Monday, April 26, 2010

It's Called Scouting, Not Wishing


“Tebow's intangibles are off the charts.”
-Yahoo Sports' “Shutdown Corner” post-draft analysis

Someday, I'd love to see how you “chart” intangibles.

Does “heroic tendencies” go on the X axis? Is “dedicated humility” on the Y axis?

Okay, so that was a stupid sportswriter cliché, right? Well, I could swear I've heard somebody else say that about Timmy Rah Rah (Nickname hat tip: Colin Cowherd). Somebody who is a supposedly “smart” NFL talent evaluator, or former coach.

All they can rave about with Tebow, is the “intangibles.”

Or in other words, things that really won't help him play his position in the pros.

The following things are known – repeat KNOWN – issues with Tebow as a pro quarterback.

He locks onto single receivers.
Feels pressure poorly.
Looks to run too quickly.
Bad delivery motion.
Holds the ball too low.
Average arm.
Played in a system not suited to the pros.
Big, but not elusive.

These are the kind of things you pay actual money to “scouts” to tell you about prospects. And every college player is just a prospect. A maybe. A guy who you better make full due diligence on if you decide to draft him.

Especially in the first round.

Yet, here's the narrative on Tebow to the Broncos: Josh McDaniels fell in love with him.

Fell... in.... love.

For chrissakes. Why even have scouts if that's how you are going to acquire talent?

A young punk coach, with no background whatsoever in talent evaluation... “fell in love.”

Maybe true love will prevail. Maybe they'll fix all of Timmy's faults and he'll be super motivationally awesome in the NFL.

But that is no way to spend 1st round picks. If you or I had pulled a move like this in fantasy football, we'd be the ridiculed butt of everybody's jokes. But I suppose if it's McDaniels, you call it “aggressive” or a “hunch.”

Now, where's my graph paper. I need to go back and re-chart some intangibles.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for your insightful blog, Cathleen. And yes, I think I will try the mu shu pork.

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  2. Good points Czabe. I personally hope it works out for Tebow. He seems like a great kid and I can't help but cheer for him now that he is out of college and not a threat to LSU anymore. As a BIG New Orleans Saints fan, I remember the day Ditka "fell in love" with Ricky Williams and told us he was the final piece of the puzzle. And we all know how that worked out for us. At least Denver didn't trade all their picks for him.

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  3. Good Grief Czabe, give it a rest! What did Tebow do to you? Either you have a crazy freakin man-crush on this guy or he slept with an old girlfriend. Please do yourself and everyone else a favor an move on. For a guy who doesnt play for your Redskins or the NFC East, I think we can do without your catty lectures on how bad he'll be. Jeez, you went on yesterday giving your bust of a QB a 3-page list of how he "might" turn out..yeah!..I'm sure he'll do great in Raiderland. Now let do the same happen with Tebow... sit back and watch.

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  4. Hate to say it, but the Tebow haters have made want to bet the other way.

    I was waiting for a pro-wrestling style heel turn when he was drafted by the Raiders...maybe with a goatee and a mullet

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  5. I remember Jamarcus Russell being a "can't miss" prospect, the best QB in his class, and the concensus #1 or #2 guy. He had all the "tangibles". Same with Ryan Leaf, etc., etc. The Broncos got him at a reasonable price to find out if he can be the guy. If they're right, they win. If not, the result is not nearly as crushing as the aforementioned mistakes. Either way, they deserve at least a small benefit of doubt. McDaniels has evaluated and developed a lot more QBs than I have, and I suspect that holds true for you and Colin Cowherd.

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  6. Czabe, you seem to have an unnatural hate for this person. He went too high, there is no doubt. Folks like you jammed him down our throat during his time at Florida, not him. There is not probably a person on the planet that would not want this kid for a child of their own. He probably will not make it in the NFL but he is not the one that caused himself to be picked too high and he is not the one playing to the media. There media has chased him for years. So as vindictive a column as this is against him it just shows me you have a grudge against clean cut guys who value family and religion over anything else. If he actually suceeds, probably unlike most of the scumbags in the NFL, he would probably sponser schools in third world countries etc. So lets all hope like you he fails, because we all know we would rather have nfl talent make it rain in a strip club instead of feed the hungry or educate folks that otherwise would not have a chance. Class article czabe, you really went out on a limb with this one.

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  7. I hope he makes it. Doubt it. The Broncos also took Maruice Clarett who is now doing 3+ years in the pen. I hope TT doesn't have that type of luck. Go for the Goose.

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