billybob Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Thurman Thomas Agreed- ahhhh those were the days
StupidNation Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Seriously, you'd have to be one ignorant mofo to not he aware that Whitner was playing with a badly injured shoulder, that day. And how did that stop him from playing in coverage for the past 3 years?
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 And how did that stop him from playing in coverage for the past 3 years? It hasn't, he's very good in coverage. He gets "exposed" because the opposing QB generally has all the time in the world in the pocket.
Trader Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Dante Whitner has done nothing to impress me so far as a Bill. I thought Ko Simpson clearly outplayed him as Rookies. I wonder if that ankle injury slowed him way down. And now the man gets pinched. Not worth the 8th pick as I see it. Well if he is a bust then we won't miss him when he is suspended for the New England game.
Nanker Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 I dunno. His, "The Inferno" remains a timeless classic.
VJ91 Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Dante Whitner has done nothing to impress me so far as a Bill. I thought Ko Simpson clearly outplayed him as Rookies. I wonder if that ankle injury slowed him way down. And now the man gets pinched. Not worth the 8th pick as I see it. I completely agree. As the number 8 pick of the entire 2006 draft, Donte Whitner is an absolute bust so far. In every way. He is a bust as a "young veteran team leader." He is a bust as a hard hitting strong safety, as I have not seen very many Sports Center top 10 hits by this guy since his rookie season. He is a bust as a shut down cover strong or free safety. I have not seen too many elite TE's get "shut down" against him since he came in in 2006. And now he's just another NFL player with an arrest record. Nice job there Marv. Especially when Cutler was just sitting there waiting for you to have the balls and common sense to draft him and end the Lost-man "experiment" right then and there! Or, Halati Ngata was available, who is now entrenched as an every down monster in the middle of the Ravens defense, while Whitner is entrenched as a big mouthed enigma on the Bills defense. I remember Levy telling us he wanted to start building the defense from the "middle", as if Whitner was Ray freakin' Lewis or something. If he wanted to build from the middle, wouldn't Ngata have been more logical????
BillsNYC Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 8. Donte Whitner, safety, Bills: The Bills were criticized for drafting Whitner with the eighth overall pick -- some draft observers called it a clear reach. But Whitner has played well through three seasons. Though a recent arrest could be the start of a troubling trend, Whitner has done enough to justify his selection. Verdict (for now): Not a bust. http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=538191
1billsfan Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 This is a great thread because it's provoking thoughtful debate on what I think was clearly a big mistake by the Bills front office. I'll admit that I was being a little bit facetious when I was the first to start referring to Whitner as being a big bust. Truth is, and as another poster here put it here, Donte Whitner was a big reach. 99.9% of the TSW crowd wanted Ngata when he was sitting there to be taken at our #8 pick. But as the Bills are so apt to do, they got cute and chose a guy that was rated in the back half of the first round. TSW was smarter than our "cute" team that spent 3 months and countless hours preparing for the 2006 draft. Hindsight being 20-20, Donte should have been rated as a second or third round pick because that's been his production level three years in. At best, an average NFL starting safety. I remember the outrage here when the draft pick came in. I was like, whooooo???? WTF???? But as it always seems to go, Bills fans fell into line and looked forward to the Bills being the smart ones. Whitner being a lights out star safety. They started to get mad at all the pundits who were laughing at the Bills "reaching" for Whitner when Ngata was there staring them in the face waiting to be selected. Bills fans don't want to admit the pundits were right, that their first instincts of outrage were right. It's debatable whether he can be considered a bust (depends on your definition), but it's not debatable that they guy was a major reach and that Ngata should be anchoring the middle of our defense today. They got the Lynch selection right and it looks like the "best player available model" McKelvin was a very good selection, but the level of bust Whitner was will forever be debated because I just don't see him breaking out as a player. It doesn't take three years to figure out how to be even a very good safety, either you have that kind of talent or you don't. He doesn't.
BillsNYC Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 I remember the outrage here when the draft pick came in. I was like, whooooo???? WTF???? There were 100+ Bills fans at our draft party in NYC, people were going insane with noise and anticipation after the 7th pick, extremely electric atmosphere. Got dead quiet when Paul Tags walked up to the podium. After the words "Donte Whitner" came out of his mouth, the place remained dead quiet for 10 seconds, then everybody just looked at each other like "what? who? why?"....and then boos came out and the 25-50 non Bills fans all started laughing. Typically, that's what happened with us and the Jets picks...now it was our turn to be laughed at.
1billsfan Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 There were 100+ Bills fans at our draft party in NYC, people were going insane with noise and anticipation after the 7th pick, extremely electric atmosphere. Got dead quiet when Paul Tags walked up to the podium. After the words "Donte Whitner" came out of his mouth, the place remained dead quiet for 10 seconds, then everybody just looked at each other like "what? who? why?"....and then boos came out and the 25-50 non Bills fans all started laughing. Typically, that's what happened with us and the Jets picks...now it was our turn to be laughed at. That first gut reaction is generally right. Just like when I found out that the Bills were hiring Dick Jauron. It took me a week to get over that and convince myself that the guy isn't that bad. Ouch.
thebug Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 This is a great thread because it's provoking thoughtful debate on what I think was clearly a big mistake by the Bills front office. I'll admit that I was being a little bit facetious when I was the first to start referring to Whitner as being a big bust. Truth is, and as another poster here put it here, Donte Whitner was a big reach. 99.9% of the TSW crowd wanted Ngata when he was sitting there to be taken at our #8 pick. But as the Bills are so apt to do, they got cute and chose a guy that was rated in the back half of the first round. TSW was smarter than our "cute" team that spent 3 months and countless hours preparing for the 2006 draft. Hindsight being 20-20, Donte should have been rated as a second or third round pick because that's been his production level three years in. At best, an average NFL starting safety. I remember the outrage here when the draft pick came in. I was like, whooooo???? WTF???? But as it always seems to go, Bills fans fell into line and looked forward to the Bills being the smart ones. Whitner being a lights out star safety. They started to get mad at all the pundits who were laughing at the Bills "reaching" for Whitner when Ngata was there staring them in the face waiting to be selected. Bills fans don't want to admit the pundits were right, that their first instincts of outrage were right. It's debatable whether he can be considered a bust (depends on your definition), but it's not debatable that they guy was a major reach and that Ngata should be anchoring the middle of our defense today. They got the Lynch selection right and it looks like the "best player available model" McKelvin was a very good selection, but the level of bust Whitner was will forever be debated because I just don't see him breaking out as a player. It doesn't take three years to figure out how to be even a very good safety, either you have that kind of talent or you don't. He doesn't. Good post.
1billsfan Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Good post. Thanks, it's a good thread. My palms are already starting to get sweaty over the coming draft knowing that the same guys who were there in 2006 are still there. I know it's crazy talk, but I like to think it's places like TSW that must help shame them into not getting "cute" and reaching with that #11 pick.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 I completely agree. As the number 8 pick of the entire 2006 draft, Donte Whitner is an absolute bust so far. In every way. He is a bust as a "young veteran team leader." He is a bust as a hard hitting strong safety, as I have not seen very many Sports Center top 10 hits by this guy since his rookie season. He is a bust as a shut down cover strong or free safety. I have not seen too many elite TE's get "shut down" against him since he came in in 2006. And now he's just another NFL player with an arrest record. Nice job there Marv. Especially when Cutler was just sitting there waiting for you to have the balls and common sense to draft him and end the Lost-man "experiment" right then and there! Or, Halati Ngata was available, who is now entrenched as an every down monster in the middle of the Ravens defense, while Whitner is entrenched as a big mouthed enigma on the Bills defense. I remember Levy telling us he wanted to start building the defense from the "middle", as if Whitner was Ray freakin' Lewis or something. If he wanted to build from the middle, wouldn't Ngata have been more logical???? Are you f*cking kidding me here? That's precisely what is wrong with tacklers today...they're all trying to get on the top 10 so they've forgotten how to tackle fundamentally.
The Dean Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Are you f*cking kidding me here? That's precisely what is wrong with tacklers today...they're all trying to get on the top 10 so they've forgotten how to tackle fundamentally. 100% correct! BTW, only an idiot wold judge a player by SportsCenter highlights.
Bill from NYC Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 There were 100+ Bills fans at our draft party in NYC, people were going insane with noise and anticipation after the 7th pick, extremely electric atmosphere. Got dead quiet when Paul Tags walked up to the podium. After the words "Donte Whitner" came out of his mouth, the place remained dead quiet for 10 seconds, then everybody just looked at each other like "what? who? why?"....and then boos came out and the 25-50 non Bills fans all started laughing. Typically, that's what happened with us and the Jets picks...now it was our turn to be laughed at. Wow, I never heard that story before. What a nightmare! When the Raiders took that other safety, I was extremely happy, because it seemed to negate the chances of the Bills doing anything as stupid as drafting a DB with the #8. That team had needs galore that were far more pressing. The pick blindsided me, that's for sure. We will never know, but it was probably the result of the Levy/Lauron faction of the war room. As time rolls on things become less shocking, so it won't come as a great surprise to see the Bills do something equally outrageous this month. We can only hope that Jauron won't grab Jenkins or Davis.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 100% correct! BTW, only an idiot wold judge a player by SportsCenter highlights. Yeah, I thought that part went without saying. One of the top 10 dumbest things I've ever read on this board.
1billsfan Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 Yeah, I thought that part went without saying. One of the top 10 dumbest things I've ever read on this board. You guys are taking what he said way too literally. His point was that Donte Whitner was being billed as a very hard hitting strong safety and we as Bills fans have yet to see that side of his game.
billybob Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 This is a great thread because it's provoking thoughtful debate on what I think was clearly a big mistake by the Bills front office. I'll admit that I was being a little bit facetious when I was the first to start referring to Whitner as being a big bust. Truth is, and as another poster here put it here, Donte Whitner was a big reach. 99.9% of the TSW crowd wanted Ngata when he was sitting there to be taken at our #8 pick. But as the Bills are so apt to do, they got cute and chose a guy that was rated in the back half of the first round. TSW was smarter than our "cute" team that spent 3 months and countless hours preparing for the 2006 draft. Hindsight being 20-20, Donte should have been rated as a second or third round pick because that's been his production level three years in. At best, an average NFL starting safety. I remember the outrage here when the draft pick came in. I was like, whooooo???? WTF???? But as it always seems to go, Bills fans fell into line and looked forward to the Bills being the smart ones. Whitner being a lights out star safety. They started to get mad at all the pundits who were laughing at the Bills "reaching" for Whitner when Ngata was there staring them in the face waiting to be selected. Bills fans don't want to admit the pundits were right, that their first instincts of outrage were right. It's debatable whether he can be considered a bust (depends on your definition), but it's not debatable that they guy was a major reach and that Ngata should be anchoring the middle of our defense today. They got the Lynch selection right and it looks like the "best player available model" McKelvin was a very good selection, but the level of bust Whitner was will forever be debated because I just don't see him breaking out as a player. It doesn't take three years to figure out how to be even a very good safety, either you have that kind of talent or you don't. He doesn't. For the sake of historical accuracy I must say that it was a 60% to 40% split in favor of Brodrick Bunkley over Ngata, I liked Ngata and was frequently assaulted with " He's too big, fat and slow to play in a Tampa 2 defense" - there was also a smattering of love for Vernon Davis and Jay Cutler- and I'm proud of the fact that there was the opposite of love for Matt Leinart which shows that TSW isn't totally stupid.
1billsfan Posted April 14, 2009 Posted April 14, 2009 For the sake of historical accuracy I must say that it was a 60% to 40% split in favor of Brodrick Bunkley over Ngata, I liked Ngata and was frequently assaulted with " He's too big, fat and slow to play in a Tampa 2 defense" - there was also a smattering of love for Vernon Davis and Jay Cutler- and I'm proud of the fact that there was the opposite of love for Matt Leinart which shows that TSW isn't totally stupid. Vernon Davis wasn't there at #8 and I believe that Bunkley fell out of favor because of character and effort concerns leading up to the draft. I don't remember there being that big of a Bunkley faction by draft day. Fans here were salivating over Ngata when that #8 pick came around. No it wasn't 99.9%, but it was the majority of the board.
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