Brian Leonard 23

Leonardfan

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Its to bad Faulk retired because it would of been nice for him to see what a player Leonard is up close in personal and have to eat crow for the comments he made at the combine.
 

Colonel_Reb

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This is great news that Brian will probably be a TB, but he will have to do well or else be relegated to the scrap heap of once tried white RBs.
 

white lightning

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Another thing good about St.Louis is that the turf is very fast.He might just have to show off his track speed and jumping ability on some unsuspecting nfl corners and safeties.Wouldn't that be great?
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White Mike

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Sean Carlisle said:
I am sorry I missed the unfavorable comments Faulk made about Leonard. Please restate. Thanks.

Go to youtube and search 'Brian Leonard Combine' you can hear Marshall and Dick Vermil talk about Brian needing to bulk up to play FB.
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Mike Moyack defends Leonard saying something like "what if you're selling the kid short and he's got talent to be a really good RB..." Faulk butts in with "then he becomes a really good fullback..."
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Something I've noticed in articles, you here about how FB is a dying possition in the NFL, but when they refer to Leonard people talk about lack of talent at the possition, and he would be a 'better fit' there. Maybe by 'lack of talent' Marshall means FB is 'too white'.
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As if anything could ever be too white.
 
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I heard those comments, and for the life of me I can't imagine how many black "stiffs" are drafted and coddled and they show fewer measurables or intangible talents than Leonard, or the dozens of other white running backs sent to the junk heap.
 

white is right

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wile said:
I heard those comments, and for the life of me I can't imagine how many black "stiffs" are drafted and coddled and they show fewer measurables or intangible talents than Leonard, or the dozens of other white running backs sent to the junk heap.
Ron Dayne ring a bell. He was so slow and lazy that the Giants didn't even give him the ball in "Elephant backfield" type situations. He has improved, but that's only because his playing career would be over if he didn't...
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lumsdenpower

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I liked Marshall Faulk before that ..Now he can burn in hell..Stupid black..In canada, each time when a big white team vs all black team, the white won 95 percent of time. Don't try to beat them with finest play or something, no play PHYSICAL and with our great athlete we beat them easily. Black football player don't like play dirty and physical.Edited by: lumsdenpower
 

White Shogun

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white is right said:
Ron Dayne ring a bell. He was so slow and lazy that the Giants didn't even give him the ball in "Elephant backfield" type situations. He has improved, but that's only because his playing career would be over if he didn't...
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His yards per carry improved to 5.1 while with the Broncos; but then again, who doesn't get 5 yards per carry running the ball for the Broncos?
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His average fell to 4.1 last year with the Texans, which is still an improvement over his average with the Giants, where his best year was 2001, with 3.8 per carry.
 
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white lightning said:
Another thing good about St.Louis is that the turf is very fast.He might just have to show off his track speed and jumping ability on some unsuspecting nfl corners and safeties.Wouldn't that be great?
smiley36.gif

Yes indeed it would be great. I am getting excited picturing him leaping over all those loud-mouthed, trash-talking, "shuckin n' jivin'" black cornerbacks already. Hey homeboys...he's coming. Hope you have your track shoes on.
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White Mike

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NFL Network is running a special on the Rams mini camp Sunday night at 8pm EST. This will be our first chance to see our boy in action. It's amazing that even after the Rams coach said Brian is going to be a tailback many "reliable" sources (ESPN, NFL Network) still insist on calling him a FB. God forbid they list a "whiteboy" at running back. Was Jerome Bettis ever listed as a FB?
 
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White Mike said:
NFL Network is running a special on the Rams mini camp Sunday night at 8pm EST. This will be our first chance to see our boy in action. It's amazing that even after the Rams coach said Brian is going to be a tailback many "reliable" sources (ESPN, NFL Network) still insist on calling him a FB. God forbid they list a "whiteboy" at running back. Was Jerome Bettis ever listed as a FB?

Now they'll say its the type of runner or his weight or some other BS reason to keep him from being listed at tailback. The Rams' roster, however, lists him under RB.
 

white is right

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White Mike said:
NFL Network is running a special on the Rams mini camp Sunday night at 8pm EST. This will be our first chance to see our boy in action. It's amazing that even after the Rams coach said Brian is going to be a tailback many "reliable" sources (ESPN, NFL Network) still insist on calling him a FB. God forbid they list a "whiteboy" at running back. Was Jerome Bettis ever listed as a FB?
Yes I think he was initally as a Ram. I know he was never listed that as a Steeler. Even when he Bettis was essentially a running fullback late in his career he was still a tailback(officially). For Bettis it could be viewed as semantics. For Leonard there are probably alterior motives....
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Edited by: white is right
 

backrow

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he is listed as a runningback, number 36 (let's hope he will stay as RB and that his career will mirror that of the other college fullback wearing the same number in the NFL
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)

here's his first pic in new uniform (albeit a training one)

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from rams.com:

"Slightly unusual, though, is the lack of running backs attending the minicamp. Second-round choice Brian Leonard is handling the bulk of the carries as he learns his hybrid running back position. Brad Lau is the only other back on the roster, but is a fullback.

"We only have two backs right now so I am running in single back and halfback so I will be the running back unless we get another running back in here," Leonard said. "It's nice to get the reps, but it is tiring.""

and another article

from the article:
"Once the regular season starts, Linehan envisions this kind of workload for Leonard each Sunday:

â€â€￾ A few snaps at fullback as a lead blocker for Steven Jackson.

â€â€￾ A few snaps at running back, spelling Jackson.

â€â€￾ A few snaps as a third-down back.

â€â€￾ Perhaps a play or two in short yardage.

"Before it's all said and done, he's in the game for 15-20 snaps," Linehan said."Edited by: backrow
 

White Shogun

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â€â€￾ A few snaps at fullback as a lead blocker for Steven Jackson.

I wonder if Steven Jackson will ever block for Brian Leonard.Edited by: White Shogun
 

Don Wassall

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white is right said:
Even when he Bettis was essentially a running fullback late in his career he was still a tailback(officially). For Bettis it could be viewed as semantics. For Leonard there are probably alterior motives....
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How was Bettis a "running fullback late in his career"? He never played fullback for the Steelers nor did he do any blocking. He was unambiguously a tailback, as he was for his entire NFL career.
 

Triad

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As mentioned in another post. On Jerome Bettis' biography show on one of the sports channels he discussed this very topic. Apparently, the Rams told Bettis of their plans to move him to fullback for the following season for the good of the team. Bettis told them to go to hell and left the team to go to the Steelers as a running back.

He explained how he looked at fullback as a demotion and wouldn't consider playing the position because it was beneath him and he was a tailback. Big difference in his views and Leonard's decision for his senior year.
 

white is right

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Don Wassall said:
white is right said:
Even when he Bettis was essentially a running fullback late in his career he was still a tailback(officially). For Bettis it could be viewed as semantics. For Leonard there are probably alterior motives....
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How was Bettis a "running fullback late in his career"? He never played fullback for the Steelers nor did he do any blocking. He was unambiguously a tailback, as he was for his entire NFL career.
He got similar calls to Alstott or Tommy Vardell(when he was a Lion), quick hitters up the gut for a first or td. This was when he was no longer the starting tailback. Yes he never lined up as the fullback but he was in single set or elephant backfield type situations with Kreider blocking for him. Back when fullbacks got the ball they had similar plays as far as I can remember?Edited by: white is right
 

Don Wassall

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white is right said:
He got similar calls to Alstott or Tommy Vardell(when he was a Lion), quick hitters up the gut for a first or td. This was when he was no longer the starting tailback. Yes he never lined up as the fullback but he was in single set or elephant backfield type situations with Kreider blocking for him. Back when fullbacks got the ball they had similar plays as far as I can remember?


Yes,Bettis was used as the backup tailback and goal line specialist at the end of his career. Many NFL teams now use tailbacks similarly as part of the growing trend toward usinga "committee" at running back. Bettis was never used as a fullback in his ten seasons with the Steelers nor was he ever considered a running fullback. He was a running fullback at Notre Dame, similar toMarc Edwards,but was strictly a tailback in the NFL whereas Edwards, Bettis' successor at the position,became the classic "blocking fullback" at the next level.
 

Colonel_Reb

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Its good to see Brian in the Rams uniform! I hope he gets a chance to shine, and soon!
 

white lightning

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This could be such a great year if Brian can get a shot.I remember waiting and hoping with Luke Staley only to be let down again.Then it happened with Jesse Lumsden.Please play this kid at running back.Give me a reason to tune in more on Sundays.Leonard can help to pave the way for future backs like Bell,Harris,and many others.Go Rams!

Don't forget guys,they also have Drew Bennett now with Marc Bulger throwing to him.I can't wait!
 
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