If you look at our defense from 2015, one thing is very clear, our LB’s were sub par, and that’s a pretty across the board statement. I think Jenkins is still young and worth developing, but a high ankle sprain hampered him all season, until either he, or the coaches decided to rest him for the last 3 games. Jelani Jenkins appeared and started in 13 games last season, and finished with 71 total tackles (50 solo), which is down big time from last season (120 total/83 solo). Last season, Jenkins had 1 FF, and 1 FR, while 2 seasons ago, Jenkins forced 2 fumbles, had 1 fumble recovery, but also had 3.5 sacks. Definitely a step backwards for our young LB.
As far as the other 2 LB spots, who were previously filled by Koa Misi (MLB, SLB), Kelvin Sheppard (MLB), and then at the end of the season when almost the entire roster was on IR, Zach Vigil (MLB) and Neville Hewitt (SLB). It was hard to really evaluate either Hewit or Vigil with the limited amount of playing time they received, but both showed they have some promise, but weren’t necessarily ready for prime time. In case you’ve been kidnapped, in a deep freeze, or just saving yourself from frustration, and haven’t been following the Dolphins the last couple of months, we traded with the Philadelphia Eagles, acquiring ILB Kiko Alonso and CB Byron Maxwell and the #13 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, in exchange for our #8 pick in this year’s draft.
So where does that leave us? It appears as if Kiko Alonso in line to be our starting MLB, and Koa Misi is set to start at SOLB, leaving the WOLB to Jelani Jenkins. If y’all remember last season, and you’re a cynical SOB like me, yeah, that just doesn’t cut it for me. Too much of the same MO of relying on oft injured players (Alonso, Misi) and also expecting the same guys to do better. How often does that actually happen? Is it possible Alonso reverts back to the player he was in his rookie season in BUF., in 2013, Alonso was a beast, totaling 154 tackles (87 solo), 2 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 4 INT’s, and 2 FR’s. In 2014, Alonso tore his ACL and missed the entire ’14 season. He was then traded before the ’15 season to the Eagles, mostly because he was too small to play in Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defense, and fit much better in PHI.
I know everyone wants to draft a CB, DE, OLB or even a RB at #13, but I want to go in a different direction. When we were picking at #8, I resigned myself to the fact that it was an unrealistic pick for that spot, but now that we’re selecting 5 spots later, i feel this pick is right in line, and although most mocks don’t have this player quite this early, NFL.com does have him rated as the 11th best player in the draft, so again, not unrealistic. Who is it?
Alabama MLB Reggie Ragland 6’1″ 247
Yes, Reggie Ragland. All the guy does is tackle, and not 5 yards downfield, and not on the second try, he hits the right gap and BOOM – Down goes the ball carrier! I know a lot of people fear that Ragland is a 2-down MLB, and will have to be subbed for in nickel and dime packages, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. UNless you’re 100% convinced that Kiko Alonso still the same guy he was before the 2 knee injuries (1 major, 1 minor), although the 2nd injury wasa non-contact injury, and that scares me. In game 2 of the ’15 season, Alonso was running to make a play, and felt his knee give out. He played in a reserve role much of the ’15 season.
OK, back to Reggie! Of course, college stats aren’t pro stats, that much is a given, but I think Reggie Ragland is as pro-ready an NFL prospect can be. He has the size, the instincts, the physicality to play MLB in the NFL, and play it well. He’s a day 1 starter for sure, and I believe he will be a 3 down LB that can and will drop into coverage in the NFL and do it well. I know our secondary was likely our biggest weakness last year, we were torched through the air, but I believe that Reggie Ragland makes more of an impact this year and probably next season too than say Vernon Hargreaves, Mackensie Alexander, Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd. Oddly enough, I think the one player that could make as much as of an impact the next 2 years is not on the defensive side, but it’s Ohio St. RB Ezekiel Elliott. It’s obvious we wanted a RB, and we missed out on CJ Anderson when super genius Wile. Coyote, er John Elway matched our offer. I think “Zeke” would likely share carries with incumbent RB Jay Ajayi, but would really solidify the position, which is now real thin with the heavily used and potentially “bone on bone” knee of Ajay, and then Damien Williams as depth. It’s definitely a position of need, and one where a top RB like Zeke would make a huge impact immediately.
SO , if we do draft Regggie Ragland, what do we do with newly acquired Kiko Alonso? I say give him a shot at WOLB, where Jelani Jenkins resides, and we can actually have some competition at LB, with some quality players for a change. At SOLB, let Koa Misi and 2nd year LB Neville Hewitt fight it out, or as I suggested on the blog often, throw Jenkins in the mix at SLB too if Alonso wins that battle. I don’t want to hear that we’d have too many LB’s, that’s silly talk. We’d have some depth for a change, and make that quality depth. If Vigil, Hewitt and Alonso and/or Jenkins are the backups, doesn’t that mean we have some real good players ahead of them? That’s how i feel, and as many have mentioned on our blog, we’re kind of in a 1-2 year window with Suh and Tannehill, and that means a win now mentality. If our LB’s aren’t tackling, we aren’t winning. Much like if our O-line is protecting Tannehill, we aren’t winning, but I’ll save that for another day and another article.
C’mon, think of the upside of drafting Ragland . . . We can have an aqua and orange Reggie bar! The stands can chant “Reggie!, Reggie!, Reggie!” every time he stops a 3rd and short conversion attempt, or blows up a TE over the middle trying to convert a 3rd and 7.
DRAFT REGGIE! Just do it!
Finsmob Unleashed 
LMAO @ Reggie bar! Nice job Mike. He woldn’t be a flashy pick Mike, but he would probably be a solid one for us.
Nice article Mike & I get where you’re going. I just have one correction for you….Hewitt was a WOLB last year. Vigil manned the BU spot at MLB & SOLB. I’d love to draft Ragland & kick Alonso to WLB. I’d be mildly disappointed if Miami drafted Elliot w/ their first pick. I think he’s a very good player, but I think the other guys in rounds 2-3 can be just as good.
I still see SOLB depth as the main piece this team needs due to Misi’s history so Floyd will be a very viable option in RD 1 or his teammate Henkins in RDs 2-3.
Alright, Jury duty time!
We have 3 guys that are high picks (days 1 or 2) cents that are hoping 2016 is a breakout year
Branch
Moore
And yes… Dion FF
I think one of them might find a way to contribute
Good post, Mike. Being that we have a new coaching staff, I think every player on the team has to prove themselves to the coaches so whoever we acquire in FA and the draft, let them all compete for their spots with the exception of a few who we know will be in the lineup. So I wouldn’t worry about who plays where at LB, that will work itself out in practice.
Good post Mike
I’m in the minority in this but I think we must draft at least 1 LB
And can drag as many as a
I just don’t trust any of those players to excel in the 2016
Ragland may not b an impact player that make impact plays
But his play will have impact
The guy is solid
I expect him to be solid in the pros and get a lot of high tackles per season
Do you think the team doesn’t trust any of those players in 2016?
I do t know what they are thinking
It’s irrelevant bc I don’t know if I trust the team
Why should anyone trust the guys making decisions those days?
So far I don’t see a better team on paper
You forgot to add the Highlight clip Mike!!
It’s like watching headless children try in hats!!!
😄🐷😄🐷
The other players on Alabama’s defense have nothing to do with how this guy reads and reacts, runs and hits. He’s also not a limited player. Notice how often the ball comes out when he hits someone.
Piggy, as a fan I have to trust my team’s management, especially a new regime because there is no track record to go by. And even if they did have a track record, what does trusting or not trusting them even mean, our opinion isn’t going to change anything. I’m still going to root for the team.
My question to you was, my guess is the team is likely more comfortable with those players at LB than you are. If they weren’t they wouldn’t have added Alonso and restructured Misi. The other guys are under contract so they’ll compete. We’ll see what we do in the draft.
Reggie Ragland …..BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
lol.
Is he BPA at #8? NO
Is he BPA at #12? MEH, not in my book.
BPA ALL THE WAY, not NEED based drafting.
There is definitely a balance of drafting based on how close in BPA are individuals and where is NEED. When it’s close among a few players, you can choose a need based player who has a closely rated BPA to a guy higher on that scale in a position that is not need.
Having said that, there are quite a few people that I think are not only better individual talents but are also better at their respective position relative to Ragland at his position.
I’d rather draft Doctson before Ragland.
I think Ragland will be a solid NFL player no doubt; but is solid really what you’re looking for in a high end 1st RD pick? Not me 😦
Why is everyone so sure what Ragland won’t be, but somehow they know what some of the other prospects will be? Are we really sure all of these corners pan out? I’m not. The DEs will all be awesome? Doubt it.
I don’t get the negative on Ragland and much of what I hear people say about him I don’t see. It’s as if someone said he’s a 2-down LB and everyone said okay that’s all he is. I disagree with that. He also rushes the QB and you see him make plays all over the field. I guess the concern is he might struggle like most every other LB covering the top TEs and or elite RBs. LOL
Fix the bloody OL first and foremost. The LBs will take care of themselves.
Al
Give me 5 more talented players that will be available at #13 that are better than Ragland,
My 5 are Conklin, Hargreaves, Alexander, Lawson &Dodd.
If we wanted to spend time on it, we could criticize everyone of them and make the case that none of them should be picked at #13.
Goodnight folks nearly 3am here.
38 more days to continue beating this dead horse
No Scott wasn’t better than Marino, even if he was a SB MVP. 😉
Dolphins C Mike Pouncey confirmed he had hip surgery right after the season ended.
The surgery was in addition to an operation to repair the foot injury which kept him out of the season finale. Pouncey has had issues with his hip in the past, but he said this surgery was not to the same hip he had repaired in 2014. Despite the two operations, Pouncey plans to be ready for OTAs.
“Pouncey said, via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, this surgery involved shaving down the bone and took place on the opposite hip from the previous surgery.”
Doesn’t sound fun. He’s taking a beating. Need a good plan B option @ C….Douglas whom I want to win the LG spot & a guy like say McClendon or Steen.
Piggy,
Regarding Kiko’s move to OLB; it happened before Rex Ryan came to town:
2014 season
Bills GM Doug Whaley announced that Alonso would be shifted to the weakside linebacker position for the 2014–15 NFL season.[19]
Shortly after however, Alonso tore his ACL while working out in Oregon and missed the entire 2014 season, as a seven-to nine-month recovery was expected.[20][21] Alonso was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list on August 26, 2014.
As far as why the Bills dealt Kiko for McCoy, it wasn’t as much about Kiko’s inability to fit Ryan’s scheme but rather the depth the Bills had overall at LB positions in combination with major need for a complete RB for Ryan’s O scheme.
This is analysis from the Bills-Eagles trade on the matter from a random website (which i agree with):
The Good
In acquiring LeSean McCoy, the Bills added arguably a top-three running back that still looks to have a few good years left in his legs…
Overall, in an offensive scheme that will be extremely reliant on the running game, the Bills added an excellent running back in his prime that can perform at a high level in all three phases of the game. He immediately becomes the feature back on the depth chart, and the team’s backfield now becomes one of its strongest assets with Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown, and Boobie Dixon also on the roster.
The Bad
In acquiring LeSean McCoy, the Bills gave up one of the NFL’s top young linebackers in Kiko Alonso. Although the fan favorite missed last season with a torn ACL, he was not only one of the top defensive rookies in 2013, but one of the better overall middle linebackers. In particular, Alonso was well suited in pass coverage and, in a division featuring Rob Gronkowksi, the Bills will lose a linebacker most capable of running with athletic tight ends downfield. While there are rumors that Kiko desperately wanted out of Buffalo, I haven’t seen these substantiated anywhere, and its hard to believe that the third year player wouldn’t have been successful in a Rex Ryan defense. In contractual terms, Alonso was making a relative pittance this season at around $750,000 – a figure 14 TIMES smaller than what McCoy will be earning next season if he stays on his current deal. Multiple reports have also suggested that McCoy has been allegedly preparing to hold out because of unhappiness with his current contract.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, Bills fans should ultimately be pleased with this trade for a couple reasons. For one, in an offseason where upgrading the quarterback was going to be a difficult proposition given the shallow free agent pool and lack of a first-round draft pick, the team went ahead and added a true difference maker to the offense. McCoy will immediately improve the team’s historically bad rushing attack, and he will undoubtedly be the focal point of Greg Roman’s game plan. Second, fans arguing about the size of his contract do have a point, but established talent doesn’t come cheap and the Bills are sitting in a good position with respect to the salary cap right now, even after making this deal. Last, although it hurts to give up a cheap, potential Pro Bowler in Alonso, there is no guarantee that the player will be able to come back from a major knee injury and play at a level resembling his production from 2013. Bills fans were justifiably excited about seeing Kiko in 2015, but don’t forget that this team still has an extremely talented stable of linebackers right now, which includes another recent draftee Preston Brown who is coming off a terrific rookie season as well.
Ultimately, while there are still some details that need to be ironed out such as LeSean McCoy’s contract status and whether Kiko really wanted out of Buffalo that badly, Bills fans have to be excited about the team’s first offseason under Terry and Kim Pegula. This trade will be a divisive one among media and fans who argue that the league’s shift to passing renders players such as McCoy as expendable, but the Bills look set to double down on the Rex Ryan ‘ground and pound’ philosophy in 2015, thus making this upcoming season a very interesting one indeed.
——————-
As far as what Kiko may give the Dolphins post knee injury, Alonso did give a small blip of hope by performing his best last year over the final two games (had 17 of his 43 season total tackles over final 2 games). He also had 8 total tackles in Week 1 last year (was injured in the 2Q of Week 2 game) so all in all he had 25 of his 43 season total tackles in Week 1/16/17 combined.
Also in his first couple games back vs Dallas (WK 9) & Miami ( WK 10; a game Omar repeatedly referenced he was not impressed with Alonso watching film from that game), Kiko only played 61 total snaps in those 2 games and clearly showed rust in not just athleticism but in making bad reads. He had 56 snaps in Week 11 in an overall terrible showing by Eagles D (gave up ~300 yds rushing to TB).
What’s interesting is that the Eagles FO decided to deal Kiko as a throw in perhaps in Maxwell deal considering they hired Schwartz as their DC; a guy Kiko had experience with back in Buffalo (Schwartz was DC when Kiko missed the 2014 season but he attended all the team meetings / film study sessions and such).
From an article last month discussing how the Eagles were probably going to use Kiko in 2016:
Alonso likely will be moving to the strong side position in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 scheme, with Jordan Hicks in the middle and Mychal Kendricks on the weak side.
Schwartz was the Bills’ defensive coordinator in 2014, the year Alonso missed with the torn ACL. The rumors were the coach wanted to move Alonso outside the following year. But Schwartz was fired along with head coach Doug Marrone, and Alonso eventually was traded to the Eagles.
With a shortage of outside linebackers on the Eagles’ roster — Alonso and Kendricks are the only ones with any kind of experience — it’s crucial for the former Bills standout to stay healthy.
“There isn’t much behind those two,” the scout said. “I would think they’ll add somebody. But, yeah if (Alonso) is back, it makes a world of difference there.”
———————-
The article also notes that all 3 projected starters (prior to Kiko trade) at LB had all missed significant time with the Eagles and thus is probably part of their reason to trade a few of their often injured people.
And now back to Eagles fans showing their true colors
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/philadelphia-eagles-kiko-alonso-instagram-photos-on-vacation-012216
Forgot to mention he only had 2 missed tackles the entire season including the playoff run.
Good stuff Mike E. Things I like is that he wants to be the very best and is being questioned. Also, that man is solid all around. Big, strong player that could be a foundation for years. Like you said somewhere before, he’s a Pitt type of LB.
He is slow though. Some of his tackles on that video by Piggy are bad. Not my top pick for #13 but wouldn’t be angry either.
He outran basically every ILB at the combine. 4.72 isn’t bad.
SOLB has always been where i thought they should put him, in the case we get an MLB int he draft, like Ragland or Brothers. If they get a guy like Jones, i expect they move him to MLB and let Jones play SOLB.
Nice job Mike E. The only problem with your analysis is that it still has Misi on the field
Misi should become our new long snapper for 2017….. 😉
Misi should not be on the roster
Tim, also, how much longer will we be able to keep Denney? He’s 38 at the tail end of this season. He’s also in the final year of his contract. This is likely his last in miami.
Why are you asking me this? LOL
I dunno, cause you’re the one on here all the time? lol
I don’t think so.
GD, not sure what the new coahces think of Douglas, whether he’ll continue to work at center or not. But if he is, he’ll be a lot more prepared this year than last year. He started training at center pretty late last year and then had to play there.
I see good things with Douglas. He’s very strong both upper & lower body. Just needed to refine his techniques. I still want to see him take over the LG spot. He’s got too good of feet to be C…..IMO.
I could deal with Alonso at SOLB, and Jenkins at WOLB if that’s the way it plays out. In general, I just like our LB corps a lot better with Ragland in the middle.
Al,
I agree with your thoughts on getting requisite value out of a pick. I see what others see in Ragland, but I’m not sold that he will be as effective in the NFL due to how offenses will be able to key on him and exploit his weaknesses. That rarely happens in college…especially against a team like Alabama that’s full of guys who can make plays. He’ll be playing against faster, quicker guys, and he’s not getting any quicker. It’s not his speed I worry about…it’s his short space quickness.
****
I really just have no excitement for the draft this year, so I don’t really care who they take. But, I don’t think Ragland is good value at #13. Good player though.
Yet some peeps here would have no problem with a guy like Scooby Wright being the MLB because his value in the 3rd or 4th rd would be good, never mind he moves like he’s wearing clogs. LOL
Mike E. says:
March 21, 2016 at 11:59 am
Al
Give me 5 more talented players that will be available at #13 that are better than Ragland,
—————
Too many 🙂
Who’s better than Ragland? ummm
Jared Goff, Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey, Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanely, Vernon Hargreaves, Mackensie Alexander, Joey Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Shaq Lawson, Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell, Darron Lee, Jack Conklin, William Jackson III, Sheldon Rankins, Leonard Floyd, Vernon Butler, Eli Apple, Taylor Decker, Noah Spence, Kenny Clark, Kevin Dodd, Josh Doctson lol
about 10 of those will be gone by #13….and you forgot Elliot. 😉
I think he meant who will be available but I could easily do a cons on many of the guys you mentioned that make them poor value at #13, and not as good as Ragland including the all popular Hargreaves but I’m going to spare everyone such a silly exercise. LOL
For us, from your list, i wouldnt put Goff, Alexander, Lee, Conklin, Apple Decker, Spence, Clark, Dodd or Doctson, Butler too (though i really like this kid) above Ragland, most the rest i have them ranked higher.
Treadwell is a player i havent even been considering until they listed him as having been brought in on a private visit, and opposite Parker could be a really brutal young receiving corp. More i thought about it more i actually could see it.
Way i see the distribution of LB’ers it should be a highly instinctual guy in the middle, decent coverage skills but mostly a thumper with good instincts. I see those traits in a few different prospects this year, though i think in particular, Ragland and Brothers exemplifies them the best. I think WOLB and SOLB in today’s defenses are pretty varied but i think athleticism is key, and coverage skills is more of a must. I think they need to be sideline to sideline players too. I see several of these as well, but Jones is one of the ones i like the best. I do think Alonzo, if healthy could fit either place. He has a lot of sideline to sideline ability, he has good instincts, and he has good feel for coverage. He could play SOLB or MLB, both holes for us, as long as he is back to his old form. Tis is really good for us because it makes LB a pretty open strategy, you pick the right guy at the right spot, and gives us flexibility to work around that position in the draft if we need to bump CB or DE to a higher premium.
getterdone says:
March 21, 2016 at 1:18 pm
about 10 of those will be gone by #13….and you forgot Elliot. 😉
———
lol, yea, forgot him but i was busy rolling other names off the top of my head.
Tim,
I haven’t watched a second of Scooby, so I have no idea how he looks. I actually like Ragland. I just don’t think he’s a top 15 pick. I think you have to be as close as you can to getting value in the first round…and especially in the top half. Like I said though, I just don’t have much enthusiasm for the draft. If they take Ragland, fine. He’ll be a good contributor…if that’s what you want at #13.
I think Ragland is better than a lot of people do. Everyone expected him to struggle in drills at the combine and he did well yet still people act like he’s the guy they thought he was before the combine. It’s bizarre to me how he’s got this rep as slow and limited yet he’s more impressive than every other MLB in this draft. Jack hasn’t even shown he can run yet and nobody has an issue with him. Yeah no red flag there. He’s also not a pure MLB and doesn’t play overly physical but nobody cares about that.
It’s crazy the different opinions people have about prospects and players.
D says:
March 21, 2016 at 1:22 pm
For us, from your list, i wouldnt put Goff, Alexander, Lee, Conklin, Apple Decker, Spence, Clark, Dodd or Doctson, Butler too (though i really like this kid) above Ragland, most the rest i have them ranked higher.
——–
Then I don’t want to hear you whining if and when Albert/James go down to injury.
Their positions are far more important than MLB
Sounds like an old cliche but nothing gets done on either side of the field effectively unless the lines perform well. DB/LB all dependant on DL, passing game and run game all dependant on OL.
You arent telling me anything i dont know, but pretty much QB’s and MLB (in a 4-3) are equivalent to one another so having good ones in those positions make the offense and defense work. They would be pretty important too.
Randy, i generally would agee im not a MLB, even best of them as a top half of the first kind of guy. Still having that guy, that QB of the defense and the center cog of it be strong, especially in a 4-3, its almost a necessity, and time in and time out having a poor one has really afected us. Im beginning to change my thoughts on it, i still think it though it takes a pretty special player to draft in top half, Ragland i think has the characteristics we need and i think it makes him at 13 pretty close to the value we would get from adding a guy like that to our team.
Everyone is on the Zeke Elliot bandwagon right now, and i would consider him not at all worth 13, so a lot goes into the perspective of the person, the fandom for the player or possibly even his former college team, and a fans perspective on the state of the team and what is needed to correct it. so really, its unlikely everyone will have the same perspective so you just have to hope whomever it is, the TEAM thinks its a good investment at whatever pick they take them at and that that player contributes to solving one of the riddles surrounding the failures of our team.
Let’s see if Alonso can survive making cuts in training camp before we start plugging him in anywhere. There’s a reason 2 teams have already moved on from him. Teams don’t jettison young, cheap guys with a supposedly bright future without a reason, and I don’t think it was scheme or too many guys at his position.
His college coach traded for him off a knee injury and the Eagles traded him as part of the deal to get rid of Maxwell’s contract as they were clearing cap and starting over from everything Kelly did. There’s your reasons. 😉
D says:
March 21, 2016 at 1:22 pm
For us, from your list, i wouldnt put Goff, Alexander, Lee, Conklin, Apple Decker, Spence, Clark, Dodd or Doctson, Butler too (though i really like this kid) above Ragland, most the rest i have them ranked higher.
——–
Then I don’t want to hear you whining if and when Albert/James go down to injury.
———————————————-
I like Conklin, but i dont think he is ready to start day one and im kind of expecting that from our 1st round pick. Notice i didnt count Tunsil or Stanley off. Both those guys come in and replace Albert, and id be fine if we went that direction. They wont make it to us at pick 13 and i consider it more of a reach to take Conklin than i do Ragland. Injuries happen, i take them as they come, we do have a couple pick ups that can fill in at OT, but you wont hear me bitch about something thats not in anyone’s control, so….
If you don’t have a MLB who can read and react(diagnose the right hole and hit it) very quickly in a Wide 9, you’ll probably struggle. One false stop if you’re not quick, and you’re screwed. The RB will be running free in the secondary.
Exactly. Thats why instincts are such a high priority
Which Ragland has and when he hits you the play is over.
This is a OT that I liked initially since the draft process began. I’d definitely draft him if he’s still in avail in the later part of Day 2.
We need a guy to become heir to Albert without spending a 1st round pick on the spot.
An NFC personnel director says Texas Tech T Le’Raven Clark is “going to end up being big time in our league.”
What’s so interesting about this is Pro Football Focus recently panned Clark as a probable bust who is one of the most overrated players in the entire class, arguing that toolsy but inconsistent Ts rarely work out for the teams that draft them. But lets hear out the personnel director, shall we? “He’s got elite foot quickness, he’s long and he’s smart,” he said. “He’ll keep getting better once he gets to a pro offense and away from that stuff Texas Tech does and he’ll become one of the top five tackles in our league.” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein compares Clark to Bobby Massie. “Left tackles with his potential in pass protection carry first round value and Clark has a Pro Bowl upside with the floor of an average NFL starter,” he wrote.
He’s crap, or is at least right now. People love him because of his physical traits, he has measurables you cant find on just anyone, but his technique is VERY raw and good DE’s routinely beat him. He got destroyed by LSU in the bowl game and his Senior Bowl game wasnt strong either. I really liked him early on in the scouting process but towards the end i pretty much took him off my board unless he was a really late round pickup.
He’s going to need a lot of coaching to become a starter.
Many of the defensive prospects in this draft are not elite talents so I think many of them are being overrated due to personal preference and bias. I’ve seen it in many posts for months. That’s why I’m open to about a dozen prospects at #13, none of them are no-brainers.
LOL @ the blog playing the ‘name game’! 🙄
Shirley! / Shirley, Shirley bo Birley Bonana fanna fo Firley / Fee fy mo Mirley
Al
I meant at #13, and I meant players we might actually pick. Also, realistically, we’re not taking a QB
GD you dont want Clark in the third, you would be better off with a guy like Drango, he has a LOT better technique, and even though his arm length and a few other measurables make some concerned he will be able to play LT in the Pro’s i think he would have a shorter route to getting there than Clark. If you are wanting day 2, a good guy would be Shon Coleman, maybe even Jerald Hawkins, or if you wanted someone earlier on day 2, there are a bunch, like Ifedi, Spriggs, and Decker i think falls to early 2nd.
I like most of those guys. But they’ll need coaching up too.
Don’t be so quick to discount Clark. He played in that air raid offense that teams like LSU had seen before & schemed well for.
My main point is not taking a OT too early, since we signed Bushrod. But we definitely need to groom the future LT for our team.
If Clark or one of the above mentioned happen to be around later 3rd or even 4th round, then ya got to think about it.
I also like the down the road potential of even Willie Beavers, Cooper, Young.
We are pretty much on same page then, i just dont see Clark as worth a 3rd, id take him later. I like Fahn Cooper a lot too, and Beavers, probably like both of them more than Clark.
D,
I actually brought Clark up a long time ago as a guy I’d draft and put at guard….and possibly even develop as a swing G/T. Yes, he’s gonna need coaching, but teams seem more and more willing to draft athletes and make them players. Clark has physical traits other guys just don’t have. We see a lot of high draft picks at tackle who are nowhere near ready for the NFL.
Most of them need a lot of coaching. In recent years very few rookie OL were really polished and struggled.
D,
Beavers? Really? I didn’t like the video I watched of him at all. Talking about raw and needing coaching…he’s it. He’s got a good build, but his technique is crap,
I think Clark’s technique is worse and he didnt play from a standard offense, he has never starter his stance from a down position and i think that in itself might really make his journey harder. He does have all the measurables, i just think he’s more like a 4th or 5th rounder. Beavers you are right isnt much better, but he seems to have a little more experience in the down position so you cant tell more about what you are going to have to coach him on than you do Clark. Clark is going have to learn things from scratch.
He’s one of those 50/50 guys. I’ve read a few fans who like him and other like you not so much. Very few prospects impress everyone. LOL
D, I just think that LeRaven Clark has every gift that you can’t teach. His breakdowns were technique driven. He just needs some NFL coaching. I think he’s gonna be one of those that is a better pro than a college player. Just got to keep him out of a gimmicky offense, and Gase doesn’t seem to be that type.
He could be, i just think you might not see it until his 3rd maybe even 4th year.
Teams rarely have time for 3-4 year projects anymore.
I found this interesting.
“You look at the subbing patterns from the last few years in Gase’s offense — he doesn’t run guys in and out through a series. A guy goes in and he plays a series. I think that’s going to be huge for guys like Jay who needs to get in to a rhythm and develop other parts of his game. You really saw him come on strong at the end of last year, the second half of last year. I think he’s going to come back and be even better this year.”
http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2016/03/21/ryan-tannehill-studying-peyton-manning-ready-for-freedom-under-adam-gase/
That’s also more indicative of running a more up tempo offense that a guy like looney Lazor once promised…lol
Yeah good point. LOL
Thank you sir.
Randy says:
March 21, 2016 at 1:34 pm (Edit)
If you don’t have a MLB who can read and react(diagnose the right hole and hit it) very quickly in a Wide 9, you’ll probably struggle. One false stop if you’re not quick, and you’re screwed. The RB will be running free in the secondary.
****
I think Raglands instincts are very good
There are a few other LBs in this draft like as Scooby Wright 😋 who also have great instincts
I don’t think anyone on our roster right now can do that
One way or another we need to work in a way to get some Interior OL help, a RB, a CB and a LB like that
My only hesistance with Ragland at 13 is giving up a chance to fill those other spots
If a trade down lands Ragland that would be ideal – but I’m not sure that plausible
And there are good LBs in the NFL that are drafted after the first round ends like Lavontae David – a player like David behind a good DL might be a great fit
That type of player is not on our roster right now
I think Ragland can be that kinda guy
What if Scooby ever gets slowed by injury? Oh wait….
Maybe he should take them ankle weights off 😉
jk/bb….he’ll likely have to be a film junky like ZT. Use read & react skills that are ahead of everyone else.
D,
Clark will definitely need to learn new techniques…or at least refine what he can already do. His college scheme did him no favors. But, the thing I keep coming back to is that even with all that Clark still managed to be a productive blocker, overall. He has the physical attributes to allow him to take any coaching they wanna throw at him. Is he coachable, is the real question…because if he is….he’s got pro bowl athletic talent. But, there are always guys with all the talent in the world that still can’t play.
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 2:44 pm
Teams rarely have time for 3-4 year projects anymore.
****
Unless your name is Tannehill….then you get 5 years! Lol
Silly!
How many years have you been here? We’re still waiting for you to develop into a good blogger. 😛 jk/bb!
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in February asking for his 2016 first-round draft pick back.
The Washington Post’s Mark Maske also reported that Kraft “suggested” Patriots QB Tom Brady’s suspension should be rescinded. Kraft declined to say if Goodell responded. “I pray [and] desire” for the draft penalty to be rescinded, Kraft told the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “We’ve done everything we can do.” In a just world, it never would have been taken in the first place until a legitimate investigation was completed by an outside party.
__________________________
This should keep the blog busy the rest of the day….lol
Piggy, Alonso has excellent instincts and was by far a better prospect than Scooby is. Your bias for this prospect is getting a little weird. LOL
How long before Obama takes credit for the new Cuba as opposed to it being more about the timing of his presidency? LOL
Nobody is born with football instincts. That’s just something we all like to say. If someone appears “instinctual” on the football field, it’s usually because of their study and understanding of the game along with years of doing it. It’s a learned skill…not instinct…to read an offense and make a tackle.
I’ve made this point before as well. Sure some people are more instinctual simply because they just see things faster which I agree with you is due to knowing what’s going on through prep etc. The idea that you can’t learn something because you just don’t have IT has always been absurd to me.
It sure looked like Rich Gannon learned IT when he was with the Raiders after being an average to sub par journeyman QB for years prior.
Now pure size, strength and speed can’t always be attained, but even there a guy can improve himself athletically through hard work.
Tim,
I think it gets thrown around a lot during draft time, especially. It just sounds like a nice positive to say a guy is “instinctive”. Actually, it is a plus because if a guy looks instinctive, it probably means he’s a pretty smart guy who studies and prepares well. Some guys do it with elite athleticism. Some guys do it with great technique. Some guys do it with intelligence and hard work. Zach Thomas-type guys.
I agree with that, thats more what i mean when i say “has instincts”, that they have trained at it so hard and devoted so much to the understanding of the position that it has become second nature/instincts to them.
Right, but as Randy said nobody is born knowing football. Imagine a guy walking down to his kids play room and at 2 years old his son is breaking down all 22 coaches film and drawing up schemes. LOL
Then again I’ve seen children master the piano at such an early age it makes you wonder what’s going on here? LOL
I think instincts says a lot more about the player than technique does. I think there are people that will put for the effort and strive to learn the position as best they can and develop great ability to play that position, but a guy who has put for even more effort to not only understanding the technique, but the concepts of the game, so they have a deeper understanding and can just from formation sometimes, be able to predict plays, thats where you have a guy who has become instinctual about the game. Mike Singletary was a good example, Zach Thomas, Barry Sanders, Peyton Manning, all students of the game, all very instinctual, all on a whole other level of player.
Instinctual may be the best compliment a player can receive, regardless of position.
When pure talent meets worth ethic and students of the game you get great.
Well
now that you guys defined what instincts are
I feel like we should get back to who has them and who doesn’t….lol
I really think Kiko is more of a coverage guy
An athletic and versatile LB
I like what he can add to our defense
to me he is NOT a thumping 4-3 MLB though
Alonso had less than 100 career tackles at Oregon
that takes into account off field issues and injury issues and yes he had injury issues at Oregon as well
Tim – I think you are really placing WAY too much faith in what Kiko Alonso is
He had one high tackle year with Buffalo
He didn’t even produce like that at Oregon when he was there
Alonso fits the mold of the new athletic linebacker who can stay on the field on passing downs
I like what Alonso is
I think he is an asset
But that is not what I am talking about when I talk about a LB with great instincts to make plays behind Suh and the rest of our DL
I think Ragland can be that guy
I also think Scooby Wright can be that guy
That’s not blind interest in a prospect
they are different kind of players
I have mentioned other LBs as well like Matakevich who fit that mold
And I think Mike hit it on the head in this post – we don’t have that guy on our team now.
I don’t think Alonso, Misi, Jenkins, Hewitt or Vigil are that guy
There are a few guys in that draft that might be that guy
“Tim – I think you are really placing WAY too much faith in what Kiko Alonso is”
Maybe, because I really liked him as a player in BUF. I think people are making his injuries out to be worse than other guys who have gone through the same. He’s healthy right now, not rehabbing. All I ever said was I’m glad we have him and I think he’ll start. I didn’t predict stats or anything. And they don’t call him a “Heat-seeking missile” because he plays tough football. LOL
You need to know about his career at Oregon, he got into a lot of trouble and was suspended by Kelly for a season. His stats at Oregon mean nothing.
If you wanted Smith or Jack at MLB you’re not getting a thumper from them either.
because he plays touch football
He was also considered a 1st rd pick but due to character concerns he fell to the 2nd rd. We don’t have another LB of his caliber on our roster and no guarantee a rookie will be either.
Sometimes you need a cool story.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/couple-accidentally-texts-strangers-newborn-155500325.html
Interesting, though i think id be a little weirded out if strangers showed up at the hospital like that lol. Its a really nice gesture though.
Well you texted them. LOL
Piggy, Scooby Wright isn’t covering anyone as a MLB. To me he’d be better off as a 2 down 3-4 ILB.
Again, unless his injury hampered him at the combine. Hopefully it did because he did not look good athletically at all. I actually hate ragging on the guy but I can’t get those drills our of my head. LOL
He’s fine in coverage
Its not his strength
but he’s probably better than Ragland in that capacity
More importantly his asset on passing downs is that he rushes the passer really well
I’m personally not too worried about that from either Ragland or Wright
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 1:38 pm
Many of the defensive prospects in this draft are not elite talents so I think many of them are being overrated due to personal preference and bias. I’ve seen it in many posts for months. That’s why I’m open to about a dozen prospects at #13, none of them are no-brainers.
————–
I agree, but beyond just defense let’s include the entire pool of prospects on both sides of the ball.
I read last week from one draft guru that he’s only got 7 guys he can say are really top 15 type cause this year’s draft isn’t heavy at the top.
This guy is a character but this s a pretty solid report on Deion Jones.
why is he is character?
I watched some tape on him a while back, he’s solid, and would be a good addition. I’ve been saying I wonder, if the league is going to smaller LBs that can run and cover, he’s the kind of guy I was referring to.
President Barack Obama posed for photos in front of a mural for Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara Monday during his historic visit to Cuba.
Well, BO wasn’t lying when long ago he campaigned that if elected president, that the US would have sweeping “fundamental change”….SMH, what a shame!
Barf. The biggest comment I had issue with today is Obama saying “I wanted to show my daughters how beautiful Cuba is” …PFFFFFFFFFF
LOL, yeah. Start by showing them the impoverished & imprisoned. Give the daughters a real tour.
Cool.
Boo! Communists are gonna getcha! LOL…
LOL.
Seriously dude? Just be glad you & your family wasn’t any of the many thousands that were viciously executed in cold blood by him & Castro’s regime….WOW! SMH
Tim,
“Maybe, because I really liked him as a player in BUF. I think people are making his injuries out to be worse than other guys who have gone through the same. ”
——
Agree 100%. 1st and last 2 games of the season showed me all i needed to see. He had a setback in 2015 but he missed an entire 2014 and without any preseason still manage to have a good Week 1 before going down in Week 2 due to a Grade II sprain (not a full tear of the ACL again). The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says this about partial tears -> Partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament are rare; most ACL injuries are complete or near complete tears.
I fully expect Alonso to make it back to his potential. He’s got youth on his side. Not like an aging vet with yet another injury of this type.
Pig, what in Suh’s contract says he’s only got a 2 yr window? To me his contract screams he’ll be here for the duration.
Having a great work ethic is what I think gives Tannehill the opportunity to continue to improve. He has athletic gifts and his willingness to study and put in the hours will finally pay off under Gase. (I am very optimistic by nature, so sorry about swiggin the Kool-Aid.)
Good post. As you’ve mentioned he has a lot of the top skills needed by a QB to thrive.
We’ve come to know that he has been handcuffed so to speak by a poor regime of Philbin & poorly ran systems.
Can he thrive now in a different system that is suited to his skill set? One that makes sense? One with adequate protection schemes?
I think so. We’ll see.
Go Gase & Co.!
He hasn’t shown us yet that he can be a leader, put the team on his back and say let’s go.
More to the subject of this article.
Al, you know what’s funny about a draft guy saying I only have 7 prospects in the top 15, he does realize that there will still be a top 15 right? LOL
This gives him an out, when some will invariably be busts or injuries derail them.
Then he can say, told ya so. Those other teams were reaching. 😉
Yeah right. That’s why top 5 or top 10 or top anything is different from draft to draft. Every draft has it’s top whatever, it is what it is, it’s not like there is some rule on what a top 15 prospect is. LOL
The Flying Pig says:
March 21, 2016 at 5:55 pm
why is he is character?
———————————————
Really animated, like a hype man.
Animated like? Like? Like?
How about we call Kiko ‘The Cuban Missile Crisis”. LOL
Booo. I don’t think Kiko is gonna back down.
How bout cuban sandwich? He hit you and leaves you looking like a pressed cuban sandwich….lol
It’s not a literal nickname silly man. LOL
Meaning when he hits you it’s a crisis. 🙂
I’ve just about settled on these four at #13. Getting any of these will give us an almost certain Day 1 starter at a position of need with almost unlimited ATHLETIC ceiling. Any other player would need a trade-down.IMHO
Elliott, Ragland, Hargreaves, and Nkemdiche … in that order only due to our needs
I like the first 3.
Not sold on Elliott at #13, the others are good though. I wouldn’t bitch, if Elliott was the pick, but if I was picking…
Lots of chatter that he could go earlier than #13…as high as #4, or Eagles that got our #8.
If Elliot is viewed as a Todd Gurley / AP kind of back based on size/weight/speed combinations then he’s going top 10 to someone. Dallas might bite first (either in original slot or lower via a short trade down).
Elliot’s going to go to a team that will make him their workhorse back. Not worth drafting him high and having him get only 12-15 touches.
Tim, you do know that Philbin & Lazor were fired right? 😉
Yes but I don’t know how Gase likes to roll with his backs. In his history multiple backs have played when he’s been OC. Now is that a preference or based on what he had?
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 6:17 pm
Al, you know what’s funny about a draft guy saying I only have 7 prospects in the top 15, he does realize that there will still be a top 15 right? LOL
——–
lol…he meant grade wise compared to the historical grades for each draft slot.
Right, but you can’t look at it like that. Every draft is what it is. There have been plenty of drafts where draftniks get all gaga over guys and many bust out throughout the 1st rd. You put grades on prospects and you draft them accordingly as the draft goes. You can’t look at other drafts. It’s based on what’s available, not some dream draft, LOL
13: R1P13
ILB REGGIE RAGLAND
ALABAMA
42: R2P11
DE JONATHAN BULLARD
FLORIDA
73: R3P10
OLB SU’A CRAVENS
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
108: R4P9
RB ALEX COLLINS
ARKANSAS
148: R5P8
CB HARLAN MILLER
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
187: R6P11
WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON
FLORIDA
228: R7P6
C AUSTIN BLYTHE
IOWA
232: R7P10
OLB IAN SEAU
NEVADA
This is a perfect draft !!!
gdp,
so you want us to collectively punish, through sanctions, the cuban people through eternity for something Castro did 60 years ago? What obama is doing is making the economic livelihood of people that live in Cuba better. I don’t see any problem with that.
BTW, according to your logic we should still have sanctions on the British for the people they killed during the revolutionary war.
Maybe he’ll give them his healthcare system and have us pay for it. 😉
There are many analogies to moving on internationally when it matches our national interests and advances the general good of mankind: We rebuilt Germany after Hitler, accepted major trade with Japan after WWII as well. We now have reasonably good relations with Viet Nam.
For the record I’m all for beginning good relations with Cuba. It’s better for the world. The more peace you have the better. They’re such close neighbors too.
Tim,
Grades (scouting wise) are suppose to be made uniformly year in and year out based on same methodology of rating players. You are right though in that you can’t choose what comes out each year. I’m just saying that some people think this draft has some depth but not loaded with potential super stars as in other draft years. One thing is certain, this draft is definitely better than when Miami had to choose Ronnie Brown top 3 lol but even then, in 2005, a draft that many pundits said was one of the worst in years (at the time), the following guys went in RD 1 -> CB-Adam Jones (#5), CB-Carlos Rogers (#9), DE-DeMarcus Ware (#11), LB-Thomas Jones (#14), LB-Derrick Johnson (#15), Aaron Rodgers (#24), Roddy White (#27), Heath Miller (#30), Logan Mankins (#32). Go figure! it’s all a crap shoot lol
No I get that. It’s the grading system like this.
9.5-10: Worthy of being a top-five pick (franchise players)
9.0-9.4: Top-10 pick (should be starters day one)
8.0-8.9: First rounder (and so on)
7.0-7.9: Second rounder
6.0-6.9: Third rounder
5.0-5.9: Fourth rounder
4.0-4.9: Fifth rounder
3.0-3.9: Sixth rounder
2.0-2.9: Seventh rounder
1.0-1.9: Undrafted free agent
I look at the draft like produce. Sometimes there is really good fruit and a lot of different kinds, and sometimes not great fruit but a lot of different kinds, or not really much of a good crop at all.
whew, that was a close one there i almost read that article. i read the headline and first sentence and noticed then that mike e wrote this. then just scrolled to the end of the article only to be extremely disappointed. oh well what did i expect from someone who only gives a hand to married men.
“What obama is doing is making the economic livelihood of people that live in Cuba better. I don’t see any problem with that.”
Not exactly, the people on the island have been supported by families already living in the US (independent of the Cuban government little showing). The new market deals will most likely increase the livelihood of the common folks there BUT it comes with empowering the existing government (with an influx of foreign direct investment) that has people in place who have direct ties to past events such as direct nuclear threats to the US, intentionally releasing criminals to the US during the Mariel Boat lift, harboring global terrorists (letting them avoid international prosecution by not exporting them), and many other human rights violations on the island.
You gotta start somewhere. It’s never easy with this sort of thing. Cuba needs to change their government though or nothing will really change.
Agreed. Everyone is for the ‘good’ of the common man. But the uncommon, the bad power control will still be in place. What could possibly go wrong…lol
BTW, my post was about why did BO have to pose in front of a Che’ mural. It was on purpose. It was a creepy way to send a divisive message…IMO.
If you get a chance, read down the roster on the official Dolphins site:
http://www.miamidolphins.com/team/player-roster.html
Who are those guys? So many new names, I barely recognize that as “my” team.
Matt Moore and Ryan Tannehill are two of the most veteran players as far as yrs in Miami.
Denney, Misi, Jones, Pouncey, Moore, Tannehill… 2013 on.
naplesfan2010 says:
March 21, 2016 at 6:52 pm
There are many analogies to moving on internationally when it matches our national interests and advances the general good of mankind: We rebuilt Germany after Hitler, accepted major trade with Japan after WWII as well. We now have reasonably good relations with Viet Nam.
——–
Germany’s government was toppled completely, Japan was forced to change wholesale by way of 2 nukes., Vietnam remains communist but propped up by China’s economy (it’s cheaper to do what is being done in China in Vietnam). Russian wasn’t toppled in either WW and remains a pain in every western countries asses.
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 7:02 pm
You gotta start somewhere. It’s never easy with this sort of thing. Cuba needs to change their government though or nothing will really change.
———–
Better off telling everyone in Cuba they can flee the country and that boats will be provided which will really break the governments back completely and also force them to start murdering people who try to flee which will give the green light to enter the country militarily to completely topple the government.
Unreal. When power is more important than a thriving nation of happy people. 😦
The U.S. and Cuba could really prosper being so close to each other and help both nations prosper. Hershey Candy Bar thrived there and employed a lot of people until Castro ruined it. Employees were treated great with housing and all kinds of activities and stuff. I watched a show on it and it was very cool. Why Cuba? Hershey needed lots of sugar. LOL
BoulderPhinfan says:
March 21, 2016 at 6:40 pm
gdp,
so you want us to collectively punish, through sanctions, the cuban people through eternity for something Castro did 60 years ago?
there are a lot of americans still alive that he stole land from. i am not saying to keep punishing the cuban people but they should be made to pay restorations.
There is a method via UN. It is similar to the way Jewish ppl in Germany have gotten and still get property back from the Nazi era. Its a long process but a process that does exist. Extensive documentation is needed and such.
er Jewish families from Germany (under Nazi era) i meant to say
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 7:08 pm
Unreal. When power is more important than a thriving nation of happy people. :
———
Oh please, a country like Haiti doesn’t need more help (3 times worse than Cuba)? It’s all a joke.
My wife reunited with her long time friend a couple of years ago and her beau is from Haiti and we’ve become friends. He’s told me a lot about his native land. Basically like most places in the world, the Europeans/Americans (whites) profit from their resources, fill the pockets of the government in power who allow it, and leave the people poor.
al,
only problem is germany was made to pay restorations. no one is making cuba pay for what they did. it is more like a big ole……’that was so long ago who cares now’ .
The Anti-Defamation League is still hunting down Nazis all over the world and many live in Brazil or SA. You need a movement, can’t ask government to do everything.
Al buddy i totally understand your position, but really, invading Cuba is monstrous overkill, pardon the pun. Cuba has no real international clout anymore, if they ever did, or even the slight regional leadership they once had with a few “star” revolutionaries who also had almost no actual effect on anything more than their own fleeting fame. Raul Castro is in place just on inertia. No one likes him.
It is much better to welcome and integrate Cuba back into mainstream world affairs. It’s a big beautiful island very very close to us with great potential in many areas. Better for the Cuban people and much better for our international reputation than yet another mismatched bludgeoning by our military.
That kind of gunboat imperialism will only recruit more terrorists and other haters of the US.
I agree and we need to stop using military force when it’s not needed. The last thing I want to see is we’re shelling and shooting up Cuba. That would be really bad.
Tim Knight says:
March 21, 2016 at 7:28 pm
The Anti-Defamation League is still hunting down Nazis all over the world and many live in Brazil or SA. You need a movement, can’t ask government to do everything.
first, i am not asking the government to do anything. second, there are all sorts of cuban/americans fighting for some way or another of restoration and finally how in the world are citizens going to make anything happen without the backing of the government
Cool, that’s what they need to do.
Tannehill is the only player left from the 2012 draft.
Guys left from a draft 4 or more yrs ago is overblown. You draft guys, play them while they’re cheap, then resign, if you can. Yeah, lets overpay these guys to say how great our draft was.
I was just pointing him out as the last vet who’s been in MIA the longest and that’s 2012.
I seriously doubt that Obama planned that picture. The Cuban government did..and whatever you think of them, they do call the shots within their own boundaries.
The building is their equivalent to the US capital building and the spot is one of the most known tourist attractions in Havana, revolutionary square.
But yeah, maybe he was sending a signal that we don’t have to worry about Trump because he’s gonna turn the Whitehouse into the politbureau and refuse to leave. It’s a possibility, but I’ll go ahead and vote in our upcoming democratic election anyway.
Che Guevara has been both heroicized for his anti-imperialistic beliefs and villified for the atrocities committed while he was engaging in acts of war. Many US presidents have more blood on their hands than Che Guevara. but we don’t pretend any of them never existed either.
War is ugly as hell, and when the veil of patriotism and zenophobia that cloaks it is peeled back, it makes even the toughest guys cringe in disgust. Che Guevara was executed in 1967. If I’m president and the two options I have for improving life for the common people of Cuba are A) go to war and topple their government and rebuild their country (we’re exceptional at that aren’t we?) or B) try to encourage some healthy capitalism to stimulate their economy…I’d probably opt for the latter as well. Takes courage though, it’s clearly not popular.
This is one of the reasons I love to see what 2nd term presidents do in their waning months of the office. No longer pandering to the polls their true colors show. I think Obama’s showing he cares about the cuban people with this visit, but I acknowledge others will see something very different.
Tim —
I know right? I am not sure if other teams are like this,
and I know we needed a complete reboot after the 1-15 yr., but gosh that was 8-9 yrs ago and once again this roster is so reworked I can’t tell you right now
in the merest way what kind of team or record we will have.
Our owner is still one of the newest, our football czar is two yrs in, our GM is a rook, our HC, DC, OC … all in their first yr not only here but everywhere.
Look at the DL, DBs, WRs, TEs, RBs, and on and on, they are almost all new to Miami this yr or at most only here 2 yrs.
QB and C and Misi and Reshad ok and maybe Wake and that is our entire veteran core. Like 12% …??
That’s the new NFL, look at every teams roster and it’s made up of mainly guys 25 and younger. The NFLPA has made it so most of the money is at the top, just like the US top 1%. Guys that aren’t very good to elite are mostly playing for peanuts comparatively speaking.
I just posted over the weekend that our defense could have 9 new starters. It might end up at 7-8, but it could happen. DL 3, LB 3, DB 3.
We could invade Cuba and crush their “army.” What good would that do? The Packers could beat my high school team too. Proves nothing. In 3 yrs all those HS kids are gone and the Packers would have to come back in and beat ppl who have hated them since childhood. Over and over again.
People don’t like it when you invade their country, (Go figure!) even the ones you think are on your side or trying to “rescue,” “help,” or “save.” Once you finally leave after being the evil occupation force on their soil, a power vacuum immediately ensues and the biggest bullies take control and it’s the same ol same ol only now the new bullies have been refreshed by rhetoric that focuses against US.
‘Takes courage though, it’s clearly not popular.’
since when is doing some unpopular courageous. i am not saying if i am supporting or not obama’s visit but by no means cause it unpopular does it make it courageous. for that matter nixon was courageous for watergate lol
Rob, didn’t you watch the grammar cartoon when you were a kid (conjunction junction what’s your function…)?
Outsiders: Trade looks bad for Dolphins.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/15032043/who-won-recent-trades-based-cap-space-nfl
Here’s an article that’s really poorly written, and the logic used is at a 4th grade level. To say we gave up the equivalent to a 1st round pick based on the money is ridiculous, like we could go around to other teams in the league and just pick off their draftees and pay them to play for us.
Too many hacks out there. Nothing is thought through. They sound like typical fans who just spew their limited knowledge as if they can run 4 teams at a time. LOL
jahn,
i do agree with your point of opening up trade with them. i know a lot of cuban americans who would hate me saying that (why i dont bother the discussion with them).
we should have opened up trade with them years ago IMHO
tru dat
Steve of course you have a good point, but i am not really referring to the fact that pro football will always be a young man’s game because of $$$ and the physical wear and tear.
I think what we are seeing in Miami is different, because many of our “new” guys are not young: Suh, Williams, Albert, Cameron, Maxwell to name a few. I guess that is because if your guys aren’t winning, you need to refresh the roster to just be able to sell tickets on HOPE. And then you hope a new chemistry = victories.
steve,
when i was a kid i was too busy mowing lawns, having my paper route and collecting bottles to return for deposits so i could help feed my 8 younger siblings. i was to busy mending their clothes and putting food on the table so they could watch cartoons. i barely had time for school or cartoons.
Wow man, didn’t know that was your life. I knew/know many who still do that sort of thing. I was an only child so I never went through that but there was family assistance involved on everyone’s part. I didn’t grow up with a lot but we did okay. I had to work for my toys as I got older though. So I get that. I started working at 13.
Did you also walk 20 miles to school uphill both ways in the snow 😉
steve,
let me know if you are buying any of that cause if you are i got some land in Havana i want to sell you
steve, never mind. tim come here, i got some land i downtown Havana you maybe interested in.
Have I missed anything of great importance while I have been away?
Yes we have the #1 pick now.
uwant,
yeah you did, that a-hole steve had me singing conjunction junction whats your function and i cant get the damn song out of my head now cause of him. oh yeah that and i am selling tim some land i own in havana for a cheep 10k just cause i am such a nice guy
Then I’m going to sell it back to you and get a shrubbery cut down by a herring out of the deal. LOL
Post Jury selection draft:
CB VERNON HARGREAVES III
FLORIDA
42: R2P11
G JOSHUA GARNETT
STANFORD
73: R3P10
RB DERRICK HENRY
ALABAMA
108: R4P9
DE CARL NASSIB
PENN STATE
148: R5P8
ILB BENIQUEZ BROWN
MISS. STATE
187: R6P11
OLB SCOOBY WRIGHT
ARIZONA
228: R7P6
WR KEYARRIS GARRETT
TULSA
232: R7P10
G DENVER KIRKLAND
ARKANSAS
I keep seeing Hargreaves at #13, not sure if this is possible, but it would be nice.
All the pass rushers came off the board quick which made him available.
I’m wondering if they like his size/speed ratio? LOL
He’s a good football player. I have no doubt he would make us better by improving the secondary, just not sure of his upside. For me as a fan draftnik I can say there is about 15 prospects I could say okay at #13. Better hit on one of them.
Tim,
My preference was DE, but like AI said they flew off the board. VHIII instantly makes our D better….especially if we landed Nassib that late!
steveccnv says:
March 21, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Did you also walk 20 miles to school uphill both ways in the snow 😉
dont be silly. i am from florida, we dont have hills but that snow barefoot is fucking cold.
Sweet, they’re making a Killer Klowns from Outerspace TV series!
Correction to perception. “For me as a fan draftnik I can say there is about 15 prospects I could say okay at #13. Better hit on one of them.”
That’s after 7-8 or so go already.
@flasportsbuzz: Dolphins are bringing in veteran OG Kraig Urbik for visit with intent of signing him if it goes well,per league source.Backup at very least.
See ya Dallas Thomas.
they will probably let the competition play out in TC in terms of the OL
especially for guys still on rookie contracts
Jahn
I think that photo is a little more premeditated than you give it credit for
That building is part of Revolucion Square
Here is a photo of the square
the other side of the plaza has the visage of Fidel Castro
You can’t see it in the pic – but there is a monument of Jose Marti on the ground
And that would have been a hell of a lot better place to take that photo
If you don’t know Jose Marti is the man generally credited with leading the Cuban revolution for Independence from Spain. Sort of the Cuban George Washington.
So I suspect the Che background was selected over the Fidel background for obvious reasons
and other less controversial options were probably available
Albeit I’m not fond for the Obama Socialism reference or worse enemy of the state comparison implied
and I appreciate your post
but I do think that photo is staged b/c Obama probably admired Che
and the fact (if my assumption is right) that he admires him – really bothers me
As the child of Cuban Immigrants I’m a little taken back at the lack of appreciation for some of the atrocities committed on the Cuban people by both Fidel Castro and Che that are going on right now
its one thing to re-evaluate policy
its another to prop some of the people up
more often that I care for I’ve Che’s name mentioned in a positive light
Everybody knows the t-shirt which have for some time earned genuine stomach turning by me.
This is some one (Che) who is responsible for having Cuban Citizens imprisoned for speaking out against the Cuban Gov’t
He embodies everything that the 1st amendment is not.
And the 1st amendment is the foundation of our country
So, it kind of looks to me like that was overlooked
Just this weekend (before seeing that photo) my mom was cursing Che’s name to me
it was completely unprovoked
we were both cursing Trump and she broke out in an “I hate Che rant”
If she sees that pic – I won’t hear the end of what a bastard Obama is….lol
I can think of few people who left Cuba that have anything nice to say about Che
Its a bit of a callous pic to people who suffered at the hands of Che
Anyway
Admiration of Che is nothing new to me
I thought you would appreciate my .02 as some one born of Cuabn Immigrants, who isn’t exactly looking to blast Obama and is not a conservative
but to put a point on it
if I was in Cuba
and spome one asked me to take a photo in front of that building
I would turn to them and say “why do you want a picture of me spitting on a building”
I’m a little taken back like I said above (not by your post) by some of the recent lax attitudes about who these people are
ESPN tweeted something lasdt night and they ended up deleting the tweet
but it was a little to nice about Fidel Castro
I’m sure they heard complaints
I will see if I can find the tweet and post it here
I just read it and was like “ESPN WTF”
I mean it might not be so hard for mme to ban ESPN
I basically do it most of the football season after the Dolphins lose…..lol
This was like a sink hole but good stuff. LOL
Can we all agree, supreme leaders are a bad idea?
I find it odd that Great Britain still holds onto their royal family stuff. Let it go, it’s not a great legacy.
We should kill the prime minister of Malaysia
-Mugatu