Sporting News #3 most overpaid athletes... (1 Viewer)

[Forest]

Of course, AD is running behind a top 10 LT in Brian McKinnie, 4 time Pro Bowler and probably the best guard in football Steve Hutchinson, and 5 time Pro Bowl C Matt Birk. That's his entire left side. Not to mention 3 time Pro Bowl FB Tony Richardson leading the way. Chester Taylor, who I consider an average RB in the NFL, has 2,000 yards in the last two seasons behind that o-line.

As for the premise of the thread, Deuce was out in Week 3 and looked to be hurt even before that, and Reggie was injured for most of the last half of the season. The Saints are also a pass heavy team.

And most of AP's big runs went to the left side of the line, heck I can probably average a solid 2 yards a carry behind that line!

But don't confuse people with the facts - they've already made up their mind and their reality is Bush isn't a producer yet.

 

[BoNcHiE]

These articles are especially dumb since players aren't paid by one year contracts. Salaries go up and down depending on the year they are in, and whos to say they don't earn every penny of it at some point during the contract?

 

[msusaintsfan]

Shouldn't EVERY Pro athlete make his list?

 

[BoNcHiE]

Shouldn't EVERY Pro athlete make his list?

When you consider how much revenue those pro-athletes bring to their owners, franchise, and cities, I'd say no. Most pro atheletes are underpaid from a business standpoint.

 

[msusaintsfan]

When you consider how much revenue those pro-athletes bring to their owners, franchise, and cities, I'd say no. Most pro atheletes are underpaid from a business standpoint.

The nature of the business, I agree with you but these guys play a game and get paid very very well.

I know I wish I could have a $10 million signing bonus with my new job and the minimum I could make was $275,000 a year, LOL.

 

[Ti Rider]

Of course, AD is running behind a top 10 LT in Brian McKinnie, 4 time Pro Bowler and probably the best guard in football Steve Hutchinson, and 5 time Pro Bowl C Matt Birk. That's his entire left side. Not to mention 3 time Pro Bowl FB Tony Richardson leading the way. Chester Taylor, who I consider an average RB in the NFL, has 2,000 yards in the last two seasons behind that o-line.

As for the premise of the thread, Deuce was out in Week 3 and looked to be hurt even before that, and Reggie was injured for most of the last half of the season. The Saints are also a pass heavy team.

Just what I was about to post. AD runs behind arguably the best run blocking line in the league. He often doesn't get touched until he's deep into the D's second layer and then demolishes CBs and S. He runs through holes you could drive a Peterbilt through. Don't get me wrong I'm not diminishing his accomplishments but he wouldn't have come anywhere close to what he did had he been behind the Saints OL.

In the first four games with Jamal Brown still gimpy with a knee contusion and the rest of the O line generally sucking Deuce and Reggie were getting hit in the backfield. Hard to look All World when you're having to drag a tackler three yards just to get back to the LOS. The OL really struggled over the first 4-5 games. Brees was running for his life and the backs had non existent holes.

Now the running game did improve later in the season for several reasons 1.) Teams didn't respect the Saints running game. It's a little easier to run against a D only playing the pass. 2. Jamal Brown's knee improved. 3.) Goodwin replaced Faine for a few games. The much larger Goodwin got better push coupled with Nesbit and Evans 4.) Stecker's and PT's "one cut and go north and south" running style better suited the Saints' OL below average run blocking schemes. Reggie's "jitterbug" running style (not a criticism. He's just trying to make things happen) needs time and room to work. He didn't get either behind the Saints OL. Deuce's "power" running style needs large holes to get into the D's second layer (Deuce used to be a "one cut and go" style back but age and injuries have reduced him to a powerback).

 

[Nonreg]

Adrian Peterson was not as hyped as Bush and he seemed to do ok in his ROOKIE year.

Reggie did good in his ROOKIE year too.

 

[meily]

Does anyone think that maybe Reggie had a down year because Deuce was no longer in there to pound the ball and take the full load off of Reggie? Once Reggie was given full reign of the running game he obviously couldn't handle it, yet everyone wants to call it a "down year."

Reggie had almost the exact same yards and carries in 06 as he did in 07...but Duece ran for 1,000yrds that year, which took some of the run game pressure off Bush, so it made you think had he had a full time gig he would of surpassed the 1,000yrd mark...and he had that in 07 and he did the same thing (yardage wise) as he did his rookie year....he had the same problem his rookie year he did last year, dancing in the backfield and stuff, it just got picked apart this year because Duece wasnt there to take some of the pressure off Reggie....Reggie still needs to learn how to hit the hole and get low, he is tough, he has vision, he just hasnt spent much time on his game since coming into the league...this is his yr, he may not get 1500yrds, but I think we want to see him not do the same things he did last year and the year before, we want to see him get the ball hit the hole, follow his blocks, set up his blocks, then explode after he gets to the second level...it could result in a 5yrd gain or a 40...but atleast we know he is running like a NFL back.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Does anyone think that maybe Reggie had a down year because Deuce was no longer in there to pound the ball and take the full load off of Reggie? Once Reggie was given full reign of the running game he obviously couldn't handle it, yet everyone wants to call it a "down year."

He was never given full reign of the running game. 13 carries a game, and playing 4 games/missing 4 games with a torn PCL makes it hard to judge. He did well in his first 4 games as the feature back until the injury. (the 4 game win streak)

 

[Kegger]

Guys, we need to stop making excuses for Reggie.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Guys, we need to stop making excuses for Reggie.

Injuries are not excuses.

 

[bop]

Injuries are not excuses.

Yes, yes they are. Its not like he was lighting it up before he got hurt. Reggie has a 3.7 yards per carry average for his career. He has so far not produced as a runner and that is a FACT. Everything else is wishing, speculating and excuse making. People can choose to ignore the facts all they want, but it doesnt change anything. Hopefully this year will be the year that "wishing and speculating" that Reggie will produce becomes fact that he is producing.

 

[bop]

It took Brian Westbrook a couple of years to develop, too.....

Brian Westbrook was a 3rd round draft pick, not the second pick in the draft. Brian Westbrook has never averaged less than 4.0 ypc in any season in his career including 4.2 in his first season and 5.2 in his second season. He also has a career 4.7 ypc average. Bad example.

 

[K.B.]

Results are the only things that matter. The Saints' backs didn't produce last year, so you're going to see articles like this. I don't think they're being unfair.

lus-un2: its time we as fans stop making excuses and face facts. the facts may be cold and hard to accept but they are what they are.