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Broncos coach Mike Shanahan doesn’t exactly have warm, fuzzy feelings for the Raiders after his experience in Al Davis’ world. That makes praise for an Oakland guy that comes from his mouth particularly meaningful.
And Shanahan did nothing short of gush about Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Per the NFL Network’s Adam Schefter, Shanahan has practically appointed himself Asomugha’s Pro Bowl campaign manager.
“He is the most underrated football player in the history of the game,” Shanahan said of Asomugha. “I can’t believe this guy hasn’t been to the Pro Bowl or people don’t talk about him all the time. He is off the charts and as good as it gets. He doesn’t get the attention for the way he plays consistently. He is the most underrated football player that I have ever seen in my coaching career.”
Of course, Shanahan could also be attempting to motivate Denver receiver Brandon Marshall via the media.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:58 pm
He is right. Asomougha has been the best cover corner in the league for a few years now and he’s doing it in a system that has him playing man-to-man 90% of the time, with very little pass rush. He is basically Deion in his prime right now, it will be interesting to see how long he can keep up this ridiculously high level of play.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Maybe he is planning to make a run at him during FA period? I assume OAK will franchise him but would Denver match and give up 2 picks? In the same division?
I doubt it, but ya never know….
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
How is it that Al Davis’ organization hasn’t turned this guy into a pile of crap yet? Is there something in his DNA that blocks Al’s crap-turning force? Or maybe it’s his diet. Is there some supplement he takes that has retarded his progression to crap?
Enquiring minds want to know.
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:00 pm
He’s right though. Dude is the role model when it comes to “shut down” cornerbacks. His lack of stats directly correlates to QB’s being afraid to through in his direction.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 9 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Now if oakland just had anothe 10 like him, they would be better.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Shanahan’s got a point (that was really hard to say). When Deion was playing he was constantly hyped as the best corner in the game, a true shutdown corner. He took away half the field week in and week out for several years, and you never heard then end of it.
Asomugha does the same thing (is it still less than 10 times he’s been thrown at this year?), except he will also make tackles (unlike Primetime).
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I’m not sure about in history but only this year has really garnered so much media attention.
he is a true shut down corner.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:11 pm
First: This is yesterday’s … “news.”
Second: Mike Shanahan is NO judge of talent.
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Rating: 2.15 / 5 with 7 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:11 pm
“Of course, Shanahan could also be attempting to motivate Denver receiver Brandon Marshall via the media.”
You think?
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November 21st, 2008 at 3:11 pm
“Of course, Shanahan could also be attempting to motivate Denver receiver Brandon Marshall via the media.”
If he wanted to do that, he shoulda just told him he had popcorn muscles.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Can’t say hes wrong.
It’s hard to get press when you take your opponent and therefore yourself completely out of the game.
If he had a big mouth and danced like a ferry like Deion this wouldn’t be a problem. Or if he didn’t play for Oakland….
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I say hook Shanny up to a lie detector, see if he really does feel that way.
Or maybe he’s driving up Asomugha’s asking price in order to force the Raiders to lock him into a huge cap-crippling contract or maybe not even work out a deal at all.
Shanny is no dumbass, he knows what he’s doing. And Asomugha really is that good.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Or he could be attempting to ensure that the Raiders have to pay him the absolute biggest amount possible to keep him…just a guess.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
he is also trying to drive his price up/what it will cost oakland to keep him!
also like when lou holtz used to say “the team we are playing this week, [insert school name here], is the best i have ever seen”….
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
People don’t talk about him because he is a Raider. Once he leaves via FA, and goes to a different team, everyone will go crazy about this kid.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Well I have already pulled Marshall out of my FF lineup in favor of Donnie Avery.
So I figure Marshall will go for 12 catches, 157 yards and 2 TD’s!
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November 21st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
He’s probably only saying it because the guy is up for a contract soon and wants to drive up his price tag.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I think this one is for real. Asomugha has completely shut down his half of the field this season, I don’t think there is a CB in the league who gets thrown at as few times as him.
That people like Deltha O’neal and Antonio Cromartie make the pro bowl on the back of interceptions they get while allowing one 100 yard receiver after the other is a shambles. Cromartie sees as many passes thrown his way in a single game as Asomugha does in 10 or even 16, of course he is going to come up with a few of them, even a blind chicken will eventually step in a turd.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Also this ups his value when he becomes a free agent. And that makes it more and more likely that Oakland will be unable to retain his services.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
2 things:
1) It’s about time someone agrees with me about Nnamdi.
2) Nnamdi was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006. Nice fact sheet, Shanahan.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I feel bad that he is going to be tagged.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
And the most over-hyped CB in the history of the game resides on the Broncos. Ironic, isn’t it?
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Rating: 3.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Yeah…whatever happened to Champ Bailey?
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November 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Too bad he plays for one of the worst (Raider fan, thank God the Lions exist) franchises in NFL history.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
champ is past his prime.. thats all that happened
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