Lombardi: Haden struggled in camp
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he got drafted by the browns.
of course he's a bust.
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TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010
http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/2010/07/mik...n-whos-too.html
Mike Lombardi vs. Joe Haden: Who's Too Slow for What?
We've said before that we should probably never expect Mike Lombardi to write reasonably about any Browns player, manager, or presumptive draftee as long as Eric Mangini is coaching the team, and hope it will be soon enough that Lombardi can write something about the Browns and everybody can ignore it. But until then, here's Lombardi's latest, this time on Joe Haden:
"According to coaches around the league, Browns first-round pick Joe Haden has not been very impressive in camps and might not have enough speed to play corner. Maybe all that talk about some in the organization wanted to take Kyle Wilson over Haden was true."
We should probably start with the obvious question: What are "coaches around the league" doing at Browns camp? Did Mangini invite them? Did he send out tapes? If so, he's come along way from Spygate.
Wait! Spies! There could be spies in Browns camp who are glad to tell coaches around the league about their own team's specific weaknesses. It might even be a Browns coach who wants the team to do poorly ... so ... he can ... lose his job?
Wait. Really, who could it be? They say Haden is competing with Eric Wright for a starting job. Maybe it's Eric Wright who's talking to coaches around the league?
Wait. It's mini-camp. They're not even rushing the passer yet. They're not even in full pads. How much can we really know about a rookie cornerback after mini-camp?
OK, too many questions here, so let's back up and review what we do know.
We know that Mike Lombardi was calling for Eric Mangini to be fired as Browns head coach only half-way through last season, and in doing so displayed a massive disrespect for facts, logic, and journalistic integrity.
We know that before Lombardi was fired from his position as a Raiders personnel guy and before Mangini took the head coaching job with the Jets, Lombardi once took a trip to interview Mangini for Oakland's defensive coordinator position. Its safe to assume that Mangini rejected an offer by the Raiders. It's also safe to speculate that Lombardi might have thought he could have gotten back into the league if "the right guy" was hired in Cleveland.
We know (well, I know, and you will know after you read this) that Lombardi emailed me last season and said among other things that, "it is my right to not like [Mangini], and not have to justify my sources to you," and that "Mangini will blow the [2010 draft], there is no doubt in my mind."*
We know that some three weeks before the 2010 draft, before the pre-draft smoke got thick and Haden was still the presumptive choice for the Browns, Lombardi "was hearing" that Joe Haden "wasn't a top ten pick."
We know after completion of the 2010 draft's first round, it was immediately floated that there was a split in Browns camp between Haden and eventual Jets' first-round pick Kyle Wilson. Again, who would leak this kind of information if it was true is anyone's guess.
So let's connect the dots. A former NFL personnel exec who can no longer find a job in the league now writes a widely-read column based largely on anonymous sourcing. This columnist has demonstrated and confessed an unmistakable intent to exercise "his right not to like Eric Mangini," and has invested his credibility in the conclusion that Mangini isn't fit to be an NFL head coach. This columnist no doubt knows that if fans are irrationally impatient about anything, it's draft picks, and when Joe Haden looks to be Eric Mangini's presumptive choice as a first round pick, this columnist starts "hearing" that Haden won't be any good. The Browns end up choosing Haden, sparking unfounded rumors that Kyle Wilson was the guy they really wanted. It soon becomes clear that with Sheldon Brown and Eric Wright around, the Browns have the flexibility to bring Haden along relatively slowly, thus giving cover to anyone who wants to inflame fan impatience and bring a head coach down by taking unfounded shots at the rookie cornerback. ("Hey, the first-rounder isn't starting! What's wrong with him? What's wrong with this organization?!")
Now Mike Lombardi is, amazingly, "hearing from coaches around the league" that Haden was "not very impressive in camps and might not have the speed to play corner," and wondering if "maybe all that talk about some in the organization wanted to take Kyle Wilson over Haden was true."
If anybody's "too slow" here, it certainly doesn't seem to be Haden. Do you think this guy would have a job if his last name wasn't Lombardi? No relation, by the way. Thankfully.
Meanwhile, everyone else seems to think that Haden is doing just fine.
That's all for now. Back with more later. Hope everyone's Tuesday gets off to a decent start in the meantime.
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*Here's another line from a Lombardi email to me (all in a back-and-forth regarding his aforementioned Mangini hit-job at National Football Post):
"You have no clue, I have spent over 23 years in the NFL. Where did you learn the game? Can you get anyone from the NFL to return your calls?"
I meant to email Lombardi to tell him that I didn't need to spend 23 years in the NFL or be able to get anyone from the NFL to return my calls to go 10-1 against the spread with my playoff picks (while he was flailing away with his picks on Simmons' podcast) but I never got around to it, which is a huge bummer.
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i'm surprised florio isn't reporting that haden is the biggest bust ever and will never make a single tackle in the pros.
once a fan, always a fan. married to a steeler fan. aaaaaaaaah! --andy -
also, jerry rice was too slow remember? everyone said that the fast corners would be able to shut him down. i guess they were wrong too.
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lombardi is just like savage...
they just want paychecks in the nfl, and they will snivel and bs forever to get them.
meanwhile, this browns fo and coachin staff FREAKIN REALLY KNOW FOOTBALL.
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i'm surprised florio isn't reporting that haden is the biggest bust ever and will never make a single tackle in the pros.
i'm surprised florio isn't reporting that haden is the biggest bust ever and will never make a single tackle in the pros.
I don’t believe that Florio is an unabashed Browns or Mangini basher. He forms strong opinions, makes no bones that he is often wrong (doesn’t know anything about talent or how to make a team win), and often makes fun of people who do things to make fun of. That’s his style.
Florio does a lot of regurgitation of other people’s reports, and then blogs about what others are reporting.
So Florio regurgitating Lombardi does not mean its Florio’s opinion.
He’s also regurgitated and commented on positive reports.
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Lombardi must be out his mind. Let's at least get in to training camp, full pads, and some hitting before we give up on Joe Haden. I'll admit that I wanted Earl Thomas with the pick...but on the night of the draft, it took me the drive from Shaker to Walton Hills to accept and get excited about Joe Haden at #7. This kid was considered one of the best, if not the best athlete on an incredibly talented Gator squad. And all the scouts and "experts" readily admit that Joe Haden has only scratched the surface of his potential at the CB position.
At the presser for round 1, Heckert was asked if it was difficult to choose between Kyle Wilson & Joe Haden, to which he immediately replied "NO"!! Will there be some growing pains, will he have to adjust to the speed of the pro game...absolutely. But to already surmise that he doesn't have the speed to play the position is asinine and for Lombardi to make such claims severely impeaches his credibility.
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Hey folks, LAY OFF Lombardi!!!...He's one HELL of a gossip columnist. You just don't know talent.
I wanted Haden from the start & am still excited about the young man, but what do any of us really know? Unlike some of these fools who write "facts" after a minicamp, I'll wait to see what happens with my OWN eyes.
Mike
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Thanks for clarifying things, Mr. Mills.
Also, I'd like to add that I agree with Mike Lombardi that Haden won't be a top ten pick.
Thanks for clarifying things, Mr. Mills.
Also, I'd like to add that I agree with Mike Lombardi that Haden won't be a top ten pick.
I think he meant "shouldn't be." Wink, wink, JK, har-har.
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Anyone playing on the Florida defense (especially the Secondary) has speed to burn or they would never touch the field. Lombardi is a joke. I guess that 4.4 he ran does not make him fast enough.
Anyone playing on the Florida defense (especially the Secondary) has speed to burn or they would never touch the field. Lombardi is a joke. I guess that 4.4 he ran does not make him fast enough.
While I don't put a lot of stock in 40 times, I can't see Mangini and Holmgren not seeing a lack of speed while watching a ton of tape on Haden. I hope Lombardi is just talking out of his ass because the group of Brown, Wright, and Haden at cb actually has me excited for the secondary prospects.
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it's funny how nobody in the media who was actually at the browns otas said haden was slow. i'm sure if haden was slow, someone would've said something about this last month.
only a fool or someone with a hidden agenda would actually believe lombardi's story.
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Something lombardi likely missed in his hatred of all things browns is that if a rookie isnt struggling than he isnt learning the "mangini way" coach insists on getting things down first and getting them right as opposed to making a big splash but at the cost of not following the program which is a big no-no with mangini..haden should be fine..and time will tell us all soon enough!
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Mike Lombardi doesn't know if he is washing or hanging out! He is the one who started the rumor re: McCoy's "lack of arm strength." He is a Tebow apologist and had to tear McCoy down to make Tebow look NFL good. He did such a good job that he suckered that idiot head coach at Denver into drafting him in the first round. I find it ironic that reports are now being circulated that Tebow doesn't have the strongest arm in the world, either.
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Joe Haden holdout seems likely
Posted by Mike Florio on July 20, 2010 11:43 PM ET
When Browns coach Eric Mangini appeared on Monday's edition of The Dan Patrick Show with a certain Internet hack with whom you may be familiar, Mangini expressed optimism that the team's top three draft picks -- cornerback Joe Haden, running back Montario Hardesty, and quarterback Colt McCoy -- would sign their contracts in time for camp. (We forgot to mention second-rounder T.J. Ward.)
But the rookies report Friday, and camp opens several days later. And while it's possible that Hardesty and McCoy will be signed, Haden's deal presents a couple of challenges.
For starters, Haden is represented by a relatively inexperienced agent, Malik Shareef. Then there's the fact that Haden is operating out of the same No. 7 overall slot occupied in 2009 by receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, to whom the Raiders paid a whopper of a deal -- five years, with $23.5 million guaranteed.
The floor for Haden's deal will be set by another Raiders' top-ten pick, linebacker Rolando McClain. It would be foolish not to wait and see whether the Raiders do another foolish deal.
That said, Shareef said in June that Haden has no intention of holding out. To avoid a holdout, however, Haden and Shareef may have to leave a nice chunk of money on the table.
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I dont think he will, he might not have the contract done bye camp but I think he'll still be there.
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Shepwrite - of course you thought it was a bad pick, there's a like a huge thread started by you saying how much you hate Colt McCoy too. Just makes me wonder if you actually like anyone on the Browns roster...
Homo - you would have said the same thing about anyone the Browns drafted, and if Haden would have went to the Steelers you would have been wetting yourself.
I heard Maurkice Pouncey would have slipped to the 6th round if the Steelers didn't draft him, he's so awful omg, terrible, I hate him!!!!!!!!!!
Lombardi has no credibility? He's one of the few on TV that has a credible stance on everything football and he's only reporting what he was TOLD FYI. FeartheROO try not to shit the bed tonight first and foremost. Secondly the Steelers didn't have a lot of interest in Haden based on everything I read leading up to the draft. They too didn't like his speed and actually wanted Earl Thomas. Thomas was obviously drafted before their selection so Maurkice Pouncey was the next highest on the draft board. I would not have been happy with the Haden selection because I didn't feel he was any better than Kyle Wilson and Wilson went substantially later to the Jets. Wilson on the other hand has better size and speed and should do big things in New York. Soooooo no I don't bash the Browns just to Bash the Browns and when I do it's warranted. I'll send you some charmin wipes, just don't eat em okay?
Homotron said:
Lombardi has no credibility? He's one of the few on TV that has a credible stance on everything football and he's only reporting what he was TOLD FYI. FeartheROO try not to shit the bed tonight first and foremost. Secondly the Steelers didn't have a lot of interest in Haden based on everything I read leading up to the draft. They too didn't like his speed and actually wanted Earl Thomas. Thomas was obviously drafted before their selection so Maurkice Pouncey was the next highest on the draft board. I would not have been happy with the Haden selection because I didn't feel he was any better than Kyle Wilson and Wilson went substantially later to the Jets. Wilson on the other hand has better size and speed and should do big things in New York. Soooooo no I don't bash the Browns just to Bash the Browns and when I do it's warranted. I'll send you some charmin wipes, just don't eat em okay?No, sorry, Mike Lombardi is one of the least credible commentators around. He may or may not be right about Haden, but the fact is he is just one of those guys that throws a whole wheelbarrow of shit against the wall and hopes some of it sticks.
Again, who knows if this will stick or not. As for the Steelers not having interest in Haden....that is like saying the Browns had no interest in Ndamakong Suh. Yea, the Browns had no interest because they knew he wouldn't be there. Same with Haden.
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