Recap of Bledsoe on with BAD Radio on The Ticket

[jlust22]

Offseason workouts

He is in Dallas for 4 days a week and goes home for a 3 day weekend to be with his family. He currently lives in a small town in Central Oregon. He said the workouts have been fun since everyone is here working hard and he can tell the commitment is there from the top of the organization to the bottom to turn it around. Bledsoe said he is not having any problems picking up the offense since it is similar to the ones he has been in in the past.

Choosing to sign with Dallas

He said he spoke to some other teams, but that Dallas was clearly his first choice. The advantages in Dallas were that he knows Terry Glenn real well, the TE's are good, he has always admired Keyshawn, good up and coming RB and a solid OL. One thing players love about Parcells is his honestly which sometimes can be quite brutal, but players always know where they stand with Bill.

Criticism

He knows the critics are out there and he uses them as motivation to prove people wrong. Bledsoe said he is his own harshest critic, but he still believes that his skill level is as good as ever. He said he might not throw quite as hard as he used to, but that he is probably more a accurate QB now.

He joked that he knows Dallas is real easy on its QB's so he shouldn't expect too much scrutiny. He understands that there is tremendous pressure on him in Dallas, but that he welcomes the pressure and knows that it comes with the position.

Sacks

Obviously, mobility is not his greatest asset, but he believes he is more elusive than given credit for. Bledsoe said he can sidestep 1 guy, but he can't escape a full on rush. He said he has worked on subtle movements in the pocket and getting rid of the ball quicker.

Buffalo

He thinks Buffalo made a mistake in getting rid of him, but it is up to him to play well and prove them wrong. Bledsoe said if Dallas wins and he plays well, then you can look back in three years and say Buffalo messed up. He said he was upset at them just handing the job to Losman without a competition because he has proven nothing.

New England

Totally different situation. He wasn't happy, but he understood New England turning it over to Brady since he won a Super Bowl. He said obviously NE did the right thing and that Brady is a great guy and has earned everything given to him. Bledsoe said he was proud of the way he played in the AFC title game against Pitt and feels like he contributed to them getting to the SB.

Gameplan in Dallas

He said Parcells will do whatever it takes to win that particular game. Some games, they may be pass happy and others they may hand it off to Julius 30+ times. Bledsoe said Parcells varies his gameplan from game to game and also isn't afraid to make drastic changes within the game. He remembers one game against Minn with Parcells as head coach when they threw the ball 53 times in the 2nd half and ended up winning the game. Bledsoe feels one thing they will definitely do is throw the ball downfield on early downs to try to keep the defense off balance.

[InmanRoshi]

You’re in town today?

I’m in town. I’m here working out in 4 days a week, and fly home for a 3 day weekend to spend time with the family in Bend Oregon. Its in Central Oregon. I lived in Portland for a while, but the rain and traffic was too much. So we moved to Central Oregon to get some occasional sunshine and some rounds of golf in.

So things are going smoothly?

The offensive system is similar to past systems I’ve played in, so there is not much of a learning curve. I love the attitude around here, and being around everyone training this offseason. You can tell from top down there is a commitment to get things turned around.

When released from the Bills, did you consider other destinations than Dallas?

I did consider other spots than Dallas, but this was definitely my 1st choice. Just looking at the situation from the outside …. I’ve been with Glenn. I know what he’s capable of. You have a Pro Bowl TE. I’ve always admired Keyshawn’s play. You got an up and coming RB and a OL starting to come together. It looked like a good fit looking at it from the outside.

Has Parcells changed? Has he mellowed?

Yeah, he might have mellowed a little bit. But I haven’t been through a practice with him yet. He’s still very honest with you, even brutally so. He will tell you thinkgs that you may not want to hear, but at least you know where you stand. That’s why his former players love to play for him. But like I said, I haven’t been through a practice with him yet. I’m sure one day it’ll be “my day” where he feels its my turn to get cussed up and down the field, and I’ll let you guys know then how much he’s mellowed.

You’ve been around since 1993, and guys at this stage of their career people start questioning your skills. It seems you don’t take too kindly to it. There’s almost defiance about it.

I don’t hide from that stuff. I know its out there. I just use it as motivation. What I have learned since I got hurt in New England is it was the first time I was able to step aside and objectively watch the game since I wasn’t participating and play on the field. I’ve learned to take a more objective about the way things are than I used to be. I’m a very harsh critic on myself. I truly believe my skill level is as good as its ever been. Now, maybe I don’t throw the ball quite as hard, but I’m probably more accurate than I was earlier in my career and there are rarely situations in the game where I have to throw the ball as hard as I used to. So it’s not really that I’m defiant, I just don’t think the criticisms are accurate.

Let me ask you about one criticism in particular.
Sure, sure.

You’ve had 140 sacks in 3 years, so some are questioning your scrambling and mobility. And the Cowboys OL lately hasn’t been very sound. So is that really a good fit.

Well, there are a couple of schools of thought on that. First, everyone has Michael Vick on their mind. I’m never going to be that. Am I going who can avoid a guy who’s turned loose? I can sidestep one guy, but if things absolutely breakdown in the pocket I probably can’t get away from that. I can try to get rid of the ball before things get to that point, and I think I’m pretty good at that. The other part of that is if you watch me play this year, I have worked on this throughout my career, is to make subtle moves in the pocket to buy a couple more seconds of time. I think you’ll see I’m better at that than the statistics will lead you to believe. But I’m not going to run around the field.

Buffalo started 0-4 and finished 9-7. Do you feel they jumped the gun here in letting you go?

Do I feel that way? No question. But its their decision. Like I said, this game really is a very complex game but it all boils down to wins. What I say doesn’t matter, I’ll have to prove it in Dallas by winning games. If I win a lot of games in Dallas, it all goes away.

So are you happy about not having to play in an environment where its not snowing at home every weekend?

I was talking with Jason Witten just today what it was like playing in Buffalo in the weather. Last year we had 5 home games where it was almost impossible to throw the ball effectively. We played a game against Arizona, nobody drove the length of the field until one drive late in the game. Its almost where you just try to get a few yards here and there and hope your punter puts them in bad position. But after spending my entire career in New England and Buffalo, I’ve never played somewhere where the weather was decent all year.

Your last trip to Texas Stadium. It wasn’t fun, was it?

No, it wasn’t fun. We knew what they were going to do coming into the game, which is throw the kitchen sink at us. We worked on some things to counter-attack the blitz, and it just wasn’t clicking. So since we couldn’t burn them on it, Zimmer just threw everything at us. It was one of those 10-6 games, and you always felt that you were just one play away from winning, but it just didn’t come.

You were let go from New England. Was that different from being let go in Buffalo?

Yeah, it was completely different. I have perspective on that situation. The team won a Superbowl with the other guy at QB. What are you going to do? That’s pretty cut and dried, and you can’t argue about it. I didn’t like everything about the way things were handled, but I am proud that when Brady went out with injury in the AFC Championship game I was able to step in and contribute. That’s a lot different from Buffalo losing your job to a kid who hasn’t done anything in this league and didn’t even have to compete to earn the job. Brady is a hard worker, he earned that spot and obviously continues to do very well.

Well, we’re just glad you’re in Dallas. We never have a QB controversy down here.

Yeah, I’ve heard. You got a 3 time Superbowl Champion in Troy Aikman and he gets booed off the field. Hey, I understand there is scrutiny down here. That’s part of playing the position. Hopefully, in a few years things will be looking good and we won’t be hearing many boos. It will be fun.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Winslow motorcycle crash. I basically think he’s an idiot. But weren’t you driving a race car this offseason?

Yeah, that was awesome. I think my average speed on a lap was about 140 mph, so I was probably topping out at 160-170 on the straight aways. Definitely one of the cooler things I’ve ever done. The only thing that stands up is that I got to fly with the Thunderbirds a few years ago.

Isn’t having 280 lb. guys chasing you enough thrill for you?
I only get that in the fall. I got to have something to do in the offseason.

What do you think the Pass/run ratio will be in the offense.?

I know Bill, and he will do whatever he thinks will win that particular week. We can chuck it all over the field one week and turn around and hand it off every game the next. One thing I can say is I think you will see us throw the ball down the field on early downs. We'll try to utilize the speed of Glenn and Witten down the middle of the field to stretch the field early, rather than try to manage ourselves into a 3 and 5 situation. But Bill has never been a balanced ratio guy, it just comes down what he thinks is the best way to win that particular week. I remember my 2nd year in the league at 22 years old we were playing the Vikings, and things weren’t going well with the running game. So we threw the ball 53 times AFTER half time. Threw it 70 times in the game. So there is your Smashmouth Bill Parcells everyone talks about. If I have to pass it everydown or hand it off every down, either way is fine with me as long we get the “W”. I Played golf with Terry Glenn yesterday and we both were talking about how excited we were to get things started.

Did you take Glenn’s money?

I didn’t take Glenn’s money, he’s coming off of injury so I can’t do that to him. I took a beating from Tony Romo. He took my money. He’s definitely good with the stick. Tony is attempting to qualify for the Open next Monday, and I’m going to try to make my way down there for his back 9 to cheer him on.

[lkelly]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

No, it wasn’t fun. We knew what they were going to do coming into the game, which is throw the kitchen sink at us. We worked on some things to counter-attack the blitz, and it just wasn’t clicking. So since we couldn’t burn them on it, Zimmer just threw everything at us. It was one of those 10-6 games, and you always felt that you were just one play away from winning, but it just didn’t come.

I thought Zimmer never attacked the QB. Wait, what would a professional football player know about that sort of thing? I'll just stick with what some yahoo on a message board says. He must know better.

[Hollywood Henderson]

No one has every said NEVER yahoo...
One can have a Porsche & not know how to drive fast well...

But if you don't know the game much, its best to avoid talk about what you don't know...

[billknows]

[quote=lkelly]I thought Zimmer never attacked the QB. Wait, what would a professional football player know about that sort of thing? I'll just stick with what some yahoo on a message board says. He must know better.[/QUOTE

Was'nt that two years ago,when we had the #1 Defense

[JackMagist]

[quote=billknows]

Originally Posted by lkelly

I thought Zimmer never attacked the QB. Wait, what would a professional football player know about that sort of thing? I'll just stick with what some yahoo on a message board says. He must know better.[/QUOTE

Was'nt that two years ago,when we had the #1 Defense

Why yes I believe it was. The year that Zimmer was still running HIS style defense with the players that fit it, before Parcells decided to insist on playing the "Bigger" Bradie James so much thus leaving gaping hole where he played. When we still had Darren Woodson instead of Tony Dixon and Lynn Scott and when we were at least stable (not good but stable) at the RCB. And the defense was good even without a pass rush because unlike Wiley, Ekuban could at least play the run. And thus Zimmer...yes Zimmer...called an aggressive defensive game.

[Alexander]

[quote=JackMagist]

Originally Posted by billknows

Why yes I believe it was. The year that Zimmer was still running HIS style defense with the players that fit it, before Parcells decided to insist on playing the "Bigger" Bradie James so much thus leaving gaping hole where he played. When we still had Darren Woodson instead of Tony Dixon and Lynn Scott and when we were at least stable (not good but stable) at the RCB. And the defense was good even without a pass rush because unlike Wiley, Ekuban could at least play the run. And thus Zimmer...yes Zimmer...called an aggressive defensive game.

I can see your point with Ekuban and Woodson, but getting Bradie James more time had very little to do with the defensive decline. Not having Mario Edwards and a rotation of DTs like Willie Blade and Daleroy Stewart to keep people off of Dat were both big factors as well.

[cobra]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

Well, there are a couple of schools of thought on that. First, everyone has Michael Vick on their mind. I’m never going to be that. Am I going who can avoid a guy who’s turned loose? I can sidestep one guy, but if things absolutely breakdown in the pocket I probably can’t get away from that. I can try to get rid of the ball before things get to that point, and I think I’m pretty good at that. The other part of that is if you watch me play this year, I have worked on this throughout my career, is to make subtle moves in the pocket to buy a couple more seconds of time. I think you’ll see I’m better at that than the statistics will lead you to believe. But I’m not going to run around the field.

This is the best news I have heard in a long time. This whole answer makes me smile. God bless having a pocket passer!

[kartr]

Originally Posted by cobra

This is the best news I have heard in a long time. This whole answer makes me smile. God bless having a pocket passer!

R.I.P. pocket passers in the new age of speed rushers on every team. Thank you Dallas for getting Bledsoe,
signed,
Leonard Little,
Bert Berry and Chike Okeafor,
Marques Douglas of the 9'ers,
Warren Sapp,
Derrick Johnson and Kendrell Bell,
Jevon Kearse,
the 'Skins entire defensive line,
Michael Strahan,
Julius Peppers, thank you for helping us make the
Pro-bowl sack leaders list in '05

[kartr]

Originally Posted by kartr

R.I.P. pocket passers in the new age of speed rushers on every team. Thank you Dallas for getting Bledsoe,
signed,
Leonard Little,
Bert Berry and Chike Okeafor,
Marques Douglas of the 9'ers,
Warren Sapp,
Derrick Johnson and Kendrell Bell,
Jevon Kearse,
the 'Skins entire defensive line,
Michael Strahan,
Julius Peppers, thank you for helping us make the
Pro-bowl sack leaders list in '05

Thank you from us also in making the rookie of the year candidates list in interceptions:
1) Corey Webster
2) Carlos Rogers
3) Antrel Rolle
4) Eric Green

And a heart-felt thanx from us too,signed,
Charles Woodson,Champ Bailey,Patrick Surtain,remember me Drew, I followed you, lito Shepard and Sheldon Brown,Marcus Trufant plus Fabian Washington wants his rookie of the year nomination too. Remember, we're counting on you Drew to come thru.

[junk]

Originally Posted by kartr

Thank you from us also in making the rookie of the year candidates list in interceptions:
1) Corey Webster
2) Carlos Rogers
3) Antrel Rolle
4) Eric Green

And a heart-felt thanx from us too,signed,
Charles Woodson,Champ Bailey,Patrick Surtain,remember me Drew, I followed you, lito Shepard and Sheldon Brown,Marcus Trufant plus Fabian Washington wants his rookie of the year nomination too. Remember, we're counting on you Drew to come thru.

Good thing QC wasn't around or those guys would have even better numbers.

[LaTunaNostra]

Originally Posted by kartr

R.I.P. pocket passers in the new age of speed rushers on every team. Thank you Dallas for getting Bledsoe,
signed,
Leonard Little,
Bert Berry and Chike Okeafor,
Marques Douglas of the 9'ers,
Warren Sapp,
Derrick Johnson and Kendrell Bell,
Jevon Kearse,
the 'Skins entire defensive line,
Michael Strahan,
Julius Peppers, thank you for helping us make the
Pro-bowl sack leaders list in '05

Well, since Bledsoe is coming from a division where he faced John Abraham, Jason Taylor, and Richard Seymour six times a year, things can only be looking up for him in Dallas.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Originally Posted by LaTunaNostra

Well, since Bledsoe is coming from a division where he faced John Abraham, Jason Taylor, and Richard Seymour six times a year, things can only be looking up for him in Dallas.

Strahan, Kearse and Arrington. Its not that easy.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

Hopefully, in a few years things will be looking good and we won’t be hearing many boos. It will be fun.

HMMMMM........Very interesting comment. I Think.

Thank-you for the recap and extra effort fellas.

[WoodysGirl]

Great recaps, Jlust and Immanroshi. Thx.