WT 360: Devin Thomas Is In The House; Malcolm Kelly Sightings

[Chanhillbilly]

I think you spoke for a few of us...... Though we support Thomas & Kelly,we just have high hopes for the two. Words can't explain how much we are counting on theme to perform this year...... Man! It's nice to be there for you're old team... But it is you're old team!:doh:

Bingo, huge hopes for these guys.

Ok, question for all of you. Growing up and playing sports, did you ever miss the first few practices or games due to being sick, being on vacation, being injured etc. You miss out on a lot. Team building for one and most important. I'd much rather Moss etc be up here working with their team and not their old team from DA U. I guess I just don't understand. MK and DT need to be here as well. Even if the knee is still an issue, he needs to be at the park with his team.

How many of you remember Desmond Howard sitting on the bench off by himself because Monk, Clark and Sanders didn't want anything to do him?

[Santana_89]

The ****ing whiners here are unreal. Voluntary workouts. He was here BEFORE they started. He was gone for a few days of VOLUNTARY workouts (which is gym work) to help younger players at his alma matter.

There was the story about him visiting the Redskins fan just before workouts. The guy is doing a whole lot more good than bad, but because people mismanaged their own expectations, listen blindly to JLC sky falling reports, and have no patience this guy is being squarely place in the black sheep box.

Wouldn't be Washington if their own fans weren't trying to dismantle a player's career before it gets started.

+1 I believe Devin and Fred will both have a very good sophmore year.

P.S Jason LaCanLoser WORST beat writer in REDSKINS HISTORY:mad:

[Spartacus87]

Everyone completely flipped out when he wasn't here the first few days as if he was sitting on a beach or something.

Real big surprise there.

Just like how people flipped out when it was incorrectly reported that Portis wasn't around either.

A lot of people around here already have their agendas made up in their minds towards certain players, and they'll be as fast as possible to jump all over a rumor to help their cause, and usually the last to own up to their mistake.

[Snagletooth]

Seems like its ok that Thomas is "helping" his former teammates. Just a guess, probably negative, but I would guess he is hanging with his boys too, at the club. lol. Again, this is ok. But it would be GREAT if he was living at Redskin park. Exceeding expectations.

[BobDigi]

malcolm kelly should get robot legs. its an expensive operation, but it'll be worth it.

[RenegadeTK]

good to see the young guys down there. cant wait to see DT's work payoff on the field

[mnb123]

I said this in another thread; If the wizards didn't suck and made the finals, you can bet your ass half the team would be at the games and not practicing, so I'm not going to fault Thomas for taking a few days off to see his team play, especially since he put in the extra time before workouts even started.

[skeenzfan]

You mean the kind of work ethic that has you at the park working with JC even before workouts start? Or the kind of ethic that makes you ask to play on speacial teams just so you can get on the field? Or the kind of work ethic that makes you listen to vet WRs and workout with Moss? Or the basic human ethics that lead you to surprise a fan at his work, just up the street from the park?

Yeah, why can't Devin Thomas have this kind of work ethic? Oh wait, Thomas was the one doing all that stuff.

Seriously, I think some people are looking at the Devin Thomas from last offseason and are just assuming, off a negatively biased, misinformed report (from JLC who typically does that unprofessional stuff) that he hasn't changed or improved. It'd be nice if you all got the whole story before blasting the guy. The team excused DT so he could go to Michigan for the Prodays to help out. But I guess the coaches don't care about his work ethic and commitment then, right?

Your own coach called you out for coming to camp out of shape and for not being able to digest the playbook. He was one of three players that failed his conditioning test.

Maybe he is working hard and it will show this year but until he produces on the field and his coach stops calling him out he is stuck with the reputation he built for himself during his first year in the league. I am not going by what JLC said but what coach Zorn told us all through the season last year. I know that it takes about the 3rd year till the light comes on for receivers in this league but he needs to commit himself more than he has so far.

As far as the team excusing him..they cannot force him to be here as these are so called voluntary workouts. So you don't know for a fact that the team excused him or he excused himself.

[elkabong82]

Your own coach called you out for coming to camp out of shape and for not being able to digest the playbook. He was one of three players that failed his conditioning test.

Maybe he is working hard and it will show this year but until he produces on the field and his coach stops calling him out he is stuck with the reputation he built for himself during his first year in the league. I am not going by what JLC said but what coach Zorn told us all through the season last year. I know that it takes about the 3rd year till the light comes on for receivers in this league but he needs to commit himself more than he has so far.

As far as the team excusing him..they cannot force him to be here as these are so called voluntary workouts. So you don't know for a fact that the team excused him or he excused himself.

Yeah, I know DT wasn't in shape and was called out by Zorn for it. Like I said, that was a year ago and the DT then and the DT now are different people. The DT now was already working out before voluntary workouts started, he also worked out with Moss in Miami, and eventhough he's in Michigan, he's working out. So the maturity and desire to get in shape and participate are prevalent in DT now, whereas last season they weren't.

Well, Thomas did inform them ahead of time, and like I said, he was still doing something football related. You don't know for a fact how much he has been woorking out, but we do know for a fact he was at the park working out beforehand, and he missed just a few days at the official start. The fact he was working out at his former college doesn't negate the fact he was already st the park ahead of time, is there now, and it certainly doesn't mean he's being lazy, or uncommitted.

[SWFLSkins]

So basketball and college is still more important to Thomas than his football career. Well, that explains a lot.

Yeah he plans on skipping weeks three thru six because his sister has a BB mini camp and Michigan St. is holding it's annual pep rally:doh:

[Vicious]

Redskin players go to games all the time to show their support. So Clinton Portis is not working out when he is at a Caps game? So Jason Campbell is not studying when he is at a Wizards game? Showing support for fellow sports, especially a place that gave you SO much opportunity like Michigan gave Devin Thomas.. That's just something you do.

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

Yeah he plans on skipping weeks three thru six because his sister has a BB mini camp and Michigan St. is holding it's annual pep rally:doh:

Now you're exaggerating quite a bit. Are we sure Devin didn't communicate his desire to go and see his former teammates to his coaches beforehand? What if Devin was at Michigan St. telling his former teammates what to expect, how he didn't prepare as best he could and set himself back in his first season? Regardless, the guy is there now, and just because he wants to support his alma mater, and is missed a few days working out doesn't mean he has any less desire to succeed. Its very early into the offseason, if Devin starts missing a number of workouts, shows up late to minicamp/training camp and starts showing a general lack of effort, then I'll be concerned. But so far he's been working out before workouts even began, he took some initiative to go help his alma mater which I think is a cool thing for him to do, and he's now at Redskins camp working out with the rest of his teammates. Give the guy a break.

[mnb123]

Now you're exaggerating quite a bit. Are we sure Devin didn't communicate his desire to go and see his former teammates to his coaches beforehand? What if Devin was at Michigan St. telling his former teammates what to expect, how he didn't prepare as best he could and set himself back in his first season? Regardless, the guy is there now, and just because he wants to support his alma mater, and is missed a few days working out doesn't mean he has any less desire to succeed. Its very early into the offseason, if Devin starts missing a number of workouts, shows up late to minicamp/training camp and starts showing a general lack of effort, then I'll be concerned. But so far he's been working out before workouts even began, he took some initiative to go help his alma mater which I think is a cool thing for him to do, and he's now at Redskins camp working out with the rest of his teammates. Give the guy a break.

Devin told the Coaching staff that he was going to be absent for the first few days of workouts and he was excused....

[GIBBS LIVES]

Bottom line is that for Bellichek in New England, ALL the players show up (except Tom Brady) for "voluntary" work outs.

That's the difference between coaches with rings like Parcells & Bellichek and easy going coaches like Wade Phillips and Zorn.

[illone]

What a clown this guy is. He'd rather watch his OLD school play basketball than get better at his own craft.

Real winner there Vinny. At some point the Skins are going to have to sit down with these players and judge their character BEFORE draft day.

:doh:

[mnb123]

What a clown this guy is. He'd rather watch his OLD school play basketball than get better at his own craft.

Real winner there Vinny. At some point the Skins are going to have to sit down with these players and judge their character BEFORE draft day.

:doh:

Those three days lost of running on a treadmill and lifting dumbbells are going to ruin his season.

Nevermind that he was working out voluntarily BEFORE the voluntary workouts even started.

Give me a break

[illone]

Those three days lost of running on a treadmill and lifting dumbbells are going to ruin his season.

Nevermind that he was working out voluntarily BEFORE the voluntary workouts even started.

Give me a break

I could care less about the time.

It's an attitude.

He's in the bigs now and the choices he makes will affect his career if he/you like it or not.

[Laxpunk2006]

Bottom line is that for Bellichek in New England, ALL the players show up (except Tom Brady) for "voluntary" work outs.

That's the difference between coaches with rings like Parcells & Bellichek and easy going coaches like Wade Phillips and Zorn.

Do you have a source to back this up or is this just an assumption? Easy going coaches? Zorn ran a very difficult training camp schedule last season. There have actually been talks about scaling it back some as to not overwork the players. The Redskins have also historically had extremely good attendance to offseason workouts. There are the Portis' and Moss' that like to work in Miami but for the most part the team is in Ashburn working out.

[PROSCOUT]

So, to me, if a guy is in working out before voluntary workouts even begin, then misses 1-2 workouts to work out somewhere else while helping others, and then later misses a 1-2 workouts just to relax and support other potential professional athletes from his alma mater, I'm alright with it. I understand the feeling towards Thomas' lack of effort and mental focus last year to earn himself playing time, but this is a very small thing and as long as these are a few of the only workouts he misses I can deal with it.

The key here is your statement "to me". It is your opinion and you are fine with it. Clearly, you do not understand what it takes to make it in the NFL.

It takes dedication because its not a part time gig, its a full time job. Just because they play for 6 months, doesn;t mean anything. You either put yourself into it as a fulltime job and you get fulltime results, or you do what Thomas does: you treat it like a part time job, show up whenever you feel like, and thus you get part time show up whenever you feel like RESULTS.

So far, its part time results. Let me know when he gets fulltime results. I'll be here.

[mnb123]

The key here is your statement "to me". It is your opinion and you are fine with it. Clearly, you do not understand what it takes to make it in the NFL.

It takes dedication because its not a part time gig, its a full time job. Just because they play for 6 months, doesn;t mean anything. You either put yourself into it as a fulltime job and you get fulltime results, or you do what Thomas does: you treat it like a part time job, show up whenever you feel like, and thus you get part time show up whenever you feel like RESULTS.

So far, its part time results. Let me know when he gets fulltime results. I'll be here.

Do you ever take time off of work?

[illone]

Tough to compare "us" taking time off work in a job where we work 40 hours per week to a professional athlete who is paid millions to play a game.

Some guys view the NFL as a J.O.B. but those guys don't last long which is what looks to be happening with Devin. He'd rather be partying with his buddies from school than working on his career.

Just sounds like his priorities are messed up compared to other athletes in the NFL.

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

Tough to compare "us" taking time off work in a job where we work 40 hours per week to a professional athlete who is paid millions to play a game.

Some guys view the NFL as a J.O.B. but those guys don't last long which is what looks to be happening with Devin. He'd rather be partying with his buddies from school than working on his career.

Just sounds like his priorities are messed up compared to other athletes in the NFL.

Though in any line of work, having balance is crucial. Some guys work so hard they don't last long due to burnout. Some guys don't last long because they don't want to put in the work. Its a fine line that you tow. I'm sure a lot of other guys who have great work ethic take time off too. Its a necessary part of the game. The eat, sleep and breathe mentality is nice, but its not always effective. In the same breath, how do we know he was partying with his buddies and not working? There are plenty of negatives that I can conjure up, and there are just as many positives I can use as excuses for DT. I'd rather focus on what we do know. For all we know, he may well have been partying his ass off, and could still go on to blow up this season. He might've be studying and practicing like the best of them and could completely bomb, what then? Fact is, 1 week of football doesn't make or break a career. I think we're really blowing this way out of proportion, and we should just let it play out and reserve judgment until we know for sure where he has developed as a player.

[Pedro]

malcolm kelly should get robot legs. its an expensive operation, but it'll be worth it.

obvious isn't it

[Skinsfor4]

As long as no "bong" pics surface from this I dont see it as a big deal.

[Spartacus87]

What a clown this guy is. He'd rather watch his OLD school play basketball than get better at his own craft.

Real winner there Vinny. At some point the Skins are going to have to sit down with these players and judge their character BEFORE draft day.

:doh:

This is just absurd.

You're completely failing to realize how players generally treat their former schools once they've left.

Guys do stuff like this all the time in the off-season, go back to their school to hang out, visit coaches, work out, etc. Not a big deal.

FSU's Garnet & Gold spring scrimmage game is in a week. When I see Anquan Boldin and Leon Washington hanging out with the current FSU players, I should remind them they need to be practicing with their teams because behind my computer screen, I know how to prepare and play in the NFL better than they do.