Matt Johnson Finish This Fight

[Idgit]

What's next? Phil Costa commentary? How bout David Arkin? Remember those days RS. CZ posters were turning themselves into Mary Lou Retton trying to convince themselves they could play.

Phil Costa was a college free agent who worked his way into the starting center competition on two teams, singing a multi-year contract with the Colts at above league minimum before an injury retirement. Evidently the Colts thought he could play, too. He was a placeholder during the period where we were switching over to the ZBS under Callahan and were rebuilding the OL we've got now. Him, Livings, and Berny were all part of that same process everybody made fun of at the time even though it was the same obvious stopgap-and-draft maneuver we'd been doing everywhere else on the roster. People dumped on Costa, but every roster in the NFL has players like that. Fans ought to appreciate the UDFAs who give you starting reps when you need them. He was basically an OL version of Nick Hayden.

Arkin gets brought up, but for the life of me I don't remember there being a lot of Arkin fans here. He was an undersized developmental mid-round guy who never got hurt but never had the load to hold down a starting job. But he wasn't really a guy people were going to bat for.

 

[ShiningStar]

We hit on Anthony Hitchens. The fact that the question is even asked underlines the disconnect between the value of a draft pick and what those picks translate to when they get on the football field. When you take a rookie 4th rounder, and he walks in and plays all 3 LB positions for you on the way to starting at Mike on your 13-3 team, you hit on him. I don't remember people telling you how great he was going to be, specifically. He doesn't need to be great to be a good pick where we took him, though. I do remember people calling him a bust before he'd even taken a snap.

Back to Johnson, I don't agree that it's 'fair game' to mock somebody over a chronic injury condition. I think we all understand that there are lots of reasons why player don't pan out and that injuries are sometimes the problem. Those two things are not the same.

im not saying mocking either, but he wasnt a player in the NFL for Matt Johnson end of story. I remember people saying how good Hitchens was going to be and hes a so so player. If your definition is we hit because he plays, fine, but i dont know yet if we hit on him. We drafted him and he plays, to me, thats not hitting, thats drafting someone. Maybe we all need to agree on defitinitons, i dont know, but its fair game because the body is part of playing. To be fair we dont know what he would be talent wise. Remember Ben Gardner we had plenty posters saying he was goign to be ok because he had a high motor. Might have had a high motor not playing. Heck some players play better out of dallas. Ware was a washed up player to many posters, i said if he wants to win he has to leave Dallas, i think he agreed. Sometimes that happens. Opinions happen, end of debate.

 

[ShiningStar]

Phil Costa was a college free agent who worked his way into the starting center competition on two teams, singing a multi-year contract with the Colts at above league minimum before an injury retirement. Evidently the Colts thought he could play, too. He was a placeholder during the period where we were switching over to the ZBS under Callahan and were rebuilding the OL we've got now. Him, Livings, and Berny were all part of that same process everybody made fun of at the time even though it was the same obvious stopgap-and-draft maneuver we'd been doing everywhere else on the roster. People dumped on Costa, but every roster in the NFL has players like that. Fans ought to appreciate the UDFAs who give you starting reps when you need them. He was basically an OL version of Nick Hayden.

Arkin gets brought up, but for the life of me I don't remember there being a lot of Arkin fans here. He was an undersized developmental mid-round guy who never got hurt but never had the load to hold down a starting job. But he wasn't really a guy people were going to bat for.

Did the Colts sign him because they believed in his potential, or did they need a body who could do the job? How was was Costa replaced?

 

[Oh_Canada]

Is he back yet?

 

[Idgit]

We had to wait and see if Costa, Arkin, Nagy could play. We couldn't possibly know or else we'd be smarter than the team.

Then when the Cowboys radically reversed course and took the offensive line seriously they all believed in that approach too.

I feel like I've become a better fan witnessing that.

Except that's not what happened. The Cowboys brought in Tyron Smith in the 2011 draft. They made the decision to churn Gurode that same year, and promoted Costa. Next offseason they brought in Callahan (a move you mocked at the time), then came the other two stop-gaps at OG in 2012, then Frederick in 2013 and Martin in 2014. 2011, you'll remember, was Garrett's first offseason as Head Coach. They didn't reverse course, they systematically built the OL by plugging in players they thought had a shot to develop, signing inexpensive VFAs, and then devoting draft resources. They just did it all while you were complaining about it and you somehow didn't notice.

For the record, if this season's an indication of anything, you didn't really become all that much of a better fan for witnessing it, either.

 

[Idgit]

Did the Colts sign him because they believed in his potential, or did they need a body who could do the job? How was was Costa replaced?

They brought him in to compete for the starting role with a player yet-to-be-defined, IIRC. Basically, they didn't have a starter so they threw him a 2 year contract in case they needed him to hold the fort. We let him walk when we drafted Frederick. Not sure what you're asking about how he was replaced, since there are two teams involved, but Costa retired abruptly from the Colts citing 'wear and tear' iirc. I think it coincided with his engagement to Hulk Hogan's daughter (still hilarious) breaking up, but I could have that wrong. I do remember Hogan going around suggesting he broke them up and that maybe there was a confrontation between him and Phil at one point.

 

[Blackspider214]

Can we get one from the punter now?

 

[Idgit]

Can we get one from the punter now?

That's one I'd actually like to see.

 

[ShiningStar]

They brought him in to compete for the starting role with a player yet-to-be-defined, IIRC. Basically, they didn't have a starter so they threw him a 2 year contract in case they needed him to hold the fort. We let him walk when we drafted Frederick. Not sure what you're asking about how he was replaced, since there are two teams involved, but Costa retired abruptly from the Colts citing 'wear and tear' iirc. I think it coincided with his engagement to Hulk Hogan's daughter (still hilarious) breaking up, but I could have that wrong. I do remember Hogan going around suggesting he broke them up and that maybe there was a confrontation between him and Phil at one point.

I should have cleared that up better, (in my head is was spectacular) But when Costa was replaced with the Colts. I dont ever remember the Colts thinking they got a center for the future. He was just holding down the fort as you said and i agree, because he could go through the motions and give you game day play, but as a starter or long term player, no, bad draft, not a complete package , just being someone who can play but not survive all the factors if playing in the league.

 

[plymkr]

David Buehler would Finish The Fight.

Now there's a guy we can make fun of. he just flat out sucked and somehow stayed on the roster. I would cringe every time there was a FG attempt.

 

[Proximo]

Still don't understand mocking a dude with potential who wanted to play but couldn't stay healthy enough to ever get his shot. What's the funny part again?

Beat me to it.

College athlete makes it to the NFL, tries his *** off, doesn't make the cut. So now let's poke fun at him at every turn by making lame jokes that aren't even funny. Give me a break.

 

[xwalker]

Still don't understand mocking a dude with potential who wanted to play but couldn't stay healthy enough to ever get his shot. What's the funny part again?

I was surprised he never tried to come back.

I think he was a guy that spent too much time in the weight room and lost flexibility.. a little like David Boston.

 

[Blackspider214]

That's one I'd actually like to see.

They should just play his hit in the Lions game for 2min straight in all various speeds and angles.

 

[ShiningStar]

Now there's a guy we can make fun of. he just flat out sucked and somehow stayed on the roster. I would cringe every time there was a FG attempt.

i didnt think he was that bad? opinion tho. He was fast tho, but personally i didnt think he was as bad as some as we had.

 

[Idgit]

I should have cleared that up better, (in my head is was spectacular) But when Costa was replaced with the Colts. I dont ever remember the Colts thinking they got a center for the future. He was just holding down the fort as you said and i agree, because he could go through the motions and give you game day play, but as a starter or long term player, no, bad draft, not a complete package , just being someone who can play but not survive all the factors if playing in the league.

Yeah, that's basically what Costa was: a guy who can give you starter snaps, but a guy you're going to be looking to replace. He was young, so there was a chance he'd get better with repetition and time in an NFL weight room. Our fans hated him I think because of the bad shotgun snap snafus (which were really embarrassing) and because the whole team was going from the good 13-3 team in 2007 to the swirling mess of a team we had in 2010. Everybody was irritated for good reasons and faith in the direction of the team was low.

But the reality was, they really did have a decent plan for rebuilding the roster and getting the cap right. It started with getting rid of the bloated contracts and plugging in stop gaps, churning wherever you could, and then drafting to backfill the spots you filled with the two-year VFA signings.

 

[Idgit]

I was surprised he never tried to come back.

I think he was a guy that spent too much time in the weight room and lost flexibility.. a little like David Boston.

I had thought they were really excited right before his last pull that they'd figured out what was causing the pulls, but he'd run out of time at that point. I did think maybe he'd address it and get a shot in another camp.

We really never saw very much of this guy on the field at all. It's a shame. I just remember thinking reading between the lines that the defensive coaches were pretty high on him if he could get on the field. As much as I like watching top-quality S play, it's been really frustrating not having one on the roster for so long. Byron Jones, now, aside.

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

It was a suspect pick, but he had the athletic potential.

The main difference between a great player and a bust, is the ability to stay healthy.

There are many college players with all the potential in the world that can't make the NFL because the rigors are too much for their body to handle. Case in point; Matt Johnson. Sad.

 

[Proximo]

We had to wait and see if Costa, Arkin, Nagy could play. We couldn't possibly know or else we'd be smarter than the team.

Yea bro, just like that time you knew better than the team when it came to Dak Prescott. "Brain damaged waste of a roster spot"- I think those were the words you used?

Too bad Jerry didn't call you and get your opinion on THAT 4th round draft pick before sending it in. Could've saved us all that trouble of actually watching him play for us.

 

[ShiningStar]

Yeah, that's basically what Costa was: a guy who can give you starter snaps, but a guy you're going to be looking to replace. He was young, so there was a chance he'd get better with repetition and time in an NFL weight room. Our fans hated him I think because of the bad shotgun snap snafus (which were really embarrassing) and because the whole team was going from the good 13-3 team in 2007 to the swirling mess of a team we had in 2010. Everybody was irritated for good reasons and faith in the direction of the team was low.

But the reality was, they really did have a decent plan for rebuilding the roster and getting the cap right. It started with getting rid of the bloated contracts and plugging in stop gaps, churning wherever you could, and then drafting to backfire the spots you filled with the two-year VFA signings.

cant disagree with this post. nice chat.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Beat me to it.

College athlete makes it to the NFL, tries his *** off, doesn't make the cut. So now let's poke fun at him at every turn by making lame jokes that aren't even funny. Give me a break.

I think once you're a cowboy we're all a fraternity and it's all good. The guys in the locker room do this stuff all the time.


Yea it's kinda removing the human from the player. But when you sign up you become a talking point. It makes more sense to me than the people who protected rob petiti from criticism Bc his dad read the site.