Gholston versus Long rivalry has gone pro
Jake Long and Vernon Gholston know each other pretty well. They played against each other the past several years while Long was the left tackle for Michigan and Gholston played defensive end for Ohio State.
They are represented by the same sports agency. And now they'll be seeing each other twice a year in the AFC East games between the Dolphins, who picked Long No. 1 in the draft, and Jets, who took Gholston with the No. 6 pick.
Building rivalry? No doubt.
Blowout rivalry that Long's one sack allowed in 2007 suggest? Nope.
Long's one sack allowed came against, you guessed it, Gholston. And Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel told Newsday today the matchup was not as one-sided as the highlights shown during the draft suggested.
"You know, in all the highlights on Saturday, I never saw any of those plays where [Gholston] carried Jake Long into the quarterback's lap," Tressel told Newsday.
The article did not include from Tressel the answer to key followup questions: How many plays are you talking about specifically, and what exactly happened on those plays as a result?
It is universally acknowledged that Long was the more consistent college player. It is also universally acknowledged that Gholston is something of an athletic freak of nature. So what we have here is an opportunity to see those two guys go at it for years to come.
We'll see who comes out ahead in the NFL. And we'll see if Miami's pick of Long at No. 1 pays the dividends the team hopes.
[By the way folks: The Dolphins are soon expected to announce they have released nose tackle Steve Fifita and quarterback Matt Baker. Not big news but thought you'd like to know.]
They are represented by the same sports agency. And now they'll be seeing each other twice a year in the AFC East games between the Dolphins, who picked Long No. 1 in the draft, and Jets, who took Gholston with the No. 6 pick.
Building rivalry? No doubt.
Blowout rivalry that Long's one sack allowed in 2007 suggest? Nope.
Long's one sack allowed came against, you guessed it, Gholston. And Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel told Newsday today the matchup was not as one-sided as the highlights shown during the draft suggested.
"You know, in all the highlights on Saturday, I never saw any of those plays where [Gholston] carried Jake Long into the quarterback's lap," Tressel told Newsday.
The article did not include from Tressel the answer to key followup questions: How many plays are you talking about specifically, and what exactly happened on those plays as a result?
It is universally acknowledged that Long was the more consistent college player. It is also universally acknowledged that Gholston is something of an athletic freak of nature. So what we have here is an opportunity to see those two guys go at it for years to come.
We'll see who comes out ahead in the NFL. And we'll see if Miami's pick of Long at No. 1 pays the dividends the team hopes.
[By the way folks: The Dolphins are soon expected to announce they have released nose tackle Steve Fifita and quarterback Matt Baker. Not big news but thought you'd like to know.]
posted by Armando Salguero at 4:42 PM
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36 Comments:
I guess what else could we have expected Gholston's college coach to say? It would have been shocking if he said that Jake Long owned Gholston or that Gholston took plays off. If Vernon was taking plays off, that's a reflection, in part, of him as a coach.
i dont buy that crap that veron is better then Jake...
It's about time, we haven't had anything like this since the Webb-Smith battles. Bring it on, I love it.
Old news - the Sun Sentinel had this same story posted a few hours ago. C'mon Armando, you can do better!! Pick it up!!
Here are some more undrafted free agents signings:
Dolphins WR Davone Bess (Hawaii)
Dolphins LB Kelly Poppinga (BYU)
Dolphins T Mike Byrne (Delaware)
Dolphins T Dan Gore (Boise State)
Dolphins QB Jayson Foster (Georgia Southern)
Dolphins K Dan Carpenter (Montana)
Dolphins TE Matt Mulligan (UMaine)
Dolphins OL Daren Heerspink (Portland State)
Dolphins FB Rolly Lumbala (Idaho)
Dolphins DE Titus Brown, (Miss State )*
Dolphins DT Kory Robertson (Virginia Tech )*
Dolphins CB Scorpio Babers (Sam Houston State )*
Dolphins WR Selwyn Lymon (Purdue )*
Dolphins TE Kris Kasparek (Akron )*
Isn't Tressel one of those inbred hillbilly's, I hear banjo picking. I bet he think's Gholston has a pretty mouth also.
Ramsterone
"Old news - the Sun Sentinel had this same story posted a few hours ago. C'mon Armando, you can do better!! Pick it up!!"
Where do you think he gets his ideas for this crappy blog???
Who do you want on your team- someone named "Vernon" or someone named "Jake".
One suited for football, the other for a spelling bee.
This is a reader asking, can you please report news and not gossip?
For example, a competing newspaper's site is reporting that Jake Long will wear No. 79, with Drew Mormino keeping No. 77, which Long wore at Michigan.
QB Chad Henne was able to keep No. 7, which he wore for the Wolverines.
Sixth-round pick Donald Thomas, a guard out of UConn chose No. 66.
Even if jersey numbers aren't a sexy headline, they are good solid news that at least one reader is asking for.
It truly is sad that in the quest for juicy gossip headlines, you've been scooped once again.
Mando, I am shocked an appauled that you havent mention how the find release the best SS in the NFL. This is major news, you do not just release a player with such natural talent, football IQ and aruguably the hardest hitting free safety in the NFL without making mention of it. How will we ever replace a player of Cameron Worrel's talent!
Mando,
How much make-up did you put on for that dolphins preview on the NFL NETWORK. lolol
Anybody that thinks a player's uni number is news has got to find a way to get out of the house and talk to girls.
Streamer
So this is going to be annoying. Jake will keep Gholston away from the QB 50 times in a game but give up one sack. And then every jackass Jets fan will be coming in here to brag about it as if it means anything. NYScott
All these posts mentioning the Sun Sentinal makes it clear to me that the Sun Sentinal reporters read your blog religously, Mando.
NYScott, I think Jets fans have more important things to do.....like coloring.
Gholston will feed on Jake Long!
J-E-T-S, you are right...
Gholston will definitely feed on something L-O-N-G!
It amazing how people talk and have no idea what they are saying. I saw that whole game (Ohio Sate vs Michigan) in which Gholston had that ONE sack vs Jong. The funny thing is, if you watch the whole game Gholston moved to the opposite side, cause he could not get around LONG. So let me get this right Gholston gets prised by his coach for 1 SACK. HAHAHHA.
I knew it!! Why didn't Tuna & co. speak w/ Tressel before drafting Long??! This draft is now an unmitigated disaster.
Haha. Yeah Armando, you totally missed it on the jersey numbers. That news should win a nobel or pulitzer. I think the New york Times will pick that up for tomorrow.
Hey Armando, Why don't you get your self a copy of the game tape, & spend 30 minutes fast forwarding through the thing & tell us what happen. Kind of like a reporter, since you went ahead & brought up the idea & posted on it.
What's the deal with chargers signing L.J. Shelton? Is he going to start for them? What does that tell you about their line now?
Mando, just saw your interview on ESPNNews. Good job there and on breaking the Jason Taylor story.
That reminds me that Ethan Can't Spell His Last Name at the Sentinel is acting like he had the story first over on his blog. He's saying he knew the stuff two weeks ago but just didn't write it.
Causes me to wonder what is worse; to get scooped outright or to get scooped even when you know the information.
Gotta say I've been over at that other blog mentioned here earlier and I'm not surprised by the failure to get the full story.
That dude dances around issues like it was a campfire. Wish he would just say what he means and be done with it. He also needs to grow a pair.
First of all, I want to comment on the Ethan vs. Armando war:
Omar Kelly is the best talent to come to the Miami sports writing community since Jason Cole.
Now that that is said...
Webb vs. B. Smith someone said? That would be awesome. I can't wait. It would mean we at some spot in the top two of our division, and in the top 8 of the NFL. Not a bad place to be considering the past 6 years.
Thats right Finsfan, almost all of Gholston's highlights against Michigan were when he was going against the right tackle, not Jake.
It will be fun to watch twice a year. The two grew up only about an hour from each other. Gholston in Detroit, and Jake just north in Lapeer.
Yeah Sheehanje, I read Omar and he's good. But only problem is he wrote Gholston was negotiating with the Dolphins, which was kind of a lie.
FINSFAN may have watched OSU-Michigan, but his report isn't completely accurate. Gholston was moved around all year, not just in the Michigan game. Yes, he only had one sack against Long, but he did have several other pressures and played well overall. I wouldn't say either player owned the other. It was a good battle between two good players.
Much like the Tuna used to move LT around, Tressel moved Gholston around to try to pressure the QB from different angles. Once Gholston showed how easily he could beat the RT, he played there more in that game. That's just good sound coaching...sticking with what works.
As for Gholston taking plays off, it sure might look like that, because he's still learning the game, having only started playing football as a high school sophomore. So it's easy to say he took a play off when he was quite possibly just confused on where to be.
I'm glad we took Jake Long, but I won't be surprised to see Gholston make some plays in the NFL.
-Mike in Orlando
I'm glad we did not draft Gholston. He has all the markings of a futuree bust. And I'm not the only one saying it. Armando, would you check on tape of Michigan and Ohio State, and tell us that all Tressel is saying is BS.
first and foremost, what Tressler said is bullsh$t...."You know, in all the highlights on Saturday, I never saw any of those plays where [Gholston] carried Jake Long into the quarterback's lap," Tressel told Newsday."
watch the youtube highlite and let me know if this is exactly as it happened, at the 2:35 minute mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE2y_ypR9wQ
I would say Long pushed him off to his left and back, it's like Gholston pushed him into the QB
BTW....J-E-T-S.....S-U-C-K!!!!!!!!!!
I was happy that the J-E-T-S SUCK SUCK picked his lazy ass up. He'll be out of the league in 7 years...no Pro bowls.
Fin's fan here.
Let's be real guys, Gholston's brings pressure, no doubt, and I think he'll continue to do it on the pro level. And yes, he did push J. Long into Henne's 'lap' on that one play.
But I'm also pretty sure that Parcell's & Co. looked over every inch of the Michigan-OSU game tape in deciding whether to draft Gholston or Long. If Gholson 'owned' Long, don't you think it would have shown up on game-tape?? It comes down to who do you trust: Tressel or Parcell's to make that call. I'll trust Parcells that he made the right call for the fins. Without a top-end LT, so much of your offense is compromised ... so the correct pick was Long even if Gholston has top-end pass rush skills.
Each players numbers are up on the dolphins homepage. Everyone except the new free rookie free agents.
That rival newspaper didn't do a lot of research, they looked at the homepage.
correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't gholston and long play each other at least 3 times? jake long being a 4 year starter and gholston came out after his junior year i believe. so jake has faced gholston 3 times and only allowed 1 sack that entire time.. not bad if you ask me. tressel is also probably trying to make up for all of those draft analysts that said he took plays off and it reflected on the coaching at ohio state.
For all of those who think Parcells is great:
Traded our only offensive star the last four games of the year last year (Booker) for a fourth round pick. Idiot move.
Disrespects team leader/class person/dominant defender Jason Taylor so he can prove some childish point about who's in charge. Petty and stupid.
Drafts a player with the number one pick who wasn't the best player available. If you want a left tackle, trade up and get one later and take a difference maker with the first pick...Vernon Gholston. By the way, it'll be easy to recognize Gholston next year. He'll be the guy in our backfield on every pass play when we play the jets. Long will recognize him to. He'll be looking at the back of jersey a lot.
And thank goodness we got Henne. Let's see, he and Long beat Ohio State how many times?
Way to go Tuna. We'll win six to eight games next year and everyone will call you a genius. Of course, by year three when we're still only winning six to eight games a year you'll retire once again and leave the mess for someone else to fix. Remember, Bill Parcells never won anything on any team that he "built." Couldn't even win a playoff game with his Dallas bunch.
Good riddance whenever he decides to retire again.
Hey Anonymous,
The last one...who said "Remember, Bill Parcells never won anything on any team that he "built." "
Post your name when you make false statements like that...
In 1996, Parcells' final year at New England they went to the Superbowl...remember? Or did you forget that? And before you said he didn't "build" that team...here's more...Here's a little reading for you about the next franchise he took over:
"After the 1996 season, the Jets would go on to enjoy a sort of resurgence in relatively short order. New England Patriots coach Bill Parcells, fresh off of leading the Patriots to a Super Bowl, left Foxboro to take the Jets' coaching job for the 1997 season. Parcells was attracted not only by a return to the New York area, where he had enjoyed his greatest success with the Giants, but also by the opportunity to both coach and have full control over personnel decisions. Parcells had craved this dual role in New England, and was quoted as saying that "if (he) cooks the meal, (he) should be able to buy the groceries."
The draft picks the Jets received set the stage for a quick turnaround in the late 1990s, most notably Keyshawn Johnson, a wide receiver from USC who was picked #1 overall. The pick of Johnson not only gave the Jets a skill position player they desperately needed, but an on-field identity and swagger the team had lacked since the days of Joe Namath. The results were immediate. Neil O'Donnell, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw for 17 touchdowns in his only full year as the Jets' starting quarterback, and Adrian Murrell ran for 1,000 yards. The Jets finished 9–7, but missed the playoffs, in part because of a somewhat curious call by Parcells against the Detroit Lions. Parcells had Leon Johnson throw a halfback option, which was intercepted. After that play, Barry Sanders took over the game and went over the 2,000-yard rushing mark on the year. Overall, the Jets enjoyed an eight-game turnaround and quickly won back the respect of the league and their fans.
Looking to build on his 1997 success, Parcells signed Patriots running back Curtis Martin and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Vinny Testaverde as free agents in time for the 1998 season, which turned out to be the most successful for the team since the 1960s. At Parcells's urging, the Jets also reverted to their classic logo and uniform style, although with a darker shade of green. Parcells said that when he was a young coach, he would see the successful late-60's Jets practice in those uniforms, and Parcells associated that uniform and logo with those of a successful team.
Parcells's high-profile personnel moves paid immediate dividends. After starting Glenn Foley in the first couple of games, Parcells went to Testaverde, who ended up throwing 29 touchdowns, Martin ran for 1,287 yards and 8 touchdowns, while both Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet had 1,000 yards receiving. The Jets won 10 of their last 11 games and finished the season 12–4, setting a team record for wins in a season. After a first-round bye, the Jets beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in their divisional home playoff game, winning 34–24 with a game-ending interception by Keyshawn Johnson, who had previously scored on a pass and a run. The playoff game was the first home playoff game the Jets had since 1986, when they defeated Kansas City 35-15 in a wild-card game. Although New York enjoyed a 10–0 lead in the third quarter of the AFC championship against the Denver Broncos, Testaverde threw two late interceptions and Denver running back Terrell Davis burned the Jets for 167 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos won 23–10.
I'd say his track record is a little more proven than yours.
Idiot
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