This team is so likable

[wcu]

It seems like for years (decades?), we've always had a player or two on the roster that you just knew was going to screw up when you needed him the most. There was always that one guy who was just unbelievably bad, or was starting for us and couldn't be on the practice squad on most teams. He was always going to miss the key block, or give up the huge PI, or miss the crucial tackle.

Any of the offensive linemen last year
Darius Phillips
Dre Kirkpatrick
William Jackson
Billy Price
Bobby Hart
Russ Bodine
Eric Ghiaciuc
Stacey Andrews
JP Foschi
Dennis Roland
"Nasty" Nate Livings
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Ben Coates
Ifeyani Ohalete
Some would put Andy Dalton on this list, but I don't fall into that camp.
Any QB not named Jeff Blake between 1992-2002

It has dawned on me that I don't feel that way about a single player on this roster. The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media. I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season. This roster is so likable. I love that they're truly a team and they're seemingly all true competitors. Even our depth is high quality. This is a really solid roster bolstered by an unbelievable culture. Kudos to Taylor and Tobin.

*As a side note, we've had some truly atrocious Center play through the years outside of Richie Braham. Sure, Jeff Faine and Kyle Cook were decent in spurts. Thank goodness for Ted Karras.

[Au165]

Most the guys on that list aren't nearly as bad as you are trying to make them out to be.

[wcu]

(12-08-2022, 01:00 PM)Au165 Wrote: Most the guys on that list aren't nearly as bad as you are trying to make them out to be.

Perhaps.  But beauty (or in this case, disgust) is in the eye of the beholder.

[Au165]

(12-08-2022, 01:02 PM)wcu Wrote: Perhaps.  But beauty (or in this case, disgust) is in the eye of the beholder.

I mean most of those guys went on to get signed by multiple other teams and some with multi year contracts. The idea they were "starting for us but couldn't be on a practice squad for most teams" really isn't a matter of difference of opinion when they were literally on rosters for other teams after us.

[wcu]

(12-08-2022, 01:08 PM)Au165 Wrote: I mean most of those guys went on to get signed by multiple other teams and some with multi year contracts. The idea they were "starting for us but couldn't be on a practice squad for most teams" really isn't a matter of difference of opinion when you note they were literally on rosters for other teams after us.

William Jackson signed a huge deal and was almost immediately run out of town.

Dre Kirkpatrick was a journeyman and a liability everywhere he went after.

Stacey Andrews signed a giant deal and was released after one season by Philly.

Who else on that list could you possibly have an issue with?

[Au165]

(12-08-2022, 01:12 PM)wcu Wrote: William Jackson signed a huge deal and was almost immediately run out of town.

Dre Kirkpatrick was a journeyman and a liability everywhere he went after.

Stacey Andrews signed a giant deal and was released after one season by Philly.

Who else on that list could you possibly have an issue with?

Most all of them ended up on rosters after here...which means they would have made "most teams practice squads". My issue is with the hyperbolic framing of the post. You for instance say Dre is a liability everywhere he goes...yet he keeps getting signed which means the alternative to him aren't as good. 

As fans we tend to be far harsher of our flaws than others. In reality most back end of rosters across the league are bad, there simply aren't 1,700 REALLY good football players in the world.

[*ochocincos*]

Jonah Williams seems to be polarizing for some.
He's performed worse the first half of this season compared to last year, but he's performed much better since the bye week.
However, you've seen quite a good amount of people want to move on from him and get an upgrade (which won't necessarily be easy to find), even with his improved performance the past month.

[wcu]

(12-08-2022, 01:19 PM)Au165 Wrote: Most all of them ended up on rosters after here...which means they would have made "most teams practice squads". My issue is with the hyperbolic framing of the post. You for instance say Dre is a liability everywhere he goes...yet he keeps getting signed which means the alternative to him aren't as good. 

As fans we tend to be far harsher of our flaws than others. In reality most back end of rosters across the league are bad, there simply aren't 1,700 REALLY good football players in the world.

That's fair.  Not all of them belong in the same bucket.

The bolded is kind of the point of the post.  The starters and depth we have behind them are solid all around.  There isn't a guy here that makes me cringe whenever I see him on the field.

[Sled21]

(12-08-2022, 01:57 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Jonah Williams seems to be polarizing for some.
He's performed worse the first half of this season compared to last year, but he's performed much better since the bye week.
However, you've seen quite a good amount of people want to move on from him and get an upgrade (which won't necessarily be easy to find), even with his improved performance the past month.

That's because they don't understand why playing with a dislocated kneecap might hinder an offensive tackle. 

[Garrus]

I don't think Dre was that bad, he was average. Also don't think BJGE deserves to be on there as well. Kyle Cook had some good years for us as well before he got hurt.

[wcu]

(12-08-2022, 02:10 PM)Garrus Wrote: I don't think Dre was that bad, he was average. Also don't think BJGE deserves to be on there as well. Kyle Cook had some good years for us as well before he got hurt.

I put BJGE on there due to his sudden onset fumblitis as soon as he put on stripes. He never did live up to the hype. 

I agree that Kyle Cook doesn't belong. He was a bright spot until his injuries. 

[*ochocincos*]

(12-08-2022, 02:24 PM)wcu Wrote: I put BJGE on there due to his sudden onset fumblitis as soon as he put on stripes. He never did live up to the hype. 

I agree that Kyle Cook doesn't belong. He was a bright spot until his injuries. 

There wasn't supposed to be much hype.
BJGE was just a solid, middle-of-the-pack RB when he was in NE, and he was more of the same in Cincy.
Fans that hated him didn't want a middle-of-the-pack RB. They wanted a more explosive guy.

[sonofstat]

(12-08-2022, 12:48 PM)wcu Wrote: It seems like for years (decades?), we've always had a player or two on the roster that you just knew was going to screw up when you needed him the most.  There was always that one guy who was just unbelievably bad, or was starting for us and couldn't be on the practice squad on most teams.  He was always going to miss the key block, or give up the huge PI, or miss the crucial tackle.

Any of the offensive linemen last year
Darius Phillips
Dre Kirkpatrick
William Jackson
Billy Price
Bobby Hart
Russ Bodine
Eric Ghiaciuc
Stacey Andrews
JP Foschi
Dennis Roland
"Nasty" Nate Livings
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Ben Coates
Ifeyani Ohalete
Some would put Andy Dalton on this list, but I don't fall into that camp.
Any QB not named Jeff Blake between 1992-2002

It has dawned on me that I don't feel that way about a single player on this roster.  The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media.  I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season.  This roster is so likable.  I love that they're truly a team and they're seemingly all true competitors.  Even our depth is high quality.  This is a really solid roster bolstered by an unbelievable culture.  Kudos to Taylor and Tobin.

*As a side note, we've had some truly atrocious Center play through the years outside of Richie Braham.  Sure, Jeff Faine and Kyle Cook were decent in spurts.  Thank goodness for Ted Karras.

i think i agree with the sentiment / title of the thread ...not sure that was then matched by what was then in the post!

This team is very likable but then winning makes everything easier right     ...you can have likeable players who are not great just as you can have good players who you may not warm to.

I don't know whether it is the excellent job Elizabeth Blackburn is doing but the social media, videos they have shared last couple of seasons has really shown that this team and locker room appears tight and full of good strong characters.

Hopefully it stays that way as the success continues..   

[Sled21]

(12-08-2022, 02:24 PM)wcu Wrote: I put BJGE on there due to his sudden onset fumblitis as soon as he put on stripes. He never did live up to the hype. 

I agree that Kyle Cook doesn't belong. He was a bright spot until his injuries. 

That's not BJGE's fault. If you want to blame someone, blame the officials for making him carry a ball with actual air in it once he left NE...

[Speedy Thomas]

(12-08-2022, 12:48 PM)wcu Wrote: It seems like for years (decades?), we've always had a player or two on the roster that you just knew was going to screw up when you needed him the most.  There was always that one guy who was just unbelievably bad, or was starting for us and couldn't be on the practice squad on most teams.  He was always going to miss the key block, or give up the huge PI, or miss the crucial tackle.

Any of the offensive linemen last year
Darius Phillips
Dre Kirkpatrick
William Jackson
Billy Price
Bobby Hart
Russ Bodine
Eric Ghiaciuc
Stacey Andrews
JP Foschi
Dennis Roland
"Nasty" Nate Livings
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Ben Coates
Ifeyani Ohalete
Some would put Andy Dalton on this list, but I don't fall into that camp.
Any QB not named Jeff Blake between 1992-2002

It has dawned on me that I don't feel that way about a single player on this roster.  The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media.  I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season.  This roster is so likable.  I love that they're truly a team and they're seemingly all true competitors.  Even our depth is high quality.  This is a really solid roster bolstered by an unbelievable culture.  Kudos to Taylor and Tobin.

*As a side note, we've had some truly atrocious Center play through the years outside of Richie Braham.  Sure, Jeff Faine and Kyle Cook were decent in spurts.  Thank goodness for Ted Karras.

The omission of Rod "Toast" Jones renders the entire list invalid.

[Foolishpride]

(12-08-2022, 12:48 PM)wcu Wrote: It seems like for years (decades?), we've always had a player or two on the roster that you just knew was going to screw up when you needed him the most.  There was always that one guy who was just unbelievably bad, or was starting for us and couldn't be on the practice squad on most teams.  He was always going to miss the key block, or give up the huge PI, or miss the crucial tackle.

Any of the offensive linemen last year
Darius Phillips
Dre Kirkpatrick
William Jackson
Billy Price
Bobby Hart
Russ Bodine
Eric Ghiaciuc
Stacey Andrews
JP Foschi
Dennis Roland
"Nasty" Nate Livings
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Ben Coates
Ifeyani Ohalete
Some would put Andy Dalton on this list, but I don't fall into that camp.
Any QB not named Jeff Blake between 1992-2002

It has dawned on me that I don't feel that way about a single player on this roster.  The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media.  I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season.  This roster is so likable.  I love that they're truly a team and they're seemingly all true competitors.  Even our depth is high quality.  This is a really solid roster bolstered by an unbelievable culture.  Kudos to Taylor and Tobin.

*As a side note, we've had some truly atrocious Center play through the years outside of Richie Braham.  Sure, Jeff Faine and Kyle Cook were decent in spurts.  Thank goodness for Ted Karras.

If I remember right, Dave Rimington was somewhat servicable at Center for a few years.

[*ochocincos*]

(12-08-2022, 12:48 PM)wcu Wrote: It seems like for years (decades?), we've always had a player or two on the roster that you just knew was going to screw up when you needed him the most.  There was always that one guy who was just unbelievably bad, or was starting for us and couldn't be on the practice squad on most teams.  He was always going to miss the key block, or give up the huge PI, or miss the crucial tackle.

Any of the offensive linemen last year
Darius Phillips
Dre Kirkpatrick
William Jackson
Billy Price
Bobby Hart
Russ Bodine
Eric Ghiaciuc
Stacey Andrews
JP Foschi
Dennis Roland
"Nasty" Nate Livings
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Ben Coates
Ifeyani Ohalete
Some would put Andy Dalton on this list, but I don't fall into that camp.
Any QB not named Jeff Blake between 1992-2002

It has dawned on me that I don't feel that way about a single player on this roster.  The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media.  I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season.  This roster is so likable.  I love that they're truly a team and they're seemingly all true competitors.  Even our depth is high quality.  This is a really solid roster bolstered by an unbelievable culture.  Kudos to Taylor and Tobin.

*As a side note, we've had some truly atrocious Center play through the years outside of Richie Braham.  Sure, Jeff Faine and Kyle Cook were decent in spurts.  Thank goodness for Ted Karras.

Some big names you left off the list:
Shayne Graham
Mike Nugent (at least in the later years)
Randy Bullock

Fans loved to dislike each of them for different reasons.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(12-08-2022, 03:03 PM)sonofstat Wrote: i think i agree with the sentiment / title of the thread ...not sure that was then matched by what was then in the post!

This team is very likable but then winning makes everything easier right     ...you can have likeable players who are not great just as you can have good players who you may not warm to.

I don't know whether it is the excellent job Elizabeth Blackburn is doing but the social media, videos they have shared last couple of seasons has really shown that this team and locker room appears tight and full of good strong characters.

Hopefully it stays that way as the success continues..   

Yeah, don't really like just pointing players out from the old teams and acting like they were all unlikeable, but I agree with the 
sentiment from the OP. This team from top to bottom just has very good people as well as them all pretty much being humble 
and just team players. Good job on Zac adding so many Captains from college and even from the pros like Karras who is now 
my favorite Bengal Center who really brought this Offense together.

You can tell how everybody has bought in and believes they can beat anyone, and it is a brotherhood. This team is special.

[BurrowTheGoat]

(12-08-2022, 12:48 PM)wcu Wrote:   The one that comes the closest is Eli Apple, but that is mostly hate from other teams and the national media.  I actually think Apple has been a great addition and he has played lights out for most of this season.  

If you plopped Eli Apple out there with no name and no number people would have nothing bad to say about him.  He plays well, he's not elite and gets beat from time to time but so do 80% of the corners in the NFL.  All of the hate is from butt hurt fans of other teams and on twitter.

[Dean_Gilberry95]

Daniel Coats, not Ben.

You knew Kevin Kaesviharn was gonna get burned.