Assessing the In-house Talent pre-Draft: Running Backs
By: Rigel Spikes (Marinofan13)
The opening of Free-Agency marks the first time in a new league year that teams can acquire some of the coveted BIG names of the game who have not been re-signed by their former team…at least, that is the general fan’s view. While true, it also marks a time where teams can augment their rosters with solid, unsung players. It’s important to field a SOLID team from top to bottom, and that includes backups and third stringers. While we Phins didn’t breach the waters to make major splashes in Free-Agency (yet?) this year, we made a couple of solid waves under the surface in signing RBs Jerome Messam (Edmonton Eskimos) and Marcus Thigpen (Hamilton Tiger Cats) of the CFL. That brings us to the topic at hand.
PHINS’ BACKFIELD (RBs/FBs)
Reggie Bush
When you have a Running Back who ran behind what was arguably the worst O-Line in the NFL last year…and he’s still able to break 1,000 yards rushing and nearly make the Pro-Bowl…you know you have a winner. Bush was nothing short of amazing
last year in lieu of the deficiencies on the O-Line. He even showed proof-positive that he could be an every-down RB, proving nearly everyone wrong.
Bush is back for the 2012 campaign to add a formidable slash-n-dash dynamic as we transition to the WCO. His skill set, which includes great hands out of the backfield, is a match made in heaven for this new Offense. Reggie Bush ’11: 1,086 Rushing Yards (#11), 5.0 YPC (#1 of any back with 200+ carries), 6 TDs (T-#18).
Daniel Thomas
A lot of people have been doubting Thomas. Barring the trade-up arguments (R3+R5+R7 for a RB in R2 last year), it should be noted that Thomas finished #3 in Rushing Yards (581) as a rookie RB, behind only DeMarco Murray of Dallas
(897) and Roy Helu of Washington (640). And he did this while battling injury, playing behind a porous O-Line, and as a rook who never went through OTAs and a full camp due to the lockout of ’11.
Thomas’ punishing running style is a great complement to Bush’s slash-n-dash style, giving our Phins the best of both worlds at the Running Back position. He also adds a unique dynamic of passing ability, as he is a former college QB. I’m not sure that Joe Philbin is into “Wildcat trickery”, but it’s nevertheless a fascinating dimension of Thomas’ game. If he cuts down on his fumbles (and I’m sure he will), there is great upside to the young Thomas.
Steve Slaton
Slaton has proven he can be a great back when healthy (1,282 Rushing Yards as a rook in ’08). Unfortunately, his health has precluded him from becoming that same guy we saw as a rook: he’s only carried the ball a mere 43 times over the last 3 years. He managed a TD last year on 17 carries with a long of 28 yards, and management saw enough to re-sign him for the 2012 season.
If Slaton can rekindle some of that magic from the past, he makes for an excellent spell-back for Reggie Bush.
Jerome Messam
At 6’3″ and 245 lbs, Messam is an imposing figure in the mold of Brandon Jacobs. He is the most recent recipient of the “CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian Award” after rushing for 1,057 yards on 195 attempts for an eye-boggling 5.4 YPC in 2011.
His 40-time is rumored have been clocked as a sub 4.4 in 2008…while still weighing 240 lbs. More recent reports have his 40-time as 4.5; does it really matter? If you can run as fast as he can at his weight, WOW!
He may be here to push Thomas and try to take his job, but one thing is clear: we have two ground-n-pounders on our current roster, and that’s a good problem to have as far as in-house competition.
Other RBs/HBs on our current roster include the aforementioned Thigpen and Richard Medlin, both who are probably competing for a spot on the Practice Squad or as a keeper on the final roster for Special Teams duty. Thigpen has an interesting story to be told, and I implore you to read up on him here:
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/07/02/marcus-thigpen-a-life-turn-around/
My analysis: I think we are pretty well set at the RB/FB position entering the ’12 Draft. Barring a FREAK surprise in the Draft (Trent Richardson or LaMichael James), I’d expect little to no churning or addition at this position. There is much talent, youth, and potential on our roster at this position as is. But anything could happen…hence the suspense we all feel leading up to the Draft.
452 comments on “Assessing the In-house Talent pre-Draft: Running Backs”
Chiefen Walker was conceived and born from two joyous primates at the end of the lovefest known as the ‘60s. Forced to endure the television shows of the ‘70s, and inspired by Captain Kirk, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Batman...
LOL @ Bat! this blog was missing something . . .
So how bout an Arm Wrestling competition between blogger formidably known as. “Home”
and NJ Fraud Fan at Bonefest aka Mobfest 2012 Any Game, Any time as welcomed b4
but after “Home” rips the arm & shoulder joint off the water weighted steroid freak
then “Home” beats NJs head in w the bloody stump
How dare u, NJ speak to a woman in such a manner
R U kidding, Home, cyber tough guy
I’ve thrown u water weighted steroid chumps across the room more than once and cordially invite u to the breaking of your steroid arm, u half a slap away from wearing panties bitch!
So how bout a date sweetheart, Home vs NJ at Bonefest, Mobfest 2012 !
Bat,
So you’re saying it’s like driving an average pinto? lol
pulled by an average mule
Walker
Are you talking about the car or the horse? …
Home says seriously, NJ bring u and your steroid water muscles
shave your legs and your ass
and lets see what kinda strength u have
Home DIRECTLY challenges u to an arm wrestling match LIVE any HOME game Miami Dolphins
And how dare u talk to a woman like that!
As long as we can video it for a segment.
Seriously, it’s ok Dip, we are trying to dissolve ourselves from other, less peaceful sites
Walker
Actually, out of those three, the closest to “average” is Henne. Sparano is a complete lummox who was way out of his depth as a HC and the jury is out on Ireland since we have no choice but to put up with him for at least one more season….lol
Gronk really, really wants to hit the cover of Madden 2012.
Funny thing I found in this latest campaign vid is what his apartment looks like. Essentially barren except for a Gronk fathead on the wall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gc8nDofiyUY
Awwww fish dip thank you, but I believe that person will have karma bite them on the ass sooner or later.
Fish,
Not to make a big deal out of it, but I have worked it out that NO ONE talks any sheet about any mobsters on the other site. If they do, it will be deleted immediately. I would appreciate the same courtesy here. I won’t ask again, and I understand if you don’t, just thought I’d ask.
Stanger
From what I’ve seen and heard from Gronk since the SB, he appears to have sustained at least minor brain damage, and that’s giving him the benefit of the doubt …lol
Lol at Bat.
By the way, I see you are steadily working on your errant and disinformative writing skills. One day you may be a quality author if you can learn to post the musical link at the end of the text without the reply function
Mike
We are not “mobsters” …We renounce our slave name …lol
Bat – Regardless, I have made sure there will be ZERO tolerance of any negative talk about the good people here, , and did it out of respect for all of you people here. That is a FACT.
Guess Home is on a dif page than the Sheeple
U hurt my sister, U call my sister out, U try to destroy her reputation only because she chooses NOT to date you
and as a so called man u verbally attack her and would physically attack her if within arms length
Take it out me NJ!
Not her!
U Pathetic POS
Come on down and meet me!
In Public
In my back Yard
Enuf already!
That’s a woman
U make love to woman or respect them and walk away or just walk away
R U Insane!?
Do u feel tough now!?
Look, home is here for football, entertainment or fun shock entertainment,
But U Never, Never, Ever talk to a woman like that!
NJ U R disgusting!
“he appears to have sustained at least minor brain damage, and that’s giving him the benefit of the doubt …lol”
LOL Bat. That very well might explain it. At the least he’s Ringo and not Pete Best…..and I’ll take him as my TE any day.
Walker
LOL .. I aspire to no greater task than serving this outstanding blog through my questionable writing skills …lol
Bat: We are more like refugees….lol.
Fish,
Thanks for considering it. LMAO!
Mike
I’m with you bro …no point to it ..
MikeE,
Bat, David, and a few others along with myself unceremoniously dumped the mobster moniker beside bin laden’s corpse at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. I’m kinda torn between Exodites and Legion
Stanger
Gronk is a fine TE, but he may be headed for a “Shockey” like meltdown, as they share the same lack of even rudimentary intelligence …lol
Walker,
Legion is good. That was Bat’s.
Hello everybody, this was an extremely busy day for me I had no time to check in for the most part on either site until now. How are all of you doing? I hope you all had an enjoyable Holiday weekend.
Gigi
Refugees no more …we have found our true home thanks to our shepherd, Walker …lol
Bat,
Didn’t Legion jump over the cliff in the form of a flying pig?
we were slaves???????
ok great, not i am going to sue the ss for keeping me down all these years. i have been held down all those years by the man or omar. i want my share, some one give me give me give me
this is your acre and a mule bitch
ffr
LOL …Reparations!!! …brilliant idea!!
i dont want to be a legionnaire
i propose we are called walkers wankers or walkers willies or walkers wastelanders
Fish,
Not to make a big deal out of it, but I have worked it out that NO ONE talks any sheet about any mobsters on the other site. If they do, it will be deleted immediately. I would appreciate the same courtesy here. I won’t ask again, and I understand if you don’t, just thought I’d ask.
Reply
Mike E.
In all do respect I know ur from NJ
and met w the fellas and blog there
but
did u read what NJ wrote and posted to Gigi
Man Up!
and set your boy straight!
This is a woman
not a dude!
kind of instead of highlanders we can be his wastelanders
I am out.
Take care folks…it seems folks have properly aligned themselves to where they seem to fit just fine.
LOL @ Bat yes – we are HOME!
mike e,
the difference is over at the other site you can work at that. you get to edit and monitor all comments. lol
Ehem
Piggy support no talking sheet proposal of Mike E
Please stop
Fish,
I have spoken to him, but he is what he is. I will not tolerate him badmouthing anyone here on when I’m on the the other site, and that’s about the extent of my control. I can’t really make him do anything, as much as I would like to. That’s the honest truth, but it wouldn’t be due to lack of effort. I think you can take me at my word on that bro.
markeyh says:
April 9, 2012 at 10:11 pm
I am out.
Take care folks…it seems folks have properly aligned themselves to where they seem to fit just fine.
i have made no alignment. i would be glad to post at any site my comments cannot be edited. as long as that is an option then any site that does such is not for me.
FFR – I know you’re joking, but it’s the truth. I have also spoken to TN, the guy who runs the blog, and he agrees. He’s a good due, and he realizes that kind of behavior has no place there. It won’t be tolerated.
Piggy – Thanks bro – Appreciate that man.
When you enter into another man’s house show him honor and respect his house rules. Or as some have chosen, just don’t go to his house if you have issues with the rules.
Piggy: How do we know there is no sheet being discussed about people here at the other site? My comments were deleted the other day then I was banned in record time. I went to say hello to you guys to be nice and nothing I said warranted deletion or being banned. No one shut your boy’s trap while he went off on me his comments were left. Thankfully I deleted the site and have no idea where to find it nor do I care.
mike e,
since i think very highly of you, i will be respectful of your opinion. but i wont follow what you ask.
we never did such a thing on the ss, we constantly busted on each other whenever we felt like it whether one was online at the time or not. i see no reason why we cant do the same here. it isnt like anyone has been excluded from this blog. it was posted openly on the SS.
again, the above is meant with all due respect.
G – I’ll tell you how you know. Because I told you that’s the deal. Since I did that this morning, there has not been a negative word about anyone on this site. You can check that for yourself if you like, or you can trust me, or you can do both.
Markeyh
Are you saying taking off my pants when I enter another man’s house may not be acceptable?
I just thing we need to narrow down respect and honor
Pants off = honorable and respectable, no?
If not it’s going to be much harder for me to blog here…I haven’t worn pants since the Internet was invented
Markey
Did you just make that up? .. What if the man’s house that you enter is a pedophile..or a serial killer ..or even worse, a Jet fan ..What then, smart guy? ..lol
The same options apply….in those cases I’ll chose not to go there….
ThanX Mike E
Understand
was not here for u guys previous Mob soap operas
Just cannot fathom the extent of verbal abuse to a woman
and thought u were actually defending what fish dip read on a blog to frankly a very nice woman and local Dolfan that has reached out to us men and engaged us, which is very difficult to do in a man’s world
We had an accord not to censor anyone unless it became an issue where nobody came. We are not begging for business. With that said, a popular member got bashed on the mothership and few came to her rescue. I was invited to a site where I obliged and was banished immediately. There are no hard feelings but don’t act is if some of us haven’t been denigrated on a daily basis while ‘friends’ continued to blog there and then come here and ask others not to speak freely. It doesn’t work that way. We have yet to have an argument here. We hillbillies were doing just fine
LMAO – Yeehaw!
I agree w/FFR. Also, Walker doesn’t have a secret password to get in here – lol.
Have undue respect for FFR for being the ONLY ONE w enough intestinal fortitude to kindly reach out to this blogger and say
“WTF”
were are the rest of u bloggers
Dont care what u think about this blogger
but Home 4 Christ’s Sake certainly is going to defend a woman or child
Fish,
Thank you too bro – I hate getting serious here, this site is too much fun for that.
Mike E: You wouldn’t lie to me so I trust what you said. But understand deleting my comments the other day then banning me was wrong when I just went to be cordial for you Tim, Piggy & Ken and say congrats to TN. So be it.
It was bullshit, and it got me really pissed off! I wasn’t there, but I wish I was. It would not have gone down that way, I promise you that!
Have a good night guys and thank you fish dip.
Goodnight G! Peace sis!
Good night Mike E thanks for your efforts.
Walker – I asked. I didn’t demand.
I didn’t come here to be a downer bro, or tell you what to do. It’s all good man. It is your site, and yes, you should do whatever ya’ll like. Nothing wrong with asking though, is there?
MikeE,
It isn’t my site, it’s the peoples site. Some had more to do than others but this has been in the making for a while and I am content with the good souls that helped formulate it.
Things will change, the SS mob is over, and yes sides did form. People made their beds and slept in them. I can’t be more proud of what we have here and we aim to protect it. We will grow stronger, we are Legion, according to Bat that is.
This isn’t why we built it though to debate sides of a two headed coin
I NEVER make my bed. lol
I’ve also been having trouble sleeping lately. Got any ideas?
Extremely Happy w the Amazing woman Home was fortunate enuf to meet and form ZZZ best relationship with, even moving Miami spread into his house
No interest as Home has never even met Gigi
But for the Love of God (or the love of Bat’s God, Uggh!)
This is your family, your sister
Brothers,
PROTECT HER!
Geez
What’s it take to get people to notice that I’m not wearing pants!
Walker….
As you know from my private E-mails to you. I have my cards on the table. I have pretty much laid it out and gave you the picture of what and how I think…
Please, so that I can understand… (not become involved, But Understand)…. what seems to be the difficulty that I have been reading about lately…?
Is there some sort of animosity that exists between this blog and the blog TN Phin fan is operating…?
Is there an issue between the Blogs…? Or is there and issue between certain people on them…?
Once again… I don’t ask so I may become involved or take sides, but rather to understand what is going on so I do not inadvertently step in shit just trying to make conversation….
I must say… after all that has occurred, I am terribly vexed to hear such matters… and even worse… I am terribly vexed to see some of it being played out on the SS Blog, leaving those who may wish to exit there for a better experience to wonder if they are jumping from the Frying Pan into the Fire…
In all sincerity… could either you or someone else PLEASE explain WTF the Dust up is in this AO…? I am deeply concerned…
The Flying Pig says:
April 9, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Geez
What’s it take to get people to notice that I’m not wearing pants!
maybe a bigger slab of bacon
LOL
kielbasa anyone?
“Our name is Legion…For we are many” …has a nice ring to it ..right? ….lol
Fish Dip,
All members are protected here. I just will not venture out into the wilderness looking for vengeance. I am at peace here.
I am as Myomoto Musashi, undefeated samurai dwelling in a cave painting beautiful portraits
Piggy
LOL …Pancetta maybe?
Bat,
Whatever pork product the ladies prefer…I provide
‘Little Smokies”?
LMFAO @ Bat! “pancetta” Hahahahahahahahahahaha
to get some good sleep try some oxycodene 30mg. I only have 16 left so I don’t share. How about those Marlins. I got some tickets today to see the nationals May. 3 games so I will get to see the pitching sensations comeback. 91 mph curveball —-unreal
allright pig fly by over
I did a little research for my contribution today
I’m not going to reveal anything substantive
But here is a hint, colonpokey the hamster will be making a visit.
So hide the kids!
now to break the tension here is a good laugh
http://www.lotsofjokes.com/blowjob_etiquette.asp
Bat,
It’s all great until Legion is cast unto the pig who doesn’t fly over the cliffside. JK, I like Legion. It is growing on me. Death to the mofucking mob.
Derek,
It saddens me to inform you that yes, there are two splits to the mob, but it isn’t necessarily a bad notion
For the record
blogger known as “Home”
always thought “Mob” w a soft bellied braided haired Jamaican dude learning American football was bit outlandish
esp cuz, Home grew up in Boston w Sicilian Real Deal Family & Friends
Dip,
The lady knows she was protected and thats all I’m at liberty to say. Good night
Damn Bat,
your email is a cockblocker, lol
I’m out … Good Night Legion ….
LMAO @ FFR – That was pretty funny! My wife has definitely read that list. lol
Walker
Wait …I’m back ..what’s up with the e-mail?
Goodnight Bat!
I’m out as well legion – Catch ya tomorrow
mike e,
glad you liked. i did get a good laugh out of it, especially the
10. No matter how good you think you are at it, we’ve had better.
Wasn’t seeing it!
but good job Walker
Good to know
Home stands alone
and witnessesed some severe wrong doing
Home
Will leave it in u Goodfellas
Capable Hands
Bat,
I sent you a sample for a joint story and it keeps bouncing with your daemon reply, WTF. even your email is blocked by hellish figures, lol
oh fuck all you sob’s. going to bed. just go fuck yourself. this is my break time. i get to go from here to back to work. thanks the was my reason not to work.
Mike E
U R one of a kind
Keep being u
Esp
In A World Of Human Wreckage !
“Second, swallowing a teaspoon full of cream is a hell of a lot easier than licking a dead fish.”
Geeeeeezuz… FFR…… It will take me 45 minutes to clean the soda I “Nose spewed” all over my LCD screen……
That suggestion by you will be hanging proudly in the Range Lounge Tomorrow….. I will even give you Props for being the launch-eeeee of said “Blowjob” etiquette….
Walker
I just added the “bannedfromthess” address to my safe list ..maybe that will help. Unfortunately, ancient evil is not very tech savvy …lol
OK ..out for real now …later
derek,
glad you enjoyed that. and by all means take all the credit.
i am glad you made it here. i have told you before and dont mind saying again, i have the utmost respect for you and what you do. i can never thank you enough for what you do for us and our country. i hope you show up at the next mobfest. it would be an honor to meet you and thank you face to face. first…..no all beers are on me.
thank you
Walker:
i finally have read the previous posts and I ran acrooss 1 that mentioned a contest for the draft. I cleaned up one of the storage rooms (old kids room) and I ran across some old dolphins books. I have the championship 72-73 year books and plenty of autographs of those players. I will give up the Minnesota yearbook for the contest. JUST give me a address to mail to. The undefeated season book I will never give up.
jetssuck,
mail it to
po box 1876
lutz fl 33549
I thought Walker was running the contest?
jetssuck,
aaahhhh come on dude, it was a joke. you know get you to mail it to me. besides it was even a made up po box
got me…lol
ok break time is over. i am going back to work. take care all and by all means be safe out there it is a crazy world