Konrad was released by the Dolphins today. He would have been a monster at tailback in the NFL but never was given a chance. And unlike Mike Alstott, Konrad wasn't allowed to run the ball at all. He was used purely as a blocking back who got a reception every now and then. He was completely and totally misused. Every season the Dolphins claimed they were going to get him more involved in the offense, but it never happened. He could have been their starting tailback both pre- and post-Ricky Williams, but of course that was out of the question for the Caste NFL.
Maybe he'll sign with someone and actually get some touches, but it's late in his career now.He sealed his fate when he re-upped with Miami before the '03 season when he was the premier free agent fullback on the market. He also has set up his own financial advising company, so he may retire and do that full time.
As much as I believe Alstott could have been a dominant feature back, I believe Rob Konrad was even better. Here's some of Caste Football's Archives on him:
(8/23/02) Remember how Ed McCaffrey became a superstar after getting a chance to start? How Patrick Jeffers put up better numbers than Randy Moss and any other receiver after starting midway through the 1999 season? Well, it may sound hard to believe for many but I truly believe Rob Konrad could (should) be one of the best running backs in the NFL.
This kid is a true freak of nature. Six foot three and around 250 lbs., but with the ability to run like a gazelle, Konrad set state rushing records in Massachusetts while playing for St. John's Prep. As one newspaper account put it, he was highly recruited and probably could have played for any college program in the country.
Konrad eventually chose Syracuse, in part because head coach Paul Pasqualoni promised him the hallowed number 44 worn at Syracuse by Jimmy Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. So Konrad goes to Syracuse with the ability to warrant being given the special number 44, and guess what? He's not even the featured runner, but the fullback. Why give him 44 then? What does it take for a talented white running back to get the ball at a major program?
Konrad averaged about 75 rushes and 375 yards per year at Syracuse, with 20 rushing TDs, along with 41 career receptions for 473 yards and 3 TDs. He was projected as a late first round or early second round NFL pick, but ended up going fairly late in the second round to the Dolphins, which was not good at all for Konrad. The Dolphins were then coached by Jimmy Johnson, the man most responsible for pioneering the gangsta-type of ethos at the University of Miami and then going on to the Cowboys and winning the Super Bowl with only three white starters out of 22, the blackest NFL team by far ever to win at that time.
Johnson favorably compared Konrad to "Moose" Johnston, although the only things the two had in common were they went to Syracuse and were white. Johnston was the prototype of the modern NFL fullback, a ferocious blocker with minimal running skills; Konrad is a rather poor blocker with great running skills.
But just as Konrad probably couldn't have been the featured runner at any major college program, there probably isn't an NFL team that would have drafted him with the idea of using him properly. In his rookie season of 1999, all the Dolphins running backs were injured (or in jail, in the case of Cecil Collins). Johnson signed washed-up free agent running backs rather than give the 250 lb. horse with 4.4 speed a chance to run the ball.
Can you conceive of a 6'3" 250 lb. black running back with unimaginable speed for that size â€â€- and swivel moves to boot â€â€- being a blocking back with just 22 carries in a three-year span? It's simply unimaginable, because it would never happen. Rob Konrad, if used as the tailback with a fullback blocking for him, could win NFL rushing titles. Repeat. Rob Konrad could win rushing titles. Yet almost no NFL fans would agree because they are so used to, and so conditioned to accept, the NFL's racial caste system. [end of Konrad archives snippet]
Edited by: Don Wassall
Maybe he'll sign with someone and actually get some touches, but it's late in his career now.He sealed his fate when he re-upped with Miami before the '03 season when he was the premier free agent fullback on the market. He also has set up his own financial advising company, so he may retire and do that full time.
As much as I believe Alstott could have been a dominant feature back, I believe Rob Konrad was even better. Here's some of Caste Football's Archives on him:
(8/23/02) Remember how Ed McCaffrey became a superstar after getting a chance to start? How Patrick Jeffers put up better numbers than Randy Moss and any other receiver after starting midway through the 1999 season? Well, it may sound hard to believe for many but I truly believe Rob Konrad could (should) be one of the best running backs in the NFL.
This kid is a true freak of nature. Six foot three and around 250 lbs., but with the ability to run like a gazelle, Konrad set state rushing records in Massachusetts while playing for St. John's Prep. As one newspaper account put it, he was highly recruited and probably could have played for any college program in the country.
Konrad eventually chose Syracuse, in part because head coach Paul Pasqualoni promised him the hallowed number 44 worn at Syracuse by Jimmy Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. So Konrad goes to Syracuse with the ability to warrant being given the special number 44, and guess what? He's not even the featured runner, but the fullback. Why give him 44 then? What does it take for a talented white running back to get the ball at a major program?
Konrad averaged about 75 rushes and 375 yards per year at Syracuse, with 20 rushing TDs, along with 41 career receptions for 473 yards and 3 TDs. He was projected as a late first round or early second round NFL pick, but ended up going fairly late in the second round to the Dolphins, which was not good at all for Konrad. The Dolphins were then coached by Jimmy Johnson, the man most responsible for pioneering the gangsta-type of ethos at the University of Miami and then going on to the Cowboys and winning the Super Bowl with only three white starters out of 22, the blackest NFL team by far ever to win at that time.
Johnson favorably compared Konrad to "Moose" Johnston, although the only things the two had in common were they went to Syracuse and were white. Johnston was the prototype of the modern NFL fullback, a ferocious blocker with minimal running skills; Konrad is a rather poor blocker with great running skills.
But just as Konrad probably couldn't have been the featured runner at any major college program, there probably isn't an NFL team that would have drafted him with the idea of using him properly. In his rookie season of 1999, all the Dolphins running backs were injured (or in jail, in the case of Cecil Collins). Johnson signed washed-up free agent running backs rather than give the 250 lb. horse with 4.4 speed a chance to run the ball.
Can you conceive of a 6'3" 250 lb. black running back with unimaginable speed for that size â€â€- and swivel moves to boot â€â€- being a blocking back with just 22 carries in a three-year span? It's simply unimaginable, because it would never happen. Rob Konrad, if used as the tailback with a fullback blocking for him, could win NFL rushing titles. Repeat. Rob Konrad could win rushing titles. Yet almost no NFL fans would agree because they are so used to, and so conditioned to accept, the NFL's racial caste system. [end of Konrad archives snippet]
Edited by: Don Wassall
