Posts tagged RSP

The Pats Two-TE Sets: A Long Time Coming?

0 Comments read Tight End
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is not the joker Aaron Hernandez is, but is production will still be as serious as a heart attack. Photo by WBUR

 

Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski combined for 13 receptions, 189 yards, and 2 touchdowns against the Dolphins on Monday night. Yesterday they combined for 11 receptions, 143 yards, and 3 touchdowns against the Chargers. If you’ve been reading this blog throughout the summer then you know the hybrid position has been a common theme.

While I’m not certain the Patriots intended to incorporate two tight end sets immediately into their base offense when they drafted Hernandez and Gronkowski in 2010, I think they envisioned it. These are two very different types of players so redundancy wasn’t the intent. Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, Views 9/15

0 Comments read Reads Listens Views

[youtube=http://youtu.be/xfycwp887dc]

Gene Upshaw at his best. 

Thank you to those of you who are making the Rookie Scouting Portfolio Blog a part of your regular reading schedule. As I’ve been saying weekly, if you like what you’ve seen thus far, please consider these three acts of kindness: 

  1. Subscribe to this blog. It’s free.
  2. Share this blog with your friends.
  3. Send me feedback.

And then consider performing one special act of kindness to yourself: Get my publication The Rookie Scouting Portfolio. Those who buy it love it.

The RSP is a 120-150 page rookie report loaded withanalysis, rankings, and player comparisons of over 150 offensive skill position prospects. And unlike any publication remotely of its type, I also show the reader my work with an appendix containing hundreds of pages of game study notes as well as my position-specific scoring checklists adopted from best-practice methods for performance evaluation.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting more prospect analysis that you’ll likely see in the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, which will be available here for purchase in the early spring.

Back issues of the RSP (2006-2010) are available for purchase by emailing me.

Reads, Listens, Views

It’s this time of the week where I share what I’ve been reading, listening, and viewing each week – football, fantasy football, and non-football.

Football – Two Links from writer Alen Dumonjic, who does an excellent job of analyzing the game. 

Goal-Line Stand – This is a part of the website The Score. I strongly recommend Alen’s contributions. He does a fantastic job with X’s and O’s and explaining football technique.

Inside the matchup: Patriots vs. Dolphins by Alen Dumonjic courtesy of Boston.com – I know this is last week’s game but the analysis is insightful and explains concepts that go beyond this game.

Non-Football

Sewing her way out of poverty By Nicholas D. Kristof – The inspiring story of a married mother in Kenya who resorted to prostitution to support her children after they pushed out of her house by her husband who brought in a new wife. The mother learns to sew, creates a business, and with the help of a microsavings program earns enough to work her way out of poverty.

Super-Earth: Newly discovered planet could potentially support life  By Denise Chow

Tidal Turbines: New sparks of hope for green energy from beneath the waves by Colin Woodward – A town on the Maine coast is the Kitty Hawk for green energy.

A Photo Essay on the Great Depression

Entertainment

El Nino performed by the late, great Michael Brecker – perhaps the one saxophonist who built on what John Coltrane did (while also performing with the likes of Aerosmith, Cameo, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, and over 900 albums of music of every genre).

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Jene Bramel: Play Defense, not defenses

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
Will the Pats be using a 4-3 or a 3-4? Bill Belichick bristles at the desire to label. Jene Bramel explains why. Photo by Sean O'Brien.

[Editor’s note: Jene Bramel is an excellent football writer best known for his expertise with individual defensive players at Footballguys.com. One of the reasons he’s so good in this area (as well as the offensive side of the ball) is that he analyzes the game. He enjoys watching games and breaking down what he sees. Jene asked me if he could occasionally contribute to The Rookie Scouting Portfolio blog when he had something he felt like writing. How could I refuse?]

Much was made of the New England Patriots’ defensive scheme this preseason.  The signing of Albert Haynesworth and the release of Ty Warren prompted lots of discussion about whether the Pats would move away from what has been their traditional base 3-4 front in recent seasons.  Continue reading →

Quick Announcement

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If you enjoyed my series with NFL Films’ senior producer Greg Cosell, you’re going to love next week’s conversation series with 16-year veteran scout and former college coach Dan Shonka of Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services.

Shonka spent 7 years with National (National Football Scouting) and then another nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs.

Shonka, who is featured in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, gave me nearly two and a half hours of his time to talk shop.

While I won’t say this tops the Cosell series, I think it might be as good in a different vein.

Expect the first segment on Monday.

Discerning Errors From Deficiencies: A WR’s Hands

0 Comments read Players, Wide Receiver
This is the third time I've used this photo, but it so underscores the point I'll be making in this post about good hands technique (and you know you like it). Photo by Tennessee Journalist Wade Rackley.

No prospect is perfect. Although I can hear some of you thinking Andrew Luck’s name (or maybe that’s the voice in my head and I just don’t want to admit it), this isn’t a post about the Stanford quarterback. It’s about learning to project a player’s potential by his errors.

Failures often reveal more about a prospect’s upside than his successes. Fans and evaluators alike (present company included) often fail to discern the difference between a correctable error and a deficiency that requires more serious work and may never improve. Based on my six years of extensive film study, I’m going to share with you lessons I’ve begun to learn that will help you develop a more critical eye. Continue reading →

RSP Readers Poll: 2011 NFL Season

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With the 2011 NFL season approaching fast I want to know your takes. Photo by Matt McGee

I have great readers and I’m curious about your takes heading into the 2011 NFL season. Since I’ve spent all summer giving my takes on the NFL, now it’s your turn to share yours.  Below are 15 questions. Continue reading →

A Case for Canton: William Andrews

0 Comments read Players, Running Back

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This isn’t the play versus Lott, but it was a lot like it.

William Andrews legendary run through Ronnie Lott was a part of a recent conversation I had with NFL Films producer Greg Cosell. When I listened to Cosell’s thoughts on Andrews and added that to the litany of fans who revered the Falcons runner’s skill it only validated the most obvious of thoughts: Why isn’t William Andrews enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Continue reading →

Greg Cosell Part VI: Favorites

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
(From L-R) Bill Walsh, Dick LeBeau, Don Coryell, Darryle Lamonica, Fred Biletnikoff, and Warren Wells. Photo by Diane Cordell

Parts I, II, and III of my talk with NFL Films senior Producer Greg Cosell – co-author of The Games That Changed the Game were portions of a recent conversation. Part IV and Part V about what goes into evaluating certain positions on the football field are from 2008. The final installment of this series features a short conversation about “favorites.”

Waldman: Who were your favorite players growing up?

Cosell: Wow, it’s funny because I watched football, but the NFL was probably my third or fourth favorite sport after baseball, basketball – the NBA and college – then football. I liked the old AFL. There were players in the old AFL Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, Views 9/2

0 Comments read Matt Waldman

[youtube=http://youtu.be/K0EVm7fi0iQ]

Billy “White Shoes” Johnson. Get acquainted with him if you don’t know who he is. A terrific football player from the `70s and early `80s. One of my favorite receivers/return specialists from any era.

As I do every Friday at the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, I extend my thanks to all of you who take the time out of your day to consistently read the work I post here. It’s been the best week yet for the blog and I want to thank Greg Cosell for being a big reason for it. He’s a great interview.

I you like what you’ve seen thus far, please consider these three acts of kindness: Continue reading →