Kyle Rudolph

[GO IRISH!!!]

Ahhh!! Eric Lindros is my favorite hockey player ever!!

The comparisons are similar, but I think it's different when we're talking about 4 years of college versus 8-12 years in the pros though.

I never started the argument that durability is key to success really. Yeah it's important, but I just think that when we look at Shark, yes he was durable, but he was only making plays for two years as an upperclassmen.

I hardly think that when we look back at his career 10 or 20 years from now that the durability issue will come up that much.

With Floyd it will if he can't stay healthy, but at this point like I said, regardless of injuries, Floyd is way ahead of the curve because he has produced as a freshman and sophomore.

And when I said Floyd will have played a season worth of games more than Shark, I meant that as in playing games AND producing.

If Floyd doesn't stay healthy and stays in school, we'll still get roughly 35 games of All-American talent.

Isn't that better than Shark's 26?

And if Lindros doesn't get into the Hall of Fame soon, I'm going to flip the F out.

Like johnnykillz said above, you are comparing apples and oranges a little. You talk about productivity in the first two years of Shark's career versus the first two years of Floyd's career. In terms of pure statistics, yes, Floyd has better statistics, but is that solely a product of talent or could circumstances and the makeup of the team be involved a little too.

In the 2003 season, Samardzija's first year of PT, the Irish had a backfield of Julius Jones and Ryan Grant. Ryan Grant had over a 1,000 yards the year before and Julius Jones would go for 1268 this year. Michael Floyd had Armando Allen and Robert Hughes - neither of whom have sniffed the 1,000 yard season mark. So, of course less balls were put up in the air to receivers in '03.

Look, it's kind of a moot point. At this point in time, I would pick Jeff Samardzija, hands down, over Michael Floyd for my team any day of the week. I hope Floyd can prove me wrong. Pure talent and ability, there isn't much of a comparison, but in terms of who I would rather have on the field game in and game out, it would be Shark, for me. I like Floyd a lot, but he really needs to play a full season.




Now, back to the topic of this thread: Rudolph is the man! I think he will have a monster year!

 

[KPENN]

Now, back to the topic of this thread: Rudolph is the man! I think he will have a monster year!

Ditto.

 

[NDinLA is a TROLL]

You have a point, but what was Shark's big play through his sophomore year?

The biggest thing Floyd has in his favor is that, durability aside, he's been dominant from the start.

Yes, Shark's play was great against UCLA, but I hardly think that's much a great moment in the grand scheme of Irish football. If I remember correctly the Bruins were more than a .500 team that year. It was a tremendous play to be sure, but way, way down the list of biggest plays in Irish history.

While not a big play in Irish History, one of THE BIGGEST plays of that year. UCLA had a great defense that year with multiple all americans. Like I said, Floyd has time on his favor, but it is his durability that is suspect.

Back to topic, I think Rudolph will be better than Fasano and Carlson in the pros. I predict him getting drafted mid first round before Floyd. He can do it all and has great hands and size and durability. Hopefully the o line won't be too bad so he won't have to sit back and pass protect that much. Also Crist must have the confidence to throw the ball in the middle of the field which is the most dangerous for first year starting QB's. I guess it all depends on if Crist can live up to the hype. A year of underneath passing and I will surely be throwing multiple household items at the tv.

 

[JJ_Rockne]

Ken McAfee was not just a great player, but is a great person.

I worked at the College Football Hall of Fame the year he was inducted, and he was very cordial and engaging when I spoke with him. His NFL career basically ended before it began, he was playing at San Francisco the year before they drafted Montana (who utilized Ken a lot during the 1977 National title season). But in his rookie year, (in 1978) on Monday Nite Football v. Pittsburgh (and on the same night that San Francisco Mayor Alliota was assassinated), Ken blew his knee out on the horrible astro turf that Candlestick use to have. (they switched to grass the following year). Unfortunately, the injury was so bad that he never played again. It's hard to imagine what Ken's career could have been, had he not played on that terrible surface, and eventually been playing with Montana, Rice, Clark etc... in the following decade. He became a successful dentist instead with the degree he earned from Notre Dame. A great lesson for all of these "wanna be" superstars that think the NFL is an "automatic". Get your education son !! Thanks again for mentioning McAfee, (a very over-looked player in ND history). As for the Argument, for me ... its Dave Casper, Ken McAfee, Marc Bavaro, Tony Hunter and then Rudolph in that order .

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Brate and Rudolph are both in their early 30s. The Bucs drafted two TE this year, though in the 4th and 6th rounds. They're all going to have to try to replace Gronkowski in the aggregate, as Brad Pitt playing Billy Beane said.

Brady without Gronkowski should be very interesting.

 

[dublinirish]

Rudy wasnt great last year be interesting to see if he has anything left in the tank

 

[irishfan]

Brate and Rudolph are both in their early 30s. The Bucs drafted two TE this year, though in the 4th and 6th rounds. They're all going to have to try to replace Gronkowski in the aggregate, as Brad Pitt playing Billy Beane said.

Brady without Gronkowski should be very interesting.

Brady did win Super Bowl 51 without Gronk. Should be more than fine as long as his OL holds up. Arians out of his way should help as well.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Brady did win Super Bowl 51 without Gronk. Should be more than fine as long as his OL holds up. Arians out of his way should help as well.

They played, what, over 150 games together? Gronkowski has been a mainstay for Brady for a long time. He won one Super Bowl without him, sure, but we're talking a lot of games in the big picture.

Arians went 29-10 at Tampa with Brady. His leaving is good?

 

[irishfan]

Arians went 29-10 at Tampa with Brady. His leaving is good?

In my opinion, yes. Very.

 

[NDRock]

Didn’t Brady win at least 3 without him?

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

In my opinion, yes. Very.

Expound.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Didn’t Brady win at least 3 without him?

He won the four most recent with him. The two of them together has equated to a lot of production.

One of the better passing combos ever. Overall. QB to TE probably isn't even close.

Not doubting on Brady. That production is going to have to go elsewhere, which I think makes me Captain Obvious.

So I think it'll be interesting.