Week 15 at a Glance.
So many great and horrible things happened in week 15.
Brett Favre passes Dan Marino in all time passing yards with a 7 yard pass to Donald Driver. As a Packer fan this made me happy. With the touchdown record being broken with Greg Jennings who is a second year man who’s out performing Donald Driver made me sad. I felt that Donald should have been on the recieving end of Brett’s record setting touchdown…but who was to know Jennings would be open for a touchdown and it just happened to be the most important touchdown in packer history? But D. Drive caught the pass to pass Dan on the all time passing yards list!
How about Tony Romo choking with his girl Jessica Simpson in the stands? That’s crazy cause the same thing happened last year with Carrie Underwood! Tony Don’t bring your girlfriends to your games cause you will play like crap…FACT!
Westbrook becomes unselfish and Runyan becomes genious! Westbrook wins game by taking a knee on the one yard line and goes even further into hero mode and admits that Runyan told him to do it. Always give credit where credit is due!
Tom Brady…Played not good. The whole patriots team didn’t play that good but still pull off a win to stay perfect on the season. But i mean come on against the jets who wouldn’t win? Brady gets 1 point in fantasy hopefully there won’t be a repeat next week against the 1-13 Dolphins.
Dolphins Finally WIN A GAME! Against a stingy defense of Baltimore. Baltimore’s defense is looking worse and worse as the season goes on but that’s because McAllister is out for the season so now they suck? Troy Smith gets some real playing time. He’s looking pretty okay…Coach Billick how about a start for our Troy Smith! Let him show us what he can do! Matt Stover…wow way to blow the game bud! Nice win by the dolphins even if it had to be in overtime it’s still a good win and a win period. So dignity and Cleo Lemon doens’t have to retire after this year.
After I rant on and on about Devin Hester he doesn’t do anything. I mean a little bit of a play here and there but the Vikes did good to contain him. I’m proud of the Vikes making the Bears lose is great. AD tore it up again.
Bucs finally take one to the house. For the first time in team history the Tampa Bay Buccaneers return a kick for a touchdown. Jeff Garcia didn’t have the best game but Ernest Graham is doing well. A win big over ATL. Poor ATL they’ll lost vick and their team was built around vick!
Chargers absolutely destroy Lions LT is just amazing hands down. He did so good he didn’t even have to play the second half. Not much of another story besides that Micheal Turner had just as good of numbers as LT because he got some solid playing time.
Colts should have beaten the Raiders WAAAAAAAY worse than what they did. The colts aren’t really looking that good without Harrison. You need all the wideouts you can get with Manning. Gonzo has been stepping up nicely but no one can replace Harrison. Raiders way to play but beat them next time!
Redskins and Joe Gibbs pull out a win over the G men. Brandon Jacobs looked like a beast but couldn’t help his team much and clinton did his thing again. LaRon i could have went without the taunting foul but yeah you still the man. It’s nice to see the ’skins win without Taylor…21’s all over the NFL. i shain’t be forgetting Sean Taylor one of my favorite FS.
Pit…what are you doing. 5-0 in the division and you’d better beat baltimore the last week of the season or there will be hell to pay. You guys have to make the playoffs not the browns. Jags you guys played your hearts out, David Girrard is tearing it up!
Browns wow…Phil Dawson making field goals now in the wind and snow off the cross bar you’re good at that. But browns are doing good but i don’t think you should get credit for the safety…Snow games are fun…..to watch not play in. Jamal Lewis is just beastly and tears up any defense that dares to take him on!
How Bout Dem Bengals? Well they suck that’s how about them! 49ers are aweful but Gore played very well and he’s starting to play like he should against a crappy Bengal’s defense. All you Who Dey fans need to shut up now!
Green Bay…I knew you’d win. I wasn’t worried at all. Favre setting records and everyone playing well ryan grant scoring and everything! D. Drive needs more touchdowns! No more for Jennings. The packers D is stepping up to the challenge this year! I’m so proud of my Packers and GO PACK GO!
That’s about the best recap i can do for you guys if i forgot something let me know about it and if i need to shut up more then let me know about that too! Just SEND ME SOMETHING!
The Returner’s Story.
NFL has been changed by one position that isn’t any of the normal 11 on offense or defense. The one or two deep men back to return. The game is a matter of inches and every extra inch that returner can get you can help score a touchdown. But not only does it help score touchdowns the returner can score touchdowns too. Nowadays this has become more common. I don’t know whether the kickoff or punt teams are getting worse or the returners are getting better. It’s hard to say. It think it can be a little bit of both. If the defense wouldn’t miss at least one or two tackles then the returner wouldn’t have a chance to take it to the 50 yard line even. But also the returner is getting better at breaking arm tackles so you’d better get more than just arms on great returners. Not to mention the kick return blocking is getting better. When one guy can throw a block and block 2 to 3 guys that makes the returner’s job easy.
The returner has changed today’s game more than you think. The 2007 NFL draft was grealtly modified by one man. Ted Ginn Jr. The 9th pick overall was selected not only as a reciever but as a return man. Cam Cameron even spoke in a press conference and said that Ted Ginn would bring a lot of excite ment when he returns kicks. He has done just that…giving the Dolphins a pretty good field position. But the dolphins have made too many mistakes during the offseason and as much as this Ohio State fan doesn’t want to admit it…Teddy Ginn was a mistake they should have picked someone with more potential. The Return for a touchdown has become one of the most exciting plays in football as the triple is the most exciting play in baseball.
This all started with Dante Hall…In NFL Europe he flourished and became a major contributor in KC with several touchdowns at the KR and PR positions. Made several Pro Bowls because of his returning ability…his outstanding speed, acceleration, and agility makes him the one of the best returners of the Nation Football Leauge.
Now what you’ve all been waiting for. DEVIN HESTER. I actually knew this kid was going ot be something special before he was drafted by the Bears, before he ever touched a football in the NFL he was the Miami Hurricane’s Returner and the most exciting thing since the Harlem Globe Trotters. Wactching him return kicks is a privlidge! He makes Dante Hall look slow for crying out loud. He has 11 touchdowns as a returner in two years as the Bears second round pick in 2006. From his 107 yard missed field goal return to his amazing night in arizona with 2 return touchdowns to his amazing year this year too. This kid doesn’t just return kicks anymore…they try to incorperate him in every aspect of the game. He played CB in College and did his first year as a pro too but has since switched to play WR and some RB as well. He has rushes and receptions maybe even some passes. The bears know that they must get the ball into the hands of this amazing young man because good things happen when he has the ball. He’s too explosive for the NFL if there was a level of play beyond the NFL he would be playing in it. He looks to be making another Pro Bowl appearance this year beause he has 5 return touchdowns and leads the league with that statistic. Only player on the entire madden 08 roster whose speed is 100 and he has earned it. People may have thought his first year in the league was a fluke…well he has proved them very wrong with 5 this year. Punt the ball out of bounds or squib it cause if you don’t you’ll regret it! When you see 23 taking it to the house. When you see Hester on his jersey it’s too late to catch him. To game plan for him may seem crazy but it’s considered even crazier NOT TO! He alone has changed the NFL and become the face of the Bear’s franchise…he makes everyone say Brian Urlacher WHO? Well maybe not that bad but on a team with Tommie Harris, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nathan Vasher, Hester sticks out and is a team leader at the ripe old age of 23!
That’s my story on the most exciting players in the NFL.
Like it? Don’t Like it? Let me KNOW! Tell me more topics to go on about. Thanks for reading!
Dirty Plays and Players.
Well watching football there are several players I do and don’t like. There are so many athletes out there and they are really really good but they may take it one step too far. So here goes about everything. LaRon Landry…he’s moved his spot since the loss of Sean Taylor, so now he plays Free Safety. He is a GREAT rookie and in my mind he should have been playing FS and Sean should have been playing SS but now it’s the way it should be. He tears it up and he tore up one of eagles receivers on Sunday and what would have been a catch and a first down with a big gain was an incomplete pass because of his pure speed and power. Knocks the ball out of the receiver’s hand and then gets up and taunts the receiver and receives a penalty. What would have been a 4th and 1 became a first and 10 because he had to let the receiver know about it. I thought that was selfish and stupid and just a dirty play and i’m not so sure i like him so much any more besides the fact that he’s an amazing talent at the FS position.
T.O. as if anything that could be written woulndn’t be an understatement. Drama will follow him into the shadow of the valley of death. With his popcorn break after his touchdown…and Chad Johnson with his H.O.F. coat earlier this year. Those are stupid celebrations and they shouldn’t be allowed to happen. Just spike the ball and be happy you scored don’t expect to score…Barry Sanders always just handed the ball to the ref and he was one of the greatest players in NFL history at the running back position and he never had to be flashy or anything about it. Randy Moss isn’t very flashy with his touchdown celebration but he’s close to breaking an NFL record. SO i guess it goes to show that you don’t have to do flashy celebrations to be in the news just produce good numbers and make the pro bowl don’t worry about the stupid celebrations.
Albert Haynesworth…when he stepped on the Center’s head and made him bleed. I thought he deserved ever week of his suspension. That was a stupid and selfish move. He’s one of the league’s premiere young DT’s and just had to step on the center’s head and get kicked out of the game and several more games to come. Why do players do what they do…do they have that big of egos that they can’t handle anyone being better than them? Well hello! WAKE UP you’re in the NFL there is always someone better than you. There is no clear cut best player in the NFL in any position. But what makes me the most mad and just makes me want to change the channel and beat up these overpaid big men…is when they push each other after the play. Then get mad because they got pused back. IT makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs! STOP! I never push back or anything when i play ball i just let them get their own flag and just go back to the huddle i never talk smack why can’t there be more people like me in the pros?
Well i think This is why you should read my stuff cause i can almost guarantee that no other sports caster will argue with their selves like i do.
Adam you are stupid. I know but let the people know why i’m stupid okay here goes. If All they players were all nice to each other and didn’t start little fights and junk they wouldn’t be professional and the fact that they do talk smack and do push and push whether the play is over shows that they are aggressive and that’s what you need to be a great player in the NFL just an over all pissed off disposition to start the game off with. Very few happy, nice players are at top of the game in fact most are wide receivers.
I love it when WR get smacked by a DB and get up right away with a smile on their face.
Well i have successfully had my first argument with myself and i’m pretty sure that i won, but unfortunately i lost too. LOL.
But i think that might do it for this edition of Dirty Plays and Players for this week i’ll be back to post more on this subject when another play comes up when watching football. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to send me subject requests and just general feed back on what i’m writing. Make me write about what you want to hear about!
Miami and Marcus Foston!
By Jon Mahoney
Miami Northwestern(Miami, Fla.) senior defensive lineman Marcus Forston committed to Miami on Thursday over the likes of USC, Notre Dame, Florida State, Tennessee and Florida.The 6-foot-3, 305-pound tackle is one of the nation’s top overall recruits in the Class of 2008. He’s an extremely difficult matchup for any offensive lineman because of his tremendous strength combined with his quickness and athleticism.
Forston, who is compared to former Miami standout and current New England Patriots star defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, was an All-State selection last season after 92 tackles and 20 sacks to help lead Northwestern to the Class 6A state title.
He’s the fourth member from Northwestern’s senior class that’s committed to Miami, joining wide receiver Aldarius Johnson, quarterback Jacory Harris and offensive lineman Brandon Washington.
Well…here it is. Marcus Foston. Being compared to Vince Wilfork, that’s quite the complement because wilfork is one of the NFL’s best young DTs. Foston will have plenty of help in 2008 and 2009 as well as 2010 when i look for the Hurricane’s defense to peak and produce a national championship. A little insight on that is that in 2010 and 2011 the Hurricanes will have to play the Buckeyes in Non-conference play. The two teams have agreed to a two year contract in which they play each other home and away. So will Ohio States Running Backs becoming Seniors and just getting older will make that match up the best and one for the ages so look in 2010 and 2011 for a great non-conference match up with the Hurricanes playing the Buckeyes!
Giving much credit to Jon Mahoney from SI.com for this article.
Arthur Brown Joins Patrick Johnson…Watch Out Miami Is Looking Good!
No. 1 LB to Miami
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By: Jon Mahoney 12/17/07
The University of Miami’s already strong football recruiting class got a heck of a lot stronger on Monday when the nation’s No. 1 linebacker, Wichita East (Wichita, Kan.) senior Arthur Brown, committed to Miami over LSU, USC, Florida and North Carolina.The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder is rated the nation’s No. 4 overall recruit in the Class of 2008 by RISE. This past fall, Brown recorded 88 tackles, 8.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown. His younger brother, Bryce, who’s a junior running back at Wichita East, was the Gatorade Kansas Football Player of the Year and is rated the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit in the Class of 2009 by RISE.
Arthur Brown joins a talented group of Miami commitments that includes Miami Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) senior defensive lineman Marcus Forston, who just helped lead the Bulls to their second straight state title. The nation’s No. 1 corner, Patrick Johnson of Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), has committed to Miami but is keeping his options open.
Well, well,well…not only is Miami receiving a #7 corner in the nation but they are getting the nation’s #1 linebacker and probably the #2 OVERALL recruit in 2009 in his brother. Families tend to stick together with the whole college thing. Champ and Boss and do believe Lord all went to Georgia. So i would say Bryce Brown will be attending Miami as well. The rest of the NCAA should watch out in 2 to 3 years. They are looking strong and good in the years to come. Not to mention the fact that they have GREAT coaches and everything. I’m excited to see how this all pans out for the Hurricanes. I didn’t even mention Marcus Foston. Well that’s because i’m not sure what to say about him i’ll get an article on him and post it next so we can view this amazing Hurricane recruiting class.
I’d like to give credit again to… Jon Mahoney from SI.com for this article.
Matt Barkley, Gatorade Player of the Year, and his story…
Only a junior, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) quarterback Matt Barkley (6-foot-4) threw for 3,576 yards and 35 TDs this year. Chris Williams/Icon SMI |
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The kid comes from the same high school that produced 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and 2007 Heisman finalist Colt Brennan.
He comes from a state that’s produced Super Bowl MVPs John Elway and Tom Brady.
Yet, none of them accomplished what Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) junior quarterback Matt Barkley did when he received the 2007-08 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year trophy, becoming the first non-senior to win it.
Not that career firsts are anything new to Barkley. Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson, a 19-year veteran, never thought he’d start a freshman quarterback. Then he met Barkley.
The quiet, humble Southern Californian remained as calm, cool and collected as he is in the pocket while accepting the award at a ceremony in Santa Ana on Wednesday.
“It’s definitely more motivation to follow in that great line of quarterbacks at Mater Dei,” said Barkley, who turned 17 on Sept. 8. “Danny O’Neill, Billy Blanton, John Flynn, I can name them all — all through the years. Leinart. Colt Brennan. Even back in the day with (1964 Heisman Trophy winner John) Huarte. We have two Heisman winners that have gone here — both quarterbacks. I don’t feel pressure. I just have to live up to it. It’s just further motivation to follow in their footsteps and be a great quarterback.”
Barkley is off to good start. Combining a strict work ethic with a studious approach to the game — not to mention a ton of talent — the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Barkley threw for 3,576 yards and 35 touchdowns this year, completing 63 percent of his passes (214-of-340) against just nine interceptions.
The first junior captain in Mater Dei history (there he goes again with those career firsts), Barkley averaged 325 yards and 3.2 touchdown passes per game in leading the Monarchs (9-2) to the Southern Section Pac-5 Division quarterfinals, where they fell to Serra League top seed Crespi Carmelite (Encino, Calif.).
“I always wanted to be a quarterback,” said Barkley. “Going out early and working hard, I think that’s what got me here. I don’t think I necessarily knew that I was special in a sense. I just always knew that I was going to outwork everyone to get to a certain point sometime in my life. Gradually putting that work in is paying off now.”
Barkley surpassed the 300-yard threshold seven times and exceeded 400 yards twice in his 11 starts. His season-best performance was a 438-yard, five-touchdown masterpiece against Utah power American Fork (Utah) on Sept. 14, but the defining start of his season came three weeks later in a 38-13 win over Servite (Anaheim, Calif.). In front of 22,000 fans in Anaheim, Barkley threw for 348 yards and three scores on 16-of-24 passing. His final scoring pass went for 97 yards after he barely got the ball away while being dragged down in his own end zone.
“He’s a great player,” said Matt Logan, coach at Mater Dei rival Centennial (Corona, Calif.). “He’s very accurate, makes good decisions and great throws. He’ll probably be a Heisman Trophy candidate and probably an NFL guy down the line. I guess Matt Leinart is the benchmark, and he’s definitely following in those footsteps.”
Barkley is the fourth California player to win Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honors, joining 1988-89 winner Chris Lewis of Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 2001-02 winner Lorenzo Booker of St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.) and 2002-03 winner Kyle Wright of Monte Vista (Danville, Calif.).
“After his freshman season, I took him out to Athletes Performance and had him throw to guys like (Jacksonville Jaguars running back) Maurice Jones-Drew, (Tennessee Titans running back) LenDale White and (St. Louis Rams tight end) Dominique Byrd when they were just out of college,” said Bill Cunerty, co-author of The Complete Quarterback and a consultant for Arizona-based Athletes Performance. “Each of them came off the field and asked me, ‘Coach, what college team does this guy play for?’
“This kid started his first high school game at Mater Dei at 14,” Cunerty added. “For Bruce Rollinson to go away from the I-formation to the spread, that’s a miracle in itself, and he only did that because of Barkley.”
Forever deflecting credit — redirecting it to family, coaches and teammates — Barkley affectionately calls his receivers “The Air Force.” The Mater Dei signal-caller spread the wealth on the field all fall, as three of his receivers finished the season with more than 40 catches.
But it’s off the field where Barkley literally spreads the wealth. Spearheading his team’s Monarchs for Marines initiative, Barkley has helped raise more than $100,000 for a charity benefiting the families of wounded and fallen Marines. A 1st Marine Division patch is stitched on Mater Dei football jerseys as a constant reminder of this effort.
The nation’s top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2009, Barkley has his choice of top college programs, including the heavyweights of the Pac-10, Big Ten and SEC. “After Christmas, I think I’m going to sort things out,” said Barkley, still emanating his cool, gunslinger demeanor. “I’m just kind of relaxing right now.”
Before he begins a college career and follows in the cleat marks of the great Mater Dei quarterbacks who’ve come before him, Barkley has one more first he’d like to add to his increasingly impressive resume.
“I want to win a championship to tell you the truth,” said Barkley. “That’s the one thing that’s been missing. I’ve been in the semis, the quarters and even out in the first round last year, but I think that’s the one thing that’s missing — to get that one CIF Championship.”
In making that quest, he’ll also take aim at consecutive Gatorade National Football Player of the Year awards. That would be another first. For Matt Barkley, that’s all the motivation he needs.
This kid is amazing. He is only a junior and is impressing some very good NFL players. He has a great pedigree with two heisman winners in his school history both in the qb position. He not only is a great player as the article says but again another good guy on the field and off the field raising money for wounded marines, that’s so awesome. He knows better than to mess up like Patrick did and will make the best of his career as a high school qb. Another note i was thinking about as i was reading this article…what’s up with all the names of the high schools? Why are they all so weird? Mater Dei? Poly? Just some weird names. But that’s cool i guess whatever floats your boat. I’m excited to see the future of this young man and what he’ll bring to his team next year(a state championship?) and in college as well as the pros. He has what it takes i think to have a great career. His coach obviously knows how to produce heisman canidates. So it’s all up to this young man to make Matt Barkley become a household name at what will more than likely be USC. That’s just a prediction from your very own Adam Cokonougher. You can judge me later or now if you want just let me know where you think he’ll go. Feed Back is always incouraged and will always be greatly appreciated whether it be good or bad just holla at me yo! LOL.
I give all credit to Ben Rohrbach, from SI.com on the article.
How about Brian Westbrook? And More…
Well i would love to copy the page and put it on here but it is copyrighted so i’d better not so i’ll send you a link.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/12/17/bc.fbn.notdwestbrook.ap/index.html
There it is if you wish to read the article you may but i’ll mostly summarize it for you.
Brian Westbrook the running back for the Philadelphia Eagles made an executive decision on Sunday. He chose not to score a touchdown when he very easily could have. He took a knee on the one yard line to secure a win over dallas. But it wasn’t just him who thought of this on his own. Jon Runyan, his right tackle told him before the play that if he were to get to the one yard line to just take a knee. It may have been the best decision westbrook ever made. The Eagles were able to run out the clock and win because of his selflessness. And his right tackle’s intelligence. Runyan was thinking of Bo Schembechler’s famous quote…
“They were going to let us score to get the ball back, so I suggested this because then they won’t get it back.”
As much as an Ohio State fan as I am i can appreciate that fact…it was a good quote and may have helped the eagles win over 12-1 dallas.
Romo didn’t perform to his usual potential but that may have been a result of his girlfriend Jessica Simpson being at the game. One sports caster suggested that she won’t be allowed to attend any more dallas games. I know the effect of Fantasy owners this week. Tom Brady received 1 measly point in my league as did tony romo. TO didn’t perform either because of romo’s sad sad week. The league’s first week of playoff’s has been turned on it’s head. For those of you who were screaming at your tv because westbrook didn’t score that last touchdown I feel for you. It’s a heart breaker. But All fantasy owners must know that NOT ALL players a just concerned about their stats and i love seeing some one who isn’t such as westbrook or favre. Favre has insisted that even though he broke the last of the qb records he didn’t hold, he is most proud of the fact that he has started 250 consecutive games. These people are the heros of today and Children should be looking up to them and not the Chad Johnson’s and TO’s let alone the Ricky Williams and Michael Vick. Well i know that i seemed to peter off there at the end into another subject but i felt like it all tied into this subject.
Let me hear you about what you think. More of this less of that let me know you readers are why i write. With out you i’m just another idiot with a computer and too much free time. Thanks for reading.
I give credit to SI.com for the inspiration to write this article.
Patrick Johnson #7 Recruit in the nation…and his story.
Blanche Ely cornerback Patrick Johnson has proven capable of turning his life around. Ren Dittfield/RISE |
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Patrick Johnson couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Fresh off a stellar JV campaign as a freshman, Johnson appeared poised to star on the Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) varsity team as a sophomore. That is, until his parents sat him down one day during the summer of 2005 and told him he wouldn’t be playing football that year.
His parents didn’t like how he was performing in the classroom, so they decided he needed a wakeup call. And since Johnson hadn’t missed a game since he was 7, making him sit out the year was the perfect alarm clock.
Johnson was so heartbroken that he didn’t go to any of the team’s games during the regular season. But once the playoffs came around, his father, Patrick Peterson, decided to drive the point home even further by making him go to Ely’s final two postseason games.
“It hurt him bad,” says Peterson, the JV head coach and varsity defensive backs coach at Ely. “Everyone kept asking him why he wasn’t playing and he hated answering them. So I said, ‘When someone asks you a question, you answer them,’ and he had to tell them. He just had to know that this is what happens when you screw up.”
While watching those playoff games, Johnson felt he could have made a difference for the Tigers, who were edged by St. Thomas Aquinas, 21-19, in the Class 5A regional finals. Believing he let his parents and teammates down, Johnson realized it was time for a change.
“That was a huge turning point because it made me more responsible and a better person,” Johnson says.
Now a senior, Johnson has made good on his promise to become an “A” student. And on the gridiron, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound cornerback is rated the state’s No. 1 recruit and the nation’s No. 7 player in the Class of 2008 by RISE. He has committed to Miami but is keeping his options open.
After getting his grades in check, Johnson finally got his opportunity to shine on varsity last year. “I definitely wanted to make a big statement,” says Johnson, who plans on graduating early and enrolling in college in January. “I just came out and acted hungry.”
Opposing aerial attacks were first up on the menu. Johnson finished last season with 54 tackles and seven interceptions (he had three interception returns for touchdowns called back by penalties) to earn Class 5A All-State second team honors from the Florida Sports Writers Association. Johnson, who also plays wide receiver, quarterback and special teams for Ely, added three kickoff returns for scores, two rushing touchdowns and two touchdown catches.
Simply put, Johnson delivered the breakout year he’d been looking for. But make no mistake, he wasn’t going to get caught up in the limelight — not with his parents making sure their message had gotten through. So after the season was over, Johnson attacked the classroom with the same ferocity he uses while checking receivers.
And since he wears the same No. 7 his dad donned while playing for Ely from 1987-89, Johnson wanted to continue to make his parents proud on the field as well. That meant turning up the intensity even more during offseason workouts.
Johnson honed his skills this past summer by training with his cousin, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden, as well as Green Bay Packers star corner and former Ely standout Al Harris. As if that wasn’t enough, Johnson traveled from football camp to football camp to see how he stacked up against the nation’s best receivers. The results were the same as always. “I just did my thing and shut them down,” says Johnson. “It wasn’t too different.”
Johnson’s ability to completely take away his side of the field is predicated on a vast array of skills that resemble NFL All-Pro Champ Bailey. With 4.37 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 43-inch vertical, Johnson has the wheels and athleticism to stick with fast wideouts. But what truly sets him apart is the strength and technique to overpower receivers at the line and disrupt their routes.
That talent has people like Ely first-year head coach James Jones thinking Johnson will be joining Bailey on Sundays one day. Jones starred at Florida, was a first-round pick in the 1983 NFL Draft and played 10 years in the league, so he knows pro potential when he sees it.
“You only get these guys once every 10 to 15 years,” says Jones, who played at Ely. “He’s a very special individual who can play any position he wants. With that speed, he’s very dangerous with the ball in his hands. He has very advanced technique for a high school kid. If you could jump to the NFL right now, he could be one of those guys.
“I’ve told these guys on the team that they should watch him because he’s obviously doing something right,” adds Jones. “No sense in reinventing the wheel when the wheel is running pretty good.”
Johnson’s high school teammates aren’t the only ones trying to glean whatever knowledge they can from the star recruit. Johnson often speaks to area youth league teams, including the Pompano Chiefs, the squad his eighth-grade brother, Avery, plays for.
While the youngsters do learn what it takes to become a top recruit, Johnson spends most of his time telling the kids how to act off the gridiron.
“I’m very proud of him,” his father says. “He tells them that you can be the best player in the world, but without an education, it’s nothing.”
Johnson learned that the hard way his sophomore year. Now he’s making sure it doesn’t happen again.
WOW! This story blew me away. It’s nice to see some parents actually caring about an athlete’s performance off the field as well. It makes me happy to be able to present good news rather than stupid or bad news. Most news on tv is bad and it’s nice to have positive role models in this cold world for our children of the future to look up to. Patrick Johnson will probably make it to the NFL with all his credentials and going to The U! Many many many very good defensive players have come out of the U! Ray Lewis, Sean Taylor…R.I.P. 
, and Ed Reed. Just to name a few not to mention the most explosive player in the NFL right now…Devin Hester. This Kid has a great opportunity to spread his lessons across the nation and even the world if given a chance. With Champ Bailey like skills and speed this kid is very special. I hope he continues to be a leader on and off the field for many years to come. Good luck to you Patrick Johnson in all you endeavors!
I give all credit to John Mahoney at SI.com for the article.
Michigan’s New Coach. Gerry Ahern
Well I’m an Ohio State Fan so you’ll hear a lot about them here. You’ll also hear about the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Green Bay Packers as well. But along with all that just interesting tid bits about other stuff.
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Blue chipper? |
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| By Gerry Ahern, Yahoo! Sports December 17, 2007
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It wasn’t long into Rich Rodriguez’s introductory news conference Monday as the new football coach at Michigan when he made one point abundantly clear. He wasn’t here to discuss bygone days in West Virginia or the circumstances behind his unexpected and sudden departure from the Mountaineers. “I don’t think there’s any need to do that,” Rodriguez, a native of Grant Town, W.Va. and former WVU player drawled before spinning into an anecdote. “There’s an old movie called The Lion King,” he continued. “There’s a scene in the movie where a monkey hits the lion over the head and the lion says, ‘what did you do that for’ and the monkey says, ‘it doesn’t matter it’s in the past.’
“Doesn’t matter it’s in the past.” Given what lies ahead for the 44-year-old coach, who Michigan wanted so badly they agreed to pick up a $4 million buyout, how could you blame him for going ape? He was just handed the keys to the winningest program in college football history. And, as Rivals.com reported Sunday, he’s got a bead on bringing the top recruit in the nation – dual threat quarterback Terrelle Pryor – to the Big House to run his souped-up spread option offense and drive other coaches in the Big Ten and around the nation absolutely bananas. Perhaps no one more than Ohio State’s Jim Tressel. Pryor is now reportedly considering the Buckeyes, Wolverines and Florida Gators as his college destination. The winner gets the 6-foot-6, 235-pound burner from Jeannette, Pa. and potentially a whole lot more. Pryor has built relationships with several of Ohio State’s current commitments and could, in theory, change some of their paths from Columbus to Ann Arbor. Somewhere Bo and Woody are about to start throwing blows. Michigan would provide Pryor with all the ingredients he seeks to show his wares – a huge stadium filled with rabid fans and colossal national TV exposure in an offense that suits him to a “T.” With Rodriguez, the consummate tactician, pushing the buttons. “Rich was born to be a football coach,” said John Beilein, Michigan’s basketball coach who also previously worked with Rodriguez at West Virginia. “He’s a coach and he’s a leader.” And apparently a pretty good recruiter. If he can get Pryor, and the quarterback can persuade others to follow, Michigan could go from having a decent recruiting class (currently ranked 14th by Rivals.com) to the top 10 in the nation and the best in the Big Ten, a distinction that rests with Ohio State right now. Rodriguez knows to make the spread go, he needs a player with Pryor’s unique skill set and speed (4.4 in the 40-yard dash). Perhaps that’s why the coach wasted no time in announcing Monday that WVU offensive coordinator Calvin Magee and secondary coach/recruiting coordinator Tony Gibson will be joining him at Michigan. These are the same guys who had impressed Pryor enough that he was previously considering going to Morgantown. Meanwhile, Michigan returns quarterback Ryan Mallett, a pro-style passer who doesn’t have the mobility to thrive in the spread option. Certainly the offense could be modified to work with Mallett, but not nearly with the effectiveness it would with Pryor. And oh, what an efficient offense it has proven to be for Rodriguez in stops at Glenville State, Tulane with Shaun King, Clemson with Woody Dantzler and West Virginia with Pat White. White and Co. piled up nearly 39 points per game this season in winning the Big East and earning a trip to the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. A stumble against Pitt in their finale cost the Mountaineers a shot at the national championship. So while Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and fans breathed a sigh of relief in landing Rodriguez after failed attempts to lure LSU coach Les Miles and Rutgers’ Greg Schiano, the real jackpot could come Feb. 6 on National Signing Day. Pryor’s signature on a letter of intent and the potential residual effect could ensure that the future at Michigan is all Rodriguez wants to talk about. He got a head start on Monday. “My son Rhett is 9 years old he will be the most highly recruited quarterback in the class of 2017,” Rodriguez joked as he has introduced his family, including wife Rita and daughter Raquel. “Rhett has already committed to the University of Michigan.” First, he needs a Pryor commitment. |
LOL! OMG. This guys i so stupid! Why leave a team that he has lead to victory and leave a system he’s help build? He’s going to Michigan to try to start over building his team the way he wanted it when it was the way he wanted it in WV. Not to mention his cute comments on The Lion King…priceless. This guy is banking his whole career on Pryor…a freshman coming in next year. He thinks that he’ll get him but with competition with Ohio State and Florida? Florida has a great running system already with tim teebow and would have an even more threatening offense with pryor…and Pryor is friends with some commits from Ohio State. Sounds like there is plenty of competition with Pryor. So to gamble this whole thing is stupid. Stick with your system qb that you have in michigan or just stay where you need to be in WV playing for a National Championship because you play a rather easy schedule! So don’t move on just to move on…you have a good thing going don’t change it just grow on it. He grew up in WV and went to school there as well his family lives there and everything WHY MOVE?
That’s all i have about that. If you wish to tell me I’m stupid then please do so or if you agree then do that as well just let me know what you think overall.
I give all credit to Gerry Ahern on yahoo sports for the article.
My Introduction!
My name is Adam Cokonougher. I am 17 and I am very opinionated. Don’t hold my age against me I know a lot about sports and video games. You may read my blogs and want me to write more about a different topic and want my views on differnt things. Then let me know what you want to hear about and i’ll make sure to include it in my daily rants. SO just let me know…I’m here for you guys and i want to asist and facilitate your needs as readers!
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