Willie Mcginest says locker room prefers Skelton

[BigRedRage]

Report: Cardinals teammates prefer Skelton over Kolb

Posted by Michael David Smith on July 25, 2012, 9:31 AM EDT

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Getty Images As John Skelton and Kevin Kolb prepare to square off in a training camp competition to become the Cardinals’ starting quarterback, one report suggests that the locker room is rooting for Skelton.
Former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest, who now works at NFL Network, said on Total Access that he has friends on the Cardinals and that they’ve told him they prefer Skelton over Kolb.
“Talking to some of my buddies down there, it seems like they’re gravitating toward Skelton a little bit more,” McGinest said.
McGinest suggested that other players in the locker room admire the way Skelton has worked his way up from being a 2010 fifth-round pick to having a chance to start, whereas Kolb had a big contract and the starting job handed to him last year.
“He’s a big quarterback, he’s tough in the pocket, he has a carefree attitude, he really doesn’t have any pressure,” McGinest said of Skelton. “He didn’t get a huge contract like Kolb did, and he’s one of those guys that can command a huddle, can come in there, and guys just like his attitude.”
McGinest also questioned whether Kolb is a winner.
“In six years he’s won five games. Kolb’s won five games in six years,” McGinest said.
That’s not quite right — Kolb’s record as a starter is 6-10, and he has only played in the NFL for five years — but it is certainly true that the Cardinals had a better record with Skelton last year than they had with Kolb. And if McGinest’s friends in the locker room are an indication of the mood of the whole team, the Cardinals players think they’ll have a better record with Skelton this year, too.

 

[Snakester]

I hope Skelton starts to. His upside because of arm strength. Size and pocket presense is bigtime. Somehow I still think Kolb will start because of the money invested in him. The good thing is that both Skelton and Kolb will have a full preseason to prove which one should start.

 

[Pariah]

If this report is true, I think it's Skelton's job. I think we've seen Whiz make pretty drastic personnel decisions based on the locker room.

 

[Shane]

If this report is true, I think it's Skelton's job. I think we've seen Whiz make pretty drastic personnel decisions based on the locker room.

Still gonna have to outperform Kolb when the bullets fly in pre season. If Kolb goes out and clearly outplays him its his job. Whiz doesn't make decisions based on popularity that much is certain.

 

[Goldfield]

It's going to be a fun competition. There are a lot of things I love about Skelton. But he has struggled a lot also.

This is the one time I am glad to see us have 5 preseason games to get a good look at them both.

 

[Bodha]

I have no doubt.


When Kolb flees the pocket every snap, he screws up everyone elses jobs. The WRs route become "Im here! Throw it!", the Oline - even when holding the pocket, look terrible because he allows himself to get sacked when he runs away. And im sure the D would like to have 30 seconds off to get a breather before Kolb goes 3 and out on his first drive.

and he seems like a pansy because hes always hurt.

Skelton, on the other hand, is mega calm and is super clutch in end game situations.


not much of a competion IMO

 

[Buckybird]

Still gonna have to outperform Kolb when the bullets fly in pre season. If Kolb goes out and clearly outplays him its his job. Whiz doesn't make decisions based on popularity that much is certain.

Yep.

I still think Kolb has better overall skills, while the team (at this point) does believe in Skleton more as a player & leader.

IMHO neither has the skills or ability to lead the Redbirds to a shot at a Super Bowl title, thus making everything else a moot point.

 

[Russ Smith]

It is interesting you have reports from last year that players were complaining they were open and Skelton didn't see them. You have media during games telling them that coaches said Skelton wasn't seeing open players regularly.

With Kolb we had him obviously skittish in the pocket, coaches saying he didn't know the system and needed to step up in the pocket. Players saying they were open and he missed them.

Tough choice but if the players really back Skelton it suggests they believe his problems are more fixable than Kolb's. I guess we'll find out

 

[Duckjake]

That’s not quite right — Kolb’s record as a starter is 6-10, and he has only played in the NFL for five years

Technically Kolb's record as a starter is 6-10 but that is giving him credit for the win over SF last season where he was injured after only 3 plays.

 

[BigRedRage]

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[Garthshort]

This imo is poor reporting. Willie probably spoke with ONE guy and that guy told him that he and his friends prefer Skelton. And that gets changed to a majority of the lockerroom prefer JS. And it's possible that since Willie is a defensive player, so is his friend. My point is this NOT a true survey. JMO.

 

[Pariah]

This imo is poor reporting. Willie probably spoke with ONE guy and that guy told him that he and his friends prefer Skelton. And that gets changed to a majority of the lockerroom prefer JS. And it's possible that since Willie is a defensive player, so is his friend. My point is this NOT a true survey. JMO.

It's not a true survey (it was never purported to be), but we don't know how many people he spoke with. I'm not sure ewhy you'd call him a lair and say it was just one source, and even then, maybe the source told him the locker room was with Skelton.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

If he's healthy, Kolb will be the qb because he's better. Anyone care for a gentleman's wager?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I dont fault the team thinking that they would rather get into a fox hole with Skelton than Kolb at this point. Kolb hasnt exactly been a iron man throughout his career and last season was no different. In a sport where toughness is valued over most everything else, I get why players (especially on defense) would say Skeleton is the guy.

The good news is that can easily change with a good performance by Kolb oin TC and preseason. He shows he is the more mature player and more "ready to win" in TC by standing up and taking on JS's challenge, he'll get that respect back.

But if its close (which would be worst case scenario othen than injury) than I am not sure which weighs into decision more: The thought that Kolb needs to validate his contract and "sunken cost" or that Skeleton may have the hearts of the lockeroom.

Winning cures all. Kolb does that and this all goes away.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

If he's healthy, Kolb will be the qb because he's better. Anyone care for a gentleman's wager?

I agree with you bud. The problem is can he stay on the field?

 

[Garthshort]

Pariah, I NEVER called him a liar. I said it was poor reporting IMO. Willie never said how many guys he spoke with, and that gave me an indication that he only spoke with one and not more than a couple. That's my take, right or wrong, but again I NEVER called him a liar. It's hard to see how you could reach that conclusion. Any chance you're a lawyer?

 

[Shane]

Pariah, Any chance you're a lawyer?

 

[Shane]

Per whiz: He doesn't put much stock into comments made 2nd hand.... Good to hear he shouldn't.

 

[Pariah]

Pariah, I NEVER called him a liar. I said it was poor reporting IMO. Willie never said how many guys he spoke with, and that gave me an indication that he only spoke with one and not more than a couple. That's my take, right or wrong, but again I NEVER called him a liar. It's hard to see how you could reach that conclusion. Any chance you're a lawyer?

He said "Talking to some of my buddies" and you said "he probably talked to one guy."

You never used the word liar, but you indicated you didn't think he was telling the truth.

I'm not trying to stir the pot, I just don't get where you're coming from on this one.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Per whiz: He doesn't put much stock into comments made 2nd hand.... Good to hear he shouldn't.

I saw a clip of Whiz saying Mcginest wasn't in the huddle so what did he know.

It was great.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I put as much stock in what McGinest has to say as I would Warren Sapp, Michael Irvin, Emmit Smith, or any other ex-player collecting a pay check by trying to be an "insider", which isn't much.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I have friends in the lockerroom too (completely unspecified) and they say John Skelton stinks.

This is bogus; McGinest just trying to sound relevant and pass off his opinion as insider info.

 

[THESMEL]

poppycock-

I would not have been disappointed if Whiz would have made Skelton the starter and stuck by him thick and thin until it was time to make a new decision.

I would have been disappointed if he did the same for Kolb again.

If Kolb wants it he needs to reach out and choke it, I will be surprised if he has it in him, but would like that very much too. 60+% completions 100 average QB rating, or so.

 

[Stout]

Still gonna have to outperform Kolb when the bullets fly in pre season. If Kolb goes out and clearly outplays him its his job. Whiz doesn't make decisions based on popularity that much is certain.

See, this is the trap, the reasoning for the team to roll out if they go with Kolb and Kolb hasn't outperformed Skelton in the preseason. The bullets simply don't fly in the preseason. It is in no way a measure of a player's ability because they aren't real games, the game plans are vanilla, and all that. Now, if one of the two absolutely stinks up the joint, then sure, you can write them off. Saying someone has to clearly outperform someone else 'when the bullets fly' in preseason is terribly misleading. It will be decided in practice and behind closed doors, IMO.

Sorry Shane, I'm not jumping your case. It's just that I feel the Cards will simply go with Skelton unless Kolb completely and utterly tanks in the preseason, and this is one of the lines that I'm expecting to get from the team

 

[Duckjake]

See, this is the trap, the reasoning for the team to roll out if they go with Kolb and Kolb hasn't outperformed Skelton in the preseason. The bullets simply don't fly in the preseason. It is in no way a measure of a player's ability because they aren't real games, the game plans are vanilla, and all that. Now, if one of the two absolutely stinks up the joint, then sure, you can write them off. Saying someone has to clearly outperform someone else 'when the bullets fly' in preseason is terribly misleading. It will be decided in practice and behind closed doors, IMO.

Sorry Shane, I'm not jumping your case. It's just that I feel the Cards will simply go with Skelton unless Kolb completely and utterly tanks in the preseason, and this is one of the lines that I'm expecting to get from the team

Very true. Otherwise Richard Bartel would be the starting QB for the Cardinals because he outperforms everybody in the pre season games.