SPORTSDAY

Posted by Evilinc @ 10:12 PM Sat, Jun 23, 2007

It is continually frustrating that the sports media often does an incredibly poor job of reporting. First, the total value of a player's contract ISN'T what a player will actually get. Perhaps reporters could attend a class on this subject? Second, "overpaying" is a factor of market value, not how good some reporter thinks a player is, or how much money he ought to make. To Tim's credit (and the reporter comments were aimed at Judge, not Tim) he observed the market was set by Dockery and STeinbeck (and a guard who CAN play tackle is worth more than a guard who can't). Guess what, next year it will be higher. As for the unnamed, scout, there have been other scouts who've disagreed. Further, one wonders if these are the same scouts who made Davis a high first round pick in the first place. In short, if they didn't know what they were talking about then, why, precisely, should they be listened to now?

Posted by ernest t bass @ 10:25 PM Sat, Jun 23, 2007

Plus, there's the intangible of Davis moving "home" and playing for the team that he most likely has dreamed of playing for since he was a kid in Wortham.

St. Louis has never been mistaken for NFL paradise.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Nor has Arizona.

Posted by L.J. @ 10:38 PM Sat, Jun 23, 2007

The proof is in the pudding. Chances are that if Big does't get hurt he will be an upgrade.

Posted by Rod @ 11:04 PM Sat, Jun 23, 2007

I agree this kid is a bit of a risk, but as you pointed out...what the heck would we do without him at this point? Its not like Rivera was knocking over anymore. Half the time, JJ was being touched by his man when he got the handoff. At least the defender will have a longer route around fatboy.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Davis actually is amazingly well built for a 366-pound guy. I'd be willing to bet that he has less body fat than 75 percent of NFL offensive linemen.

Posted by kameleon_o @ 11:08 PM Sat, Jun 23, 2007

Good job Tim. If the Deadskins had signed him Judge would probably have thought it was a great move. We needed a guard and we had to pay what they're worth. It's as simple as that. Look at all the other players that couldn't seem to turn the corner in Arizona. Bigg doesn't have to be a Hall of Famer, just an upgrade over what we had before. Based on how Rivera kept getting pushed into the backfield last season, that won't be hard.

Posted by Saint Jimmy @ 1:30 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Judge is an idiot. He says he doesn't see how a fat contract is going to change Bigg's motivation? Uhhhh how about playing for an organization that actually has a chance at the playoffs? Winning does a lot to cure things like bad attitudes and unmotivated players.

Does he even know the history of the Cardinals? Jay Novacek was a nobody in Arizona. Thomas Jones was a complete bust in Arizona. Jake Plummer was the "Mistake" in Arizona but put together some nice seasons in Denver. Simeon Rice was a borderline bust in Arizona but was a monster for a Superbowl team in Tampa Bay. And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others.

And it seems to works the other way too. Edgerrin James was one of the most dangerous RB's as a Colt and turned into a whiney joke in Arizona.

Posted by Richard @ 1:38 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

People forget that he played guard his first couple years in the league. He wasn't overwhelming at the position, but he was solid. He didn't struggle until he moved to tackle. The price for a solid free agent guard is high these days so better grow your own.

Posted by heath @ 4:04 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

That's why I prefer local coverage to national coverage. National gives you good airplane reading, but local gives better details.

Move wasn't the best of all time but it is not like there weren't 10 other teams looking at the guy for similar if slightly less money (signing bonus).

Posted by dave j @ 5:53 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

This is kind of like George Bush saying we can't pull out of Iraq and leave it in shambles. Well George, the only reason it is in shambles and we're there in the first place is because you sent us there.

I'll give you that Jerry Jones payed the market price for a starting guard. And remember that 2 other guards got almost the same deal, so this wasn't Jerry bidding against himself.

What I want Jerry to do is recognize he did a lousy job over the past few years drafting an offensive line. He's paying for it with a $17 million bonus and a lot of unhappy teammates.

There have been problems with the o-line that were outside of Jerry's control with Jacob Rogers' knee and Steven Peterman. My point is that even after paying for free agent o-lineman the previous two years, the team didn't draft a single o-lineman before the 6th round until this year.

The team has signed a fairly high priced free agent guard 3 YEARS IN A ROW! You'd think that after the second year, bells and whistles would have gone off in the personnel department. And thank God that Marc Columbo panned out and re-signed otherwise we'd be in worse shape.

Everyone will say that, "well, if you draft a lineman, he takes time to develop". Well, I agree - and based on that, shouldn't you draft one even in the 3rd or 4th round so he can start for you next year?

Thank God they at least drafted Marten this year.

Posted by Mark @ 7:07 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Just bringing up the Cowboys to get people to read and talk about his article.

Yeah, Davis has not lived up to expectations. But, a change of scenery & a winning attitude make a world of difference.

If we don't sign him, then we are reaching signing or drafting someone else.

I like the Davis signing!!!!

Posted by zipperback @ 7:12 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

It's been said before and remains a big consideration that if you miss in the draft (which the Cowboys have done at guard) you pay for it in free agency. The Boys couldn't afford to pass on Bigg. I believe Davis will not be the weak link on an above average offensive line...Sparano will see to that.

Posted by Jerry @ 7:31 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

They paid too much, but for any of the top players in key positions in free agency that is the case. As for an unnamed scout's opinion, it doesn't matter. Could this "unnamed" scout thought Ryan Leaf was better than Manning? Perhaps, so it doesn't matter.

I think having a chance to play for a winner in a position better suited to his skills will lead to better results. I don't think he will be All-Pro, but a decent player and help in the running game especially.

Posted by Maverick @ 8:44 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Arizona has some good players, but like a few other places in the Bermuda Triangle of the NFL, they are swallowed by mediocrity at best. Davis will do well here. As for the majority of NFL reporters, they've got a lot to learn about human nature. They can't measure the human heart.

Posted by Matt Causey @ 8:57 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

I went back and watched a little film on BIGG last night. Yes, he does occasionally get beat around the edge. But man!! When he gets his hands on just about anyone---- they don't get close. Watched him throw many a lineman to the ground AFTER he'd shoved them 5 yards away from the line of scrimmage. Also watched him do some nice 2nd level blocking--poor LB's. He destroyed some of those guys. I'm anxious to see what this guy can do playing guard for us. I think it's going to be a good combination with Gurode and Bigg up front. We should be able to get that tough yard on 3rd and 1.

Posted by Chris @ 9:53 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Leonard Davis started out as a guard and was dominant in that role. The problems came when he moved to left tackle and struggled with speed rushers. He is a guard or a right tackle, and can play left tackle for short periods of time.

Posted by Scott in New Mexico @ 11:30 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Guess the Cards didn't want a Longhorn protecting their Trojan. Wonder if the opposite is also true!

Posted by Tom Hamilton @ 11:56 AM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Look at the Pro Bowlers who have gone to Arizona and failed. Edge hasn't faired well and he's a great running back! Kurt Warner, 2 time MVP. And then there's this guy named Emmitt. Maybe there something in the air or the water ( or lack there of ) but gettin out of there has got to be a blessing in diguise!

* How's my spelling? *

Posted by Will @ 2:20 PM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

Heck with it, I'm piling on.

This year was screwy with the salaries out there.

Davis' salary is big without looking at the rest of the OL signings. Aside from Derrick Dockery (WAS - BUF) there wasn't any interior lineman worth going after. There was Mike Goff from SD, but he publicly said he wasn't going anywhere so there wasn't much a chance to get him out of SD.

There is a reason these guys write for CBS Sportsline and not a major paper, or even NFL or Fox Sports dot com (who has some good writers now).

Posted by Dan @ 9:08 PM Sun, Jun 24, 2007

The guy is huge. I just hope it works out. I am going to remain optimistic. But $50 million was a ton of money to give to this guy.

Posted by Warden @ 12:32 PM Mon, Jun 25, 2007

The dumbest criticism of Davis is that he is an underachiever because he never made a Pro Bowl as a starter. This is typical short-sighted lazy reporting by sportswriters. In each conference they take only 3 guards, and for years and years it was Larry Allen and Steve Hutchinson manning 2 of those starting spots. So with one slot up for grabs, Leonard Davis is chastised for not being a starter. He was an alternate a few times, he's only 28, and I hope he plays with a chip on his shoulder this year to prove all his critics wrong. Bottom line he's a BIG upgrade over Rivera, and no defensive lineman is gonna look forward to facing him week in and week out.