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Sam Ehlinger


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2 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Bruce Feldman article...

"QB Coach No. 1 on Texas QB Sam Ehlinger:  He was great in the interview. He has great intangibles, but he’s at 6-1, 220 and he only runs a 4.8, so he’s not fast enough or big enough to be a run-around guy, and he has a long motion and his ball comes undone and has inconsistent accuracy. He misses a lot of easy throws"

 

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Bruce Feldman article...
"QB Coach No. 1 on Texas QB Sam Ehlinger:  He was great in the interview. He has great intangibles, but he’s at 6-1, 220 and he only runs a 4.8, so he’s not fast enough or big enough to be a run-around guy, and he has a long motion and his ball comes undone and has inconsistent accuracy. He misses a lot of easy throws"
 

Will some of the people that worship Sam start believing that since it wasn’t just message board users saying it?
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4 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:


Will some of the people that worship Sam start believing that since it wasn’t just message board users saying it?

yeah totally fuck him, worst QB ever wish he would have never stepped foot on the 40.

What a stupid take. 

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yeah totally fuck him, worst QB ever wish he would have never stepped foot on the 40.
What a stupid take. 

Give me a break dude. Any time someone has had a legitimate gripe about him, someone else has to come back with a post kinda like yours. The fact that he’s the best that’s been trotted out lately says more about the state of the football program.
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21 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:


Give me a break dude. Any time someone has had a legitimate gripe about him, someone else has to come back with a post kinda like yours. The fact that he’s the best that’s been trotted out lately says more about the state of the football program.

He was really fucking good at football, he was really good at Texas. 

I don't know what you want from these posts - I didn't say he was the best. He was good, very good. If you don't think that you are burying your head in the sand.

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3 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:


Give me a break dude. Any time someone has had a legitimate gripe about him, someone else has to come back with a post kinda like yours. The fact that he’s the best that’s been trotted out lately says more about the state of the football program.

Agree.  Sam was a very slightly above-average college QB.  Take away his passion for burnt orange, he would have gotten grilled on this site so much.  But that passion and photo as a kid created a story that made it difficult to think critically about him for many.  He definitely had his moments, like all slightly above average quarterbacks do, but I say damn were there a lot of throws missed that should have been completed (even with our OL).

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16 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

Agree.  Sam was a very slightly above-average college QB.  Take away his passion for burnt orange, he would have gotten grilled on this site so much.  But that passion and photo as a kid created a story that made it difficult to think critically about him for many.  He definitely had his moments, like all slightly above average quarterbacks do, but I say damn were there a lot of throws missed that should have been completed (even with our OL).

Cool. List me 25 qbs in the last 10 years that had better careers than Sam. 

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13 hours ago, immamac said:

Cool. List me 25 qbs in the last 10 years that had better careers than Sam. 

Sam kept us in many games because of consistently shitty 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter throws.  I judge by whole game, not by who had solid 4th qtrs (which Sam definitely had).  I'm definitely not a Sam hater, btw, just wouldn't even place him as a whole-game qb pick in top 50 or 75 of last 10 years.  I still believe he is slightly above average. 

Like, life on line choice to make one throw, no way I would pick Sam in my top 5 each of last 4 years.  Interviews and passion, sure.  

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Are we trying to argue that Sam was a top 25 college QB of the past 10 years?  Like the entire NCAA and not just the big 12?  I guess I haven't really thought about it but I can't imagine it being difficult to find 25 better QBs this past decade.  Hell he was 23rd in QBR in 2020 alone.

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13 hours ago, immamac said:

Cool. List me 25 qbs in the last 10 years that had better careers than Sam. 

 

7 minutes ago, Gene Parmesan said:

Are we trying to argue that Sam was a top 25 college QB of the past 10 years?  Like the entire NCAA and not just the big 12?  I guess I haven't really thought about it but I can't imagine it being difficult to find 25 better QBs this past decade.  Hell he was 23rd in QBR in 2020 alone.

Nice point on his 2020 QBR...

 

Trying to put Sam in a Top 25 CFB QB list over the last 10yrs is an exercise in futility.  And trying to use CFB career stats over the last 10 years isn't valuable when lots of QBs don't even play for 4yrs in CFB anymore.   

Sam was a good QB at TEXAS, but no doubt there are plenty of valid criticisms Surly Folks can make about his abilities and performances as the QB for the Longhorns...

 

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11 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

 

Nice point on his 2020 QBR...

 

Trying to put Sam in a Top 25 CFB QB list over the last 10yrs is an exercise in futility.  And trying to use CFB career stats over the last 10 years isn't valuable when lots of QBs don't even play for 4yrs in CFB anymore.   

Sam was an above average QB at TEXAS in a passing era, but no doubt there are plenty of valid criticisms Surly Folks can make about his abilities and performances as the QB for the Longhorns...

 

FIFY

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19 minutes ago, Gene Parmesan said:

Are we trying to argue that Sam was a top 25 college QB of the past 10 years?  Like the entire NCAA and not just the big 12?  I guess I haven't really thought about it but I can't imagine it being difficult to find 25 better QBs this past decade.  Hell he was 23rd in QBR in 2020 alone.

Second highest passing yards in UT history and #15 in QBR in 2019 and #18 in 2018 (actually better than Herbert both years -- and before someone goes off on a rant, no, I'm not saying Sam will be better than Herbert).  No one's arguing that he was an elite college QB, but those stats, plus his leadership and all the plays and big third down conversions he made with his legs through the years are nothing to scoff at.  After all, we had been wandering around in the QB desert for the better part of a decade.  Also interesting that Sam was #22 in QBR in 2020, and Buechele was #23.

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21 hours ago, OU Sucks said:

Second highest passing yards in UT history and #15 in QBR in 2019 and #18 in 2018 (actually better than Herbert both years -- and before someone goes off on a rant, no, I'm not saying Sam will be better than Herbert).  No one's arguing that he was an elite college QB, but those stats, plus his leadership and all the plays and big third down conversions he made with his legs through the years are nothing to scoff at.  After all, we had been wandering around in the QB desert for the better part of a decade.  Also interesting that Sam was #22 in QBR in 2020, and Buechele was #23.

The challenge was to name 25 better QBs over the past 10 years, so somebody thinks very highly of him. 

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Seems we have a take that a QBs passing ability is the totality of his game in college.

I’m guessing some of those dudes might say Vince Young is the greatest player of all time.

If you believe he is that, it is not because of his passing abilities. He may not even be a top 50 “passer” in college history. But when you can convert 3rd and 10 or 4th and 18, who the hell cares about those crappy plays on play 1-3. I mean how in the hell do you get into 4th and 18 against Kansas?

I made the point earlier this year that running QBs will be less accurate than pure passers. Sam bitchers argued against that point. Fewer throwing reps over their lives most likely. Fewer in season reps. Possibly different body composition and weight training efforts. In game fatigue. Increased likelihood that more hits tighten up the body which impact the throwing motion. It is more difficult mentally too. The question is how much does it impact accuracy.

And I’m not sure the Sam supporters spent much time saying he’s supremely accurate passer.

Sams 4.8 speed is irrelevant for the NFL. He does have some unique running abilities as a QB. He reads blocks well. You won’t often knock him back 1 on 1. And find me anyone, anywhere ever that ran for a 1st on 3rd and 10 with a 1 man rush and 10 dropping into coverage.

Sam will most likely never get a real shot as a starter. Maybe he doesn’t deserve one. But teams are dumb as shit if they all pass on drafting him. Not as dumb as passing on Poona but dumb nonetheless. These NFL guys mess their drawers often. JP Losman was never, ever accurate. Sam doesn’t have ideal size. He doesn’t have a natural release. He’s not a freak in the run game like Lamar or Cam. He’ll be drafted in the high rounds if at all so he won’t be given chance after chance like a Sam Bradford.

You don’t make as many plays as Sam did with modest talent and coaching around you and not have something to you.

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On 4/23/2021 at 10:35 PM, Had Enough said:

If you believe he is that, it is not because of his passing abilities. He may not even be a top 50 “passer” in college history. But when you can convert 3rd and 10 or 4th and 18, who the hell cares about those crappy plays on play 1-3. I mean how in the hell do you get into 4th and 18 against Kansas?

His last year at Texas he was 3rd in the country in passing efficiency ahead of Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn.

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His last year at Texas he was 3rd in the country in passing efficiency ahead of Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn.

Point taken. Point still stands. That was one year of his career. Obviously he had to throw to make it work, but he’s not at the top of the list as strictly a passer. Runner? Maybe. Young needed arm and feet week after week to beat you. That doesn’t mean there were weeks in which his arm alone couldn’t get it done. His passing game and rating were enhanced because of his run game.

I suppose Kansas was his sophomore year as was the OU shutout.

If you’re talking greatest of all time, it is unlikely I’d base it on one year. If I did, Burrow is that guy. And certainly as a passer. I wouldn’t go by efficiency cause that probably makes Baker very high ranking.
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59 minutes ago, Had Enough said:


Point taken. Point still stands. That was one year of his career. Obviously he had to throw to make it work, but he’s not at the top of the list as strictly a passer. Runner? Maybe. Young needed arm and feet week after week to beat you. That doesn’t mean there were weeks in which his arm alone couldn’t get it done. His passing game and rating were enhanced because of his run game.

I suppose Kansas was his sophomore year as was the OU shutout.

If you’re talking greatest of all time, it is unlikely I’d base it on one year. If I did, Burrow is that guy. And certainly as a passer. I wouldn’t go by efficiency cause that probably makes Baker very high ranking.

The context in this thread was if Sam was an NFL caliber QB. VY showed great improvement year to year and 2005 was his ending note before going pro. Sam had 4 good to very good years. He also is high on several UT career stat lists because he started for 4 years and we threw the ball a lot. 
 

If you just want to debate “greatest college QB” with no context, did he win a lot of rivalry games or conference championships? If you only go by stats, players like Colt Brennan and Timmy Chang will launch a rainbow up his ass. Being the best UT QB of the decade is nothing to be ashamed of. 

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I think the problem with all these arguments is how do you factor in the Tom herman effect? The weird wr recruiting and mind fucking rotation, Cade brewer out wide, the rb room was a joke until bijan came along and herman wouldn’t give him more than 10 touches. Would Baker or Leinart have won a heisman with herman coaching his teams? It’s probably a fruitless argument but I think Sam is a legend in his own way lol. 

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The context in this thread was if Sam was an NFL caliber QB. VY showed great improvement year to year and 2005 was his ending note before going pro. Sam had 4 good to very good years. He also is high on several UT career stat lists because he started for 4 years and we threw the ball a lot. 
 
If you just want to debate “greatest college QB” with no context, did he win a lot of rivalry games or conference championships? If you only go by stats, players like Colt Brennan and Timmy Chang will launch a rainbow up his ass. Being the best UT QB of the decade is nothing to be ashamed of. 

It moved away from Sam being an NFL QB but was beginning to evolve to his passing skills. My point in bringing up Vince was to say the Qb run game was critically important to both their games so focusing entirely on their passing abilities doesn’t give their game its full due.

I’m not debating whether Vince is the greatest of all time but some people feel that way. In my opinion they don’t feel that way mostly due to his passing.

Leinart would be considered a better passer by the majority but that doesn’t make him the better Qb.

Stats without context can be misleading. No doubt.
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Just saw this - Hope Sam ends up with a better organization than Dallas

Perfect fits at each position for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Draft

These players would look mighty fine with a star on their helmet.

By Brian_Martin     Apr 27, 2021

Everybody has their favorite prospects they’d like to see the Dallas Cowboys draft at some point in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Cheering on and crossing your fingers for the players you’d like to see join America’s Team is part of the fun, and that is the topic of the day for this article.

Opinions, of course, will vary, but today we’ll examine a player from each position that would be a perfect fit to join the Dallas Cowboys. We’re keeping it as realistic as possible, so you won’t see any Kyle Pitts or Penei Sewell anywhere on the list. Each one of the players listed below could be in play for the Cowboys at some point in the draft.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas

It’s highly unlikely the Dallas Cowboys invest much, if any, draft capital in the QB position in the 2021 NFL Draft. If they do it will likely be on a developmental prospect like Sam Ehlinger. He reminds a little bit of Jalen Hurts coming out of college last year and a little of Dak Prescott coming out of Mississippi State. All three were strong, mobile QBs with questionable arm strength and accuracy coming out of college.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2021/4/27/22404314/perfect-fits-at-each-position-for-the-dallas-cowboys-in-the-2021-nfl-draft

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https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/sam-ehlinger-nlf-draft-interview/

“You Can’t Fake the Real”
An interview with outgoing Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger on playing his senior season during the pandemic, the uncertainty of the NFL draft, and how he and his teammates worked through the controversy around ‘The Eyes of Texas.’

Spoiler

Sam Ehlinger won’t turn 23 until September, but he’s already carried the weight of two winning traditions. First, he was the quarterback at Austin’s Westlake High School, where he surpassed two Super Bowl MVP alumni—Drew Brees and Nick Foles—to become the Chaparrals’ all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. Then, entering the University of Texas as a four-star recruit in 2017, amid a rough stretch in the school’s fortunes, he stepped into the role once occupied by Vince Young and Colt McCoy by becoming the Longhorns’ starting quarterback his freshman year.

Ehlinger’s tenure at UT sent him into the school’s record books, where he trails only McCoy in yards and touchdowns, but it didn’t lead the program back to the promised land. Ehlinger’s lifelong Longhorns fandom has been a part of his story since he entered the university. In a 2019 documentary short film, he discussed taking the field for the team as a way to honor his late father, who died when he was fourteen. Now, as he enters the NFL draft (where he’s expected to be a late-round pick), Ehlinger will for the first time prepare to wear the uniform of a team he didn’t grow up cheering for. Texas Monthly caught up with Ehlinger this spring to talk about achieving one of his life’s dreams, what losing teaches him, and how he perceived the conversations in the UT locker room about “The Eyes of Texas.”

Texas Monthly: You got to play quarterback for the college football team you grew up loving. Can you tell me about growing up a Longhorns fan?

Sam Ehlinger: It was really, really cool. During that period, right when I started to really learn what football was and learn players’ names, was right when Texas was playing for national championships and Big 12 championships. I grew up seeing that and I was like, this is awesome. I lived in the city, realized how big of a deal it was, went to all the games, and just absolutely loved it.

TM: Did going away to school ever appeal to you?

SE: Not really. I always knew that I wanted to go to Texas growing up a Longhorn fan. Both my parents went there. It’s kind of been a family tradition. During the recruiting process, from sophomore to senior year, Texas went 5–7 three years in a row. And everybody was telling me, “Don’t go to Texas. Why would you go to Texas?” And I was always, in my heart, like, “No, I want to go there and help bring them back to relevance.” I kind of flirted around with some other schools—the only other school that I considered was USC—but for the most part, it was always Texas.

TM: There are a million kids who dream of being the Longhorns quarterback. Most of them don’t get there. What’s it like to go in there as a freshman and say, “You know, I think I can help”?

SE: My freshman year, when I got just thrown in the fire early on, I had no idea what I was doing, but I was playing purely off passion and love for the university. And it kind of gave me a chance. I remember playing against USC my freshman year, and that was so cool for me. I had no idea what it took to be successful at that level. But I was like, hey, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability, and I’ll do it for the love of my teammates and the school, because I want to win this game so bad. And so that’s kind of what happened. I had no idea what I was doing. That was kind of the mentality, and I just kind of took it from there.

TM: Did you grow up watching the NFL?

SE: I grew up watching players. I grew up watching the Saints a little bit because of Drew Brees, but I never really had a team. I liked players.

TM: Is it an asset to not have that same emotional connection to an NFL team as you enter the draft, since you don’t get to say where you’re going to play?

SE: Yeah, no doubt. I have zero control over where I’m going to end up, so it’s kind of nice not having an emotional connection to any team—now I have an emotional connection to the game of football. The good thing about that is the game will be there wherever I go. I think that’s a thing that not everybody grasps—that the game is there for them.

TM: When did that start being something you recognized?

SE: In college. Just observing guys that have success and guys that don’t, you have to love the game more than what the game brings you in order to have success. Playing football, especially at a high-level university, can bring a lot of attention. If you don’t have your priorities straight and say, “I love the game of football for the work that I put in,” then you can get lost in what people are saying about you, or the going-out scene, or the attention that it brings you. I think that to play at a super high level, when you see all these guys that continue to do it year after year, it’s because they love the game. They’re in love with the process. And I think that’s what makes the difference between someone who makes it and someone who doesn’t.

TM: Does losing help you learn what you love about the sport?

SE: Oof. [eleven-second pause] I hate losing, so it’s hard to say, because there’s so many emotions after that. I think losing separates those that love the game and those that love what comes to them, because when you lose, you don’t have the things that come with winning. The people who really love football—when you lose, you’re back in the facility as early as possible to fix the mistakes and change things, because you hate losing that much. The people who are only in it for the followers or the money or whatever it may be, they’re like, whatever, you know?

TM: When you have coaches serve as father figures, especially in high school and especially after losing your dad, does that tie you more emotionally to the game?

SE: I think so. I like to say that football kind of saved my life—because of the pain of losing my father. Football was always there for me as my escape, and that hard work and the work ethic and the toughness was my way of getting out of that pain for a while. There were so many different paths that I could have gone down with that pain. You see like a ton of examples where it goes the other way, and I’m just very thankful that football was there for me to lift me out of that hole and provide discipline in my life, provide something that made me accountable to other people.

TM: You had to play your senior year with masks, limited capacity in the stands, and social distancing. What was that like?

SE: It was very tough. We had high expectations going into senior year, obviously had all the pieces in place. We had a very hungry team going into going into the spring of last year. We got a new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator right before COVID hit in March. So we were really just starting to get to know the coaches and didn’t get spring ball, didn’t really get a summer, so we had to install a lot of the new system through Zoom. A lot of guys had to be accountable working out by themselves instead of having structured workouts.

It was really hard. We weren’t able to build the team camaraderie as much, or able to be around the coaches and really get used to the systems that we were in. It was very frustrating. And then, you know, during the season it was hard because it was football, but without fans in the stands it was just a lot different. I’m glad that we got it done, but it was unfortunate that it had to be this year.

TM: What stood out as different when you were competing in real games?

SE: Just the atmosphere of the fans in the stands. We had so many crazy games this year and it just kind of felt like, “Ehh.” Like we would [make a comeback], and it’d be like, “That was crazy.” If the fans were there, it would have been absolutely nuts. Had there been fans in the Cotton Bowl, or a full stadium at Lubbock when we played against Texas Tech and came back, so many close games—everybody just kind of missed the environment and the experience.

TM: Do you have a different sense of how important the environment is to the product on the field now?

SE: Absolutely. I’ll play football in front of nobody, I’ll play just for the love of the game, but it does make you realize how much the camaraderie and the love for just coming together as a community makes sports special.

TM: There was that footage of you at the end of the Oklahoma game, where you were on the field during “The Eyes of Texas.” How do you feel about looking at that now?

SE: Well, it’s just another example of the way that that things get into the media and kind of get twisted. You know, I had a few teammates waiting for me on the field that weren’t in the photo. And they they weren’t white teammates either. They were waiting for me. I wasn’t the only player out there, but the picture made it seem that way. And we knew that as a team. That’s why it didn’t really derail us. And we had those conversations. So that that’s really the truth behind it.

TM: What were those conversations like? As a as a white player on a team where these conversations are happening, and also as one who has an emotional connection to that song that not every player has—how do you approach those conversations with your teammates?

SE: I learned a ton this year from a leadership perspective. I think the beautiful thing about sport, and the beautiful thing about football, is that the locker room is the perfect example of different people from so many different backgrounds working together for a common goal. So that was kind of my message: “Hey, here’s my perspective. This is my background. I’d love to hear yours, because I love you as a person and I support you and I respect to you. And our relationship is really important to me. And let’s work through it together and understand each other’s perspectives instead of just getting mad at each other.”

And, you know, that’s really all it took—just being vulnerable with each other, understanding each other’s perspectives and trying to move forward with a common goal. I think we were able to get past all that by being vulnerable together in the locker room.

TM: Is it hard to create a space where everyone can be vulnerable?

SE: I think so. I think men, specifically—it’s challenging for anybody to be vulnerable, but especially a bunch of dudes that are very masculine and have a bunch of testosterone, and think that the way of being a football player is to be tough and don’t talk about anything. I think it can be difficult, but it certainly can be done.

TM: How do you help make that space feel like one where you can have vulnerable conversations?

SE: I think for me personally, it started with, you know, just being in real life. So many people try to fake leadership and try to fake the real, and you can’t fake the real. People see straight through that. I think just being genuine and being real and being open and honest is the approach that I took. I just shared my story and said, “Look, this is how I’m feeling and I respect your opinion. Let’s all work through this together.”

 

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1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

Guess I don't have my burnt orange glasses on -- there's just no way that I want the Cowboys wasting a pick on Ehlinger.  Draft another defender or special teams player instead... 

6th or 7th rounder?  They're freaking flyers man. More like Priority Rookie FA's you don't want to have to bid on after the draft.

 

And they're literally about to use 5-6 good picks on Defense. I wouldn't worry too much...plus I suspect they got some guys coming after the draft that are just waiting.

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18 minutes ago, Drew said:

6th or 7th rounder?  They're freaking flyers man. More like Priority Rookie FA's you don't want to have to bid on after the draft.  And they're literally about to use 5-6 good picks on Defense. I wouldn't worry too much...plus I suspect they got some guys coming after the draft that are just waiting.

Sorry Drew...

If Cowboys are gonna waste a 6th/7th round pick on Ehlinger, they would be better off just trading the pick away...

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21 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Sorry Drew...

If Cowboys are gonna waste a 6th/7th round pick on Ehlinger, they would be better off just trading the pick away...

You say this because you watched Ehlinger up close for 4 years, but the some other guy they should draft school's fanbase is saying the same thing.  Unless they are a nobody program.  And trade their 6th and 7th rounders for what?  A box of kicking tees?  Because that's all they're worth.

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