bartshan-83

I'm a huge fan, and my favorite part of the band was always Layne Staley. No doubt Cantrell is the driving force (and his solo work was very, very good) but I had my doubts about their second go at it. But I've been very impressed. Great to hear them on the radio again. Nothing like popping in a little Dirt of Facelift to get nostalgic though...

Oh absolutely not...that was bull ****. I just meant as an abstract, a good clean hit that ends someone's afternoon is not an evil thing.

I agree that putting this out there (baited or not) is not very wise, but there is a line between wishing injury and hoping someone doesn't want to get back up. A linebacker I knew at ND, Brandon Hoyte, once absolutely demolished Tennessee QB Erik Ainge and knocked him out for the season. Ainge respected the hit and Hoyte put it very well in a post-game quote: Clean, hard hits that make a guy writhe on the turf and want to call it a day are what football is all about.

I already apologized in advance for my future Clausen crusade, and the good news is it will only last 3 more months. To people who don't like his game....WHY? What are the weaknesses you observed? What are his flaws that keep him from succeeding at the next level? Save any argument containing W/L record as Jimmy Clausen was the only reason Notre Dame didn't lose 10 more games over the past 2 years. To people who don't like his attitude...WHY? Besides showing up to South Bend in a limo with spiked hair 3 years ago, what has he said/done that makes you think this? I'm not doubting anyone because he could very well be a d-bag. He is supposedly pretty cocky and I've seen him yell and chew people out dozens of times during games. I happen to like that quality in a QB. I liked it when that cocky !@#$ from the U (who refused to play for Buffalo) would chew people out and get pissed. I like a QB who won't take **** and doesn't care if you don't like him as long as you get on his page. I'll give as fair of an assessment of his strengths and weaknesses as I can and tell me what you disagree with: Strengths: - Arm strength...he can make all the throws. He's not Mallett but he's not McCoy. - Accuracy...seriously, watch game film from this year. Get a pad a paper and make a check every time he throws a bad ball. You'll be amazed how little ink you use. - Vision...he doesn't just make the good throw, he finds the right guy. He is the anti-Trent in that he will trust his arm to make a tight throw and trust his WR even when separation looks limited. - Toughness...alluded to in other threads but he took a pounding his true freshman year that would make Aaron Rodgers look like Peyton Manning. ND's offensive line that year was atrocious and he took those licks week after week. He missed some time but he bounced back better than ever. Then there was the tiny little issue of multiple torn ligaments in his toe that he played through the entire season. - Pro-Style offense...no spread, no pistol, no air raid, no option...pro-style. Charlie was a bad coach, but he ran a good offense and NFL one at that. - Moxie...see above. No deer in the headlights, golly gee bull ****...he'll be the general of the huddle and people will be on his page. - Experience...I would have liked to see him stay another year and yes, his results were mixed for years 1 and 2, but he is a 3 year starter with a continual upward arc in production and skill. Weaknesses: - Mobility...Michael Vick he surely aint...but he can move in the pocket very well. He has very good awareness. - Surrounding talent...he threw to some serious gamers. Everyone knows Tate, but if you don't know Floyd, you will. He is the real deal. A Larry Fitzgerald type who will be a pro-bowl WR if he can stay healthy. And Kyle Rudolph is one of the better TEs in the nation. - System...I can see the knock that this is the same system that Brady Quinn broke records in. But unless you watched them both play, you won't see how completely different their games are. Jimmy was making throws as a sophomore that Brady never mastered, and probably never will. - Competition...ND didn't play SEC defenses. A once-formidable ND schedule has been shameless scaled back by a clueless administration. But he faced some good talent and he played about as well as he could regardless of his level of competition. I have no doubt that Clausen could come to Buffalo and not work out at all. I've seen nothing in the past 15 years that shows me this franchise has any clue on how to develop QBs. I also realize that with our O-line, it's going to be a rough go for anyone. But Jimmy can be the keystone that you build back up around. He has all the tools to succeed and if put in the right spot, I believe he can and will be successful immediately. If we are fortunate enough to be on the clock when he is available, it will be a great shame if we don't call his name.

You serious Clark?

Yup. This contest starts at 2nd place since dib has, does, and will hold the throne forever.

Too many Barts in these parts... Dogfish head for sure...no more excuses. The in-laws are getting a place in Bethany this summer so I'll be making an appearance. You comin down this way?

DE-FENSE I'm fully aware that I probably pump Clausen up more far more than he is worth, but people really, really should have watched at least a few ND games before talking about him. I'd challenge anyone to watch his game tape from this past season and tell me if you've ever seen a QB play as near-flawless as he did. He is lazer accurate, got a strong arm and doesn't make mistakes.

You rarely disappoint... As it appears you read my disclaimer, you then understand (hopefully) that I'm willing to give you bit of deference (God help me) because you did serve and have experienced this situation. I don't assume to fully comprehend things I have not seen. If I enlisted tomorrow, maybe something would happen during my service that would make me think gays shouldn't be in the military (or not have the option to be open). But I tend to think that it would likely be because of my then-reinforced experience that other people's inability to do their jobs due to their own weaknesses was the cause of the problem. You can save your "You don't understand" line as if it ends any debate. Your experience in this situation means very little if it is simply a trump card to flash when justifying your predetermined prejudiced views. Your attitude is a symptom of the disease that causes the problem in the first place. Morale wouldn't be an issue if people could maturely handle 'queers' as fellow soldiers without clenching their sphincters every time they got in the shower. If it boils down to something else beyond that, please enlighten me. I can see Tom's point about the military not being a good channel for social change, but that is just a sad commentary on society. I don't blame gay people for keeping their mouths shut in the military right now for the same reason they do in professional sports; it's not worth the personal risk.

My thoughts exactly...he was getting tossed around.

Nicely done!

No doubt...I completely agree. By "out-coached" I meant whoever was calling the plays and decided Thurman's 9 YPC wasn't working (very likely could have been Jimbo). Of the 4 games, deep down I believe only 26 wasn't winnable. 25 should have been a 10 pt. win, and despite the complete joke that 27 became, I really think we could have won if we didn't have that horrendous start and Kelly went down. 28 might have hurt the worst because we were probably mere plays away from forcing Dallas to abandon the run and try something new. I remember looking at my dad when the 1st half ended with us up 10-6 and saying "This might just happen." (we need a beer smiley with a sad, forlorn, beaten-down face)

Get well, bro...we're thinking of you!

Please...let's not take this to the complete opposite extreme. I want talented players just like anyone. I just have zero interest in dirty playing, whiny scumbags...which I believe covers Vince pretty well. If a thread was started saying we should trade for Wilfork right after the game he "fell" into Losman's knee, can you honestly tell me you would have been on board?

I was going to respond with something very similar...those are my thoughts. I've never been in the military so I won't pretend to speak from any sort of experience on what sorts of issues an openly gay soldier might cause, but I think its a childish and self-centered approach to allow it to be a problem. You don't like that a fellow soldier is gay? So what. Grow up and do your job. And KD...we gotta do something about your signature, bud. I read it for the first time today and for a minute I started wondering when I said something so stupid. You're killin me...

+1 Why is McLain a sure-thing All-Pro? I'll admit I saw maybe 3 Alabama games this year tops. He looked great. But so did AJ Hawk and Derrick Johnson. I wouldn't be against him at all...but a QB is what this team needs and has needed (more or less) for 15 years. And I'll add that I'm continually amazed by the amount of people who didn't see Jimmy Clausen play at all this year.

No doubt the drinking and skiing probably had an effect, but I'd say we lost each Super Bowl because: 25 - Out-coached 26 - Out-talented 27 - Played like sht 28 - Sht our pants

!@#$ Vince and his histrionics and as far as him coming to Orchard Park, put me in the HELL NO category. Does no one remember what a POS he is? You really want this dirty scumbag on our team? I wonder what Frank Middleton is doing these days...we could use OL help.

Lonnie Harvey, you are a madman! When you stole that cow, and your friend tried to make it with the cow. I want to party with you, cowboy. If the two of us together, forget it.

"Softest/Least Agile"? I can't believe there could be a title more tailor-made for Mike Williams. Your list should stop there. Although I did immediately think of Eddie Robinson as well...jesus that was embarrassing!!

I think Polian said it best (and I hope I'm not misquoting him...my memory gets clouded sometimes): First you need a QB. Then you need someone to protect the QB. Then you need someone to rush the QB. If you believe there is a franchise QB and franchise LT on the table, I think you always take the QB. You grab your signal caller and then you build a wall around him. Aaron Rodgers was plastered like a fat kid in dodgeball this past year. Still threw for 4500 and 30 TDs. Pack went 11-5. JMO...

How long did the interview take? I have trouble believing Herm left enough time on the clock to give all those answers.

Fair enough...everyone has their opinion. But basing it on him not being able to save a bad coach's job, getting sucker punched and playing for a certain team makes about as much sense as not liking him for his spiked hair. And don't tell me you watched every game this past year. Losman he aint. Brady Quinn he aint.

I'd love for you to point out any of these "awful decisions" Clausen made during the past year. Two years ago was his first healthy year of college ball and he improved dramatically between then and the start of 2009. I can't remember ever watching a QB play as near-perfect as he did over the course of this season. And I watched every minute of ND football this year (as painful and stomach-turning as it was). He had 4 picks....THREE were deflected passes. Not "out of his reach and tipped" deflected. "Hit him in the hands, face, or back" deflected. Golden Tate was quoted as saying he can't remember one instance where Jimmy didn't put the ball exactly where it should have been. He is a stud QB...the best physical tools in the most pro-prepared offense. He will succeed at the next level no doubt. You trade up for him if you have to.