Danny Woodhead

[Woody]

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<H3>McKnight motivated by Woodhead</H3>
<DIV =datetime>December, 10, 2010
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<DIV =post-author>By Ian Begley
<DIV =mod->FLORHAM PARK, N.J. â€" The results of the Jets' decision to keep Joe McKnight and cut Danny Woodhead were on full display Monday night in Foxborough.

Woodhead, undrafted out of Division II Chadron State, shined on a national stage (four catches, 104 yards) while McKnight, the Jets' fourth-round pick out of USC (three carries, 19 yards) gained meaningless yards late in the Pats' 45-3 win.

On Friday, McKnight said he uses Woodhead â€" and the criticism the Jets received from fans and media for keeping him and cutting Woodhead â€" as motivation.

"Woody's been a motivation since I got here. Everybody was thinking about Woody more than they were thinking about me,"Â￾ the Jets' fourth-round pick said.

McKnight also sees Woodhead as an example of the tenuous nature of employment in the NFL.

"You could be here today and be gone tomorrow,"Â￾ he said. "I feel like I shouldn't even be here right now just with the way I performed in camp and preseason. They gave me an opportunity so I just want to take advantage of it."Â￾

Whether it was showing up to work out of shape, vomiting during mini-camp or struggling to hold on to the ball, McKnight regrets plenty about his first few months in the NFL.

"There's a whole lot of things I wish never happened,"Â￾ he said.

After the poor showing in training camp, McKnight was inactive for seven of the first eight weeks of the season. Making matters worse, Woodhead thrived with the Patriots and Leon Washington â€" the running back the Jets traded to the Seahawks after drafting McKnight â€" got off to a fast start in Seattle.

So McKnight immediately became a lightning rod for criticism.

"I just want to put that behind me and move on. But I wish I would have came into camp more like in shape and stuff like that,"Â￾ he said Friday. "With the throw-up issues in the rookie mini-camp, I wish that never happened."Â￾

Rex Ryan on Friday said he sees McKnight as "a different guy"Â￾ who has been humbled by his time on the bench and aided by practice reps at cornerback, running back and special teams.

"Here's a guy that was one of the highest-rated athletes coming out of high school and had great success at USC, an instant success there,"Â￾ Ryan said. "I think it was probably pretty humbling to him and he responded exactly how you would like to see him respond. He just went right to work and he looks great."Â￾

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

NFP Sunday Blitz

I was surprised to see this from the National Football Post who should be notorious on this site for under ranking white players at draft time:

Of course the world underestimated Danny Woodhead(notes). He's 5-7, 195 pounds â€" too small. He played against Division II competition at Chadron State â€" not enough of a test. And he's white â€" the wrong color for a running back, according to the stereotype.

Leave it to Bill Belichick to find his value. Woodhead bounced around on the Jets for more than two years after they took him as an undrafted free agent. He spent 2008 on injured reserve, and was moved to wide receiver in 2009. This year, it appeared the Jets made the decision to cut Woodhead in the fourth round of the April draft when they drafted Joe McKnight(notes). Even though Woodhead clearly outplayed McKnight in the preseason, they kept the draft pick and cut Woodhead on Sept. 14.
AdChoices

Later that week, one day before the Patriots came to town, Woodhead was picked up by the Jets' primary rival. The Patriots had an opening for a back after trading Laurence Maroney(notes). During that first Patriots-Jets game, Kevin Faulk(notes) suffered a season ending injury. And opportunity's door swung open wide for one Danny Woodhead.

Since that time, Woodhead has established himself as the Patriots' nickel running back. He has 355 rushing yards, an average of 5.4 per carry, and 334 receiving yards â€" 104 of which came against his former team last Monday.

Bill Belichick finds ways to get the most out of players like Danny Woodhead.
ICON

While the Patriots certainly have shown they know how to use the former Harlon Hill winner, Belichick maintains Woodhead could be productive in any system. "He's a good third down back,"Â he told me. "He'd do everything Mewelde Moore(notes) does for Pittsburgh, or [LaDainian] Tomlinson does for the Jets on third downs. He'd play for any team that uses a third down back."Â

Woodhead will get another opportunity to prove that Sunday when the first place Patriots travel to Chicago to take on the first place Bears. On a day when extreme cold and high winds are expected, and on a playing surface in which less than ideal footing is expected, a player like Woodhead could play a significant role.

Woodhead rushed for more yards than anyone in the history of college football, but he'll probably never be a league-leader at the NFL level. What he can be is an outstanding role player, the kind of chess piece that Belichick uses in spots with a high degree of effectiveness. He really is the perfect replacement for Faulk.

"There are a lot of similarities between Woodhead and Faulk, which is what we saw when we took him,"Â Belichick said. "We kind of thought we were getting a younger Kevin Faulk with a lot of receiving skills, and even though he is an undersized guy, he has some interior run skills. He's also a tough kid like Kevin."Â

This is what one defensive coordinator who has tried to stop Woodhead this season told me about him. "Woodhead is the real deal. He must be about two feet tall, but he's tough as nails, catches the ball and makes yards after the catch. He will block any linebacker on a blitz and I haven't seen him show any fear at all. He can and does run the ball well inside and you better be ready when be ready when you attempt to tackle him. I could go on and on about this kid. He puts his helmet on and lays it on the line on every snap and that is how we used to play the game. This kid is a throwback, God bless him."Â

It's easy to see all that now. It wasn't so easy to see it in April of 2008. "The issues with him coming out were his size and the competition,"Â Belichick said. "We liked him, but obviously not enough, and we were wrong on that."Â

The Patriots were one of 32 who got it wrong with this kid.

National Football Post Woodhead article

 

[Toby Hillis]

I read this article that compared Woodhead to Rice and MJD--take a look at the comments section. I replied to this guy "Brad" (under the name "PeytonsPlace") exposing the "danny was passed over for D1/NFL because heswaaaay too small" lie,and the DWFs seem on board! People are waking up! Pretty good, very short article with comparable stats.
ELITE SMALL BACKS

 

[Freethinker]

I read this article that compared Woodhead to Rice and MJD--take a look at the comments section.  I replied to this guy "Brad" (under the name "PeytonsPlace") exposing the "danny was passed over for D1/NFL because hes waaaay too small" lie, and the DWFs seem on board!  People are waking up!  Pretty good, very short article with comparable stats.
<div>ELITE SMALL BACKS</div>

Those SWF's really put that initial poster in his place. From personal experience, I've always felt New England White people are a bit more racially aware then other parts of the country. Very encouraging signs that fans are finally seeing the 2 ton, pink elephant with a top hat, riding a tiny bicycle in the room....

 

[TwentyTwo]

Enjoy the post! It's good to see Danny flourish!

Still the crap talk like...- "Throwback"?...then we know he has to be white- "Belichick gets the MOST out of players like Woodhead"?? Like they are really stretching the limits...we know that statement were not true if talking about 5'-8" affletes bec of their tremendous upside..you can never get the most out of them...

Ever sincethebrutal beatdownby the Browns/Peyton Hillis(184 yds rushing)...the PATRIOTShave been on a mission going to the Super Bowl! Brady has been focused as a laser!Outscoring the Jets &amp; Bears 81-10past two weeks...I would love to see Danny Woodhead in the SUPER BOWL!

 

[northwinds]

http://www.nesn.com/2010/12/can-dan...ew-ray-rice-as-short-elite-running-backs.html[/QUOTE]
Those SWF's really put that initial poster in his place. From personal experience, I've always felt New England White people are a bit more racially aware then other parts of the country. Very encouraging signs that fans are finally seeing the 2 ton, pink elephant with a top hat, riding a tiny bicycle in the room....

[/QUOTE]

A few years ago I was posting on an Atlanta Falcons forum and there was a thread about the best WRs in the NFL. After reading about 50 posts lauding the various affroletes at the position I entered a post that essentially said "how can you have a discussion about the best WRs in the NFL and not mention Wes Welker?". Well, of course, I got the usual endless replys going on about how Welker's numbers were only a result of the late, great Randy Mossing playing on the other side and getting triple coverage on every play leaving Welker uncovered....LMAO.One of the negative nelliesthen started a thread at Patriots.com and posted some ofmy commentsand asked "what do you Patriot fans think?"......they whooped him up one side and down the other......."Welker means more to the team than Moss"......"Welker is the MVP of this team", etc. It was great.....I rode that guys ass about being taken to the woodshed by those "Southies" on the Patriots forum until I finally got banned......LOL. By the way, there's a great article on Welker in this weeks Sports Illustrated.

 

[Toby Hillis]

I think you guys are right about Boston fans being more enlightened about the caste system than the average DWF. Remember, they've had the privilege of seeing Bird, McHale, Danny Ainge, Craig James, Wes, Woodhead, Tom Brady etc. Thoseathletes can sober upthe drunkest of DWFs!!!

 

[mick phrom philly]

I think you guys are right about Boston fans being more enlightened about the caste system than the average DWF. Remember, they've had the privilege of seeing Bird, McHale, Danny Ainge, Craig James, Wes, Woodhead, Tom Brady etc. Thoseathletes can sober upthe drunkest of DWFs!!!

There's some disconnect there, withMassachusetts being about the most leftistnanny-state in the country and yet havingall these racially-aware whites...Maybethey vote for the idiots they vote for due towhite guilt on steroids for liking white athletes so much.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I think you guys are right about Boston fans being more enlightened about the caste system than the average DWF. Remember, they've had the privilege of seeing Bird, McHale, Danny Ainge, Craig James, Wes, Woodhead, Tom Brady etc. Thoseathletes can sober upthe drunkest of DWFs!!!

<div></div>
<div>There's some disconnect there, withMassachusetts being about the most leftistnanny-state in the country and yet havingall these racially-aware whites...Maybethey vote for the idiots they vote for due towhite guilt on steroids for liking white athletes so much.</div>

Ha ha! Could be.

 

[Toby Hillis]

I think you guys are right about Boston fans being more enlightened about the caste system than the average DWF. Remember, they've had the privilege of seeing Bird, McHale, Danny Ainge, Craig James, Wes, Woodhead, Tom Brady etc. Thoseathletes can sober upthe drunkest of DWFs!!!

There's some disconnect there, withMassachusetts being about the most leftistnanny-state in the country and yet havingall these racially-aware whites...Maybethey vote for the idiots they vote for due towhite guilt on steroids for liking white athletes so much.

Ha ha! Could be.

Still think it's because the greatest athletes that they've had the privalege to see (sans the current Celtics) where almost all white.

 

[Bart]

How bout a Woodhead jersey?

http://www.csnne.com/pages/video?PID=OV7a1eGLuPfwXuAOXr_gjEScMUSdfsyH

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Thanks for posting that Bart- it was funny: Here's an article on the topic:
Woodhead Incognito

Danny Woodhead, the powerful pocket-sized running back for the New England Patriots, attempted to go unrecognized by shoppers at Modell's where he posed as an employee and worked to sell his own No. 39 Patriots jerseys and t-shirts.

"I'm working today," Woodhead says during the behind-the-scenes intro prior to hitting the sales floor. "My name is 'Dan' today. We're gonna rock and roll and try to sell some jerseys."

In the video above, Woodhead, who's listed at 5-feet-9-inches by the Patriots, was called "too little" by one shopper and his identity was almost revealed by a woman who ended up buying a jersey.

"Trying to help sell these, 'cause they're new," Woodhead says in a sales pitch to a potential customer. "I think he's a... I don't know him personally, but I think he's a likable guy, I think this would be a good buy, don't you? Maybe?"

At Modell's stores, Woodhead t-shirts are outselling even those of uberpopular quarterback Tom Brady. According to Modell's executive Jed Berger on sportsgrid.com, Woodhead's popularity is due to the fact that "The Patriots haven't had a new hero in a long time," so Woodhead's emergence provided "someone fresh to cheer about."
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My take: Woodhead may be an addition to the top 50 nationwide jersey selling list for next season. It may not be out of the question. Hillis should make the top 25 next year. Maybe the NFL will realize it needs more white RBs? Lot's of black guys sporting QB jerseys wear one of a black QB. Hopefully, more SWFs will start buying white RB and WR jerseys. And I think this IS starting!

 

[backrow]

hahaha, he seems like a great guy! (and he DOES look like he could work there, as opposed to Forsey looking like a team manager or what not! Danny has this youthful presence and image, haircut and all).

a customer: "he's too little for me" Danny: "too little? wow. that's... that's too bad" and then he adds: "salt in the wound" haha

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Cool video! Gotta love this kid...although he could use a haircut.

I hope he continues to get a slew of reps for the Patsies. As of now, I'm pulling for them to win the AFC (as long as Danny & Wes keep getting passes & carries).

 

[qj]

Watched the 10 top good short players on the NFL channel this morning. According to the show, Sproles is only 5'6'' tall. Funny though, the commentators waxed over how powerful and good he is as a player and minimized how small he is. Nobody has droned on about how small Sproles was when I've watched the Chargers over the last few years, but at least earlier this year, it was nonstop coverage about how small and undersized Woody is. In my opinion, the Caste Media ridiculed and marginalized Danny as some dwarf freakshow and passing fad. Coverage about his lack of size was maximized while his considerable skill and toughness was minimized. Of course, Sproles is black and Danny is white. I hope the DWF's out there are waking up!!!

Gooooo Paaaatttssssss!!!!

 

[Don Wassall]

It's way overdone, to the point of showing the latent (and sometimes blatant) hostility White and Jewish media people have toward White athletes not playing their "proper" roles and positions. Woodhead and Welker are often lumped together as the "little guys" on the Patriots, or described as "clones" of each other.



Welker, whose size is still routinely remarked upon after all these seasons in the league,is actually a little bigger than Deon Branch. But black running backs and receivers are never "small" unless they are very short in height, ala Sproles and Jones-Drew, and then as qj mentioned, their size is quickly dropped as a continuing topic after they establish themselves.

As reluctant as this "copycat" league is to "copy" White success, the continued success of teams with the Whitest offenses may force more teams to follow suit. But then again, this is the NFL we're talking about, the ultimate extreme, over the top affirmative action project.Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I think the more the caste system media keeps going over the top with their insane comments, the more people will wake up to it and begin to see the agenda. I hope Danny gets to run some more this week. It would be great to see him and Peyton Hillis have 100 yard games in the same week.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I apologize if this has been posted already, but this is a great Youtube video mocking the Jets for the terrible decision of cutting Woodhead, a happy song as well...Enjoy!

[Tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO3gLmBVLfw[/Tube]

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Notice Woodhead is a good sport in the video with the over-joking about his height that a black player wouldn't go through EVEN CLOSE to the same extent.

 

[Electric Slide]

What isn't there to like about Danny Woodhead? He's exactly what we need more of in the NFL. Level headed, hard working, ultra competitive, and not to mention freakishly talented! I don't want to diminish the significance of his talent, but there must be 20 other players like Danny Woodhead floating out there who are playing rugby, soccer, speed skating, gymnastics, etc.

One of the reason freakishly athletic white guys who do gymnastics didn't do something like football is a self-acknowledged lack of height. While extreme challenges are there, I hope these guys take the lead of Woodhead and start pursuing NFL careers.

BTW that video was hilarious. I like the concept of poking fun of people not recognizing white athletes other than the really tall ones. Meanwhile I have seen dumb white people confuse out of shape black guys for athletes, saying stuff like "so do you play football?"

While I'm sure many on this forum detest the reality show format, I think Danny Woodhead would be a good candidate for his own.

 

[northwinds]

@T.J. Riggins: Thanks so much for finding and posting that video.....I posted it to my facebook page, sent it to my DWF brother-in-law, and posted it on another sports forum.....its hillariousand makes the point so well.....

 

[whiteCB]

Cool video! Gotta love this kid...although he could use a haircut.

I hope he continues to get a slew of reps for the Patsies. As of now, I'm pulling for them to win the AFC (as long as Danny & Wes keep getting passes & carries).

Oh man I love the shaggy haircut! Keep it growing Danny! Don't cut it until you win that Super Bowl MVP Trophy in February!

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Cool video! Gotta love this kid...although he could use a haircut.

I hope he continues to get a slew of reps for the Patsies. As of now, I'm pulling for them to win the AFC (as long as Danny & Wes keep getting passes & carries).

Oh man I love the shaggy haircut! Keep it growing Danny! Don't cut it until you win that Super Bowl MVP Trophy in February!

Looks like a dadgum hippie.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Cool video! Gotta love this kid...although he could use a haircut.

I hope he continues to get a slew of reps for the Patsies. As of now, I'm pulling for them to win the AFC (as long as Danny &amp; Wes keep getting passes &amp; carries).

Oh man I love the shaggy haircut! Keep it growing Danny! Don't cut it until you win that Super Bowl MVP Trophy in February!

Looks like a dadgum hippie.

Yeah he does look a little "haggard." Danny doesn't look anywhere as bad as Tom Brady, Clay Matthews or Robert Gallery though.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Those fellers look like their barbers died.

When I was a kid, my Dad always told me only hippies & rock n' rollers sported long hair, and since I didn't tote a guitar or flowers in my hair...I'd best keep it high & tight (or it'd be the razor strap for me).

I've kept it as such ever since.

P.S. - Danny tore it up today...93 yards rushing on 13 carries with a TD...plus 32 yards receiving 125 yards total offense.