Gaither to start at MLB
by Joe_D on Aug 30, 2009 6:47 PM EDT
31 comments
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles are changing their starting middle linebacker two weeks before the start of the regular season.
Omar Gaither is taking over for Joe Mays. Mays had replaced Stewart Bradley, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. Gaither was the starter in 2007.
Gaither had been bothered by a sore knee throughout training camp, but returned to practice on a limited basis last week and was out with the starting unit at practice Sunday. He will remain in that role leading up to the season opener Sept. 13 at Carolina.
After Bradley's injury, the Eagles made Mays the starter. Mays was a sixth-round pick out of North Dakota State last year. Last week, rookie seventh-round pick Moise Fokou started to get more reps.
Now, it's back to Gaither.
0 recs |
31 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Woohoo!
I’ve wanted this all along. Hope he can play as well as he did in ’07.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
by IronHank on Aug 30, 2009 7:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I've been in the small minority
rooting for Gaither too, but as I wrote elsewhere, I think the Birds handled this perfectly. They know already what Gaither can do as a starter, so they let Fokou and Mays get reps with the ones
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Aug 30, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I absolutely agree. I’m very happy that they gave Fokou a shot during the 3rd preseason game. Now we know he’s capable of playing multiple positions and that increases his worth and likelihood of making the final roster.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
by IronHank on Aug 30, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ever since bradleys injury
I have been wondering why they were playing Mays at MLB…
Its defiantly the right move to play gaither there. At worst he puts up a fight and stalemates at best he plays like a stud.. Mays is to small sorry, I saw many many times where he got destroyed in the run game by and O-lineman and FB where Gaither wouldve been able to shed the block and make a play…
thank god we were with a guy we know what were gonna get out of opposed to an unknown like mays expecially with everything that rides on this season.
by wild_eagle on Aug 30, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am disappointed. I believe it is the right call, but I was rooting for Mays. He just did not impress this preseason. I still like Mays though.
by captain nodar on Aug 30, 2009 7:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I like
Also, I was going through the games of two seasons ago when he was the starting MLB…He was a complete animal. A beast. And, he wouldn’t stop talking, playing mind games with the QB of the opposing team.
by LegendKnight22 on Aug 30, 2009 7:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
LB corps
What does that make our LB corps now? Jordan/Gaither/Gocong for the Panthers game?
"Eagles fans are a passionate group who love their team," said McNabb, "if not the actual players. It's not like winning a Super Bowl before the first month of the season is the hardest thing they've ever asked of me. That'd be all those times they asked me to go kill myself."
by greenbean#twoOH on Aug 30, 2009 7:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey Gaither and Bradley
were statistically simular. Its a small step up in the passing game and a small step down in the run game..
by wild_eagle on Aug 30, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sign up for the Eagles' Mobile Alerts
I know those things seem annoying, but if Joe_D posted this an hour ago, that still means they sent out the thing about Gaither two hours before that.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how they release the cuts tomorrow and when they get down to 53.
Plus, you still have to come here for any significant discussion of it
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Aug 30, 2009 8:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
cuts are the first and the fifth… right?
by awd777 on Aug 30, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Best Option
Gaither is our best option at MLB at this point!!!
He is a leader, experienced, smart, and competant!
He is not Bradley but he is a good answer until we have Bradley back!
Rob Wetmore
Leading Edge Martial Arts
www.leadingedgema.com
by LEKSensei on Aug 30, 2009 8:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Gaither has had..
two opportunities to start for this team and he has blown them both, now he will be given a third? I believe Mays has the tools, he just needs more time. Eventually the Starter will be Matt Wilhelm so it doesn’t even matter
by burns819 on Aug 30, 2009 8:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think so..
he started in San Diego for that defense which was bad ass until he got hurt
by burns819 on Aug 30, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's encouraging news ...
… but by your Gaither logic, why isn’t Matt Wilhelm still the starter at MLB for SD?
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Aug 30, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
cause he got hurt
and eventually lost his job. You know how it works when ppl get hurt in the NFL
by burns819 on Aug 30, 2009 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wilhelm got hurt yes
but then he got out played. He was good, had a motor and didnt make mistakes, then SD found someone who did all of that plus make some better plays.
Gaither didnt lose his Starting MLB spot, it was pretty much given to Bradley and he was slid over to WLB. I think that WLB wasnt what he was suited for and he eventually got out played by Jordan thus losing his starting job. Now that he is were he has excelled before we should see new life in Gaither.
Plus Samuels, Bunkley and Gaither all on the field running there mouth’s makes our defense very vocal and all three of them back up what they say about 90% of the time(i pulled that statistic out of my ass btw) and they have the skills to back what they say up. Also this means the leadership void left by Bdawk will be filled with a combination of the 3.
by wild_eagle on Aug 30, 2009 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Always nice
to give credit to where those stats come from :)
I would’ve preferred Stewart Bradley filling the leadership void and Gaither trying to get back in the mix at Will, but when you have an injury and a guy like Omar who can play all three … well that’s the difference depth makes.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Sep 1, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He only wants Wilhelm because he looks the most like Bradley
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
by IronHank on Aug 30, 2009 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No way ...
… the use of capital letters and punctuation other than ellipses is the giveaway. Good thinking though!
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Aug 30, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
two opportunities to start for this team and he has blown them both,
Interesting and you back this statement up with what?
Gaither started 7 games at WILL and had 58 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT AS A ROOKIE!!!. Then he got the MIKE starting job after the release of Trotter and all he did was lead the team in tackles and QB hurries had 102 tackles 1 INT 1 FF and 7 PDs. Oh and he lead our LBs in sacks last year.
I’m a Gaither fan I think when they moved him to WILL to give the MIKE spot to Bradley (his natural position) there was some difficulty adjusting and Akeem Jordan was at the right place at the right time. Gaither will do very well at MIKE.
Jim Johnson 1941-2009
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on Aug 31, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
agreed
I dont think we’re bad at all with what we’re left with at LB. We’ve still got the talent there. It sucks to lose Bradley but i do love that Gaither took his starting job back.
side note: I think our LB’s will be disgusting next year if Bradley comes back as strong as he left. Considering he has the entire year to recover. I really like Fokou. I really think he’s gonna start next year and i would love to see him in there w/ Bradley. I know we have to start this year first, but i really see our defense being disgusting for years to come. Never have i been more excited to be an Eagle fan, both sides of the ball are gonna be great to watch.
Lets go SB 44!!!! E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!!!!
"Eagles fans are a passionate group who love their team," said McNabb, "if not the actual players. It's not like winning a Super Bowl before the first month of the season is the hardest thing they've ever asked of me. That'd be all those times they asked me to go kill myself."
by greenbean#twoOH on Sep 2, 2009 6:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Gaither, but i’m still disappointed about bradley. i think he could have been a pro bowler this year
by eaglesinmd on Aug 30, 2009 9:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
THANK GOD GOOD MOVE
Good im happy were goin with Omar at the MIKE, mays might be a good player down the road but this is a team with SB aspirations and we need a experienced player at this key spot. What we dont need is a young player still learning the position who gets beat alot and is a liability in pass coverage. Allin all good move , i just hope Giather can stay healthy.
by goldenbird09 on Aug 30, 2009 11:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So if Mays is so bad do we cut him?
I think only 6LB’s kept: Gocong, Jordan, Gaither, Mays, Fokou are locks. White may be best ST player. Wilhelm has most experience on defense. Daniels is most athletic. Should be interesting what happens.
by phxphilly on Aug 31, 2009 12:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bradley should never have been put in the MIKE spot to begin with. When he was subbed in at the WILL position for Takeo Spikes he played extremely well…he would have had better numbers there than at the MIKE last year. I think coaches need to un-glue their eyes from the stat sheets and what types of players with which dimensions are “Acceptable” for certain positions and make personnel decisions based on what actually happens on the field.
by Ausar397 on Aug 31, 2009 9:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought what we liked about our LBs
is they were all “big” and could run. There were definitely some articles floating around last season about the Gocong/Gaither/Bradley combo not being your prototypical LBs in terms of size and smarts.
I think coaches need to un-glue their eyes from the stat sheets and what types of players with which dimensions are "Acceptable" for certain positions
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Sep 1, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
