Some interesting comments on the Gerhart article linked above:
Featured Columnist
2010 NFL Draft: It's Time for Toby Gerhart To Get Some Respect
Kevin Roberts
Is Gerhart a 1,000+ yard back at the next level?
*
Definitely
87.5%
*
Depends on the situation
12.5%
*
No way
0.0%
*
If by next level you mean Canada...
0.0%
*
I'm still undecided on him
0.0%
* Total votes: 24
Spencer Tucksen 223763 Nsmb-mushroom-1up_comment posted about 4 hours ago 1267506501 1958424 Spencer
While it isn't a running back league anymore, I think Gerhart could be very nice in the future.
The thing is, he doesn't catch much, and that is what the league is becoming. Backs with 80 catches are some of the best now (Ray Rice) and he will need that versatility. Hopefully his hands improve a bit. I know he didn't have much of a QB, but you know what I am talking about.
"If by the next level you mean Canada..." That was awesome.
Bryan Goldberg 9 Screen_shot_2009-12-07_at_1 posted about 2 hours ago 1267513705 1958736 Bryan
I fully agree.
A few days ago, I kept asking people, "in the event of a strong combine performance, what silly excuse will the pundits come up with next to denounce Gerhart's ability...?"
I'm alright with Spiller going before him, somewhere in the mid 1st-round. Spiller also had a terrific season, and he delivered at the combine.
But if Gerhart falls deep into the 2nd round, or later, it will be nothing short of racism. Plain and simple...
Andrew Jordan 263291 Default-user-icon-comment posted about 1 hour ago 1267514750 1958778 Andrew
Gerhart is the best back in this draft, cj spiller, and jahad whats his name don't EVEN stack up. the blacks that think they are supperior to whites in the physical aspect can suck it.
Eric Grady 142207 Default-user-icon-comment posted 39 minutes ago 1267516770 1958826 Eric
Great article Kevin! I've toyed with the idea of doing an article on this topic myself. Here are some facts to debunk false stereotyping:
Supposedly white men can't jump, yet 8 of 11 in world history to jump 2.4 meters or better in the high jump are white.
The NFL record for even "30 yard" runs in a season was just broken by Chris Johnson 9? followed by DeAngelo Williiams with 8 and Jim Brown with 7. Barry Sanders never had more than 5. It is very rare for a RB to have to run more than 30 yards in a straight line! I saw a link on a site called Draft Daddy that states lateral agility trumps speed on the football field and looking at combine performances of same sized athletes, Caucasians do just as well as African Americans in this regard.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/04/06/lateral-agility-trumps-40-yard-speed-on-football-f
Gerhart has ideal power, start and stop on a dime- and one cut bursting ability for a top Powerback prospect. His 4.53 40 time is close to average for a STARTING tailback in the NFL and was tied for the 8th fastest tailback at this combine. Just compare his film to top Powerbacks Charles Scott, LeGarrette Blount or Anthony Dixon. Gerhart ran faster than all these guys- and even was faster than Johnathan Dwyer- who most have ranked as the #2 or #3 tailback. Even Gerhart's swivel agility to make guys miss in tight space is above average for a Powerback.
Former perennial Pro Bowl backs like Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis ran a 4.6 40. Knowshon Moreno and Beanie Wells ran about a 4.6 and Shonn Greene ran a 4.65 last year. Then there is Kahil Bell- who got carries last year after he ran a 4.76 40 after getting a combine invite after running for only about 400 yards on 2.8 YPC as a senior. If Gerhart doesn't get a shot there is something seriously wrong here!
I should also mention Peyton Hillis running for 5.4 YPC over his 3 1/2 games as a starter (the league average is 4 YPC) with a 130 yard 5.9 YPC game against the 7th best Jets rush defense got him benched. If you gave Hillis the same amount of carries last season as Chris Johnson, Hillis projected stats would be just as good (slightly less yds., more TDs). It would have been one of the greatest seasons of all time, but this got him moved back to FB. Jacob Hester is another guy who got moved back to FB in the NFL after being a good RB for the FBS championship LSU Tigers. And what about Danny Woodhead...He has the 2nd most career rushing yards for a RB in college football history (Division II), ran a 4.33/4.38 at his Pro Day with amazing agility numbers. Woodhead also had the most rushing yards in a pre-season game in the last 15 years for the Jets. So why did this guy go undrafted and why doesn't he get playing time? I see the same sociological thing that happened to African American QBs happening to white RBs and CBs.
It's simple: there are many fans like a friend of mine, who when the first time he saw Toby Gerhart play while watching the game with me and the guys after Toby was stopped for a 3 yard gain yelled "that's what happens when you give the white guy the ball" (without knowing anything about Gerhart). Top this off with the sociological fact that the first thing people notice about a person is their outward characteristics ie. race, size, gender if they are disabled etc. A person who stands out as different from the rest (according to sociological text book argument) has to do much more to prove they belong. Top this off with certain RBs like Eric Dickerson who stated that tailback is a a black mans "chosen position" And Rivals.com ranking 1 out of the top 100 H.S WRs white in a 75% white country and it is no wonder that the new black QB is the white RB!
We need to see more pieces like this one. Thank you for having the courage to write an intelligent article like this one. As a person old enough to remember when black QBs were kept off the field for their skin color, it is a shame to see the same thing happening to the white RB.
Jay Dee 248316 Dave_casper_comment posted 38 minutes ago 1267516811 1958827 Jay
"Gerhart is not a fullback. He's not a tight end. He's not a short yardage, goal-line, or third down back." You are absolutely right. He's the REAL DEAL!
The fact is, he will probably be asked to play FB or H-back because he's white. Call it what you will, but that's racism plain and simple.
As Spencer said, he MUST improve his pass catching, but his pass blocking is exceptional.
Let's say he goes to Kansas City at #39 in the 2nd round. He is a better back than Jamaal Charles and if given a FAIR, UN-BIAS chance, Toby will beat him out fair and square. But if the Chiefs start him, the racism speak will begin immediately.
Just like the radical blacks say that black QBs & coaches don't get a chance, white RBs & CBs don't either.
Not logical thinking, human beings that just so happen to be black, but the Farakahn blacks that are more interested in punishing whites for something their great, great grandparents may or may not have done.
The fact is that racism goes both ways, but whites aren't allowed to, or are too scared of being called a racist to call it out.
FANTASTIC ARTICLE! You just got a new fan! POTD from me!
Well Done!!!
Eric Grady 142207 Default-user-icon-comment posted 8 minutes ago 1267518655 1958896 Eric
The main issue is media like Yahoo/ Rivals stereotyping ignoring and underrating white tailbacks and hard headed fans who won't accept them and dumb coaches and GMs. For instance the Chargers GM cut Welker because they already had Tim Dwight (a similar player lol) and Nick Saban admitting he almost cut Wes for Marcus Vick in Miami. Just check all the Joe Six Pack comments out on message boards saying "Gerhart is a FB", "he has no moves". The guy has better moves than LeGarrette Blount and Charles Scott and is actually similar to Beanie Wells, but just try telling rowdy fans that. Gerhart is not like Brian Leonard- he has better instincts, vision, better ability to make one quick cut and burst to the seam and better power, but isn't quite as fast.
Joe Martinek broke the NJ H.S career rushing record and runs a 4.5 40, but only Vanderbilt looked at him as a tailback. Rutgers wanted him as a Safety and it took time on the scout team before they realized he was a tailback.
Check out Nile Knapp (4.43- 40) on Youtube- who lead the state of Georgia in H.S rushing this year. He has moves like Barry Sanders- yet got no FBS scholarship. Nile is one of 26 whites to lead their states in rushing in H.S, but I believe only 4 white RBs got FBS scholarships this year. Brandon Bourbon led the U.S in yards per carry (for 2000 yard rushers) 13+ YPC in Missouri and is going to Kansas, Drew Phillips- BYU, Matt Perez- Indiana, Brady Earnhardt (4.35 40) -Army and I think that's it. Channing Fugate ran for 3,000+ yards on 10.8 YPC in Kentucky, but is somehow seen as a FB by Tennessee. I actually think Fugate is a similar back to Gerhart, Beanie Wells, Marion Barber or a taller Michael Turner, but the only "PC" comparison would be Gerhart.
Anyway, sorry for the diatribe Kevin. Just thought I'd share some info to debunk stereotypes on this article. This issue bothers me as much as the old discrimination against black QBs used to. Most of the people to blame for this situation are in fact white though. It's like a self loathing or a white guilt thing. We SHOULD be looking to help blacks in poverty get more academic scholarships, but we should be helping white kids get equal opportunity when it comes to football and basketball scholarships.
