Cards Shuffle

[Stout]

My take on this... They're bluffing that the OL is set before the draft AND they want to test their new players.

Grimm has seen tons of films on Leckey and Wells and practiced with them on a daily basis since february. Now they want to test the new players, so Johnson takes over for Leckey and Gandy gets a shot at RT. Being the smartest and most versatile Wells takes over for Brown while he gets marriaged.

I'm extremely skeptical, but until the start of training Camp, I keeping my faith in the new coaching staff and the end Denny's mad player favoritism.

Here's what will happen IMO.

Gandy gets a chance to show his stuff at RT and he will fail. Wells is the RT!

Lutui is a lock at RG.

Johnson and Leckey will be in a huge battle for the starting C position. Johnson will win IMO.

After failing as a threat to Wells starting RT spot, Gandy fights Brown for the starting LG. Brown wins.

Ross is no surprise at LT at this point. Look at the films again. Ross isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be. He's better than what Big showed us in the first half of last season, but not quite up to par with Big's perforamnce in the second half. Ross is not the long-term answer, but he is IMO good enough to start if we take Adams in the 1st, and ends up with Staley or Ugoh in the 2nd.

Yes he is, and no he isn't.

 

[JeffGollin]

A Ray of Hope

I agree with those who feel this may be a bluff or that, perhaps, Johnson and Gandy were promised a "shot" at starting.

But let's assume for a moment that the move to Ross, Wells, Johnson, Lutui, Gandy is truly sincere.

If Wells is as bad at LG as many of us say he is, Grimm and Wiz are going to become aware of this pretty quickly. Ditto Gandy - if he''s not suited for RT, this will be revealed fairly early. Same deal with Ross at LT.

And, assuming that Wiz and Russ know what they're doing, they'll make changes, and there will be "adjustments" before training camp starts.

 

[lobo]

And, assuming that Wiz and Russ know what they're doing, they'll make changes, and there will be "adjustments" before training camp starts.[/quote]

Johnson will get the starting job. Too much invested in him to have him in the on deck circle.

 

[PJ1]

And, assuming that Wiz and Russ know what they're doing, they'll make changes, and there will be "adjustments" before training camp starts.

Johnson will get the starting job. Too much invested in him to have him in the on deck circle.[/QUOTE]

Well using that criteria will certainly field the best team.

 

[Zeno]

Grimm has seen tons of films on Leckey and Wells and practiced with them on a daily basis since february. Now they want to test the new players, so Johnson takes over for Leckey and Gandy gets a shot at RT. Being the smartest and most versatile Wells takes over for Brown while he gets marriaged.

That part about practice simply isn't true. All that has gone on thus far is strength and conditioning, not OL drills. Somers had a blog recently that said as much.

 

[AntSports Steve]

Ross isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be. He's better than what Big showed us in the first half of last season, but not quite up to par with Big's perforamnce in the second half. Ross is not the long-term answer, but he is IMO good enough to start...

Ross IS as bas as eveyone things. He wasn't injured last year and got benched at his normal RT position. I remember him getting bull rushed right backwards into the QB. I remember him getting out quicked by a RT and missing his blocks. At LT (where he's never played) his slow footwork will be a huge libality as the very quick DEs will run right past him.

Ross at LT is just a bad combination. He's not in his normal position and he's against better competation.

All I can hope is Ross is just there until draft day, then he's back on the bench. Wells is just filling in for Brown while on vacation. And Gandy was promised a shot to start and since the Rookie is getting the LT spot, if Gandy adapts to RT, he might have a shot there as he gets the slower DEs in general. So, where he failed at Buffalo at LT, he might have a chance at success at RT in Arizona. That allows Wells/Rookie to fight it out for LT which is fine by me.

What I worry about is NOT drafting a day 1 OT.

 

[Heucrazy]

Gene Stallings 23-34
Hank Kuhlman 0-5
Joe Bugel 20-44
Buddy Ryan 12-20
Vince Tobin 29-44
Dave McGinnis 17-40
Denny Green 16-32

I can't imagine why anyone would think those geniuses could know more than a hardcore fan. I mean how much do you really have to know about football to have your team finish dead last in both scoring defense and scoring offense in the same season or to get outscored 443-210.

Most of these guys get their jobs through the coaches good old boy network based on who they know as much or more so than on what they know.

We just witnessed 3 years of that with Denny Green.

Where's Whiz's win loss record in that list?


Oh that's right the guy hasn't even been our head coach for one preseason game yet but all of you armchair QB's already know more than him and can tell he's going to fail if he doesn't set the line exactly the way YOU want it to be.

Silly.

 

[Duckjake]

Where's Whiz's win loss record in that list?


Oh that's right the guy hasn't even been our head coach for one preseason game yet but all of you armchair QB's already know more than him and can tell he's going to fail if he doesn't set the line exactly the way YOU want it to be.

Silly.

Here's Whisenhunts record, ZERO wins as a head coach. Just like Tobin and McGinnis. I didn't like the McGinnis hiring from day one and was right on the money with my concerns.

Until Whisenhunt proves otherwise he's just another Coordinator who may or may not have what it takes to be a head coach. To crown his ... before even seeing what he can do is just as silly. Especially after our experience with the last two Cardinal Head Coaches.

At any rate I'm not knocking Whisenhunt in particular only the notion that just because a guy is coaching in the NFL he's some kind of football genius.

Most of the guys aren't much better than a knowledgeable fan. That's why when guys like Walsh come along, who are football geniuses, they regularly kick the snot out of the rest of the guys.

 

[Heucrazy]

Here's Whisenhunts record, ZERO wins as a head coach. Just like Tobin and McGinnis. I didn't like the McGinnis hiring from day one and was right on the money with my concerns.

Until Whisenhunt proves otherwise he's just another Coordinator who may or may not have what it takes to be a head coach. To crown his ... before even seeing what he can do is just as silly. Especially after our experience with the last two Cardinal Head Coaches.

At any rate I'm not knocking Whisenhunt in particular only the notion that just because a guy is coaching in the NFL he's some kind of football genius.

Most of the guys aren't much better than a knowledgeable fan. That's why when guys like Walsh come along, who are football geniuses, they regularly kick the snot out of the rest of the guys.

True.


But I'm still going to give the coaches the benifit of the doubt when it's April and the first voluntary min-camp for a new head coach.

 

[Duckjake]

True.


But I'm still going to give the coaches the benifit of the doubt when it's April and the first voluntary min-camp for a new head coach.

OK,Here's an optimistic thought: In 2003 the Steelers posted a Cardinalesque 3.34 yards per carry rushing finishing dead last in the NFL. In 2004 Whisenhunt was named offensive coordinator and the Steelers went 15-1.

 

[Heucrazy]

OK,Here's an optimistic thought: In 2003 the Steelers posted a Cardinalesque 3.34 yards per carry rushing finishing dead last in the NFL. In 2004 Whisenhunt was named offensive coordinator and the Steelers went 15-1.

That's the spirit.

 

[perivolaki]

Ross IS as bas as eveyone things. He wasn't injured last year and got benched at his normal RT position. I remember him getting bull rushed right backwards into the QB. I remember him getting out quicked by a RT and missing his blocks. At LT (where he's never played) his slow footwork will be a huge libality as the very quick DEs will run right past him.

Ross at LT is just a bad combination. He's not in his normal position and he's against better competation.

First of all how do you know he wasn't hurt? Almost every NFL player is nicked up during the season. The question is how much and how does it affect you. This is the kind of information that the coaches are privey to that fans have no knowledge of.

I think I heard Whiz say that they would give TE or FB help to whomever is playing LT. They tried to go after Kelley for that very reason. I would think that Terrelle Smith would be able to help out too. I remember when Larry Centers was playing fullback he was an expert at chipping the defensive ends. You can always help out a tackle if you need to.