DMN: BLOG: Let Marion 'The Barbarian' Barber be himself

[Cbz40]

Let Marion 'The Barbarian' Barber be himself

9:16 AM Tue, Sep 02, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon

I understand the point Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett are making about Marion "The Barbarian" Barber's bruising running style. An NFL running back can only take so many head-on collisions.


But I side with Wade Phillips and the current Cowboys on this debate. Barber's best attribute is his ferociousness, and the last thing you want to do is mess with that.


It's up to the Cowboys coaches to walk the fine line between riding your lead horse and making sure his legs are fresh enough to finish games and the season strong. That's why the Cowboys used a first-round pick on complementary RB Felix Jones. And Jerry Jones made sure money wasn't a concern for Barber by giving him a seven-year, $45 million deal in the spring.


Barber, who shows impressive elusiveness when avoiding the media, can run with a clear mind instead of worrying about limiting contact. That's how it has to be to take advantage of his unique talent.

 

[stealth]

Barber isn't Earl Campbell but I can't help but draw parallels in my head to how Bum handled things.

 

[zeromaster]

As long as MBIII doesn't get injured being ferocious, nobody will have to rue...

 

[TNCowboy]

If all we get out of MBIII is about 9,500 yds and 75 TDs, I guess we'll have to live with it.

 

[Cincycowboy]

Let Marion 'The Barbarian' Barber be himself

9:16 AM Tue, Sep 02, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon

I understand the point Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett are making about Marion "The Barbarian" Barber's bruising running style. An NFL running back can only take so many head-on collisions.


But I side with Wade Phillips and the current Cowboys on this debate. Barber's best attribute is his ferociousness, and the last thing you want to do is mess with that.


It's up to the Cowboys coaches to walk the fine line between riding your lead horse and making sure his legs are fresh enough to finish games and the season strong. That's why the Cowboys used a first-round pick on complementary RB Felix Jones. And Jerry Jones made sure money wasn't a concern for Barber by giving him a seven-year, $45 million deal in the spring.


Barber, who shows impressive elusiveness when avoiding the media, can run with a clear mind instead of worrying about limiting contact. That's how it has to be to take advantage of his unique talent.

Let's not forget about CHoice. He will be a player and can also give Barber rest

 

[Chief]

Barber doesn't have the burst or the breath-taking moves of Tony Dorsett or the subtle shiftiness and instincts of Emmitt.

He needs to be himself, which is a one-man demolition derby.

If he starts trying to run like someone he's not, he'll lose his effectiveness.

 

[superpunk]

Burnett says the punishment Barber takes is overrated, because noone ever gets a clean hit. Doesn't hurt nearly so much when you're the one handing it out, IMO.

I trust Burnett and Barber, tbh.

 

[Doomsday101]

Barber doesn't have the burst or the breath-taking moves of Tony Dorsett or the subtle shiftiness and instincts of Emmitt.

He needs to be himself, which is a one-man demolition derby.

If he starts trying to run like someone he's not, he'll lose his effectiveness.

I agree you don't change what got you to this point. I'm not overly concerned that his style of running is going to get him injured

 

[Apollo Creed]

This is a problem I like having.

We are going to run the football a lot this year. Bennett gets a lot of flack on this board, but we are going to be a very dynamic team when he is on the field. Double tight sets, we are going to be very versatile - and have the ability to have matchups anywhere on the football field.

Our offensive playcalling in the preseason almost led me to believe they were hiding something. Gonna be a fun 60 minutes on Sunday.

 

[Rack]

Let Marion 'The Barbarian' Barber be himself

9:16 AM Tue, Sep 02, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon

I understand the point Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett are making about Marion "The Barbarian" Barber's bruising running style. An NFL running back can only take so many head-on collisions.


But I side with Wade Phillips and the current Cowboys on this debate. Barber's best attribute is his ferociousness, and the last thing you want to do is mess with that.


It's up to the Cowboys coaches to walk the fine line between riding your lead horse and making sure his legs are fresh enough to finish games and the season strong. That's why the Cowboys used a first-round pick on complementary RB Felix Jones. And Jerry Jones made sure money wasn't a concern for Barber by giving him a seven-year, $45 million deal in the spring.


Barber, who shows impressive elusiveness when avoiding the media, can run with a clear mind instead of worrying about limiting contact. That's how it has to be to take advantage of his unique talent.

One thing TD and Emmitt failed to realize is that we drafted a RB in the 1st round so that we can allow MB3 to be "The Barbarian" but w/o making him be the sole RB carrying the load.


If we didn't have FJ, I'd also want MB3 to "pick his spots", but since we do have FJ (and Choice) I want the Barbarian to unleash hell on his enemies.

 

[Shady12]

It's not like he's busting head on collisions every play. He is actually pretty shifty and like Burnett says it's hard to get a clean shot on him..unless he decides to deliver the shot himself..hahaha

 

[Eskimo]

Barber should run as he wants to run but occasionally if he can step out of bounds and only lose a "meaningless half-yard", then he should do so. Deion used to call it making a business decision and this is the sort of on-field smarts I'd like him to display.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

MBIII can't change his style, it's in his makeup to be physical but you never see him take the hit he just delivers....

 

[Cbz40]

Barber should run as he wants to run but occasionally if he can step out of bounds and only lose a "meaningless half-yard", then he should do so. Deion used to call it making a business decision and this is the sort of on-field smarts I'd like him to display.

Yes, for sure we want Marion to stay healthy for the entire season.

 

[Big Country]

Barber isn't Earl Campbell but I can't help but draw parallels in my head to how Bum handled things.

Coach Bum never had a WR the caliber of TO or a TE the caliber of Witten for Pastorini to throw to back in them days.

Burnett says the punishment Barber takes is overrated, because noone ever gets a clean hit. Doesn't hurt nearly so much when you're the one handing it out, IMO.

I trust Burnett and Barber, tbh.

yessir!

 

[Rack]

Barber should run as he wants to run but occasionally if he can step out of bounds and only lose a "meaningless half-yard", then he should do so. Deion used to call it making a business decision and this is the sort of on-field smarts I'd like him to display.

It depends. If he has a 250 LB coming at him, sure, get out of bounds.


If he has a 180 lb CB coming at him, I'd like to see that extra yard.


And a 180 CB layed out on the turf cryin' for mama.

 

[dooomsday]

Burnett says the punishment Barber takes is overrated, because noone ever gets a clean hit. Doesn't hurt nearly so much when you're the one handing it out, IMO.

I trust Burnett and Barber, tbh.

And Sweetness! Walter swore all his career he stayed injury free by being the aggressor and initiating the contact. Not to go all science on ya's but its physics. Or, Mathematics? Sometin.

 

[StillNothinNice]

It’s the ones that take a play off, or go half speed that get injured. I’d be more worried about the defenders he’s facing.

He’ll get his bell rung a few times, but hes not going to get injured. At least when he’s the one delivering the blow. A lineman rolling into him is something different, but of course that can happen to any running back.

As far as lasting 4 Q’s... going have to wait and see, but I think MB3 is going do juuust fine.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I believe they are a little jealous of MBIII and his toughness......except #22 was tough as nails.....but #33 was not.....sorry

 

[Thomas82]

Barber isn't Earl Campbell but I can't help but draw parallels in my head to how Bum handled things.

Well, we do have his son coaching the Cowboys.