FWST Blog: Tommy Blake to workout for Cowboys...VR blasted by winds

[InmanRoshi]

Tommy Blake doesn't have what Dim Underwood, Barret Robbins and Zo Spellman had. Those guys were bipolar/manic depressive. That means they had episodes of mania where they completely fell off the handles (think Britney Spears). People with bipolar often have to take lithium to prevent manic episodes which sometimes makes you lethargic and spaced out. Tommy Blake wasn't walking around with a butcher knife talking to imaginary people like Underwood ... he just had depression. He lost motivation to play football and went home and did what a lot of people with depression do ... sit around and over-eat. The medication Blake has to take are common SSRIs that millions of fully functioning, everyday people take with no major side effects. This is a devout Christian kid who never had attitude problems or problems with the law before this episode ... which makes him a rarity in this draft.

What teams have to gauge is does he show signs of getting over his depression and has he regained his ambition. Since he was treated and started taking medication he went back to school and got the highest grades he ever had at TCU. While most draft prospects drop out of school to prepare for the draft fulltime, Blake is taking full courseload this semester so he can graduate in the Spring and still working out religiously. (The reason he didn't declare last year when he was a sure fire 1st round pick is because he promised his grandmother he would graduate before going Pro). He lost 25 lbs. in two months between the East/West Shrine and his Pro Day, which is a sign that he's regained his motivation. He also reportedly impressed scouts at his Pro Day with his athletic ability and how hard he worked for them. I can almost guarantee he'll be drafted. The question is where and does he provide value with that pick.

 

[Chief]

Tommy Blake doesn't have what Dim Underwood, Barret Robbins and Zo Spellman had. Those guys were bipolar/manic depressive. That means they had episodes of mania where they completely fell off the handles (think Britney Spears). People with bipolar often have to take lithium to prevent manic episodes which sometimes makes you lethargic and spaced out. Tommy Blake wasn't walking around with a butcher knife talking to imaginary people like Underwood ... he just had depression. He lost motivation to play football and went home and did what a lot of people with depression do ... sit around and over-eat. The medication Blake has to take are common SSRIs that millions of fully functioning, everyday people take with no major side effects. This is a devout Christian kid who never had attitude problems or problems with the law before this episode ... which makes him a rarity in this draft.

What teams have to gauge is does he show signs of getting over his depression and has he regained his ambition. Since he was treated and started taking medication he went back to school and got the highest grades he ever had at TCU. While most draft prospects drop out of school to prepare for the draft fulltime, Blake is taking full courseload this semester so he can graduate in the Spring and still working out religiously. (The reason he didn't declare last year when he was a sure fire 1st round pick is because he promised his grandmother he would graduate before going Pro). He lost 25 lbs. in two months between the East/West Shrine and his Pro Day, which is a sign that he's regained his motivation. He also reportedly impressed scouts at his Pro Day with his athletic ability and how hard he worked for them. I can almost guarantee he'll be drafted. The question is where and does he provide value with that pick.

Excellent post.

People tend to lump everyone together. All I remember is before his depression, he was an outstanding player.

Good luck to him.

 

[Duane]

Tommy Blake doesn't have what Dim Underwood, Barret Robbins and Zo Spellman had. Those guys were bipolar/manic depressive. That means they had episodes of mania where they completely fell off the handles (think Britney Spears). People with bipolar often have to take lithium to prevent manic episodes which sometimes makes you lethargic and spaced out. Tommy Blake wasn't walking around with a butcher knife talking to imaginary people like Underwood ... he just had depression. He lost motivation to play football and went home and did what a lot of people with depression do ... sit around and over-eat. The medication Blake has to take are common SSRIs that millions of fully functioning, everyday people take with no major side effects. This is a devout Christian kid who never had attitude problems or problems with the law before this episode ... which makes him a rarity in this draft.

What teams have to gauge is does he show signs of getting over his depression and has he regained his ambition. Since he was treated and started taking medication he went back to school and got the highest grades he ever had at TCU. While most draft prospects drop out of school to prepare for the draft fulltime, Blake is taking full courseload this semester so he can graduate in the Spring and still working out religiously. (The reason he didn't declare last year when he was a sure fire 1st round pick is because he promised his grandmother he would graduate before going Pro). He lost 25 lbs. in two months between the East/West Shrine and his Pro Day, which is a sign that he's regained his motivation. He also reportedly impressed scouts at his Pro Day with his athletic ability and how hard he worked for them. I can almost guarantee he'll be drafted. The question is where and does he provide value with that pick.

Post of the week, great stuff Roshi.

 

[Eskimo]

I say no thanks. I wish this kid well, but this sounds like the same condition that crippled Underwood and Spellman. And as we know, they couldn't play well when on medication and couldn't stay in control when off meds. This is, unfortunately, a no-win situation for the Cowboys, and it might not be the best thing for the player...

Bipolar disorder and Depression/Social Anxiety Disorder are very, very different entities.

 

[Bizwah]

Tommy Blake doesn't have what Dim Underwood, Barret Robbins and Zo Spellman had. Those guys were bipolar/manic depressive. That means they had episodes of mania where they completely fell off the handles (think Britney Spears). People with bipolar often have to take lithium to prevent manic episodes which sometimes makes you lethargic and spaced out. Tommy Blake wasn't walking around with a butcher knife talking to imaginary people like Underwood ... he just had depression. He lost motivation to play football and went home and did what a lot of people with depression do ... sit around and over-eat. The medication Blake has to take are common SSRIs that millions of fully functioning, everyday people take with no major side effects. This is a devout Christian kid who never had attitude problems or problems with the law before this episode ... which makes him a rarity in this draft.

What teams have to gauge is does he show signs of getting over his depression and has he regained his ambition. Since he was treated and started taking medication he went back to school and got the highest grades he ever had at TCU. While most draft prospects drop out of school to prepare for the draft fulltime, Blake is taking full courseload this semester so he can graduate in the Spring and still working out religiously. (The reason he didn't declare last year when he was a sure fire 1st round pick is because he promised his grandmother he would graduate before going Pro). He lost 25 lbs. in two months between the East/West Shrine and his Pro Day, which is a sign that he's regained his motivation. He also reportedly impressed scouts at his Pro Day with his athletic ability and how hard he worked for them. I can almost guarantee he'll be drafted. The question is where and does he provide value with that pick.

Wow.

I'll be pulling for this kid.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I wouldn't mind him in round 6 or 7

 

[links18]

Since when does depression and social anxiety make someone a "head case"? That is some pretty judgmental BS right there. He may have other conditions beyond these, but people can live functional lives and have productive careers with either of these conditions. Neither should have anything to do with his ability to play football if they are properly managed. Total BS to lump these conditions in with manic depressive/bipolar disorder. Too many people in our society face discrimination based on conditions like these due precisely to the type of ignorant prejudice expressed here.

 

[Hailmary]

So this is the sort of stuff that Ricky Williams suffered from? If yes, then I wouldn't let this prevent us taking a chance on him on day 2. Williams proved he can compete on a very high level w/ the disorder(s).

Dallas would be ideal for him b/c of the defensive scheme we run plus we'd be able to bring him along slowly behind Ware/Ellis/Spencer. Let him spend the first year in the weight room and let him get the best treatment money can buy.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Like IR said, if we should be taking on any reclamation projects, it should be on guys like Blake. Before last year's college season, people were saying he was the best college football player anywhere in the state of Texas and a probable top-15 pick overall.

IMO there's a huge difference between someone like Pacman who has continually chosen to flaunt authority and a guy like Blake who has legitimate depression issues. Sometimes the bad guys don't want to change, but no one wants to be depressed -- it's just that they don't know how or aren't able to get the help they need. We always talk about guys like Calvin Hill helping the bad actors become new people, but a case like Blake's is where Jerry's support system can really make a difference, because Jerry can provide resources in a case like this that a college program never could.

Plus, being relatively close to home and even having a coach from the same area can only be positives.

Blake could be one of the biggest mid-round success stories of this entire draft. I'd love it if we were the ones who took a chance on his huge upside.

 

[scottsp]

Before the 2007 college football season began, Tommy Blake appeared on a great many pre-season all-American teams. The kid was just dominant his junior season at TCU and looked to be a certain first-round selection once his collegiate career was done.

Everything was on track. Until last August when Blake left school for personal reasons. He missed a week or so of practices and a scrimmage. In September, he was placed on medical leave.

I have no insight as to Tommy Blake's situation. All I know is, upon driving home from Ft. Worth after watching the Frogs, it was an all-too-common thing for me to dream about that kid in Cowboy colors. Of course, that was before he was projected as a high first rounder.

If he is right, he is a pure pass rushing talent. And not an ordinary one, mind you. Tommy is an outstanding athlete. He was recruited as a running back and was giving consideration to playing basketball for TCU as well.

Obviously, Tommy Blake will not hear his name called early on day one. That day is long gone. But I am glad to know we are showing interest. He's a good kid, I think. I have followed him rather closely since his freshman year and I don't recall episodes prior to this past summer.

2007 Playboy Preseason All-American
2007 Athlon Preseason All-American
2007 NationalChamps.net Preseason All-American
2007 CBS SportsLine.com Preseason All-American
2007 ESPN.com Preseason All-American
2007 Lombardi Award Watch List
2007 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
2007 Lott Trophy Watch List
2007 State Defensive Player of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football
2007 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
2007 Ted Hendricks Award Watch List

 

[JPM]

I wouldn't mind him in round 6 or 7

Well, our 6th rounder is close to being a late 5th round pick (the Fergy trade), but I don't know if he lasts that long.