N.Y. Orangeman

We have a winner!

Way to go, Reyna! Bye, Bruce.

Taxes, Governments, Unions, Corruption....this gets so old. What about Upstate NYers ourselves? I don't see any semblance of a creative class in most upstate cities. I don't see people in or from WNYer trying to start businesses or fill needs within the marketplace. Government can't do that and this void surely isn't all due to aforementioned. Afterall, downstate, California, etc. all seem to have made it into the 21st century.

Thankfully, someone else understands this point.

Thanks! I will.

any insights would be appreciated. XM doesn't stream it

Actually, the more important question is whether they have character..

But Madden doesn't account for character....

Quick...someone offer him his job back..

Fantastic!! Thanks

This has the makings of a nice thread. Here's to sleeping you way to the top!

Play the one, of course..

While I don't believe anyone needs to shut up about it, I think this thread says a lot in that there is not one link citing as fact (or even as a reasoned opinion) that Billick would have taken Whitner over Ngata.

impressive..

Apologies if I missed it, but is there a link to Billick's statement on Whitner? Thanks.

Wright

Positives: Has a thick lower body frame with long arms, large hands, big bubble, thick chest and good shoulder width to add more bulk...Has the balance and loose hips to make plays down the line and keeps his feet when operating in space...Possesses the strength to stack and control, but needs to play at a low pad level to be effective there...Has the lateral range to string plays out and uses his hands and feet well to get past blockers on the bull rush...Can jolt, torque and toss blockers in his attempt to collapse the pocket... Good wrap-up tackler who has the stunt agility to play in a one- or two-gap system...When he is active with his hands, he is capable of separating and getting leverage to control...Shows strength when tackling and can stunt and twist with good quickness. Negatives: Will throttle down when not involved in the play...Seems to lack urgency and aggression in his play...When he gets too high in his stance, he does not use leverage, especially vs. double teams...Needs to develop a better feel for block pressure...Can slant and penetrate, but needs to show more effort in his pursuit...Sometimes does not get moving until he can locate the ball, which hinders his ability to react quickly...Generally stays on his feet, but can be cut by good low blocks...Lack of urgency in his play late in games might be due to stamina issues...Despite his strength, he is more of a push rusher than who that will attack with force. Wright has a wide frame with very thick thighs and calves, wide waist and hips, broad shoulders, long arms, large hands and above average balance and flexibility. He shows good quickness coming out of his stance to gain leverage and shows the redirection agility to chase plays down along the perimeter. Wright has good field vision, but lacks consistency in reading and diagnosing plays. He can anchor and squeeze at the point, but needs to show a better feel for block pressure. He has the strength to stand up offensive guards, hold ground and stuff at the point of attack, but needs to do this more often, as he does take a few plays off. He needs to develop a better work ethic, as he seems to lose stamina late in the games and during the last two seasons lacked the aggressiveness he showed earlier in his career. Wright can play the one- or two-gap system because of his ability to use his hands and feet to get past blockers, but might be more productive in a three-technique alignment at the next level. He has the loose hips to slant and quickness to penetrate, and when he stays low in his pads can generate the strength to stack and control. He has the hand punch to jolt, torque and toss the blocker, but must do it with more consistency (see 2005 Rice, Kansas and Southern California games). Wright is very effective defeating the cut block to continue his pursuit when chasing the ball in space. He is active moving down the line and has the short area burst to close in a hurry. When he keeps his pad level down and his hands active, he can avoid low traffic blocks. When he plays too high, he allows blockers to get into his chest and lock on. Despite his raw power, Wright is not a physical striker as a tackler. He does wrap with effectiveness and when he gets a hand on an opponent, he will drag the runner down, but he makes too many arm tackles and the power runners can bounce off those hits. He generally stays on his feet, but when he gets upright, good cut blocks will neutralize him. Wright's change of direction skills and short burst enable him to push the pocket and flush the quarterback out. He needs to generate good hand placement in order to grab, push and create movement off the line of scrimmage and penetrate. He is more of a push rusher, but has good initial movement and strength when working inside the guards and centers. He also makes adequate adjustments on the move. Wright has all the physical tools you look for in a defensive tackle and his quickness has drawn comparisons to Minnesota's Kevin Williams. However, he lacks consistency and all but disappears for long stretches during the game (see 2005 Kansas, Colorado-Big Twelve Game and Rose Bowl vs. Southern California). He needs to develop more consistency in his play and has to learn to stay low in his pads, as blockers attack him regularly when he gets too erect in his stance. He will need to develop more pass rush moves for the next level. While the potential is there, he could just as easily flame out

Positives: Has good upper body muscle definition and a frame that continues to grow and add more bulk...Has a good bubble, well-defined legs and explosive closing speed...Very effective player operating in space and while he lacks ideal size, he demonstrates good strength to take on and defeat lead blockers in run containment...Makes most of his plays on the move, as he has the lateral range and agility to sift through trash and burst to close...Dips his shoulder and maintains leverage in plays directed at him and has enough hand strength to take on and shed to make the play...His leverage and hand punch allow him to shock the offensive linemen coming off the ball...Also has the good hand usage needed to reroute tight ends and backs in the short area...Covers ground quickly working along the perimeter and has enough pop to take down running backs, bringing his arms and feet to fit and secure...Shows the athletic agility, loose hips and quickness to drop and get good depth in pass coverage...Has the awareness to look up and jump the receiver...Has very good stop-and-go action, accelerating well turning out of his backpedal...Has the hand skills and body adjustment to grab the ball in front of him...Explosive blitzer who is sudden coming off the edge, closing fast on the pocket. Negatives: Has good strength, but size issues will generally see him get engulfed by larger blockers and ping-ponged trying to shoot the inside gaps...Can hit and stun an isolated blocker, but will not consistently stack and control, nor create a pile...Does not have the size to hold ground at the point of attack, especially vs. double teams...Best making plays on the move, as he will get pushed inside by cut blockers when working on the perimeter and is more of an avoider than a defender who relishes taking on blocks... Has good pass coverage skills, but is still developing the feel and instincts to play linebacker...Bites a lot on play action and while he takes good angles in pursuit, he can get a little reckless and outrun the play. Ellison is a developing talent who is making progress becoming acclimated to playing linebacker. He reminds me of the Colts' David Thornton for his lateral range and explosive burst coming off the edge. He is a bit undersized for a linebacker, but has enough strength to take down ball carriers and take on the lead blocker. He needs to improve his read-and-diagnose skills, especially in pass coverage, but has the loose hips and transition quickness to mirror receivers through their routes. He will usually get in trouble when he bites on fakes and does get reckless in his pursuit at times. But he is an aggressive hitter with good pop on contact. When he spots passing threats, he has the acceleration to gain position and make the play. He will never be the type to create piles or take on the bigger offensive linemen working in-line, but he has the hand punch to jolt blockers and his burst off the edge lets him avoid lethargic offensive tackles in attempts to close on the pocket. His explosion as a pass rusher saw him develop into a disruptive force as a senior. If he gets a free lane and takes aim on the quarterback, he can seal the deal. Ellison could possibly move back to safety at the pro level, but needs to do a better job of understanding and recognizing fakes and play action. As a linebacker, his speed might be better suited for the weak side, where he can get a free lane into the backfield rather than having to engage much bigger offensive linemen in attempts to penetrate. He has a developing frame with more room to grow, but it is his quickness as a Cover-2 defender that will get him drafted earlier than by becoming an read-and-react type playing inside the box.

You know, there is some middle ground in this. For instance, I don't have a problem with any of the players selected (and like many of them), but I do feel the draft has not been terribly successul (as of right now) in that we did not address arguably our largest need (LT and/or depth on the OL).

Greg Jerman = the UFA version of Justin Geisinger Justin Geisinger= last year's version of Brad Butler Brad Butler= this year's version of Dylan McFarland Dylan McFarland=the 2004 version of Greg Jerman...

I'll bet you see at least, a bare minimum, 10 rookies start this year..

No, Justin Geisinger

Or he's thinking I have another average/marginal LG, a marginal/average C whose team made little/no effort to re-sign him, a back-up running back and a second-string receiver who were both cut last year. Oh, but did I tell you about my new TE, the best blocking TE in the NFL; yeah, the same one who couldn't crack the starting lineup..

Throw the guy a bone..

The funny thing is, according to reports, Ko Simpson has character issues (as opposed to criminal issues).