accepting it and then telling your coach that he's a white jackass that needs to get a clue.

I have no sympathy for anyone that is given a great chance to make their lives better, and decides that he's good the way he is...and then bark about his environment.

Bah......go to Cleveland or Oakland

 

[upstater1]

I'd say that is spot on from where I sit, and that is obviously not in Gangstaville with all DaKillas that LJ deals with on a regular basis.

Listen, the kid was given MILLIONS of dollars to get his shot together and start a life away from the "Gangsta-Killas around every corner", it seems he wants to stay in that environment and just accept that it is what it is..

That's his perogative, it's his life......but don't go crying about it like you don't have a choice, stop being weak and accepting it and then telling your coach that he's a white jackass that needs to get a clue.

I have no sympathy for anyone that is given a great chance to make their lives better, and decides that he's good the way he is...and then bark about his environment.

Bah......go to Cleveland or Oakland

What are you talking about?

Read the quotes.

He isn't a gangsta and he never had a tough upbringing and he never even claimed he did.

Read the quotes.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Well, I know he has major off field issues, so I'm not saying we should definitely sign him.

However, I would like to remind everyone that Randy Moss' numbers were pretty bad before we signed him. Everyone said he was washed up.

I don't think looking at LJ's stats this season proves anything concerning what kind of production we could get from him.

 

[fnordcircle]

I'd say that is spot on from where I sit, and that is obviously not in Gangstaville with all DaKillas that LJ deals with on a regular basis.

Listen, the kid was given MILLIONS of dollars to get his shot together and start a life away from the "Gangsta-Killas around every corner", it seems he wants to stay in that environment and just accept that it is what it is..

That's his perogative, it's his life......but don't go crying about it like you don't have a choice, stop being weak and accepting it and then telling your coach that he's a white jackass that needs to get a clue.

I have no sympathy for anyone that is given a great chance to make their lives better, and decides that he's good the way he is...and then bark about his environment.

Bah......go to Cleveland or Oakland

Hahahahaa so racist. Every black kid with his hat on backwards is workin' them corners, right?

 

[dhamz]

However, I would like to remind everyone that Randy Moss' numbers were pretty bad before we signed him. Everyone said he was washed up.

I don't think looking at LJ's stats this season proves anything concerning what kind of production we could get from him.

Moss wasn't a RB who had just taken an unprecedented pounding the seasons prior to his stats dropping off like Johnson is.

 

[Synovia]

LOL. You can't deny he's a good RB.

You can't deny he WAS a good RB. Hes not anymore.

 

[Synovia]

However, I would like to remind everyone that Randy Moss' numbers were pretty bad before we signed him. Everyone said he was washed up.

Randy Moss had 600 yards receiving and a couple touchdowns in 13 games the year before we picked him up. Thats a decent #2. He also was one of the best ever, for a good long period.

Larry Johnson has average 3.6 ypc over the last 3 years. Thats "out of football" bad.


Moss went from All World to merely good with bad surrounding cast. Johnson went from Very good to absolutely abysmal. Considering that the other RBs on the squad don't seem to have the same issues, and hes had all the injuries, I'd suspect its him.

 

[GostkowSKI]

Here's a stat from ESPN:

Lowest yards-per-rush, last 30 seasons

* 1986 Tony Collins, Patriots: 2.64
* 2002 Jonathan Wells, Texans: 2.69
* 1980 Rickey Young, Vikings: 2.70
* 2009 Larry Johnson, Chiefs: 2.71
* 1993 Harold Green, Bengals: 2.74
Note: minimum 130 carries

Source: ESPN Research

 

[Dagg]

The guys has no oline not threat of a passing game and the box has been stacked with 8 against him for years thus low ypc avg you see. The Chefs suck and he wants out so he runs his mouth forces his way out of town I dont agree with what he said or how he did it, but being a rb that ran behind some terrible lines it gets tiresome. I think he pulled a classic act up and get booted routine.

PersonallY i would like to see him on the pats and once he does join and does well alot of the opinions here would change. There was some anti moss and dillon sentiment during those times as well and they started singing new tunes pretty quickly around here.

 

[Deus Irae]

The guys has no oline not threat of a passing game and the box has been stacked with 8 against him for years thus low ypc avg you see. The Chefs suck and he wants out so he runs his mouth forces his way out of town I dont agree with what he said or how he did it, but being a rb that ran behind some terrible lines it gets tiresome. I think he pulled a classic act up and get booted routine.

PersonallY i would like to see him on the pats and once he does join and does well alot of the opinions here would change. There was some anti moss and dillon sentiment during those times as well and they started singing new tunes pretty quickly around here.

Not that it's dispositive, particularly with an inconsistent line, but his former backup is averaging over 5 yards per carry on the same team.

People who think the guy can still be a force may be right, but his recent years have been ones of general decline, and he turns 30 this month. Personally, I don't see much logic behind bringing him in. Morris and Taylor are rumored to be on target for November and December returns, respectively. Furthermore, I've been assured by many people on this site that BJGE is actually better than Maroney, so the position is still well filled.

 

[Marqui]

Morris and Taylor are rumored to be on target for November and December returns, respectively.

Even if thats true, the Pats playoff defining stretch of games is coming up right now. Pats playoff chances could be over by December.

 

[Deus Irae]

Even if thats true, the Pats playoff defining stretch of games is coming up right now. Pats playoff chances could be over by December.

No, they can't. Even if the Patriots went 0-3 for the rest of the month and the Jets won out the month, the Patriots would still be 6-5, with the Jets at 7-4.

The Patriots would have

Dolphins
Panthers
Bills
Jaguars
Texans

left on the schedule, meaning 11-5 would still be very possible, and it's very rare that an 11-5 team misses the playoffs, as we were informed ad nauseum last season when it happened to New England.