After four preseason games in 2008 and 15 regular-season games in 2008 and three preseason games in 2009, it finally happened.
On the 23rd occasion that he donned an NFL uniform and entered a pro football game, Jets linebacker Vernon Gholston, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft, tackled the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage on a passing play.
Hooray?
For coach Rex Ryan, the question mark was replaced by an exclamation point.
“It was great,” Ryan said in comments circulated by the team. “It was the first of many.
We’re going to approach it that way. It was good to see him get one
after last week when he got one and then hit the quarterback. I thought
he was physical against the run as well. I was happy with the way he
played.”
Gholston has been to date a major disappointment. When Ryan got the job earlier this year, he compared Gholston’s struggles to the early stages of the career of Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs.
Last night’s sack notwithstanding, Gholston still has a long way to go to become “V. Sizzle.”
“I haven’t seen one single thing from him. There is no violence in him,” NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger tells Bob Glauber of Newsday.
“You’re
playing a position that is basically the most aggressive position in
football. You’re paid to attack people, and there’s
no attack in him. It’s the most fun of any position in football. All
you have to do is unleash yourself. You look at guys like Joey Porter, James Harrison. They have fun. [Gholston] has zero. There’s no attack in him.”
If Gholston is going to get some attack in him for 2009, he needs to do it soon. With Calvin Pace commencing a four-game suspension for getting some banned substances in him, Gholston soon will follow his first NFL sack with his first NFL regular-season start.
Wow – a single sack against backups!
Does anyone realize that it doesn’t count? He could have 100 pre-season sacks and he would still have ZERO in the record books.
This guy is a total bust!
Whoo hoo….a sack against second/third string players & players who will not make the team…in a game that doesn’t count.
So, in reality, he’s still waiting for that elusive 1st sack.
Basically the Eagles offiensive line sucked and the defense sucked too. Gholston is still a disappointment. He is a sixth overall pick in his second year fighting for a roster spot playing against 3rd stringers who are fighting for a couple of roster spots.
Rex Ryan is a dumb ass…comparing Gholston’s struggles to the early stages of the career of Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs. Suggs in his rookie year started 1 game and had 12 sacks, Gholston didnt start any games and had no sacks. There’s NO comparison Rex! Ryan will be fired after next season, mark my words.
Gholston has herpies.
Oh, he got a sack vs some other team’s 3rd stringers. Bad draft pick that hasn’t panned out and now they’re all excited about a sack in a pre-season gAME 4 ? Kurt Cobain said it best,”I wish I was like you, EASILY amused .”
“Yeeaaay…Way to go lady.”
The Kipers of the world need to tell me again why he should’ve been picked over McFadden.
Rex Ryan is preparing Gholston’s bust for Canton and Mangenius is writing a rough draft for his introduction speech.
Rex Ryan is trying to encourage his player. No coach in their right mind will be asked that question and say “its a meaningless sack, it means nothing. Who cares? Now ask me another question with relevance.” I mean cmon. What do you expect Ryan to say. As for the actual sack, of course its meaningless. The Jets are a mediocre football team. They are in the second toughest division in football. And they are in New Yorks spotlight. But don’t cut him just yet fellas. Mario Williams was mediocre at best his first 2 years, but now he is pretty damn good. Sometimes its the schemes, the team, as well as the talent.
Want to know why he doesn’t have any fun at LB? Because he’s a defensive end. He should be in a 4-3 playing DE. He had plenty of attack in him last time he did that. Four sacks against Jake Long. That talent doesn’t disappear into thin air.
As far as I’m concerned Gholston is still sackless. Getting a sack in a PRESEASON game against backups and others that mostly won’t be employed this time next week doesn’t count. He needs some of that “killer” installed in him like Jay Glazer did with Leinhart.
Well- said, Quagmire, Hap, and Aaron, pre-seaon is a joke, the stats don’t count, the games are meaningless, and it’s just an opportunity for key-players to get injured. (I’m still upset that the Giants played all of ’07 without Osi). The player’s and coaches don’t even take the games seriously. How many games were thrown at the end in August this year so eveyone did’nt have to stay for overtime? Here’s hoping for a 20 game regular season!
As far as I’m concerned Gholston is still sackless.
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So true, in more ways than one.
Another over rated player from the most over rated college program.
So, what you’re really trying to say is he has zero sacks.
“With their first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the New York Jets select Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount.”
Haha, the real T-Sizzle had a sack and 3 tackles yesterday in his first and only defensive series of this preseason. Please don’t compare him to Gholston, Rex.
Haha, the real T-Sizzle had a sack and 3 tackles yesterday in his first and only defensive series of this preseason. Please don’t compare him to Gholston, Rex.
Another workout warrior….. He is a bust!
High round draft busts for th Jets is nothing new. When Terry Bradway was appointed as Jets GM a disturbing trend has continued. Joey Clinkscales is the Director of College Scouting, and has been with the Jets in that capacity, predating Bradway’s being named as GM.
When Mike Tannenbaum was named GM, Terry Bradway was retained to ‘help’ Tannenbaum in evaluating college players for upcoming drafts since Tannenbaum had no experience. Clinckscales and Bradway still have the major voice in college player evaluations.
Bradway and Clinkscales represent the failed philosphy of drafting athletes over players going back to Bradway’s first draft as GM when this pair fell in love with Brian Thomas who wowed them at the Senior Bowl with his impressive athleticism.
They continue to destroy the Jets by consistently picking ‘Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” high draft selections.
Some of these 1st and 2nd round busts include:
DE Brian Thomas (1st round)
DT Dewayne Robertson (1st round 4th pick overall)
DE Vernon Gholsten (1st round 6th pick overall)
CB Justin Miller (2nd round)
QB Kellen Clemens (2nd round)
S Jon MCGraw (2nd round)
Organizations like the Raiders and Jets whose scouting staffs continue to fall in love with college athletes over athletes at the Senior Bowl and Combines represent the failed strategy and danger of falling in love with ‘athletes’ who only need to be coached up to project as All Pro players.
In contrast looke at the Steler an Ravens draft over the same period of time.
to whoever just said Mario Williams was mediocre his first 2 years… WHAT!? He started from day 1 and was a key contributor his whole career, just because he wasnt getting 15 sacks a year didnt mean he was mediocre.
# Florio-is-a-tool says: September 4, 2009 10:23 AM
“With their first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the New York Jets select Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount.”
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That is funny. 5 rating.