why keith brooking over zach thomas

[Galian Beast]

i dont think this was about money?

Do they simply feel that brooking is a better fit, especially with his experience working for wade?

Question also go for Matt Stewart.

We've really made a lot of change to our linebacker corps. For the first time in along time I can actually say Im excited about our depth at linebacker. Although I have to admit my lack of knowledge regarding Keith Brooking kind of sours me on him.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

i dont think this was about money?

Do they simply feel that brooking is a better fit, especially with his experience working for wade?

Question also go for Matt Stewart.

We've really made a lot of change to our linebacker corps. For the first time in along time I can actually say Im excited about our depth at linebacker. Although I have to admit my lack of knowledge regarding Keith Brooking kind of sours me on him.

Brookings called in his chits and Wade obliged by gitting him. Now, nothing wrong with taking a chance, but both of these guys are pushing 30.
Both Falcons and being an ego thing, Wade wants them to be thought of "his guys."
I just hope they don't replace younger players. We don't need to get older and slower, that is for danged sure.

 

[lcharles]

Thomas did not impress me at all.

I think Brooking will be better at this stage.


might be a bit of an upgrade, a push at worst.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Both players might just be one or two year stop gaps vets while we develop younger players at those positions.

 

[theWave21]

Zach Thomas was fine in open space but if a blocker got his hands on him, it was all she wrote. Kind of reminds me of when Dexter Coakley used to get blocked back into the secondary. I have to believe (blind faith) Brooking will be somewhat better at shedding blocks.

 

[Hostile]

Brooking will be a leader in the huddle and in the locker room. Character matters. Not saying Zach did not possess character just that he was limited in Wade's system. Brooking will not be. He's younger, bigger, and has experience Zach did not have. I like Zach better overall, but Brooking is a much better fit.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Stewart might just be a camp body and Brooking is a upgrade over Thomas...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Brooking will be a leader in the huddle and in the locker room. Character matters. Not saying Zach did not possess character just that he was limited in Wade's system. Brooking will not be. He's younger, bigger, and has experience Zach did not have. I like Zach better overall, but Brooking is a much better fit.

Yeah, I agree with that. I don't really think Brooking will be much better than Zach, but then Zach wasn't as bad as some people say. I do know that when we first got Brooking, I heard on local radio that they heard from Valley Ranch that the coaches were happy Brooking was bigger than Zach, as they thought they needed more size there.

But the biggest thing is the leadership issue. Ratliff said on that Grizz interview that Keith had fit right in and was very humble and hardworking while still being vocal, and that attitude from a multiple time Pro Bowler motivated Jay to work even harder than he already does. Jay said he thought Keith could be a real leader on this team in time. I never heard anyone say that about Zach.

Actually, I kind of feel bad for Zach. I think he's a no-nonsense guy who just wants to play football, and the circus atmosphere made him uncomfortable. I think he'd have fit in a lot better on this year's team.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Zach wanted to go elsewhere so we replaced him with someone younger.

 

[Hostile]

Yeah, I agree with that. I don't really think Brooking will be much better than Zach, but then Zach wasn't as bad as some people say. I do know that when we first got Brooking, I heard on local radio that they heard from Valley Ranch that the coaches were happy Brooking was bigger than Zach, as they thought they needed more size there.

But the biggest thing is the leadership issue. Ratliff said on that Grizz interview that Keith had fit right in and was very humble and hardworking while still being vocal, and that attitude from a multiple time Pro Bowler motivated Jay to work even harder than he already does. Jay said he thought Keith could be a real leader on this team in time. I never heard anyone say that about Zach.

Actually, I kind of feel bad for Zach. I think he's a no-nonsense guy who just wants to play football, and the circus atmosphere made him uncomfortable. I think he'd have fit in a lot better on this year's team.

Thanks for the input from Ratliff. I had not heard that so it is refreshing. I wish Zach had stayed and I still think he would be a good football coach and I hope he will come back here for a job some day. I really respect him. I just think Brooking is a better fit in this scheme.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Thanks for the input from Ratliff. I had not heard that so it is refreshing.

Check it out. It's good stuff.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2009/6/18/913684/btb-exclusive-jay-ratliff?ref=yahoo

 

[Hostile]

Check it out. It's good stuff.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2009/6/18/913684/btb-exclusive-jay-ratliff?ref=yahoo

Thank you.

How can anyone not love Rat? He is a pure football guy.

 

[THUMPER]

I wanted us to draft Brooking in 1998 but we took Ellis instead. Now we finally get the right guy but it is at the end of his career. Still, he will provide leadership on defense as well as still being a solid player in the middle.

I just wish we could have had him all along.

 

[Typhus]

Thomas just never looked right in this defense, I know that sounds strange, but it just seemed that I was always waiting, anticipating, him to start making more of a presence inside next to James, but it just seemed as though he was to hesitant at times.

I have read where Thomas actually said that he wasnt as aggressive because he feared taking away plays from James, not sure if thats totally true or not, but nonetheless he was hesitant in this D.

Brookings comes in at the tenured age of 33, still 2 yrs younger than Thomas, but obviously playing out his career now with the Cowboys. If he still has some gas in the tank, he would seem to be a better fit than Thomas inside.

If Brookings can be better in gap assignment, and be a plug in the middle against the run, it would be logical that James would benefit and elevate his numbers.

Thats alot of ifs, but for the price I like the signing.

 

[Spectre]

Brooking is a tool.
That's fine because he's a good player.
But he's a tool.

 

[jazzcat22]

Thomas did not impress me at all.

I think Brooking will be better at this stage.


might be a bit of an upgrade, a push at worst.

Right, I was not impressed as well. I never thought Zach was the answer, and thought he was washed up a few years back. But was willing to give him a chance because he did seem at first to have a little something in camp and the first few games.

I was not all on board with Brooking being signed either. Another aging LB'er even though a little younger than Thomas. The more I seen and read and heard, I feel a little better with the signing.

But I'm not here to bash the decision's, just to hope it all turns out to be the right decision for the time. Until the younger players and step in and take over.

I think we will be better with Brooking over Thomas. Isn't this more his style defense and it was not for Thomas, they made adjustments for him.

I may be wrong on that, but when you make an adjustment for a player in your system, and the player can not adjust to your system....that is not good.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Brooking is a tool.
That's fine because he's a good player.
But he's a tool.

I know I'll kick myself for even asking, but what's this all about?

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Me, I am getting tired of these huddle "leaders" who come in amid fanfare and depart under cover of a dark December night. Last year it was the great Zach. This year the great Brookings . . .

How about anointing Ware the leader?????
Someone who not only has proven his monsterdom in a Cowboys uniform but will get greater for us well into the next decade. If Brookings wants to be a leader in the huddle, if fans want him to be a leader in the huddle, then alright then. But who made Ware disappear and made Brooky the boss of the huddle?

To me, that is major disrespect for Ware.

Better, give me a Ware who does not deem himself the "leader" and plays the way he does rather than an over-the-hill "Wade Guy" who might be looking to just merrily step in and "lead." Alas, but with only 1/5 of the talent of Ware.

 

[Four]

I know I'll kick myself for even asking, but what's this all about?

 

[theWave21]

That's just the problem, leaders aren't annointed. Do you think the Ravens said, "alright Ray Lewis, you're the leader"? He went in there, punched someone in the mouth, and everyone else went to war with him. If someone on that defense screws up, he tells them about it. I have a feeling Ware isn't that kind of player.