J.T. on Fisher on Dunbar

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(can't see these in Tapatalk, I know).

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And Nick Wagoner confirms that Dunbar may not even be the starter *when* he gets back.

"It would make total sense for us right now to move Will Witherspoon up," Fisher said. "We're glad he's here. He's started a lot of games and then we'll make a decision when Jo-Lonn comes back as to who is going to take that position."

Full article:
<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp13/story/_/id/9572140/jeff-fisher-says-suspended-jo-lonn-dunbar-lose-starting-spot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp13/s ... rting-spot</a>

 

[DR RAM]

And Nick Wagoner confirms that Dunbar may not even be the starter *when* he gets back.

"It would make total sense for us right now to move Will Witherspoon up," Fisher said. "We're glad he's here. He's started a lot of games and then we'll make a decision when Jo-Lonn comes back as to who is going to take that position."

Full article:
<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp13/story/_/id/9572140/jeff-fisher-says-suspended-jo-lonn-dunbar-lose-starting-spot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp13/s ... rting-spot</a>

Fisher seems pissed.

 

[albefree69]

And Nick Wagoner confirms that Dunbar may not even be the starter *when* he gets back.

Cut off your nose to spite your face?

 

[V3]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

 

[-X-]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

Well, what if Spoon is just that good? You don't take the job away from him in that case. If Fisher is playing this like Dunbar is injured, is Fisher the kinda coach that just gives the job to whoever's healthy, or does he play the hot hand?

 

[FRO]

I think when Dunbar comes back he starts. He is just better than Witherspoon at this point. I believe this will be Dunbar's last year here however.

 

[V3]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

Well, what if Spoon is just that good? You don't take the job away from him in that case. If Fisher is playing this like Dunbar is injured, is Fisher the kinda coach that just gives the job to whoever's healthy, or does he play the hot hand?

True but highly doubtful. Perhaps in pass coverage but not in run stopping and the energy he brings. Remember, Dunbar was probably our defensive MVP last year. If not MVP, darn close. Spoon is very old. I'll be surprised if he has much left. We'll see.

 

[-X-]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

Well, what if Spoon is just that good? You don't take the job away from him in that case. If Fisher is playing this like Dunbar is injured, is Fisher the kinda coach that just gives the job to whoever's healthy, or does he play the hot hand?

True but highly doubtful. Perhaps in pass coverage but not in run stopping and the energy he brings. Remember, Dunbar was probably our defensive MVP last year. If not MVP, darn close. Spoon is very old. I'll be surprised if he has much left. We'll see.

Valid points. I'm just wondering why it would be in question who the starter would be upon his reinstatement. I have a hard time believing Fisher would let a grudge influence his decision-making, but I suppose there's a slight possibility it would. I'd be disappointed if that was the case though.

 

[DR RAM]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

Well, what if Spoon is just that good? You don't take the job away from him in that case. If Fisher is playing this like Dunbar is injured, is Fisher the kinda coach that just gives the job to whoever's healthy, or does he play the hot hand?

True but highly doubtful. Perhaps in pass coverage but not in run stopping and the energy he brings. Remember, Dunbar was probably our defensive MVP last year. If not MVP, darn close. Spoon is very old. I'll be surprised if he has much left. We'll see.

Valid points. I'm just wondering why it would be in question who the starter would be upon his reinstatement. I have a hard time believing Fisher would let a grudge influence his decision-making, but I suppose there's a slight possibility it would. I'd be disappointed if that was the case though.

First off, a lot of people hold grudges, I know that you don't need proof, secondly, Dunbar did something really stupid, or we wouldn't have seen Fisher go off the cuff like that. Thirdly, I think Fisher is sending a message to everybody on the team. It was an opportunity to put everyone on notice.

 

[iced]

well it ain't like Witherspoon's game has fallen off nor was Dunbar's game that superior to begin with.

 

[CoachO]

If you take a look at the early schedule, the impact that Witherspoon will have will be minimized by the opponents. Arizona, Atlanta and Dallas will most likely employ enough 3 and 4 WR sets, meaning the Nickel Packages will get the majority of the snaps.

I would guess Witherspoon is on the field 35-40% of the time.

Now come Game FOUR, vs. San Francisco, that will be a different story. But hopefully by then, we will have settled things enough to make it work.

 

[kohhwf]

I am proud of the way Fisher is handling this. He needs to make it clear to the team that it doesn't matter if it is an accident or not. All the players are responsible for what goes into their body. To be clear I am not totally buying Dunbar's excuse about the failed drug test.

Everyone says they didn't take PEDS when they fail a test. Some are telling the truth, but most are probably lying. It has been harder and harder to sift through the BS and find out who really not mean to take a prohibited substance.

I think the Rams will miss Dunbar quite a bit. He is a very intense and energetic player on defense and plays very physically. That said the Rams are going to have to overcome it and like Coach O was pointing out we might miss a little less than originally thought.

 

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The only person I've seen vehemently deny that he ever took PEDs was Vobora.
He went batshit over the allegations, sued, and won.

 

[Username]

If they start Witherspoon over Dunbar when he comes back there will be plenty of taint punches going around from Username.

 

[BigRamFan]

I'll be shocked if they don't let Dunbar play after the suspension. I get the disappointment but to be so mad that you won't even play him once he gets back? Seems a little harsh. No doubt Fisher's trying to send a message to the rest of the team.

Well, what if Spoon is just that good? You don't take the job away from him in that case. If Fisher is playing this like Dunbar is injured, is Fisher the kinda coach that just gives the job to whoever's healthy, or does he play the hot hand?

True but highly doubtful. Perhaps in pass coverage but not in run stopping and the energy he brings. Remember, Dunbar was probably our defensive MVP last year. If not MVP, darn close. Spoon is very old. I'll be surprised if he has much left. We'll see.

Valid points. I'm just wondering why it would be in question who the starter would be upon his reinstatement. I have a hard time believing Fisher would let a grudge influence his decision-making, but I suppose there's a slight possibility it would. I'd be disappointed if that was the case though.

First off, a lot of people hold grudges, I know that you don't need proof, secondly, Dunbar did something really stupid, or we wouldn't have seen Fisher go off the cuff like that. Thirdly, I think Fisher is sending a message to everybody on the team. It was an opportunity to put everyone on notice.

Agree 100% with the Doc on this. I think Fisher is reiterating the message he sent last year with JJ and CG, NO ONE is above the team.

 

[nighttrain]

And Nick Wagoner confirms that Dunbar may not even be the starter *when* he gets back.

Cut off your nose to spite your face?

trying to impress players there are consequences, not a bad thing
train

 

[tonyl711]

kind of serves 2 purposes if you ask me, tells the team that he will not take these things lightly and gives WW a little extra motivation by saying if your playing good he will have to beat you out in practice when he gets back.

 

[Thordaddy]

And Nick Wagoner confirms that Dunbar may not even be the starter *when* he gets back.

Cut off your nose to spite your face?

Well ya know Al ,I'm right there witcha ,but since he isn't able to practice or participate in meetings for 4 weeks and since Witherspoon is a capable replacement who I'd expect would make virtually no mistakes,it'd probably be the smart thing to do to NOT JUST reinsert JD as SOON as he gets back anyway.

Reading all this it strikes me that it's a good thing Fisher doesn't have blabber mouth disease cuz if he did here's what I think he'd probably say to the team:
"Look guys, quit getting caught , I know if this team was completely clean ,none of you were doing any PEDS, this team would become the place where #1 overall draft picks came to get off them, you have to be smarter until we get some uniformity that makes playing by the rules worth the risk that observing the rules doesn't place you at a distinct disadvantage. If you are going to go to a nutrition consultant ,make sure you don't go cheep ,go to someone better than the people who are paid to catch you".

Instead that was most likely the way some lower level coach /trainer spoke with Dunbar.


I know the "cheater" label gets thrown around a lot , and it's not that I encourage /condone/excuse but most of us do worse things to our body for a buzz much less million dollar contracts ,I try real hard not to put out standards I can't /don't/ or wouldn't live by. I have little illusion that if it came down to another three years in a career or three years at all , I'd be hard pressed to stay "clean".

FWIW this league is talking 18 regular season games , how MUCH NATURAL recovery do a bunch of 40 year old plus owners think a 25 year old HUMAN body possesses?

 

[nighttrain]

18 games=impossible for the human body
train