I don't think anyone predicted this, not even Parcellls, yet here we are. I totally agree, I see twice the RB in Barber that I do in Jones. It's the injuries that completely kill him. He can never (or atleast in these first 2 years) continuelly move forward, progress wise. It's like he's up the ladder, down the ladder, up the ladder, down the ladder. The type of back who badluck just prohibits from ever reaching the top of that ladder. Barber on the other hand though is just such a workhorse in the way he attacks running. He seems to always be going up that 'ladder'. And when he's not, he's throwing that ladder on his back and taking it with him. Reminds me of Emmitt in that perspective. And all of the Jones' camp supporters are even starting to remind me of Emmitt detractors in the beginning, constantly pointing out the 'reasons' why Barber could never be a complete NFL running back and only concentrating on "all" of the "great" things Julius brings to the table, all the things "you just have to have" in a RB if you want any chance of being successful in this league. Our fanbase seems really good at pointing out all of the reasons "why" and then on the other hand totally ignoring all of the reasons why not once we finally get a player in our "hearts", such as Julius is. BUT IMO, chronically occuring injuries, can NOT be ignored - not if your name is Julius Jones, not if your name is Tuna Cavana Boy-oops I mean, Terry Glenn. Give me the hardnoses like Barber and Keyshawn any day of the week over the health insurance rate raisers. If our offense faulters this upcoming season, I see the injuries of these two men, two players we should have seriously thought about replacing for more consistant types, I see their injuries as the one roadblock to our overall success this year. I mean how many years in a row is the absence of Terry Glenn going to inhibit our passing game? I mean serious, Bill Parcells, I would like to know this answer! You get rid of the one guy who plays through ANY injury for the guy made of glass. Regrettably I see the same outcome happening at the RB position this season just like it has the last 3 at WR with Glenn, Parcells will feel a twinge of "loyalty" and play it to a "fault". All of the continued chances he's given Jones the first two years tells me he really likes something about this kid, and just like with Glenn I believe it will effect his evaluation - unlike everyone else he judges on "production", he'll add Jones into the club of evaluating on "potential". Lucky for Barber and Crayton, though, cause they're almost guaranteed some playing time!! Like atleast a third of a season, lol. Just not so lucky for us overall as a team cause we'll be having to change direction once these two hit the field in replacement fulltime around novemeber - coincedetally the very time a serious push towards the playoffs needs to be made. Every year just seems like the same story. And like last year, if it isn't injury, it's someother "omigod freak occurance"
that removes Glenn from our offensive attack. But back to the topic at hand; Jones is on the cusp of turning into that same team destroying "goodguy", oft-injured entity...or whatever excuse the excuse of the day is.
