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View Full Version : Does anyone else miss Al Wilson?



CHARLIEADAMSFAN
11-21-2007, 02:58 PM
Ok, ok, I know I'm going to take some crap for this, because DJ is doing a pretty good job, but do you guys miss him? Like his intensity and fire he brought to the game and the defense? Now, I'm not saying I want him back injured, because I love the guy and would hate so much to see him get hurt worse. I just miss that passion and love for the game he seemed to bring to the whole defense. I think some games we could have used that fire on defense.

Do you guys miss him?

Tned
11-21-2007, 03:03 PM
Ok, ok, I know I'm going to take some crap for this, because DJ is doing a pretty good job, but do you guys miss him? Like his intensity and fire he brought to the game and the defense? Now, I'm not saying I want him back injured, because I love the guy and would hate so much to see him get hurt worse. I just miss that passion and love for the game he seemed to bring to the whole defense. I think some games we could have used that fire on defense.

Do you guys miss him?

Of course. I miss his play (he has been one of the better MLBs for a long time, while not getting much recognition until the last year or so), and I miss hearing him in the post game interviews, not just because of what I heard, but knowing that if he was that passionate and outspoken to the press, he was probably more passionate and outspoken in the locker room.

silkamilkamonico
11-21-2007, 03:05 PM
His leadership, yes.

His play on the field, not so much.

topscribe
11-21-2007, 03:49 PM
My dream situation:

Al Wilson is proclaimed healthy again, re-signs with the Broncos, and resumes his spot at MLB.

D.J. Williams slides over to WLB, where he proved in his rookie year that he can be one of the best.

Ian Gold is given a slap on the backside and a one-way ticket out of town.



Please do not awaken me . . . :sleeping:


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Medford Bronco
11-21-2007, 03:51 PM
Ok, ok, I know I'm going to take some crap for this, because DJ is doing a pretty good job, but do you guys miss him? Like his intensity and fire he brought to the game and the defense? Now, I'm not saying I want him back injured, because I love the guy and would hate so much to see him get hurt worse. I just miss that passion and love for the game he seemed to bring to the whole defense. I think some games we could have used that fire on defense.

Do you guys miss him?

yes, we would be in a better postion now to win more games
and our run defense would be better overall

OB
11-21-2007, 03:56 PM
Please do not awaken me . . . :sleeping:


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:boink: Time to wake up top - its 2007 :Cry:

Who wouldnt want what top described AW was one of the best broncos ever - not just for play but for his leadership and ability to keep the team a TEAM

I'd give my left nut to have him back (n healthy) - if I had one that is ;)

topscribe
11-21-2007, 03:57 PM
:boink: Time to wake up top - its 2007 :Cry:

Who wouldnt want what top described AW was one of the best broncos ever - not just for play but for his leadership and ability to keep the team a TEAM

I'd give my left nut to have him back (n healthy) - if I had one that is ;)

You mean there are no pecans left from that bowl on your coffee table? :D

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underrated29
11-21-2007, 04:06 PM
dude 31 other teams dont miss him. Yeah, all of us do though. Top i like your dream, and OB i will be gald to oblige on your behalf...well maybe not....its..just..to..painful.

OB
11-21-2007, 04:07 PM
You mean there are no pecans left from that bowl on your coffee table? :D

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Its a funny thing - anything with nuts tends to disappear when im in a bad mood - go figure ;)

Tned
11-21-2007, 05:51 PM
My dream situation:

Al Wilson is proclaimed healthy again, re-signs with the Broncos, and resumes his spot at MLB.

D.J. Williams slides over to WLB, where he proved in his rookie year that he can be one of the best.

Ian Gold is given a slap on the backside and a one-way ticket out of town.



Please do not awaken me . . . :sleeping:


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Well, I am not as down on Gold as so many others have been for years. I think having someone with that speed that can get out in coverage if needed ads flexibility. Granted, his tackling leaves something to be desired, but I would go along with your dream for sure. Whether or not Gold could cut it at SLB, I don't know, but I would love to have a healthy Wilson back for a year or two, and DJ on the weakside could prove to be a disruptive force.

Dean
11-22-2007, 09:13 AM
Its a funny thing - anything with nuts tends to disappear when im in a bad mood - go figure ;)

Anything with nuts would weather the storm. :eek:

Al Wilson of two or three years ago and Williams- what's not to like?:beer:

SR
11-22-2007, 09:40 AM
I don't miss him. He was on the back half of his career and wasn't getting any better. DJ will be better than AW.

TXBRONC
11-22-2007, 10:50 AM
Well, I am not as down on Gold as so many others have been for years. I think having someone with that speed that can get out in coverage if needed ads flexibility. Granted, his tackling leaves something to be desired, but I would go along with your dream for sure. Whether or not Gold could cut it at SLB, I don't know, but I would love to have a healthy Wilson back for a year or two, and DJ on the weakside could prove to be a disruptive force.

I don't recall Gold having problems tackling in the past, this is first year that I can remember him struggling to make tackles at times.

Tned
11-22-2007, 12:02 PM
I don't recall Gold having problems tackling in the past, this is first year that I can remember him struggling to make tackles at times.

This was actually a common topic of complaint last year (could have been the year before, but I think it was last year) in the game day threads, and some regular threads. I think last year, it was because a lot of times he seemed to launch himself for the big hit and never really wrapped up the ball carrier.

I have actually seen less of that problem this year, than in the past.

Retired_Member_001
11-22-2007, 12:07 PM
His leadership, yes.

His play on the field, not so much.

My thoughts exactly.

D.J. Williams is also starting to show leadership skills. D.J. will never be an emotional leader like Al was, but D.J. is instructing his teammates and keeping them focused.

Tned
11-22-2007, 12:20 PM
My thoughts exactly.

D.J. Williams is also starting to show leadership skills. D.J. will never be an emotional leader like Al was, but D.J. is instructing his teammates and keeping them focused.

That might be, but loosing Wilson and moving DJ to middle resulted in a drop off there, but more important, replacing DJ with Webster, resulted in a big drop off.

So, the net result of Wilson getting injured/retiring was that we took a hit at two LB positions. We went from the linebacking corp being a well recognized strength, to at best it not being a weakness.

Lonestar
11-22-2007, 01:20 PM
Al the leader yes, but how many tackles has he whiffed because he was trying to lay a big hit on someone and expect the to go down.

Great leader, great hitter but where the MLB is supposed to be the best a lousy at best tackler.

Gold has never been at great tackler when taking someone on coming at him tackling from behind while chasing someone down either behind the LOS or after they have made past him because he was unable to ward off the blocker he was a damned good. As Blitzers he had the speed to get there and disrupt the QB's play. I had at one point thought gold had the speed, size and pass coverage skill to play free safety handling deep coverage.

I will not miss golds departure..

I think it was tacky at best to move DJ to the SLB just because gold was resigned. To move an almost rookie of the year just because gold wanted to come home was a bad move IMO.

Retired_Member_001
11-22-2007, 03:39 PM
That might be, but loosing Wilson and moving DJ to middle resulted in a drop off there, but more important, replacing DJ with Webster, resulted in a big drop off.

So, the net result of Wilson getting injured/retiring was that we took a hit at two LB positions. We went from the linebacking corp being a well recognized strength, to at best it not being a weakness.

Considering the future, I wouldn't call D.J. Williams a dowgrade from Al Wilson. Al Wilson wasn't the best tackler, and being a good tackler is obviously a MAJOR part of ANY linebacker position but especially the MLB. Now D.J. is a fairly good tackler and will only get better as he gains experience playing as well as getting used to the MLB position.

Let's not forget, even if we kept Al Wilson, he wouldn't even have been able to play this season because of injury.

Now Webster is a MASSIVE downgrade from D.J. That's for sure.

Slick
11-22-2007, 04:25 PM
Al the leader yes, but how many tackles has he whiffed because he was trying to lay a big hit on someone and expect the to go down.

Great leader, great hitter but where the MLB is supposed to be the best a lousy at best tackler.

Gold has never been at great tackler when taking someone on coming at him tackling from behind while chasing someone down either behind the LOS or after they have made past him because he was unable to ward off the blocker he was a damned good. As Blitzers he had the speed to get there and disrupt the QB's play. I had at one point thought gold had the speed, size and pass coverage skill to play free safety handling deep coverage.

I will not miss golds departure..

I think it was tacky at best to move DJ to the SLB just because gold was resigned. To move an almost rookie of the year just because gold wanted to come home was a bad move IMO.

I agree. I never understood that. He was at his best at WLB in his rookie year.

Lonestar
11-22-2007, 04:36 PM
I agree. I never understood that. He was at his best at WLB in his rookie year.


I think that was coyer the LB coach speaking at the time.. prior to his ascension to DC I could be a year of on that however.

TXBRONC
11-22-2007, 05:08 PM
This was actually a common topic of complaint last year (could have been the year before, but I think it was last year) in the game day threads, and some regular threads. I think last year, it was because a lot of times he seemed to launch himself for the big hit and never really wrapped up the ball carrier.

I have actually seen less of that problem this year, than in the past.

I'll take your word for it, I just don't remember seeing him have these kind of problems in the past.

TXBRONC
11-22-2007, 05:12 PM
I agree. I never understood that. He was at his best at WLB in his rookie year.

Ian wanted to play WLB, and it was a condition that had to be met before he would sign.

Dean
11-23-2007, 08:47 AM
Ian wanted to play WLB, and it was a condition that had to be met before he would sign.

I don't believe that it was a condition of signing because the first year that Gold was back because Coyer had them playing on a set side of the field. Gold was always on the defensive left and Williams always on the right. Whether they were the weak or strong side linebacker was determined by the offensive alignment with DJ usually being the SLB.

The year following that they made DJ a permanent SLB and substituted a safety for him on passing downs to cover the TE.

Lonestar
11-23-2007, 12:02 PM
I don't believe that it was a condition of signing because the first year that Gold was back because Coyer had them playing on a set side of the field. Gold was always on the defensive left and Williams always on the right. Whether they were the weak or strong side linebacker was determined by the offensive alignment with DJ usually being the SLB.

The year following that they made DJ a permanent SLB and substituted a safety for him on passing downs to cover the TE.

What ever happened it was the wrong thing to do IMO. You do not take a player as good as DJ was and move him around to pamper a lightweight LB. Someone that has never been able to shed blocks, but used his speed to tackle from behind.

Perhaps they are out there but I can not ever remember a single, one on one, "heads up" great sticking tackle, like we see with even John Lynch almost weekly.

omac
11-23-2007, 11:51 PM
What ever happened it was the wrong thing to do IMO. You do not take a player as good as DJ was and move him around to pamper a lightweight LB. Someone that has never been able to shed blocks, but used his speed to tackle from behind.

Perhaps they are out there but I can not ever remember a single, one on one, "heads up" great sticking tackle, like we see with even John Lynch almost weekly.

Yeah, in open space, he seems to get beaten and looking silly a lot; I'll get frustrated in the way he misses the tackle, then later on, he does something really good, like intercept a pass or something, then I think he's not too bad. :D

Lonestar
11-24-2007, 12:19 AM
Yeah, in open space, he seems to get beaten and looking silly a lot; I'll get frustrated in the way he misses the tackle, then later on, he does something really good, like intercept a pass or something, then I think he's not too bad. :D

personally I'll take a steady tackler any day over a LB that gets a Pick once a year or so..

Gold needs to go and get Mickey the mope in that can tackle..

Hawgdriver
11-25-2007, 12:26 AM
I do miss Al Wilson. It seems like the defense lacks a strong identity, and Al helped provide that. I don't think he's light years ahead of DJ in terms of playing MLB--I think DJ will continue to measure up well to the expectations of the position. But no one can argue that his leadership is a gaping void in our defense. It was a huge concern of mine before the season, and I think that much of the woeful defense is due to a lack of captaincy on the field. I don't have evidence for that one, it's a gut feel.

Stargazer
11-25-2007, 02:16 AM
I'd miss Big Al if he was able to contribute today. Forget what he has done, but in the NFL it's all about what have you done for me lately. And if he was able to contribute, a team would have definately signed him by now for the stretch run. Sounds like his career/season is done now. He might get an opportunity next season with the Broncos/another squad.

pnbronco
11-25-2007, 10:25 PM
I really, really miss his leadership. I miss Al the person also.

gobroncsnv
11-25-2007, 11:41 PM
I miss Al when he was healthy... I'm glad he's not playing right now for his own sake. You could tell that he just wasn't himself, at least the last half of 06, if not before. But I want the guy to have as normal a life as can be led by somebody who played with such reckless abandon. When he made the mid-air stop on the Raiders' RB in that Sunday night game a few years ago, I LOVED that play. But when a guy playing his position has neck problems, it needs to be over. Life is more than football.