Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Saints | Disappointed In Keaton
Sat, 5 Jul 2003 12:01:14 -0700

Jeff Duncan, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports for the Sporting News that New Orleans Saints RB Curtis Keaton has been a disappointment this off-season and he will be closely scrutinized in training camp.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Ron Dayne Anyone?



Last season with the Giants, Ron Dayne gained 483 yards in 125 carries.



The New York Giants running back, known for his low-key manner during his days as a Wisconsin Badger, has made a lot of noise during the National Football League off-season. The former Heisman Trophy winner asked to be traded in January, saying he was starting to lose his love for the game, and missed the team\'s voluntary off-season workout program to work out with a personal trainer in Ohio.

Since then, Dayne participated in the team\'s final minicamp and is trying to smooth things over with coach Jim Fassel, who was upset by Dayne\'s absence from the workouts.

\"I don\'t mind where I\'m at as long as I can play,\" Dayne said Monday. \"I just feel like I haven\'t played football since college.\"

Dayne and many other former Badgers standouts were in town to play in the Legends of Wisconsin golf outing at University Ridge Golf Course.

Dubbed \"Thunder\" to Tiki Barber\'s \"Lightning,\" Dayne gained 770 yards in 228 carries as a rookie when the Giants reached the Super Bowl, but his production has dropped in each of the past two seasons.

Last season, Dayne gained 483 yards in 125 carries and was inactive so often that he said he felt like a coach.

\"I don\'t like sitting there and watching, but I have to because it\'s not going to change,\" Dayne said. \"There was a game where Tiki fumbled four or five times and I still didn\'t get in, so I\'m, like, it\'s not anything that I\'m doing.\"

In April, the Giants signed former Green Bay Packer Dorsey Levens to a three-year contract, leading to speculation that Dayne would be cut, even though he has two years left on a five-year, $7.14 million contract. Dayne is still listed as Barber\'s top back-up.

Dayne knows that is probably as high up the depth chart as he\'ll get.

\"If you\'ve got somebody in front of you and the team really believes in him and the city believes in him, then he\'s going to be the man,\" said Dayne, who is a svelte 245 pounds.

Dayne said he had accepted the situation but still thinks he can be a featured back in the league.

\"I just want to go in and get the opportunity to play and show them that whenever I get into the game I can play,\" he said. \"Whatever happens, happens. I still think I\'m good enough to be the starting running back there, but Tiki is there and that is who they\'re going with.\"


From the July 1, 2003 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

at this point i would be happy if we signed any RB with a little NFL experience, i\'ve always liked fenderson over keaton but i wouldn\'t mind having a dayne or someone who has a little more pro experience

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

I read the TSN report and didn\'t see the \"this offseason\" comment. I hope they are still referring to his performance last year. Has he really been a disappointment in the mini-camps also? NOT GOOD NEWS

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Perhaps we should give Denver a call and see if they are still interested in trading Mike Anderson. That would kill two birds with one stone, getting a pass catching FB, and a proven 1000+ yard rusher in case Deuce goes down. I know they were trying to trade him last year, but not sure what they were seeking in return.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

With the Olandis Gary trade, I can\'t see Denver doing that.
How about these guys??? Many may require a trade, some may not...
Sammy Morris -Bills
T. Wheatly - Oak
Lamar Smith - GB
G. Hearst - SF
Rickey Waters - ???
Rondell Meally (no really)
Rudy Johnson - Cincy (maybe they give us a mulligan)

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Well, Denver still has Clinton Portis and Terrell Davis on the roster, along with 7 other RB/FB\'s. Morris I don\'t think is an option this year. Rickey Watters doesn\'t want to play, he wants to start, which is the reason he is still a free agent. Wheatley wouldn\'t be bad, but I hate the idea of trying to negotiate a trade with Al Davis. I don\'t think the 49ers are quite yet ready to give Barlow the nod, but this could be possible. Rondell Meally? No. Really. And I think that the Bengals view Rudy in the same regard as the backup we are looking for, so I don\'t see that. Maybe Cinci trading Bennett, but not Johnson.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

I like the ricky waters idea as a stop-gap until we can find someone to really back him up in the long run. I never understood why we didn\'t take a shot at a Denver back when they had TD, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, AND Clinton Portis. That\'s ridiculous... really.

Maybe it\'s time to give Dalton a call? Rueben? Bufford? ;) Or we could just setup in the shotgun every down... throw 4 receivers and a TE out there.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Isn\'t there a rule against allowing wheel chairs on the field?

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

OK, OK... then why don\'t we just go over the Shaw and sign whoever their runningback was? Didn\'t they just get in all kinds of trouble for cheating? They put about a player a year into pro football... we can be the first NFL team to sign a player right out of high school!

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Why don\'t we go to Flordia and break Cecil the Disel Collins out of prison.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

:D LOL :D

Coincidentally, I think the very next rule is something about prohibiting signing kids out of high school.
Hey, I hear Jim Brown\'s weekly pissed off motive is that he is continuing to move down all time yardage chart. Comeback player of the year, anyone? :P

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

You could put a bunch of midgets out on the field and I still don\'t think Jim Brown could be comeback player of the year.

Coaches disappointed in Keaton...
 

Mmmmmm, midget football, now there\'s a sport for the ages :D