Originally Posted by saintsfan1976 (Post 976428) Ability not in question. Availability may be. Still, this team is better with him than without.

Twitter

Twitter

Originally Posted by Big_L (Post 976468) MT is about to shut up the naysayers.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976472) Big time, brother! Edit: But ... Thomas can put up 150 catches for 15 TD's and 1500 yards and haters will keep hating.

Twitter

A little from the link above:

“I kinda just fuel off the doubt,” Thomas said. “Some people say if you don’t have any haters, you ain’t popping. I mean, I really use it as fuel for me. I mean if you doubt me, first off you’re probably not in my shoes. And now I’m just gonna go harder and then I’m gonna prove you wrong.”

It's why the chip sitting on his shoulder is bigger than it’s ever been.

“(The chip) grows every day,” Thomas said. “But that’s a good thing about this game. You get to go out there and you get to attack someone. And then you get to go out there and you get to compete at a high level and score points and win games, so that’s why I love it most.”

“Like I said, I have real strong faith in God, and I know it was a process to get here,” Thomas said. “And I didn’t cheat that process. So eventually if you don’t cheat that process and you stick to the grind, you’ll reap the rewards and the benefits. So it allowed me to come back out here. And like I said, I’m just fine-tuning everything."

Originally Posted by rezburna (Post 976482) Michael Thomas Chris Olave Rasheed Shaheed Juwan Johnson Foster Moreau Jimmy Graham Alvin Kamara Jamal Williams Kendre Miller Eno Benjamin Our skill positions are crazy.

Originally Posted by rezburna (Post 976482) Michael Thomas Chris Olave Rasheed Shaheed Juwan Johnson Foster Moreau Jimmy Graham Alvin Kamara Jamal Williams Kendre Miller Eno Benjamin Our skill positions are crazy.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976484) I’m sorry, but this talk about a “chip “growing on his shoulder is….strange….in my opinion. So pointing out the extraordinarily high number of games he’s missed over the past few seasons is now some kind of disrespect? The vast majority of football watchers know he is still effective when he can play. This idea of looking to be offended or needing a reason to have put a chip on your shoulder is ridiculous. How about he Just try as hard as he can to get back on the field for his own sake and the case of the contract you are playing under rather than to get back at some shadowy figures for perceived wrongs done? That’s the kind of stuff that makes him sound like a Prima Donna to some.

Originally Posted by rezburna (Post 976493) It’s the Michael Jordan approach. He’d just make up stuff to be mad about and motivate himself. Some people perform better angry. I was actually one of those people. My dad yelling at me was always the trigger lol.

Originally Posted by rezburna (Post 976493) It’s the Michael Jordan approach. He’d just make up stuff to be mad about and motivate himself. Some people perform better angry. I was actually one of those people. My dad yelling at me was always the trigger lol.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976495) That’s Ok and I get it, but Jordan seemed to keep it more private. He didn’t go around saying he felt he was being dissed. He stoked an internal fire that he unleashed on others. Telling people that you have a chip on your shoulder because of what they say about the time you’ve missed is a different category in my opinion

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976497) Michael Jordan keeping it private? Nobody was out there and in your face than Jordan. Like rez said, Jordan used that and it was as public as it could possibly get.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976499) Totally different scenarios. Jordan used his perceived disrespect about where he was drafted and his college career as fire to drive him. But he didn’t go around saying it…at least not until he was a champion. He took that fire and became the greatest basketball player Arguably of all time with multiple championships. Thomas is saying he’s feeling disrespected because people point out that he’s had injury issues (something Jordan never did). Nobody threw shade on his in field performance while he was at his peak. He is feeling disrespected for a different reason than Jordan was. And he is taking it to the press more than Jordan did. Just my opinion of course.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976500) Yes. Just your opinion. Players have been using the chip on their shoulder angle as a motivation tool since there was such a thing as sports. Before that they undoubtedly used it in battle. Whether it's real or perceived makes no difference in the mind of the individual using it as an additional driving force. There probably isn't a player in the NFL that hasn't used that chip at one time or another.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976508) Having or using a motivation it is one thing. Talking about it is another. A player in his position can say: “Hey I’m more pissed off and disappointed than anyone else that I’ve missed time to injury. I wish it hadn’t happened. I know it sucks for the team. It’s suck for the fans and it sucks for me personally. I’m working my ass off to get back in the game and I think things are going well. I want to be back for the team and the fans”. Or say something like “hey, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder now because of those who doubted me. I want to get back in there to prove everybody wrong that pointed out the time I’ve missed. Or they can say 100 different other things too. Just food for thought. Edit: either way I hope he plays and has a great year winning a lot of games with the Saints.

Twitter

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976510) You still have doubt he'll play? :confused:

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976512) A full season yes.

Twitter

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976513) And I believe he has as good a chance of playing a full season as any other starting WR in the league. Pessimism versus optimism. ;)

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976518) Optimism vs Probability.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976519) In your biased opinion. You are going to believe what you wish to believe. So be it.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976543) You predict undefeated seasons every year and I’m the biased one. Riigghhtt!

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976510) You still have doubt he'll play? :confused:

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976552) Do I truly believe they'll go 20-0? No. Of course not. It's never been done. But, I will always predict 20-0. That's not bias. It is optimism. That said, if any bias does exist it's because the Saints are my team and have been since they came to my attention the Spring of 1967. I'll never belittle any player on my team. I save that for players on opposing teams. I'll never understand supposed fans that demean their own team's players.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976557) I’ll stick with living in the real world and still pulling for the Saints every bit as much as you do. Pointing out a player’s shortcomings does not mean you aren’t supporting a team. In fact it shows more support because it allows for recognizing deficiencies and areas that need improvement in both players, and the team. For example In no way am I knocking the Saints by saying I think they’re better with Carr as QB than Winston as QB. One could accuse me of “demeaning Winston “ when I say this but others could see it as looking to improving the team I support. Likewise, pointing out that Thomas has missed significant time over the past three seasons and could easily again is not demeaning the player. It’s pointing out simple facts. It also does not take away my support for the Saints. I’ll say a similar thing about Kamara. I wholeheartedly disapprove of the actions he got into in Vegas. I feel it is a mark against his character. That doesn’t mean it makes my supported the Saints any less.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976558) Whatever you wish. It's just not my way of thinking. The Saints are my family and I'll always support my family. Every single member of my family. I must say, however, I am impressed that you have never made an error in judgement your whole life and have never suffered any calamities that have interfered with your abilities. I will admit that I am flawed and have experienced both. I'm in no position to judge others.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976561) I never said that did I you condescending ass? I made plenty of mistakes and guess what; my father and mother (who loved and supported me till the day she died) corrected me, and helped me to learn from my mistakes and be a better person. They didn’t show “bias” and act like I had no faults as you advocate. They taught me responsibility for my actions and work ethic…things that appears to be foreign concepts to you. I guess that’s your parents fault for not teaching you better. I see now that’s why you are a lying jerk.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976562) Yet you cannot look past an error in judgement from 26 year old young man? My parents taught me better. They also taught me to control my temper. ;)

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976565) Sure made you a self righteous putz that’s for sure.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976567) At least I didn't lie about Kamara kicking someone while trying to demean him with an inaccurate joke. Talk about condescending. Nor did I resort to repetitive name calling. Just saying, my friend.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976558) Whatever you wish. It's just not my way of thinking. The Saints are my family and I'll always support my family. Every single member of my family. I must say, however, I am impressed that you have never made an error in judgement your whole life and have never suffered any calamities that have interfered with your abilities. I will admit that I am flawed and have experienced both. I'm in no position to judge others.

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976561) I never said that did I you condescending ass? I made plenty of mistakes and guess what; my father and mother (who loved and supported me till the day she died) corrected me, and helped me to learn from my mistakes and be a better person. They didn’t show “bias” and act like I had no faults as you advocate. They taught me responsibility for my actions and work ethic…things that appears to be foreign concepts to you. I guess that’s your parents fault for not teaching you better. I see now that’s why you are a lying jerk.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976562) Yet you cannot look past an error in judgement from 26 year old young man? My parents taught me better. They also taught me to control my temper. ;)

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 976565) Sure made you a self righteous putz that’s for sure.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 976567) At least I didn't lie about Kamara kicking someone while trying to demean him with an inaccurate joke. Talk about condescending. Nor did I resort to repetitive name calling. Just saying, my friend.

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II (Post 976579) Wow! A whole page of you two arguing. I thought I was on SR for a moment. For crying out loud, stop calling each other out and just let this die down! It's getting old fast. :argue: