Auturo Free article

Veteran safety 'leads by example'


Arturo Freeman By Matt Tevsh
Date: Jun 7, 2005

With the Packers

That's exactly what i wanted to hear from and about this guy.

Check out today's Milwaukee Sentinel article on Safeties as well. All is going well.

This is something I like to hear a locker-room can never have too many leaders, I just hope his experience in this defence pays off.

Later
Leopardmech

I just hope they can find 2 safties that can tackle. Last year Roman had 72 tackles, and 18 missed tackles. That's a missed tackle for every 4 he made. That's terrible.

These guyskept trying to tackle guys that were bigger than them up high and the bigger guy would just brush them off. I really hope Bates spends some time teaching the guys to tackle low. Wrap Grady Jacksons ankles up and even he will fall.

Later
Leopardmech

Arturo Freeman sounds good, just hope his play matches the quotes he puts in the media. Yes, that is a direct shot at Darren "Nobody is Mouthier" Sharper!

OK, on one level, Freeman (a scary name in Packer history, by the way) seems to sound good. But lets look at this from another angle. Right now, it seems like Freeman is expecting to earn the FS spot. So far, so good. What if he doesn't- and remains on the team as a backup? If you've ever been in a situation where someone else gets a position you thought belonged to you- you know what I mean. It can cause problems in the locker room and on the field. It can lead to splits in the defense (in this case). My point: I'm glad Freeman feels he could be a leader on the defense (my goodness, the Packers defense has needed a leader since Butler left!). However, I don't want Freeman to get the job just because he worked with Bates before. I want the best players available on the field, not "legacies" from another team.
There are two ways to read this article:
1. Freeman believes he has earned a spot on the Packers because he has worked in Bates' system in Miami, and can therefore be a leader on the defense.
2. Freeman believes has earned a spot on the Packers because he has worked in Bates' system in Miami, and can therefore he can tell the other Packer players what to do. In effect, he has supplanted Bates as a coach, and has made himself the arbiter of right and wrong.
Admittedly, this may seem extreme, but think of your reaction to "new kids on the block" in your workplace. The last thing you wanted was a "know-it-all". Is this any different in pro-football?
Personally, I hope Freeman works excellently in the system, that Roman returns to the form (I believe) he showed early in the season, where he tackled well and covered decently, then deteriorated as the season progressed; that Carroll stops grabbing receivers, and that Harris isn't forced to be on an island with the opponent's best receivers every play, every game.

Nice post, ricky! You're right on with it and I agree 100%.

There is room on this defense for a new leader and Freeman may be it; however, I'm looking to Nick Barnett to step up and be THE MAN in the NFC at linebacker this year, fer sure. :bang:

Ted Thompson has said :No player will be given a position, they will have earn it. Same goes for Aurto Freeman.

What worries me is this:


YEAR G GS TOT SOLO INT
2000 8 0 0 0 0
2001 16 4 32 26 1
2002 16 16 72 62 0
2003 16 0 22 19 0
2004 16 9 28 20 4

2b. Freeman believes he has earned a spot on the Packers because there are no viable alternatives.

Freeman may not have much competition to start training camp. But by the middle of season, one of the rooks may be ready step up. At least we have some hope(possibilities) this year unlike last year. One wonders what Marques Anderson may have become with good coaching. Anyone know how he did with the Raiders?

I don't think in any way Freeman thinks he's supplanted Bates. I think he knows that he benefits from being in the system but that he is hungry and in his prime. It's very interesting he started all 2002 and then again as soon as Bates took over. Wanny sucks. He got 4 picks last year. We need turnovers.