Donald Thomas Worship

[Rev Kev]

to be fair, Gil Brandt and Bill Parcells are two of most respected talent evaluators in the history of the league. if you're going to trust anyone's opinion without first-hand knowledge, these guys are a safe bet. and it isn't just those two, I remember defensive players raving about him the first day he got in.
that being said, Donald Thomas wouldn't be the first guy with a ton of talent whose career fizzles before it starts due to injury. some guys just can't stay on the field. that doesn't take away from his ability, it's just reality in the NFL.
bottom line: if GB and BP say this guy is special, I don't question it.
just because he injured, doesn't mean he isn't good and shouldn't be talked about as a potential star.

Again Brandt and BP were fair of their assessment... they weren't over-doing- it... Ireland stands by his selection in the 6th round..., none of this is news

 

[Rev Kev]

I'm not spending my time searching the internet for actual quotes but recently for example when assessing our RG situation Parcells/ Sparano mentioned him directly by saying we missed him at that position and it will be solidified once he returned from injury. The info is out there, if you wanna take a look.

Agreed on all accounts..., RG has been a turnstile... but to suggest that Thomas would pick up the C and RT play is really an unknown... Thomas has a ways to go he was a walk-on in University... Ireland took a flyer on him in the 6th not the fourth round...

Murphy isn't ready to start..., and has an opportunity before him... Thomas is still a Rook when he plays next year...

 

[rent this space]

Again Brandt and BP were fair of their assessment... they weren't over-doing- it... Ireland stands by his selection in the 6th round..., none of this is news

I'm not trying to bring the news. I'm saying there is nothing wrong with people on Finheaven heaping praise on the guy. if BP and GB say he has Pro-Bowl potential, that's good enough for me.

 

[rickyfan85]

I'm not trying to bring the news. I'm saying there is nothing wrong with people on Finheaven heaping praise on the guy. if BP and GB say he has Pro-Bowl potential, that's good enough for me.

Keep in mind that Hagan had potential too and look how he turned out....Really, i'd go as far as to say that most everyone in the NFL has "potential" but its the people that make it happen time and time again on game day that counts.

Hagan was supposedly a beast in practice and had homers creaming their pants for 3 years...Now, he might be lucky to get into the Arena League because i just personally think he's got a ****ty attitude.

But yeah, i'm not trying to say Thomas is going to be like Hagan i was excited for the kid, but if you ask me the verdict is out until i actually see him play uh, i dont know more than 2 games maybe?! Anyway he's fighting an uphill battle because he's going to be comming back from a season ending injury and you can bet your sweet *** they are gonna bring in some solid competition for him in the TC no matter how much they gab about him.

So if the congregation wants to stick their heads in the clouds, all i'm sayin is keep your feet on the ground.

My 2 cents.

 

[KTOWNFINFAN]

Let me have it..., did the Ireland interview Praise Thoams for beating the crap out of Kris Jenkins... week one...? Do I honestly expect the GM to throw any of his selections under the team bus...? Honest evaluation is always measured by "gameday" and so we wait till next year...

Or did Ireland appoint THomas as a starter at RG next year already...?

You can drag me out and call me a b_____ when he is a top-flight guard in this league but to date he is on IR and not to be worshipped as the Saviour of the Right side of the line...

Count them..., how many listless posts we have had to endure about the Mark Dixon's, D. Mormino, Joe toledo, Mckinneys and the list goes on and on...

So let me see if I got this straight. According to your point of view no player can possibly be a starting caliber player unless he has played some real NFL games. So really all scouts do is use a coin to decide who we should draft. Preseason is worthless and we can tell nothing about how players play until we see them in real games?? Why then, maybe we shouldn't really grade them until they play at least two playoff games, or maybe a superbowl.
Wow, I'm glad you aren't in the fins front office. You would be one of those who traded all our draft picks away because all draft picks are a crap shoot, right? I mean none of these college players have ever played a regular season game.
Come on, if you can't see the difference between Drew Mormino and Donald Thomas you really need to pick another sport to follow.

 

[rickyfan85]

So let me see if I got this straight. According to your point of view no player can possibly be a starting caliber player unless he has played some real NFL games. So really all scouts do is use a coin to decide who we should draft. Preseason is worthless and we can tell nothing about how players play until we see them in real games?? Why then, maybe we shouldn't really grade them until they play at least two playoff games, or maybe a superbowl.
Wow, I'm glad you aren't in the fins front office. You would be one of those who traded all our draft picks away because all draft picks are a crap shoot, right? I mean none of these college players have ever played a regular season game.
Come on, if you can't see the difference between Drew Mormino and Donald Thomas you really need to pick another sport to follow.

Wow. Living in Ktown and eating all that nasty asian food has really messed your mind.

What we're saying is that htere is no need to praise a guy who has played less than 2 games. Does that make sense to you? Think about it in over 1000 posts people have found you to say somthing useful on less than 35 occasions....maybe you should pick another sport....

 

[rent this space]

Keep in mind that Hagan had potential too and look how he turned out....Really, i'd go as far as to say that most everyone in the NFL has "potential" but its the people that make it happen time and time again on game day that counts.

Hagan was supposedly a beast in practice and had homers creaming their pants for 3 years...Now, he might be lucky to get into the Arena League because i just personally think he's got a ****ty attitude.

But yeah, i'm not trying to say Thomas is going to be like Hagan i was excited for the kid, but if you ask me the verdict is out until i actually see him play uh, i dont know more than 2 games maybe?! Anyway he's fighting an uphill battle because he's going to be comming back from a season ending injury and you can bet your sweet *** they are gonna bring in some solid competition for him in the TC no matter how much they gab about him.

So if the congregation wants to stick their heads in the clouds, all i'm sayin is keep your feet on the ground.

My 2 cents.

comparing Hagan and Thomas is laughable. Hagan had 3 years to earn playing time and failed miserably. he was penciled in as the starter before training camp and proceeded to play his way on to the waiver wire. Thomas on the other hand, grabbed the starting position the day he stepped on the field and never lost it until the injury.
there is good reason Gil Brandt put him on his all-rookie team after those, uh, 2 games. Parcells called him a "Godsend" because he was that good. Hagan and Thomas don't belong in the same league together. oh that's right, THEY AREN'T.

 

[rickyfan85]

comparing Hagan and Thomas is laughable. Hagan had 3 years to earn playing time and failed miserably. he was penciled in as the starter before training camp and proceeded to play his way on to the waiver wire. Thomas on the other hand, grabbed the starting position the day he stepped on the field and never lost it until the injury.
there is good reason Gil Brandt put him on his all-rookie team after those, uh, 2 games. Parcells called him a "Godsend" because he was that good. Hagan and Thomas don't belong in the same league together. oh that's right, THEY AREN'T.

Look i dont know how to put it any simpler -

Talk is cute, but what i want is.......... PRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!

I'm not going to run around gabbing about how great somone is especially when they've played less than 2 freakin games just based on word of mouth. I dont care who said what. Talk is always cheap.

Based on word of mouth we thought Hagan would be, and i swear to God people just like you were calling him "The Next Randy Moss."

You ever heard the term, hindsight is 20/20? I think with the way you make assessments you probably had a couple of Hagan jerseys stashed away for that one day he was going to come out and live up to all the hype that you heard through the freakin grape vine. And now you want me to take you seriously?! Get real buddy i'll BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT.

Its easy to say Hagan and Thomas arent in the same league after the guy gets cut. We call that PROOF.

But what is seemingly more tempting for people that share YOUR thought pattern is that they get all excited about somthing that they havent been let down by.

But you contend, "He made Gil Brandt's All-Rookie Team." Good God man dont tout that like its the freakin pro-bowl. You'll never sell me on anyone until i see it with my own eyes, on GAME DAY, when it actually matters. And frankly, the only thing i saw was that this kid was tough. He wanted to keep playing with a cracked foot, props on that but so far thats it because its basically the only thing any of us have to work with.


You ever heard of a guy named Yatil Green? What about John Avery? J.J. Johnson? These kids might be before your time but go and google them. I've seen this story COUNTLESS times before, your not the first dreamer i've put in their place. Sorry bud, but the road to disappointment starts with unrealistic expectations.

 

[rent this space]

you go ahead and keep waiting for your proof with your own distinguished eyes. I'll take the word of two of the best talent evaluators ever.

 

[rent this space]

and go ahead and keep dreaming of the day you put me in my place

 

[Rev Kev]

Look i dont know how to put it any simpler -

Talk is cute, but what i want is.......... PRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!

I'm not going to run around gabbing about how great somone is especially when they've played less than 2 freakin games just based on word of mouth. I dont care who said what. Talk is always cheap.

Based on word of mouth we thought Hagan would be, and i swear to God people just like you were calling him "The Next Randy Moss."

You ever heard the term, hindsight is 20/20? I think with the way you make assessments you probably had a couple of Hagan jerseys stashed away for that one day he was going to come out and live up to all the hype that you heard through the freakin grape vine. And now you want me to take you seriously?! Get real buddy i'll BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT.

Its easy to say Hagan and Thomas arent in the same league after the guy gets cut. We call that PROOF.

But what is seemingly more tempting for people that share YOUR thought pattern is that they get all excited about somthing that they havent been let down by.

But you contend, "He made Gil Brandt's All-Rookie Team." Good God man dont tout that like its the freakin pro-bowl. You'll never sell me on anyone until i see it with my own eyes, on GAME DAY, when it actually matters. And frankly, the only thing i saw was that this kid was tough. He wanted to keep playing with a cracked foot, props on that but so far thats it because its basically the only thing any of us have to work with.


You ever heard of a guy named Yatil Green? What about John Avery? J.J. Johnson? These kids might be before your time but go and google them. I've seen this story COUNTLESS times before, your not the first dreamer i've put in their place. Sorry bud, but the road to disappointment starts with unrealistic expectations.

Agreed - but now you have really done it...

Now you really spoiled my day..., as far as BP and Sons go I don't expect them to throw any of their draft picks under the bus..., this was a very good draft class "Murphy" they saw soemthing in that guy too..., but BP has missed..., like everyone else..., Shortly after the drfat 2007 Brandt thought Solia was like one of the steals of the second half of that draft...
just last year go figure..., the mighty Brandt..., go figure.......................

So rickyfan85 is indeed right proof is in the pudding - worshippers

 

[ckparrothead]

I don't really see the point of this thread. First off, much of the Donald Thomas hype comes from what we've seen with our own eyes. He's a very good player, and tremendous as a rookie.

Second, many people are taking their cues from the front office and coaching staff on this one. They are REALLY excited about Donald Thomas. Truly. They just had an internet media day where Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano spoke to the crowd and I think both of them spoke extremely highly of Donald Thomas, unbidden and unasked. This guy gave them reason for high hopes and they've been very PLAIN about it to the media and the fans. So yeah, I think the fans have a right to be optimistic about Donald Thomas inasmuch as they trust the evaluation ability of this front office and coaching staff.

 

[Rev Kev]

I don't really see the point of this thread. First off, much of the Donald Thomas hype comes from what we've seen with our own eyes. He's a very good player, and tremendous as a rookie.

Second, many people are taking their cues from the front office and coaching staff on this one. They are REALLY excited about Donald Thomas. Truly. They just had an internet media day where Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano spoke to the crowd and I think both of them spoke extremely highly of Donald Thomas, unbidden and unasked. This guy gave them reason for high hopes and they've been very PLAIN about it to the media and the fans. So yeah, I think the fans have a right to be optimistic about Donald Thomas inasmuch as they trust the evaluation ability of this front office and coaching staff.

I appreciate you and your post...

Front office cues is what gets everybody all excited... does anyone expect our FO to throw their picks under a bus..., of course they are excited..., they are salesmen too, but proof is what happens on the field...

Ireland spoke just about about all his draft day picks so to say that he featured Thomas is in his address is not the true spirit of his conversation...

My argument is that Satele and Carey may have still struggled with Thomas at RG (at some point) just because Thomas is new and he is learning the position at a higher level (again a walk on at U)... To suggest empiracally as so many have in other Carey Posts that Carey, Thomas and sataele would be bull-dozing teams with Thomas in the interior is an erroneous claim that remains to be seen... Clearly we were over-matched VS Kris Jenkins...

I wouldn't be surprised to see an upgrade in our interior next year... Thomas is a Rook with lot's of promise... I believe both Carey and Satale would be helped by some solid talent..., or a vet who has seen stunts etc at that speed..., I have a feeling that Irerland will address our Oline again and we will have a solid Line for years to come..., a perennial weakness even while Marino was under center...

 

[Spray Mucus]

Donald Thomas is so awesome he once punched a magician in the face....you heard me!

 

[rent this space]

I agree that every GM says great things about his picks in May. they all say they "got their man" and the draft went exactly how they hoped. however, Donald Thomas proved his worth on the field, in August, and won the starting job as soon as he got a chance. the fact that he was a walk-on in college(we don't say "in university" here in the USA) or that he was a rookie had nothing to do with his performance. the proof was in the pudding when he beat out guys with better resumes and greater expectations.
everyone from players to coaches to outside observers said the same thing about Thomas; he has the goods and is ready to star in this league. you are allowed to be skeptical, but don't say there is no reason to be optimistic.