DEZ BLOWS HIS TOP, MORE THOUGHTS ON SAM BRADFORD & CHIEFS ADD ANOTHER COACH
Dez Bryant is tired of the growing criticism aimed in his direction & this morning he blew his top. Speaking to the Associated Press, Bryant said any team that passed on him would be sorry, "Whoever passes up on me, it's over with. I feel like I'm going thru the same situation as Randy Moss did. That man had issues & teams were passing up on him & when he got on that field, he killed them. He murdered them." He continued "I'm not the type of person that will try to confront somebody, but now I feel like it's gone too far. I haven't did anything wrong to nobody." Dez, as you can see, clearly wasn't an English major at Oklahoma State. What Bryant did major in was football with a minor in diva 101. He's a good football player, maybe even a great one down the road, but once again, he's an athlete with no accountability.
Is it the media's fault he lied to NCAA investigators? The same media that defended him in this process & the same media who condemned the NCAA for it's ridiculously harsh treatment of you, that media Dez? Is it NFL teams that are conspiring to hurt your draft status by asking you to run agility drills they require every single draft prospect to run? Is it the fault of NFL teams you were unable to run the 3-cone drill & 20-yard shuttle because you didn't have your favorite cleats with you? Is that the responsibility of the NFL, to make sure you have the proper cleats for the most important workout of your life? Is it the media's fault when they correctly reported you ran the 2 drills incorrectly? After each attempt an NFL coach instructing you on how it's supposed to be run, were they wrong? Yes, yes & yes apparently. Bryant added "What do this got to do with me playing football? Even if I did forget my favorite cleats, what do that have to do with me playing football?" What it has to do with you playing football, Dez, is you've shown a remarkable propensity for always having your head up your ass. At some point you have to take account for your responsibilities. After all, it is your life & understand this, if you are pissed off about the treatment you're getting from the media & NFL coaches right now, buddy you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Please don't misunderstand my feelings toward Dez Bryant, I have always liked him as a football player, he's had some memorable games at Oklahoma State, he's had a couple where he barely showed up as well. He has real talent, but Dez needs some tough love instead of giving him a pass for his inability to take care of himself & like so many other entitled athletes, Bryant seldom takes any blame for his missteps. I sincerely hope he succeeds in a big way at the next level, but he's not off to a great start.
Gil Brandt, the dean of NFL scouts & an innovator in all things relating to football scouting, had high praise for Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. After his Monday workout for the pros, Brandt said "that was the best quarterback workout I've seen since Troy Aikman back in '89." Completing 49 of 50 passes will get people's attention.
The Green Bay Packers gave a preview of their newest "throwback" uniform that they will use at some point during the upcoming season. If you thought those hideous green & brown uni's were awful, wait till you see these beauties. They were used during the 1929 season & honestly they should have kept them in 1929. Let me start with the worst part, there's no green in them. The jersey's are navy with a large gold circle in the middle of the front & back with navy numbers. Tan pants & a navy helmet complete the ensemble. My prediction: it will be mocked to no end & the NFL shop will sell very, very few of these jerseys.
Two of the guys I'm pulling for in the upcoming draft are recovering from severe knee injuries that will greatly lessen their status in April's draft. O'Brien Schofield, a former defensive end from Wisconsin, was converted to OLB at the East-West Shrine game. He looked unsure of himself during the practices but was quite a playmaker during the game, earning the MVP trophy. On the strength of that performance, Schofield was invited to play in the Senior Bowl but he suffered a torn ACL during the first one-on-one drill in Mobile. Before the injury, Schofield demonstrated the ability to turn the corner quickly & get to the quarterback, he had 12 sacks as a senior added to 24.5 tackles for a loss. He moved very well laterally & I believe he would have been a solid 2nd round choice before the injury. Depending on how well his rehab is going, he will probably drop well into the 5th round, possibly later. This kid has a non-stop motor & super first step quickness, someone might get a helluva football player if they're willing to be patient long enough for him to recover. He might have to go on the PUP(physically unable to perform) list before training camp & then be re-evaluated after six weeks of the regular season. The other young man I really liked before he had his knee blown up returning a kickoff in October, is Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmand III. He tore all three knee ligaments in the collision & it's doubtful he'll be ready for opening day, so it's either going to be the PUP list or injured reserve(out all season). Before the injury, Thurmond was solidly in the bottom half of round one in my opinion. He started every game for the Ducks after his redshirt freshman season, 41 straight. He isn't big at 5' 10 1/2" & 185, but he has long arms & a superior vertical jump, allowing him to cover larger receivers. Thurmond is both quick & fast with excellent closing speed & his 12 interceptions speak well of his ball skills. Very tough physically & mentally, important for someone playing on an island. Good run support player, he had 253 tackles before being hurt. Has waterbug-like open field running skills as a returner of both kickoffs & punts. Thurmond could go anywhere from the 4th round down, but he's worth the risk if his knee ckecks out well.
Kansas City made an interesting addition to their coaching staff today, signing Adam Zimmer to be a defensive assistant & linebackers coach. He was in a similar position with the Saints the last 4 seasons& he is the son of Bengal defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Adam's grandfather, Bill Zimmer was a player in the NFL.
Another quick Chiefs' note: Romeo Crennell will be traveling to Alabama to conduct a private workout with nose tackle Terrence Cody. Having seen Cody workout at the combine, this will probably be more of a check on the progress of his weight loss & how much better has his overall conditioning improved with the weight loss. He showed up at the combine weighing 354, down 16 pounds from the 370 he carried for most of his senior season at Alabama. He should be in the 335 range with much better conditioning, his stamina was obviously lacking. If San Diego doesn't take Cody at pick #28 of the 1st round, I think he'll be there when the Chiefs select at #36, in the 2nd round. I am of the belief that to have an effective 3-4 defense, a space-eating, run-stuffing nose tackle is essential. Cody fills the bill if he can keep his weight in check, he has all-pro potential without doubt. Let's face it, Kansas City needs a lot of help, but a dependable & productive nose tackle could truly be a cornerstone to their defense.
Is it the media's fault he lied to NCAA investigators? The same media that defended him in this process & the same media who condemned the NCAA for it's ridiculously harsh treatment of you, that media Dez? Is it NFL teams that are conspiring to hurt your draft status by asking you to run agility drills they require every single draft prospect to run? Is it the fault of NFL teams you were unable to run the 3-cone drill & 20-yard shuttle because you didn't have your favorite cleats with you? Is that the responsibility of the NFL, to make sure you have the proper cleats for the most important workout of your life? Is it the media's fault when they correctly reported you ran the 2 drills incorrectly? After each attempt an NFL coach instructing you on how it's supposed to be run, were they wrong? Yes, yes & yes apparently. Bryant added "What do this got to do with me playing football? Even if I did forget my favorite cleats, what do that have to do with me playing football?" What it has to do with you playing football, Dez, is you've shown a remarkable propensity for always having your head up your ass. At some point you have to take account for your responsibilities. After all, it is your life & understand this, if you are pissed off about the treatment you're getting from the media & NFL coaches right now, buddy you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Please don't misunderstand my feelings toward Dez Bryant, I have always liked him as a football player, he's had some memorable games at Oklahoma State, he's had a couple where he barely showed up as well. He has real talent, but Dez needs some tough love instead of giving him a pass for his inability to take care of himself & like so many other entitled athletes, Bryant seldom takes any blame for his missteps. I sincerely hope he succeeds in a big way at the next level, but he's not off to a great start.
Gil Brandt, the dean of NFL scouts & an innovator in all things relating to football scouting, had high praise for Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. After his Monday workout for the pros, Brandt said "that was the best quarterback workout I've seen since Troy Aikman back in '89." Completing 49 of 50 passes will get people's attention.
The Green Bay Packers gave a preview of their newest "throwback" uniform that they will use at some point during the upcoming season. If you thought those hideous green & brown uni's were awful, wait till you see these beauties. They were used during the 1929 season & honestly they should have kept them in 1929. Let me start with the worst part, there's no green in them. The jersey's are navy with a large gold circle in the middle of the front & back with navy numbers. Tan pants & a navy helmet complete the ensemble. My prediction: it will be mocked to no end & the NFL shop will sell very, very few of these jerseys.
Two of the guys I'm pulling for in the upcoming draft are recovering from severe knee injuries that will greatly lessen their status in April's draft. O'Brien Schofield, a former defensive end from Wisconsin, was converted to OLB at the East-West Shrine game. He looked unsure of himself during the practices but was quite a playmaker during the game, earning the MVP trophy. On the strength of that performance, Schofield was invited to play in the Senior Bowl but he suffered a torn ACL during the first one-on-one drill in Mobile. Before the injury, Schofield demonstrated the ability to turn the corner quickly & get to the quarterback, he had 12 sacks as a senior added to 24.5 tackles for a loss. He moved very well laterally & I believe he would have been a solid 2nd round choice before the injury. Depending on how well his rehab is going, he will probably drop well into the 5th round, possibly later. This kid has a non-stop motor & super first step quickness, someone might get a helluva football player if they're willing to be patient long enough for him to recover. He might have to go on the PUP(physically unable to perform) list before training camp & then be re-evaluated after six weeks of the regular season. The other young man I really liked before he had his knee blown up returning a kickoff in October, is Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmand III. He tore all three knee ligaments in the collision & it's doubtful he'll be ready for opening day, so it's either going to be the PUP list or injured reserve(out all season). Before the injury, Thurmond was solidly in the bottom half of round one in my opinion. He started every game for the Ducks after his redshirt freshman season, 41 straight. He isn't big at 5' 10 1/2" & 185, but he has long arms & a superior vertical jump, allowing him to cover larger receivers. Thurmond is both quick & fast with excellent closing speed & his 12 interceptions speak well of his ball skills. Very tough physically & mentally, important for someone playing on an island. Good run support player, he had 253 tackles before being hurt. Has waterbug-like open field running skills as a returner of both kickoffs & punts. Thurmond could go anywhere from the 4th round down, but he's worth the risk if his knee ckecks out well.
Kansas City made an interesting addition to their coaching staff today, signing Adam Zimmer to be a defensive assistant & linebackers coach. He was in a similar position with the Saints the last 4 seasons& he is the son of Bengal defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Adam's grandfather, Bill Zimmer was a player in the NFL.
Another quick Chiefs' note: Romeo Crennell will be traveling to Alabama to conduct a private workout with nose tackle Terrence Cody. Having seen Cody workout at the combine, this will probably be more of a check on the progress of his weight loss & how much better has his overall conditioning improved with the weight loss. He showed up at the combine weighing 354, down 16 pounds from the 370 he carried for most of his senior season at Alabama. He should be in the 335 range with much better conditioning, his stamina was obviously lacking. If San Diego doesn't take Cody at pick #28 of the 1st round, I think he'll be there when the Chiefs select at #36, in the 2nd round. I am of the belief that to have an effective 3-4 defense, a space-eating, run-stuffing nose tackle is essential. Cody fills the bill if he can keep his weight in check, he has all-pro potential without doubt. Let's face it, Kansas City needs a lot of help, but a dependable & productive nose tackle could truly be a cornerstone to their defense.
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