you knew I had to post this....
QuoteFans might not love Mahe, but coaches do
By LES BOWEN
BETHLEHEM - Reno Mahe took a pitch, motored for good yardage, was hit, but then bounced away from the tackle for a few extra yards.
As usual, Mahe is getting more reps than he figured to when Eagles training camp started. Yesterday, both Bruce Perry (back spasms) and Ryan Moats (knee) sat out. But Mahe was there, hard at work, as he always is.
This is Mahe's fourth Eagles training camp. As usual, he hustles through every drill, as a running back, as a returner and in other special-teams roles. The team lists him at 5-10, 212, which is total fiction, both numbers.
Often in sports, fans celebrate such players, undersized overachievers who scrap to keep spots as deep reserves. Not Mahe. One of the most-asked questions of reporters covering the Eagles has to be, "Is this the year Reno Mahe finally gets cut?"
Maybe he's a sore point for some fans because they keep hoping Andy Reid will turn into somebody else and draft the big, warhorse back they've always wanted, instead of feeding them all these little pass-catching backs, of whom Mahe annually is the smallest and least naturally talented. Maybe it's the BYU connection, a presumption of favoritism. Maybe it's that he seems so small and ordinary, they're jealous: "I played football in high school. If this guy's an NFL player, so am I."
Whatever the problem is, Harbaugh thinks it's silly.
"Anybody that really knows anything about football likes Reno Mahe as a football player," Harbaugh said yesterday. "Whatever you ask him to do, he does it well. He's not flashy, but he led the league in punt returns last year [with a 12.8-yard average, on just 21 returns]. He covered kicks, was in every special-teams phase, and always did his job very well. That's all hidden stuff... When they put him in on offense, does he ever miss an assignment? Does he ever miss a block? He makes people miss. He gains yards. He does what you ask him to do."
Or, as Reid put it yesterday: "He's a good football player - not the biggest, not the fastest, not the strongest - just a good football player."
Of course, Mahe, whose career total of 178 yards on 48 carries figures out to 4.1 yards per carry, would never claim that. There might not be a more humble pro athlete in Philadelphia. This is a guy who started hosting at Chickie's and Pete's because he wanted to stay busy a few winters ago when his wife, Sunny, and their two daughters were away. His TV doesn't have cable; he'd rather work puzzles and have time with the kids.
"This is my fourth camp - same situation, I guess. You just have to do what you can," Mahe, 26, said yesterday. "It ain't just fans [who wonder why he's on the team]. Not to call you [media] guys out, I get counted out every year. That's just the reality of the game."
Mahe has noticed the phenomenon, but he has no ready answer to the question of "Why people be hatin' on Reno?"
"I don't know why people don't like me. If I did, I'd try to change it," he said. "I'm sorry, I guess... I'm just trying to keep a job and provide a good living for my family."
Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan said football has become so specialized, guys like Mahe who can do a lot of things are important. But Runyan also said he knows why fans aren't appreciative.
"It's because he's average," Runyan said. "Jack of all trades, master of none. But you know, when he's in there, he's going to give you everything he has. You know what you're going to get out of him. He's not going to go in there dropping balls, fumbling balls, that kind of thing. You know what he has, and he's going to give it to you."
If he actually, you know, made a play once in awhile...fans would get off his ass.
i cant believe hes 26...because hes been an issue with fans for what seems like forever...it feels like hes 30
When Reno finally gets cut from the Eagles, his NFL career is over. That's why I hate on him. Plus, he's Mormon. Those fools bring humanity down.
No more than other people who follow religious dogma...but that's another topic.
I'm not really sure of the source of the Reno hate, either. Maybe it's those years of being spoiled by Brian Mitchell, knowing there was a legitimate home-run hitter on returns. But I also remember some of the ugly returners this team has had (including the cardiac kid himself, Rossum), and I guess I'm not too upset with "safe" for most kick returns.
You know, it's not that I hate the guy. He's not going to hurt the team, but he's not going to help the team...and that's just not good enough.
I hate the guy. He stabbed my dog. icehole.
an article about an average player that over and over points out how average he is. i feel very average about him.
This is the NFL we're talking about, not the Independent Women's Football League. Not helping the team is hurting the team.
Quote from: Zanshin on July 31, 2006, 10:04:16 AM
You know, it's not that I hate the guy. He's not going to hurt the team, but he's not going to help the team...and that's just not good enough.
How many 4th or 5th RB's are going to really "help" the team? Don't get me wrong, Mahe doesn't excite me, but he is what he is, a utility player that will fill in adequately until the players in front of him get back.
Reno or Buck isn't going to make the cut. That'll be tough on Reid.
Adequately?
Quote from: General_Failure on July 31, 2006, 10:51:03 AM
Adequately?
You apparently don't appreciate his waterbug-like moves.
(http://koti.mbnet.fi/amika/bugs/waterbug/i/waterbug1.jpg)
Waterbug!!
Quote from: Beermonkey on July 31, 2006, 10:46:30 AM
Quote from: Zanshin on July 31, 2006, 10:04:16 AM
You know, it's not that I hate the guy. He's not going to hurt the team, but he's not going to help the team...and that's just not good enough.
How many 4th or 5th RB's are going to really "help" the team? Don't get me wrong, Mahe doesn't excite me, but he is what he is, a utility player that will fill in adequately until the players in front of him get back.
if you can have 1 guy that can play: 4th RB, punt returner, kickoff ST...that can leave room for possibly 1-2 extra roster players.
oh almost forgot, maitre-D at Chickie n Petes too.
until he makes mistakes, he does work hard for his roster spot.
Loved his block that sprung DMac on that scramble for a TD against the Vikings on MNF in 2004. Will always be his legacy as a bird.
He can make all the people he wants miss in practice every year if he wants to. that only shows that special teams needs to sharpen their tackling skills big time.
the bottom line is you could whistle and blow the guy over. he proves it every time he gets the ball
Barring injury, Westbrook, Moats and Perry make this team, IMO. That leaves possibly one spot for Reno and Buck to fight over. If they keep 4 backs (not including FB, and I'd be shocked), they'd keep Reno, I think, because of the intangibles.
Westbrook, Moats and Mahe are the only locks to make this team at RB. Convincing yourself otherwise is just stupid.
I wouldn't even call Moats a lock. If Buck survives camp I wouldn't be surprised to hear Reid say he's going with 3 backs: Westbrook, Buck, and Mahe.
Quote from: rjs246 on July 31, 2006, 08:40:06 PM
Westbrook, Moats and Mahe are the only locks to make this team at RB. Convincing yourself otherwise is just stupid.
I disagree....Perry offers more than Mahe IMO.
Quote from: mikey418 on July 31, 2006, 09:28:10 PM
Quote from: rjs246 on July 31, 2006, 08:40:06 PM
Westbrook, Moats and Mahe are the only locks to make this team at RB. Convincing yourself otherwise is just stupid.
I disagree....Perry offers more than Mahe IMO.
Of course he does. Haven't you been paying attention to Andy Reid?
I understand your point rjs, I just think reason has to win over at some point. I mean, Mahe's stuck largely because of injuries to Buckhalter. The gravy train can't last forever.
I wouldn't even call Moats a lock. If Buck survives camp I wouldn't be surprised to hear Reid say he's going with 3 backs: Westbrook, Buck, and Mahe.
no chance in hell moats doesnt make it...ive heard heckert and reid both say how they are going to imploy a moats westbrook backfield this year
the buck vs reno issue is a non starter imo...i dont see buck being healthy and even if he is i dont think someone gets bumped for him as they arent going to risk losing a quality player on the chance he stays healthy...buck would be the extra back...
I'm pretty sure G_F was kidding, IGY. Westbrook, Buck and Mahe are clearly his (REID's) personal favorites as is shown by the fact that Buck and Mahe are still even being talked about and the team refuses to bring in a real running back to compliment Westbrook... I don't think anyone believes for a second that Moats is in danger of missing the cut.
I'm pretty sure G_F was kidding
oh my bad...i dont get it
Reno is a stone cold mortal lock to make the team. Belee dat.
LALALALALALALALALALA (fingers in ears).
QuoteOne of my camp standouts thus far, is the ever-present running back Reno Mahe. He just looks very good out there in full-contact drills and otherwise. He makes people miss and still has the strength to knock people over. I'm excited to see how he does this Sunday against Oakland.
--Shane Evans, 9:17 a.m.
It burns when I pee forever.
on sunday when i was there he was by far the best offensive player on the field and that includes mcnabb
Quote from: Don Ho on August 02, 2006, 04:15:13 PM
QuoteOne of my camp standouts thus far, is the ever-present running back Reno Mahe. He just looks very good out there in full-contact drills and otherwise. He makes people miss and still has the strength to knock people over. I'm excited to see how he does this Sunday against Oakland.
--Shane Evans, 9:17 a.m.
It burns when I pee forever.
You pee forever?
one of those "fixed" sigs. I was eluding to locking the thread - forever. Somehow whizzing forever popped up. I do crap for long periods though.
Quote from: MadMarchHare on July 31, 2006, 10:50:57 AM
Reno or Buck isn't going to make the cut. That'll be tough on Reid.
Buckhalter will make the cut. And he'll blow out his knee in the process.
everytime i see this thread title i cant help but think of the jive talk in airplane
Quote from: ice grillin you on August 02, 2006, 05:08:18 PM
everytime i see this thread title i cant help but think of the jive talk in airplane
"cut me some slack jack"
...and don't call me Shirley
(my first post. I found this board less than a week ago and signed up before I found out I was supposed to be invited. So this is a rogue post. Forgive me)
I used to wish Reno got cut. Then I watched an interview on the official site (I almost never do, I promise) with him last summer. Since then I've thought that if I were on the team I would want him on the team. I just got the feeling that I would look forward to work more if he were there - a smart, considerate guy with a good attitude. Granted, that doesn't make him sound like a football player. So let me recount my favorite Reno play ever. In one of the games we won last year the opposition was behind and tried a desparation onside kick. Reno caught it, secured it, and promptly ran out of bounds. Secured the win for us. Genius play. Absolutely perfect.
I don't think you have to be invited here...
Either way...welcome. :yay