Must-Read Article on GW and the Defense

[Oakland Red]

That is all we need - Springs leaving town due to the total debacle of defensive coordination! I don't think that there is much of any chance that confidence can be restored in Gregg Williams' leadership.

Originally Posted by LadyT

Dexter Manley was talking with Bram on XXX radio tonight and said he knew who the player was who talked to ESPN. Said he was a CURRENT starter in the secondary whose contract is nearly over and who wants out of here by next year. He wrote the player's name down and showed it to Bram. All of this points directly to Springs. And I, for one, am glad someone finally had the guts to talk about what is really going on behind the scenes. The way this "D" has played this year, it had to be more than 1 or 2 players. It's comical to see everyone attacking AA and Carter, when the problem is so much deeper than that. I believed all along there was serious trouble between the players and the coaches, but never realized how truly bad it is.

[steveo395]

Originally Posted by Oakland Red

That is all we need - Springs leaving town due to the total debacle of defensive coordination! I don't think that there is much of any chance that confidence can be restored in Gregg Williams' leadership.

Springs' contract is not about to run out. We have him through 2009. He has the shortest contract left out of the starters and that is not short. Kenny Wright's contract will run out after this year, and so will The Ade's, but they're not starters.

[LadyT]

Originally Posted by Oakland Red

That is all we need - Springs leaving town due to the total debacle of defensive coordination! I don't think that there is much of any chance that confidence can be restored in Gregg Williams' leadership.

I agree with you about GW. Springs is a player who commands a lot of respect on the team. His comments can't simply be explained away as a disgruntled player. Under GW, there have been a LOT of disgruntled players and, one by one, they've either left or been gotten rid of - most of them good players too. There's a common thread to all of this and it points directly to GW.

But, does Gibbs have the guts to make a tough decision about his coach, when that coach has clearly lost the respect of a lot of his players? Me thinks not. After all, it took Gibbs how many games to finally bench Brunell? How much longer will it take him to make an even bolder move and get rid of GW? Unless GW can totally change his personality, I don't see this situation improving at all. He's lost the players and, once that happens, there's no where to go but down.

[LadyT]

Originally Posted by steveo395

Springs' contract is not about to run out. We have him through 2009. He has the shortest contract left out of the starters and that is not short. Kenny Wright's contract will run out after this year, and so will The Ade's, but they're not starters.

Manley also said that he and this player were good friends. It certainly isn't AA since he's not a current starter. The only secondary starters that come to mind on this are Springs or Rogers. Wright isn't playing all that well to be in a position to speak out and neither is Rogers, but Springs is. I still say it's Springs. In any event, it doesn't really matter who it is, the cat's out of the bag now. This player only helps to confirm what a lot of us feared was true anyway - that there is a major disconnect between the players and the coaches on the "D". There's just no other plausible explanation for why the entire "D" is sinking faster than the Titanic.

[LadyT]

Got some more info on what Dexter told Bram. Dexter said he (Dexter) and Tom Friend were buddies and that Dexter knew the article was coming out, he just didn't know when, and he knew who the player was who talked to Friend. He wrote the player's number down who talked to ESPN and gave it to Bram. After looking at it, Bram said the player was a current starter and a leader on the secondary. His contract was nearing an end and that he did not expect to return next year and that he wanted out. Does anyone know the status of ST's contract? The only players this could possibly be are: Springs, Rogers or ST.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by LadyT

Dexter Manley was talking with Bram on XXX radio tonight and said he knew who the player was who talked to ESPN. Said he was a CURRENT starter in the secondary whose contract is nearly over and who wants out of here by next year. He wrote the player's name down and showed it to Bram. All of this points directly to Springs. And I, for one, am glad someone finally had the guts to talk about what is really going on behind the scenes. The way this "D" has played this year, it had to be more than 1 or 2 players. It's comical to see everyone attacking AA and Carter, when the problem is so much deeper than that. I believed all along there was serious trouble between the players and the coaches, but never realized how truly bad it is.

Ok, so this is off-topic for a minute and perhaps a bit cruel but am I the only who finds it amusingly ironic to hear that Dexter Manley wrote a player's name down?? He's come a long way I suppose.

Back to the topic at hand, interesting stuff. I'm curious who the source was. I could snoop around but don't think it'll get me far. I did hear though that it wasn't just the players that Gibbs laid into this week. He apparently let the coaching staff (particularly Saunders and Williams) have it too. Saying stuff like "You guys want to win Super Bowls as head coaches, you want to run organizations, but you can barely keep one unit together let alone an entire team." Not in those exact words but the general idea was that.

Hopefully everyone can rally around and give Gibbs a nice birthday gift on Sunday.

[LadyT]

I'm very glad to hear that Gibbs went after Saunders and especially Williams. Sadly, I don't think GW will be able to inspire this "D" any more. He has lost them, and rightfully so, if even half of what's in that ESPN article is true. Gibbs would never treat players the way GW has. Maybe the team will rally for Gibbs, but they won't for GW. If GW feels a player isn't performing, his response is to give them the "silent treatment"??? Now, that sounds like future head coaching material, right?

[Jason72]

Originally Posted by LadyT

Under GW, there have been a LOT of disgruntled players and, one by one, they've either left or been gotten rid of - most of them good players too..

Who are we talking about here? Smoot and Pierce left for more money, nothing to do with GW. Lavar is the only one I can think of that didn't get along. Don't say Clark and Harris, they were castoffs, they didn't ask to leave. While this story is interesting we can't assume it's true or that it is Springs. So am I missing somebody?

[Pocket$ $traight]

I have doubts that it was Springs. I would think that Rogers would be more upset than Springs.

Unfortunately, my guess would be Taylor. They released his friend and the coaches are severly mis-using his talents. Taylor has probably never failed at any level in his life. I don't think that players from the U take to losing very well.

Not to mention the fact that he was unhappy with his contract. They scoffed at reworking his and then they bring in the Captain of the punt team for 30 million.

The more that I think about it, he seems to be the most logical choice.

This team is so f-ed up it is pathetic.

[Jason72]

While I think there are some valid points in the article, I don't buy much of it. First of all there is the typical exaggeration that is in most articles today, like the redskins being a bigger disappointment than the Steelers! Second, the article is based mostly on one anonymous players opinion. If it is really this bad, why aren't all the players speaking up?

Williams is obviously cocky, but he comes from the Buddy Ryan line, what do you expect? Parcells doesn't speak to players for long periods too, I don't hear anyone criticizing him for it.

This mystery player who spouts off to the paper is a jerk! Nobody on the defense is playing good, so that means this player is putting the blame on Williams and not taking it himself. Tackling was their biggest problem last week, not scheme.

[djnemo65]

Here's why I can assure you it's not Taylor. The speaker is eloquent....excessively eloquent with a writer's wit and penchant for observation. Taylor scored a 6 on the wonderlic test. I love Taylor, but I just don't think he's capable of expressing himself in these terms.

Springs on the other hand is a very smart, very articulate guy who understands football on a high level. It's gotta be him. It has to be someone who has been here since the beginning. We now know the speaker is a starter. There's no way it's Rogers....he's not going anywhere. Who else could it be, Troy Vincent? It's totally Springs, who additionally is probably the one defensive player who can legitimately make these types of complaints without having to first answer questions about his own play.

[LadyT]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

Here's why I can assure you it's not Taylor. The speaker is eloquent....excessively eloquent with a writer's wit and penchant for observation. Taylor scored a 6 on the wonderlic test. I love Taylor, but I just don't think he's capable of expressing himself in these terms.

Springs on the other hand is a very smart, very articulate guy who understands football on a high level. It's gotta be him. It has to be someone who has been here since the beginning. We now know the speaker is a starter. There's no way it's Rogers....he's not going anywhere. Who else could it be, Troy Vincent? It's totally Springs, who additionally is probably the one defensive player who can legitimately make these types of complaints without having to first answer questions about his own play.

Agree with everything you've said. Which makes it all the more telling that a player of the caliber of Springs feels it necessary to say such things. Coming from him, it carries a lot of weight. It tells you how bad things really are on this "D".

[joethiesmanfan]

I agree Springs. Look at how Dewayne Walker is made to look dumb. "pouting"? Danny do your thang to this guy. Pouting cause Jerry runs the show. You know corners are gonna idolize Jerry. Safeties coach was particulary criticized.

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

Here's why I can assure you it's not Taylor. The speaker is eloquent....excessively eloquent with a writer's wit and penchant for observation. Taylor scored a 6 on the wonderlic test. I love Taylor, but I just don't think he's capable of expressing himself in these terms.

Springs on the other hand is a very smart, very articulate guy who understands football on a high level. It's gotta be him. It has to be someone who has been here since the beginning. We now know the speaker is a starter. There's no way it's Rogers....he's not going anywhere. Who else could it be, Troy Vincent? It's totally Springs, who additionally is probably the one defensive player who can legitimately make these types of complaints without having to first answer questions about his own play.

It's Springs, how the hell could it be Troy, when the "player" is talking about the CB and safety meetings being seperate during preseason, if Troy wasnt a Skin then???? I think it could also be AA, but AA seems like a pansy to me the way he talks, lol I doubt he has to balls to do this.

But seriously, whoever did this a player with a chip on his shoulder that knows the game well. I really dont think it is Taylor, bc he isnt the brightest apple, and I doubt it is Rogers, bc it sounds like vet talk.

It could be AA venting his frustration, but this player seems to know alot of about last year. I am not saying AA isnt aware of last years schemes, stats, etc, but it seems like whoever this source is, seems to be very comfortable in citing stuff from last year.

I seriously doubt it is AA, like most people here, I think it is Springs, only thing that makes me think it isnt him is the triple x radio report. If Springs contract is till 09, this is the only piece to the puzzle that doesnt fit.

[Oakland Red]

Originally Posted by LadyT

I'm very glad to hear that Gibbs went after Saunders and especially Williams. Sadly, I don't think GW will be able to inspire this "D" any more. He has lost them, and rightfully so, if even half of what's in that ESPN article is true. Gibbs would never treat players the way GW has. Maybe the team will rally for Gibbs, but they won't for GW. If GW feels a player isn't performing, his response is to give them the "silent treatment"??? Now, that sounds like future head coaching material, right?

How about creating a safeties coach for sentimental personal reasons and then having them meet separately from the cornerbacks? Forget head coaching, that's coaching without a head, GW.

Yes, I am very, very glad to hear that Coach Gibbs went after Williams and Saunders. Gibbs will make the right decision. Williams' job security is tenuous at best. I agree that the reality is that he will not recover the players' respect, and he seems to have lost Gibbs' respect as well. GW is not going to be on the team next year in all likelihood. Saunders, I think he can make the case that the team will be ready to use his system next season, especially if we can find a new offensive tackle, perhaps with our first round draft choice.