Sean Taylor going to the Pro Bowl!

[sportscurmudgeon]

The Pro Bowl is a game that plays to a very empty house. The ratings on TV are only slightly better than for a Ron Popeil infomercial on his new invention - the water soluble life raft.

Essentially, no one gives a rat's ass about this game.

Yet, every year, people get excited about who will go to play in this game that no one cares about and who was wrongfully excluded from playing in this game that no one cares about. I just don't get that.

Sean Taylor had a much better year than Roy Williams did this year. And remember, I'm the guy who thinks Sean Taylor is an unredeemed M E A T H E A D.

Mark Brunell has had a better year than Michael Vick.

Markus Washington deserves some kind of recognition for his play this year - - although I can't find a lot of fault with the OLBs picked for the NFC squad.

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

The Pro Bowl is a game that plays to a very empty house. The ratings on TV are only slightly better than for a Ron Popeil infomercial on his new invention - the water soluble life raft.

Essentially, no one gives a rat's ass about this game.

Yet, every year, people get excited about who will go to play in this game that no one cares about and who was wrongfully excluded from playing in this game that no one cares about. I just don't get that.

Sean Taylor had a much better year than Roy Williams did this year. And remember, I'm the guy who thinks Sean Taylor is an unredeemed M E A T H E A D.

Mark Brunell has had a better year than Michael Vick.

Markus Washington deserves some kind of recognition for his play this year - - although I can't find a lot of fault with the OLBs picked for the NFC squad.

You are right to a certain extent.

I have personally attended 8 Pro Bowls. The game is always sold out, and what the league looses in TV viewing is made up for in merchandising and week long player events. The networks take the loss on the viewing part, since they are the ones paying the NFL. NFL gets thier money whether people watch or not.

For me what was more fun than the game, was attending all of the player events during the week leading up tp the game, like the rookie sand flag football game, media day and of course fan day. They have a few golf tourneys too for charity. You pay an outlandish donation and get a round of golf with a pro-bowl player.

But of course, but they league puts so many rules on the play that it can hardly be called an exhibition game.

They are only allowed to run certain defenses, and certain type of blitz's etc. The primary reason being to reduce injuries.

[firstdown]

I think ST was left out because coaches and players where scared he might not know how to hit at half speed. I could see it now while everyone is having fun Taylor is like a little kid all pumped up and knocking the crap out of guys.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

OOps my mistake, it is Roy Williams representing the NFC in Honolulu, again, for the 3rd time in 4 years as a pro.

Sandtrap,

You are an idiot if you think Roy Williams is a better safety than Sean Taylor. For that matter, I'd take Adrian Wilson or Brian Dawkins before Williams. At least they (and Taylor) can cover somebody downfield. Williams singlehandedly lost the first Skins game when he let Santana run right by him. Mark these words - if Sean Taylor beats his handgun rap, he will be the standard by which all safeties are measured in two or three years. Terry Glenn certainly wanted no part of Taylor last Sunday.

As for the Pro Bowl - it's nothing more than a popularity contest where many get in on past reputation.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

Sandtrap,

You are an idiot if you think Roy Williams is a better safety than Sean Taylor. For that matter, I'd take Adrian Wilson or Brian Dawkins before Williams. At least they (and Taylor) can cover somebody downfield. Williams singlehandedly lost the first Skins game when he let Santana run right by him. Mark these words - if Sean Taylor beats his handgun rap, he will be the standard by which all safeties are measured in two or three years. Terry Glenn certainly wanted no part of Taylor last Sunday.

As for the Pro Bowl - it's nothing more than a popularity contest where many get in on past reputation.

I just saw this on ProFootballWeekly.com, which adds support to my prior post:

Safeties
Who they picked: AFC – John Lynch, Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders; NFC – Mike Brown, Darren Sharper and Roy Williams.

Who they forgot: Sean Taylor – Boy, I must seem like a Redskins fan. But the kid has been far more of an impact player than Williams, who’s guilty of being subpar in coverage and known better for his horse-collar (or, shirt-collar) tackles. Taylor is so
key to Gregg Williams’ man-free defenses, able to cover the slot receivers, blanket tight ends or sit back in coverage as a center fielder.

Expanded roster pick: Adrian Wilson – Like Karlos Dasnby, Wilson, the Cardinals’ second-best defender (with DT Darnell Dockett a close third), rarely gets his due as a big, rangy hitter and decent ballhawk.

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

I just saw this on ProFootballWeekly.com, which adds support to my prior post:

Safeties
Who they picked: AFC – John Lynch, Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders; NFC – Mike Brown, Darren Sharper and Roy Williams.

Who they forgot: Sean Taylor – Boy, I must seem like a Redskins fan. But the kid has been far more of an impact player than Williams, who’s guilty of being subpar in coverage and known better for his horse-collar (or, shirt-collar) tackles. Taylor is so
key to Gregg Williams’ man-free defenses, able to cover the slot receivers, blanket tight ends or sit back in coverage as a center fielder.

Expanded roster pick: Adrian Wilson – Like Karlos Dasnby, Wilson, the Cardinals’ second-best defender (with DT Darnell Dockett a close third), rarely gets his due as a big, rangy hitter and decent ballhawk.

Okay guy, just who do you think has VOTES for players going to the Pro Bowl? The same friggin guys who wrote that article for ProFootballWeekly. The guy who wrote that article may have thought Sean Taylor should have gone, but OBVIOUSLY a majority of the other voters did not!

[CRT3]

The real question Mr. Sandtrap is were there any Free Safites that got in. There is a flaw in the system when you have just strong safties make it. Hey just remember those 2 TD's in September against your All Pro. Boy guess they did not consider that game.

[Ade Jimoh Fan Club]

I have a friend who knows someone important on the Pro Bowl Selection Committee, and this is the REAL reason Sean Taylor didn't get selected:

They wanted to pick him over Roy "Horse Collar" Williams, but the Pro Bowl game conflicted with his court date.



Don't mean to player-hate (literally) on ST, but I do think that off season rediculousness is justification for not making the roster, despite how well he played all season. If he can put together a full season w/o involving the police and show he can be a solid "cetizen" and role model - then he'll be ready to represent the NFL in the Pro Bowl.

[D'BOYZ]

Originally Posted by CRT3

The real question Mr. Sandtrap is were there any Free Safites that got in. There is a flaw in the system when you have just strong safties make it. Hey just remember those 2 TD's in September against your All Pro. Boy guess they did not consider that game.

CTR3 Correction the best 3 safeties go to the PB and at least 1 of each position it so happen that this year from the NFC 2 SS and 1FS got picked and from the AFC 2 FS and 1SS got in so man do some research before you post

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

Sandtrap,

You are an idiot if you think Roy Williams is a better safety than Sean Taylor. For that matter, I'd take Adrian Wilson or Brian Dawkins before Williams. At least they (and Taylor) can cover somebody downfield. Williams singlehandedly lost the first Skins game when he let Santana run right by him. Mark these words - if Sean Taylor beats his handgun rap, he will be the standard by which all safeties are measured in two or three years. Terry Glenn certainly wanted no part of Taylor last Sunday.

As for the Pro Bowl - it's nothing more than a popularity contest where many get in on past reputation.

Well lets just compare these two fine players and see just where the idiocy lies. These stats are from Sean Taylors first 2 years in the league compared to Roy Williams first two years in the league:

Taylor: Tackles 106, Assists 23, Sacks 2, INT's 6, TD's 0 Pass Def 16
Williams: Tackles 143, Assists 28, Sacks 4, INT's 7, TD's 2, Pass Def 9

Now lets look at Williams in the last two years in the league, which was Taylors first two years, so use the same stats to compare:

Williams Tackles 139, Assists 33, Sacks 2.5, INT's 4, TD's 1, Pass Def 15

Now keep in mind that these guys play two different positions, except one year Williams did play FS. Williams is predominatly a SS and Taylor a FS. With that in mind it make sense that Taylor have a few more pass defense's than Williams. Williams has been to the Pro Bowl as a FS and a SS, and Taylor has not even gone as a FS.

So if I am an idiot for thinking Roy Williams is a better safety than Sean Taylor, ok!

Do I think Roy Williams is the BEST safety in the league...no way, I think Ed Reed is in that top spot. But I certainly believe, and have the numbers and pro bowl selections (whereas you just have an opinion) to back it, that he is better than Sean Taylor.

Please don't get me wrong here. I do NOT think Taylor is a slouch at safety, quite to the contrary, he is an OUTSTANDING safety. I just happen to think Williams is better.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

Well lets just compare these two fine players and see just where the idiocy lies. These stats are from Sean Taylors first 2 years in the league compared to Roy Williams first two years in the league:

Taylor: Tackles 106, Assists 23, Sacks 2, INT's 6, TD's 0 Pass Def 16
Williams: Tackles 143, Assists 28, Sacks 4, INT's 7, TD's 2, Pass Def 9

Now lets look at Williams in the last two years in the league, which was Taylors first two years, so use the same stats to compare:

Williams Tackles 139, Assists 33, Sacks 2.5, INT's 4, TD's 1, Pass Def 15

Now keep in mind that these guys play two different positions, except one year Williams did play FS. Williams is predominatly a SS and Taylor a FS. With that in mind it make sense that Taylor have a few more pass defense's than Williams. Williams has been to the Pro Bowl as a FS and a SS, and Taylor has not even gone as a FS.

So if I am an idiot for thinking Roy Williams is a better safety than Sean Taylor, ok!

Do I think Roy Williams is the BEST safety in the league...no way, I think Ed Reed is in that top spot. But I certainly believe, and have the numbers and pro bowl selections (whereas you just have an opinion) to back it, that he is better than Sean Taylor.

Please don't get me wrong here. I do NOT think Taylor is a slouch at safety, quite to the contrary, he is an OUTSTANDING safety. I just happen to think Williams is better.

If you want to go by raw numbers (tackles, INTs, etc.) then take a look at Adrian Wilson's this year - over 100 tackles and 6 INTs! Roy should have more tackles than Taylor, any decent SS should have more than a FS. The fact remains that Roy cannot cover anyone downfield when asked to do so. Why don't you take a look at Shockey's numbers in two games against the Cowboys this year. Many of those yards were against Roy Williams' piss poor coverage. I've already mentioned his travails in deep zone against Santana Moss, so I won't beat that dead horse any further.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

If you want to go by raw numbers (tackles, INTs, etc.) then take a look at Adrian Wilson's this year - over 100 tackles and 6 INTs! Roy should have more tackles than Taylor, any decent SS should have more than a FS. The fact remains that Roy cannot cover anyone downfield when asked to do so. Why don't you take a look at Shockey's numbers in two games against the Cowboys this year. Many of those yards were against Roy Williams' piss poor coverage. I've already mentioned his travails in deep zone against Santana Moss, so I won't beat that dead horse any further.

Make that 6 SACKS for A. Wilson.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

Now keep in mind that these guys play two different positions, except one year Williams did play FS. Williams is predominatly a SS and Taylor a FS. With that in mind it make sense that Taylor have a few more pass defense's than Williams. Williams has been to the Pro Bowl as a FS and a SS, and Taylor has not even gone as a FS.

By your logic, it also makes sense that Williams gets more tackles(horse collars, in Roy's case) than Taylor, since strong safeties generally play the run first, and the pass second, while free safeties play the pass first, and the run second. Williams does play the run very well, but he also bites on play action more than anyone in the league. He also appears to have learned pass coverage from a block of swiss cheese.

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

By your logic, it also makes sense that Williams gets more tackles(horse collars, in Roy's case) than Taylor, since strong safeties generally play the run first, and the pass second, while free safeties play the pass first, and the run second. Williams does play the run very well, but he also bites on play action more than anyone in the league. He also appears to have learned pass coverage from a block of swiss cheese.

So by YOUR LOGIC, since Taylor is a FS he should have more INT's than Williams, but that is not the case either.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

So by YOUR LOGIC, since Taylor is a FS he should have more INT's than Williams, but that is not the case either.

That's partially because when Taylor is in pass defense, he'd actually rather decleat the receiver, and not just sit back and cherry pick, or wait for them to run by so he can horse collar them like Williams does. And for every route that Roy Williams jumps to make a pick, the other nine times out of ten, he judges it poorly and gets torched for long gains or scores.