Question about Pierre Thomas... (1 Viewer)

DownWithDisease

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Let me start by saying that I was one of the people that was initially excited when I saw that we had picked up PT as an UDFA after last year's draft. I followed him some at Illinois, and I thought he could maybe help us as a STer and possible back-up RB.

...I was also one of the people that was calling for people to calm down and relax a little bit when there were countless "Give PT the ball" and "PT's a BEAST!" types of the threads all over the forum.

As I stated in another thread... I think I may have been wrong about PT. I think he may be WAY better than I gave him credit for.

Anyways, here goes my question...

During the Chicago game broadcast, I remember one of the announcers talking about PT, and he said something along the lines of... Pierre Thomas was a very highly regarded RB recruit coming out of high school, then he was injured at Illinois and doctors had to remove some muscle from his leg and that effected his burst and his speed.

Does anyone know the real story behind this?

Thanks.
 
Maybe his sister could answer this question. I believe her username is Mylilbro.
 
I found this thread on a Bears message board after the Chicago game...

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/thread/814456.aspx

One post quotes an article saying that Bears OC Ron Turner thought PT would win the Heisman when he got him out of high school at U of Illinois... Turner stated "I love that kid, always have..."

Another thread states that he did have some damaged muscle removed from his leg, which really hurt his draft status...

I'd like to hear what his sister says about all of this.
 
From Brad Biggs in today's Suntimes...


One that got away
Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner thought running back Pierre Thomas would win the Heisman Trophy when Turner signed Thomas at Illinois from T.F. South. He might have if he could play the Bears' defense every week.

It appeared to be a sore subject after Thomas had 226 total offensive yards and a touchdown.

''Don't get into that, please,'' Turner said. ''I signed him out of high school. I love that kid, always have. I tried to sign him here. Let's not talk about it.''

...............................................................................................................
 
Well... when I saw him bust a coupel big runs against KC in the preseason... then he cought the screen against Miami in the last game of the preseason... I was sold on the kid. I'm glad Payton kept him, and all season long I was one on here screaming for the kid to get his shot. he finally got his shot, and promptly had a game that NO OTHER NEW ORLEANS SAINT RB HAS HAD... 100 and 100...


I say all of that to say... I do remember hearing that during the game... and is he's lost any burst from the surgery it would be downright SCARY to see him with that burst, because he still does have real good speed... as evidence in those runs that I mentioned above.

I hope the kid can get 10-15 carries next year... if Payton refuses to utilize the kid after the game he had against the Bears... then I hope PT can catch on with another team and rip the league apart with his skills.

/getsoffsoapbox
 
...if he's lost any burst from the surgery it would be downright SCARY to see him with that burst, because he still does have real good speed...

I'm wondering when he got the injury that required muscle tissue to be removed (reportedly). It's possible that he's just now starting to get all the way back from that surgery... or the doctors expected it to have more of a negative impact than it actually did.

I mean, doctors are wrong all of the time.

610774.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Let me start by saying that I was one of the people that was initially excited when I saw that we had picked up PT as an UDFA after last year's draft. I followed him some at Illinois, and I thought he could maybe help us as a STer and possible back-up RB.

...I was also one of the people that was calling for people to calm down and relax a little bit when there were countless "Give PT the ball" and "PT's a BEAST!" types of the threads all over the forum.

As I stated in another thread... I think I may have been wrong about PT. I think he may be WAY better than I gave him credit for.

Anyways, here goes my question...

During the Chicago game broadcast, I remember one of the announcers talking about PT, and he said something along the lines of... Pierre Thomas was a very highly regarded RB recruit coming out of high school, then he was injured at Illinois and doctors had to remove some muscle from his leg and that effected his burst and his speed.

Does anyone know the real story behind this?

Thanks.


The answer to your question is yes that is true.It happened in his freshmen year he had to wear what he called a boot for the next few year's that he was there.It slowed he speed down alot and he was not able to cut like he use to in highschool.
 
Well... when I saw him bust a coupel big runs against KC in the preseason... then he cought the screen against Miami in the last game of the preseason... I was sold on the kid. I'm glad Payton kept him, and all season long I was one on here screaming for the kid to get his shot. he finally got his shot, and promptly had a game that NO OTHER NEW ORLEANS SAINT RB HAS HAD... 100 and 100...


I say all of that to say... I do remember hearing that during the game... and is he's lost any burst from the surgery it would be downright SCARY to see him with that burst, because he still does have real good speed... as evidence in those runs that I mentioned above.

I hope the kid can get 10-15 carries next year... if Payton refuses to utilize the kid after the game he had against the Bears... then I hope PT can catch on with another team and rip the league apart with his skills.

/getsoffsoapbox

Right on, Droopy.

Also, Reggie should watch the game tape of Pierre against the Bears. What Pierre did in that game is what we drafted Reggie to do.
 
Saint Droopy said:
I hope the kid can get 10-15 carries next year... if Payton refuses to utilize the kid after the game he had against the Bears... then I hope PT can catch on with another team and rip the league apart with his skills.

The only thing that should stand in the way of Pierre getting 15 carries or more per game next year is Deuce coming back 100%!! Pierre should be the #2 tailback behind Deuce, not Reggie or Stecker.

If Deuce cannot come back 100% by Game 1, Pierre should be the starter at tailback. He's earned it, not by his reputation or his college accolades or his TV rating, but by his performance ON THE FIELD!

If Payton does not give this kid a much larger role in the offense next year, Payton's integrity ought to be questioned. His motto, "Best players on the field," would become hypocrisy in my opinion. It would confirm for me that he is doing the same thing with Bush and Pierre that Haslett did with Brooks and Delhomme, and we all know what kind of damage that did to the team and to the coach.
 
If Payton does not give this kid a much larger role in the offense next year, Payton's integrity ought to be questioned. His motto, "Best players on the field," would become hypocrisy in my opinion.

I can't go that far with it -- while it was a great performance by Thomas and he's looked good on other occasions in limited action, Payton shouldn't just now "give" him "a much larger role in the offense." Timmy Smith, for example, who otherwise was unremarkable, held (or holds) the rushing record in the Super Bowl. What I hope Payton will give Thomas is a legitimate chance to earn a starting role next season. I do think he's earned that opportunity.
 
The answer to your question is yes that is true.It happened in his freshmen year he had to wear what he called a boot for the next few year's that he was there.It slowed he speed down alot and he was not able to cut like he use to in highschool.


Thanks MLB.
Hope you're doing fine.
I thought they said it was early on in his college carreer.
 

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