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btw, not to more fully exascerbate anything on anyone, since I'm in agreement with Collin - though I wouldn't word it as venemously - but regardless, in looking at Gantt tapdance through the hatemail he got about the Moose thing, I saw this, an answer to the idea of Davis at WLB

 

I've obviously been wrong before, but I really doubt it's going to happen. I mean we can't exactly do from questioning Gantt's credibility to taking his word that he really knows what coaches think, but if for some reason Davis is used at SLB, I think we'll all see that he's very ill-suited to it and the team will move him off of it quickly. :supergrin

 

Or either weakside. An exerpt from Gantt's column today (11/19) about Urlacher:

The Davis debate remains, though it's most likely he'll play linebacker here in the future. He's still listed as a safety, but the bulk of his productive action has come as a blitzing linebacker in nickel packages. Mark Fields' name comes up often in relation to Davis, and he could play on the strong side next year, or move to the weakside if the Panthers can't re-sign Will Witherspoon.

 

He might not fit there. He might. I never said the guy was a lock there, whatsoever. We don't know if he's an ideal fit anywhere at this point.
The team's open to it, which was all I was looking for in the first place. There aren't that many players with that skill set that come out, so you don't write him off to just this, or just that. You see what he can do, especially when you have the season to evaluate him, and then find the best fit. You don't necessarily use conventional logic on this one, and between this mention and the obvious preseason "we're moving him to strongside for a bit", I think it's clear the team thinks it's viable. I'm glad.


FWIW, when Minter sat out a practice or two a couple weeks ago, Davis was the 1st string FS, I believe, over Bashir. That might've been falsely reported, to mean Davis switched to FS for that practice behind Bashir, but it's not likely.
(which also says "John Fox was right when he said his safeties are interchangeable" )

 

Thomas Davis is terribly ill-suited for SLB for all the reasons stated long ago. And while I was wrong about the team considering him there, I don't think you ever did get around to admitting that you were wrong about teams almost never putting playmakers at SLB, and pretty much always using their more talented linebackers at WLB. I did go through quite a lot of effort to single out every NFL starter at SLB to prove that point, but I don't think you ever acknowledged that NFL teams see SLB as requiring less talent to play than WLB.

As for him at FS, keep dreaming. Seriously, you need to get a grip on your love of certain players. You seem to think they can do anything when there are pretty obvious limitations on their abilities (re: Boller).

 

I don't believe that was the issue, and certainly, I don't think Davis is a typical anything - typical LB, typical S. Which is why I suggested not pigeonholing him, and I assume is why the team isn't.

But if I haven't, I can say it now. Typically, the SLB is more run based, and less athletic. I'll also say that I don't see Fields that way, nor do I think the team used him as a space-eater only.

Also, being wrong about unrelated players isn't relevant. I've stuck behind my thoughts here, and the team seems to share that thought. I'm not pushing for him to play FS, but felt he's able, and the team's certainly sticking behind that thought process of our safeties being interchangeable.

 

As for the article, I winced when I read it. I saw the heading, and thought I was in for some fresh air: a piece to thank Moose for his many contributions here, more or less saying were ok, youre ok, thanks for the memories.


I was disappointed with the sophomoric jabs he threw in. What really gets me, is that to an extent, those pieces are representing Carolina and it's fans. THey shouldnt, but to a degree, they do. And I havent seen a single article just thanking Moose, and saying we miss him. Nothing wrong with that.

THe players have said he was a wonderful teammate. The FO and coaches have raved about him, Hurney clearly stating that they did indeed make a huge effort to sign him. Yet article after article insists that we really didnt, that we made a good gesture, nothing more, and that Moose was a me me teammate, and a bad guy. Im saddened by this, and shamed for the media around here.

I can understand bittnerness. But for God's sake, lets write a classy piece on a guy who had a dicussion or two about having a statue being made next to Mills from time to time. Just one.

 

Ha.

 

I miss Collin

 

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