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Daniel Thomas has beefed up, blames injuries for woes.

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by djphinfan, Jun 24, 2012.

  1. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I understand beefing up his burst. But is beefing up going to make him slower?
     
  2. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    Really? That thought didn't enter my mind until you just mentioned it.

    That is a huge leap in conclusions.
     
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  3. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Why is it a huge leap? He apparently was asked about the Dolphins drafting a hot shot tailback and answered it by talking about his injuries in 2011.
     
  4. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    His first answer is, "I can't worry about who they drafted."

    If he said, "If I wasn't injured then they wouldn't have drafted a runningback." I would agree with you. However he was askeda bout a hot shot tailback, stated he didn't have an opinion on that, he has to worry about himself. Then he talked about himself.

    It is like if someone asked me why my dad ate ice cream for dinner. If my answer was, "I can't worry about what my dad ate for dinner. I know I have to eat better. Getting dumped really took a toll on me last year. I let it get into my head, and I didn't make the best eating decisions."

    I am not saying I gained weight because my dad ate ice cream.
     
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  5. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I think that's a really bad metaphor in that it isn't immediately apparent why a question about your dad eating ice cream would make you think about how and why you ended up eating poorly.

    In this case, Daniel Thomas' poor performance in 2011 could absolutely be seen, by himself, by coaches, by teammates, by fans, by media, by everyone, as a reason for the Dolphins to draft a hot shot that they had a 1st round grade on only one year later. It was the first thing Daniel thought of when asked about drafting Miller and the first thing he could think to do about it was to explain what the injury did to him.
     
  6. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    Can't say I disagree with you here. I'd much rather hear the news he slimmed down closer to 220.

    I was excited about DTs future early in his rookie campaign, but my excitement has dropped significantly. I DO think his injury was mishandled and probably kept him from playing the way he would of. However, there were things in his game I disliked for his future. I don't think he will be a bust, but I don't expect him to be a very productive back like I once did. I have no expectations until I see him this year.
     
  7. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I think that's reasonable. But that's a significant downgrade, if you think about it. A 2nd round tailback, that's where you can find guys like Tiki Barber, Corey Dillon, Travis Henry, Clinton Portis, Maurice Jones-Drew, Matt Forte, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy and Ben Tate...if you're drafting Daniel Thomas and you're a fan of the team (which means pretty much by definition an optimist) you've got to have some high hopes for a guy. To go from that to "I don't know what the hell to expect from him, but I don't expect him to be a very productive back"...that's a pretty significant downgrade.
     
  8. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Here's another example though of what I'm talking about. Pretty simple question here, the very first question of the interview. I'm going to quote the question word-for-word and you tell me if it seems like John Congemi is prompting Daniel Thomas to talk about injuries, or if Daniel Thomas is the one looking to talk about injuries in 2011:

    http://www.miamidolphins.com/media/...9e6-4bc0-b6e9-2d63ce4b3f42&channelName=Recent

    Q: "Here with 2nd year running back Daniel Thomas. Daniel, I have to ask you, it's good to see #33 back on the football field. How excited are you, even though they're OTAs, not even really Mini Camp or Training Camp, how excited are you to come out here in your second year?"

    A: "Ah, very excited. I feel healthy, you know, for the first time since like the beginning of last year. I'm just ready to get back on the field and put those pads on, get back to work."

    To me this is a man that clearly wants it out there that his disappointing rookie campaign was due to injuries, but he's healthy now, he's bigger and more powerful, and he's going to do much better. There's nothing WRONG with that, except that in his mind I wonder if he's got the mindset to handle another minor ding or scrape here or there, and still go out there and perform. He still thinks of his 2011 season having been essentially ruined by his hamstring injury, and I think that if he were allowed to pick the brains of veteran tailbacks, they would probably tell him that something is always going to be wrong, don't expect to be playing fully healthy. I just don't think he gets that, yet.
     
  9. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely. Difference is, when we selected him, I was not a fan of the pick. I thought he would be an average back. He changed my mind his first couple games. I decided he was better then I thought, and would be a productive back. Productive meaning a good RB for this team, probably not as productive as some RBs. His production and lack of ability to find the end zone tempered my expectations to my original view of him.
     
  10. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    If we saw the kid flash talent at the NFL level, which we did, and it was impressive, which it was, then a sudden drop off, maybe, what he's saying to us is true, but the good thing about this is, that we did see the flashes, it's not like we didn't see some talent displayed, that would be a different story, so for me, those flashes, those injuries, his admission that he lost confidence, and him telling us he's been training hard and has added some muscle, that adds up to me as wanting to see what he looks like before I write him off as a bust.
     
  11. P h i N s A N i T y

    P h i N s A N i T y My Porpoise in Life

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    This is all good stuff fellas. I got distracted by the hilarious jumping cat, but here's my humble opinion.

    Thomas registered at 230 at the combine, 228 upon training camp. But for some reason he looked a lot thicker upon arrival. Even comparing his combine profile pick to his first in uniform, it looked like the dude put on a good 10-15 easy, just by looking at his face. He especially didn't look the same in pads. So now we hear that he is beefing up to 235. That would scare me if I hadn't seen some picks of him from the recent mini-camp. I thought he looked leaner, slighty leaner. So all I'll take from this is that he is in better condition than he was last year, and at least learned something from the experience.

    I'm cautiously optimistic right now. While his play was underwhelming overall last year, he looked more than sufficient those first few games. There was a glimpse of something to grasp on to. He looked decisive for a rook, and displayed unique vision to go along with that size. Of course after those two games, he was held out again and didn't perform the same afterwords. This year we will be able to make a fair judgement on him, sooner than later.
     
  12. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    that's the thing about this whole 7 lbs stuff, no one knows what his body composition is, or was, or could be, I don't think there is ever a case where adding 7 lbs of muscle is a bad thing..
     
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  13. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I think you're underestimating the simple fact that at the NFL level, rosters are so talented, players generally so good, that every single player on those rosters is capable of "flashing" in the right circumstances. Even guys that aren't on rosters at all can make electric plays happen, and "flash". Take Phil Livas, who can't find work in the NFL. He sure as hell flashed a few times when given the chance. Marlon Moore is a forgotten man. He sure flashed with that one 70 yard touchdown reception of his.

    You just have to be consistent in how you approach and watch all of the tape. The good is not as good as many people think it is and the bad is not as bad as many people think it is. For how awful his stats look against the Jets in Week 17, he had a little swing pass he caught on 3rd & 5, Brodney Poole was on him right away to tackle him for an incomplete attempt to get a 1st down, and Thomas stayed on his feet as Poole went shoulder into his hip, then wriggled free of the ankle grab to convert the 1st down. On the other hand, the VERY next play, Thomas ran through a hole paved by the offensive line so wide a Mack truck could have driven through it. Thomas showed zero elusiveness, laid his head down and plowed into a double-tackle after a 12 yard gain, and turned it into a 13 yard gain with a bare one yard after contact. That's going to go down as a 13 yard gain for Thomas. What a run!

    You have to be consistent in your approach and the things you're looking for and that's how you come to have an informed opinion...an opinion many may not agree with.
     
  14. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Really??
     
  15. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I think Daniel Thomas' problems in 2011 really had nothing to do with the hamstring. I know that's what he wants us to think but I don't see it. The burst was there, the acceleration was there. He was still a physically impressive guy as far as his size/burst combo is concerned. That was there. What wasn't, was the yards after contact.

    Barry Jackson hit the freaking nail on the head when he pointed out that Daniel Thomas had the 5th worst yards after contact stat (1.9) amongst all NFL tailbacks that took a certain percentage of their team's snaps. Nail on the head. You rewind to conversations that were held around here right around when Daniel Thomas was drafted, people were downright belligerant toward any suggestion that Daniel Thomas is not good after contact and not as much a power runner as most thought. Yet that's exactly what happened.

    When you're drafted to be a power back and that power ends up looking poor on an NFL basis...that's a recipe for a disastrous rookie year. If you're a power guy you should play like a power guy. If you're a speed guy you should play like a speed guy. Daniel Thomas was known as a power guy but played like a speed guy and that's why he had a bad rookie year...because he ended up being neither.

    Hopefully, he can actually find what he is. I have my doubts about him ending up a real power guy even if he's gaining weight. But at the same time, I don't know if he's got what it takes to be a speed back like a Lamar Miller. Miller has the patience to go along with his burst. He's not afraid to slow things up so that he sees things develop, then he can hit the afterburners knowing it's there when he needs it. That's the patience Daniel Thomas didn't show in 2011...just full speed ahead because with his upright style and lack of overall speed, if he slowed things up, he was afraid he'd be dead in the water. Thomas will have to show unusual vision and anticipation to make up for that. Thus far, I haven't seen it.
     
  16. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    Why wouldn't it? I grew up with my dad. Studies show that parents eating habits are passed on to their children
     
  17. Mcduffie81

    Mcduffie81 Wildcat Club Member

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    So you have the credentials to question a young professional athelete on his beliefs as to why he thinks he will have a better season this year.....correct?
     
  18. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Do you have the credentials to ask me that question on a message board?
     
  19. Mcduffie81

    Mcduffie81 Wildcat Club Member

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    Sure it's a message board and you can post any nonsense you feel. I just happen to think its silly for one who watches video for a hobby to question a young professional athelete.
     
  20. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Much like Jake Long. While he has produced previously and he has much higher expectations, I don't think it's out of the ordinary for players to talk about getting healthy. Long has made it a point to say that he feels much healthier this year and said that his lesser play was due to injury. We can pretty much assume that he's right. With Thomas, we can't assume that he's right, but it's a possibility. A lot has been said about Dwyane Wade's knee injury as well. Rather than blame a decline, it's about the injury. We honestly have to wait until next season to see if it's true, but we shouldn't pretend like injuries aren't the usual deflection when it comes to play below expectations.
     
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  21. Bofin

    Bofin Member

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    greatest ever, still laughing
     
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