IPBprez
Cheesehead
In all of my postings, I bring a certain rant - I know that - at times, I get an edge which may appear to be (well) as being un-necessary - again, I know that. But, I guess I just can't help myself. For the most part I try to take people with a grain of salt and look for the best in people - I do that each and every day with the Members of the IndyPackerBackers... and it has brought more friends together, in the long run than any other tactic that could have been used....
Having said that ---- Let's take a keener look at Darren Sharper!
As a true fan, I feel I have the right to play Arm-Chair-Coach (ACC) and review the efforts made by this Packer who plays at Free Safety.
One of my first questions was to ask why he never plays Strong Safety, but then, he's not all that big or quick to begin with, so maybe bull-rushing wouldn't be the best thing (right about here, I feel like 'no way' could I ever play out there, but let's move on)
In reviewing what the Free Safety's position demands - we see the generalized explanation comes back as: "watching the QB and the play develop - watch his eyes and follow the ball, then make the defensive play that benefits your Team, by grabbing that oft-needed INT, or knock down, etc. So, the FS is not necessarily supposed to play against a certain Player, rather against a certain play. The focus being to watch the QB's eyes and know where the play will develop...., then make sure to be there to interject yourself between the player (WR, TE, etc) and the ball. [Follow me so far? - I'm sure most of you do]
Several years back, Darren Sharper was having an amazing streak of one good play at FS, after another! I mean, it was like he was a magnet and the football was made out of metal... he was "always" wherever the ball was - one game we had at Soldier Field - they posted him up as the one player not meant to tackle anyone, other than the Chicago QB that is.... He would position himself on either side and (hike), he would find the free space and knock down the QB, or bat the ball down, or create a hurried situaiton, etc... Over & over, all day long this is the way it went down... and the Packers smoked them Bears..bad.. I mean we had an awesome day - and I had one helluva hangover the next day
als:
Now, I'm sure there's a bit more to this playing the position of Free Safety - there has to be - but the definition was derived from Football for Dummies and posted directly on PackersNews.com in a page called "Learning the Game" - I have also copied those pages over to our web site for the Member's benefit with complete credit going to the Creator who started posting those definitions, Larry McCarren.
(I'm rambling, I know)
So, anyway - These last few years, ever since Darren got his big contract - we've not seen this great display of talent at Free Safety - in fact, when he does start to show glimpses of brilliance out there on the field, we see him suddenly sitting down on the bench complaining of some new injury - Hasn't he ever heard of MetRX? You'd think with a contract like that he'd be able to take the best care of himself, ever! Better than he has, at least. If I had his money, I'd get all sorts of things corrected (hush, RYAN)
Question - where has this Sharper Free Safety gone off to?
He was hardly there at "4th & 26" in our one chance to make it to the Big Dance, last year.. that was "his" play to stop - they all crank out about Barnett lettin' one get past him - but I look for the Free Safety to be reading the QB's intentions and cutting him off at the pass.... You guys fully well know exactly what I mean. Where was he? Darren steps up - gets counted, we knock the ball down, the Eagles punt... shazzam! - We smash Carolina and go on to the SuperBowl.... who knows how it could have turned out.
Now then, let's hold on just a bit, I also know of a good side from Darren Sharper, that no one can take away from him. Awhile back, in Houston while the Packers were at Houston, remember? Darren was helping out the Houston Cheddarheads with a Charity gig - helping the Santana Dotson Foundation do something good - and, I'll always admire a guy, or anyone, for stepping up like that... You can never find fault when someone does that kind of good! In fact, I was contacted on how to reach the Houston Club, so that Event could go down as it did, making sure that the Mgmt Personnel could coordinate for Darren before he got there.. And, I was more than glad to help out.
Last year, our Club? We gave away to charity, 169 pre-season tickets to the Colts/Bills game so that the Riley's Hospital & Parkview Hospital kids could go to a football game - that giving to charity ended up totalling around almost $8,000 - so, I know of what Darren was trying to accomplish - cudos to him for that!
Pictures of the Charity Event at Houston
Click on the Photo Ablum and then the middle section...
Let's hear some opposition rhetoric out there, some naysayers about my little tirade here...
Who likes Darren and thinks we should keep him? Personally, if he would be available - I'd draft that safey out of Michigan - he's a bit taller, I think, and waaaay quicker and one more thing that we've not seen in Darren in quite a while... "he's hungry"... as the commercial goes... Darren's FULL!
Speak up, fellas!
Having said that ---- Let's take a keener look at Darren Sharper!
As a true fan, I feel I have the right to play Arm-Chair-Coach (ACC) and review the efforts made by this Packer who plays at Free Safety.
One of my first questions was to ask why he never plays Strong Safety, but then, he's not all that big or quick to begin with, so maybe bull-rushing wouldn't be the best thing (right about here, I feel like 'no way' could I ever play out there, but let's move on)
In reviewing what the Free Safety's position demands - we see the generalized explanation comes back as: "watching the QB and the play develop - watch his eyes and follow the ball, then make the defensive play that benefits your Team, by grabbing that oft-needed INT, or knock down, etc. So, the FS is not necessarily supposed to play against a certain Player, rather against a certain play. The focus being to watch the QB's eyes and know where the play will develop...., then make sure to be there to interject yourself between the player (WR, TE, etc) and the ball. [Follow me so far? - I'm sure most of you do]
Several years back, Darren Sharper was having an amazing streak of one good play at FS, after another! I mean, it was like he was a magnet and the football was made out of metal... he was "always" wherever the ball was - one game we had at Soldier Field - they posted him up as the one player not meant to tackle anyone, other than the Chicago QB that is.... He would position himself on either side and (hike), he would find the free space and knock down the QB, or bat the ball down, or create a hurried situaiton, etc... Over & over, all day long this is the way it went down... and the Packers smoked them Bears..bad.. I mean we had an awesome day - and I had one helluva hangover the next day
als: Now, I'm sure there's a bit more to this playing the position of Free Safety - there has to be - but the definition was derived from Football for Dummies and posted directly on PackersNews.com in a page called "Learning the Game" - I have also copied those pages over to our web site for the Member's benefit with complete credit going to the Creator who started posting those definitions, Larry McCarren.
(I'm rambling, I know)
So, anyway - These last few years, ever since Darren got his big contract - we've not seen this great display of talent at Free Safety - in fact, when he does start to show glimpses of brilliance out there on the field, we see him suddenly sitting down on the bench complaining of some new injury - Hasn't he ever heard of MetRX? You'd think with a contract like that he'd be able to take the best care of himself, ever! Better than he has, at least. If I had his money, I'd get all sorts of things corrected (hush, RYAN)
Question - where has this Sharper Free Safety gone off to?
He was hardly there at "4th & 26" in our one chance to make it to the Big Dance, last year.. that was "his" play to stop - they all crank out about Barnett lettin' one get past him - but I look for the Free Safety to be reading the QB's intentions and cutting him off at the pass.... You guys fully well know exactly what I mean. Where was he? Darren steps up - gets counted, we knock the ball down, the Eagles punt... shazzam! - We smash Carolina and go on to the SuperBowl.... who knows how it could have turned out.
Now then, let's hold on just a bit, I also know of a good side from Darren Sharper, that no one can take away from him. Awhile back, in Houston while the Packers were at Houston, remember? Darren was helping out the Houston Cheddarheads with a Charity gig - helping the Santana Dotson Foundation do something good - and, I'll always admire a guy, or anyone, for stepping up like that... You can never find fault when someone does that kind of good! In fact, I was contacted on how to reach the Houston Club, so that Event could go down as it did, making sure that the Mgmt Personnel could coordinate for Darren before he got there.. And, I was more than glad to help out.
Last year, our Club? We gave away to charity, 169 pre-season tickets to the Colts/Bills game so that the Riley's Hospital & Parkview Hospital kids could go to a football game - that giving to charity ended up totalling around almost $8,000 - so, I know of what Darren was trying to accomplish - cudos to him for that!
Pictures of the Charity Event at Houston
Click on the Photo Ablum and then the middle section...
Let's hear some opposition rhetoric out there, some naysayers about my little tirade here...
Who likes Darren and thinks we should keep him? Personally, if he would be available - I'd draft that safey out of Michigan - he's a bit taller, I think, and waaaay quicker and one more thing that we've not seen in Darren in quite a while... "he's hungry"... as the commercial goes... Darren's FULL!
Speak up, fellas!
