Sporting News says "Mario's a 'Hit'"

[Tedc]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

Okay, we get it, the media is now backing off of what they said in 2006. In all seriousness though, what'd you expect from them?

can we please stop with the mario "i told u so" threads?

I told u that there would be "I told u so" post in a Mario thread!!

Mario will have a monster year!!

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by Second Honeymoon

hated the wasted 7th Rounder on Brink. the guy isn't a scrub and has some upside but why are they spending 7th Rounders on a QB that we don't need when we arent willing to deal our backup, Sage, for a 3rd Rounder? If your so damn high on your backup, why the hell are you drafting other QBs? Couldn't we have probably gotten him via post-draft Free Agency? I don't know. Maybe the value of having quality QB play in practice and developmental squad is hard to put a price on..i dont know. It just seems like flawed logic from a fan's point of view.

I grew up right down the street from The Sporting News in St. Louis. I was happy to hear they were pimping Mario. He deserves everything he gets because the pressure was really on the guy. Mario truly is a HIT.

speaking of Brink- http://www.houstontexans.com/news/St...?story_id=4340

what everyone here has lost in translation is how to build a team in the salary cap era (at least two more years). this is something I failed to consider when they picked Mario Williams. A big time RDE on the free agent market is a hot commodity requiring millions to sign. just look at this last draft where premeir defensive linemen litter'ed the top 10 picks. Mario was a cornerstone pick not the sexy pick to build a franchise around. good move.

regarding Brink, I would rather invest minimal in the QB position to develop a prospect than pay one 60-70 million like Atlanta did for Matt Ryan. Doesn't hurt my appreication for Alex Brink to make this team longterm either since we graduated from the same High School

[austintexanite]

Nice find, I hope he continues to exceed all the naysayers expectations and becomes better with age. Hard to believe he will be 23 this year, and in his 3rd year.

[b0ng]

Now the pressure is on, because if Mario Williams does anything to not impress (Not get double digit sacks, get injured blah blah blah) then it's going to go back to the same old "trash Mario for easy story" again. Especially at the chronic. I know a few of those writers are just waiting for Williams to falter so they can head straight to their paper to say "I told you so!"

[ObsiWan]

Quite a few high profile, "can't miss" DEs didn't get double digit sacks last year. Jevon Kearse didn't. Julius Peppers didn't. Strahan didn't. Are they suddenly busts?

Let the naysayers come.

[Rex King]

Originally Posted by beerlover

speaking of Brink- http://www.houstontexans.com/news/St...?story_id=4340

what everyone here has lost in translation is how to build a team in the salary cap era (at least two more years). this is something I failed to consider when they picked Mario Williams. A big time RDE on the free agent market is a hot commodity requiring millions to sign. just look at this last draft where premeir defensive linemen litter'ed the top 10 picks. Mario was a cornerstone pick not the sexy pick to build a franchise around. good move.

regarding Brink, I would rather invest minimal in the QB position to develop a prospect than pay one 60-70 million like Atlanta did for Matt Ryan. Doesn't hurt my appreication for Alex Brink to make this team longterm either since we graduated from the same High School

Another reason I'm glad they didn't take Mendenhall. I'd rather they invest the money in OT than RB.

[noxiousdog]

never mind.

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

Quite a few high profile, "can't miss" DEs didn't get double digit sacks last year. Jevon Kearse didn't. Julius Peppers didn't. Strahan didn't. Are they suddenly busts?

Let the naysayers come.

Strahan had Umenyiora, Tuck and others to bring the heat to the quarterback. Peppers got freaking killed by his fans and media last year when he didn't produce. Jevon Kearse hasn't produced, or been thought of as, a top flight DE for awhile now.

Pretty much, all of this Mario hype means if he fails, he's going to get slaughtered by lots of people from all sides this year. Which isn't too much different than when he was a rookie, but, it still can effect somebody's play. If I had my druthers, I would rather the Sporting News, or ESPN or Sports Illustrated would wait just one year or so before declaring somebody the next big thing, but I know the sports journalism world operates on a "whomever can guess the best wins" sort of angle. I just wouldn't want a young player like Mario let a lot of people get in his ear telling him he's the greatest, and then he starts to believe it rather than proving it.

Just so that nobody mistakes me for a hater, I think Mario will have another really good year this year. I don't know if he'll match 14 sacks, but I think double digit sacks is doable again.

[ATXtexanfan]

i still believe that pressures are more important than sacks, mario just needs to make the qb uncomfortable. also, does 10+ sacks matter if he opens things up for okoye, okam, tj, etc?