Piling on Ted Ginn

[Dave Gray]

I hate to kick a guy when he's down, but man....he sucks.

It's frustrating because I feel that it's not skill that he lacks, but it's toughness, both mentally and physically.  The NFL isn't like college.  You aren't going to often be open by 5 steps, so you're going to have to focus to catch the ball.  He waits for the ball to fall into his hands, rather than going up to get it.  He also doesn't focus to catch before he runs, and when he does run, it's to avoid contact.

Even on kick returns, where he's supposed to be great, he seems to find the sideline a lot instead of looking for the seam.

I don't think we can trade him or cut him.  His talent with speed alone is reason enough for a roster spot, but he needs to become more of a situational receiver and kick returner.  He's proven too unreliable to go to when the game is on the line.

[Brian Fein]

Dave, I couldn't agree more.  I have been defending this guy over and over, mostly on these forums, and to other bashers in real life.  But, after today, its hard to keep doing so.  I know Spider Dan, Tenshot, and some others agreed in other threads.  I can't keep saying "just wait we're not using him right..." when he proves me wrong in games like today.  Three times that I can remember, the ball hit him in the hands in situations that could have been huge, and one of those three times put 6 on the board for the other team.

I can't maintain this charade of "Pennington can't get him the ball" - Henne can!  Or, "he's a deep threat, he can be dangerous" - not if he can't catch.  "He's young, rookie WR's take time to develop" - time's up!

I agree that he's worth a roster spot, but I also agree that he needs to step back from the starting defense, because there's 3 other guys on the roster that seem to catch everything near them, and that's what we need in this offense.  Not dropped balls.  The talent on the rest of the team isn't good enough to tolerate mistakes like that.  If the QB gets you the ball, you need to make the catch.  And that goes for all the WR's, not just Ginn.

Ginn's skill set suits him well for special teams play, but it seems like this experiment of forcing him into the #1 WR role should stop soon.  I hoped he would develop, but he seems to be regressing.

[CF DolFan]

Is there anyone left on his wagon? If not I guess I'll turn out the lights as I get off!! 

[JVides]

I'm not on his wagon, but I'm not ready to turn the lights out, either.  He makes some plays, kills us on others.  Sadly, he's the only game breaker at WR.  Bess is a nice possession guy, Camarillo is too.  Hartline seems like a nice, tough player, but again, possession guy.  Say what you will, but Ginn would have never been caught from behind like Hartline was in the 4th quarter.  Turner's a mystery; who knows if he's any good?  Knowing USC wideouts and their history in the pros, I'm hopeful but not optimistic.

[badger6]

Say what you will, but Ginn would have never been caught from behind like Hartline was in the 4th quarter. 

I'd rather have a 1st and goal at the saints 5 yard line with Hartline than a 3rd and 11 around my own 30. Ginn would have dropped it, speed without the ball is pointless. I would say that Camarillo, Bess, Hartline, and Ginn, that is the order of recievers as far as I'm concerned

[bsfins]

It seems like he's trying to catch everything like a punt,or using his body....I thought a stronger arm QB,would allow us to throw at him deep,but we keep trying to use him as a Normal number 1 WR....Bad Idea....

[JVides]

They have to keep feeding him the ball.  He needs the reps.  Again, who else is out there?  Bess, Camarillo, Hartline have ceilings due to athletic limitations.  Ginn's the only one with special skills.  He needs to be worked with so he can get over his concentration issues, alligator arms, whatever he has going.  If there's no improvement through the entire season, then go about making changes.  But during the season, he is what you have.

[dolfan13]

if speed was the only skill that mattered in becoming a successful starting wide receiver in the nfl, then the combine would be held at usa track team meets. usain bolt, would be the best wr in the history of the game.

[JVides]

That's not the point.  The point is the other guys have pedestrian physical skills, and Ginn does not.  They keep working with Jason Allen for the same reason:  he's physically gifted.  The league is full of guys who never learned their positions because they were so much faster/stronger than everyone else that they didn't need to be technicians.  Then they get to the NFL and struggle.  Once they get it, though, look out.  Case in point: Cedric Benson.

Usain Bolt has never played football.  Ginn's played it all his life.  There's a difference in how much would need to be learned.

[Dave Gray]

To be clear, I don't think we should get rid of Ginn.   But he needs works.

[Phishfan]

That's not the point.  The point is the other guys have pedestrian physical skills, and Ginn does not.  They keep working with Jason Allen for the same reason:  he's physically gifted.  The league is full of guys who never learned their positions because they were so much faster/stronger than everyone else that they didn't need to be technicians.  Then they get to the NFL and struggle.  Once they get it, though, look out.  Case in point: Cedric Benson.

Usain Bolt has never played football.  Ginn's played it all his life.  There's a difference in how much would need to be learned.

I know Wikipedia can be altered by anyone, but Ted's page says he has an admitted learning disability which makes him learn thing 2-3 times slower. At that rate it would be six season in the NFL before he gets it.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ That explains why he went to Ohio State, I suppose...

[Thundergod]

[NADS]

Ted Ginn = Renaldo Nehemiah or Featherstone from Necessary Roughness if you remember that gem.

They have to keep feeding him the ball.  He needs the reps.  Again, who else is out there?  Bess, Camarillo, Hartline have ceilings due to athletic limitations.  Ginn's the only one with special skills.  He needs to be worked with so he can get over his concentration issues, alligator arms, whatever he has going.  If there's no improvement through the entire season, then go about making changes.  But during the season, he is what you have.

It's pretty well impossible to teach someone to not be a pussy once they've reached the NFL.  It's been said before, but his lack of heart negates his special skills.  Hartline was caught after he had a ten-yard lead whereas Ginn would've jumped on the ground if he had made that catch. 

^^^ That explains why he went to Ohio State, I suppose...

I'm shocked and appalled.  Many a football genius has come from OSU--Andy Katzenmoyer comes to mind. 

[dolfan13]

wow, this is like fine wine. it just gets way more humorous with age.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_Nx0BiO6Zc

what a keystone cops bunch of folks we had running the team that year.