The 2 Point Conversion

Ohk it has been way to long since this bitch has been updated on a consistent basis. Luckily football is starting up so we'll have something to talk about! Anyways here are two little, original articles that probably won't make sense or have any point to them. The first one is about cornerbacks in the NFL, more specifically the development of them. and the second is about these non-position players that are supposed to come in and redefine the game, players like Percy Harvin and Anthony Randolf. Please enjoy and don't hate.

The Cornerback Store

In what seems to be one of the hardest positions to scout and honestly one of the harder positions to play in football is the cornerback. They need to be fast, they need to have enough size to cover giant receivers, they need to be able to go up and get the ball, they need good hands and smarts and to be able to hit and tackle. Basically a football player that can do everything. They are ways to help them and that's with a good pass rush or good defense period and a scheme they can handle. But for the most part a great corner is great because of himself not the defense. Likewise a corner can be bad because of themselves and that's where their development comes in to play.

Drafting a corner comes on not only their stats but how they look and play in the game. Some guys don't test well or put up amazing numbers, but are shutdown corners. So we'll have some examples, before I get in to current players I'll use a rookie for a test subject. Kevin Barnes from Maryland now competing for that nickle corner job in Washington. He has the size at 6' runs a nice 4.4 forty time and has decent hands with his 6 picks as a two year starter at Maryland and over 9 breakups. Minor worries because of his injury his senior year and while there are good wideouts in the ACC and he had to go against Darius Heyward-Bey in practice, the ACC hasn't had the best quarterbacks in recent years. And as you can tell by this hit on Javid Best of Cal, he's a pretty good hitter. Anyways he looks good on the field, has the size and stats to back it up too. So come back at the end of the season and we'll see if he steps up in the pros.

Now if you have a young corner you have to give them 3 to 4 years to develop. In most cases here is how they will develop: Year 1 - The corner gets by on his physical attributes and works in to the rotation. sometimes has a breakout type year. Year 2 - Said corner takes time to learn the defensive scheme and learn offenses. Sometimes this limits them to playing safe and having not as good years, but they still show flashes. Years 3 and 4 - These are the make and break years, your corner either puts it all together and gets it or doesn't within these years.

Perfect examples for each year you ask? Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie is the perfect year one example, expect a minor drop off for him. Brandon McDonald is a great example at year two, year one he shut down Andre Johnson and played his way in to a starting role, next year he played it safe not to mention he was always on the field. These next two years will be intriguing for him, his ceiling is Charles Tillman but I think at worst he's an amazing nickel corner starting at the second corner spot. Years three and four, try Asante Samuel or Antonio Cromartie, both of which put it together and had breakout seasons with 10 picks each. Now both are considered top corners.

There are a few types of corners in the league that they can develop in to: Flashy corners who get picks and return them, take gambles but for the most part are above average number ones (Asante Samuel), Physical corners who get matched up with the big guys and lay wood usually are great number twos and pair well with the flashy guy on the other side (Charles Tillman), the All-Pro corner who just has it all so much so they don't throw to their side of the field (Nnamdi Asomugha) and then there are the Nickel corner just a guy who plays well in short bursts but isn't a starter (Fred Smoot) and finally just a starting corner doesn't tickle the fancy at all but is a player almost like filler (Phillip Buchanon).

So that was your very own, personal cornerback developmental rundown/breakdown. Now on to those heralded athletes without real positions and how they affect their teams.

The Do Everything Players

So every year there are players who come out and are just pure athletes, can do it all, except because of their size or their teams scheme they don't have a real position. But they usually are drafted high on what's called potential, which means they could possibly re-invent the game from whatever position they end up playing. This year in football it really seems to be Percy Harvin and in basketball next year everyone is chatting it up about Anthony Randolf.

Unfortunately many of these players end up on the bench or worst in the abyss. But can stay in the league because they're just freaks athletically and every other coach thinks they can be the one to help make that leap. There really is no science to their success or failure, just some do and some don't. Reggie Bush could have became Barry Sanders 2.0 and turned the league upside down and on some plays he does. But in reality he is a change of pace back and a damn good return man. Percy Harvin seems to be headed to that say place. I think finding these players in football is harder than basketball.

Every draft in basketball has at least one player go in the lottery that is that new must have 6'10 forward who can shoot the lights out and post you up. Earl Clark being the main example for this years draft. And right now that is basically what everyone wants, at one point it was tall 6'7 point guards. For all that LeBron James is, he is not changing his position. He is a fucking freak, but at 6'8 he is the normal size and has all the normal abilities of his position. But big men aren't supposed to rain three balls and post you up the next possession. So that makes Anthony Randolf an enigma. He seems to have gotten it together and we have no real comparison for him or what he can become. You can say Rashard Lewis but for all the money he makes he only averaged 19 points last year and is only a shooter now he won't post you up.

Basically for Anthony Randolf and Percy Harvin you have the potential, can you put it together and change the game? I see the flashes in each guy, but mainly what I ask of them is to get a position or a knack so they aren't labeled as projects or potential studs.

UPDATE

Please take a second to read this story from ESPN real quick.
Finished? Alright I'll let go that it is retarded as fuck that players are getting suspended because of traffic violations, but J.R. Smith gets 7 games for reckless driving (which is actually a minor offense) yet J-Rich only gets 2 games for drunk driving! That is outstanding bullshit and if I were Smith I'd appeal that in a heartbeat. It says because of his previous driving record he got the longer suspension and the only thing it mentions is an ACCIDENT, everyone has accidents! David Stern you are a complete asshole and are on your way out of the league after the looming lock out

posted by: Jason