Coach Green in Peter King's MMQB

[abomb]

With new Arizona head coach Dennis Green.

MMQB: How do you evaluate the players you've inherited?

Green: I made a realistic evaluation last year of all NFL players last year on my know-it-all box -- DirecTV. I saw there definitely was talent on the Cardinals. Now my job is to find out if each one of these guys can play hard, play smart and play physical. If he can't do those three things, he's going to have a hard time playing for us. I do know we've got some guys with very good talent. Leonard Davis has the potential to be the best offensive guard in football.'

MMQB: How do you change the Cardinals' mentality?

Green: By convincing our guys that we're not far away. In the last four years, 26 different teams have been to the playoffs. We want to go to the playoffs our first year. That's our goal.'

MMQB: Does the lack of fan support concern you?

Green: I'm not going to worry about that. I've got to worry about getting the football team ready to win games. Phoenix is as great a city as any city in America. My attitude is people should come out and watch the team play.'

linky: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/peter_king/04/12/mmqb.king/?cnn=yes

A-Bomb

 

[Lex]

"Leonard Davis has the potential to be the best offensive gaurd in football."

This is a very telling statement. Yes, Leonard Davis was the second overall draft pick in 2001. Yes, he was a first team all America left offensive tackle, and consensus all-big 12 conference first team choice. Yes, he was one of 3 finalists for the Outland Trophy at left tackle.

And now he HAS THE POTENTIAL to be the best offensive gaurd in football?

This is a huge slam on Leonard by coach Green.

And deservedly so.

 

[mdsisquo]

"Leonard Davis has the potential to be the best offensive gaurd in football."

This is a very telling statement. Yes, Leonard Davis was the second overall draft pick in 2001. Yes, he was a first team all America left offensive tackle, and consensus all-big 12 conference first team choice. Yes, he was one of 3 finalists for the Outland Trophy at left tackle.

And now he HAS THE POTENTIAL to be the best offensive gaurd in football?

This is a huge slam on Leonard by coach Green.

And deservedly so.

Sorry, I think you completley missunderstood what Denny was trying to say. It's just a way to try and motivate Leonard Davis. He does have the potential to be great. He must realize that. It's not a slam on anyone to tell them they could be the best at what they do. It's a complement and a wake up call at the same time.

 

[Pariah]

This is a huge slam on Leonard by coach Green.

And deservedly so.

I think you're reading too much into it, Lex. If anything, I see this as an ego stroke for Big.

Clearly, he is NOT the best tackle in football, right? So, saying he has the potential to be the best is nothing but positive, IMO.

 

[Savage58]

Has anyone even heard of BIG complaining he isn't playing tackle? I haven't.

 

[Lex]

Savage58-

Good question.

Any offensive lineman, ESPECIALLY left tackles, understand the pecking order on the offensive line. Any successful college left tackle taken #2 overall in the draft, would be totally embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated, to be playing any OTHER position in the NFL, other than left tackle. (AT LEAST right tackle, for crying out loud.)

But Big didn't complain when he was demoted to RT, RG, OR LG.

And if I remember correctly Savage58, Big didn't complain when LJ was re-signed as our left tackle last year either.

Pathetic.

 

[vince56]

Lex, I completely agree. I read it the same way.

 

[spanky1]

"BIG" may have played college level ball as a LT, but he is a OG at the pro level. He isn't fast enough as a OT, can't move his feet fast enough........if he wants to earn a above average salary at the pro level, he quite simply has to do it as a pro bowl guard........being just a good guard will get him cut.

 

[SECTION 11]

Are his feet really that much slower than Ogden's?
He ran a 5.1 40 at 370 pounds at his combine. His bio out of college was that he had good footwork. Something doesn't add up.
I'm guessing that "what" doesn't add up is directly related to him turning down $1,200/hr in bonus $$$ to work out.

 

[SECTION 11]

Either way, we're complete idiots for pissing away the #2 pick on an average guard.
Trading down to #17 and #18 that year would have gotten us Jeff Backus and Steve Hutchinson. Only about a bazillion times more value on the O-line. Blah.

 

[spanky1]

Either way, we're complete idiots for pissing away the #2 pick on an average guard.
Trading down to #17 and #18 that year would have gotten us Jeff Backus and Steve Hutchinson. Only about a bazillion times more value on the O-line. Blah.

Preaching to the choir my friend........I suspect the days of our questionable draft day decisions are over.

 

[Pariah]

Preaching to the choir my friend........I suspect the days of our questionable draft day decisions are over.

Let's not forget that taking Davis at #2 WAS NOT a reach. It was considered to be a slam-dunk, if I remember.

It'd be like Gallery not living up to his expectations 3 years from now.

Is Davis the perrenial all-pro we'd hoped he'd be right now? Nope. But it's not like he's completely devoid of value, either. He could still become that player. But right now he's simply just good, not great.

 

[SECTION 11]

Preaching to the choir my friend........I suspect the days of our questionable draft day decisions are over.

Not if we take a receiver, that we don't need, at #3, in a draft chuck full of 'em.
Just trade down. I don't even care who they take at this point, as long as they trade down.
He won't do it. He wants to make the playoffs this year. Understandable. Realistic too in my opinion.

 

[spanky1]

Not if we take a receiver, that we don't need, at #3, in a draft chuck full of 'em.
Just trade down. I don't even care who they take at this point, as long as they trade down.
He won't do it. He wants to make the playoffs this year. Understandable. Realistic too in my opinion.

Section 11:

I'm as much a "draft Fitz" freak as you are a "draft Stephen Jackson" advocate.........but, if we could trade down out of #3 and pick up a high 2nd round pick and maybe more, I'd bite the bullet and pass on Fitz if I had too.

I really think Wilfork would look good as our NT.........

 

[BACH]

Either way, we're complete idiots for pissing away the #2 pick on an average guard.
Trading down to #17 and #18 that year would have gotten us Jeff Backus and Steve Hutchinson. Only about a bazillion times more value on the O-line. Blah.

There were only three options at #2 back then: Davis, Justin Smith & Warren. Warren is a bust, Smith is a solid starter, but will never be more than that. Davis still has the most potential of the three. They made the right choice in taking Davis at #2.

 

[SECTION 11]

I really think Wilfork would look good as our NT.........

I like Wilfork a lot. I'd be thrilled with this guy at #7, #11 by some miracle.

Personally I like the way Denver does it. They target a player, then adjust to get him. This year they moved up in front of New England to get Jackson (they better move up again though). Last year they targeted Plummer and Gardner in free agency and got both of them.
It's like merging onto a freeway. Pick your spot (player) and get there. Or something.

 

[SECTION 11]

There were only three options at #2 back then: Davis, Justin Smith & Warren.

That's where the problem is right there. We stayed and took the "best player available," at a position Way Too High to do that in, and bang for the buck... got screwed.

 

[BACH]

That's where the problem is right there. We stayed and took the "best player available," at a position Way Too High to do that in, and bang for the buck... got screwed.

I'm pretty sure they tried to trade down back then, but there weren't any takers in a very weak draft.

 

[kerouac9]

That's where the problem is right there. We stayed and took the "best player available," at a position Way Too High to do that in, and bang for the buck... got screwed.

You know what we should have done? Traded the #2 overall, and the #23 overall (from St. Louis) to San Diego for the #1 overall (Mike Vick).

We've missed out on Mike Stone and L. Davis, but gotten the most electrifying player in the NFL, could have picked Alge Crumpler instead of KVB, and still could have picked up Mike Gandy (or maybe still KVB) in the first round.

Wouldn't that have been nice?

 

[Pariah]

You know what we should have done? Traded the #2 overall, and the #23 overall (from St. Louis) to San Diego for the #1 overall (Mike Vick).

We've missed out on Mike Stone and L. Davis, but gotten the most electrifying player in the NFL, could have picked Alge Crumpler instead of KVB, and still could have picked up Mike Gandy (or maybe still KVB) in the first round.

Wouldn't that have been nice?

Sure. But, isn't it easy to say what we should have done 4 years later, too? I liked the Davis pick at the time. In hindsight, yeah, I would have wanted them to make a different one had I known then what I know now.

 

[kerouac9]

Sure. But, isn't it easy to say what we should have done 4 years later, too? I liked the Davis pick at the time. In hindsight, yeah, I would have wanted them to make a different one had I known then what I know now.

To tell you the truth, I thought that Jake was going to turn it around at that time, and didn't want to trade up. I'm not paid to measure these things, either. Too bad that was a one-player draft (not counting LT, of course), huh?

[wistful glance into the distance, sigh]It would have nice, though, wouldn't it?[/wistful glance into the distance]

 

[Duckjake]

How soon we forget. The Cardinal Guards were Matt Joyce and Lester Holmes. All Davis did after being drafted was make the all-rookie team and with Kendall,Shelton,Grutt and Clement formed a line that surrendered the fewest sacks in a season since 1978.

Complaining about BIG because he hasn't been all world every year under the staff that just left and with the problems they've had at Center and RT is nonsense. Remember He's not the only player in the last 3-4 years whose development may have been less than should be expected.

And as for hindsight in the draft how about Ogden/Brakens instead of Rice/McElroy? Woodson instead of Wadsworth? Urhlacher instead of Jones? Trading the pick they used on Boston? The Davis selection doesn't even register on the list of Cardinal draft picks that didn't work for them.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

You know what we should have done? Traded the #2 overall, and the #23 overall (from St. Louis) to San Diego for the #1 overall (Mike Vick).

We've missed out on Mike Stone and L. Davis, but gotten the most electrifying player in the NFL, could have picked Alge Crumpler instead of KVB, and still could have picked up Mike Gandy (or maybe still KVB) in the first round.

Wouldn't that have been nice?

I was screaming that for months prior to the draft. Grab Mike Vick at all costs! And I am not generally for trading up in a draft.

Things that would have been different for the Cards Org. had Vick been drafted:
1. Would have won 2-3 games more a year on his talent alone
2. Mac probably wouldnt have been fired.
3. No more 26,000 fans in attendance!
4. Would have the Cards 'Franchise' QB right now, and would be targeting a WR or DT or CB in th draft and not even thinking about QB!


AWWW...TO DREAM!

 

[SECTION 11]

The Davis selection doesn't even register on the list of Cardinal draft picks that didn't work for them.

Eh, I dunno. It's pretty bad so far. #2 overall, and we've got jack to show for it.

 

[Lex]

Mike Vick?

Please.

He wouldn't have gotten Mac fired? But he got Dan Reeves fired.

Vick had one "sneak up" year. Then he let a broken leg keep him out nearly all year last year, because he wouldn't play till he was "100%." This year, he can blame on the new coach.

When will Mike Vick be held accountable? Tough question. Especially when the excuses are already in place.

The thread is about Leonard Davis, and how Denny will handle him, or not.