Just got back from the scrimmage...

[vince56]

First off...Marcel Shipp... ****!!! **** **** **** **** ****!!!

I hate astroturf, and I hate halfspeed heroes. *********, NO F'N PILEUP TACKLES IN A SCRIMMAGE!!!

sorry, I had to vent. That injury looked GRUESOME from where I was sitting. I heard on the radio it was a dislocation, it looked much worse from the stands. His left foot was pointed 90 degrees counterclockwise of where it should've been.

Okay, now that I've vented, here's my more grounded synopsis of what I saw tonight:

1. Bert Berry will make the pro bowl. We haven't had a pass rusher like this since Simeon. Berry is fast, strong, and knows how to use leverage. One play, Shelton was holding and Berry didn't seem to like it. The next play, Berry beat his ass around the corner and pulled the QB down (you can hit the QB in a scrimmage?! When did this happen? I kind of liked this).

2. Calvin Pace wasn't half bad, he beat davis for a sack, but he's half the player Berry was tonight.

3. Shaun King found his favorite receiver many times tonight...Mr Dirt. This guy is one step above "sucks" from my POV, at least watching him tonight. Overthrows, throws in the dirt, all kinds of nasty. Quincy Carter's available?

4. Middle of the O-line held their own. Wendell and Russell were alternating at nose, and neither one of them did all that much, but on the flip side neither of them really gave up ground much either. Stalemate IMO. Step and Lecky both looked decent.

5. Larry Croom ran like a man posessed. I think he made the team tonight. He runs fast and low, similiar to Larry Centers in style, but his game differs from Centers in that once he hits the line, he drops it into fifth and this guy is fast. He showed a lot of heart, even after Shipp went down.

6. McCown is seriously agile and he has good rapport with Boldin and receiver # 19. He had some great runs tonight.

7. Boldin is a great great great downfield blocker.

Our defense looked promising tonight, I think they'll be very fast although a little porous up the middle. KVB didn't play and neither did Bryant Johnson.

McCown did not show much rapport with Fitz yet. Fitz would come open, McCown would 'kinda' see it, hesitate, begin to deliver, get pressured, tuck and run. McCown needs to be a little more poised in that type of situation, and when a WR is open, fling that ball. He didn't play bad, mind you, that's just a microcosm in one play. The kickers were down right spooky-good, both of them kicking the crap out of the ball...which is to be expected as flagstaff is at 7000 ft elevation, but the good news is Rackers kicked very straight, and he looks very solid. Player did not play.

Shipp falling was a major low point of the night for me. I didn't really enjoy the scrimmage much after that. I honestly almost puked. It might have been an overreaction on my part, but that really looked terrible from my seat. On top of that, he screamed pretty damn loud and was pounding his fists against the turf on both sides in what looked like a combination of pain and frustration. Most of the 80-some other players started taking a knee and praying. It was a strange sight.

~Vince

 

[KingofCards]

Thanks for the write up.

Denny said he expects Shipp to be able to avoid surgery and be out till game 4.

Damn preseason injuries.

 

[arthurracoon]

Dockett played, and he forced Navare's fumble.

 

[NJYAJ09]

Thanks for the write up.

Denny said he expects Shipp to be able to avoid surgery and be out till game 4.

Damn preseason injuries.

It happens... and it sucks.

 

[CardsRep03]

vince, Thanks for the camp report. I can imagine seeing Shipp would ruin your trip. I'm glad you didn't puke! I just hope those 80 some odd prayers saved Marcel's foot from being broken cause it certainly sounds like it should have been. Let's pray for good news on Saturday concerning Marcel.

 

[vince56]

Two more quick notes I forgot about...

1. Adrian Wilson is very very good. I called him out as a flat-out ******* last year, and I think he earned that then. Tonight he looked very sharp. He had a pick tonight, though I can't remember if it was in the scrimmage or during warm-up. Either way it was tight. He had some killer hits as well, and all of them were up high and clean. This guy is a leveler. His coverage skills were much much better tonight as well, but I only saw him line up against WRs with numbers in the teens, so that may be skewed a little. Either way I was really impressed with him tonight.

2. Navarre. uhm. wow. This guy can't drop back without his feet hitting themselves over and over again. I don't think I've seen worse footwork from a QB ever. It was worse than Dave Krieg bad or Jay Schroeder bad. He was nearly stumbling every time he took a snap. His passes were very uncrisp as well and was picked off (see above note on Wilson).

 

[vince56]

vince, Thanks for the camp report. I can imagine seeing Shipp would ruin your trip. I'm glad you didn't puke! I just hope those 80 some odd prayers saved Marcel's foot from being broken cause it certainly sounds like it should have been. Let's pray for good news on Saturday concerning Marcel.

No prob. I'm one of the first ones back in town, it's a duty

As for Marcel, damn, when I saw it, I was thinking compound shin fracture, torn knee ligaments. I'm thankful it's only being described as a dislocation. It will heal.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Two more quick notes I forgot about...

1. Adrian Wilson is very very good. I called him out as a flat-out ******* last year, and I think he earned that then. Tonight he looked very sharp. He had a pick tonight, though I can't remember if it was in the scrimmage or during warm-up. Either way it was tight. He had some killer hits as well, and all of them were up high and clean. This guy is a leveler. His coverage skills were much much better tonight as well, but I only saw him line up against WRs with numbers in the teens, so that may be skewed a little. Either way I was really impressed with him tonight.

2. Navarre. uhm. wow. This guy can't drop back without his feet hitting themselves over and over again. I don't think I've seen worse footwork from a QB ever. It was worse than Dave Krieg bad or Jay Schroeder bad. He was nearly stumbling every time he took a snap. His passes were very uncrisp as well and was picked off (see above note on Wilson).

Navarre probably suffering from nerves.

 

[vince56]

Dockett played, and he forced Navare's fumble.

noted and edited. Thanks for the second set of eyes Arthur!

 

[NJYAJ09]

Man, we should have picked Roethisberger...

 

[KingofCards]

Two more quick notes I forgot about...

1. Adrian Wilson is very very good. I called him out as a flat-out ******* last year, and I think he earned that then. Tonight he looked very sharp. He had a pick tonight, though I can't remember if it was in the scrimmage or during warm-up. Either way it was tight. He had some killer hits as well, and all of them were up high and clean. This guy is a leveler. His coverage skills were much much better tonight as well, but I only saw him line up against WRs with numbers in the teens, so that may be skewed a little. Either way I was really impressed with him tonight.

2. Navarre. uhm. wow. This guy can't drop back without his feet hitting themselves over and over again. I don't think I've seen worse footwork from a QB ever. It was worse than Dave Krieg bad or Jay Schroeder bad. He was nearly stumbling every time he took a snap. His passes were very uncrisp as well and was picked off (see above note on Wilson).

Thanks bro!

I love this board.

Did Bobcat go up with you? I think its cool you and your pops post here and go to the games together.

Thanks again for the report!

 

[azdad1978]

 

[Brandon_Webb]

Thanks a TON vince!

 

[KAZ]

Great reviews...keep them coming!!!

Out-of-town people love this stuff...at least I do.

Thanks,

KAZ

 

[vince56]

Thanks bro!

I love this board.

Did Bobcat go up with you? I think its cool you and your pops post here and go to the games together.

Thanks again for the report!

Yeah Bobcat was with me He got himself a nice McCown jersey too.

I keep thinking about other things I saw at the scrimmage. I remember Emmitt having a really good run up the middle. I mean a really good run, looked like '96 Dallas Emmitt..shedding tacklers, gaining about 10-15 yards. We're gonna need him to be good.

Ayanbadejo (sp?) made a nice down block on Bert Berry on a counter running play that sprung a RB for a few yards, but I can't remember for the life of me who that RB was. It was the 2nd drive of the night I think (2nd string Offense vs. 1st string Defense). Anderson? Scobey? one of those two guys.

To make up for the makeshift OL, McCown was sent on quite a few designed roll-outs.

The three wide receiver set with Boldin at SE and Fitz right next to him at flanker looks downright sick, no defense should have to face that. We're gonna brutalize some secondaries this year.

Starks didn't play. Macklin looked decent. Hill played well.

There was no downtime, the players came out on the field, stretched, and immediately got into warmup groups (QBs/WRs, OL, DL, etc.). Players were constantly moving and no one was at rest. Green seems to run a very efficient camp, there was no real wasted motion. I was very impressed with how this was organized to say the least. Now if they can just replace that damn turf.

 

[Shane]

Thanks Vince!

Helps a lot for us that werent there. Where the heck are other peoples updates?

Bunch of slackers!

 

[arthurracoon]

noted and edited. Thanks for the second set of eyes Arthur!

actually ears, as I listened on the radio

Thanks for the report!

 

[Fitzfan1]

In Fitz you should trust

<b>McCown did not show much rapport with Fitz yet. Fitz would come open, McCown would 'kinda' see it, hesitate, begin to deliver, get pressured, tuck and run. McCown needs to be a little more poised in that type of situation, and when a WR is open, fling that ball. He didn't play bad, mind you, that's just a microcosm in one play.</b>

You need to have McCown contact Rod Rutherford to learn about trusting Fitzgerald. I can't even count the number of times I yelled "NO, NO, NO - Don't throw it he's double or triple covered", only to have Rutherford "force" a throw toward Fitz and then have Fitz come down with the catch much more often than not. This guy made double coverage catches look routine. On the goalline every person in the stadium knew that Pitt was going to throw the fade to Fitz and on any ball in his area, Fitz made the catch. I realize it won't be quite as easy for him in the pros but given the chance to catch some balls he will not let the Cards down. Besides, why pay the guy if you aren't going to throw him some balls?

 

[Redmark]

Now if they can just replace that damn turf.

Do you think the turf contributed to the injury?

 

[vince56]

Do you think the turf contributed to the injury?

I dunno, probably. He got twisted up by two defenders. I don't know if they immediately caused it or if his foot stuck and his leg twisted. Who knows. Astroturf over the years has led to many injuries like this, far more than any other playing surface, and IMO it should never be used with the data we have.

 

[Duckjake]

1. Adrian Wilson is very very good. I called him out as a flat-out ******* last year, and I think he earned that then. Tonight he looked very sharp. He had a pick tonight, though I can't remember if it was in the scrimmage or during warm-up. Either way it was tight. He had some killer hits as well, and all of them were up high and clean. This guy is a leveler. His coverage skills were much much better tonight as well, but I only saw him line up against WRs with numbers in the teens, so that may be skewed a little. Either way I was really impressed with him tonight.

Coaching?

 

[BigRedArk]

Good info vince. Thanks for the report. It sounds like we may have a real weakness at backup QB? I wonder if we should have either kept Parsons or picked up another vet? Wonder how much we are paying King? If the OL keeps playing shaky like it is we may be vulnerable to a potentially genuine problem unless Josh can stay healthy.

 

[red desert]

I attended:

- Thursday pm practice (only special teams)

- Friday am practice

- First half of scrimmage


Just random thoughts about my observations.

Emmitt still has gas left in the tank. Still sees the field with the best of them. He can still play. Providing the O-line is stabilized.

Josh made all the throws asked of him. He's also a very vocal leader. I heard him yelling encouragement throughout the fri am practice. He will be successful THIS year. Providing the 0-line is stabilized.

Speaking of the O-line, Leonard Davis and LJ were both schooled by Bert Berry, and PACE on at least one occassion. At practice, Stepanovich impressed me. Intense. The guy is going to be a leader on the O-line sooner than later.

Echoing Skkorp's earlier post - both Dansby and Darnett are big men. They not only "look" the part, they both showed me signs of things to come. When we drafted Dansby I, and others, mentioned how he reminded us of a young Jamir Milller. Well, he does, but after seeing him move around on the field I'm thinking Wilbur Marshall and Brian Urlacher. Heck, my thoughts even wandered to, dare I say it, Lawerence Taylor. He is BIG and fluid out there. I saw him chase done Freddie Jones on an out pattern, with absolute ease.

Darnell Dockett likewise has me giddy. It took at least two and usually three o-line man to neutralize him in the am practice. Strong. We've heard about his quicks for a DT, but I was impressed by his strength.

These two guys are for real.

As others have said, Fitz is special. Worth the contract. That catch that Skkorp mentioned where he snagged the ball from between at least four other hands was beautiful.

As good as he is, Boldin is better. Right now anyway. Boldin is running and catching, and blocking, like an eight year veteran.

David Macklin also looked good. And Adrian WIlson as well. Wilson had a sweet interception at the fri am practice that drew some oohhs and aahhs.

Fabian what'shisname, the new guy, dropped at least three passes while I was watching. Nate Poole looks good. Kevin Kasper does too. Although I had an opportunity to speak briefly with Kasper and he was, well, a bit odd.

As for Jody Jackson - she's prettier in person.

Dennis Green - his belly is bigger in person.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

Here's some stuff I saw, and I'll try not to be repetitive from waht's already been posted:

I saw Garcia take a couple snaps at center

The Truth might be The Man. He seems so small that the defense kinda lost him on quick outs. I'm pretty sure Williams had two of the TD passes. By the way there was a lot more scoring than in the previous two years.

Newhouse had a nice grab, but also dropped an easy one.

Mayes and Stone both looked good. From my standpoint, Stone won't be back next year no matter how well he plays. Mayes will be a great back-up safety next year, and possibly even more.

Berry and Pace looked good. Our defensive approach gives me goosebumps. The D will be fun to watch this season.

Josh will get a lot of rushing yards this year, for better or for worse.

Players didn't have their names on their jerseys, so at times it was hard to tell who was doing what.

Alex. S looked small out there, but he was really trying to play hard.

When Shipp went down Emmitt helped him on the cart and also hugged him. That was pretty cool to see. You can tell that they've gotten close.

All in all they looked pretty good!