Navorro snubbed for the Bednarik

by conquering lion in the 215 on Nov 5, 2008 6:42 PM EST Comment 16 comments

Doubtless everybody has already seen the semi-finalist list for the Bednarik Award, but as there were no indignant postings as yet, I feel compelled to rant. I didn't expect anyone outside the Big 11 circle to recognize Navorro, but to see JL on the list and not Bowman makes me wanna wretch. Since Shonn Greene has now been "exposed" by Kiper and his ilk (again, wretching) Bowman is now the Big 11's best kept secret, as such, I was cool with the snub. But Little Animal on the list? Laughable. Inexcusable. Inextricably odious. Continued evidence that NCAA football is a cult of personality. I know this is turf often trod, but when will the decidedly mediocre play of the Little Animal be exposed? (at least some those idiot non-savant draft guru's have Marcus Freeman rated higher, because he actually seems better) He is obviously a SERVICEABLE linebacker, but where are the stellar plays?. He's like Bosworth or Mandrich without the on-field production to back up the hype. (in fairness, JL does not appear to be a douche like the Boz) Indeed, where are the solo tackles? This guy never met a five-yards-down-the-field assisted tackle he didn't like. Where are any discernable stats outside of total tackles that qualify this guy? Navorro is only racking up solo tackles, TFL's, the occasional sack, a pick, a couple forced fumbles and the greatest FR since Paxton fell on the ball in '05 (or Tony Davis trotted down the sideline in '06). But he has no "story" aside from solid and (comparatively) unrecognized play. Just another example of the 'good story' angle that seems to cloud the media and college football mainstream. JL, son of L.O.D. legend Animal, awesome story...let's immediately enshrine him as the greatest player ever. Then it self-perpetuates as the glaring fact that JL is simply not dominant is obscured by the talking heads who are loth to admit their own mistaken assumptions and continue to lavish shine on this guy. I hated Katzenmoyer, but at least he could point to a resume demonstrating his worthiness. Here's hoping JL goes the way of the Big Kat (in term's of obscurity, not the neck injury).

Tangentially - it was with the greatest satisfaction that I watched Puz make a key TFL and some vicious pressure that forced Favre to throw a pick 6 in the Bill's loss to the NYJ. Meanwhile, AJ Hawk was looking lost in coverage and was occasionally pulled by McCarthy in the Pack's loss to the Kerry Collins-led Titans. A slight palliative, but palliative nonetheless.

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Comments

While JL

is overrated and Poz did make a nice hit on Favre, he also got owned on the 7 yard TD run by the Jets so please be sure that you are fully objective.

JoePa in '09

by JGuiher on Nov 5, 2008 7:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Being fully objective...

the fact that he’s a 2-year starting linebacker in his second year is impressive enough.

by Bleed Blue 'n White on Nov 5, 2008 9:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

True that

JoePa in '09

by JGuiher on Nov 5, 2008 10:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

he is being fully objective

and that objective is to lavish praise on Penn State players while denegrating OSU players ;-)

by The JuggerNitt on Nov 6, 2008 7:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

PS

Bowman should be on there IM bias opinion, but don’t forget he is only a sophmore. He will be highly regarded next year.

JoePa in '09

by JGuiher on Nov 5, 2008 7:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wow

I just realized we’ll have Bowman AND Lee next year.

It’s going to be a bad year for Big Ten running backs.

Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.

by 06Lion on Nov 5, 2008 8:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This just in...

They’ve created a gift basket to hand out to running backs playing on all teams visiting Beaver Stadium in 2009.

It contains a pair extra absorbant Depends undergarments and a Life Alert necklace. (I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!!)

by MicrobrewPSU on Nov 5, 2008 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed....

but what’s bias have to do with merit? By any metric relating to on-field production (and clutch performance) Navorro deserved a nod (especially in comparison to JL). Tebow took the Heisman as a sophomore and Crabtree is poised to take the Biletnikoff as a freshman and sophomore. Granted, they produced superlative seasons that left little doubt as to their merit, but class should obscure impact on the field. I used to think that Maybin would be a lock for every defensive award that wasn’t the Thorpe or the Butkus, but in this climate of State hate I’m sure a more “suitable” candidate will be found. And yet the thought of Lee and Bowman both being all-everything watchlisters next year tickles me in a way, that if my girl tickled me that way, i’d say : “oh yeah…that’s nice…that’s the spot”.

hopes Maybin wipes his ass with some TP

by conquering lion in the 215 on Nov 5, 2008 11:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

blaaaaaccccccccchhhhhh

you just made me throw up in my mouth by using the word “metric”, I feel like i’m at a corporate meeting. Anyway Bowman definately got snubbed, the kid plays hard.

by han_solo on Nov 6, 2008 8:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Kiper is an idiot

I asked him a few weeks ago in an ESPN chat if JL would still go in the first round. He said yes and that he was an incredibly consistent player and racks up alot of tackles. What a joke, this idiot obviously doesn’t watch much tape and just looks at stats. I’m going to laugh so hard when they show Kiper and JL squirming when he doesn’t go in the first round.

by whiteoutonly on Nov 6, 2008 11:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

They give JL credit for a tackle . . .

If he’s just standing close to the pile!!! The guys an average linebacker who WILL NOT play on Sunday’s. Watch!!!!

by TITCUS on Nov 6, 2008 12:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Woah now

There’s no doubt that Laurinitis is a solid player. Let’s give a LITTLE credit to the guy. I hate Ohio State as much as anyone else, but he’s much more than an average linebacker. Sure, he gets as many or more bogus tackles as Ray Lewis, and I think Bowman is more of a playmaker than JL right now even though Bowman is nowhere near his ceiling. JL will play on Sundays at some point though.

Totally agree that Kiper is an idiot, too. He doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to playing the game of football. He’s a numbers and stats guy.

by jimbo2psu on Nov 6, 2008 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Homework assignment

For some of our young budding statisticians out there. I would like to see Laurinitis’ career stats broken down. I want to see how many solo and assisted tackles he has at home versus how many he has on the road.

Why don’t y’all get on that mkaythxbye.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Nov 7, 2008 8:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Homework

2006 7 Home games: 21 solo, 36 assists, 57 total
2006 6 Road/neutral games: 32 solo, 26 assists, 58 total

Surprisingly, JL had a higher tackles per game average on the road (9.66) than at home (8.14). However, his percentage of assisted tackles was 63% at home and 45% on the road. Assits per game were 5.14 at home and 4.33 on the road.

2007 7 Home games: 26 solo, 42 assists, 68 total
2007 6 Road/neutral games: 25 total, 28 assists, 53 total

This time, JL had 9.71 TPG at home and only 8.83 on the road. Percentage of assits was 62% at home and 53% on the road. Assists per game were 6.00 at home and 4.66 on the road.

2008 6 Home games: 19 solo, 41 assists, 60 total
2008 3 Road games: 16 solo, 14 assists, 30 total

This year, JL’s percentage of assisted tackles is higher than ever (61% total). Even though JL averaged 10.00 TPG no matter where the Bucks played, his assisted tacke percentage went from 58% at home to 47% on the road. Assits per game are 6.83 at home and 4.66 on the road.

For the past 3 years, JL has consistently been credited with more assisted tackles at home than on the road. However, in 2006 and 2008, his TPG on the road is equal than or greater to his home average. So even though he gets more “cheap” tackles at home, he makes up for it with more solo tackles on the road. In 2008 Laurinaitis has 90 tackles, 3 for a loss, 1 pick, and 2.5 sacks.

In 2008 Navorro Bowman has 48 tackles in 5 home games (9.6 avg) including 24 assists (50). On the road, Bowman has 33 tackles in 4 games (8.25 avg) including 13 assists (39). He has 10.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 INT.

Bowman’s 2008 is very comparable to Laurinaitis’ season. Although Navorro has 9 fewer tackles in the same amount of games, he has 7.5 more tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Bowman also has a lower overall assit percentage than JL (55% to 61%).

Thanks to cfbstats.com for all the tackling stats that I couldn’t find anywhere else

by apy5000 on Nov 7, 2008 11:38 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

See now that's a bias

At the beginning of his hype, it’s obvious that Laurinitis actually had to tackle more but now, as the hype has grown, the stats also need to grow. I don’t even remember hearing his name on a play during the OSU game and yet he had a “solid” game? I think not.

This is roughly the same thing that is going on with the Big Ten right now, except OSU is more visible as a sham in MNC games than JL is as an individual in individual regular season games.

Bullcrap is what it is.

by AdamShell on Nov 7, 2008 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

There it is

Excellent work, apy5000. Confirms what we have all suspected. His home town score keeper gives him an assisted tackle for being anywhere near the pile.

I’m convinced all of the JL hype comes from the beginning of the 2006 season when every fumble and tipped pass was hitting him square in the chest. He had something like five turnovers in the first five games and Brent Musberger annointed him the greatest linebacker since Dick Butkus after the Texas game. He’s been riding that wave ever since.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Nov 7, 2008 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs