Troy Smith edging out competition

[ravenjoe]

It speaks volumes of Boller's ability when a short, 5th round, 2nd year player is outperforming him in such a short amount of time.

Please show me where it is written where one's height and draft round are accurate indicators of a person's playing potential. Two cases in point: Drew Brees (short); Tom Brady (6th round pick, I believe).

[festivus]

No one is predicting anything. Just pointing out more of the obvious.

I will take on faith Tony's observation, and AW's observation, that Smith looked better than Boller at the first passing camp, and also in the second, that Boller was closing the gap, apparently.

Whoever is picked to start is ok with me. Some practice events are open to the media, some are not. Plus there is stuff going on behind the scenes, off the field, that contributes to this decision. Plus it's very early in the pre season camp activities. Plus Flacco =/= Boller; Flacco comes from more of a pro-style offense with a longer history of success and a more classic pro QB body.

Those of you who think it is "obvious" any one of the three will start (or sit) over the other two are wrong.

[jonboy79]

Please show me where it is written where one's height and draft round are accurate indicators of a person's playing potential. Two cases in point: Drew Brees (short); Tom Brady (6th round pick, I believe).

Brees is a full 2" taller, laser accurate and one of the better readers of defense in football. He was drafted in the first few picks of the second round.

Tom Brady coming out of college was a weak, frail 6'5", that couldn't beat out Drew Henson that went on to playu baseball. It wasn't until he got to the NFL, became the poster child for HGH, had his team win a super bowl IN SPITE OF HIM, that he even became good.

We're not saying Troy can't be good, but you have to admit it's certainly against the odds. There is a reason every team passed him over 5 times, jsut a year ago,l and his height is PART of it.

We all want him to succeed if he is starting, but I think many of you think it's a "forgone conclusion". We saw hwo well that worked for Big Brown.

[evade6317]

Please show me where it is written where one's height and draft round are accurate indicators of a person's playing potential. Two cases in point: Drew Brees (short); Tom Brady (6th round pick, I believe).

Let me show you what the experts say.

Mista T:
"Like Balttimore or not, Kyle is under contract. As our best player at the position, Boller will start on opening day. If he falters, Flacco would be thrown in. I don't see a role for Smith ..... if there is a need for another special teamer (esp. kicker), or OL, or OT, Smith would be cut. He is superfluos - too short to ever start in the NFL."

"Regretfully, while good coaching can perhaps help Boller overcome his freneticism and can help Flacco learn to play the game by leaning on the Center's asshole instead of waiting for the ball to be hiked to him from the shotgun, coaching cannot help Troy Smith overcome his height disability.

That "only knock" is a big one that cannot be overcome. Sorry ...."

tex fan:
"Well Troy Smith is surely the QB of future, today he proved why he slipped to the sixth round"

Are you calling them idiots?

[highwater]

I guess that was an attempt to be funny or at least clever, but it failed on both counts.

[psuasskicker]

you can't rush [Flacco] and ruin him like they did with kyle,,,,

They didn't ruin Kyle by starting him early, he just has no talent. It's not like he'd be an 85 rated QB consistently if he sat that first year...

Tom Brady coming out of college was a weak, frail 6'5", that couldn't beat out Drew Henson that went on to playu baseball. It wasn't until he got to the NFL, became the poster child for HGH, had his team win a super bowl IN SPITE OF HIM, that he even became good.

Wow. That's really disparaging and not even close to true. I think you'd have trouble finding anyone other than the most avid Brady-haters that would agree at all with this assessment.

- C -

[Miz89]

yeah bring on the Troy Smith era of mediocrity, followed by the Flacco ear of mediocrity, until the Flacco era of success...

I think it's funny you try to claim you're not a Troy hater. While you're looking into your crystal ball could you tell me the lotto numbers?

BTW, quit pulling s*** out your ass. Brees is 6 foot, plain and simple.

[jonboy79]

Wow. That's really disparaging and not even close to true. I think you'd have trouble finding anyone other than the most avid Brady-haters that would agree at all with this assessment.

- C -

huh? Did you watch Tom Brady at the beginning of his pro career? There was a reason he was drafted so late. He was THIN, and had NO ARM. That is why the Pats won their first superbowl, they went from trusting the golden arm to sling the ball 50 times a game, to abandoning the pass game and cramming the ball down people's throats. Their pass attmepts per game dropped by 20! Then, after winning a superbowl or two, all of the sudden Brady has a MUCH bigger frame, a bigger HEAD, and a bigger chin, to match his ego, and all of the sudden he has an above average arm... I may be the only one predicting performance enhancers, but I was also BY FAR the first one I know that was predicting them for Clemens, for the same reasons. BTW, when was the last time Brady was hurt...

[jonboy79]

I think it's funny you try to claim you're not a Troy hater. While you're looking into your crystal ball could you tell me the lotto numbers?

BTW, quit pulling s*** out your ass. Brees is 6 foot, plain and simple.

No, I am a realist, Mediocrity IS SUCCESS for Troy. I mean come on, how many times do we have to go over the long odds he faces.. its a matter of Math. If he becomes a successful NFL starter, it's akin to Da 'Tara winning the Belmont. Sure it happens, and when it does you get PAID if you bet on it, but the chances are really pretty small.

Name more then 5 successful staters under 6'. IN HISTORY.

Name more then 10 successful day 2 picks.

Now out of those categories try and guage how many THOUSANDS have entered the league to produce your small list of successes. How many have accuracy issues? How many fit both catefories? Doug Flutie... who is well beyond an anomoly.

[Mista T]

How much of the Troy Smith hoopla is the media wanting to put something in print, and feeding to the Anybody-but-Boller mentality that is obvious among some Baltimore fans? I'll believe that Troy Smith will be the starter only when I see him start against Cincy. OTAs and minicamps are virtually meaningless, especially, for the skill position players learning a new and complex offensive system. The competition starts in Training Camp, as Harbaugh has stated.

Unless Troy Smith shows significantly greater skills than Boller, and assuming that Flacco carries the clipboard, I expect Harbaugh to go with the more experienced Boller. Harbaugh also has watched the tape of Smith's dismal performance against the Seahawks. There's little logic in gambling on Smith in 2008, because he is not likely to play a meaningful role in 2009, when Flacco should take over fulltime. Smith should be a very cheap backup, but I don't believe our organization projects him as an NFL starter. He hasn't grown since arriving here.

I think it's funny you try to claim you're not a Troy hater.

What is it with this word "hate"? Sounds high schoolish. How can any Ravens fans "hate" any Ravens player? If there are players to "hate", they wear Black and Gold, or Orange and Brown. We can argue about which players should be starting and used in which capacity, but "hating" any Ravens player -- even Harper le Bel -- is downright inappropriate!

Brees is 6 foot, plain and simple.

So, now Troy Smith is supposed to be another Brees? Get real ... Flacco was drafted in the 1st round because our FO decided that there was no QB on the roster adequate to upgrade the passing game to the level needed. There are always exceptions to the rule. Sometimes late rounders bloom, and sometimes 6 footers make it as QB -- Doug Flutie was only 5' 9". But I don't think that our FO believes that Smith will be another Flutie (or Brees, or Brady).

As to the 6 foot legend: next time you have an opportunity to see Troy Smith standing up next to one of the grown-ups, judge the height difference for yourself. I believe that he's closer to 5' 10" than 6' 0". Too small to see over 6' 5" linemen. That's why he was passed over by 31 other GM's 5 times each.

[purplepoe]

Unless Troy Smith shows significantly greater skills than Boller, and assuming that Flacco carries the clipboard, I expect Harbaugh to go with the more experienced Boller. Harbaugh also has watched the tape of Smith's dismal performance against the Seahawks. There's little logic in gambling on Smith in 2008, because he is not likely to play a meaningful role in 2009, when Flacco should take over fulltime. Smith should be a very cheap backup, but I don't believe our organization projects him as an NFL starter. He hasn't grown since arriving here.

You are too much. Kyle Boller is a bust. Has been. It's not really a debate.

Is Smith better? Who knows. But it is utterly LAUGHABLE that you keep bringing up Troy Smith's FIRST NFL start as some barometer to measure whether or not he'll be successful. Let's not forget the game was in what is probably the hardest stadium for a road team to play in. McGahee went out early and didn't return. It was horrible conditions and half the team had packed it in by then. Yet this game somehow means he can't play? Hell, I have serious doubts he can be a legit QB but it's certainly not due to that game.

Kyle F'n Boller has had worse performances then that 3 years into his career. I wonder if Harbaugh will watch tapes of the Jax and Denver games in 05. I got news for you, if the Ravens projected Boller as a starter, McNair wouldn't of been brought in and Flacco wouldn't be a Raven. The fact is, this organization gave up on Boller being a starter 2 years ago. If Boller was worth a lick he'd clearly be the starter going into this season. If Smith was as bad as you proclaim, then why is there a competition where, by most accounts, the short crappy Smith is clearly grasping the new offense better and showing it. Sure, mini camps and OTAs are overrated etc...but it would stand to reason that the QB drafted in the 1st round with 5 years experience would outplay a 5th round guy who's 5' 11''. But alas, that's not the case.

I also find it ridiculous that you think starting Smith isn't logical because he's not likely to play a meaningful role here when the fact is Smith, not Boller, has a better chance of playing a meaningful role on this team next year simply because Boller will not be a member of this team and Smith probably will.

I don't "hate" Kyle Boller. I hate his play.

PP

[Jeremiah W]

Billick is gone, and so is the era of appointing starting positions. Boller will have to play better than both Smith and the rookie, or he will be out of here.
Personally I am rooting for a resurection of a promising talent wasted by Billick's boneheaded approach. I would pt my money on Troy Smith to win based on what I have seen, even in the "hoorible Seatle performance when he was "almost" intercepted a couple times and still played better than McNair did most of the time last year. Seattle was a playoff team at home late in the season against a rookie QB, no Heap, and 3 rookie linemen.

Forget about 2009, the Ravens are still in contention to win in 2008 no matter who wins the QB job, there will be plenty of talent on the team, and finally we should have a coach who knows how to use it.