Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:26 pm
JSPB22 wrote:Fios wrote:A 2 game opinion ... thank god fans don't run the team
Unfortunately, they do.

Washington football community discussions spanning the Redskins to Commanders era. 20+ years of game analysis, player discussions, and fan perspectives.
https://the-hogs.net/messageboard/
JSPB22 wrote:Fios wrote:A 2 game opinion ... thank god fans don't run the team
Unfortunately, they do.
Redskin in Canada wrote:A thought provoking but demeaning insult against other posters whose only sin appears to be the expression of diverse opinions on a punter position.
Interestingly, the same statement can be equally re-arranged to read:
A fan who's accomplished a lot more than most of the rest. A FAN who in imparting HIS endless knowledge of how to run a football organization actually demonstrates only HIS complete lack of knowledge in running a football organization.
As opposed to "most other fans" who may express opinions which may or may not be shared by others and whose consequences are harmless to the future of the team, the opinion of this ONE fan has proven to produce nothing but a dismal record of failure in an endeavour he knows only precisely as a fan.
But let me address the main topic of the thread. I liked Frost as a person even if his performance was far from outstanding at times. His record this season has been good with his next team. Some might wish to recall the professional career of a certain pro-bowl kicker named Akers for a perspective on what might happen to us -again-.
I hope the new guy will perform well for us. He has all the tools to be a great player with us. He should also be given a decent opportunity to succeed before we have ourselves another Akers, or another Frost succeeding elsewhere.
Tell Mike Nugent that...He was $$$ for the Buckeyes, from ANYWHERE! He's not doing quite as well with the Jets...crazyhorse1 wrote:Irn-Bru wrote:How many bad games did we have with Frost?
It may only be the second game, but I'm willing to give Brooks a little more time to adjust. Everyone gets at least one.
Not time yet to worry about Brooks. He'll kick like he did it college or improve. It's BS that it's harder to kick in the NFL than other places. In fact, the conditions in the pros are better than they are in college.
saratogan wrote:I hope the coaches give him some support. His potential is huge.
For Redskins' Brooks, It's Punt or Be Punted
Early during practice yesterday at Redskins Park, Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, left the seat he usually occupies to watch team drills and focused on the Redskins' biggest concern. As struggling rookie punter Durant Brooks worked individually on a side field with special teams coach Danny Smith, Cerrato closely monitored the session, often standing a few yards from the player he drafted.
After a poor performance in Sunday's 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints, Brooks is attempting to regain his confidence and retain his job. Brooks averaged 33 yards on his only two punts, and Reggie Bush returned his ineffective second punt 55 yards for a touchdown.
Apparently, Brooks must work quickly. If he fails to show significant improvement this week against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field, Brooks said, the Redskins probably would bring in punters to challenge for the job. Brooks became the starter less than three weeks ago after competing with veteran Derrick Frost in training camp and the preseason.
Shaken by a bad experience in only his second game, Brooks said he still believes he has the mettle to make it in the NFL. The Redskins also plan to provide more help for veteran punt returner Antwaan Randle El, who is off to a slow start, but Brooks is under the most scrutiny as the Redskins strive for better special teams play.
"Wednesdays don't [mean] a damn to me. I need to see something on Sunday," Smith said. "We're working at it. He's a young kid and, really, it's very, very difficult. He has not punted the ball well. There's a lot of bad punting going on in the league, and we happen to be in the middle of [it], which I don't like, and nobody likes. We're going to weather the storm and hope he comes out of it quick."
From the outset of practice yesterday, Smith directed Brooks in a lengthy workout, simulating scenarios Brooks could encounter during games. As Smith held a stopwatch and provided instruction, Brooks received snaps from Pro Bowl long snapper Ethan Albright and punted as he normally would in most situations, from his end zone and directionally. Place kicker Shaun Suisham stood at the opposite end of the field and shouted out the yard lines where balls landed.
"We've put him in some tough situations," Smith said. "God knows I'm hard on him. I'm not easy on him. I'm real hard on him, but he's got to punt well on Sundays."
Brooks also worked on his holds after botching one on a short field goal try against the Saints that contributed to a miss by Suisham. Brooks caught balls Albright fed through a machine at different angles, and while he mishandled one snap, he said he was pleased overall with his effort.
"I can do it," Brooks said. "I have the ability. There were a lot of little things that went wrong in that game. There were things that I can fix, things that I know I have to fix, because that can't ever happen again."
Smith agrees. He has been supportive of Brooks since Cerrato made the unusual move of drafting a punter, selecting Brooks from Georgia Tech in the sixth round with the 168th overall pick. Brooks won the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter in the 2007 season.
Brooks had a 42.8-yard average on 13 punts -- of which five were downed inside the 20 -- in the preseason. Through the Redskins' first two regular season games, however, Brooks has a 36.8-yard average, and a net of 28.3 yards, on nine punts.
"He's got to execute under pressure," Smith said. "He's got to execute under pressure to prove that he belongs in this league. We, I thought, had the same pressure in the preseason, but, obviously, that hasn't been true. He's got to get it going. He's got to get it going quick. We don't have a timeline or [have said], 'Hey, it's got to be this punt, or it's got to be this next play.' But we need to see improvement."
Redskin in Canada wrote:[His record this season has been good with his next team.
PulpExposure wrote:Redskin in Canada wrote:[His record this season has been good with his next team.
RiC, you do know that in the last game, Frost let a ball go through his hands and out of the endzone for a safety...
BnGhog wrote:I think Brooks will get better. That was his first game in the NFL ever. There has to be some nerves. And now that all this pressure is on him, makes it even harder for him to relax and do what he does.
I just hope he is given a real chance.
Also, I would like to see Colt holding for field goals. That leaves the option for fakes. And I would bet Colt has better hands.
Paralis wrote:BnGhog wrote:I think Brooks will get better. That was his first game in the NFL ever. There has to be some nerves. And now that all this pressure is on him, makes it even harder for him to relax and do what he does.
I just hope he is given a real chance.
Also, I would like to see Colt holding for field goals. That leaves the option for fakes. And I would bet Colt has better hands.
Colt can't come into the game, in any capacity, until the 4th quarter unless he's part of the 45-man roster, or Campbell and Collins become ineligible for return to the game.
But, yeah. Durant Brooks sucks. So does Derrick Frost. So does, and so has, most of the special teams performance from the Skins (kickoff returns aside) for the last few years. Although he's a rookie, I hardly think he deserves special notice for his shortcomings.
Irn-Bru wrote:How many bad games did we have with Frost?
It may only be the second game, but I'm willing to give Brooks a little more time to adjust. Everyone gets at least one.
Having said all that, it's only the second game of the season. I hope the kid does well and I think he will...eventually. I just wish we could have picked up a solid offensive or defensive player and signed a punter as a free agent instead of drafting one.
Warmother wrote:I think Brooks will work out eventually, but I think the Skin's should find somebody else to hold for kicks. Let Brook's consentrate on punting only.
Why can't Todd Collin's be the holder? If nothing else the threat of a fake FG would be there.
KazooSkinsFan wrote:Redskin in Canada wrote:A thought provoking but demeaning insult against other posters whose only sin appears to be the expression of diverse opinions on a punter position.
Interestingly, the same statement can be equally re-arranged to read:
A fan who's accomplished a lot more than most of the rest. A FAN who in imparting HIS endless knowledge of how to run a football organization actually demonstrates only HIS complete lack of knowledge in running a football organization.
As opposed to "most other fans" who may express opinions which may or may not be shared by others and whose consequences are harmless to the future of the team, the opinion of this ONE fan has proven to produce nothing but a dismal record of failure in an endeavour he knows only precisely as a fan.
But let me address the main topic of the thread. I liked Frost as a person even if his performance was far from outstanding at times. His record this season has been good with his next team. Some might wish to recall the professional career of a certain pro-bowl kicker named Akers for a perspective on what might happen to us -again-.
I hope the new guy will perform well for us. He has all the tools to be a great player with us. He should also be given a decent opportunity to succeed before we have ourselves another Akers, or another Frost succeeding elsewhere.
Question. Do you think your statement that it's "demeaning" to criticize anyone holding a view is hypocrisy on your part? Have you criticized anyone, say people who DEFEND Dan Snyder before? Have you had a live and let live attitude towards every holder of every view or have you criticized them before? We'll go with your answer, if you can say honestly you've never criticized anyone who holds any view before we'll go with that.
PulpExposure wrote:Redskin in Canada wrote:[His record this season has been good with his next team.
RiC, you do know that in the last game, Frost let a ball go through his hands and out of the endzone for a safety...
BossHog wrote:Seems to be a lot of beating around the bush in this thread...
So far - Brooks has been awful. A liability. It doesn't matter how you want to dial it up, if your punter starts costing you valuable field position game after game, you replace him. Have him pull a hamstring and have to go on the IR.
- It's no more likely that a punter will succeed in the NFL, than any other former college stand out. Plenty of examples of them not panning out every year...
- A kicker doesn't have to forget how to kick, to lose his confidence.
- Had the Redskins not drafted Brooks, the only thing that would have prevented him from being cut after the last two games, would be the fact that he wouldn't likely have won the spot in the first place.
- I know Frosty might have shanked the odd one and at bad times, but that's better than shanking every one, and I don't care if Frost happened to have a snap go through his hands this weekend, it didn't happen in Washington, and I know from talking to Suisham that (he thought) Frost was an exceptional holder. Obviously making kicks is Suisham's job, but he's established that he is very dependable, and right now, the FG unit looks to still be trying to get their rhythm down. That's an added negative that rarely gets addressed in the equation.
But we have to sleep in the beds we make, so my vote - give him another game while you look for a possile alternative. If he shows signs of coming around - leave it be. If he bombs again this weekend, then you have to start thinking about what's best for the team. You can't keep averaging 5.5 net yards per punt and bobbling snaps. IMO, he's had one good punt this season. You can't continue to dump field position and expect to stay competitive - especially not in the NFC East.
Wake up kid - just because you were drafted, doesn't mean that you can't play your way out of a job... at least it SHOULDN'T.
BossHog wrote:- I know Frosty might have shanked the odd one and at bad times, but that's better than shanking every one
I don't care if Frost happened to have a snap go through his hands this weekend, it didn't happen in Washington, and I know from talking to Suisham that (he thought) Frost was an exceptional holder. Obviously making kicks is Suisham's job, but he's established that he is very dependable, and right now, the FG unit looks to still be trying to get their rhythm down. That's an added negative that rarely gets addressed in the equation.
Irn-Bru wrote:My dad really wants the Skins to use Collins as the holder, and I think I tend to agree with him here. Maybe Brooks can handle it a year or two from now.