From: rja@redwood26.cray.com (Russ Anderson)
Subject: Re: If Walker should fail.
Originator: rja@redwood26
Organization: The 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins!
Date: 2 Sep 92 09:43:35 CDT


In article <5f0R03gv72O600@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>, ronnie@uts.amdahl.com (Ronnie Townsend) writes:
> In article <1992Aug30.191326.10906@uwm.edu> melissa@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Melissa C Merrill) writes:
> >
> >	Come on. I heard this for 3 season with Minnesota. We had a few
> >	All-Pro off lineman and Walker still didnt look all that great.
> >	I saw Walkers stats, and he was like 12-12. You need to give
> >	him the ball more than 12 times. More like about 100 times,
> >	then he could be 100-100. He just doesnt look like he runs
> 
> This is just plain BS. Herschel averaged more than 4 yards per carry last
> year and I believe he did so throughout his tenure at the Metrodomw. This would 
> lead me to believe you, sir, are not interested in dealing with the facts... 

Either that or the stats don't tell the whole picture.  Look at all the
teams just dying to trade for (or even sign) Herschel.

> you're just bitter about your team having traded the franchise for one guy..

The trade was worth it because it got Mike Lynn out of town.

> Come to think of it, I would be too. Even still, I've never seen a running 
> back gain yardage from the sideline, which is where Herschel spent a whole 
> lot of time whilst in Minnesota. You traded the farm for the guy and then 
> after the other guys whined about him getting too much attention and money and
> the ball, you decided to give it to him 10-12 times a game... and then 
> complained when he didn't get 100 yards on those 12 carries.  Sorry, no 
> sympathy here. Check the stats..

Yes, lets check the stats.  The Vikes rebuilt their offense around Herschel
and where was their offense ranked after the first month of last season?
Dead last?  The Vikes offense was much more productive after they scrapped
the Herschel offense.
>                                    Herschel gave you guys better than 4 yards 
> per carry which, given the shitty play-calling and offensive scheme Burnsy 
> set forth.. if probably pretty damn good. 

Part of the problem is that a 4 yard average is not the same as being able
to gain 4 yards on any given carry.  A typical Herschel 5 carries would result
in +21, +1, +1, 0, -3.  Sure, it's a four yard average, not consistent enough
to sustain a drive.  Herschel could not even succeed in run-out-the-clock
situations.  A normal running back (with the Vikes line) could always find
a crack to gain a few yards on any given carry, resulting in 3rd & 3-4 yard
stuations (that the team could run for).  With Herschel, if the line did not 
give him 4 steps to get up to speed and a hole exactly where it was supposed
to be, he would gain little or no yardage.  That sets up 3rd & 8y situations.

Not to mention Herschel's failure to gain yardage in short yardage situations.  

By contrast, Terry Allen, who is quick, can cut, and find a crack, will
gain 1000+ yards for the Vikes this year.

-- 
Russ Anderson    |  Disclaimer: Any statements are my own and do not reflect
------------------              upon my employer or anyone else.  (c) 1992
EX-Twins' Jack Morris, 10 innings pitched, 0 runs (World Series MVP!)