I can agree with that. But I think when you have someone of that caliber they can make everyone around them step up their game in any sport. The Texans would be a better team with a superstar like LT, but could he carry them to the playoffs by himself? I don't think so. I learned it from you. Kobe is confident in his ability, not really cocky, he doesn't go around talking mess. Muhamad Ali was cocky, Kobe is confident. The deal with Shaq could have been more of a personality clash than anything and we don't all know the whole story. Kobe wants to be the man and there is nothing wrong with that, I doubt Jordan could have played with Shaq and would have been happy being the second option. The Lakers kept him and Phil Jackson came back so it couldn't have been that bad. Plus, I think Kobe has grown up, hes never in the news getting in trouble like Iverson or any of those guys, hes never seen out at the clubs partying, he doesn't wear ghetto/ganster clothing. He had 1 incident were a money hungry skank threw herself at him and in a moment of weakness he took her up on her offer and now he's the worst guy in the world? Not in my book.
They are all similar players. Bush might be slightly taller than Rocket and Desmond, but they're almost identical players. Bush will be a decent WR/KR, but don't expect a guy that can carry the ball 20-25 times a game.
No. I don't get the idea. Kijana Carter was hit with a serious knee injury in the Pre-Season. He was not successful because of an injury so you can't use this analogy. I'm making my claims assuming that Bush doesn't have a serious injury.
Warrick Dunn is smaller than all of them and he carrys the ball 20-25 times per game and does it well.
You're also making your claims assuming that Bush will be the greatest RB to ever enter the NFL. The only fact that I have is that RB's (for whatever reason) have shorter carrers than lineman. That is why I don't want the Texans using the #1 pick on him. Additionally, you can get game-breaking RB's all over the place... hell, a new one emerges every year (see Willie Parker). Unfortuantely, you CANNOT get game-changing offensive tackles anytime you want. You can get good ones, yes... but not the types that you can write in the lineup everyday for the next 10+ years.
I expect a little better than Warrick Dunn quality out of the 1st overall pick. Dunn can't run between the tackles either, which is why ATL had to draft TJ Duckett a couple of seasons ago.
You can try to dance around it all you like, but the fact remains that the three players you mentioned wern't running backs.
Coming out of college, Yes. He is top 5 in the history of NFL in terms of potential and hype coming out of college. The only argument that you guys could use against me here is Herschel Walker. 2 Offensive linemen have been selected 1st overall in the History of the NFL draft (1968, tackle Ron Yary by Minnesota; 1997, tackle Orlando Pace by St. Louis.). 22 RB's have been selected #1 overall. In general, it seems most experts on football who run NFL teams don't use their #1 overall pick on O-linemen. Willie Parker did his damage in the beginning when defenses knew nothing about him and gameplanned for the passing game. He isn't doing much now, I realize he is injured. I'd put him in the DD class of running backs. Average. Defenses plan their entire scheme around LT and he still tears them up and that in turn opens up the passing game and makes an average qb like Drew Brees look like a pro bowler. If we had Bush, I feel like Carr would be in the Drew Brees category.
No, but it buries the argument that Reggie Bush is too small to carry the load of an NFL running back.
Okay... then stop comparing Bush to guys like Dunn and Barber. Lets try comparing him to the all-time great RB's who were actually taken with the #1 pick... OJ Simpson, Earl Cambell, Billy Simms, Bo Jackson, Kijana Carter. Or, lets compare him to the top RB's in today's game... Edgerrin James, LT, Preist (pre-injury), Shaun Alexander. All of the guys mentioned above were, or have been, even more impressive (on either the college or pro level) as Bush has been thus far on the college level.... IOW, Bush isn't going to change the league... he isn't going to be breaking any all-time rushing marks... and he isn't the revolutionary player a lot of you are hoping for. He's going to be a solid back... but jumping to the conclusion that this guy is destined for greatness would be the same mistake that has cost countless scouts/GM's their jobs/careers. You just can't make those assumptions for a guy going to the NFL... not with the multitude of injuries, the beating that even the biggest of backs take, and the little known fact that if teams can't pass-protect (which we can't)... you're not going to see much running any time soon.
No it is their most pressing need and has been for the last four years! We do agree that they have a need at every position, but not at RB. If you're going to upgrade talent, start with the line because that is where the Texans are lacking the most. The Duncan/Jordan/basketball analogy doesn't apply in this situation because in basketball, one player can make a difference. The Texans have a Pro-Bowl WR in Andre Johnson, but as good as he is he can't make a difference on this team because his QB doesn't have enough time to throw the ball, and why because his OL sucks. Every position in football is interdependent on each other. If the line holds, the RB picks up the blitz and the QB throws the ball to the WR and the WR drops it, then that is a breakdown. Unfortunately most of the time it doesn't get that far. And speaking of salary cap killing, wouldn't taking Reggie Bush and paying him top pick money and now paying DD 3-4 million a year now hurt your cap? I can understand the reasoning behind taking Bush, because the Texans need help everywhere, however at this point taking a RB (as talented as he is) is not the best place to start that upgrade because he has a sorry OL to block for him. The OL is the backbone/foundation of the offense that is where you start, and this draft has an OL that could start the difference on the line and there will be plenty that will drop to the second round that the Texans could pick as well and revamp the line, because you could have the best RB ever, but if he has a ****ty line then it won't work. And if you use Barry Sanders as an example, Reggie Bush is no Barry Sanders, and how many times have you heard people ask, "What would Barry have done if he would've had a better OL line?", and how many winning teams was Barry on?
Everybody here is just going around and around in circles.... the only new addition to this thread since the first page is the idiotic reasoning on why the NBA draft is a good analogy to the NFL draft.... other than that, those who like Bush will continue to defend him blindly... and those that think that the organization as a whole would be better served by looking elsewhere and addressing the O-line will continue to defend that. Once again, the flawed Poll is still saying that more people think trading down/addressing the O-line is more important than selecting Bush. I'd like to see a new Poll with only TWO options, saying "Draft Bush, or Don't draft Bush... do something else", and you'll get your true answer on what the fans of this BBS think should happen.
Here is hoping the Texans start winning a few games this season and end up with a lower pick than my Titans! What a terrible year when your team is already out of contention with so many games left to play... Is it April 06 already... Carry on...
but the lesson is the same – drafting for need over obvious talent can get you into a world of trouble. it’s true in basketball, football, baseball, professional tetherball…. and when you mix in a salary cap, the trouble quotient multiplies. those are odd (did i mean convenient?) comparisons, considering none were full-time running backs in college - ismail and howard were, in fact, WRs; metcalf a flanker. otherwise, excellent point. and let me go ahead and cut you off at the pass with what I have to assume will be your next specious line of reasoning: there’s no bust corollary between bush and ryan leaf because they both played for pac-10 schools. sorry. it’s interesting, the way you choose to frame this – compare bush to three certifiable busts who don’t even play the same position; use perennial all pros and hall of fame candidates to tout ferguson. yes, the brick is a potential franchise LT; so, too, is bush (with LT = ladanian). but since neither one of us really knows which way their careers will go, let’s dispense with meaningless comparisons. otherwise, i’ll be forced to compare ferguson to mike williams, the #4 overall pick in 2002 who just lost his starting tackle job to an undrafted free agent. bottom line: every pick is a risk. as for the eli manning deal, SD swapped #1’s in ’04 and picked up a 1 and a 3 in ’05. if you can move down and still pick up the top guy on your board… i’m all for that. i’m reluctant, though, to pass on the best player to take a gamble on next year’s draft, which could be awash with far less talent. or about this: moving down to 4 and then watching someone jump up to 3 to snag ferguson – how would that sit with you? well, when you start trading around, all you guarantee is that nothing guaranteed.
