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Post by Aggie911 on Apr 15, 2008 21:15:14 GMT -5
I WITNESS THE WHOLE INCIDENT. An mild argument between Billingsley's family & Fobbs"staff started. The family wanted to know why he did not play in his last game at the "T", even though he had suited up. The mother had to talk to her husband to calm down. Also during that time another football player's father & the same Fobb's staff member went crazy at each other. Security was needed.I thought they were going to blows.
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Post by jaffejoffa on Apr 15, 2008 21:24:40 GMT -5
[/quote] I WITNESS THE WHOLE INCIDENT. An mild argument between Billingsley's family & Fobbs"staff started. The family wanted to know why he did not play in his last game at the "T", even though he had suited up. The mother had to talk to her husband to calm down. Also during that time another football player's father & the same Fobb's staff member went crazy at each other. Security was needed.I thought they were going to blows. [/quote] You've got your story and family's a little mixed up.. But anyways, what does this altercation have to do with the player himself. The coach approached the parents, and escalated the situation by cuzzing and being ignorance. He showed his a$$ in front of all those people and definitley made my institutiion look bad and low class. -In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more standup kid to come through the program in the last few years. From all accounts, he was one of the most respected players on the team and by all the kids on campus ..
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Post by Bornthrilla on Apr 16, 2008 7:47:41 GMT -5
How does Miami's secondary currently look? Do you think he has a realistic shot at making the roster?
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 16, 2008 8:30:48 GMT -5
No shot at all. But we can hope. On top of that, if he makes a good impression he could catch on somewhere else.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Apr 16, 2008 8:38:19 GMT -5
I've worked an NFL training camp before and the dirty little secret is that only about 5 to 6 roster spots are really undecided in training camp. NFL Scouts and player personel experts have a lot riding on what players they recommend to be drafted or signed, so its hard for a street free agent to come in and take a established guy's job. It comes down to ego and coaches trying to protect their reps.
If they recommend player A and then some dude who was packing groceries last week comes in and runs circles around player A, that scout will have egg on his face.
Still, crazier things have happened. Never count an Aggie out!
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Post by jaffejoffa on Apr 16, 2008 12:55:24 GMT -5
I dont think alot of people really understand the dynamics of his signing at this particular point in time.. If Miami didnt feel like he was a special talent or diamond in the rough, they would have just waited to bring him in with all of the other rookies and undrafted guys after this weekends draft. They were in no way obligated to extend a 3 year contract or to bring him in early to learn the system, give a playbook and to get acquainted with the team.
Alot of folks give opinions about things and situations that they have no clue about. I for one have seen that the talent at the University of North Carolina compared with the talent at some smaller D1aa schools are not that far apart (especially at the DB position) .. Ive always said that all one needs is to be in the right spot at the right time and have the right coaching or backing. Deloatch, Horton, Jamal Jones, Marcus Lewis, Walt Stith are among some of the guys in recent history that have impressed coaches and scouts ONCE THEY GOT INTO THE LEAGUE ...
-WIllie Parker hardly saw the field at UNC and is now one of the best runnings backs in the entire league. You can never look at a coaches rotation and base your opinion of a kids talent level on that alone. I dont see to many other press releases and front page website articles about guys that an NFL Teams Development Staff hasnt given just some considerable consideration to stick onto the roster.
-Dooms, you said yourself last year that if a guy can run a consisten 4.4 and be halfway decent, then he should have no problem sticking to an NFL roster in some capacity. Has that viewpoint changed ? Billingsley played saftey here and was one of the teams biggest hitters and best defenders of the run, so that proves he's physical, can hit and can tackle... Seems to me that he has all the tools to make it happen. I for one am pulling for him.
-It's also some great publicity for A&T as a university, and I'm sure Fobbs would love to tell recruits that he's had ONE player since he's been the coach here to get a shot at an NFL roster. I think thats a great recruiting tool that I am sure he will unfairly exploit ...
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Post by Bornthrilla on Apr 16, 2008 13:00:04 GMT -5
Jaffe, since you obviously have a personal relationship with the kid, ask him if he would be interested in writing a player diary/blog for this site. It doesn't have to be the great american novel; just some of his random thoughts about trying to make a NFL roster.
He is a smart, articulate guy and I am sure a lot of fans would like to read something lke that.
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 16, 2008 13:45:30 GMT -5
Jaffe, to answer your question, naw my opinion ain't changed. I also know that the only place I've seen anybody say the kid runs that fast is here. I had one dude claiming he ran 4.3s into the wind (clearly untrue), and then we have you stating he ran multiple 4.3s (quite possible and very well probable).
I also know I went to school with a cat that got picked up by Miami similarly and got cut reaaaal quick. I also know that Miami has at least six safeties on the roster and probably won't carry more than four. Hence the statement "But we can hope. On top of that, if he makes a good impression he could catch on somewhere else."
What folks who are very close to a particular player fail to understand is that stating an opinion on somebody's probability of sticking to a roster is not a dig and a hope that the person doesn't stick (at least in my case). I’m the type of guy that will just come out and say “I hope they cut him” or “he sucks” if that’s how I feel. I don’t feel that way about Billingsley. The only thing I’ve ever questioned about him is physically impossible 40 times.
It’s good for everybody if he sticks, and I for one will be very proud of him. I will be even more proud because in all honesty, he is probably the biggest longshot to make the team. Even if he doesn’t make it with Miami, there are teams that don’t have a bunch of people logjammed in his position that will be forced to take notice if he makes a good impression.
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Post by jaffejoffa on Apr 16, 2008 16:03:45 GMT -5
I will try to get in touch with him, although I admit, I dont have a "personal" relationship with him, but was made aware of the details and website via the Aggie Football Alumni Yahoo Group on Monday A.M .. I will post there on the yahoo board and see if he is willing to write a journal or diary ..
-I pull for anyone who has ever played at A&T, whether in football or life. It's funny how people say, someone will never play in the league, unless he's running a 4.4 or less, and then when they acheive that, things somehow change to "no shot in hell" .."biggest longshot on the team"..
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 16, 2008 18:44:27 GMT -5
Well since you're directly talking to me, I guess I will respond.
1. Find a quote where I'm not pulling for him. 2. Show me what his chances are to make the team. I did research since my post and according to a news article on Will's pickup I was wrong. The Dolphins have NINE safeties, no six. Where do you logically think Will factors in with nine guys with pro experience? I'll wait... 3. Stop ignoring where I'm saying that he can make another team.
In fact, quit acting so scalded and do number three on the list first. I'm able to divorce myself from the "he's an Aggie so he's got to make it" train of thought and look at things objectively. I guess if I was close to him it would be more difficult.
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Post by dj98 on Apr 16, 2008 20:27:39 GMT -5
27 Billingsley, Will CB 5-10 195 4/23/84 R North Carolina A&T '07 Fort Wayne, IN FA, '08..... Congrats Will!!!!!!ON the roster they have him playing CB? The question is can Will adjust to being on an island 50 to 60% of the time? ?
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holdum
Junior Member
Posts: 50
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Post by holdum on Apr 17, 2008 6:07:02 GMT -5
40 times aside, for me it always come down to level of competition. Let's face it, playing in the MEAC does not bring about too much exposure/respect. Yes, Parker barely saw the field at UNC but he stilled played for an ACC team. I actually agree with Jaffe that at the skill positions we are not that far behind the likes of UNC but I think we are in the minority when compared to the rest of the nation and especially pro scouts/coaches. The guys that do make it out of the MEAC are 9 times out of 10 putting up crazy numbers and all-MEAC awards. That being said I hope Will Bill is that one without the stats. He was a stand up kid in my opinion and got the wrong end of the shaft his last year due to personality conflicts. I know he has all the tools to perform at that level, now it's up to him to use them and hopefully make the roster in August.
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 17, 2008 6:42:55 GMT -5
I'm glad he's on at corner. That gives him a much better shot right off the bat.
I generally agree with you holdum, but sometimes raw talent will trump what the coaches were unable (or unwilling and unable, in this case) to get out of a player. Jamal Jones had terrible numbers (well, bad) for us and he found a way to make a couple of NFL rosters. Providing that Will's 40 times are accurate (and again, they must be or else he wouldn't even be there) they must feel they can mold him into a solid contributor. He has good size for corner in the NFL, not so good for safety. That would be a very nice "screw you" to the coaches who decided he wasn't worth it.
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Post by jaffejoffa on Apr 17, 2008 7:51:15 GMT -5
Dooms, I'm sure that you're pulling for him just as much as anyone else . He is playing corner, which I think is his natural position. I just think that it's a shame that politics have cost alot of our players shots at the next level, as well as scholarships having been revoked.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Apr 17, 2008 13:44:29 GMT -5
That's just life. Look at how many decent quarterbacks and receivers we wasted during the Hayes era.
I still think Jason Douglas could have been a player.
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