I'll take a guy who puts forth full effort everytime to make up for size, than a guy who is talented and has no desire.
JV said that last year he knew he was gonna take some hits due to the new system. He said last year was learning what to do in the system, and this year is perfecting the system. Im gonna side with Vilma.
If he cannot make the play with "full effort" as JV performance last year showed he becomes non productive which at this time is exactly what JV is
I wonder why NFL scouts miss the obvious genetic corolation that guys with strong arms have below average intelligence and guys with grit have below average talent.
Just to add some outside perspective: 1) I too thought Champ was talking about Harris' former coach saying he was too small. This is mostly due to the fact that Champ was talking abou Harris in the first sentence, then never even mentioned Vilma's name. 2) I agree, the old "If you don't believe me, go contact them" defense is getting old. You can pretty much say anything you want then challenge people to go track down some tape from some radio station, knowing full-well that they never will.
Who cares what his HS football coach (or Coker or anyone for that matter) said? Even if he did say he was too small for the NFL, he was obviously wrong. Lets look at the facts: 1) Drafted 12th overall in the 2004 NFL draft. 2) 2004 NFL defensive rookie of the year. 3) Started every game of his 3 year career at MLB while compiling 389 tackles. That's better than 8 tackles a game. 4) He is unquestionably the leader of our defense and will be starting again in 2007 barring injury. If he was too small to play in the NFL he wouldn't have accomplished half of these things. Whether or not he's too small for the 3-4 is still undecided, let's see how he progresses. He had 113 tackles last year (more than his rookie season (DROY) in the 4-3) and appears to be a bit bigger in muscle mass this year.
Cmon now how do I know what WQAM will do or not do. Be practical here. Ever hear of the time honored adage nothing ventured nothing gained? if you do not try you will never know right?
What show was this supposed interview on? Who was the host? What day was it on? If I contact them with "Larry Coker was on one of your shows some day three years ago talking about Jonathan Vilma, can I have a copy of the tape?" they are going to LAUGH AT ME. I'm more than willing to email them, but with no info to give them they will not be able to provide me with a tape. Which again brings us back to you spreading more lies and MISINFORMATION.
“Jonathon Vilma, coming out of high school, was 6-foot, 190 (pounds). Was he going to be on a list as a top linebacker? No. They doubted him then. And look what happened." -Larry Coker
To be fair, Thomas hadn't accomplished anything until last year so it wasn't like he got like 12-15 sacks up from a career high of 5 or something like that.
The point is they had the best season of their careers in the first year of a new system because it is a system that fits there abilties. I can't buy that Vilma had the worst season of his career because it was the first year of a new system, rather it is a system that doesn't fit his abilities..
I would guess that it was either the morning show from 6 to 10AM or the Hank Goldberg show in the afternoon. Jim Mandrich does not have interviews so for sure it was not his show. The time frame would be some very few days after he was drafted in fact maybe the day after. His comment was to the effect that we erred in drafting JV because he is to small for the NFL & should have drafted Wilfork instead
So, in your own words, tell us why you think Vilma stinks. “Jonathon Vilma, coming out of high school, was 6-foot, 190 (pounds). Was he going to be on a list as a top linebacker? No. They doubted him then. And look what happened." -Larry Coker
TO SMALL how many times do I have to say it? He get pushed around because he is NOT strong enough up to ward off blockers. You broke your word in saying you were finished with me. The problem that I see with you & others is that you allow your man love for a player to govern your assessment of that players abilities & productiveness
The job of a 4-3 MLB is to make all of the tackles. In a 3-4, the role is more gap control so the # of tackles is usually lower. The role of the 3-4 OLB's is to be the blitzers and pass rushers. Not so much in the 4-3. I think the switching of roles had something to do with it.
