Change of Heart

[WildBB]

It is essential that the Cards draft a running back with their first pick. I don't care if it's 16th overall or 25th overall, they need to get a breakaway back.

I was thinking that one of the most pleasureable plays to watch as a fan is a breakaway TD run by a back. Then I was wondering when the last time I could remember watching a runningback in red breakaway for a 30+ yard TD.

It was difficult to remember. I thought I'd check. So... does anyone remember?

As far as I could find, it was Marcel Shipp (of all people) making a 39 yard TD run... which didn't score a TD. He had a 56 yard run that failed to find the end zone (somehow). Both of those happened in 2002.

It's been 6 years since the Cards had a legitimate home-run back. As far as I could tell, Thomas Jones had a 58 yard TD run on September 15, 2002.

Please, Cards, correctly identify a feature back whom someone can be afraid of. That's really, really pathetic.

Now you talkin', my man.

 

[football karma]

USC is quickly getting the same reputation

my statement is from the observation that for being an absolutely top notch program for the last five years, its a little surprising that they havent put more top notch NFL players into the league.

Carson Palmer is very, very good (and really from the beginning of the USC run) --

since him, its been pretty dissapointing.

The USC team that played Texas in the Natl championship game -- Leinart, Bush, Lendale White, Mike Williams, Dwayne Jarrett, Dominique Byrd -- no real impact thus far. hopefully Leinart changes that.

 

[Duckjake]

......

But the mid- to late-round guys, who have had to work hard against more talented recruits to get PT and never got noticed are usually pretty good values.

That's not true either. Texas hasn't had many mid to late round guys and the ones who did go there were highly recruited 3 or 4 year starters like Nathan Vasher, Derrick Dockery and Bo Scaife.

You are right about Texas first round guys though. Life is too easy for college kids in Austin Texas.

Texas Draft trivia:

Texas has had almost as many first round picks, 12, as they have third round or later, 13, since 2000.

Since 1989 when the Browns took Eric Metcalf, Texas has had only three RBs drafted. Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams and Chris Samuels a 12th round selection in 1991.

Limas Sweed and Jamaal Charles should become the 17th and 18th players from the 2005 Title team to play in the NFL. Not one of those players was a linebacker at Texas.

Derrick Johnson is the only Texas LB to be drafted by an NFL team since 1994.

 

[DaisyCutter]

That's not true either. Texas hasn't had many mid to late round guys and the ones who did go there were highly recruited 3 or 4 year starters like Nathan Vasher, Derrick Dockery and Bo Scaife.

You are right about Texas first round guys though. Life is too easy for college kids in Austin Texas.

Chris Simms, Corey Redding, Shaun Rogers (30th pick in the 2nd round) are the guys that I mean. To go along with Dockery and Vasher (Didn't know they were highly recruited, but didn't Vasher at least have to compete with Quentin Jammer, Michael Huff, and Cedric Griffin?)


Austin is a very cool town. It reminded me a lot of how downtown Tempe used to be.

 

[D-Dogg]

I have done a 180 on Cason. Whomever takes him late first, early second is going to get one of the top corners in the draft.

Yes. He's a flat out stud.

 

[Skkorpion]

Wasn't WR Roy Williams from Texas? I like him. And Lyle Sendlein went there and I really like him.

Predicting future player success or failure based on past players' histories at a particular school just doesn't feel right.

If a player played well, especially against good competition, I say take him, regardless of school history.

Would you pass on a Franco Harris or Larry Johnson because of Curtis Enis and Blair Thomas?

If our scouts think Texas RB Charles can play, draft him.

 

[Duckjake]

Chris Simms, Corey Redding, Shaun Rogers (30th pick in the 2nd round) are the guys that I mean. To go along with Dockery and Vasher (Didn't know they were highly recruited, but didn't Vasher at least have to compete with Quentin Jammer, Michael Huff, and Cedric Griffin?)


Austin is a very cool town. It reminded me a lot of how downtown Tempe used to be.

Corey Redding was one of the highest ranked high school prospects in the nation as was Chris Simms. Vasher started as a freshman and played all 4 years. The NFL scouting on him was as bad as any I've ever seen as he was one of the most talented players I've watched at Texas.

That Texas didn't have many blue collar guys that usually make up the mid to late round picks is something the Texas fans I hang with have discussed for a long time. Only in the last couple of years has Texas had guys like Brian Robinson and David Thomas and Lyle Sendlein get to the NFL.

It has a lot to do imo with what you said about Texas coaching and the fun atmosphere in Austin. Not a place conducive to producing lunch pail players.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Predicting future player success or failure based on past players' histories at a particular school just doesn't feel right.

I agree with this to a certain extent. I like Roy Williams a lot, as well. But football is such a collaborative sport. If you don't believe that Texas faces good competition (and I don't), or if you think that they have elite talents who develop bad habits (and I do), I think that says something. Especially over a long period of time.

But it's especially true at the most dependent positions. If you read the ESPN.com busts list, there was a part about how DT Ryan Sims looked better than he was because Julius Peppers was getting so much attention on the same DL. We have yet to find out whether Leinart looked better than he did because he was surrounded by elite talent, but he absolutely appeared more NFL ready than he was.

On the other hand, Miami (FL) players often seem to perform better individually once they become pros. Except CBs, as we're finding out after the Raiders did with Phillip Buchanon, and the 49ers did with Mike Rumph.

 

[Duckjake]

I agree with this to a certain extent. I like Roy Williams a lot, as well. But football is such a collaborative sport. If you don't believe that Texas faces good competition (and I don't), or if you think that they have elite talents who develop bad habits (and I do), I think that says something. Especially over a long period of time.

But it's especially true at the most dependent positions. If you read the ESPN.com busts list, there was a part about how DT Ryan Sims looked better than he was because Julius Peppers was getting so much attention on the same DL. We have yet to find out whether Leinart looked better than he did because he was surrounded by elite talent, but he absolutely appeared more NFL ready than he was.

On the other hand, Miami (FL) players often seem to perform better individually once they become pros. Except CBs, as we're finding out after the Raiders did with Phillip Buchanon, and the 49ers did with Mike Rumph.

I tend to agree. Though most people, especially Skorp, won't agree with my reasoning. I believe that football is driven by tradition far more than any other sport. It is why teams play the same way year after year even when the players and coaches change. It is why ever since I can remember Texas has put one defensive back after another into the NFL while sending a starting linebacker once every 10-15 years.

I also agree about Texas competition. I gave up my season tickets because I wasn't going to pay big bucks to sit in the sun and watch them play Rice and North Texas State.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I also agree about Texas competition. I gave up my season tickets because I wasn't going to pay big bucks to sit in the sun and watch them play Rice and North Texas State.

Thanks. I don't really like the Big XII. Oklahoma (my mother-in-law's alma mater) is a program that gets fat off playing 8 home games a year and only one other okay team (Texas), and then gets it's BCS berth and gets embarrassed.

I think that the conference comes out with some good players, and that's mostly because they get so many Texas kids. But they sent 8 teams to bowl games? The Big XII and the Big Ten are the two most overrated conferences in college football.

 

[Duckjake]

Thanks. I don't really like the Big XII. Oklahoma (my mother-in-law's alma mater) is a program that gets fat off playing 8 home games a year and only one other okay team (Texas), and then gets it's BCS berth and gets embarrassed.

I think that the conference comes out with some good players, and that's mostly because they get so many Texas kids. But they sent 8 teams to bowl games? The Big XII and the Big Ten are the two most overrated conferences in college football.

Speaking of the BCS I wonder how many people besides CBus remember that Derrick Harvey was the defensive MVP of the 2007 BCS title game in Phoenix?

I wouldn't mind seeing him play there more often.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Speaking of the BCS I wonder how many people besides CBus remember that Derrick Harvey was the defensive MVP of the 2007 BCS title game in Phoenix?

I wouldn't mind seeing him play there more often.

Me, neither. I think he's one of those guys that should he fall to the Cards, it would be nearly impossible for them to pass.