Date Archives July 2012

Quick Bursts: RB Michael Dyer and the Context of Patience

0 Comments read 2015 NFL Draft, Players, Running Back
. Photo by Parker Anderson.

Do you judge a player’s decisions play-by-play or with a group of plays? There is no clear answer. Michael Dyer’s performance against Clemson is a good example

A common refrain that ESPN radio host and Footballguys writer Cecil Lammey used to describe former Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray before the Chiefs drafted him was that he was ‘too patient.’ Can a running back be too patient?  I think the answer is yes, but it is a thorny judgment call. So is evaluating plays one by one rather than seeking an overall context.

Watching former Auburn running back Michael Dyer during a sequence of three, first-quarter runs against Clemson in 2011 brought this to mind. Continue reading →

Reads Listens Views 7/20/12 – Booher, Aurora, and More Pot

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Thoughts and Prayers for the Town of Aurora, Colorado

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Last night’s shooting in an Aurora, Colorado theater during the midnight screening of Batman is the second massacre of this sort in a Denver suburb in recent years. Aurora was my second home as a child. My father lived there for at least 20 years and worked just five miles form that theater. He still doesn’t live far from there to this day. My brother grew up in a suburb pretty much between Aurora and just a highway exit away from Columbine.

And my friend and colleague Cecil Lammey lives in Littleton, which isn’t far from there, either. In fact, he left our Audible Podcast early to see the midnight screening of Batman and many of us wondered if he was in that theater upon hearing the tragic news. Thankfully, he was not, but dozens more weren’t as fortunate. Please keep the victims of this crime in your thoughts and prayers today.

On a related note, David and Shevelle, I’m sending my prayers your way. My wife and I met this Aurora couple last Friday at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. If you didn’t know, the museum is at the site of the old Lorraine Motel, the place where Martin Luther King was assassinated. We saw a documentary featuring the Reverend Billy Kyle, who was at Martin Luther King’s side when the shot was fired. The film included a spine-chilling sermon Kyle gave about bearing witness to this tragedy.  I found it here and considering the events of last night, I think it is fitting to share.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/zNlpGcjx9Wo] Continue reading →

RSP Readers Team: Ryan Booher’s Q&A

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Chip Kelly (left) puts the pedal to the metal and Ryan Booher builds a team that at least in theory, is going to make television commentators and analysts gush like school girls at a boy band concert. Photo by Wade Rackley.

…it is that “box” that I think most often times gets coaches fired. Fear of trying something new. Given the size, speed, and intelligence of defenders today, I need coaches that can give defenses pause when trying to play w/ the attacking, intimidating style that they love to use.

-Ryan Booher on his coaching and strategy

Somehow, in the mass of RSP Project submissions, I forgot to post Ryan Booher’s roster Q&A. I’m not sure why, because I was fascinated with his desire to use high-tempo, Oregon/West Virginia/Oklahoma State spread looks in the NFL. I love his willingness to embrace an aggressive offensive scheme.

Booher’s Q&A is an excellent presentation of a team and he’s one of the few writers/readers that I’ve seen thus far talk about the fit with chemistry between personnel, coaches, and strategy to build a strong team. While there is a difference between theory and practice, this is one of my favorite teams. I have follow up questions for him that I hope I can have answered tomorrow in time for Reads Listens Views.

Here’s Booher’s roster if you need a quick refresher of his personnel. Matt Miller, Jene Bramel, and Scott Kacsmar, and Chase Stuart have finished their rosters. Russ Lande is working on his right now. Great stuff ahead. Continue reading →

New York Times Fifth Down Series: No. 2 WR Justin Blackmon

0 Comments read Players, Wide Receiver

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2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. (6-0, 207) [Highlights above differ from article in NY Times.]

Blackmon plays a physical brand of football despite the fact that he is smaller and slower than he appears when featured in this wide-open Oklahoma State offense. The Cowboy offense gives Blackmon a lot of opportunities to approach defenders in space with the ball in his hands and heading downhill. While he will consistently be playing in tighter spaces at the N.F.L. level and he is not as explosive as other top prospects, Blackmon has the strength, hands and balance to become a reliable “plus” possession receiver (Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall) in the league.

Blackmon’s skill after the catch is what separates him from most prospects in this class. He is tough to bring down in the open field because he is a fluid runner with enough burst, strength and balance to run through hits and wraps. Blackmon’s strong hand-eye coordination and tendency to attack the ball from his breaks places him in an aggressive position to get the jump on defenders in open space.

If he develops better [Click here to read the rest]

Pro Football Focus Fantasy Editor Alex Miglio’s Q&A

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Whitney Mercilus will have a pivotal role in PFF writer-editor Alex Miglio’s defensive scheme. Is he ready? Photo by The Daily Herald.

PFF writer and editor Alex Miglio unveiled at roster with promising offensive skill players, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties under 26 years of age. This is a young and physically talented team. What intrigues me most about this team is that Andrew Luck has been compared often to Peyton Manning, but unlike the Colts or Broncos, Miglio is going to give Luck and his young squad a complex offense with a variety of personnel sets and formation shifts.

While Luck may be up to the task, the question might be whether the rest of his team is up to the scheme complexities Continue reading →

Pro Football Focus Fantasy Editor Alex Miglio’s RSP Writers Team

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Pro Football Focus fantasy redraft editor Alessandro Miglio is banking big on the Andrew Luck to Coby Fleener tandem. Photo by Han Shot First.

Alessandro Miglio is the Redraft Editor for Pro Football Focus’ fantasy content and a featured columnist at Bleacher Report where he covers the Dolphins and the NFL. Miglio and I both share a fondness for the Miami Hurricanes football team and Foster 206, which is not a beer but a location for excellent music.

Miglio believes he built his team for the long haul.

This team was built to last. There is youth and upside at many vital positions. While that means there is some uncertainty about quality of play, the youthful makeup of this club was intentional. While they may not be immediate Super Bowl contenders, they should quickly grow into one.

With players like Andrew Luck, Jonathan Stewart, Taiwan Jones, and Demaryius Thomas, Miglio has some explosive elements to his team. The questions arise on defense where he has a lot of promise and physical talent, but is there enough savvy to make it work? Continue reading →

Brought to You by the Miller Brewing (and Growing) Company

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
Percy Harvin’s migraines have been more problematic than his past marijuana-related issues. Despite what the NFL says, pot is much ado about nothing. Photo by Mark Trammell.

Two years ago, Boston.com reporter Albert Breer quoted an unnamed NFL coach that estimated that at least one-third of the players on NFL draft boards had a history of marijuana use. Think that’s bad? Consider the rest of the American public.

Depending on the poll, between 40-60 percent of (honest) Americans have tried marijuana as a recreational drug. A 2011 Gallup Poll says 50 percent of Americans favor legalization of pot. Yet we condemn athletes that tried (or still use) marijuana.

The best argument for condemnation of these athletes is logical: Marijuana is illegal. If an athlete has the goal to take his talents to the professional level, he has to be incredibly foolish to try or continuously smoke pot when he knows he’s going to be tested.

I agree. How does anyone risk his career, family, and freedom to engage in illegal activity? Why don’t we ask that question about the 40-60 percent of Americans that smoke pot but Continue reading →

Thoughts on Josh Gordon to Cleveland

0 Comments read Players, Wide Receiver
Hint: Hakeem Nicks earned average to below average marks at his pre-draft workouts. Those that relied on what they saw in games weren’t as disappointed. A lesson to consider when judging Josh Gordon. Photo by Romec1

As I mentioned last week, I’ll have more analysis on Gordon’s game within the next 7-10 days. But I have a little time to share some thoughts on the Browns drafting Gordon with a second-round pick and the general tenor of reactions I have seen regarding the former Baylor wide receiver.

“Not enough to see”

He might not have made good choices off the field, but don’t let anyone tell you there was not enough “tape” to evaluate Gordon. They simply couldn’t find enough to watch him or they don’t know how to watch in-depth with an entire season that was available. Gordon as a sophomore and Gordon in 2012 could be vastly different players due to time away from the game. However, Muhammad Ali Continue reading →

Reads Listens Views 7/11/12

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If Fitzgerald is at the pinnacle of the receiving position in today’s game, these three publications that are now available are at the top of theirs. Photo by Photogeek21.

Reads

This is a quick post, but one I want to make this week before my access to Internet becomes less constant. I have three recommendations for reading material before the season begins. One is a fantasy football magazine. The other is a book. I’m sure most of you have one and plan to get the other, but I still want to do my due dilligence and give them a mention.

The first is the Footballguys Interactive Magazine, which is iPad, Android, desktop, and laptop friendly. The magazine is jam-packed with fantasy football goodies, photos, swipeable navigation, and yes, even an Upside Down (and counterpunch) draft strategy that many of you have been asking me about. Check it out here and learn about the deal Footballguys offers for subscribers to the site.

And for the few of you that haven’t made the connection, yes, I write for the site. I love working at Footballguys and a big reason why is the quality of work that so many of the people produce. They produce far more than what they charge for it.

My newest gig is with Football Outsiders and I’m thrilled to be starting a column with a top-notch group of writers at this terrific football resource. The Football Outsiders 2012 Almanac is now available for download. This publication has become an annual “must-have” for football fans. Lot’s a great work there and the link I just provided includes links to samples from this highly praised annual publication.

One of the things I enjoy about Football Outsiders is the thought-provoking work that you’ll see there on a regular basis from excellent writers. The RSP blog recently posted FO columnist Ben Muth’s RSP team and Muth was instrumental in creating our player values to help this blog deliver a project that has been a hit with readers.

My final recommendation this week is a publication that I have no connection to in terms of employment, but I read chapters from nightly. I’ve probably read this book twice through since I got it six weeks ago: The Essential Smart Football by Chris Brown. Almost every writer participating in the RSP Project has cited Brown’s work thus far. That should tell you how influential his knowledge is to the writer’s community. I’ve learned a ton from Brown when it comes to the X’s and O’s of the game and it is helping me gain a valuable scope with the work I do.

These three publications are the must-haves that cover three of the four essential parts of football table today: fantasy football, statistical football analysis, and strategic X and Os analysis. What’s the fourth you ask? You don’t have to ask about rookie analysis, do you? 🙂

Listens and Views

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I get the sense that Dickerson is the most underappreciated of the great backs in recent NFL history.

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I’ll tell you about it when I get back.

Ryan Booher’s RSP Reader’s Team

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Who is this bird? Ryan Booher will give you the word as he reveals his RSP Readers Team, which will feature Diamond formation sets and West Coast/Spread Concepts. Photo by Jeffery Beall.

As promised, I’m posting reader-submitted teams for the RSP Writers Project. Ryan Booher has been excited about participating in this project for months now. He has delivered a fascinating roster filled with many players that I haven’t seen on teams submitted thus far. He’ll also be using the Diamond formation in a lot of base sets, which we might see a little bit in the NFL this year. Continue reading →