Apology Thread for Ashton Youboty

[Pyrite Gal]

This is a thread where anyone who saw fit to post over the past year or so advocating the Bills ditch Youbouty or that he was a waste can show they are person enough to step up and admit that it looks pretty clear they were wrong!

 

There are those of us who sang his praises, but even in my case it was not so much evidence of me being smart, but was prompted by it being so stupid for some folks to say that conclusively we were done with him prior to the third year of play one needs to intelligently draw any conclusions about an NFL player.

 

Youbouty's first disappointing year included a real reason that his Mom died for his balky start (sometimes things are merely excuses but in other cases they are legitimate reasons). Even with the death of his Mom (which happens and person simply needs to suck it up if they plan to play with the big boys, but this death became a legit reason as she was a single parent and he was the oldest and then by default alpha mail for his brothers and sisters) the real complications were the pressures this put on him to support his family.

 

The impressive news is that despite these negatives he did make a start and played a good game in the Bills win that year against NYJ.

 

Last year, Youbouty also disappointed many but the reason (which is often simply an excuse) was that he was fighting through injuries. Evidence that it most reasonably should have been considered a reason was that he actually showed the great open field tackling ability he showed today working as a gunner and making a couple of nice shots on return guys.

 

Where to from here for Youbouty?

 

For this Bills fan competition will make the difference as McGee has been very productive as the #1CB this year (despite folks wanting to prematurely run him off the team after he struggled (as many player do) in his first season playing the Cover 2. Jauron did the right thing by sitting him down for a game and McGee provided clear evidence that it is possible to become a better player through other methods than playing. If one's problem is a lack of athleticism or of experience then playing may be the thing, however, if you feel a player is athletic enough and he will gain from the experience of watching the game (as JP should have done when TD rushed him into a starters role and as Pos did last year when though he led the team in tackles in his brief play last year he was missing some rookie reads and taking a bad step forward on some pass plays and backward on some runs- he showed he has real closing speed as he still got the tackles but he looked like a poor man's London Fletcher out there last year).

 

Greer has been productive as the #2 CB though it is clear he is the one that teams challenge more as now McGee has taken in an INT each game when he is challenged.

 

If we are winning, then why change?

 

Youbouty has been great working as a nickel and also has demonstrated today and in pre-season that he is a real threat on the corner blitz.

 

The great thing for us is that McKelvin demonstrated the background where he may easily not only pass Youbouty but may be McGee as the #1 given time and that even Corner is impressive.

 

it all starts though on TSW with folks who may have ragged on Youbouty publicly to apologize to him now. Otherwise folks are free not do so but remember that folks will rightly categorize your next rant on some player as a mere rant.

[marauderswr80]

I'll be the first.........

 

I didnt care for Youboty, but as of late the kid has played great football for this defense. And today he was one of the best on the field tackling wise and his reaction to some plays.

 

He has come along ways as a player.

[ax4782]

I remember that I have both supported Youboty, but also acknowledged that perhaps they could get value for him in a trade. For the latter comments I have made, I whole-heartedly admit that would have been a mistake. If some here had their way, he would doing this with Cleveland, and seeing them on MNF with him on the team, if he were playing this well, would not be a good thing. We all make mistakes.

[Albany,n.y.]

I never thought Youboty would make the team, I even joked about a positive drug test for estrogen. I was wrong, Youboty is a major cog on this team.

[Kipers Hair]

Aye Aye - so far, I think he is one of our top 3 defensive players....chaulk one up for Marv - good pick, smart to hang with him...

[elcrusho]

He need to do it for 14 more games...

 

[SectionC3]

He whacked Garrard today like Garrard was his girlfriend. The kid had a lot working against him in the offseason. It looks like he turned a lot of it around, and if he did, good for him and congratulations.

[Dr. Fong]

As negative as I can get I don't recall posting anything negative about Youboty. Shame on all of you that did.

[Kelly the Dog]

Youboty did suck before. It doesn't mean posters were wrong. He did a complete 180 this year. Some players it takes some time. Just because he is playing at a top level now doesn't mean his detractors were wrong. If someone said he will never be good that is a different story. But he did play poorly before. This year, from day one, he has been solid.

[GOBILLS78]

It might just be the open-field tackles and the number, but today he reminded my a lot of Winfield.