"[Bengals HC Marvin] Lewis is not happy with Andre Smith, the second-year tackle from Alabama. He doesn't think Alabama shot him straight with its pre-draft info (the kid's work ethic leaves a lot to be desired) and Smith was not diligent enough in the offseason rehabbing a foot injury."
via SI's Peter King
Funny. I was under the impression that the priority for Alabama coaching staff was working to help its student athletes get gainful employment after they leave school. It's not like Andre's negatives weren't pretty well known at the time. If you've got buyer's remorse don't blame the folks who found a way to get him work up to his potential.
almost 2 years ago
kleph
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I'm surprised more players don't stop caring once they get 20-30 million in guaranteed money.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
and don't have coach cochran screaming at them...
from 6:00 a.m. till 10 p.m. every damned day.
Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.
Agreed
And with head injury concerns in the sport these days, surprised they don’t just retire.
Ohio State has the worst fans in the Big Ten. Bar none. And it’s not even close. Humorless in defeat. Condescending in victory. Generally insecure all the time. I’ve partied and had fun with fans of every team in this league, save Ohio State.
for the top end of the draft this is a plausible argument...
the paydays are so huge now that law of diminishing returns is brutal in wreaking it’s havoc. but for pretty much anyone from the middle of round two down, the incentive of producing is immense. while they might be besting league minimum, most know that if they are productive they can parlay that into a bigger payday when they become free agents at the end of their rookie contract.
Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.
That's pretty weak...
…to blame Andre’s work ethic on Alabama’s staff. Its not their problem that the Bengals staff can’t motivate their own players, and considering NO ONE in Cincinnati seems terribly motivated to play winning football maybe Lewis ought to take a look in the mirror before blaming his player’s college coaches for their lack of work ethic.
Roll Bama Roll - The Champagne of Bama Blogs.
Look at all the discipline problems they've had in the past
Marv Lewis always blames someone else. They don’t take responsibility for drafting questionable work ethic and make no strides to change that.
Or you could look at it this way. There may not be a college coaching staff anywhere that could prepare someone to play in Cincinnati. I mean, what do they have, Skyline Chili? Is that it?
as kleph and todd said
its entirely bogus to blame Bama for andre’s downturn. If andre seemed to have performed better in college, then either the bengals are poor evaluators of talent, or poor developers of talent, or both.
The beauty of The Process is that you have never arrived, so you get to continue being perpetually awesome... -Espyonage
If they are that worried about their player's being motivated
They should lessen the guaranteed money they receive in their contract and raise the yearly payout, it would give them more incentive to work.
This...
…all day long…
It’s not like Andre’s negatives weren’t pretty well known at the time. If you’ve got buyer’s remorse don’t blame the folks who found a way to get him work up to his potential.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Aug 1, 2010 7:29 AM CDT reply actions
A good carpenter never blames him tools...
And in this case, there are more than a few tools in Cincy. A good leader always blames himself FIRST. Lewis just signed Team Obliterator. He doesn’t seem too concerned with finding good character. Smith has enough talent to mask some of the character issues and can FLOURISH with the right coaching. Therein lies the rub.
by Tider1701 on Aug 1, 2010 7:45 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Bama in the NFL
If there are discipline problems, how do other Bama players get drafted and do well on and off the field? Quite fine actually and their coaches ususally have good things to say about Alabama football players.
This is more about an individual and gauranteed money & the Bengals not being able to properly motivate their players. Maybe Bama coaches are better at getting the best out of any player.
Yeah, they spend an ungodly amount of time looking at the talent and then
when they are not doing well, want to deflect blame from their own coaching skills. Andre probably had a bad attitude going into it. The kids don’t get to choose where they play when they get draft. Who would go to the Bengals as a first choice?
Bama's Pluck and Grit have Writ Her Name in Crimson Flame
Drafts
So anti-capitalist. It’s surprising the pro sports world in America uses them.
RollBamaRoll.com - Also check out my music blog: Hear the World, which is exploring the music of BULGARIA in July 2010.
by Nico2.0 on Aug 1, 2010 8:15 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Not only that,
revenue sharing amongst all the teams? THE NFL IS SOCIALISM AT ITS WORST! ALERT THE TEA PARTY!
www.towerofbammer.com
by Johnny Moronic on Aug 1, 2010 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions
actually, it’s pro-capitalist in a way. NFL teams are franchises. Independently owned, but ultimately part of the same business, i.e. the NFL. And it’s in the interest of the NFL as a whole to have a certain level of parity among the teams. If two teams had won over half of the superbowls like the Lakers and Celtics have won over half of the NBA championships, do you think the NFL would be nearly as successful as it is today?
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
I can't wait to watch Cincy blow up this year
Especially since T.O. is there and Lewis is an idiot.
by Tider1701 on Aug 1, 2010 8:18 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Ha ha Cincinnati sucks.
Bet Tony Kurre talks shit about Andre and Bama tomorrow on the OD. Cincinnati is is home town and team and he’ll take up for them all day long.
I voted for Kleph and all I got was this lousy t-shirt
by BamaReturns07 on Aug 1, 2010 8:49 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Yep, the Bengals only care about getting the best and hardest workers
Those who are only interested in doing what’s best for the team. That’s why they got TO?
"You know, we had a lot of fun tonight. But there's nothing funny about vapor lock! It's the third most common cause of cars stalling. So please, take care of your car and get it checked!" -Joe Namath
Actually
I don’t think anyone has ever knocked TO’s work ethic at any place he has been, now the second part about team players…that x1000
Maybe they are hoping that they reach a critical mass of negativity and it will all explode into a positive…? eh who cares…it’s Cincinnati.
So a five-star player is a lazy turd
Andre isn’t the first and he won’t be the last. Every good college team produces guys who got by in high school and college without working hard. They either learn to work in the NFL or they don’t pan out.
www.totteringworld.com
but that's the thing...
andre did work hard under saban. you either do or you don’t play. just “getting by” ain’t gonna cut it under this regime.
Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.
I don't think Andre had to work as hard though
because he wasn’t pushed. Ross? Pharr? Capps? Andre could go halfass and beat those guys. I don’t think he did, but In 2007 and 2008 we didn’t have anybody to push him for that spot. He’s naturally good enough to run and lift at 75% and it’s going to look good, but only Andre is going to know if he’s holding back. He has been hurt by being away from our staff. I think that’s definitely true because he probably needs guys like Saban and Cochran on his back.
www.totteringworld.com
and i'm almost 100% positive
the coaching staff mentioned this to the bengals when they were looking at him. but the alabama pro day is designed to show off a players positives, not warn pro clubs off of them. if lewis wants college programs to hold his hand while his club is making player evaluations, perhaps he should examine if he’s properly suited for lead a team in the NFL.
Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.
Man, Ronnie Coleman sure has let himself go.....
Nick Saban ain't afraid to drive 700 miles, just to whoop a man's ass...
by mrpelicanpants on Aug 4, 2010 6:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe
because he din’t waste time on proceeding through the proper channels in dealing with agents, perhaps he believed going through the processes in obtaining “pre-draft info” didn’t fit into his agenda. Pre-draft info shouldn’t be required for for super players, no more than dealing with agents in the proper environment and time frame. I still feel that Coach Saban and his staff were/are doing everything they can to have Bama’s players ready for life after Bama, football or otherwise. Please feel free to enlighten me if you feel I may be mistaken.
Have a Crimson Tide Day!
Roll Tide, Saban Tsunami Roll!
I think Andre can still be a very good player
for them. And Lewis should worry about controlling Ochocinco and Owens. Having both those clowns characters on the same team might bite them in the ass royally.
A lot of people think Owens is one of the biggest cancers in the NFL. Some people think the same thing about Ochocinco. He’s already predicted they’ll go to the Super Bowl.
www.totteringworld.com
given the economy...
the tickets are more affordable than ever!
Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.
the island of misfit toys
is upset because it overpaid for a broken slinky? That organization flat-out sucks. Can fall practice hurry up and start, please?
"Yeah, it's Tennessee, that's the way it is sometimes." - Corey Zickefoose, Pulitzer Prize winner and robbery victim
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." - Dean Martin
by Thomas Walker Esq on Aug 1, 2010 2:29 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Even if this is accurate...
shame on the Bengals if they base multi-million dollar decisions on second-hand information.
they have to to some degree.
I’m pretty sure they take into account everything that they can.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
I'm sure they do.
My point was that clearly they saw enough “upside” to draft Smith and offer him the contract. I doubt seriously that the university’s endorsement of his work ethic was the linchpin in their negotiations.
Marvin Lewis on 'shooting straight' is funny
Even secondhand via Peter King.
Ohio State has the worst fans in the Big Ten. Bar none. And it’s not even close. Humorless in defeat. Condescending in victory. Generally insecure all the time. I’ve partied and had fun with fans of every team in this league, save Ohio State.
I got one thing to say bout all this in the wake of the Utah game....
Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?
Nick Saban ain't afraid to drive 700 miles, just to whoop a man's ass...
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