New Reiss Mailbag

[DaBruinz]

I find it offensive that you guys seem intent on slamming/chiding a passionate Pats fan with unnecessary ridicule, especially on a site where he has no way of defending himself. Why don't you just LET IT GO, leave him alone and give it a rest? Christ.

Well, then you tell NEM to stop sending in stupid messages to Mike Reiss. NEM opens himself up to ridicule/chiding based on his actions. Ones that he insists on exposing everyone to.

Also, I think that you are way over reacting to people's comments and maybe that its you who needs to give it a rest. NEM earned all the riducule he gets and nothing you say can change that.

 

[patsox23]

Please don't include anyone but me on your fury list. I was the one who brought it up and I am only one that your anger should be directed towards.

Despite my belief that Mike has made his position clear (and continues to do so with the questions he asks Reiss) you are correct. There was no reason for me to bring it up.

Thanks for saying that. I just get kind of knee-jerky for NEM b/c I feel he is deeply and unfairly misrepresented on the site sometimes, and at this point has no way of defending himself. He's a good guy, and a few folks here can be truly and unnecessarily and RELENTLESSLY heartless when it comes to that. Nobody's perfect - not NEM, not I, not any one here - but the man means well, he's a passionate Patriots fan, and this place meant, and means, the world to him.

 

[DaBruinz]

You're taking a guy who's strength is explosiveness to the quarterback and athletic ability and assuming he'll excel taking on linemen and playing in a confined area.

Have you seen him in exhibitions?

Where does this blind faith come from?

Did you watch Thomas while he was playing for the Ravens. He EXCELLED in lining up in different areas, including inside, and giving the defense different looks.

I want to point everyone back to the 3 Games to Glory DVD where it showed McGinest and 2 others talking about what the different calls while they were on the sidelines. These were guys who had been in the defense for the entire year and they were still not 100% on what the different calls were. So, why should we expect Thomas to come in and get all the calls correct right away when someone like McGiniest couldn't.

 

[patsox23]

Well, then you tell NEM to stop sending in stupid messages to Mike Reiss. NEM opens himself up to ridicule/chiding based on his actions. Ones that he insists on exposing everyone to.

Also, I think that you are way over reacting to people's comments and maybe that its you who needs to give it a rest. NEM earned all the riducule he gets and nothing you say can change that.

You intentionally and consciously go out of your way to be cruel to a guy who doesn't deserve that kind of nonsense. You tend toward the macho B.S. bully in situations like this and it's just so completely unnecessary. As for his question, it was a perfectly legit question - in fact, one of the ONLY non-newbie chicken little nonsense questions that hit that mailbag. You have an obvious bias, and that's fine, but don'ty try to to make that into some reason to ONCE AGAIN ridicule NEM for your own bizarre jollies.

 

[DaBruinz]

You intentionally and consciously go out of your way to be cruel to a guy who doesn't deserve that kind of nonsense. You tend toward the macho B.S. bully in situations like this and it's just so completely unnecessary. As for his question, it was a perfectly legit question - in fact, one of the ONLY non-newbie chicken little nonsense questions that hit that mailbag. You have an obvious bias, and that's fine, but don'ty try to to make that into some reason to ONCE AGAIN ridicule NEM for your own bizarre jollies.

DUDE, you really need to get a clue because you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to NEM. NEM has earned EVERYTHING he gets. Everything. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I DON'T go out of my way to do ANYTHING in regards to him.

As for my tendencies, there is nothing MACHO about them and I am TAME in comparison to NEM and you damn well know it. NEM is the one who threatened people and made all the BS outlandish claims on here. Not me.

As for his question, it wasn't legit. He intentionally asked it to try and disparage McDaniels. As he disparaged McDaniels every chance he got on this board before he got himself banned. As he disparaged Ellis Hobbs every chance he got before he got himself banned. NEm's disparaging remarks about Hobbs have even been included in the Reiss mail bag.

You can kiss NEM's arse all you want, I don't care. But no one needs to hear your soap-box defenses of him. And if the MODS have something to say about it, they'll address it. They don't need you to do so.

 

[Patjew]

DUDE, you really need to get a clue because you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to NEM. NEM has earned EVERYTHING he gets. Everything. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I DON'T go out of my way to do ANYTHING in regards to him.

As for my tendencies, there is nothing MACHO about them and I am TAME in comparison to NEM and you damn well know it. NEM is the one who threatened people and made all the BS outlandish claims on here. Not me.

As for his question, it wasn't legit. He intentionally asked it to try and disparage McDaniels. As he disparaged McDaniels every chance he got on this board before he got himself banned. As he disparaged Ellis Hobbs every chance he got before he got himself banned. NEm's disparaging remarks about Hobbs have even been included in the Reiss mail bag.

You can kiss NEM's arse all you want, I don't care. But no one needs to hear your soap-box defenses of him. And if the MODS have something to say about it, they'll address it. They don't need you to do so.

Maybe NEM-talk should be banned along with NEM??

BTW, I cannot disagree with anything stated above. The board is just so much better now than it was last year.

 

[RayClay]

Ray,

Do you really doubt that the Patriots have a very clear idea of how they will use Thomas? Surely not. Everything we know speaks against it.

Time and time again, free agents who have been recruited by BB and Pioli have said how amazing it is to find how much they know about the player's own particular style and how positive they are about what they want them to do for the team. We're talking about a linebacker here, right in the middle of BB's expertise, whom BB actually coached for a week in Hawaii.

If you're doubting that the plan is to play him principally at ILB -- well, maybe. But if you're doubting that they have a definite plan ...

Who said I doubt they have a plan?

That's why I highlighted Pees comment.

In a year or two, Bruschi and Seau might be gone.

IMO there'll be a player not yet on the roster getting a lot of minutes inside.

 

[patsox23]

I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I DON'T go out of my way to do ANYTHING in regards to him.

All I'm asking for is a bit of perspective and kindness for a sometimes volatile guy, who means so well and maybe could use a little graciousness on your part. And even the suggestion of this possibility brings vitriol and derision in about eight different directions.

What I'm asking for, perhaps not always with hat in hand, is simple kindness. What your offering is bluster and bullying tactics. You win. You're the Alpha Male cool guy. Congrats, Papa Bear.

 

[patsox23]

As for his question, it wasn't legit. He intentionally asked it to try and disparage McDaniels.

But hey, you don't go out of your way. You bring up, yet again, something from MIKE REISS'S MAILBAG, on a totally different site, and translate it here for the rest of us.

Seriously, this is stunningly hypocritical. You don't like NEM - fine. Go for it. But don't tell me you don't go out of your way and then go on to tell me about how awful it was that he wrote a freakin' e-mail into a football mailbag on a different site that seemed to indicate something he used to do here about a year ago. You do see that's what you're doing, right?

 

[Mike the Brit]

Who said I doubt they have a plan?

That's why I highlighted Pees comment.

In a year or two, Bruschi and Seau might be gone.

IMO there'll be a player not yet on the roster getting a lot of minutes inside.

OK, sorry.

Then I'll just say: the Patriots obviously had an EXTREMELY close look at AD and have a very clear idea of how they want to use him. They won't be deflected from that by short-term ups and downs with other players. If AD works out as intended, the linebacking will be built around him for the next few years as it has been around Bruschi in the recent past.

 

[njpatsfan]

You intentionally and consciously go out of your way to be cruel to a guy who doesn't deserve that kind of nonsense. You tend toward the macho B.S. bully in situations like this and it's just so completely unnecessary. As for his question, it was a perfectly legit question - in fact, one of the ONLY non-newbie chicken little nonsense questions that hit that mailbag. You have an obvious bias, and that's fine, but don'ty try to to make that into some reason to ONCE AGAIN ridicule NEM for your own bizarre jollies.

Having been a poster here (and on the previous site) for more years than I can remember, I can never understand why anyone can possibly defend <he that shall not be named> - and especially from one who seems to be an otherwise perfectly rational poster.

He was not a good guy. He rarely posted anything that wasn't either disparaging of others or was forms of misplaced vanity. Whether it was hysterical opuses, misogynist rantings to female posters, or despicably disparaging a member of our armed forces, he had little to add but turmoil. Several quality posters don't post here anymore because of him. He was banned from at least 3 other sites for similar behavior. Is that the behavior of a "good guy" ?

You say it's not "fair" to say anything because he is not here to defend himself ? Was he "fair" to Harrison37 and the others he harassed off the site ? He forfeited that right to participate in this forum because of his poor treatment of others.

No one here should have to apologize for what they posted in this thread. Discussion of what he sent to Reiss's mailbag is fair game - especially when it is so illustrative of his peculiar obsessive-compulsive disorder with the OC positition. You can almost see him leafing through the media book, seeing the staff additions, and concocting some "shadow coach" conspiracy theory. Imagine what threads would have been born (and be hijacked) over this if he had still been here.

He's gone for good. And this site, as others have said, is a much much better place for it.

R

p.s. I was going to change my sig, but I think that I should keep it a little longer. Seems some have short memories.

 

[Deus Irae]

But hey, you don't go out of your way. You bring up, yet again, something from MIKE REISS'S MAILBAG, on a totally different site, and translate it here for the rest of us.

Seriously, this is stunningly hypocritical. You don't like NEM - fine. Go for it. But don't tell me you don't go out of your way and then go on to tell me about how awful it was that he wrote a freakin' e-mail into a football mailbag on a different site that seemed to indicate something he used to do here about a year ago. You do see that's what you're doing, right?

One person made a comment about NEM and you jumped at it. Others commented as follow up. Look to your own glass house before tossing any more stones. You could have just sent that first poster a pm instead of taking this thread down the path you chose.

 

[Oswlek]

As the person who started this whole escapade, I would like to offer my humblest apologies for a serious lack of judgement.

I welcome the deletion of all posts that refer to Mike and promise never to interject him into a thread ever again.

Thank you.

 

[njpatsfan]

As the person who started this whole escapade, I would like to offer my humblest apologies for a serious lack of judgement.

I welcome the deletion of all posts that refer to Mike and promise never to interject him into a thread ever again.

Thank you.

Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing you posted could be construed as offensive - and you certainly didn't "go out of your way" to fabricate an excuse to bring him up. He did it all by himself with his wacky question.

I mean, with all the things going on in preseason - the injuries, the changes in the offense, the roster cuts - he has to ask a question about some entry level hire on the coaching staff. You have to wonder if he has a room with 50 McDaniels pictures pasted up along the walls - all with mustaches penned on.

You just can't make this stuff up.

R

 

[Flying Fungi]

Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing you posted could be construed as offensive - and you certainly didn't "go out of your way" to fabricate an excuse to bring him up. He did it all by himself with his wacky question.

I mean, with all the things going on in preseason - the injuries, the changes in the offense, the roster cuts - he has to ask a question about some entry level hire on the coaching staff. You have to wonder if he has a room with 50 McDaniels pictures pasted up along the walls - all with mustaches penned on.

You just can't make this stuff up.

R

they are actually Charlie Weis pictures with Josh McD's image cut out of a newspaper and taped over them

and there are 73 of them

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Having been a poster here (and on the previous site) for more years than I can remember, I can never understand why anyone can possibly defend <he that shall not be named> - and especially from one who seems to be an otherwise perfectly rational poster.

He was not a good guy. He rarely posted anything that wasn't either disparaging of others or was forms of misplaced vanity. Whether it was hysterical opuses, misogynist rantings to female posters, or despicably disparaging a member of our armed forces, he had little to add but turmoil. Several quality posters don't post here anymore because of him. He was banned from at least 3 other sites for similar behavior. Is that the behavior of a "good guy" ?

You say it's not "fair" to say anything because he is not here to defend himself ? Was he "fair" to Harrison37 and the others he harassed off the site ? He forfeited that right to participate in this forum because of his poor treatment of others.

No one here should have to apologize for what they posted in this thread. Discussion of what he sent to Reiss's mailbag is fair game - especially when it is so illustrative of his peculiar obsessive-compulsive disorder with the OC positition. You can almost see him leafing through the media book, seeing the staff additions, and concocting some "shadow coach" conspiracy theory. Imagine what threads would have been born (and be hijacked) over this if he had still been here.

He's gone for good. And this site, as others have said, is a much much better place for it.

R

p.s. I was going to change my sig, but I think that I should keep it a little longer. Seems some have short memories.

I usually don't quote entire posts but yours is worth repeating.

Out of control behaviour is most often encouraged and exacerbated by a cadre of enablers oblivious to the wreckage caused by their beloved icon. No amount of rational discourse can get them to abandon their beloved, q.v. M Vick & co. And no they are not equivalent, just an example of how enablers participate in the destruction.

 

[patsox23]

Listen, guys, I don't want to perpetuate this anymore than it already has been. Bottom line for me is that there is a place for graciousness and forgiveness that I think sometimes it would be best to adhere to, even (and sometimes ESPECIALLY) in the face of behavior one might not always find acceptable. Pardon my bleating, bleeding heart for all of this, but I just think it would be nice, after 6 months or 8 months or whatever it is, if people would actively avoid the piling on that seems to be a default mode when it comes to a devoted, passionate, sometimes overly emotional veteran fan. I'm not asking anyone to have the same bleeding heart I may have on this particular issue, just a heart, a normal one.

Thanks for listening, and I'm sorry to have hijacked the thread.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

I'd ask that we please discontinue the NEM discussion. The individual in question is no longer a member of this community, and can not 'defend' himself, as such it's not really fair to talk about him. There's nothing wrong with the original post mentioning his name and pointing out his comments in the Mail bag, but the ensuing discussion has pushed the limit now.

Thanks!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Regarding the Adalius Thomas ILB concerns:

There was an interesting blitz/stunt/defense in the Tennessee game taking advantage of Thomas' and Vrabel's versatility;
- Step one: LeKevin Smith penetrated the 'c' gap against the RT, taking the RT into the backfield while keeping his left or 'outside' arm clear for containment on the edge - in other words he took on the role of a 4-3 DE.
- Step two: Adalius Thomas blitzed through the 'a' gap playing the role of the '3-technique' DT in a 4-3.
- Step three: Vrabel slid inside filling the rush lane created by the penetrating defenders and their blockers, just like a 4-3 MLB (except he filled laterally vs. downhill).
- Step four: Rodney came up to the line showing blitz off the edge, on the snap he hesitated, then came on the blitz (I consider this more of a "Vince Young" wrinkle to put a fleet footed defender outside LeKevin to guard against a scramble or rollout).

The defense created a split personality look for the offense. The NT and right side played a standard Patriots' two-gap defense. On the left side they tossed 4-3 look at the offense with Vrabel at MLB, Thomas at DT, LeKevin at DE, and Rodney with the option of staying at SS or working as an OLB.

Thomas at ILB seems adequate for addressing depth at ILB, and doesn't seem to have unduly limited Thomas' scope/value in the defense.